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RUFDRAFT

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Y'all must have leaks in your NOS systems.... :hysterical:

 

gchaser - If I can write it - so can you.

http://www.beaufortccc.edu/news/PDF/Bryans...storhetoric.pdf

 

GED class of '92 - cool.

 

BTW, I said "hitman" because people pay me money to smack somebody for them (figuratively of course).

The penumbra of my occupation also encompasses the job of wordsmith. :tease:

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I grew up in Wyoming when they let 14 year olds work in the oilfields during the summer. My experiences include roustabout, roughneck, heavy equipment operater, welder's helper, mechanic's helper, hooker (hooking chokers on a hi-line log skidding operation), 5 summers driving freight delivery trucks, 9 years as a public school band director and the last 10 years as a middle school principal.

 

 

Glad I'm not the only one that couldn't keep a job. :hysterical:

 

First real, paying job? Roughneck in the oilfields of southern Illinois. Spent my 16th birthday laying 2" cement lined pipe across a &%$#ing sand bar on the the Wabash River in the middle of July.

 

Let's see....20-22 years of age, a roof bolter in a coal mine (no, I'm not kidding. 850 ft underground).

 

22-present.....in radio in some form or another, either as an on-air personality, some sort of middle mgt, all the way to managing stations or clusters of stations in a single market (for the past 20 or so years). No, I don't work for Clear Channel. While trying to figure out how I could support a family while I was working in radio, I also worked as (in no particular order):

 

Car salesperson (Ford/LM in the late 70s.)

 

Part time cop for 3 years.

 

Flew electronics (parts) for Fed-Ex on an overnight route from FL to TN in the belly pan of a Cessna Caravan. (One peek at THAT paycheck and you'll see why I didn't decide to fly airplanes full time.)

 

Taught SCUBA (PADI OWSI)

 

Played in bands that ranged from "garage" to "hey...we should make an album", to "man, that album didn't sell worth a crap, did it?" (drums)

 

There ya have it. Jack of all trades, master of none. But, the thing that puts bread on the table and BP93 octane in the Shelby is radio.

 

 

:shift:

 

bj

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Out of control - out of control - you guys are out - of - control.

 

gchaser - you've got to be very - very careful how you word things around here...

 

I can see this PM thing will linger around for a while...sigh. :banghead:

 

 

 

OK, OK, Even the principal can get schooled once in a while. This messaging thing is still new to me, but I'll catch on quickly. I'll be more careful with my words.

 

Avast rising there. And watch who you call matie or I'll have you keelhauled before I cut out your tongue and feed you to the fishes. Since this is your first offense, you will suffer but a dozen lashes with the cat, and I will stop your grog only for a week. Arrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhh!!!

 

 

 

Anything but the grog!! Please don't stop the grog!!! :tequila:

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I was a Logger for 14 years. I worked as a Choker Dog, Chaser, Hook Tender, Shovel Operater and a few days in the Yarder..... O Yeah, all of that makes you a mechanic, welder, medic, Truck Driver and a few other things your co-workers call you... :shrug:

 

Now, I'm in Iraq as the country manager of one of the largest Diesel Engine/Power Generation companies in the world. How I got here, I have no Idea.... Well maybe one, $$$,$$$.

 

You guys are great, I don't post very often but I sure get a kick out of some of these threads. They some times make me forget where I'm at.

 

Thanks guys, Keep it up

 

Jim

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Yes, it's quite a story going from mechanic to finance...too long to tell here in the forum.

 

I studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati for 2 years, then dropped out to become a mechanic (don't ask), then went back later when I had matured and got my B.S. M.E.T (Mechanical Engineering Technology) from Purdue, then got my MBA in Finance from Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

 

Dave

Wow, this is interesting. I'm a "city boy", so I have no idea what a roustabout or roughneck is. I thought a roughneck was a brand of trash can for taking out to the curb.

 

Can you please enlighten me? Also, what is a "choker"? I know what log skidding is...but what is "hi-line" log skidding?

 

Wow...I have so much to learn. All this talk of cowboy-type work reminds me of the movie city slickers with Jack Palance..where he says "Son, I sh*t bigger than you".

 

Yikes!

 

Dave

 

 

A roustabout, from my perspective, is a jack of all trades in the oilfield. They dig ditches, build fences, lay pit liners, etc. They do the work nobody else wants to do.

 

Roughnecks work on drilling rigs. I understand the term to come from the days when floorhands on the drilling rigs used their shoulders and necks to guide the drill pipe into a hole, or when making a connection.

 

Chokers are cables around six feet long with a steel ring on one end and a "T" bar on the other end. They are wrapped around the log and when pulled they "choke" the log so equipment like a crawler, rubber tired skidder or a crane can transport the logs to the landing deck.

 

Line skidding logs is a process used where the terrain is too steep for rubber tire skidders or crawlers. A high line of cable is set above the ground where the logs need to be removed. The logs are choked and then raised above the ground with a carrier cable and then transported to the landing deck. Similar to a ski tram moving skiers up or down the slopes.

 

Hope this helps

 

 

gchaser,

Where in Wyoming?

I grew up in Casper,

I've been a uranium exploration logging Tech (in Africa),

A self employed logging contractor ("faller") (Bighorn Mtns, Wy),

air quality tech,

and now, like Rufdraft, a professor (and Chair of Humanities) at a Communtiy College in Colorado.

 

 

 

I grew up in Big Piney. I did some cutting (falling) for an outfit out of Buffalo in the Big Horns one summer. I understand they are going to mine more uranium around Jeffery City again. Where are you at in Colorado?

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A roustabout, from my perspective, is a jack of all trades in the oilfield. They dig ditches, build fences, lay pit liners, etc. They do the work nobody else wants to do.

 

Roughnecks work on drilling rigs. I understand the term to come from the days when floorhands on the drilling rigs used their shoulders and necks to guide the drill pipe into a hole, or when making a connection.

 

Wow, thanks for the education. I feel humbled...learned something new for the day.

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Wow, thanks for the education. I feel humbled...learned something new for the day.

 

 

OK, I was a roustabout. They lied to me. The pay was crap either way and the work was tough.

 

 

:shift:

 

bj

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Quoting lambbo:

"I was a Logger for 14 years. I worked as a Choker Dog, Chaser, Hook Tender, Shovel Operater and a few days in the Yarder..... O Yeah, all of that makes you a mechanic, welder, medic, Truck Driver and a few other things your co-workers call you... shrug.gif

 

Now, I'm in Iraq as the country manager of one of the largest Diesel Engine/Power Generation companies in the world. How I got here, I have no Idea.... Well maybe one, $$$,$$$.

 

You guys are great, I don't post very often but I sure get a kick out of some of these threads. They some times make me forget where I'm at.

 

Thanks guys, Keep it up"

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

 

Sucks to be you, I get that the money is great, but seriously.

I guess I'm opinionated about Iraq, I totally believe in the need to be there,

but my husband was an EOD tech and was killed by a remotely detonated ied in Feb.05

So...I guess what I'm saying is STAY SAFE!! ya never know.

Sincerely,

T

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TSteff,

 

My sympathies on your loss, and my deepest appreciation for everything those that serve and support have done for us here in the States.

You don't need to agree with the politics of the situation to know that every life is precious, and one loss is still one too many, regardless of the politics.

 

Again, my sympathies. God bless.

 

Mike.

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Long one here, bear with me:

 

-After HS went to UTI in AZ and became a certified auto/diesel tech, but then I injured my back badly 2 years into that career (3 compound vertebra), had to find white collar work until I fully recouped, so I went into Retail Car Stereo industry (Sales).

-Left Car Stereo 2 years later, went to work with older brother at Commercial Millwork shop he was Foreman of, started learning that trade from ground up.

-By about 4 Years later, I was Foreman at a different Millwork shop and had my own shop on the side building custom speaker enclosures.

-Destroyed my left leg in a stupid freak accident (my fault), was looking at 6 months recovery (steel inside femur from hip to knee even now, screws in knee hold it all together). Had to get out of manual labor for a living entirely.

-Went to work selling Cellular phones on crutches (accident happened 1 month before my oldest born, needed the job, couldn't take time to recover), fed the family that way for about 1-1/2 years.

-Went back into Millwork, but as Sales Management at shop I was formerly foreman at for the next 6 years.

-Accepted job as GM at a Hotel / Commercial FF&E supplier.

-Left there when offered position as a Regional Account Manager for one of the largest Electronics Manufacturers in the world. Been there almost 3 years now.

-Who knows what will be next.

 

Told you it would take a while to go through this...

 

Mike.

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I was a Logger for 14 years. I worked as a Choker Dog, Chaser, Hook Tender, Shovel Operater and a few days in the Yarder..... O Yeah, all of that makes you a mechanic, welder, medic, Truck Driver and a few other things your co-workers call you... :shrug:

 

Now, I'm in Iraq as the country manager of one of the largest Diesel Engine/Power Generation companies in the world. How I got here, I have no Idea.... Well maybe one, $$$,$$$.

 

You guys are great, I don't post very often but I sure get a kick out of some of these threads. They some times make me forget where I'm at.

 

Thanks guys, Keep it up

 

Jim

 

 

lambbo-----are you in the military. or privately employed????

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Ruf,

 

I just left my engineering position making parts for Ford Five Hundred, Freestyle & Montego & I'm working on one of the coolest things I have ever done (fast car related). look for another post with pics & links in the days to come. This is so cool, I wish I could spill the beans now, but today was my 1st day & I need more info to go along with the story.....plus I'm still pinching myself to see if it's real :party:

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gchaser - If I can write it - so can you.

http://www.beaufortccc.edu/news/PDF/Bryans...storhetoric.pdf

 

Bryan, this is a very inspiring story. As a matter of fact, I'm in the process of writing something similar based on my going from a mechanic to Finance....but I'm no where near finished. Your students are fortunate to have you. You and I, my friend, have had some parallel experiences....I'll share with you later.

 

Dave

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Hey, rigger - do what you need to do - but if I could do it over, I'd spend more time at home regardless of the money.

 

Luckily, I've been given a second chance. I just adopted my 15 year-old step-daughter. And we're spending time together. Priceless.

 

Dave - share when you can. I'd love to see what you've got written so far.

I've got a 200 page version of "Rigs" that I'm trying to get published. It's rated PG-13!

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Quoting lambbo:

"I was a Logger for 14 years. I worked as a Choker Dog, Chaser, Hook Tender, Shovel Operater and a few days in the Yarder..... O Yeah, all of that makes you a mechanic, welder, medic, Truck Driver and a few other things your co-workers call you... shrug.gif

 

Now, I'm in Iraq as the country manager of one of the largest Diesel Engine/Power Generation companies in the world. How I got here, I have no Idea.... Well maybe one, $$$,$$$.

 

You guys are great, I don't post very often but I sure get a kick out of some of these threads. They some times make me forget where I'm at.

 

Thanks guys, Keep it up"

 

Jim

Sucks to be you, I get that the money is great, but seriously.

I guess I'm opinionated about Iraq, I totally believe in the need to be there,

but my husband was an EOD tech and was killed by a remotely detonated ied in Feb.05

So...I guess what I'm saying is STAY SAFE!! ya never know.

Sincerely,

T

 

Tsteff sorry to hear about what happend hang in there god bless you and your family
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Hey, rigger - do what you need to do - but if I could do it over, I'd spend more time at home regardless of the money.

 

Luckily, I've been given a second chance. I just adopted my 15 year-old step-daughter. And we're spending time together. Priceless.

 

Dave - share when you can. I'd love to see what you've got written so far.

I've got a 200 page version of "Rigs" that I'm trying to get published. It's rated PG-13!

 

It's all about priorities. Looks like you got yours in order. Your "Rigs" version is it about oil rigs or trucking.

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What I was trying to say was - if I knew then what I know now - I'd have found a gig that paid less but allowed me more time at home. I think time with your kids is more important to them than what kind of furniture is in the house - or what you drive.

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What I was trying to say was - if I knew then what I know now - I'd have found a gig that paid less but allowed me more time at home. I think time with your kids is more important to them than what kind of furniture is in the house - or what you drive.

 

Become a woodworker, then you can have nice furniture AND be at home. :hysterical::hysterical:

 

Just razzing you RUF. We don't have kids, but same goes for spending time with my wife...have to nurture the relationship you know.

 

Dave

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Tsteff, My heart is with you as it is with everyone that has lost a loved one over here. My brother was an EOD Tech also.

 

I work for Cummins. Our main roll over here is Power Generation but we support everything Cummins. We have over 6000 generators we support in one way or another for the militay. From changing oil to warranty to major overhauls. We have units ranging from 10kw to 2.4 mega watts making 3500+hp. All these generators are keeping our troops "lights on" not to mention the need for HVAC. It was 116 in Baghdad yesterday. In the last 3 years, I have seen our guys move from tents and very poor living conditions to a pretty decent way of life all things considered. I am very proud of what I do and who I do it for. I will stand shoulder to shoulder with our troops even if I don't agree with all of it. As far as it being dangerous? Yes it is but I also believe that when it's your time, It's your time no matter where you are.

 

God Bless the USA,

 

Jim

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I currently work as a low voltage service electrician in Oregon, but plan on being a full time GT500 owner/operator. Previous work history includes AT&T Tech, Warehouse worker, Truck driver and raised on a turkey farm. Soon I hope the only big decision I will have to make is whether to drive the new Shelby or the old (69)Mach1 to the park for a picnic, tough choice.

 

Good Luck:

 

Paul S.

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Tsteff, My heart is with you as it is with everyone that has lost a loved one over here. My brother was an EOD Tech also.

 

I work for Cummins. Our main roll over here is Power Generation but we support everything Cummins. We have over 6000 generators we support in one way or another for the militay. From changing oil to warranty to major overhauls. We have units ranging from 10kw to 2.4 mega watts making 3500+hp. All these generators are keeping our troops "lights on" not to mention the need for HVAC. It was 116 in Baghdad yesterday. In the last 3 years, I have seen our guys move from tents and very poor living conditions to a pretty decent way of life all things considered. I am very proud of what I do and who I do it for. I will stand shoulder to shoulder with our troops even if I don't agree with all of it. As far as it being dangerous? Yes it is but I also believe that when it's your time, It's your time no matter where you are.

 

God Bless the USA,

 

Jim

 

 

I hope you didn't feel that I was knocking your career in any way that wasn't my intention. I agree with what you are saying, the soldiers over do have a very strong need to have you over there... and I know they appreciate your being there, I was just saying it's hard as hell on the familes here at home.

Thank you,

T

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