Poker

For those of you who have ever played Poker you know that the point comes, usually near the end of the game, when you realize that you put too many chips in too fast earlier in the game. It is usually at this point where you decide not to take any risks at all, unless of course it is a guaranteed win. Have you ever had a similar experience in life? It is possible that we often "play" too much energy in the areas that really are not going to provide any return, then we get to a point that we realize that the energy is gone, and we don’t have what we need to "play" when we get that "perfect hand".
The challenge is this: Are you spending your "chips" on things that matter? Not only in the long run, but for eternity? If not, you need to make some changes so that when that "Perfect hand" comes along, you have what it takes to win.

My summer "vacation"

I was kindly (and rightly so) informed that blogs with pictures are much more interesting. So I will use three pictures to briefly describe my summer "vacation".
Shown here is a 48 foot 50 ton tractor-trailer dumper manufactured by Peerless. When I say "manufactured" I mean they built the main unit as a "Kit' and then we welded it together and mounted it on the base frame that we built on site. The entire project started January 2005, when the layout for the concrete walls and piers began. I believe the total concrete used was in the 450 cubic yard range. This also included a moderate pad below for the material to be stored on. By the time I arrived on the scene, in mid summer (during summer break), the concrete and majority of the frame was finished and the bed itself had just been set in place. We aligned the bed, and finished attaching all the accessories. These included the trailer retainer (the bars near the back that go around and over the top of the trailer), the rails, walkways, hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic pump and reservoir unit, stops, shims and other braces which needed to be installed. In addition to the "kit", we needed to create an operators platform (picture #1 where we are standing) and stairs to link the operators platform to the lower level (where the pump unit is housed). All this needed to be designed, created and welded together. Unfortunately the foreman I was working under needed to take off for a few weeks because of problems with his hand, which left me to do most of the work. This was great, except my welding skills are elementary at best. Thus I spent much of my time welding things temporarily until they could be finished later. Finally on my last day we were able to perform a test run (shown in picture #2) to its full 60 degree angle. To get an idea of the how high this thing is, the top of the brown frame in picture 2 is 15-20 feet off the ground and the trailer itself is 53' long.
When I left there were still a few minor details to finish up.
Last time I was home it was finished and in working order, flawlessly unloading tractor-trailers (hauling waste wood to be recycled) with ease and style.
There is nothing like a rewarding summer vacation.

FIRST PICTURE!!!!!!!!

I am playing around with my Blogger and was hoping to put this picture (Of me nonetheless) in my personal profile. But alas it ended up here so I decided to leave it here and let you look at it here.

Me over my lid?

I feel compelled to respond to the emails and comments I recieved after my "Stupid american System' post.
NO. I do not think that moving from student to RA to RD is moving into an incompetant area. Now becoming dean of students would be questionable and President would certainly be way over my competent level.
That post was more of a conglomeration of observations that I have had over the last few months. Not all bad observations.
Kudos to Zeager Bros. Inc. (www.zeager.com) for being aware of this principle. They have their shop pesonell organized in such a way that the best mechanics are not sitting behind a computer all day on the phone. Their best mechanic is in the shop making decisions and his assistant (who is good with keeping track of parts and other stuff) is on the phone ordering supplies. It works quite well.

So for those of you wondering, I don't think me as RD has much potential as a career to "move up the ladder". But I do feel, to some degree, capable of doing my job.

Black Gold

For anyone who has been reading or at least keeping up with the news it is well known the tragic deaths of the miners in west Virginia. Now that it is over the fingers are pointing and the families are "outraged". Why the uproar? Apparently the families who were anxiously waiting news were told that 12 of the 13 miners were alive. Only to be told later that 12 of the 13 were dead. While I am in no way minimizing the tragedy that occurred it is certainly an interesting scenario.
The mine owners are apparently hated by the families. But I would guess that if the outcome was different the mine officials may have been praised for their rescue efforts. And if not, the miners themselves would be the hero's for reacting the way they were trained (which they did do) to. So who is to blame? Who's fault was it? We will probably never know the whole story because there is only one of the 13 witnesses still alive. Unfortunately the Employer is going to look like the bad guy.

One report said some are now questioning their faith. What kind of faith is it if it is shaken by a mere mortal dying? Would their faith be strengthened if the miner that they knew was still alive? If the people waiting for the news had a "faith" why did they try to bring harm on the bearers of bad news? Was this supposed to heal the wounds? Make them feel better? Maybe even bring back their loved ones by chance? What ever happened to a faith that is grounded in the Rock of Jesus Christ. The rock that is in control of EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. The creator, sustainer and taker of life. The Rock that gave his life so that ALL have the choice to dwell with him forever.

Anyone with genuine faith in a genuine God is going to respond in a manner that is consistent with that faith. Angry? Possibly. Sad? Of course. Confused? Understandable. But even with these Emotions, The ultimate example (Jesus Christ) was acting on his unwavering "Faith".
I encourage the families who lost Loved ones to continue to trust in Jesus and strive to imitate his character through this tough time.

YOU TOO.....................

I was listening to comedian Brian Reagan (SP?) the other night and he was going off on how we often use "You too" as a greeting of sorts. The waitress says "enjoy your meal" and you answer with "You Too."
So I was getting doughnuts the other day (only 4 dozen) and the checkout guy says "Enjoy". And being a not so bright bulb I answered "you too". As soon as I said it I kicked myself because that poor guy probably doesn't even make enough to buy Ramen noodles, let alone Krispy Kremes. How did we ever come to accept a phrase that rarely makes Sence? YOU TOO.

Stupid American System

Why do we in America seem to promote people who are not equipped to do what their new job requires? Take for example a Carpenter. He gets a job out of High school and works for his employer for, say, 5 years and becomes an excellent craftsman. Then he gets promoted to "Job Foreman" because there is an opening. So far so good. So he works for another 3 years and the business grows and he is then promoted to site coordinator. He still does a good job, but he is then using his possibly undeveloped organizational skills instead of his instictive excellent carpentry skills. A few years later he is promoted to Personell Manager. This is where the problems flower. Here we have a H.S. grad who is a superior carpenter, working with people, which issomething he is not trained to do, and possibly doesn't want to do. While he may be content and do a fine job managing people, the chances are slim.
From his employers perspective, he is being done a favor by "moving up", but in reality he is being set up for frustration and failure (as well as his subordinates) by putting him into a role that he is is not necessarily gifted in. Eventially we have an entire company full of people who are operating out side of their expertise and making decisions that they may have no knowlege of.
I Say we keep the good carpenters as carpenters.
But kudos to any business that wants to try to make their best carpenter a CEO.

The first

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to Get my thingy going incase I ever want to develop a blog later.

-Chief