Oscar the Grouch...

Well, today was a rather strange day at work. We got started on time and things moved right along until about noon. It's about then the Oscar, the guy that has been training me, hurt his leg. He was standing on the side of the rock crusher, one foot propped up on the 'Do not stand on or near this machine when it's in operation'. A rock, about the size of my fist popped out of the crush, flew about 10 foot in the air and came down on top of his leg. It didn't get broken, but it's bruised and he's out of work until at least Tuesday.

After that he went to the hospital, and we shut down the plants to do some work on them. We changed the screen decks out. Which is a 5 hour process, and a test of mind over matter. You have to 'will' them into place, or find a way around the laws of physics.

tomorrow should be fun, I'll have to run the whole plant by my self. With out the aid of him.

The Crazy Days of Work...

Today marks my third day of work at the 'new job'. It's strange because all in all I'm doing harder work then I was at March Coating, and I'm doing more of it for longer. Yet I still like this job better. They don't have me in a loader yet, still running around on the ground shoveling and trying to keep things running. Learning the ground stuff as it where. Today was pretty slow, the plant that we run kept breaking down so we spent most of the day working on it, rather then using it. We have this weekend off for labor day, so nothing Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Guess I picked a good week to get broken in. Hopefully I will make it into the loader soon. It's either that, or my arm will be the size of a small tree by the end of next month.

Return of Lobster boy...

Well the second day of work went over ok. We had one of the plants go down, and spent a good portion of the day fixing it. The rain and clouds went away about 1:00 and the sun came out. So I'm burned again. Mmmm... Sunburn. Other then that there isn't much to report. Seems like a relatively decent job, if you ignore the hours.

Another Day Another Dollar...

5:30 am; Alarm goes off, still sleepy I roll over and shut it off, closing my eyes again.
5:40 am; Alarm goes off again, I drag my self from the bed into the bathroom. Then into the kitchen to make my self some sandwiches for work. Taking my time to stack the ham, salami and pepper jack cheese perfectly. Stuffing them into the bag I head to the door, pausing to get dressed on my way by.
6:00 am; Sitting comfortably in the front seat of the neon I head out of the drive towards the e-way. Making it to 96 I hit the center lane and set the cruise to 70. Rolling right along, listening to Bob and Tom.
6:30 am; Exit the expressway at M-52, heading down to Howell-Mason road, taking it towards Mason to Willamston Rd. That I take over to Dexter Tr, and on to the new pit.
6:45 am: Pull into the pit, drive to the back to the parking area. Kill the headlights, put it in neutral. About 7:00 everybody else shows up.

From here the day becomes a little bit of a blur. I spent the day on the ground learning my way around. Cleaning under the plant and learning the buttons. I spent a little time on the side of the plant picking sticks out of the crushed stone. At some point it started to rain, and we work in the rain. So by quitting time I was soaked to the bone. Need to remember to bring spare clothes with me. No break for lunch, so you just eat on the fly. Which is cool.

6:00 pm; End of work, pile into the Neon and head home. Phone's not working well, shutting it's self off.
7:00 pm; Get home, talk to Jen, eat dinner. Find out that while I was at work Jen was playing on the mud. Seems someone that I used to consider a friend decided to rat Jen out for cheating. Call, or perhaps IM the owner of the game to get him to log in and stop her. It's funny that they can be so petty that they have to call the owner of a game to stop someone from playing. I wonder if they realize that they just put stress between themselves and me, making me want to talk the them even less then I do now.

And Jayce, if you are reading this...

Oscar says your a fucker, and wanted me to asks you if you knew where the 9/16 wrench was?

Job Job Job.

Well, thanks to my buddy Jayce walking out on his job I've gotten another job at a gravel pit. It starts out at 11 an hour, which is way better then what I'm making now. It has a few ups and downs. I get insurance after 90 days, it supposedly good. On the down side it's a 45 min commute. Which is ok, it's in williamston.

On the good/bad side, it's 65 hours a week. Which will suck for the time I get to spend at home. But at least we might be able to dig our selves out of this hole.

MQOTD

*Pulling into the drive way on our way back from Meijers*
Me: Hey bud, looks like Uncle Cam's here.
Mike: What's he doing here?
Me: Don't know, probably getting a hair cut.
Mike: Maybe not, I hope he's not in there torturing my mom.
Me: Ummmmm.....

Productive Day, Or Destructive Day?

Yesterday started out as a normal work day. I started it out on the load line, down and at the bottom loading break drums for a cars about escort size. Which is cool, they are about 10lbs and you can fling them up no problem. After our lunch break we switched parts to break rotors. They are I believe for full sized pickup trucks. They weigh at least 25lbs, maybe more. I switch positions to 'the hill'.

On the hill you pull the parts off the hooks that they where loaded on to, and place them on to a conveyer. Once on the conveyer the are cleaned again, painted, inspected then packed. When your on 'the hill' the pace is a bit faster. If you let a hook go by while loading it's not a big deal. But you can't miss them unloading. I'd been on the hill about 45 mins when it happened.

I picked up a part off the hook, and it slipped. When it started to come down I tried to save it. If a part hits the floor it's scrap, you can't pick it back up. So I tried to stop this 30lb break rotor from hitting the floor. When it came back down on the hook my finger was between it and the hook.

imagine if you can a break rotor coming down on your finger, while your finger is pinned against another piece of metal. My finger was bloody, I showed it to the line leader, he bandaged it up, told me I could go to the clinic, or back to work. I went back to work, finishing out my time on the hill with 1 hand. After that my finger was killing me so I decided to go to the clinic. What the hell, I'd rather sit in an air conditioned office on the clock then hang out loading parts.

The good news is, my finger is ok. I ripped some skin but that's about it. I headed back to work. I'm on light duty, because I'm not supposed to use the finger for a week, I have to go back Thursday and have it checked out. Now on to the other part.

When I got back, they set me to sorting parts. We where checking the inside of the break drums for overspary. I would pull a drum out of the bin, inspect it, and if needed hand it over to the guy who was cleaning it. About 10 mins before the end of shift I pulled one out, it needed to be cleaned. So I handed it over to him. At the same time he decided to bend down and grab one for him self.

Now imagine if you will, the drums are 10-15lbs. I swung it to get it up so he could catch. So it was moving fast, he was bending down to grab one. He was in motion too. About mid way down my break drum connected to his forehead, right between the eyes. It hit him hard enough to knock him on his ass. He had a nice little scratch, and was sent to the clinic to check for a concussion.

And that was my day. Finger hurts. Trillium staffing has me off duty until Monday, when I will return to 'light duty' work for March Coating. My finger is swollen and hurts, but other then that it is ok.

Back to Work.

Went back to work today, back to 'the grind'.

Man it's shitty doing this work. I was sitting in the break room listening to the guys talk about paychecks. About on a good week the checks are about $340. It almost makes me cry. I'm busting my ass off to make $340 dollar, when this time last year I was making $700 a week sitting in an air conditioned truck watching a bunch of Mexicans working.

What I shitty feeling, not only am I busting my ass 8 hours a day at a job I don't like. The checks won't even be enough to pull us out of our hole. And my parents sure as shit won't loan me a penny to help out.

With any luck I'll be able to land an office job with Jes help. At least then I won't have to bust ass for a shitty paycheck.

Just a shitty ass day.

Stayed home from work sick today. I know it's not a good thing to do in your first week but I didn't really have a choice. I was sick when I left there last night, and it just got worse during the day. When I threw up around 1 I decided to call off for the day.

I think I pulled a muscle in my neck, It hurts when I turn my head to the right or left. It hurts a lot. It's also given me a headache. I've spent most of the day sleeping. Or at least laying in bed trying to sleep. I though maybe I'd be able to hang out with Jen and Mike today, but I was being grumpy and she sent me to bed. I dislike being sick. I'm still groggy from the sickness. Just ate some dinner, hopefully I keep it down.

Jen is in the other room on the bed now. We are in a funk. She is upset with me because we never talk.

Muscle relaxers my ass.

When Jen went to the Dr. the other day they gave her some muscle relaxers. Something help her calm down, and the stop the restless leg thing. After working 7 hours today, and the with the two other days I've been working I'm sore, really sore. So Jen told me I could take one. Now, she took one last night and it made her high. I've had muscle relaxers before, I also have a really low tolerance for drugs. At least as low as someone that weighs damn near 300lbs can have. I figured when I took it, I'd be out cold in 15 to 20 mins. Jen and Cam are hanging out in Ann Arbor for a bit, so a nap would be fine....

I took it 20 mins ago. My muscles no longer hurt. I also feel like I could climb up the walls. Or run a 200 mile marathon in less the five mins. I don't know what was in those things, but they are in no way, shape or form 'relaxers'. If I didn't know any better I'd swear I just chugged a 2 litter bottle of Red Bull. I have not been this awake in weeks.

My hands are twitchy, trying to find something to do.

Work, Day 3

Got out of work early.

I encouraged Jen to go out with Cam because I would be at work until after 11:00 and I didn't want her sitting home alone. So they went out to AnnArbor for a bit. I got home early, about 10.

Work didn't suck too much today. All my blisters have popped and ripped open, so now I have open sores on both my hands. I hope they are doing better.

Looking forward to a day off tomorrow. I just hope my paychecks from this place will help pull us out of our hole. The job sucks ass, but we need the money.

Work, Day 2

Well today wasn't as bad as yesterday. I'm sore, but no more so then I was when I woke up. Hopefully I'll get used to the job in a week or two. I'm going to call Trillium and see if they'll place me else where. While I don't mind the work, I mind the pay.

It's funny, but working for Chris, and for Metro, I made more in two weeks then I will in a month here. Not to mention that they have a high quit rate. I've worked there two days, and already 7 people have quit. Guess it not something people like to do.

Won't be too bad, once the blisters turn into clauses. The up side is, I should lose a lot of weight, and my arms and chest will become better developed. At least I'm hope for that.

Until then, it'll pay the bills. Maybe.

Work...

Well, last night was the first day. The work it self is rather simplistic. Pick up brake rotors and put them on hooks. Or take them off the hooks and put them on to a conveyer belt. All in all it wasn't hard to do.

Of course, you have to take into account that they weigh anywhere from 15 to 35 lbs. So after 8 hours of doing it your tired. By the time I made it home from work last night I was so tired that my whole body hurt. I have blisters on both hands. My arms and hands are still sore today. I'm hoping it gets better with time. Once I get used to it. Gonna try to stick it out for the full 90 days before I see if Trillium can place me elsewhere. The work is not worth the pay, but we need the money.

Work

Start my new job in little less then 45 mins. On the bright side, it's less then 5 mins from here. On the down side, I'll be there for 8 hours. I took my drug test already, have to see how it goes.

Job Update

Well, I think I mentioned that I had gone up to Express Personnel and Kelly services looking for a job. I never heard back from Express after the interview. Though I'm told they called Cameron. Kelly has called me three times for work, two of the messages where at Jen's folks. By the time I got them it was too late. The other message was for a parts job at 6.00 and hour. It was only for 2 days. I'd have taken it, but Jen was at the Dr, and he needed an answer right then.

I went to a place called Trillium on Monday. It's a staffing service Cameron recommended. I spent about an hour up there filling out paperwork. They told me that it would take 24 to 48 hours to process me and get me into the system. That I shouldn't expect placement before the following Monday. They called me today with a job.

It had first and second shift openings. The downside is that it's only 8.75 an hour. 40 hours a week. Maybe some overtime here and there. After some discussion with Jen I decided to take the second shift job. It's at a machine shop, assembling auto parts. Cam is going to come over during the week on days Jen works to cover our overlapping work times. With any luck we'll be able to pull out of this hole.

I'm not sure if I'll like the job, I'll probably hate it. Hopefully I'll be able to stand it long enough to make some money. The place doesn't seem to bad, at least according to their handbook. Have to wait and see though.

First Day Back...

To night is Jen's first day back to work. She has been gone from the house for a little under three hours now. It's funny, I've been dead tired all day. Fighting to stay awake, now that she's left for work I can't sleep. I've spent the last three hours wondering if she is ok or not. I guess I'll have to wait until morning to find out. I'm sure it'll all work out in the end.

Superman in 3D

Cam, Jen and I went out last night. Cam sprung for dinner and a movie. We headed out to Mancineos for grinders then decided we would head into AnnArbor to hit up the IMAX there and watch Superman returns in digital 3D.

First off, I have to say that I liked the movie. Brandon Routh did a good job as Superman/Clark Kent. I think he managed to follow up the character. He had the 'boyscout' aspects about him. And Kevin Spacey rocks as Lex, he does the insane genius very well.

As for the plot...

Well, I think that the plot needed a little bit more to it. While it was a good movie, It was obvious that they where just using it as a launching pad for more movies. The plot lacked in something, it had elements that it didn't need. And it lacked the depth that Superman should have. But, it was still a damn good movie.

And the IMAX digital 3D? I don't think it was worth the price. Only about 1/4 of the movies was in 3D. The glasses where uncomfortable. And you had to looked straight on, if you turned your head or tilted it up or down it made the screen blurry. I don't think I'll see another live action 3D movie again. While the effect was neat looking, it wasn't worth the price.

After the movie we came back here for a few games of Magic before heading to bed. All in all it was a good night. It was nice to see Jen out of the house and having fun.

Too Damn Hot...

Blarg, I hate hot weather.

I'm in the house, with the AC on. I have a fan pointing at me. I'm wearing shorts. And still I'm dripping sweat.