The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[Handley_Page]

we got rain
FINGERS CROSSED FOR tX. . . .

 

[Duleigh]

I should know better than to check my calendar before I go to bed. I saw that I had nothing on my schedule so I could sleep in as late as I wanted and at 6:30 I get a mind numbing leg cramp.

While I'm up, I'll fire up Tx's favorite machine, Mr. Coffee, and brew up a pot. Anyone for tea while I'm here?

 

[Candy_Kane54]

Earl Grey would be nice. Thanks!

 

[Duleigh]

You got it! Fresh coffee is on too

 

[Seadog777]

I'm up for some tea with honey.
Just getting over being sick, so I don't wanna start drinking coffee until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Any news on TX or anyone else that has been MIA for a bit???

 

[NotWise]

Wee hours of the morning, and I'm still up. I went to bed then got up because there are too many things swirling around inside my head. I got two of those put to rest (I think), so now we'll see about the others.

 

[Duleigh]

I was up at 5:00 with the wife's bullhorn leaking mask so the coffee is ready!

 

[Handley_Page]

A cup of decent coffee would be very welcome, thanks.

My boiler is still cold.

 

[Duleigh]

A cup of decent coffee would be very welcome, thanks.

My boiler is still cold.

Here you go HP. I haven't lived in a house with a boiler for ages, but I remember how frustrating it was. I still remember the smell of coal and the sound of the coal scoop as dad feed the feeder for the burner, but that was replaced with a gas burner when I was very young.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Our family had a briquette hot water heater, and a briquette fire. Both did a barely adequate job. It was my job to keep them going, and dragging a bucket of compressed coal in from the rain was no fun. I was so happy when the gas got connected.

 

[Duleigh]

Our family had a briquette hot water heater, and a briquette fire. Both did a barely adequate job. It was my job to keep them going, and dragging a bucket of compressed coal in from the rain was no fun. I was so happy when the gas got connected.

Is that anything like the Korean "Ondal" (charcoal) heater? I remember seeing the Korean briquettes, they reminded me of giant black aspirin tablets.

 

[NotWise]

Just had an hour-long Zoom call with a client who I thought would tell me, "Send us your work, and our new consultant will take over." It didn't work quite like that, and it gave me a good way to end a 36-year relationship with the client. I'm stoked, because I have work for much of the year, a place to put all the decades-old files I've been curating, an organized technology transfer, and a way to sign off from a job that's given my some of the most satisfying work I've had.

All is good, except that I need some sleep.

 

[Duleigh]

Just had an hour-long Zoom call with a client who I thought would tell me, "Send us your work, and our new consultant will take over." It didn't work quite like that, and it gave me a good way to end a 36-year relationship with the client. I'm stoked, because I have work for much of the year, a place to put all the decades-old files I've been curating, an organized technology transfer, and a way to sign off from a job that's given my some of the most satisfying work I've had.

All is good, except that I need some sleep.

Good for you!

For me the end of a position usually came with the announcement, "The CEO has just announced that this company has gone into bankruptcy, there will be some cutbacks..."

 

[MrPixel]

For me the end of a position usually came with the announcement, "The CEO has just announced that this company has gone into bankruptcy, there will be some cutbacks..."

Gawd. Sounds too familiar. Ours usually was, "The company has been sold to [name a competitor]...", and in all cases it was for the accounts, not the process or work product, so the company I worked for was suddenly vapor. On the plus side - if you want to call it that - interstate acquisitions require three month's notice, or pay. At my level, last time was seven years before finding comparable work (and pay).

Fortunately the last job before retirement paid well and we had already skeletonized our living situation, so most of the earnings went to retirement savings. That, thank goodness, worked out nicely.

(Especially since, yes, that last employer was also bought out, albeit shortly after handing in my retirement notice. When the new HR rep handed me the nondisclosure/non-compete form to sign, I pushed it back across her desk and politely told her "No thanks. You already have my notice." Talk about a rare "up yours" victory.)

 

[Duleigh]

Between 1996 and 2006 I've had the following companies shot out from under me
Comp USA
Computer City
Gateway Computers
Andalon.com
Adelphia Cable
Time Warner Cable.
The last one, Comcast, never did go bankrupt, Comcast's #1 product is severance packages. When they see someone in the hallway for a long time they hand them a severance package before they qualified for a pension or something more expensive.

 

[MrPixel]

Oh, yeah. Same thing. That's the other side. The empty résumé. Every company I worked for 'cept one no longer exists, and, of course, that one was a fraught situation, a 16-month "make do" I would conveniently exclude from a job history. "Consulting" is a very convenient catch-all, and I did indeed hang my shingle out for the second half of my career (had an interesting and fun USAF software contract, for example).

You, however, have the disadvantage of working for major companies where there is (or was) a chain of succession. HR files exist... somewhere. 'Cept for the company I retired from, where the successor is a big engineering firm, I worked for medium-sized privately-held firms that are now vapor, so background checks have nowhere to go to. I can barely find online references to any of 'em.

 

[NotWise]

Yeah, I''m different. I left grad school and spent three years with the US Geological Survey then entered my current position at the beginning of December, 1984. If we make it through the year (the boss is 82) then it'll be 40 years with one employer. There were times when I could have changed jobs for more money but, in retrospect, the retirement plan has been great.

 

[_Lynn_]

I hope that everyone had a good week last week, or at least better than mine was. LOL.

I am feeling better. Finally able to keep liquids and food down.

Any news on @TxRad???

This is why I'm in favor of a phone tree.

What is everyone doing on this Sunday???

I think it's a good idea and if anyone wants to join in, let me know. We can figure out a way to make it work.

 

[Duleigh]

I think it's a good idea and if anyone wants to join in, let me know. We can figure out a way to make it work.

Count me in. I've been pretty sick for the past year. Saturday I swung by the American Legion post and they were shocked to see me. They thought I died

 

[_Lynn_]

Count me in. I've been pretty sick for the past year. Saturday I swung by the American Legion post and they were shocked to see me. They thought I died

Shows how the world has changed. In the past, people kept in touch with each other. Now not so much.

 

[Duleigh]

Good morning! Yes, it is one of those days, but I officially can call myself a professional author! (unless someone actually have to buy my book before I can wear that mantle)



Coffee is on!

 

[MrPixel]

Thanks for the cuppa! Badly needed.

The dog alarm went off at 6:00 only because he wanted me out of bed. I laid down on the sofa so he could cuddle; that worked for about a half-hour before he started grumbling about my not being upright. Seriously. As soon as I sit up, he settles right back down. This is roughly his morning routine.

So I'm learning the art of napping while sitting up. No doubt he's going to figure that out pretty soon.

 

[NotWise]

Thanks for the cuppa! Badly needed.

The dog alarm went off at 6:00 only because he wanted me out of bed. I laid down on the sofa so he could cuddle; that worked for about a half-hour before he started grumbling about my not being upright. Seriously. As soon as I sit up, he settles right back down. This is roughly his morning routine.

So I'm learning the art of napping while sitting up. No doubt he's going to figure that out pretty soon.

Hey, if you're asleep then you can't tend to his every whim. What's a dog to do?

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Thanks for the cuppa! Badly needed.

The dog alarm went off at 6:00 only because he wanted me out of bed. I laid down on the sofa so he could cuddle; that worked for about a half-hour before he started grumbling about my not being upright. Seriously. As soon as I sit up, he settles right back down. This is roughly his morning routine.

So I'm learning the art of napping while sitting up. No doubt he's going to figure that out pretty soon.

I think I'm beginning to see the problem.

Mr P, I hate to say it, but that critter is a CAT!

 

[MrPixel]

...that critter is a CAT!

Oh, when I had a cat, an absolute sweetheart who also had me wrapped around her paw, she was a lot more civilized about it all. Of course, she slept with me, so she got up when I did. We do not allow the dog on the bed! That's the issue. His previous people evidently did.

We've fixed a lot of things with this 8-year-old puppy in the year we've had him, but his early wake-up demands isn't one of 'em.