what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[Khan]

Pushed snow off the drive. Cleaned snow off of one car. Said how much longer can this really be worth it. When should we say enough and get serious about getting out of the winter for good.

Once you're retired, the weather is a minor consideration.

Dealt with staff that doesn't think and can't make a decision. Coached them most of the day as to what they might take responsibility on and tried to get them all to think clearly and without help from me.

I don't miss that crap one bit. My blood pressure has dropped from WTF to normal human.

 

[bbbamI]

need an assistant?

Sure...we'll be the "cop twins"!

And you do this as a volunteer?

Yeah...I'm going into my 9th year at the police department. It's funny; working at MegaCorp was more stressful than what I do now....

 

[Dawg52]

Yeah...I'm going into my 9th year at the police department.

Did you at least get a free set of handcuffs?

 

[UncleHoney]

I puttered around in my shop most of the day. I started making a box for a friend, well actually it's for her dad, sorta. Actually it's for his ashes.

I get some strange requests every once in a while. This one will be number 4. So far two people and two dogs. In case you're interested, for people you need to figure about 200 cubic inches of volume.

And in case you want to know how I know, all you gotta do is call a funeral director.

And they know more than even I want to know.

 

[NW-Bound]

Umm, I assume that they would leave off any metal implants like hips, knees, etc... Else, your box isn't big enough.

Having seen pictures of your woodwork, I'd like to see how fancy you make your boxes.

 

[bbbamI]

Did you at least get a free set of handcuffs?

Nah, I declined. I wanted to save the tax payers some money. Besides, I have my own....

 

[UncleHoney]

Umm, I assume that they would leave off any metal implants like hips, knees, etc... Else, your box isn't big enough.

Having seen pictures of your woodwork, I'd like to see how fancy you make your boxes.

Yep, no metal parts, except maybe fillings. Most large particles are.... reduced in size by......mechanical means.

Here's one of my dog boxes, made back when I was working in glass. Sold two to the same owner.

Still looking for a buyer for this one, a well heeled buyer. Maybe a Wall Street Banker.

 

[Goonie]

Boy, you've been travelin' to support the economy.

Good, because we have not been doing our share this year, due to fiscal (and psychological) limitations .

Only doing about 12-13K miles this year....normally about 15K. Next year may end up being a bit more than 15K, not sure yet and haven't cyphered out distances for all of our planned trips.

In 2010 it should be closer to 20K, since I'm planning on an Alaskan air/land/cruise 'adventure'. Flying to Anchorage, then land touring to Denali and other points, back to Anchorage to cruise to Vancouver stopping at several 'ports of call' along the way with more land touring at each, then fly home from Vancouver.....or at least fly somewhere from Vancouver.

And in doing the Alaskan gig, I'm doing 3 things that I told myself I wasn't going to do until I've seen EVERYTHING that there is to see in the United States:

1) Fly....prefer ground travel.....love to fly, but absolutely hate airport BS & hassle.

2) Cruise.....nothing really against cruises...just not a fan.

3) Go to a 'foreign' country....Canada in this case...nothing personal...just too much yet to see here in the States

Dang! The sacrifices that I'm willing to make on my behalf!

 

[Rambler]

Went to the gym, 5 miles on the treadmill. Went to the office, hour with HR...came away from that fuming...HR issues not going as well as planned. Did a video shoot...I had to do a lot of smiling, but since I was fuming, I could not get my lines correct and couldn't gather a natural looking smile for the camera. What would have taken 45 min to complete on a good day took 3 hrs to finish. 10 minutes for lunch, just a protein bar and a quick check of the email. Back to back meetings all afternoon, many of them dealing with incompetent responses to petty issues...fumed some more. Signed some paperwork, got outta there at 6pm. Home now browsing the net, but still fuming. Thinking about taking up Dawg's second hobby: head banging...

R

 

[Dawg52]

Nah, I declined. I wanted to save the tax payers some money. Besides, I have my own....

A typical night at the bbbamI house?

 

[W2R]

Went to the gym, 5 miles on the treadmill. Went to the office, hour with HR...came away from that fuming...HR issues not going as well as planned. Did a video shoot...I had to do a lot of smiling, but since I was fuming, I could not get my lines correct and couldn't gather a natural looking smile for the camera. What would have taken 45 min to complete on a good day took 3 hrs to finish. 10 minutes for lunch, just a protein bar and a quick check of the email. Back to back meetings all afternoon, many of them dealing with incompetent responses to petty issues...fumed some more. Signed some paperwork, got outta there at 6pm. Home now browsing the net, but still fuming. Thinking about taking up Dawg's second hobby: head banging...

R

What a crummy day! I hope the HR issues aren't anything that will impede your retirement.

 

[FinanceDude]

Did you at least get a free set of handcuffs?

Yeah, and they threw in one of Martha's whips for good measure.

 

[MMarquit]

Wrote some blog posts, bought some solid stocks at bargain prices. Getting ready to eat lunch.

 

[Khan]

Ran some errands.

At the grocery store I had a combination of manufacturer's coupons, affinity card coupons, rebate checks, and an affinity card. The register choked, and the cashier had to call for someone from the front office to beat it into submission.

 

[TromboneAl]

Practiced piano, surfed Internet, published Christmas card, rode with DW to casino for free breakfast, ate last turkey sandwich, checked the fun guestbook entries. Will now split firewood, take nap, and make more juggling balls for Christmas gifts.

 

[NW-Bound]

.. ate last turkey sandwich...

Already? How big a turkey was it? Couldn't be very big, considering you once said a Costco roast chicken lasted you a few meals?

 

[Rambler]

What a crummy day! I hope the HR issues aren't anything that will impede your retirement.

Naw, not mine. With the economy as it is, and declining orders, I need to move a few hundred employees off the books. HR is dragging their feet, my division heads are dragging their feet. They all know it has to be done, but no one wants to do it (I don't either, but in order to protect the livelyhoods of some 2500 people that will remain, a few hundred have to go. If they all said to me, "I'll take a 10-12% cut in compensation so that everyone can stay", I could do that too...ya think that is gonna happen? NOT...). I have a few ways to do it, and I would prefer that the low performers go first, then the contract employees at the end of their contracts. That would do the trick, but it isn't working quickly enough. Anyway, I'm grumpy that I have to do this, and I am even grumpier because the next levels haven't got it figured out yet. Next step: Machete.

R

 

[NW-Bound]

If you could answer, I wonder if your employees are Japanese or expats?

 

[W2R]

Naw, not mine. With the economy as it is, and declining orders, I need to move a few hundred employees off the books. HR is dragging their feet, my division heads are dragging their feet. They all know it has to be done, but no one wants to do it (I don't either, but in order to protect the livelyhoods of some 2500 people that will remain, a few hundred have to go. If they all said to me, "I'll take a 10-12% cut in compensation so that everyone can stay", I could do that too...ya think that is gonna happen? NOT...). I have a few ways to do it, and I would prefer that the low performers go first, then the contract employees at the end of their contracts. That would do the trick, but it isn't working quickly enough. Anyway, I'm grumpy that I have to do this, and I am even grumpier because the next levels haven't got it figured out yet. Next step: Machete.

R

That's really tough. Sorry this has to happen and I don't blame you one bit for feeling grumpy about it.

 

[freebird5825]

hard to top this day!
i drove for the DAV today, and had a 89 year young veteran flirt with me. he told me seeing me always brightened his day and he wished i drove both days he comes in for adult day program...PRICELESS
made spicy chicken curry over rice.
dh2b told me i was a wonderful cook and thanked me for cooking him dinner every night...FABULOUS

 

[Rambler]

If you could answer, I wonder if your employees are Japanese or expats?

Japanese. I'm the only expat. I have a few non-Japanese local hires, but not enough to speak of. Japanese really don't like the idea of RIFs...they tend not to understand that if action is not taken BEFORE things get bad, then things have a tendency to get REALLY bad. And, sad experience has shown me that once you allow productivity to slip, then it is extremely hard to regain. As you know, work expands to fill the time alloted to it.

R

 

[Sparky]

We walked our dog for 2 miles, made lunch, then made a fire and had a hot buttered rum and bitched about the REHP people who can't stay on topic on the threads.

 

[harley]

We walked our dog for 2 miles, made lunch, then made a fire and had a hot buttered rum and bitched about the REHP people who can't stay on topic on the threads.

Speaking of which, does anybody know the best way to wash windows? I've got a bunch of them, and am going to do it myself this spring instead of hiring it out. I've seen people use newspaper, but I don't understand how that can work? I suspect I'll go the squeegee route, but I'd be interested in opinions. Then in 5 months I'll make an entry into this thread about how it went.

 

[citrine]

Worked at the spa....had my first Bridezilla encounter....what an idiot!
Came home, cleaned bedroom floor, did dishes, laundry, and had dinner.

 

[freebird5825]

Speaking of which, does anybody know the best way to wash windows? I've got a bunch of them, and am going to do it myself this spring instead of hiring it out. I've seen people use newspaper, but I don't understand how that can work? I suspect I'll go the squeegee route, but I'd be interested in opinions. Then in 5 months I'll make an entry into this thread about how it went.

i tried newspaper years ago and was rewarded with stained hands and soggy bits of newspaper on the windows. i suspect the ink was the older style that rubbed off on your hands even when dry. i find using 2 plain old white cotton towels, one for wet cleaning in one hand, one for the finish up drying in the other hand works best. a cotton mitt works really well.
i put a tool belt on to hold the towels. left hand cleans, right hand dries. change to fresh towels as needed. i believe any kind of glass cleaner works best. i have a lot of oak woodwork around my windows so i spray the wet cleaning towel, not the window. that methods keeps the sneezing down too.
for tall windows out of reach, use a thick and wide painting edger mounted on a long telescoping extension pole for the wet one. the dry one can be a squeegie or a dry towel taped around the squeegie.
when you're a real expert window cleaner...head this way.