2023: What are you doing today?

[chimp koose]

I have not posted in a while although I read posts daily . Work has been tough this school year . I start working in a hot rod shop next week . All pre EFI cars . I am looking forward to a fresh start.

[kb426]

C.K., does that mean you are finished with teaching?

[idrivejunk]

CK, about a 15 year backward step in earnings is what most of  us had to agree to to work on old cars. Hope its better in your area and welcome to that occupation. I have viewed it as career suicide the whole time, it snuffed any hobby doings and I no longer travel hell I can't even achieve an auto with air for myself. Forecast calls for 100°F+ the next 3 days. Might be enough to merit turning on the A/C there. But you know me, I mostly just tell bad things.

A friend was a teacher close to retirement but the children became to abusive to tolerate any longer so she quit it early. I have no reason to believe kids are any different where you are so I don't blame you a bit. Sorry I can't sound more encouraging but my experience indicates you'll be living on half the pay. Sanity has great value and I have said it before many times:

Everybody has a bag. Everybody has a gig. When your bag and your gig jive, man thats groovy! And it is, but people don't go away.

Best of luck at your new thing. I got most of the rest of the Bronco stuff yesterday and had my first experience with something that has ospho on the label. seemed to work relatively well.

[chimp koose]

IDJ I am not finished with teaching ...yet . The kids are great , I teach an elective class so they want to be there for the most part . I am having trouble with a shrinking school and a shrinking budget . As the school population drops , so do the number of kids enrolling in my program . I am having more of a problem with my administration telling me I am doing a poor job even though I have pointed out to them that I have  enrollment  the same as the only other school in town with the same program ,having a school population 3X that of our school . My budget this year to operate a machine shop with 3 classes in machining and a number of introductory classes was $700 , thats Canadian dollars ! I have been given a dogs breakfast of other classes to teach in the first semester next school year including English , Math , Social Studies and Science . The work load for prep work in these classes is staggering . This type of work load is better suited to a beginning teacher, who can spend 7 days a week earning their keep as I did 34 years ago . This is how our school division persuades older teachers to retire . I am fortunate to have co workers who see what is going on and have offered up all of their resources to help me out . Had I been given this classroom news earlier in the year I would have chosen to retire at the end of this year . We have a program where you retire and collect pension and the school re-hires you for the remainder of the school year. This way you get a full wage plus pension for 6 months . Had I decided to retire this year , I would have been too late for that program . The real problem in all this lies with an administration who decided 3 years ago ,to change our introductory shop course and rather than showcase every shop area to every kid , streamed the program into 3 trade areas effectively giving each shop access to only 1/3 of the new grade 9's . Our entire voc ed staff argued against it to no avail . How many kids would know what machining even is without seeing it and trying it first ? Most parents do not know what a machinist is ! We offer commercial cooking , home ec , sewing , cosmetology , electrical , woods construction , mechanics , photography , graphic arts , 2D and 3D animation , welding , machining , and new next year , auto body . It has been a good ride for the last 18 years at this school teaching my trade to the kids . I will retire next year , a year earlier than planned ,to do other things . This hot rod job will supplement my pension to the point of matching my previous income and a bit more . I have also contacted the post secondary trade school in our area whom I have worked for previously and they are quite interested in having me on their sub list as they often run 8 week apprentice courses throughout the year and need help staffing those . 2 of those 8 week programs a year plus my pension would be enough to match my current income . The plan is to work the hot rod shop and leave to do the teaching sub work as it comes ,  returning to the rod shop afterwards . The rod shop is cool with it . He had done a refresh on a truck I did for a client years ago and likes my work . He also dealt with the same owner and understands why I would rather work for someone than deal with clients like this . My first (and last )client years ago ends up being the worst one he has ever dealt with , LOL . If any of you RRT guys have noticed my lack of activity on the site over the last 6 months , this is the situation that has contributed to it . I visit the site daily but do not feel up to commenting much . On a brighter note  , the administration at my school that started this mess have been transferred to lower paying , smaller schools for next year . Sorry for the rant , just wanted IDJ and the rest of you to know what has been going on and that I will be OK .   

[Crosley.In.AZ]

CK , that is such a common process for companies to remove, replace , downsize workers. We first watched this happen to my wife's sister in the 1970s. We were young and could not believe what happened to her sister after years of top notch service to this large company.

It appears you have a plan in place.  Good luck buddy

[idrivejunk]

CK, might as well start writing that machinist / race / rod book now.    Onward and upward. 

[kb426]

C.K., I have enjoyed our banter through the years. I'm sorry that the tail of your teaching has become difficult. When I was young, I thought that with age life would get easier. Boy was I a dumbass. LOL. My last year went rapidly and I believe yours will too.

[chimp koose]

Thanks guys for the encouragement . If there is an upside to this ,I will have my machine shop sitting un used for half of the school year . This will allow me to go to town on a bunch of projects that I need to finish before I turn in the keys . If I do not have to leave access to the machines for daily class use , I can get to it on larger stuff . I really need to get my at home lathe and mill operational over the summer . This rod shop will likely need me to do machine work from time to time , at MY shop rate . 

[chimp koose]

Machined out the center holes on 2 rotors and a rear sprocket for the chopper project . Now they fit the wheels . I thought all harley parts were a basic bolt together deal . I was wrong . Tomorrow I need to install the back wheel . This will require removal of the fender and sissy bar .

[idrivejunk]

I have just about waded through all the Bronco bed floor and tub fixes. Might join bed and cab floor today with screws. Wanting to check the frame first.

[chimp koose]

back wheel is back on , did not have to remove fender . Just got useful help from our welding instructor . I had 2 phys ed teachers helping me yesterday entertaining but they have found their calling with washing towels and bouncing balls .

[kb426]

About mid afternoon, I hopped on the dr650 and headed to Garden City to watch the Great American Race come through town. It started a little after 5pm. At 7, there were a few cars left but I hopped on the bike and headed home. 30 miles from home, I see storms forming that I thought were going away from me. 10 miles later, I see a new line of storms headed towards me. 15 miles from home, I hit the dirt and at least 40mph crosswinds. The temp dropped rapidly. The dr is light enough with that much sidewind it got interesting. LOL. I got home before the rain hit. The temp had dropped from 87 to 67. I was cold. The bike and my gear looks like I have been riding in a bare dirt field. Tomorrow, there will be substantial clean up. It's been years since I got caught in a dirt storm like that. Watching the Great American Race was very good. They blank of main street and it's like a carnival.

[idrivejunk]

No successes to report on my end. Got half the Bronco body mount bolts in and nuts started on those, also made plug weld holes to join cab and bed and found no red flags on chassis dimensions.

It would be really easy to remedy what seems to me to be the glaring oversight in design of that body. The tendency to just fold in half under it's own weight. Yeah the rockers are stiff but just behind them its Nothingsville under there. Has to do with the asymmetrical step in cabin floor which also creates one quite frustrating mount bolt nut access scenario using the aftermarket hardware.

Yesterday was the first full Friday we have been expected to work in eight or ten years. It was hot out but shop A/C was on. Back in my day, the setting was 82. Now its 78. Theres no escaping the pushing and shoving for increasing numbers of every kind. It just don't pay to prove yourself, the world has the attention span of dogs nowadays.

[idrivejunk]

She's still got it. 

Grape took me to our favorite spot to be today, at our favorite time. I couldn't resist taking pics so I can recall our romance in later years.

See the white container, top left corner? Six thousand year old archaeological dig happening ahead of roundabout install does make us a bit sad. Thrilled about the history find but sentimental about the further loss of cruise habitat for outdated people and cars. We are part of one another.

[WZ JUNK]

We returned today from a quick family trip to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.  There was nine of us.  Lots of adventures and good old family fun.  Sand Dunes National Park to The Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park and lots of places in between.

I am recovering from a nasty bout of covid and the high altitude air was hard on me. 

Now back home and back to work.