Month: August 2004

Friday I finished my first project it was a simple single pole switch controlling 3 lights it was easy, everybody is assigned a board mine is 46A we mount the device boxes and wire them install the devices put power to it and get it Okd they check the length of wire to the device and how neat the insulation is stripped and the connections, only one other person in the class got theirs done too so I suppose I will just do studying while everybody else finishes their project
Well this weekend sure did go by fast I went to the races Friday Night it was the last point race of the season and it started to rain right after the sprint feature but they at least got that in I was home before midnight. Saturday morning I started right into my wood my brother brought over his wood splitter for me to borrow so I worked on that off and on it was sooo hot out I would split and stack for a while then come in and do some homework in front of the AC Mom and Crista came over around 1:00 and we went to the new Chinese restaurant in Butler for lunch it was great that is now my favorite place to eat. After that I just pretty much did work on the wood and more homework. Today was pretty much the same I have ½ my winter supply of wood done hopefully this weekend I will finish all the wood and be all prepared for the long cold winter ahead. So all my tools and books are in the truck and my lunch is packed so I am done for the evening there is a pretty good movie on Sci Fi channel so I am going to park my tired butt on the couch.
Oh I signed up for my first unemployment check today life will be better once some money starts to come in my first check should be here Friday hopefully.
Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

Tuesday was orientation for school it went OK we just went to all our classes and met the teachers I go to 5 different class rooms 1 hour per class it went OK in residential electric theory class which is the last 2 periods of the day we got our books and calculator, that was pretty much my first day.
Wednesday was actually pretty much like Tuesday except residential electric theory class we reviewed 4 circuits just basic home circuits pretty easy except they had to be done according to NEC (National electric code) Spec’s the NEC book is just plain huge that is all I can say about 3 inches think and small detailed electrical codes that must be followed, so last night I had to blueprint the 4 different circuits on paper, color coded and identified according to NEC spec’s I got all those done plus we had to read the first chapter of the Residential electric book only about 25 pages all in all I was done in about 3 hours.
Thursday we took a test in our study skills class we can test out which means if we do 85% or better we don’t have to sit through the class but we still have to be at school , no matter what I scored on the test I will still sit through the class you can never learn enough, 3rd period was Basic Electric class we learned how we need the calculator and how to use it for our applications for example you have a 60 foot electric tower with a 35 foot concrete base and you need to run a guide wire from the top to the edge of the 35 foot base, How much cable do you need ?? He made it very simple, and adding and subtracting fractions is quite simple using this calculator he said there will be a lot of algebra and Trig but he assured us he will teach us all and said we will get it so I am not too concerned. Then we went back to our last 2 classes where they handed out our tools LOL just what I needed more tools.
The one thing that really kind of pissed me off but I did not say anything to her, this young girl was sitting right behind me she is real little and no doubt not a day over 20 years old at first I was impressed that she wanted to become an electrician but I heard her talking to another student she was pissed because this organization or whatever it is funding her education and she was mad because the only one they would fund if the electrical Tech class now I am paying $15,000.00 for my education to better myself and get a good job and it has always been a goal of mine to become an electrician and she is bitching because she is stuck taking this course because that is the only one they would fund, and of course she was the first to bitch because they did not have a set of tools for her and the temp. Ones they gave her were not good enough she wanted her own brand new set. Go figure…GRRRR. She will not finish. So after the tool give away we were assigned 3 more circuits to blueprint tonight only we did not review them we are on our own to complete them. Tomorrow we were told to bring our tools which means we will be working in the lab, building our circuits that we blueprinted and will be graded on neatness of the blueprints and if our circuits work.
I suppose I will get use to the drive the school is an hour away or I should say ¼ tank of fuel round trip I am really burning through the gas I need to get to know some other people in our class and see if someone is close to be so we can car pool that would help some. Classes start at 8:00 so I leave my house at 6:45 so that part is not too bad and getting home at 2:00 is also pretty nice I am used to working 10 to 11 hours a day this is a nice break. I have not bothered with lunch but it am starting to be pretty hungry by lunch time so I am off to the store to get lunch supplies and a spider Man Lunch box LOL.

Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

I moved a total of 5 truck loads and only have about a third of the wood
[album 78237 wood.jpg]
I am giving it up for the night partially because of the dark but Mostly because of Monday Night Football Maggie LOL You know we love our Monday Night Football and even more so when the real season begins. I think I will be going to bed early and for the first time in quite a while I will be setting my alarm Orentation begins at 8:30 AM so since I need to get used to getting up early I am going to set the alarm for 6:00 AM that should give me plenty of time to get ready and get up there the school is one hour away but I want to give myself more time I can’t be late the very first day Now it is getting exciting…

Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

So far today is working out good, I got my front rotors changed they were a pain in the ass to say the least but it is done I had to pull the automatic hubs apart to change them but it is done and my truck is good for another year. Then I got started on my wood I brought 1 truck load up my truck is a 6 foot bed there is probably 7 more loads there that will be plenty to do me for all winter so I am going to stay busy on that project till night of course it has to be in the mid 80s today but that’s OK I will just think of this when it is 10 degrees out……..I hate winter.

Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

I decided this morning that my garage needed cleaned up badly so that was my project for the day I pulled both bikes outside surprising I charged the battery on my shovel and it fired right up but much to my disapointment there was a puddle of oil under where it was ideling the more I thought the more it bothered me I could not find a line leaking and it semed to stop so I decded to take it around the block I figured the excess oil was coming from the breather being it has been sitting so long, I rebuilt the engie in 1989 and it has never dripped at least from the engine, So off I go That bike I loved that thing it was so comfortable and ran so good but now that I got used to my Heritage it seemed so small and uncomfortable I could not figure out where to put my feet and kept looking for 5th gear but I finally got home and sure enough I was rght the oil leak stopped it had to have just been from the breather tube. So back on the garage I am such a pack Rat so much stuff needed thrown away finally I got 1/2 of it done and got my Shovel parked in it’s spot for the winter I hve been working on it off nd on all day. One of my big financial worrys has been fire wood for winter I usualy spend around $400.00 for wood but was not too happy about it this year but spend it now or spend it with an outragous gas bil this winter, Then my Daughter Crista stopped by and said her friend Wini, Who hapens to be my neighbor, said I can have her firewood as they don’t plan on burning any this winter so I went and looked at it Damn there is more than enough to get me through all winter was so excited al I have to do is drive about 200 yards load it and bring it here to my house and unload and stack it what a break funny how things seem to work out I will begin that job Monday and work on it a little at a time after school. I did end up taking my big bike out I really needed that I have been plagued with allergys this year for some reason I never had that problem and the ride seemed to have cleared up my head, Now back o work…
Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

I got my banking done and picked up my brake shoes and drums I began to change them and started right off the bat having problems but I did get the right side changed and started on the drivers side I had to Speak to the big man several times LOL on the side it really gave me attitude but I prevailed everything was rusted and froze up finally I got everything loose and lubed up and replaced Now I am pretty well set to get her inspected Monday…

Mom sent me an IM she made a big huge pot of Chili and invited me down for dinner and instructed me to bring a big bowl for left overs LOL I went of course it was delish and I brought plenty home she is so worried about me starving she is so good hearted so no worries about Dinner tomorrow..

Today ended up being a much nicer day it warmed up some and the rain went away but ni bike ride maybe tomorrow, Right now I am done for the evening and enjoying the Steeler Pre Season game.

Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

It has been nice to be off all week I go to bed late and sleep in I was up around 8:00 this morning, put on a pot of coffee, and then laid back down and slept for another hour it has been feeling good with no responsibility but now it is the weekend and time to get back to reality…..

Today I need to go get rear brakes and drums for my truck and get that job done my truck needs inspected by the end of the month I got a lot of work done in my garage so I can finally pull my truck in to get my work done, somehow I lost the registration application things have been so hectic but I thought of it the other night so I applied on line and should be getting it sometime next week so hopefully I will be able to get the inspection out of the way Monday, Tuesday is Orientation then Wednesday School starts…

Friday I got my final Paycheck, Back vacation, and severance pay what is a little upsetting about it is as badly as I am going to need that money the government felt it just needed 30% of it but that is life I guess so I made up my budget for the entire 15 months If I am careful I will be fine even paying my Cobra insurance so I feel a little better now if I get a part time job that is just all the better..

It stormed big time yesterday I mean really bad most of the evening a lot of rain, I went to a picnic with Mom and Dad it did not start till 6:00 but was under cover so the rain did not stop good eats I stayed till around 8:00 by then I had enough the races were rained out and next week will be the end of the race season bummer I missed a lot of races when I was in Connecticut but I guess that is marking the end of summer..

It is almost 10:00 now so time to make a trip to the bank and get busy on my chores
Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

I have been making progress on my chores I got all the grass mowed and finished the weed eating a few of my ex co workers decided to get together once a month for drinks so we met last night it was a nice little get together but as experience has taught me this never lasts it is work that bonded us all together and without that it will eventually all fall apart and we will all go our own directions but it was nice to see everybody. I filled out all the paperwork for my Cobra insurance it will cost me $283.00 per month it is the coverage I had while working it will be an added strain on my finances but it is medical, dental and eye so I don’t think it is too bad of a deal and if I need it I sure will be glad I kept it. I did my expense report for my last week away and need to send that in. I figured I might as well work on my truck it has not been making heat I thought the problem was the door in the back of the heater box that opens and closes to make heat or Air was not working and it was stuck closed I tried everything I could but could not make the door open my last option was to change the entire heater box Now that is expensive and it is a thing where the entire box it much bigger than the whole to pull it out of which means I need to unbolt the dash lift it drain the entire cooling system to disconnect the heater core a lot of work. Now since I have to replace the heater box anyhow I decided to do a rather un orthodox experiment it is a little embarrassing being I am a good mechanic and I could do the job But I took my dremal tool and cut a hole big enough in the front of the heater box to fit my hand and reached behind the heater core and opened the door, Instant heat LOL it is just a temporary fix I will eventually do it right but at least now I have heat and defrost.

I got a letter from School, Orientation is Tuesday the 24th and school starts the 25th I am anxious to get started I have not started to look for part time work I figure I will see how much homework and studying I will need to do in the evenings so I am not going to even look for about a month than I will look at my finances and see how it is looking.

I am going to take Dad to the hospital tomorrow at Dialysis they messed up the artery they use to hook him to the machine so they have to repair the artery I guess it is not too big of a deal but they need to do it at Shadyside hospital and Mom does not like to drive down there so I told her I would go and drive her usually they do the work on him at St Margaret’s in Fox Chapel but I guess they can’t do that sort of thing there but I don’t mind I have nothing better to do, Even if I did I would still take them down. I have been there before there is an Indian motorcycle dealership right down the road so I will go visit them while I am waiting.

I think I am going to go throw a load of laundry in the washer and maybe take a nap I might as well talk advantage of my time off.

Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

I am home from Connecticut for good and now officially unemployed Last week went Ok I was the only one to go and I rented a car at the airport I reserved a midsized but they did not have one so she asked me if a Mustang was OK I said I suppose as I ran out the door it was a 2004 it was great I loved that car now I wish I had took a picture of it. The week went by fast I left up there Thursday afternoon but due to delays I did not get home till almost 10:00 PM so I just went to bed. Friday Morning I got up and went to work for my last time I visited both shops turned in my uniforms and cell phone and keys and that was that I don’t know what I expected I just was disappointed that after 23 years it ended just like that. I finally got to go to the races Friday night it was a good race it was the modified Outlaw race they are always good I got home around midnight. I have not done much yet today I went to breakfast with my race friends and have just sort of sat around and did nothing I need to go to the bank and deposit one of my expense checks and fill out my final expense report for my last week in Connecticut then maybe mow my grass is so out of control…

I think the Steelers are playing their first per season game tonight so my plan is to go watch it with Dad I think it starts at 9:00 but I am not really sure about that I will check before making solid plans. I am pretty much out of food here I have not been shopping for 5 weeks so after I deposit my check I guess I had better stock up on food. At least my house was clean thanks to Mom while I was away she did a great job of cleaning I should leave home every 2 weeks just to get it cleaned LOL .

I am not sure what I am going to do next week I suppose I will finish mowing and do some detailed trimming of all the weeds around my poor neglected house and hopefully the weather will be nice and I can get my bike out for a ride my garage needs cleaned out and my truck needs inspected Oh now that I think about it I do have a ton of stuff to get caught up on before school starts Oh I guess the biggest is to get signed up for unemployment that is the most important I have to keep some money coming in I still have not even thought about part time work I am going to wait and see how just going to school goes I have to start to get stocked up on wood for winter it is getting to be that time of year

Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉

It is finally the weekend this was a long week we worked 12 hours per day it was exhausting but we had to get a lot of work done, so I don’t have any pictures to add. I did get to come home early my flight left at 3:10 Friday we had to leave the shop at 12:30 at the latest but the inspector showed up at noon to start to inspect we left at 1:00 I got to the terminal 5 minutes before the flight started to board at least I was not late security went fast they did search my carry on bag but other than that I breezed right through, on the bright side I only have one more week of work up there I am done on the 13th then a week off .

I got my release papers from work in the mail actually I got them last Friday when I came home but did not send them back in I will do it this morning as soon as Staples opens I got a return Fed Ex envelope with it so all I need to do is sign it and send it back it is a lot of legal crap and it has to be signed and sent back in before I can receive my Accrued vacation pay and severance pay I did some quick math I should be able to get by without working if I really watch my money but being as I will be done school at 1:00 and home by 2:00 I think I would be smart to find a part time job like 4 hours per day just to keep a little cushion of cash coming in .

I woke up to 50 degrees outside I am not used to this cold all week it was in the 70s in the morning and upper 80s and humid during the day, I was froze this morning sure is a difference in weather between here and there the high is going to be 70 today and 78 tomorrow and no rain ..

Today is going to be laundry and repack for next week I am coming home next Thursday so I will be able to work my last day at my shops here at home I can’t imagine what it will be like to not work for a living but as they say when one door closes another opens so it will work out I am not going to ponder on it just enjoy a lot less stress for a change.

I see my grass is needed mowed again I doubt I will have time to get that chore done I want to go visit Mom and Dad tomorrow Mom spends a lot of time here while I am away cleaning and taking care of Bertha it is nice to come home to a nice clean house. I am off to get my laundry started and veg

Enjoy Life,
Tim 😉