Well, made it official today. Heading back to LFT. Still feel a little weird about it, but it's done so it's time to make my peace with it and move on.
Will start new position somewhere around 08/01. It'll be nice to be near home, especially with the health problems my folks are having. Hated to break news to Phil, I think he's still in shock. Now onto the next hard thing.....have to sell house, here in the land of crap housing markets. Hopefully this will work out without us having to take too big a bath. May have to hit the nearest church and light a candle...
No update on the Jeep, as I haven't done much on it this week with everything else that's been going on. got to figure out how to get it to LFT. Not excited about flat towing it, so I may have to rent a truck and trailer.
Later
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
New LFT update
LFT: Have been offered the position and am trying to negotiate my way into the job. Problem is, I have no idea what my house is worth, plus it may kill me to have to have that conversation with Phil. I guess we'll see, and to quote my wife, what is meant to be will be.
Jeep: Not much cooking on this front. Seriously considering punting on the idea of restoring the dashboard, since the dildo previous owner (PO), as part of his hacking, cut off all the damned sockets/bulbs out of the dashboard harness. I hadn't realized how that worked until yesterday. No wonder numb nuts wasn't worried about having a dashboard. Options now include ordering a new harness (expensive!) or just using mechanical gauges in the stock dash and ignoring all the rest of the pretty little lights.
LSU: knocked out of the CWS, but we won a game and didn't play bad. I think this team has turned a corner, and could be really good next year if a couple of starting pitchers emerge.
Everything's good with the family, and we're off on vacation next weekend, so later!
Jeep: Not much cooking on this front. Seriously considering punting on the idea of restoring the dashboard, since the dildo previous owner (PO), as part of his hacking, cut off all the damned sockets/bulbs out of the dashboard harness. I hadn't realized how that worked until yesterday. No wonder numb nuts wasn't worried about having a dashboard. Options now include ordering a new harness (expensive!) or just using mechanical gauges in the stock dash and ignoring all the rest of the pretty little lights.
LSU: knocked out of the CWS, but we won a game and didn't play bad. I think this team has turned a corner, and could be really good next year if a couple of starting pitchers emerge.
Everything's good with the family, and we're off on vacation next weekend, so later!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Lft update, other goings on
Well, back from LFT and the interview went pretty darn well. Had about an hour and a half talk with the president, then met the owner, then had lunch with the president at a local restraunt. Pretty cool, and I really believe it went well. If they do what I think they are going to do and offer me the job, I'm going to have one hell of a decision to make. And if they don't, well I have a job that I'm really enjoying now. In contrast to leaving Shaw, this job will actually make me think about it.....I have to admit, it would be nice to be back home and able to do some duck hunting, LSU sports etc....
I guess it's time for a jeep update too. Much better news to report on that front, finally. I went back and replaced the brand new solenoid (technically it's a relay), then grounded the mount of the solenoid to the frame, and cleaned off the rest of the grounds I had added and son of the bitch!! I turned the key and the solenoid clicked!! Woo HOO!! Life is good and all that stuff.
I went back in and finished hooking everything up and once again, Woo HOO!! Turn the key and the starter fired right over. It actually scared me, it's been so frustrating that I really didn't expect it to work.
After that, I pulled all the rubber fuel hose and replaced it along with the fuel pump and the fuel filter. Poured a little bit of gas directly into the carb and it actually fired up for about 3 seconds. After that, I did it again, with a little more gas and WOO HOO, it fired up and ran for about 10 seconds. After that, I had regained the use of my faculties and checked the (aftermarket) oil pressure gauge. Since it showed a big fat ZERO, I shut off the motor. Still, it cranked and it fired. Life really is good.
Later
I guess it's time for a jeep update too. Much better news to report on that front, finally. I went back and replaced the brand new solenoid (technically it's a relay), then grounded the mount of the solenoid to the frame, and cleaned off the rest of the grounds I had added and son of the bitch!! I turned the key and the solenoid clicked!! Woo HOO!! Life is good and all that stuff.
I went back in and finished hooking everything up and once again, Woo HOO!! Turn the key and the starter fired right over. It actually scared me, it's been so frustrating that I really didn't expect it to work.
After that, I pulled all the rubber fuel hose and replaced it along with the fuel pump and the fuel filter. Poured a little bit of gas directly into the carb and it actually fired up for about 3 seconds. After that, I did it again, with a little more gas and WOO HOO, it fired up and ran for about 10 seconds. After that, I had regained the use of my faculties and checked the (aftermarket) oil pressure gauge. Since it showed a big fat ZERO, I shut off the motor. Still, it cranked and it fired. Life really is good.
Later
Friday, June 13, 2008
I hate wiring
Wiring project is going into the crapper. So far, I have power to the ignition switch on the column, but no power coming back out.......CRAP!
I'll get it done, but it is really frustrating.
Headed to LFT for an interview on Monday. I feel very conflicted about this, but I'll update more on this later.
Things are moving at work and we are proceeding with the kick-off meetings and prep meetings for the salesforce.com(sfdc) implementation.
Later
I'll get it done, but it is really frustrating.
Headed to LFT for an interview on Monday. I feel very conflicted about this, but I'll update more on this later.
Things are moving at work and we are proceeding with the kick-off meetings and prep meetings for the salesforce.com(sfdc) implementation.
Later
Monday, June 9, 2008
Quick hitter from the weekend
spent way too much money on random fasteners and tools and crap like that for the Jeep project. How can I have so many tools and still need stuff?
Wiring project is proceeding at a slower pace than I would like, but it's proceeding. Engine compartment is wired from battery to solenoid to alternator. Headlights are about 90%, front turn signals are at about 10%. Since the Jeep doesn't have front parking lights, I guess they're at about 0%.
Pulled the steering wheel and lock plate, so I can get at the turn signal switch and/or ignition if need be. Found that the wires hanging down off the steering column belong to the brake switch, which means that even if everything was running, I have no brake lights. Got to figure out tonight how to wire them back into the turn signal wiring harness. I can't believe the ASS-CLOWN previous owner screwed up the brake lights!!!!! MORON!!
Can't do much on the rest of the interior until the dashboard arrives. I could work on the seats and get the brackets installed for the drivers side, but why bother until the wiring is done? I may get the bracket out of the box and test fit it to make sure there are no little oddities with the fiberglass body.
I'd like to get the wiring mostly buttoned up before I mess with the fuel system, but I may go ahead and drop the fuel tank to drain it before finishing the wiring. I kind of want to see what the wires sticking out of the top of the tank are anyway. I may also change the fuel filter up by the engine and possibly the rubber fuel hose. I'm not going to mess with the hardlines unless they are actively leaking. The fuel filler hose and other random parts that I bought off the Jeep site should be here either tomorrow or Wed. This means once I drop the tank, I can re-assemble completely with no waiting around for parts.
Hoping to at least get it turning over by simply turning the ignition switch by this weekend.
LSU:
How about my Tiger Baseball Team!!!!!! Dramatic comeback in the 9th to force a Game 3 with Cal-Irvine. Hopefully, we'll get some good pitching from whoever starts tonight, and be able to hit the UCI pitcher early and often. I don't think LSU has played really well over the last 2 games and it shows. I' m not going to describe the comeback in detail, but suffice to say it was the most excited I've been about an LSU sporting event since they took the lead in the BCS National Championship game earlier this year.
(Edit) I had bitched previously about the dance recital. I have to say (to be fair) that the idiot teacher kept things moving right along and ALL the classes (11 of them) were done in approximately 1 hour. Apologies to her for my underestimating her show. Since it was tolerably short, it ended up being kind of cute.
Wiring project is proceeding at a slower pace than I would like, but it's proceeding. Engine compartment is wired from battery to solenoid to alternator. Headlights are about 90%, front turn signals are at about 10%. Since the Jeep doesn't have front parking lights, I guess they're at about 0%.
Pulled the steering wheel and lock plate, so I can get at the turn signal switch and/or ignition if need be. Found that the wires hanging down off the steering column belong to the brake switch, which means that even if everything was running, I have no brake lights. Got to figure out tonight how to wire them back into the turn signal wiring harness. I can't believe the ASS-CLOWN previous owner screwed up the brake lights!!!!! MORON!!
Can't do much on the rest of the interior until the dashboard arrives. I could work on the seats and get the brackets installed for the drivers side, but why bother until the wiring is done? I may get the bracket out of the box and test fit it to make sure there are no little oddities with the fiberglass body.
I'd like to get the wiring mostly buttoned up before I mess with the fuel system, but I may go ahead and drop the fuel tank to drain it before finishing the wiring. I kind of want to see what the wires sticking out of the top of the tank are anyway. I may also change the fuel filter up by the engine and possibly the rubber fuel hose. I'm not going to mess with the hardlines unless they are actively leaking. The fuel filler hose and other random parts that I bought off the Jeep site should be here either tomorrow or Wed. This means once I drop the tank, I can re-assemble completely with no waiting around for parts.
Hoping to at least get it turning over by simply turning the ignition switch by this weekend.
LSU:
How about my Tiger Baseball Team!!!!!! Dramatic comeback in the 9th to force a Game 3 with Cal-Irvine. Hopefully, we'll get some good pitching from whoever starts tonight, and be able to hit the UCI pitcher early and often. I don't think LSU has played really well over the last 2 games and it shows. I' m not going to describe the comeback in detail, but suffice to say it was the most excited I've been about an LSU sporting event since they took the lead in the BCS National Championship game earlier this year.
(Edit) I had bitched previously about the dance recital. I have to say (to be fair) that the idiot teacher kept things moving right along and ALL the classes (11 of them) were done in approximately 1 hour. Apologies to her for my underestimating her show. Since it was tolerably short, it ended up being kind of cute.
Friday, June 6, 2008
People are stupid
People are stupid!
come on, say it with me. It seems that the majority of "the people", aka the great unwashed masses, or the ugly americans or whatever are just not that freaking bright. I don't know if it's the strain on the educational systems, or new math or what, but they're just dumb.
I posted a while back that we had been raided by our good friends from ICE. Okay, fine, they caught us with one guy whose papers didn't check out. Out of over 300 employees, I don't think that's too bad. But one of our subs had 24 illegals picked up and everyone on the planet is writing and posting online about how "we" had 25 illegal alien employees picked up. It's just not true and it pisses me off. I'm pretty damn sure that most of the are just stirring up shit, or are seeing if they can screw up our next bid.
Assholes!
End of bitch session on this topic......
ON to the weekend. Dance recital tonight. Excited about seeing my daughter dance. NOT EXCITED about seeing the other 9 classes this idiot woman teaches dance over a 3 hour period on a Friday night. Why not break it up by age group and then let me exit stage left after an hour or so???
Honey-bunny (and the kids and the dog) are leaving Sat. I have to say that while I'll miss them, I am also loving the alone time. Serious Jeep work coming up, plus maybe a little yard work and some cooking.
Later
come on, say it with me. It seems that the majority of "the people", aka the great unwashed masses, or the ugly americans or whatever are just not that freaking bright. I don't know if it's the strain on the educational systems, or new math or what, but they're just dumb.
I posted a while back that we had been raided by our good friends from ICE. Okay, fine, they caught us with one guy whose papers didn't check out. Out of over 300 employees, I don't think that's too bad. But one of our subs had 24 illegals picked up and everyone on the planet is writing and posting online about how "we" had 25 illegal alien employees picked up. It's just not true and it pisses me off. I'm pretty damn sure that most of the are just stirring up shit, or are seeing if they can screw up our next bid.
Assholes!
End of bitch session on this topic......
ON to the weekend. Dance recital tonight. Excited about seeing my daughter dance. NOT EXCITED about seeing the other 9 classes this idiot woman teaches dance over a 3 hour period on a Friday night. Why not break it up by age group and then let me exit stage left after an hour or so???
Honey-bunny (and the kids and the dog) are leaving Sat. I have to say that while I'll miss them, I am also loving the alone time. Serious Jeep work coming up, plus maybe a little yard work and some cooking.
Later
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Now what (part 2)
Continuing the previous update....
Boxes of jeep parts continue to arrive. Expecting 2 more before the end of the week with possibly another one or 2 to come. Working on the purchase of a dashboard and some fuel system stuff.
No update on the LFT job. With that possibility in mind, I checked some comparables in the Estero/Bonita area to see how the value of our house was holding up. Just a guess, but I think that we are losing ground, but still not less than our downpayment. Of course that depends on what happens with the housing markets, costs of mortgages and so forth.
personal?
My child bride is heading up to the panhandle this weekend for a week or so. Going to be awful quiet in the house, but I plan to use the time to work on my new toy, exercise, and try to catch up on some of the magazines and books I've been not reading. Kids are not sick, which is kind of weird feeling, but I like it. My oldest has suddenly decided that swimming is not the devils work after all, and that it might even be fun. Definitely time to get that child some swimming lessons.
Work:
Lot of good stuff happening at work right now. I'm feeling energized and have started moving forward on several projects we have been playing around with.
#1. We have begun an implementation of salesforce.com. I have every belief that this is going to provide us with an immediate and impactful increase in efficiency for tracking job chases, job leads and jobs currently in pre-con.
#2. We are trying out sub-jobs in our (relatively) new accounting software. This could be either a real boon or a real pain and we won't know for a couple of months. But at least we are trying it and growing in our project management.
#3. P-Card....moving forward with this.
Other work stuff happening too, but these are the big ones for this week.
Not much else happening this week. My oldest graduates from pre-k (seriously, a cap and gown for a 5 year old?) and has a dance recital.
Peace
Boxes of jeep parts continue to arrive. Expecting 2 more before the end of the week with possibly another one or 2 to come. Working on the purchase of a dashboard and some fuel system stuff.
No update on the LFT job. With that possibility in mind, I checked some comparables in the Estero/Bonita area to see how the value of our house was holding up. Just a guess, but I think that we are losing ground, but still not less than our downpayment. Of course that depends on what happens with the housing markets, costs of mortgages and so forth.
personal?
My child bride is heading up to the panhandle this weekend for a week or so. Going to be awful quiet in the house, but I plan to use the time to work on my new toy, exercise, and try to catch up on some of the magazines and books I've been not reading. Kids are not sick, which is kind of weird feeling, but I like it. My oldest has suddenly decided that swimming is not the devils work after all, and that it might even be fun. Definitely time to get that child some swimming lessons.
Work:
Lot of good stuff happening at work right now. I'm feeling energized and have started moving forward on several projects we have been playing around with.
#1. We have begun an implementation of salesforce.com. I have every belief that this is going to provide us with an immediate and impactful increase in efficiency for tracking job chases, job leads and jobs currently in pre-con.
#2. We are trying out sub-jobs in our (relatively) new accounting software. This could be either a real boon or a real pain and we won't know for a couple of months. But at least we are trying it and growing in our project management.
#3. P-Card....moving forward with this.
Other work stuff happening too, but these are the big ones for this week.
Not much else happening this week. My oldest graduates from pre-k (seriously, a cap and gown for a 5 year old?) and has a dance recital.
Peace
Monday, June 2, 2008
Now What? (part one)
Been a lot of "stuff" (substitute in your favorite cuss word as needed) going on since the last post, so I thought I would update for posterity.
Changes? As posted in a previous entry, I had found a pretty cool looking job back in the home town. As my Dad, and now sister are starting to have health problems, I thought that would be good. I'd like to add that I had initially planned to stay here in my current position for quite a while, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered to move 900 miles to get here. Anyway, I called the recruiter and had a brief discussion with her about the job, was it still open, etc.... Turns out the job is still open so I send in my resume. She leaves on vacation, so I don't hear back until Wed of last week, when I called her to confirm she had received the information. Friday she calls to say the company is interested and can we talk sometime. Now we are in a holding pattern until the current president can clear time in his schedule. Still, progress has been made and I feel both good and bad about it. Feel good because I would love to get back home and still be making the kind of money I am now. Feel bad because I have a commitment to my current employer and I'll actually hate to leave them.
Jeep:
Had the Jeep towed up to the house on the 24th, and have been working like a wild man on the jeep, and I'm just so happy I could shit. So far, I have torn out all the wiring, fixed the leaking tires so they hold air, confirmed the identity of the transmission and transfer case and bought a crapload of parts and tools. Wife is out of town starting this weekend, so I hope to have the electrical and fuel systems wrapped up by the time she returns. That leaves the 4" body lift made out of thin wall pipe, the screwy homemade shackles and the clutch to fix. Plus, I'd like to put POR 15 on some if not all the frame and hit the inside of the body with herculiner. I guess we'll see how many of those projects actually get done. As always, updates will be forthcoming, hopefully with pics.
Part II later,
Peace
Changes? As posted in a previous entry, I had found a pretty cool looking job back in the home town. As my Dad, and now sister are starting to have health problems, I thought that would be good. I'd like to add that I had initially planned to stay here in my current position for quite a while, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered to move 900 miles to get here. Anyway, I called the recruiter and had a brief discussion with her about the job, was it still open, etc.... Turns out the job is still open so I send in my resume. She leaves on vacation, so I don't hear back until Wed of last week, when I called her to confirm she had received the information. Friday she calls to say the company is interested and can we talk sometime. Now we are in a holding pattern until the current president can clear time in his schedule. Still, progress has been made and I feel both good and bad about it. Feel good because I would love to get back home and still be making the kind of money I am now. Feel bad because I have a commitment to my current employer and I'll actually hate to leave them.
Jeep:
Had the Jeep towed up to the house on the 24th, and have been working like a wild man on the jeep, and I'm just so happy I could shit. So far, I have torn out all the wiring, fixed the leaking tires so they hold air, confirmed the identity of the transmission and transfer case and bought a crapload of parts and tools. Wife is out of town starting this weekend, so I hope to have the electrical and fuel systems wrapped up by the time she returns. That leaves the 4" body lift made out of thin wall pipe, the screwy homemade shackles and the clutch to fix. Plus, I'd like to put POR 15 on some if not all the frame and hit the inside of the body with herculiner. I guess we'll see how many of those projects actually get done. As always, updates will be forthcoming, hopefully with pics.
Part II later,
Peace
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