Welcome to Coffee Shop 17

[kbkchooch]

Halleluja!!!
I now beez
Employed!!!

I got the call today, the John Deere dealer wants ME to be the Service Manager at one of the locations!
YIPEEEE

Needless to say that I am somewhat elated, after pounding the pavement for the last 7 months. The best part is its NOT in the automotive field! Awesome! Its not that I don't like cars, it's the OWNERS that can be a real pain in the butt at times. Not saying that tractor owners can't be, but they seem to be a bit more down to earth than say, Corvette owners.

Now this will mean one thing. I won't be here as much as I was in the past, but you can bet I'll be dropping in from time to time to keep up with the gossip. So keep up the partying, soapboxing, and rants.

O gosh, I can't wait for Monday!!!!

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Good Evening---

I just got home awhile ago and had to stay off 'pooter due to a dang t'underin'boomer that monsooneded all over us!! This was another 30% shower turned miserable.

Chris That sounds just like the former job I had many years ago with the Federal gov't up here. Seemed there were a lot of beachie, snippy people in my dept----after the contract was up I left without even a hi/bye --even though they wanted me back

Jim The company I work for is a good one --even if there are a few 'critters' that show up. they listen to their workers here I should've pointed Huntsville ON--that would be rather interesting if Huntsville AL has snow!!---BTW is Redstone still operating down there---I had a friend down there some years ago---lost contact after he went to India--

 

[brickbuilder711]

Evening,

At a real coffee shop slurping a latte, I have restructured my SD70M-2. It proved too weak, and deserved a "spine" of sorts. Here are snaps of parts of the locomotive.

The cab is in a nose-down position for now. Really, I am working on the hood of the loco.

The modules are also shown assembled together.

Finally, I use LEGO technic axles so that the model does not bend down near the prospective area for the fuel tank.

The base will be attached by additional Technic pins, beams, and more. The white underside will be connected in sections connected by these pins. It's better than wholly depending on the brick.

 

[UP2CSX]

Evening, everyone.

Karl, congratulations! I was once in your shoes for almost a year and it was sheer releif to get a job - any job. I hope this one turns out to be one you really like. Maybe you can snag some scale John Deere equipment for the layout.

Chris, you're right about just dinner and some whoppee time. Unfortunately, my wife wanted to see the play. She is 14 years younger than me so all those events of the late 60's are just a hazy memory to her. I suspect someone who's not my age and didn't have such negative experiences in the late 60's would have enjoyed the muscial a lot. I don't know who or why someone seems to picking on you and Mario but I think keeping a journal of what you do every day would be a good idea.

BOC, there actually is a ski resort north of Huntsville but, at a little over 2,000 feet, it's not exactly world class skiing. The Redstone Arsenal is still going strong. They are still the main development and testing ground for the US Army's missile systems.

BB, looks like lots of work to build a Lego locomotive.

I picked up a WS Municipal Building at a good price. I measured the footprint from the WS catalog and it seemed like it would just fit in the area of a building I was going to remove. When it showed up, it's about an inch too long to fit in the space. Either WS or me did a lousy job of measuring. I vote for me. It will take some downtown rearrangement to get it to fit across from the courthouse and the church has to move somewhere else. I haven't got it quite figured out yet but I think I can make it work. The WS structure is an outstanding piece of work. I have no idea who are the poor Chinese ladies who have to assemble and hand paint these things every day but they do great work.

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Good Morning--

Another interesting morning for us---the alarm clock batteries died on us last night and as it turned out it was "SPRING" to the rescue. He was headbutting me and purring up a storm this morning--woke up and he lead me to the kitchen and what do I see through the window?---dang deer munchin' away at one of the bushes back there

I get to meander through the western side of our district today then it'll be off to Lowes and see about the managers tool sale---as if I need more stuff-

Jim The resort is more for cross country skiing than anything else---there's like a ton of those resorts up there I was kinda wondering about the Redstone --after all the stories about bases getting whacked and all that peace dividend stuff---and now all the dang jobs disappearing down your way( at least--that's what it sounds like up here!) I wondered

Chris Sheeesh Definitely keep a journal! If you got idiotic landsharks pulling stunts like those you'd better! Some people

Karl Good work on snagging that job!!


Well gotta run---have a good one

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 77 and partly cloudy. The high is supposed to be around the upper 90's and there's a chance of thunderstorms.

I spent much of the morning taking my mother from one place to another yesterday. First a doctors appointment then the pharmacy then we went to lunch at El Giro's then went to Stage so she could get some new clothes. From there we went home. Then my father and I went to Wal-Mart. While he did his grocery shopping I went to electronics and picked up a 5 pack of blank video tapes. Say what you will about them but VHS equipment is what I have and is what I'll be using until I can't keep the recorder going anymore and can't find replacements. I have 2 DVD players and the closest thing I have to a DVD recorder is the DVD burner in my computer. You should see the backup for my TV. It's an old (we're talking 80's tech here) 2 wire RGB color monitor. Not much but it'll work in a pinch if the big flat-screen goes out. My father is supposed to be home today so maybe I'll have the day to myself. The only thing I'll have to do outside is feed my sister's dogs while she's on vacation with her family.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 7/16/2009

Heat Index: 83°F
Humidity: 93%
Dew Point: 75°F

So Far Today
High: 77°F
Low: 76°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 3mph NNE

Today High: 95 Cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning...then a 50 percent chance in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Heat Index readings around 105 in the afternoon.

Tonight Low: 75 Decreasing clouds. Lows in the mid 70s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/DSCN1542.jpg

 

[tompm]

Good morning folks

It was 72 F as I headed in this morning. High will be 88 F. You can definitely feel the humidity going up as it is sticky this morning. We are under an Air Quality Alert which seems to run hand in hand with humid days lately.

The kids went with some friends to the pool last evening so the wife and I got to go out and have a nice quiet dinner. It was nothing special, just sandwiches but it was just us. Afterwards we hit the mall. I came home with the intention to do a few things but I made the mistake of sitting down in the lounge chair and passed out.

Tonight my son and I have to get haircuts.

I hope everybody has a good day.

 

[pcarrell]

Mornin' all!

Another fine morning in Central Indiana! Sun's up, and so am I.........though a little more shuteye would have been nice.

Karl, I'm SO happy for you! It's been tough these last few months, huh?

So last night, we get back from the county fair and it's about 9:30. The sun is just setting, so I figure I've got a little time before the neighborhood gets quiet. I decided to make a few cuts on a metalworking project I've got going. If you know anything about cutting metal with a cutting wheel, you know it's not a quiet process. So anyways, I'm working on this thing, and if you're like me, when you get to working on something intently, you get tunnel vison. The only thing you see is the project in front of you. That was me. So I make a few cuts on some heavier duty metal, and then it comes time for a thick piece of sheet metal. So I'm cutting away, and sheet metal makes the biggest racket of all, and I hear my wife yelling for me. I stop what I'm doing, and she says, "Your daughter wants to know why you're building Noah's Ark at 10:30 at night." I look around, and I notice two things right off. First, it's now dark.......very dark! Second, a good portion of the houses in my neighborhood have no lights on! This is bad! So, I was the bad neighbor last night, though I didn't mean to be. Oh well, I guess I'll have to be more cautious of the time of day (or night) in the future, huh?

So, whats up in your world?

 

[tompm]

Congratulations Karl on the new job!

 

[kbkchooch]

Thanks all for the congrats on the new job!
And yes Jim I've already eyed up the scale equiptment, can we say "employee discount?"
Bad Phil makin all that racket outside at night! I do have to admit though, I've been guilty of the same type of activity from time to time, but my nearest neighbor does the same thing from time to time also, so we just kinda tolorate each other!
Tom I can relate. We've got a pair of recliners in the family room that we call the "Dracula twins". One you sit in one of them, they suck the life right outta you!
BOC Crack a can of Tuna for Spring, he deserves it!
I won a car kit on ebay last night, and the guy lives local to me, so we went over to his place to pick it up. On the way back we stopped for Chinese and behind the restaraunt was a string of Maryland Midland hoppers. 2 and 3 bay cement hoppers waiting for interchange with CSX. I've been kitbashing a Trinity 2 bay cement hopper (from a 3 bay Athearn Genesis car) but needed some better detail picks. Lo and behold the exact car type was parked there, with a high embankment next to it so I could get not only side and underbody shots, but rooftop details as well!
Thank goodness we had taken the car with the camera in the glovebox!!!
Gotta roll ,,talk to y'all later!

 

[AndrewC]

Good day all from Ye Olde London Towne.

Karl: congrats and good luck. Does that mean you will be painting your house green and yellow?

Jim: a belated happy anniversary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knp9-GY6fHE

Chris: I'd start watching my back very carefully if I were you. Sounds like someone trying to create a 'job opening' at your expense. Seen it before. Its a standard tactic of the "nasty b*stard school of management". It starts with the unsubstantiated "there's been a complaint". Usually of the Chinese whisper variety with no trail back to the complaintant. Next comes the additional supervision, and a bunch of flaming hoops to jump through. The psychology of it is threefold. One to put doubt into your mind so that you are less likely to fight back at a layoff or lack of promotion/raise. Two, it gives them the excuse to micro-manage you and be hyper-critical in any appraisal. 6 months of arriving 20 mins early for work is lost against the one day you are 2 mins late. Third, it is also designed to push the person to losing their cool and doing/saying something that becomes a firing offence, or into quitting on their own. I was a supervisor for a telco many moons ago and that was their standard method of culling the herd when it came to thinning out staff. We were instructed to even record the number and duration of their bathroom breaks.

Stay cool, watch your back and most of all record every single episode of micro-management. If you can either tape record or use your cell phone to record all conversations with management. That way they can't deny anything said if things go to a hearing.

 

[UP2CSX]

Afternoon, everyone.

BOC, sounds like Spring makes a good alarm clock. For some reason, Alabama has been pretty immune to base closures. We still have a lot of military presence here. There's Redstone, Fort Rucker, and the Anniston Army Depot, which has been involved in most of the destruction of our old nerve gas supplies. Maxwell Air Froce base has the Air Warfare College and the Air National Guard at Dannelly Field has been expanded to 18 F-16's and is now responsible for air defence in the south outside of Florida. We also have the more Army National Guard troops than all but five other, much larger states, at about 11,000 active Guardsmen. They're mean, too, so Obama had better leave us alone.

Jeffrey, how many movies total do you have? I think I've got about six.

Phillip, I've gotten involved in projects that were supposed to be "just a few minutes" and ended up lasting until dawn more times than I can count. The strange things is that, if I was told by a boss I had to work all night on something, I'd probably tell him to go pound sand. I guess working on a hobby is different.

Karl, don't forget all your friends here when it comes to those "employee discounts". I always forget to stick my camera in the glove box so miss shots like you were able to get. Sounds like things are starting to go your way now.

Andrew, thanks, that's a funny Flintstones clip. I haven't seen that show in a long time. I've seen the same kind of manipulation you write about when it comes to getting rid of employees you don't want. The only defense is to make sure the boss knows you know what's happening and that you're documenting everything. They like to sneak up on the unaware and whack them but get more nervous if they think they'll have a fight on their hands.

It's 97 with a dewpoint of 72 and we've got some some decent looking storms headed our way. Nothing too severe looking yet but things are primed for some good storms. I hope we just get some good rains and nothing that blows things over. We're supposed to play softball tonight but it's starting to look doubtful. It looks like these storms may continue to reform this evening. I don't mind playing in rain but having lightning in the area makes me a little nervous.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeffrey, how many movies total do you have? I think I've got about six.

On DVD close to 400. On VHS, a couple thousand. I've been picking up movies for years at yard sales and such and I've recorded I don't know how many from TV.




I've been tied up all day. First I had to go over to my sister's place to feed her pets. That was at 7:30 this morning. There's 5 dogs, 4 cats and several ferrets. That kept me busy until 7:58. I went down to my parents place and as my father wasn't there (he was out rounding up brake parts for his Mercury Tracer) I rousted my mother out of the bed. She'd lay there all day if we let her. That's not in the recovery plan. I fixed her breakfast then took a few minutes to have a look around online. My father came in and said he needed me to follow him to the repair garage in town so he could drop off his car to be fixed. So he set off in his little Tracer and I followed him in my mother's Marquis. Boat would be a better name for it as it's quite large. Why do small people always have to get BIG cars. I picked him up at the garage and we went to DQ for lunch then I took him back to the garage so he'd be there when the work was done. I then took my mother's car back home and commenced to making her lunch when the physical therapy tech decides to drop in. Well that pushed lunch back another hour but I had to be there in case my mother needed any help. There are few people whom she'll allow to touch her. I'm one, my father's another. After physical therapy was done I served her lunch. When she finished (2:14) I was finally able to come home and relax a bit. I have to go back at 6 to prepare her dinner, if my father isn't there that is. Then I have to go to my sister's place and feed her menagerie again. That will be it for the day. Would you believe some people think I have an easy life of staying home and doing nothing? HA!! For a crippled person I'm quite active!

 

[vato loco]

Congrates Karl! Now put my special discounted Mid size tractor on the side.....As soon as I boost jim's CC I'll be right over to pick it up!

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Good evening

Got another week o' this runnin' 'round and then a week of distilling all the reports into summat makes some kinda sense-----sheeesh!

I'm going to do some google earthing tonight to find some good photo locations for Saturday. Lotsa fun

Karl, Jim "Spring" is a devoted little one --that is for sure. Being a rescue that's saying something!

Well off to the google site---

 

[leghome]

My concrete supervisor will be here in about 15 minutes so I can not stay long. He is spending the nite with us so he doesn't miss the concrete truck in the morning. My daughter usually brings him out on his days here about 7AM but with all of the activity that will be going on in the morning I figured it would be easier to have him for the night. Colton(my grandson) is really excited about the concrete truck coming to Gramps house so I hope it makes want to go to bed on time so I can get a good nites sleep. better grab a bite to eat cause I is hungray euff to eat a gator.

 

[RexHea]

Karl: CONGRATS, BIG TIME!!!

Finally got a nice rain today and it was for a couple of hours. First time in a couple of months that the water was actually in puddles on the lawn.

Still cleaning and painting. I wanna play trains.

 

[brickbuilder711]

Good evening,

Ya, it's late, but I have intended to write for now that the SD70M-2 project will be put on hold for a while for idea refreshment, part reconaissance, and more. My lazy, unorganized self found a huge bucket while part searching and am sorting theough that finding good stuff to work. Currently, the revised base of the monster 8 wide locomotive is being assembled and joined with a reassembled body. The locomotive is structured through two spines of technic axles. Therefore the unit won't bow in the middle unless the strong axles are weak enough to cause the bend.

A potential project throughout tomorrow would more so be another trackside building. I suppose to have a decent train running, there has to be the layout to do so!

 

[stationmaster]

On DVD close to 400. On VHS, a couple thousand. I've been picking up movies for years at yard sales and such and I've recorded I don't know how many from TV.

I have several, maybe 60 or so, DVD's. But, lately, I've been copying movies to a bank of 1.5t hard drives on the computer. I have a "storage only" tower that is jammed with (4)1.5t drives for music, videos, movies and pictures and all other things. All hookedup to a 46" LCD TV. Works just fine.

Got some "mebbe" storms(30% chance) headed our way. Looks like we may be in the "slot though. Radar is showing heavy stuff to th enorth and to the south of here. I make a trip back to Indiana and get "earshplittinloudeboomers". That's OK, we left some rain showers in Cheboygan, too. Looked like showers there, when I checked before we left, according to radar.

Well, I've now got eight BIG boxes of stuff given to me by a non-train modeling buddy. He bought a house and found the stuff in the attics of the house and garage. Some of it is pretty old and in need of repair. He brought over some more stuff today before we left for Indiana. Like I need more trains. Still, there is surely some cars that I don't have since much is some 40-50 years old. The bulk of my stuff is not near that old. Three boxes contained cars and engines in need of trucks and wheelsets. Many had the old "hook and loop" couplers. How long have they been deemed obsolete? I did not inspect what he brought today. Just stacked it in the basement. It can wait until I get back Saturday night.

With all of the new stuff, I may have to expand the layout(oh, darn!!). The main yard is not quite full, but may reach over its capacity with the new additions. There are two smaller yards on the layout, but I doubt that they can hold too many more cars. I guess, maybe, another industrial switching area may be the answer.

Expanding the main yard may be a task that is out of the question. It is HUGE now(14 ladders not including the run-around and set off tracks/completed consist tracks)!! Expanding it would mean it would TOTALLY dominate the layout. It comes close now. I'll figger sumthin' out, much to the chagrin of the better half. But, she has suggested building a new out building just for the trains. She wants a building that looks like a depot. Wonder how much that'll cost me? I must admit, it would be kinda neat.

We already have a pole barn for the cars , bikes and the boats, a wood working workshop.... I guess another "shed" won't hurt.

Karl, you'll find that farmers are an impatient lot. Having machinery down could cost them their crops. Not a good thing. Congrats, just the same. I'm hoping that you could get me a deal on a RED tractor for mowing and pulling stumps.

Just keep a large coffee pot brewin' and get a popcorn machine, with FREE popcorn and coffee, and most of the farmers will be happy. Trust me.

Bob

 

[vato loco]

Andrew and Jim, thanks fer the second oppinion! I work for the government you learn to watch your back! Funny thing is they don't care if you see it comming.......Who you going to complain to? I don't want to lose my job but, if it happen it happens. Something good will come from it eventually! So I had better live it up!

On a good note, my last track order came in yesterday.......I got all the track layed and wired up and I'm testing it before I glue the track down! It's a fun little switching layout to boot. Maybe this weekend I'll glue the track down and start the scenery! That trestle is screaming to be built!!!!!

Check out my album the last two shots of the track plan......