The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)

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The Late Night Gourmet said:
Wow...I can't believe over a month has passed. I'm long overdue in saying this, so here goes. No, I'm not "leaving", but I will have reduced availability for a while.

I work for Ford Motor Company. I'm relieved to say that this is still something I can say in the present tense. At the end of August, over 3000 of my coworkers were "laid off" (a nicer-sounding term for "fired" or "forced to retire"). I lost so many friends I can't begin to count. While this has taken an emotional toll, someone still needs to do the work. I have had to pick up work on programs I haven't supported in a while, or haven't supported at all before (like fully battery operated vehicles). This is requiring a lot of my time.

You may have noticed my time stamps tend to be mostly during my working day. This may still be possible, but I've been so busy lately I'm not sure when. I have been trying to post an entry in the Beer recipe challenge for the past 2 weeks, and most likely it won't get posted before the challenge ends.

It feels like the weight is starting to lift, slightly, as I become more familiar with the new programs, and as I embrace the "24 hour office". I will still get back into things as time permits, but I'm not sure when or to what extent.

Thank you, as always, for all the support. Hopefully, I'll be able to start posting again. In the meantime, I will continue to pop in from time to time, and see your amazing creations and entertaining ideas.
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I had hoped I'd be emerging from the new workload with some stability, which would allow me more time for luxuries like cooking, sleeping, and so on.

Normally, when they clean house, everyone holds their breath, and if you're still standing, you figure out how to manage the new workload, and you move on.

Unfortunately, Ford miscalculated this time. In the wake of all the firings, a lot of people (and I do me a LOT) decided it would be best to retire on their own terms now, rather than waiting for the axe to fall later. Additionally, rising interest rates threaten to severely cut any lump sum payouts for people who wanted their pension all at once. These are all people with 30+ years of experience, which is utterly irreplaceable. And, yes, one of those people has a pile of work that I also get to do now.

The good news? Job security! They can't possibly consider getting rid of me now. :laugh: :cry:

I do still get to take my vacation days as per usual, though, so I still expect to find time to post something between Christmas and New Years Day. It's a small window, but I will do what I can to let some light in through it.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
I had hoped I'd be emerging from the new workload with some stability, which would allow me more time for luxuries like cooking, sleeping, and so on.

Normally, when they clean house, everyone holds their breath, and if you're still standing, you figure out how to manage the new workload, and you move on.

Unfortunately, Ford miscalculated this time. In the wake of all the firings, a lot of people (and I do me a LOT) decided it would be best to retire on their own terms now, rather than waiting for the axe to fall later. Additionally, rising interest rates threaten to severely cut any lump sum payouts for people who wanted their pension all at once. These are all people with 30+ years of experience, which is utterly irreplaceable. And, yes, one of those people has a pile of work that I also get to do now.

The good news? Job security! They can't possibly consider getting rid of me now. :laugh: :cry:

I do still get to take my vacation days as per usual, though, so I still expect to find time to post something between Christmas and New Years Day. It's a small window, but I will do what I can to let some light in through it.
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Wall Street LOVES workforce reductions. They are good for profit margins, and stock prices. People are expendable assets, and the remaining workers have to pick up the slack, which they see as "improved productivity," which is good for profits, and stock values.

I hope things get better for you soon.

CD
 
caseydog said:
Wall Street LOVES workforce reductions. They are good for profit margins, and stock prices. People are expendable assets, and the remaining workers have to pick up the slack, which they see as "improved productivity," which is good for profits, and stock values.

I hope things get better for you soon.

CD
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Thank you. The good thing is that there's been no forced back-to-the-office, and I'm sure that won't change. I have a 40 mile drive each way normally, so that helps. We'll get the job done, but the work day gets longer. I used to leave the office by 4:30 every day. Now, it's not uncommon for me to work until 6:30. I worked 5 hours the day before Thanksgiving, and I had that day off. We'll get the job done, but the work day gets longer.
 
A relation of my wife died on Wednesday so she is going home with a cousin (1,000km) until next Tuesday.

The last couple of days have been constant reminders of what I need to do, what the dogs and cats eat and when, all the things that I need to remember to do, most of them written on little notes around the house (which I shall no doubt lose). I can imagine that she'll be on the phone every two hours whilst she's away to ensure that I'm doing what I'm told and doing it correctly.

There is one advantage - I can play music all day long at a volume that suits me (although I shall need to turn the volume down when I answer the phone).
 
Yorky said:
A relation of my wife died on Wednesday so she is going home with a cousin (1,000km) until next Tuesday.

The last couple of days have been constant reminders of what I need to do, what the dogs and cats eat and when, all the things that I need to remember to do, most of them written on little notes around the house (which I shall no doubt lose). I can imagine that she'll be on the phone every two hours whilst she's away to ensure that I'm doing what I'm told and doing it correctly.

There is one advantage - I can play music all day long at a volume that suits me (although I shall need to turn the volume down when I answer the phone).
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I did ensure that she wrote me a note for the noodle shop tomorrow after snooker. It's a "special" that she buys for me which I haven't a clue how to order in Thai. I'll just show them the note (which is secure in my wallet).
 
Yorky said:
I did ensure that she wrote me a note for the noodle shop tomorrow after snooker. It's a "special" that she buys for me which I haven't a clue how to order in Thai. I'll just show them the note (which is secure in my wallet).
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And a lot of good that did me!

The noodle shop was closed today.
 
Yorky said:
And a lot of good that did me!

The noodle shop was closed today.
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They're also closed today and tomorrow. It was the ex King's (Rama IX) birthday on 5th December (1927 Cambridge, Massachusetts) so it's been designated a "long weekend".

When I worked on overland pipeline construction ('69 to '85), we used to have "long weekends" generally every six weeks. Drive home Friday evening; drive back Monday morning - two whole days off!
 
Yorky said:
A relation of my wife died on Wednesday so she is going home with a cousin (1,000km) until next Tuesday.

The last couple of days have been constant reminders of what I need to do, what the dogs and cats eat and when, all the things that I need to remember to do, most of them written on little notes around the house (which I shall no doubt lose). I can imagine that she'll be on the phone every two hours whilst she's away to ensure that I'm doing what I'm told and doing it correctly.
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There are two brooms, one for inside the house and one for outside the house. It's obvious really.

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I do actually have an outside broom and an inside broom, but they are very different. The outside broom is a push broom with stiff bristles, while the inside broom is a regular broom with softer bristles.

CD
 
My college alma mater, the University of North Texas, is playing Boise State University in... The Frisco Bowl, a mile from my house at Toyota Stadium. I just bought my tickets. I got a pretty good seat for $107. Not bad for a Bowl game.

Better yet, my sister's alma mater, TCU, finished number three in the nation, and made it to the BCS playoffs. They will play Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl (Arizona) for a chance at the NCAA National Championship game! Tickets to the Fiesta Bowl start at about $2,000, and go up depending where your seats are located in the stadium. Add in the travel and hotel costs, and it is needless to say she won't be going to the game.

GO MEAN GREEN! GO FROGS!

CD
 
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