Wednesday, February 10, 2010

L84WORK

Wow! Has anyone worked this week? I've aways liked snow, but with no paid leave, I'm beginning to hate it. There is a lot to love about being in a union, so we take the good with the bad. I don't like paying dues, but I don't like paying taxes either. The good thing about it is that I benefit GREATLY from funding our union. As for taxes????? Actually, I know taxes are a necessary evil, I find fault with the amounts and usage of them. Anyway, our class in day school just started our fifth and final book. It seems like book four was only two classes long. As I mentioned in an earlier post, book four was mainly about motor control. If anyone was wondering about how my take home test went- 37 out of 50 points. Not bad, but not good. Luckily our in school test score was combined with our take home, which gave me a composite score of 89 percent. In this program, 74% is a failing grade! It was explained to me that it's generous to require us to be proficient in three quarters of what we are taught. Our last session in motor control had a hands on test in addition to our written test. I made only one small (careless) mistake. Book four was definitely my favourite so far. I will definitely be taking more classes when I get to night school. It's too bad that apprentices' work assignments aren't based on school, but I couldn't imagine how something like that could be coordinated, and with work being slow, I'm happy just to be working. Last Wednesday, my sub foreman told me I was being transferred to Chalk Point in Aquasco, Md. I was sad at first, because it causes me a lot more problems than I already have, but it took maybe 30 seconds to think of the guys on the bench that would love to take my place. My home to home time just got 15 hours a week longer(10 hours EXTRA driving(if I'm lucky) and 5 hours overtime. What makes it worse is a seven a.m. starting time. Okay, I'm done whining. At worst I'll be there for seven months(next contractor transfer), and I've never been on one job site for more than seven months. My first day there was Friday, and I sat in an office trailer for five hours going through more safety orientation. I've lost count of the time spent on safety training at Dyna alone! I think that the contractors are serious about keeping accidents (insurance claims) down. I'll be sure to let you know what type of work I'll be doing at Chalk Point, once I actually get to work. As most of you know,since Saturday Feb. 6th, the D.C. area has been hit with about 50 inches of snow in five days, and it's still freakin' snowing!!!!! Stir crazy? For some reason, it took Howard County four days to plow my road. The neighborhood actually banded together and blew/shoveled between 1/2 and 3/4 of a mile of snow 40 inches deep. So, after being stuck for four days I was determined to go to work today, weather and all. Bad idea. I nearly jammed the inner loop up this morning. Some as*$#!e in a hurry cut me off, sending me int a spin at 35 mph on the beltway. Luckily, my truck slid backwards into a snow bank. The snow bank probably saved my life and my truck. This adventure left me pointing head first into traffic, blocking half of the slow lane, just over the crest of a hill. Luckily my roadside assistance was johnny on the spot with four wheel drive and a set of chains. That's more than I can say for the Maryland State Police trooper who stopped. He was nice enough to crack his window far enough to tell me to get my vehicle moved as soon as possible-%$#%&$%&^%*^ . Anyway, trying to work today almost cost me a lot more than I would have earned, and maybe my or someone else's life. I learned an important thing today. Missing work sucks(missing paychecks) , but is a days work worth your life?