Apology To All My SMF Friends

[tx smoker]

Recently I've been on a forced hiatus from the forum. For starters, I got the very short end of the stick when I took vacation to TN a few weeks ago. For those of you who don't know, I do structural engineering inspections on projects that we designed and are the Engineer of Record on and I am a one-man show. For a full week prior to leaving on vacation I schooled the management on exactly what needed to be done to ensure that the inspections were handled while I was gone. When I opened the schedule my first day back at work there had not been a single inspection done while I was gone. There was a full week and a half backlog of work staring me in the face. I was absolutely livid and almost quit right there on the spot. Never having quit anything in my life, I figured I'd just gut it out and try to get things back on track. Of course as I was catching those inspections up, more kept coming in every day and it looked like I'd never get caught up. Add to this melee, I started into a couple more welding projects in the garage that I've been pushing trying to get done and I simply have not had time to do more than just pop in and take a quick glance at what's going on in here. I know I've missed replying to a ton of great posts but there simply has not been time to do so. There is a large contingent here who all support each other and share positive, fun, entertaining commentary so I feel like I've dropped the ball on a lot of you. As of yesterday I got the last of the two welding projects done and it appears as though the inspection schedule is back on track. Been a rough three weeks but I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope that light isn't from an oncoming train Although no picnic for me recently, what I've dealt with is nothing compared to what our friends in Florida and points north have dealt with and my heart goes out to them. A few quick glances at threads indicate that things are starting to come together for them but they are still a long way from back to normal. Hopefully I'll have some time to spend here catching back up with friends but there's no way I'll catch everything and for that I do apologize.

Coming home...I hope,
Robert

 

[clifish]

No worries Robert, life will get in the way, family, health, work etc...this forum although great, has to come after the before mentioned. I was about a week from pm-ing you to see where you where. I did the same to gmc2003 last week when it seemed he was gone for a month.

I am glad to see it was nothing serious with you or Tracy pulling you away.

 

[chilerelleno]

Way to overcome Robert.
You're right, quitting is for losers, but I know you keep thinking about retiring... Do it!

 

[Colin1230]

Glad you're back Robert. Very frustrating taking vacation from work when you are a one-man show. I don't miss those days.

 

[chp]

No need for an apology. Work gets in the way. Most of us deal with that in varying degrees…Some days retirement looks very appealing!

 

[mike243]

Yep no need to apologize, life happens and we work through it, happy welding and cooking, hunting season is about to start so a lot of us will be missing in action lol

 

[DRKsmoking]

Glad you are back, was wondering . Maybe an early fall vacation

Good you are finally getting back on track ( it was not a train, lol )
we missed you , but you are back , and it was not for major family issues, so that is good.

Don't you love it when you leave things in others hands and they say don't worry.
Than you come back and it was them that did not worry.

That is why I like to work alone, if there are problems it is from me and I will fix it ,
not from someone else dropping the ball

David

 

[schlotz]

The good news is you did get a vacation Robert! Nobody picking up the slack in your absence is flat inexcusable. If my kids (loose term, ie those that reported to me) would have pulled that stunt, there would have been hell to pay upon my return. FYI, the best job you'll ever have is Retirement. The sooner you get there the more you can enjoy. Glad to hear you've got most of it back under control.

 

[tx smoker]

I am glad to see it was nothing serious with you or Tracy pulling you away.

Thank you Cliff. I appreciate the thoughts. Overall everything is good, just been insanely busy.

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

You're right, quitting is for losers, but I know you keep thinking about retiring... Do it!

Very much appreciate it John. Growing up in a military family, quitting was not an option. that's stayed with me my whole life. I'd love to retire but there's a moral problem. The boss is a great person and a great friend. I do this only to help him out because he doesn't have anybody else with the credentials to do what I do. not meaning to sound arrogant, but it takes a LONG time to learn all of the aspects of IRC and construction practices. Also, although I don't make a lot of money, I don't work a lot of hours when things are normal. The dollars per hour work out to a lot. I have full reign to do as I please, set my own schedule, never go into the office, and even if I'm done and home by 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning, which is most days, I still get full pay. that's a hard gig to walk away from

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Glad you're back Robert. Very frustrating taking vacation from work when you are a one-man show. I don't miss those days.

Yes sir, you are correct. Thing is that the management could have taken care of a lot of the stuff that was on the schedule. They just didn't do it. I feel like I was punished for taking vacation, especially after spending all the time coaching them on what needed to be done in my absence. wonder what they are gonna do next year when I take a month while Tracy and I go to Europe

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

No need for an apology. Work gets in the way. Most of us deal with that in varying degrees…Some days retirement looks very appealing!

Thanks so much. Work has never really gotten in the way as I have an extremely lax schedule when things are normal. I agree with your sentiments about retirement. It looks appealing every day when the alarm goes off at 3:00 in the morning

Robert

 

[tx smoker]

Yep no need to apologize, life happens and we work through it, happy welding and cooking, hunting season is about to start so a lot of us will be missing in action lol

Great points Mike and thank you my friend. as much as anything, I guess I felt an explanation was in order as to why I've been gone. This place has been my second home for a long time and I missed the camaraderie.

Robert

 

[JLeonard]

I have learned that life gets in the way of what we want to do more times than not. No feelings hurt here. I changed jobs about 3 weeks ago myself. And it has cut into my posting, cooking, commenting time on here a good bit. But I am learning the job and getting more down time.
Jim

 

[Steve H]

What? Who is this "Robert" anyway???? Just kidding bud! Glad you're back.

 

[Newglide]

It sucks when life gets in the way sometimes. I understand where you're at. I'm a one man show also and I always say the good thing about work is it's always waiting for me when I get back cause nobody else is gonna do it. Good to hear you're able to catch your breath and start to see some light.

 

[Winterrider]

Glad you got things back up to speed. I know it was always actually painful to take vacation, you know what the overload is when you return and can't even enjoy the last couple days because you have it on your mind.

 

[jcam222]

You have been gone? I hadn’t noticed………LOL kidding my friend, you’ve been missed . Glad you are getting caught up and have some breathing room. Work and life can sure get in the way at times.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

Like I tell my guys at work.. when life gives you shit, throw it back and wash your hands! Good to hear your back on track tx!

 

[Sven Svensson]

Now you’re making me feel bad for not checking in more regularly. Haha! Life gets crazy and focus changes. I’m glad you found a way thru that mess.