Thunder of Wade

Earlier this week, I attended a training session called ALiCE – Alert, Lockdown, inform, Counter, Evacuate. It’s meant to help people deal with an active shooter in a public environment, like a classroom or office building. I was a little concerned when we started out that it was creating an environment of fear – just like the TSA does – but this was informative and I think useful. We ended up being empowered to more effectively deal with a problem like this – if it does come up. We talked about throwing items, creating barricades, jumping out windows, and taking down the attacker. It’s not we were suddenly turned into bad-asses, but I think we were all a little more confident at the end.

They also talked about how faculty can observe and report student behaviors to try and prevent this from happening in the first place – but they weren’t able to come up with how to report strange behavior from a colleague. I mean, I work in IT and we’re all a little “off” – but we had one guy that used to have animated conversations with people that weren’t there. He left the department a while ago, but it would have been nice to maybe have him talk to a real person at some point.
In other news… Yesterday, I decided to reset my network at home. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone – I had my faithful assistant Thunder(cat) on hand to help out. He tried to eat my ethernet cable, went after the trackball like it was his job to kill it, and tried to tip over the monitor. It sounds bad on paper, but he’s a cat – these kind of things are really in his wheelhouse. And I only had to call him by his nickname – LFB, Little Furry Bastard – twice last night. Which is down from how it usually goes.

We got the router reset and a new password added and got the devices back online. To celebrate, I had a cookie and Thunder had a tuna flavored snack.  I think he wanted the cookie as well, but I’m taller and not afraid to use that to my advantage.

He’s a good cat and a lot of fun.  I know that he’s plotting to kill me at some point, but he seems pretty cool about it and I figure we’re good until he decides it’s time for the final showdown.

Living in Ohio, chapstick is nearly as essential as air and a series of jackets on hand to adapt to the endlessly variable – but usually cold – weather.

However, I’m really bad about keeping track of my chapstick. I either lose it or accidentally destroy the tube long before I use it all up. Or occasionally both when I leave it in my pocket and send it through the washer and dryer.

This chapstick – or “lip balm”, to be precise – was lime flavored. And that delicious smell/flavor encouraged me to keep track of it .  The label wore away from repeated handling, but the contents lasted. I don’t know how long it took me, but I managed to finish it. The lip balm is now below the level of the rim and will no longer rise when the end is turned.

It’s done. I finally finished a full tube of lip balm.

Just goes to show you what you can accomplish when you put your mind to something.

I haven’t posted about my swimming in a bit, but I hit a couple of milestones. Last week, I hit 50 miles for the year – which is not too shabby. And on one of my laps – at the end of my swim – I timed myself and did the lap in 40 seconds. Which is kinda awesome.

Last weekend, had a game night with some friends. We played Phase 10 – which is too damn close to Shanghai Rummy for my taste. I was a good sport about it, even when I got skipped multiple times and ended up losing badly. Very badly. I even got past one of my friends being a sore winner. 🙂

While were playing a game and enjoying some fruit salad, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I registered what it was, then re-registered it, then turned back to the table. The conversation was as follows:

Me: “Is there something in the fruit?”

Everyone else: “No”

Me: “Because I just saw the cat out of the corner of my eye and I thought it was a raccoon,”

Everyone else: (pause – then burst out laughing)

In my defense, the cat was raccoon colored and about the same size. I didn’t have anymore fruit, though, just in case.

In other news… I took the day off today to take my cat to the vet. Thunder is doing well, but I wanted to meet the vet and have all the paperwork filled out in case I needed to bring him back in an emergency.

Thunder didn’t like the car ride and barely tolerated the vet. And he hated getting his claws trimmed. We finally pinned him down and got them done, but he wasn’t amused.

He meowed – loudly – the entire way there and the entire way home. Fortunately, I think we’re still friends. I can’t find his collar though. He had it on this morning, but then it was gone when we got to the vet. I guess he got it off somewhere around here, but finding it will be a challenge.

This afternoon – after some more video games – I’m having lunch with the Ladies From New York. Haven’t seen them in a bit and it will be nice to visit with them.

With all the tools ready, it was time to bite the bullet and make the first cut. As soon as the saw cut through the pipe wall, a flood of extra filthy water rushed out. I stuck it out and finished the cut. The lower part of the pipe, still attached to the old sump pump, lifted out easily and I got it drained. Once it was on the work bench, my faithful assistant Jim and I locked onto the pipe with the pipe wrench and…

…it turned easily. In moment, the pipe was loose and then free.

We took a closer look at the pipe and saw that a threaded one way value assembly had been attached to the pipe. I couldn’t have removed the pipe since it was all one piece and what I’d thought was a sliding coupler was fixed in place.  Easy enough to see now that I wasn’t upside down with my head in a hole of full of dirty water.

I got the pipe cleaned up, took the old sump pump outside (banished it, really), and measured the connector piece to determine how much to cut off. My assistant and I had some trouble with this one, but finally made a decision and I got the pipe cut. A little seal tape on the threaded end and the lower pipe was on the shiny new pump. And the careful use of a screw-driver had the connector on the other end.

This time I was able to use a bucket to bail out some more water, then lowered the pump in and with some swearing I was able to force the connector in place. The screws on the 0-clamps were tightened, more water was added (just in case), and pump was plugged in.

The pumped kicked on and in moments, the water level in the sump was lowered back to normal. I watched as the water trickled back in and marveled as the pump kicked back on to take care of that once the float had risen high enough.

No leaks, nothing broke, no flood. It was, in a word, success.

BUT AT WHAT COST!?!!?

Well, about $127 for the sump pump, $10 for the connector, and about $20 for the wrench and saw.

I put the cover back on, but didn’t put the lattice up yet – just in case. (I do that a lot, don’t I?) The bathroom took a while to clean, but once the floor is dry it will be back to normal.

I sort of expected to have a flash of light and a shower of coins once I leveled up in my plumbing skills, but I just fixed some tea and settled in for the night.

I’ll check this again before I go to bed, but I’m pretty confident that everything is okay. If it wasn’t official before, it is now.

I’m a homeowner.

I took my shower and bailed that hole again before I went to bed at 10. Couldn’t sleep – worried about the hole filling up and flooding the basement while I slept. I got up again at 11 to check on it and bailed more water. It seemed like the flow had increased.

Back in bed, I set my alarm for 4 am and eventually fell asleep. I woke up before the alarm went off and headed back to the basement. Back to bed and then up at 6 to bail again. I had a little breakfast and then got into work around 7. At 11, I went home for lunch and more water bailing – and got a good surprise. The water hadn’t risen as much as it should have based on the flow of water in. I suspect that the pipes leading in were having an impact and that it was “filling” even though the water wasn’t halfway. I took the level back down – just in case – and headed back to work with some relief. Not relief to be back at work, mind you. Just relief that a flood was less likely.

After work, home again and more bailing. Then it was off to home deport for a new pipe wrench, a coping saw (since I couldn’t find mine) and the all important rubber coupler. I was really dreading this part – once I cut the pipe there was no going back. And if I couldn’t get the end loose from the sump pump, I was going to need to get a new adapter or threaded pipe – and then there was going to be pipe cement and more swearing in my immediate future.

Would things work as I’d hoped?  Were the former owners of my house jerks with the pipe cement?

The moment of truth was fast approaching  – as was the point of no return.

It started with a noise I didn’t hear. The sump pump in the bathroom in my basement has a particular noise as it cycles and pumps water out of the sump hole. I was using the bathroom – and reading a really good book – when I noted that the pump hadn’t run in the time I was down there. When I was done with my task and at a good stopping point in my book, I investigated.

Which was no small feat even by itself. The former owners had covered over the sump pump area with a decorative outdoor lattice – and about a billion screws. Okay, maybe a million. I got all the screws removed, removed the lattice, and removed the sump cover.

Full of water.

And because I’m a geek, I first tried unplugging it and plugging it back in. Just in case. No luck, though, the pump was dead. I unplugged it for the last time with a heavy heart – this wasn’t how I wanted to spend my Sunday.

I rolled up my sleeves, got a bucket and a red solo cup and started bailing. Bucket after bucket of some really suspect water came out of that hole and all the while I’m seriously thinking:

“Okay, this is just about the time in a horror movie when something intensely horrible is going to come slithering out of the filthy water, grab a hold of me, and pull me down to a watery grave.”

So, as a precaution, I had them keep a transporter lock on me at all times. The first sign of trouble and I was ready to beam my ass right on out of there.

Fortunately, the bathroom is well lit, the hole wasn’t that deep, and it was still daytime outside. I managed to work my way steadily down to the inflow pipe and see what I was up against.

The old sump pump was corroded and the inflow to the pump was clogged. I noticed the water was warm too – I’m guessing the pump had overheated when it got clogged.

I sent my Dad a text:

[non-flood sump pump problem. Please call and advise]

He called me a little later and we talked a little about what I was up against. I’ve inherited my Dad’s dislike of plumbing, but he had some good suggestions and I had a plan.

With the sump now slowly refilling with water and the model number in hand, I headed to Home Depot. I found the section, found the brand, found the model number… and the shelf was empty. I swore, then found a cashier and had them call for help. The staff person that answered the call scanned the barcode on the shelf and announced that they had 39(!) in stock. He got a ladder, found the pump, and in no time I was on my way.

After a few more errands, I headed back home and bailed out the sump again. The next step was to remove the old pump. Except that it wouldn’t budge. At all. I even borrowed a wrench from the neighbors with a smaller handle and was pretty much in the sump hole trying to get it loose.

No luck.

So, plan B. (oh, at this point it should be noted that the help videos online for the pump were crap).

I would need to find a rubber connector, cut the pipe to get part of the pipe and the old pump out, then hopefully remove the pipe from the pump and install the new one.

But it was getting late and home depot was closed. I now had a slowly filling sump hole and no way to get the rest of the parts I needed.

A sense of doom settled over me and I prepared for the long night ahead.

The time change threw me this morning, I had my clock set ahead and then it went and set itself – I was up way earlier than I had planned.  I had a little breakfast, said good-bye to my cat, then got in the car and headed to Wheeling, WV.  It was raining part of the time and all I had for company was the radio and the occasional suggestion from my GPS.  The drive was uneventful and couldn’t help but remember the last time I drove that stretch of highway by myself.  That time, I was headed for a funeral.

I got into town a little earlier than I had expected and stopped to get some snacks for the drive back before I went to Jeff’s sister’s house.  She met me at the door and was happy to see me.  She showed me some scrapbooks she was working on with picture’s of Jeff for her niece and nephew – and a couple of the photos made us both tear up.

She drove us to lunch and we had a nice meal, and reminisced about Jeff while we ate  – both careful to stay clear of the more difficult memories.

After lunch, she drove us out to the cemetery.  She and her siblings had scattered some of Jeff’s ashes next to where their parents were buried after the funeral, but they had only recently gotten the headstone in place.  This was the first time I’d been back since the funeral and as I walked down the path and saw the headstone for Jeff, the floodgates opened up.  I know he wasn’t there and even the ashes and headstone are just symbols – but it didn’t matter.  We both stood there for a while and wept.

When we were both a little more under control we talked and shared stories.  The day had turning to a beautiful one and as sad as it was, it was nice to be outside in the quiet of the cemetery.

We didn’t stay long – I think it was too rough on us both – and she suggested we stop at a park and enjoy the day before she had to go into work and I had to get back on the road.  We talked some more and then it was time to go.

There were hugs at the door and a sad goodbye – and then I was on the road headed home.   My GPS tried to steer me wrong a couple times, but the road was familial and I stayed the course.

It was a difficult trip, but I think a good and necessary one.  I think it did Jeff’s sister some good as well.  She had asked me as we left the cemetery if I felt better or worse and I really didn’t have an answer.  Which is to be expected, I guess.

But I’m glad I went and I’m glad for the day.

A few months ago, I lost my checkbook. It was later found, but when I first realized it was missing, I took swift action. I got the account restricted, opened a new account, and worked my way though my bank. Which was something of an ordeal – they are all incredibly polite and friendly, but not always good at the follow through.

I also had to update my direct deposit. So, as soon as I got my new account number I headed over to the payroll office and filled out the form. When I submitted it with my new number, I was told that I had missed the payroll cycle and my next check would be printed. Which doesn’t make much sense to me – if you can stop a process, can’t you just update it while it’s stopped?

So, I picked up my next check and figured that was it.

I watched my old account (with a little money left there to cover outstanding bills) like a hawk and tried to sort out which parts of the accounts were active.

A few weeks later, my checkbook was found and returned to me. Issue resolved.

Except yesterday, I got a call from payroll. I had a check waiting for me. The woman I talked to made a joke about how I must be rolling in money to have an unclaimed check from months ago.

Now, I’m not rolling in money. At the time, I was far more worried about money going OUT of my account and since it was right around the holidays, a dip in the funds in my checking account wasn’t unusual.

But even with the holidays, it took two pay cycles to re-establish a direct deposit?

So:
1. I should have been watching my account more closely.
2. They didn’t have to call me and I’m glad they did.

But – it’s still odd the way it all went down. I’ve now got a little more money in my pocket than I realized and it’s a nice surprise after having to pay out on my taxes this year and not getting a refund.

I was in a meeting today with several non-technical people and one other technical person. We were working on a project and in the middle of the discussion, the tech person and I turned to each other and went off on a highly technical and geeky tangent. When we were done, we went right back into the rest of the discussion, now both on the same page. After a moment, I turned to my colleague and said,

“We just had a side-bar, didn’t we?”

She nodded.

“Wait,” I said, “Let’s call it a side-geek.”

I may have invented a new term.

Side-geek: (noun) – a sub-discussion between two or more technical people as part of a large discussion with non-technical people; used to further the process without confusing the rest of the group.

Yesterday, I suggested to my boss that we invent a machine that dispenses a single chili cheese frito each time I “save the day”. He thought it was a great idea. I really like chili cheese fritos, but I know better than to eat too many.

Well, today, the chili cheese fritos would have been freaking RAINING on me. I’m on fire today – people keep bringing me problems and I’m all like: BAM! SOLUUUUUUUTION!

And it’s noon! If this keeps up, I’ll be running this place by 2:00. Can you imagine how many fritos I’ll get then? And my ego is going to go through the roof – we may have to remodel the building just so my head fits indoors.

I’m telling you, it’s a bitch to be this awesome.

I’m not really a social person. I’m generally content in small groups of one – provided that group includes a good book and a strong cup of tea.  The past couple of weekends have been surprisingly social and a lot of fun.

Last weekend, went out with friends and the most excitable 3 year on the planet.  We went to Texas Roadhouse – I, of course, got the chicken.  And tried some fried pickles.  They may not have changed my life like Snooki, but they were pretty good.

Also last weekend was game night with friends.  We ate some really good food and amazing dessert and played a few games.  First up was Mahjong.    I had never played this before and the rules were more complex than I expected. I had them mostly figured out after the second game – though I got trounced in both games.  We played some Farkle next and then Zombie dice.  I did better in those, but still lost.  Doesn’t really bother me though, I’m usually fine if I can make at least one good play and get on the board.

That weekend I also got a writing assignment and have somehow joined a writing group.   The topic was a new monster story and I’m nearly finished with mine now.  It’s perhaps the most disturbing thing I’ve written and it almost wrote itself.  Which is cool and also disconcerting.

After an insane week of work, this weekend has been fun too.  Got invited to a late dinner at the Saffron Patch on Saturday.    This was my first Indian food and I ordered the mango chicken – medium spicy.   Which was still vastly more spicy than I’d had before.  My ears turned red and heated up – and I drank two glasses of tea.  Really good, but really really intense.  So, curry and wasabi, and smoked Tabasco   Who would guessed that my palate has evolved so much?  Not my parents, that’s for sure.

Today, headed south to help my friends with some projects as they get ready to put their house on the market.  Before the day was done I’d done: electrical (replaced a outdoor light fixture), carpentry, (sawed off the bottom of a door to improve the clearance, hung it and another door), plumbing (moved and re-set up a washer/dryer and utility sink), painting (painted a step and taped the living room), sanitation (took out the trash), and project management (suggested solution for litter boxes).

Watched Skyfall this evening on DVD and now I’m wrapping the day with post number 1000 for my blog.   I had considered something profound or deeply meaningful for this post, but really, it’s just a number.  Just like January 1st is another day.  I don’t make resolutions and I’m not making a big deal out of this post.  I’m glad I’ve been able to get this far with the blog.  It’s been generally fun and I know it’s been good for me.  No plans on stopping.

So, Good Night Moon.  Good Night Blog.