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April 6, 2016 – Finding Contentment

April 7, 2016 /

For those that know me (really well) they would know that I have been struggling for several years with my job. When I was younger, I believed that I was capable and qualified to do anything. Put a twenty years of maturity on and of course I now know that while that may be technically true, many things I am no longer willing to do.

Part of me wishes that I could start over, part of me knows how successful I really am at least income wise.  But, as the saying goes “Money doesn’t buy happiness”.  My creative output is very limited and I find most mornings dreading the upcoming work day.  Several successive executives have had stress related heart attacks.  It is hard to imagine another week let alone 25 more years.

A friend, mentor, boss and vice president announced two weeks ago that he was leaving my company for what amounted to irreconcilable differences.  I find that very ironic considering he was the one that challenged me to wait for pending organizational changes and trust that his brand of revolution would lead the company into something I could believe in.  Needless to say, I felt a little betrayed, while at the same time vindicated for some of my personal differences.  That night I felt pretty low.

I am not super religious, but a Christian nonetheless.  One of my New Years resolutions was to read an study a daily devotional.  Honestly, I have failed at the daily part but continue to work through several entries a week.  This is the interesting part: that night the scripture was 1 Timothy 6:1-10.  I’ll help you if you haven’t read it, it’s about danger of greed and putting your struggles to God.  Now, I have been praying off and on about trying to find the lesson in my struggles for years.  Maybe this is it?

I am not quite sure, but one paradigm that has shifted in recent weeks was to expect that an outside influence would some how magically change things for the better is just not a reality.  Any change in my perception is going to require me participating in the outcome.  I still hold many of the same desires and struggles that I had prior to two weeks ago, the difference is that I might have found the message in my struggles.

March 28, 2016 – More, More, More

March 29, 2016 /

I have so much that I want to get to,  near term topics…

  • Reconnecting with lost friends and my struggle with interpersonal relationships
  • Along a similar vein, friends with serious health struggles that I want to make contact
  • Rebuilding a deck
  • Tool reviews
  • Fun driving my new 2016 Mustang GT
  • My struggle with job satisfaction and 1 Timothy 6
  • Being a better son, grandson, cousin and co-worker

March 18, 2016 – Building a Platform

March 29, 2016 /

January 9, 2005 was the move in date.  We had gone through the home inspection and there were spaces under the house that were open dirt. The home inspector recommended covering with plastic to prevent unnecessary moisture in the house.  In the back of my mind, I thought I could use that space for something useful besides wet, plastic covered mud hole.  Fast forward eleven years; a new platform for an eventual washer and dryer.

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A solid and level foundation makes the whole project much easier

Four wheelbarrow loads of dirt later, I was ready to start building.

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After the ledger and vapor barrier

After the layout was done, it was time to bust out the hammer drill, level and chalk line.

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Framing is complete

 

There were some compromises to make because the concrete was not square with about on inch of run out.

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Ready for use

 

If you look real carefully, the subfloor does not line up with the joist.  But it is plenty fine for its purpose.  It wasn’t worth scribing the fit. To really prep for the washer and dryer, electrical, plumbing and venting will have to be done.  For now, it gives good storage space.