Sorry if that's not as exciting to others but I'm a knitting and crocheting freak.Another fun shape I use often, is the loop through the loop method of storing extension cords.
CROCHET!!!
Sorry if that's not as exciting to others but I'm a knitting and crocheting freak.Another fun shape I use often, is the loop through the loop method of storing extension cords.
CROCHET!!!
*yawn* This will be a slow,
lazy
post.
I worked all weekend for my side job with Monkeylectric at the Maker Faire. It was super fun but I didn't get my regular weekend recharge of dancing and sleeping in. Instead I answered a million questions while standing in a booth of really cool spinning LEDs. Before work this morning I had only 3.5 hours or sleep before driving an hour to work. Sometimes it's hard to convince others that I really need to be in bed by 9pm each work night let alone convince myself. Last night "myself" was not convinced.
I often worry about the consequences of not being fully "with it" while at work. It's not like the extension cord crossing your path at the top of the flight of stairs was a stupid safety hazard one your co-workers made that you might sue with safety neglegence. Ha! These "hazards" are par for the course here. There are no, "I'm sorry, that was really dumb of me to leave that large heavy sharp metal beam leaning against the wall in your pathway, let me move it for you so you you can walk without bending over." Don't get me wrong, everyone trys to keep the workplace safe, but it's just a different level of safe than your typical office space. Also, if a beam is in your way of getting work done, the culprits will most likely remove it after being asked to do so. Key words: Getting work done. With that being said, I feel that similar to driving in my truck, I have the majority of the responsability of keeping myself from harms way. And in order for that to happen, I have to be wide awake to see obsticles and hazards in my way.
I was a little worried this morning but warm artificial stimulants with cream helped me through the day. No mishaps as of yet. *knock on wood* And now it's time for me to ...
CRASH.
(after I eat and watch an episode of Battlestart Galactica)
I love my hands! They are becoming stronger and more versatile as I work each day. It's amazing how precise our muscle memory can be in our hands. I've already experienced this with my many hours of knitting. I can close my eyes and knit by feel with easy patterns. The electrical work isn't quite at that level yet.
When they're not so dirty, they mostly remind me of my Mom's hands. I often remember adoring all the little creases, smells, and textures of her hands. Used but very loved.
I had to go to the Home Depot today to spend some serious money on a tool. I've had this good DeWalt drill for the past year but for some reason the chuck on the thing is really out of whack and needs sent in to fix, so in the mean time I have to have something to work with. More often than not I've wished I've had an impact driver in addition to a drill. For one thing they are lighter and for another they work better for driving screws than drills do. The impact part means that they do a lot some of the pushing for you. Thousands of minute little impacts help metal into wood or metal. Yeah! My life will be phenomanally better at work tomorrow (knock on wood...or metal)!
So, going to the Home Depot is always fun for me. I especially like the one near me in Emmeryville. They are super friendly and on the verge of overly helpful. I had an extra fun trip today because of the amount of money I spent. All the sales people felt obligated to help the chic out. After they found out she knew what she was talking about, they became very excited and could hardly contain themselves from telling her everything they knew under the sun about tools. I will never go without help at this store! I can wave my little female electrician sign and they will all come rushing to my aide. I know some females may find this insulting but I find it rather ammusing. The guys are all happy to hear that I'm competant, so it doesn't bother me when they make sure I know I'm not leaving the store with a drill but something else that I might not want. However, I must say I'm not one to ask for help much. If you read my FAQs post you will remember that I like to figure it out and do it on my own, but sometimes a little excited help is very welcome. Used but not abused. Thanks guys.
One of the job sites that I work at is in San Francisco. While at work today I heard a general laborer saying in a thick accent, "bird, a bird there." It took me a little while before I understood what he was saying and then it took me a little while longer to realize that he actually meant what he was saying and it wasn't one of the many trade terms that I haven't learned yet. In a corner nestled behind an iron structural support beam was a typical oily and ratty looking city pigeon. The worker shooed it away and proceeded to place two white eggs and a few wood scraps into a box in hopes she would abandon the old nesting spot. When I returned she had apparently decided she preferred her original spot and the eggs were placed back where they were found.
She looked firghtened but not enough to abandon her roost. She must have had the urge to lay yesterday evening while the three story building was empty, quiet and spacious. There was plenty of wood scraps to gather for a little spot out of the wind but in the morning a bee hive of humans erupted and started making the most abnoxious and distressing noises. It will be interesting to see how long she is able to continue her nesting. I know the sheet rockers will be working their wall covering frenzy soon and she will certainly in their way. I will keep you posted on how the interraction between and nature and the city turns out.
The first post will be FAQs. These are the typical questions that people ask me when they discover my trade and/or sex.
What made you get into electrical work (aka are you crazy)?
Well, I may be a bit crazy for doing this, but this isn't how I usually answer. Short reply, "I like working with my hands and don't want to be stuck in an office my entire life." My long reply tends to shift with my mood and the inquirer but basically involves bits and pieces of this little "me story".
My parents are very independent souls and love to take care of things themselves. If they can do it then why hire or ask someone else to? Figure it out and go for it. What's the worst that could happen? Fail and then try again with more experience or realize that someone else might be better for the job and you're no worse for the wear. This is actually key to my approach here, but I diverge.... With this attitude and living on one teacher salary my parents bought acreage to build a home of their own. When I say "build", I mean this in the literally sense and not "I hired someone to build my home from scratch". Remember the independent souls? I would also add practical, smart, capable, and ambitious to that, but again I diverge into adoring my parents and not explaining myself.
I was in high school when they took this project on and we lived in a "barn" that was built first while the house was constructed.They had joked that I would never live in the house before moving away to college. Ha! Joking often rings true in the end. This long process involved me whenever my parents could pin me down. I was always extremely busy with dance classes, rehearsals, performances, school, and avoiding chores. Usually in the summers I would take on projects assigned to me, but mostly I would say just living around the construction of my parent's house for four years made it a familiar environment.
While I was attending The Boston Conservatory for a BFA in dance performance, I would live at home in the summers as college students typically do. One of my favorite summer jobs was working as a general laborer for a contractor friend of my Dad's. (They're good mountain climbing partners/firends). I was able to work all over beautiful Whidbey Island, where Kamera and Gilles Carpentry built amazing custom homes. While I enjoyed working this job, I remember watching a Journeyman and his female apprentice working side by side. I was mostly excited by the image of the master teaching the student skills but I was also inspired by the female presence.
Those are a few of my reasons, but I think that will do for now.
What did you do before becoming an apprentice?
If by "do" you mean "work for a living", then I can say personal trainer and yarn shop retail associate. These are far from what I actually lived for and did most of my life though. Dance, dance, dance, and more dance. I never stopped dancing for more than a length of a summer since the age of three up to 26 when I took a one year hiatus. I'm still going strong and am dancing any chance I get (at least twice a week). With a Bachelors of Fine Art in dance performance there isn't much one can do but apply to dance companies and perform. Easier said than done and my parents passed on their "independent souls" to me but not the push-everyone-down-in-your-path-and-be-as-loud-as-you-can soul that most dancers need to earn a measly living in NYC. After three years of attempting that, I wore out and decided to chill on west coast and dance for fun instead.
Are you union?
Nope. Should I be? I honestly didn't make a conscious decision to be one way or the other. I just applied to a program and got in. They happen to not be the union. I learned a lot since applying and have been encouraged to join as an apprentice soon. Apparently they have better schooling, which is something I feel my current program lacks. We'll see what happens over the course of this blog. I may be union yet. In the mean time at least I have a job in these tough economic times.
Do you mind me asking how old you are? (usually a question posed by fellow trades workers)
28. I'm a little older than a lot of my fellow classmates. Yet, I feel that I'm physically youthful but mature enough that it's to my advantage.
Do you meet a lot of cute men at work?
No Scott, all of them are ugly mo fos!
Have you been electrocuted yet?
Nope. Crossing fingers that I never will be. My wiggy (voltage tester) is my best friend.
(good enuf for now. I'll keep updating this post with more FAQs)
