Other things. Sorta like posts, but not.

Wednesday, August 31

Freezer-rific Treats

I died 32 times yesterday.  
It was 872 degrees, but the thermometers only registered 111.  And I had to work outside.  And just stepping out the door felt like falling off your deathbed, the top bunk.
Today’s Exploit:
Yesterday I was talking to the DD.  
His friend got an ice shaver and makes sno-cones for the roughnecks.  Naturally he was really jealous and wanted to get one for himself.  
But then he remembered that his neighbors had found a cheap-o ice cream maker, and made some “really good sweet cream ice cream”.  One of those that you stick in the freezer overnight, pour in the cream and 20 minutes later you have soft serve.  
He asked me if sweet cream was hard to find.  And he almost jumped out of his skin when I said normal whipping cream IS sweet cream.
Now he’s looking online and telling his wife to check Sam’s for one of these makers.  
He was extra excited when I said I had a bunch of recipes that I want to try.  
And he thought he’d be healthy during this well.  Wahahaha

Tuesday, August 30

Got Plenty Help

According to George:  Women are taking over the oil-field.  And they know their s***.  
Today’s Exploit:
Yesterday we were rigging up.  
That means we roll around in the dirt and mud to get all our gear working. 
Actually it means we set up a lot of computers.  And fight with them for 3 hours.
When we had to set up our pressure sensor we went and asked one of the roughnecks for help.  He was happy to once we were able to translate the request.  
While he was pounding away at the pipe to get our sensor on the driller came up.
Driller:  You guys got no help?
Us:  Nope, just us this time.
Driller:  Oh, you guys.  You get plenty help here.  You office know this.
Us:  Haha.
Driller:  Everyone want help you here.
It’s true.  They always ask to help.  Or they give you tacos, or sno-cones.  Or they fix your car.  

Monday, August 29

Does The Ladder Go Down, Too?

I’m closing in on 300 posts.  And it hasn’t even been 2 years yet.  I’m rather shocked.  Also, I’m kinda amazed that I still have funny stories.  I suspected that the funny would dry up after I started writing it down.  But it just got worse.  
Today’s Exploit:
I’m working with a trainee that has only been working for about 2.1 months.  She has only been to 1/2 a job before this one.
She already knows what she’s doing and is more competent than I am.
I guess it’s a good thing I have no aspirations to climb the corporate ladder here.  I’m content being at the bottom of the totem.  
Less stress.
Less eczema.
Maybe next week I’ll be ambitious. 
Right now I’m just happy that the trainee actually listens when I give suggestions and answer her questions.  The last guy thought he knew everything after 2 weeks of training.

Sunday, August 28

Searching for Boxes

My friend Kevin finally got his stolen truck back.  He says he’s never going to Oklahoma again.  Except next month to help me move.  
Today’s Exploit:
I got boxes today.  Some plastic ones to save my pillows and blankets, the ones that I’m not willing to sacrifice for the safety of my table and chairs and futon and bed.  I believe those will be protected by my fire sheets and 400 year old towels.  
I was going to get some cardboard boxes, but it was not a delivery day at Target.  So they told me to come back on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday.  Naturally I would manage to go on the day they didn’t get one.  
The guy I asked was very helpful.  After he told me what days to come back he followed me out of the store and suggested I go to the liquor stores or bookstores for boxes.  But I should make sure I call ahead to have them held for me.  
Good advice for a Sunday afternoon.  

Saturday, August 27

Horrible

I have a pedometer in my new iPod.  Fascinating. 
I ran for 55 minutes and took 4475 steps.  I estimate that to be 5 miles.  Plus some walking in the middle.
Today’s Exploit:
North Dakota was a disaster.  
It was pretty and green and not entirely flat.  And it was not 103 degrees every day.  In fact I got up to temperatures in the mid 50s two days.  It was delightful.  And I got to run without feeling like I was going to pass out from heat if I stopped for a second.  
And it was the worst experience I’ve had since starting my job.  
I was completely miserable.  
The tools didn’t work, and I messed up and I got yelled at for not knowing how to fill out their multitude of paperwork.  In triplicate.  Sometimes in four-plicate. 
Then they wouldn’t tell me how to fix the paperwork.  They’d just yell at me some more.  
And after that they would patronize me. 
I wanted to strangle all of them.
So I had some melt-downs behind the storage shed and pretended the phone got unplugged without me knowing.  
My real manager is now my hero for telling them I needed to come back to Texas early.  
Never thought I’d be homesick for TEXAS.  
Disgusting.

Friday, August 26

Starting My Packing

I get to go to North Dakota!  And see some mountains, and some nice weather!
Today’s Exploit:
I started packing.  I’m really excited.  I’m ready to have a nice view and some direct sunlight, and a nice stove in my kitchen.  
I packed all my books and tried to organize my papers.  I even got the spare beds broken down and ready to go.  
And then I ran out of boxes.  
So I decided to go dancing.
I spent the whole time wondering where I could get boxes and if I wanted to get them from the grocery stores or from a moving store.  I also considered some plastic tubs.  
It was very distracting, and I’m out of practice dancing.
I was kind of a mess.
I also daydreamed about having my piano in my new living room.  

Tuesday, August 9

My Sunshiny Shadow

I’m ready to go home and take a nap.
Today’s Exploit:
I have a new shadow.  
This one is much more perky than the last one.  
She’s also a lot smaller and less intimidating.  
She follows me everywhere, once she sees me.  When I walk outside and catch her attention (even if someone else is petting her) she will perk up, her ears will go up and then she will start galloping at me.  Or gallumping.  Anyway, she’s still a puppy so she’s not entirely in control when she does that, therefore I must always be on my guard or I might get taken out at the knees.

I have been going for walks in the evening.  She follows close enough on these walks that she steps on my shoes.  
Occasionally she will run off to find a stick that she can kill, to show off for me.  Once the stick is thoroughly dead she will come prancing back to follow right on my heels again.  
I want to adopt her.  And take her home, and go for runs in the park.  Also, probably give her a bath.
But I’ve been good and haven’t even named her.  

Monday, August 8

The Secret of the Breakfast Taco

I’ve found a new author.  She combined murder mystery with faerie.  I like her books.  
Today’s Exploit:
I’m working with Matt again.  He’s the one I convinced to run with me.  He decided we should go on my normal run of 4-5 miles.  He hadn’t run in 6.1 months.  I thought he was going to die.
Anyway, this rig that we’re on is mostly populated by hispanic roughnecks.  
That means they cook tacos every shift.  
Morning = Breakfast tacos (Egg and bacon and chorizo, and sometimes peppers)
Evening = Fajitas (Whatever they have on hand)
Each morning they call and tell me they have tacos.
So far I’ve gone up, even though I don’t like eggs or bacon.  I went to be nice because they get offended if I say “No” too much.  
Roughneck 1:  You’d better get some before it’s gone!
Me:  I will, I’m just waiting for the line to get shorter.
Roughneck 2:  Don’t be shy, go get some!
Me:  Ok, I will in a minute.
Roughneck 3:  Oh, look.  No line, you’d better go get a taco before they’re gone.
Me:  Ok, ok.  I’m going.
Roughneck 2:  Only one?
Roughneck 1: Have another, before it’s gone.
Me:  Give me a minute!
Roughneck 3:  You’d better get in there before the line starts again.
Me:  You called me up here to finish this for you, didn’t you.  You’re not really worried about not having enough.  I heard you talking about having leftovers yesterday!
Roughnecks:  ...No?...

Saturday, August 6

Epic Battle

I discovered the other day that I left the power cord for my work computer in the office.  In Houston.  Yay.
Today’s Exploit:
I think I’m finally better.  
That fever turned out to be the not-so-subtle message to me saying “GO TO THE HOSPITAL!”  I  am a bit oblivious sometimes and didn’t catch the more delicate hints.
So I went to the doctor and got drugs for my illness.
I spent the next few days sleeping on the couch because the bed was too hard.  
I also had the pleasure of being squeezed by a bridge troll, stabbed by an evil pixie, stomped on my an elephant and bashed over the head by a gargoyle.  
It made me want my mom.  
It made me want chicken noodle soup.
Next time I get a “knot in my back” I’m not waiting until I get a chance to get a massage.  I’m going to the doctor.  
Stupid kidneys.
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