I’ve had so many paragraphs disappear unexpectedly on the Jetpack mobile app lately I hesitate to write anything at all. What the hell is going on out there? Should I reinstall? If anyone has a clue, leave a comment please. It seems to be related to using the microphone for dictation, but I can’t prove it.
Since every day seems to blend into the next, answering that question is more difficult than it should be.
Started off as usual, conferring with my coworker about the last days’ events and the events to come. We’ve been having concrete and asphalt work done in the park and it’s become a debacle.
First, our manager’s preferred contractor (and the one who came in cheaper – and successfully complete our park in Lansing) was waylaid for the owner’s facility guy’s preferred contractor – even though they came in at $200,000 more for the same work. We figure someone got a kickback of some sort.
Secondly, the concrete/paving contractor hadn’t shared a phasing plan with us or anybody else when they started tearing up the joint. Tenants were freaking out left and right that they hadn’t been warned and some were expecting shipments of heavy machinery. And they wouldn’t listen to a word we said about it. Took about a week to get shit straight.
Thirdly, once they started tearing out pavement the owner’s inspector discovered what we already knew – the base in much of this park is basically pudding-mush. He failed 75% of the heavy roll-tests that were performed. Cha-ching! Bet you wished you had that extra $200,000 leeway now, huh?
Anyway, knowing there was not much else going on here in Wixom work-order-wise, I decided to make the hour drive out to Sterling Heights (solid construction both ways – normally I could be there in 20min) and continue upgrading the old florescent light fixtures.
This job was supposed to be farmed-out to another contractor, but the boss figured he could show the owners that we at least saved money on one project by me having to do the whole thing myself.
Boss asks me “How long do you think that’ll take?”
I have no idea. It’s just me and I get out to Sterling Heights maybe twice a week. Takes about .45min per fixture when you consider removing the old, fixture, recycling the bulbs, installing grid, tiles, and finally installing the new LED fixture.
“I dunno. Six months?” Hey, too many Chiefs, not enough Indians. What do you expect?
So I managed to get my average four fixtures installed and head back to the construction-heavy freeway. I stopped to recycle the boxes at a local municipality on the way back, dropped-off a full Recyclepak at Fedex, then headed to Grainger to but another Recyclepak to fill.
When I got back to Wixom, I dumped the old fixtures into our dump-trailer for recycling, and date-labled some batteries I have to install tomorrow.
That’s where the day went. Now, time to go home.
I’m working out in Sterling Heights today and I had to get some gas for a blower I’m using to clean the parking lot at Laurel Valley. So I stopped at the local speedway (so I can get my points as well as my stuff) and, of course, I had to go inside to get my gas receipt because the pump just wasn’t going to spit it out.
The attendant at the counter seemed flustered when I walked up to ask for my receipt. I don’t remember if I asked what the matter was, but she freely shared why she was so flustered.
“ I’m working here alone today and I told my boss that I didn’t feel safe working the store alone.”
I asked why.
“Because when the littlest things happen, the customers freak out on me and start throwing shit and I just don’t feel safe. My boss basically told me that I should look for another job then.”
I didn’t know what to say to her other than I understood and hoped she found a resolution to her problem. Then I concluded my business, and went on my way.
And I do understand. I hear about incidents at retail stores and gas stations now on a daily basis. Some people are walking around with enough angst these days that you never know what’s going to set them off – and how far they’re willing to take it.
No wonder people don’t want to work with the public anymore.
P.S. Anyone else having problems with WordPress today? It’s all effed up on my end.
It occurred to me the other day that what people with power always want is more power, and that the post-covid “greedflation” we’re suffering in the US & Europe, will never abate without serious pushback – the kind of pushback that will also be needed to address climate change seriously.
When you look at the history of the labor movement in this country, you realize that means people will die, but which people die may be the difference between an abrupt change of course and business as usual.
Speaking of business as usual, it also occurred to me that contemporary “conservatives” who warn of a second civil war never really finished fighting the first one. It seems to me what they hope to conserve is slavery by another name; when people can’t afford to both house themselves or eat or have health insurance, or educate their children (many of whom, including my daughter, have opted NOT to be parents, regardless of draconian abortion laws) I don’t know what else to call it but slavery.
And that kind of desperation is already turning this country into a much meaner and leaner place to live in, people stacked like cordwood in shitty condos and apartments from sea to poisoned sea.
That might look good on a corporate spreadsheet, but they’d do well to lock the boardroom doors while they celebrate.
sūdrakarma 