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Praetorium Honoris

Monday, September 11, 2023

Work- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

 Well...Another work week in the History Books!

Wait! Aren't you retired, juvat?

Yes, Beans, for three years now from a paying, scheduled, regimented job.  That having been said, retirement requires a bit of work in and of itself. More to follow.

Sarge yesterday was musing about retirement or staying on the job but cutting back.  I'm glad he has that additional choice in his decision making in that he likes his job and the people he works with.  Had I been presented with the opportunity to have returned to  my next to next to next to last job (AKA flying an F-15), is there any doubt in anyone's mind that I'd have jumped at it.  Even if it were the job that followed that one (training and deploying a Joint Task Force team where needed in the Pacific while stationed at Camp Smith HI), I'd also probably be still at it. 

Pretty much the same view I had from my desk at Camp Smith
Source

However, my last job in the Air Force, managing a multi-billion dollar information technology development budget with every Tom, dick (descriptor not a name) and Joe congressman saying they needed me to find $X followed by several zeros for them to give to the "Pick your favorite vote generation" organization frankly made the job...well...SUCK! No way on Earth I was going to stay there.

Followed that up with a teaching job at the local High School after USAF retirement.  Loved the working with the kids.  Since Computer programming wasn't a required course, the kids were interested and therefore fairly well behaved. Were that my sole responsibility, again, I probably would still be there.  However, the powers that be slowly moved me out of the classroom and into fixing, installing and training the Staff and their computers.  

"I don't want to know what went wrong, just fix it!"  

"Dear, what went wrong happened between your ears!"  never made it to my lips, at least during school hours.

So,  I retired retired.  Now, my Boss (AKA Mrs J) is quite pleasant to work for, gives me plenty of time for woodworking and other activities.  She realizes that me sitting on my fat A...(donkey) will do my longevity no good whatsoever.

As an example, this past week, MBD and The Rev asked if Mrs J and I could come visit them in College Station.  They're in the final stages of renovating their new house and needed some help.  

A chance to visit them and our granddaughter, and all it'll take is a little manual labor?

But...Of Course!

So, we're off to CStat, with the 3 Old Dogs in tow.  (Future post to follow on the New Dogs/Old Dogs adventure).

Up early the morning after arrival. First assignment, fix the old fence that keeps the dogs in the yard and out of the muddy creek that runs behind the house. This Old Fart is well aware that it's still Summertime in Texas.  Hot and Humid is the standard forecast.  Get out and rip out the old rotted staves.  That was kinda fun actually, but required a bit of physical activity.  Then started cutting the staves and screwing them into  position.  A couple of them had some small cracks in them so required a nail or two to prevent further cracking.  

Unfortunately, my vision, assisted by an excess amount of a fluid running off my forehead and into my eyes, made hitting the nail... well...difficult!

Bent a nail or two, then, while still leaning over the stave and looking at things, all of a sudden, I noticed not only could I see the nail clearly, but it was magnified.

Seems this watery substance had flowed into my glasses and being clear and fluid, changed the magnification on them.  I was quick to take advantage of this phenomenon and tried to keep my head as steady as I could.  Didn't want this miracle to be spilled.

Got the job finished, then went inside where I consumed at least two quarts of water. Went to take a shower and after stripping down, I came to the realization, that had I jumped into a swimming pool with all my clothes on, they wouldn't be any wetter that they were that morning.

Next project was to rework the living room book shelf.  The house had been a college student rental before they bought it.  Apparently the students themselves had installed the book shelf as very little was square, or vertical in either axis or level.  In addition, MBD wanted the top to be arched.  On a previous visit, I had taken measurements and had cut most of the lumber to those measurements.

There was a moment of trepidation as I approached the target with the first upright piece to install.

First upright is on the left

Stood it up under the top horizontal, gave it a light tap with the palm of my hand....

Great success! While not all the other pieces were quite as good (no two existing shelves were the same size, remember?), all were within acceptable tolerance. Project was handed over to MBD and The Rev for mudding in.

Final project for the week was the mantel.  I had been pondering (AKA thinking at 0300 instead of sleeping) about how to line up the support posts and the holes drilled into the mantle with any accuracy.  Then a moment of brilliance (no doubt brought on by lack of sleep) came to me.  I cut a sheet of the plywood (1/4" thick) the length and width of the mantle.  Double sided taped it to the wall edge of the mantle and measured, marked and drilled the post holes through the plywood into the mantle itself.  Then took the plywood off, taped it in place on the fireplace and drilled corresponding holes into it.

Two guys lifting and me underneath guiding the supports into the holes and voila'.


 

Thank you, Saint Joseph (patron saint of woodworkers) for that flash of insight.

RTB was uneventful, well except for the usual "not safe for family ears" commentary Mrs J informed me I had used as we transited Austin. Both sets of Dogs were happy we were all reunited.  A considerable amount of Ben-Gay has been used to ease my muscles into cooperation, but, once again, all is right in the world.

Now that we've RTB'd, the rest of this year is Birthday, Anniversaries and holiday season.  Which means I'm gonna be in my workshop doing a lot of conversion of good wood into sawdust, with a faint hope of some usable gift coming out of it.

Should be fun.

Peace out y'all!


28 comments:

  1. Walking into the pool mostly fully clothed is always an option. A painful option during winter, but still an option. Summertime? I've done that after melting outside and sweating out a couple gallons.

    Even knew a guy who, after fighting all day long during the summer, just couldn't take it any longer and walked into a pool in the deep end and walked out of the shallow end. While wearing full armor and padding and all the rest. It's a viable way of washing one's armor out. Not recommended to do so in tannic waters like lakes and such, as that will end up with a real whiffer smell, even worse than armor stench (the smell of sweat, body funk, metal, oil, leather and all other smells and stenches to include what one ate the previous day and what alcoholic beverages one had drunk before fighting (yes, I knew people who 'fought' off the hangover, leaking alcohol stench.))

    As to retiring and such, it all depends on whether one works for good folk or a bunch of jackals and hyenas. That makes all the difference. Is work pleasant or would you rather walk out into God's Artillery Barrage (lighting) while wrapped in tin foil carrying a 20' metal pole than go in one more day? There is a difference. Big difference. So big.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beans,
      A human lightning rod? Happens often enough to mere mortals not wrapped in metal. Not my cup of tea. Happened once to me somewhere in the mid 30's and around 450K. All the electronic equipment went off line. Fortunately the same instruments that (probably) Orville and Wilbur used were working and recovery was successful. Gave me a profound respect for the phenomena.

      Good Folk vs Jackals and Hyenas...Aye, that's a key indicator.
      juvat

      Delete
  2. The work on the book shelves looks very nice, ditto the mantle.

    Texas hot is not something I want to experience again soon, though I remember Mississippi hot being far worse. I need the cold at times, but most of all, I need the sea nearby.

    I'm not saying that you scared me away from retirement, juvat, but damn, you work too much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarge,
      TX vs MS... Painted houses at Columbus AFB MS in the summer to pay for college. Wholeheartedly agree with your assessment.

      As to work, maybe, but one, I save money, (Kinda), two, I take a break when I want, three, I like it. So, I got that going for me! ;-)
      juvat

      Delete
  3. Bookshelf looks good, and you discovered a new magnification ability! Sucess! That mantle is shaping up quite nicely, good thing you retired from nine to five work.......... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nylon,
      Thanks, also the fact that the magnifying fluid was bypassing the eyes and dripping into the glasses was an added benefit. 9-5? Now it's more like 7 to 7...With numerous breaks and recuperative visits to Lowes.
      :-)
      juvat

      Delete
  4. Me last Monday: "Juvat, be sure and do not overdo it in the heat."

    Me this Monday: (Slowly lowers head into hands....). On the bright side, nice discovery for magnification purposes.

    That technique for the mantel sounds brilliant. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THBB,
      Well, you can teach a fighter pilot, just not very much.

      Thanks, It worked like a charm, and on the first try. In my woodworking experience, that first try is usually just a warm up to identify other problems not yet foreseen.

      But...I'd rather be lucky than good...Luck is more reliable.

      juvat

      Delete
    2. Given my odds of being good, lucky seems far more likely in my case.

      Delete
    3. THBB,
      It usually is.
      juvat

      Delete
  5. My retirement timing was unintentionally set by my father.
    He died from congestive heart failure at the age of 62.
    It was easy to say that because I had never smoked my life expectancy would be longer than my father's.
    I had lost a great deal of weight in the mid seventies and mostly kept it off.
    My blood pressure was borderline low until my middle forties and without any change to my weight or lifestyle, my BP began going up.
    After I was laid off in the base closing of the Philly Shipyard, I went through several job changes and as I got closer and closer to my sixties I decided that no matter how unrealistic my viewpoint was, I wasn't going to be working when I turned 62.
    I waved goodbye to my fellow federal officers a few months before I turned 62.
    I look back on the last nine years and think, I should have retired earlier.
    If my work experiences, my health and my family history had been different, I would probably have made other choices.
    And a Plus One to what Beans said about the work environment.

    Good work on the bookshelves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JiP,
      Well, I'm glad your health is still manageable. Unfortunately that isn't always the case, so gratitude (and prayers) to the Big Guy are always warranted.
      I was 65 when I squeezed the handles. No regrets.
      Thanks
      juvat

      Delete
    2. TB the Elder retired in his mid-fifties due to a combination of health issues and healthy dose of an awful work environment (and careful planning on my parents' part). He enjoyed at least 20 good years of retirement with my mother before her Alzheimer's began to set in. I do not think he regretted punching out early either.

      Delete
    3. THBB,
      Glad things went right for your parents enough to enjoy life for a while. Got a bit of Alzheimer history in my family and I gotta admit that one scares me more than just about anything else.
      juvat

      Delete
  6. The work looks very good. And it's always good to re-discover old competencies. Old jobs I'd go back to ... hmmm. Teaching shop to college students backstage, maybe. It was heart-wrenching watching Mac Macanally doing "It's My Job after Buffett's passing. https://youtu.be/QY5sN8aaVDs?si=uldogFluQZp_85eK

    ReplyDelete
  7. Juvat, just a tip from an "old fart"...Voltarin certainly seems to work better than Ben-Gay and it's now an OTC product.
    Relative to retirement.....While working in the "Magic Kingdom" (bordering the Red Sea) and waiting at the wharf for a tanker to dock, an Irishman asked me if I realized I had a bucket in each hand when I went to work for my employer? Said no and asked "Mike" (all Irishmen I knew were named Mike) what were those two buckets were for, as I didn't recall carrying them the first day I went to work. Turns out his comment indicated one bucket was for gold and the the other for male bovine excrement. When either was full it was time to retire. Some 14 years later on my exit from regular employment, just as I was west of downtown Houston on IH 10 with the tall buildings in my rear view mirror and headed to the Texas Hill Country, I realized ole Mike spoke with unmatched wisdom. For the entire trip the retirement bucket sloshed around in the bed of my pickup.
    Cletus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cletus,
      I'll look into the Voltarin. I' m assuming it's available in HEB?

      Good analogy, I think, fortunately, while not completely full, both buckets were full enough to justify the decision.

      Thanks for the fence info. Haven't had a chance yet to do much 'figgerin', but think I" m going to take the northerly path rather than the easterly path. Don't think the horses will want to go into the Mesquite and the wash does fill up quite fast, so...Better safe than sorry.

      And, I've got to do some saving before getting started on it.
      Thanks
      juvat

      Delete
    2. Thumbs up on the Voltaren. Sometimes it's an Aleve and Voltaren event. Then I try to figure out how to work smarter next time.

      Delete
    3. JiP
      Voltaren is now in my medicine cabinet. Thanks to both of you for the rec. Will be trying it out shortly.
      juvat

      Delete
  8. Excellent AAR! No blood spilled this week. Just some sweat. That is a good week.
    I've read that Alz could be classified as Type 3 Diabetes. I need to read more about that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. STxAR,
      Thanks
      Didn't know that about Alz. Hopefully, diabetes isn't a precursor and it's only another type that can be contracted.
      juvat

      Delete
  9. Yay on the mantel and on the bookshelves...they looked waaay more challenging then the mantel...just saying.

    Retirement: definitely don't stay with the jackals and hyenas!! Life is just much too short to put up with that BS for any length of time at all!!
    I have been kinda easing into retirement, per my Dad, for about 10 years now...I really like the 7.5 hour a day 4 days a week that I'm on. Was very happy when I was able to find the same job when I moved from MI back to upstate NY. It's very nice having a day during the week to go to the bank, or to the doctors, or to get the car taken care of. I do Tuesday through Friday, so I have Mondays off...most of the time. And if I have a need for some extra cash, I can always pick up a few hours to a full day on Monday if I chose. One of the nice parts of working as a per diem in a field that is short on folks to do the job. Plus the agency I work for is good, and my supervisor is fantastic as is the team I work with. Really does make all the difference. Plus backing away slowly is letting me develop other interests and hobbies, so I wont turn into a complete couch slug.

    Speaking of being active---yes, Volteran is pretty useful. Be careful with the Ibuprofen/Aleve/Naprosyn/advil/Motrin type meds. yes, they will help reduce the inflammation/pain that comes with over-exuberant use of muscles and joints...however, they also do a real number on stomach linings and kidney function. As in are a major cause of GI bleeds and anemia in the over 60 crowd. So if you are over 60, have chronic kidney disease, anemia, diabetes, or are on blood thinners, be very sparing with the pills. Instead use the Volteran, or Biofreeze generously. I like the roll-on packaging as you can do a gentle massage at the same time. And be sure to hydrate, especially in this hot humid weather we have all been having. Hydration helps detour muscle soreness also.

    Holidays approaching?? NOOOOOO! I'm not ready to get ready for The Holidays yet!!! But it's a good reminder to call my furnace guy and get on his calendar for a furnace cleaning. Sigh... Probably should call the septic guy also...better to do that in warmer weather than in freezy cold snowy weather I suppose...guess I better get the fall adulting stuff done. I'm just not ready to let summer go, just yet...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anon,
      I'm suspecting this is actually Suz, but could be wrong. Knew all that about the pain relievers. I only use them when things really ache bad, and then only one, no more that two doses. Given that I hit 3 outta 5 of the "Be No" conditions, guess I gotta be careful.
      Yeah, there's a lot of prep work in changing seasons, and yes, Texas is hot, but the winters are not (usually) too cold. Haven't been a fan of cold weather since my tour in Korea. Talk about Cold!
      Thanks
      juvat

      Delete
    2. Yes, it was me...stupid computer has me down as anony-mouse....sigh...

      Suz

      Delete
    3. Suz,
      No worries my Friend. Blogger is officially NOT user friendly....But is is free. .. So...We got that going for us!
      juvat

      Delete
  10. Well done on all counts! And yes, 'exercise' is good for us old farts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Old NFO
      Thanks. Hard as it may be, it IS good for us.
      juvat

      Delete

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