The good news thread

[sab]

Going the management route has been more productive for my situation.

Yup. Management is the only way to make real money as an engineer working for someone else. It allowed me to eventually climb into the executive ranks, but I ultimately gave that up. Too much baby-sitting cry-babies these days.

I miss the bigger paycheck and huge bonuses, but I realized that I don't really need them. Life is short, and stress kills. Also, in the civil world, you cannot manage P.E.s unless you're a P.E., so in the end, me getting my P.E. paid dividends, but it was a couple decades and a chance opportunity that made that happen.

 

[bucky]

I come from the Medical world and the letters after your name mean everything. Every additional letter added $$ to my pay. Ended up in management and hated it. On the bright side I made a shit ton of money invested it well and was able to retire comfortably while I still had my sanity and health.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

No doubt. Even production vehicle parts sometimes. I refused to sign off on a few deviation requests, to my manager's chagrin. Most were no-brainers and easily signed, but I was asked to sign a few that made me put H-E-L-L in front of N-O. HVAC in buildings however seems to be an outlier. In my experience, it never substantially conforms to the plans. Part of it is engineers that don't understand the real world, and part of it is most HVAC contractors don't specialize in "P.E.-designed systems," and if they are not inspected closely, they do whatever they think will work. HVAC inspectors tend to be under-educated, as well, so that doesn't help.

The system I sealed was nothing special, design-wise. The contractors were supposedly vetted to prove their qualifications. The inspector for a tax payer funded project was a government employee. The single biggest issue was every thermostat (and there were many) didn't control the unit is was supposed to. The thermostat in the mechanical room may have controlled the HVAC unit in the lobby. Something even a half brain dead inspector should have caught.

Sorry to get off track. Congrats again freedom_in_4low.

sab, when do we teach freedom_in_4low the secret handshake?

 

[sab]

sab, when do we teach freedom_in_4low the secret handshake?

Well, he doesn't have his number, yet, so he can't yet know the handshake.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Maybe your experience in your industry will be different, but before I jumped head-first into the civil world, my P.E. licensure never, not once, gave me any competitive advantage over peers in the racing or automotive world as a mechanical P.E. It was completely useless. Different from your situation, though, is the fact that I don't recall once rubbing elbows with a P.E. in that world.

I think that last part is the key. Whether or not someone is a PE only matters to other PEs.

For the first 19 years of my career no one cared, because almost nobody working for a manufacturer is one, and even if dealing with customers, those customers are often contractors (at least in the refrigeration world) and the HVACR isn't "engineered". But now I'm working in a division that specifically markets to supermarkets, and they're all engineered. I'm now interfacing directly with engineering firms and many of the larger supermarket chains have their own engineering teams, all of which are PE's. I've come across a not-insignificant proportion of PE's that don't seem to think of non-licensed engineers as being "real engineers", and observed, for example, that they seem willing to accept a claim made by a PE almost at face value, while a non-PE would be subjected to far more scrutiny in the same claim.

 

[LukesfirstJeep]

I think that last part is the key. Whether or not someone is a PE only matters to other PEs.

For the first 19 years of my career no one cared, because almost nobody working for a manufacturer is one, and even if dealing with customers, those customers are often contractors (at least in the refrigeration world) and the HVACR isn't "engineered". But now I'm working in a division that specifically markets to supermarkets, and they're all engineered. I'm now interfacing directly with engineering firms and many of the larger supermarket chains have their own engineering teams, all of which are PE's. I've come across a not-insignificant proportion of PE's that don't seem to think of non-licensed engineers as being "real engineers", and observed, for example, that they seem willing to accept a claim made by a PE almost at face value, while a non-PE would be subjected to far more scrutiny in the same claim.

In certain industries, a PE is required, but not usually in manufacturing. In the mid-80's, I started working for an electronics manufacturing company. Many of my co-workers had titles like design engineer or product engineer. When I first started, a few of my co-workers called me "college boy". I was confused, at first, but found out many of the engineers did not have a degree in engineering. Usually just a certificate in mechanical drafting.

I learned very early on that as an engineer, I didn't know everything, and listening was an important skill. I spoke with one of my mechanical drafting/design engineer coworkers a few years ago. He retired with over 100 patents, and bought a beach house in DE.

 

[Cheesy]

Eli's Soccer team is really starting to gel. They went up against a tough local Latin team last night. They were scored upon within the first minute but fought back to a 3-1 lead by the half. Things looked dicey in the second half when the other team went up 5-3 early on. In the last 15 minutes, Eli's team exploded for five goals, with Eli setting up two of those. Final was 8-5.

The game was under lights last night and I didn't realize how much I missed it. I did 'Friday Night Lights' in high school football and a few high school track meets. There's just something special about it.

 

[red02tj]

Friend and I have been taking our daughters camping together since they were in Kindergarten, next year they start Highschool. Last year this week we were in winter coats, this weekend we had the most amazing weather and we broke our usual no electronics rule to see both the Hoosiers and Dawgs win big.

 

[John Cooper]

Friend and I have been taking our daughters camping together since they were in Kindergarten, next year they start Highschool. Last year this week we were in winter coats, this weekend we had the most amazing weather and we broke our usual no electronics rule to see both the Hoosiers and Dawgs win big.

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Way to go!!!! Keep them outdoors and teach them about the finer, slower and best things in life!!!!!

 

[bucky]

The simple things in life are the best things. Hopefully they’ll be passing it on to their children. I spent the last 5 days camping and floating on the Colorado River with my Son and he’s 39 now.

 

[FarFire70]

Hopefully they’ll be passing it on to their children.

Greatest concerns for any of us who grew up doing it and have (plan) to do so with our kids. (Haven't yet with my kids but 100% plan to get them out camping)

I hope the same concept carries forward - My #1 priority to outdoor with my kids is the experiences & memories. That 'memories' piece that I had from my childhood makes me want to pay it forward - so the more we pay it forward to our kids hopefully they carry it forward, too.

—-

Let's just hope their 'outdoor experience' isn't via digital

 

[DavidBT]

It's been a year since I had the left hip revision surgery, and I can't be happier how it turned out. I started searching for another part time job. I've kept an eye on the local Craigslist and Indeed site. I've also been checking on jobs through the county and the city. I put a application in to the county for a job at a county dump transfer station. The location is about an hour drive east of my house. I was contacted for a interview a couple weeks ago, but didn't have the right qualifications.
I had also applied for a city job around the same time working at our local transfer station that's only 15 minutes from my house. I was contacted for a interview and did that one last week. Turns out that the city was looking for someone to work with the mulch making crew. City residents get to take all of our yard debris there for free and they turn it into potting soil and mulch and resale it. I got email yesterday that I was accepted for the job, and I'm waiting for the bureaucratic wheels to turn so I can do a background check for pre hire.

Here's a update, I have passed the background check and have been emailed a start date for the 21st. Dang, I've been retired since January 1st, 2019. Other than the few weeks I got to work before my revision, I've been on a hell of a sebatical.

 

[ColoJeep]

Here's a update, I have passed the background check and have been emailed a start date for the 21st. Dang, I've been retired since January 1st, 2019. Other than the few weeks I got to work before my revision, I've been on a hell of a sebatical.

If you haven't worked for government before , it will take a minute to adjust. They typically do things in a different way from the private sector.
The pay is usually a little lower but the benefits are usually better. Most of the time it is a stable work environment , instead of working 5 months with forced overtime then getting layed off. I'm glad you found something that will work for you !

 

[DavidBT]

If you haven't worked for government before , it will take a minute to adjust. They typically do things in a different way from the private sector.
The pay is usually a little lower but the benefits are usually better. Most of the time it is a stable work environment , instead of working 5 months with forced overtime then getting layed off. I'm glad you found something that will work for you !

That's the exact thing that's been going through my mind, when the requirement was to wear a plane t-shirt on the first day. And yeah, I'll have to adjust from my construction mindset. Thank you

 

[ColoJeep]

That's the exact thing that's been going through my mind, when the requirement was to wear a plane t-shirt on the first day. And yeah, I'll have to adjust from my construction mindset. Thank you

David with out knowing you , I'm pretty sure you are a guy that will do well in the government world . Just try to not let the B.S. get to you when it rears it's ugly head . I had to catch myself many times not to react to the politically correct stuff as I worked for a county for almost 17 years . Thanks for the good news !

 

[DavidBT]

David with out knowing you , I'm pretty sure you are a guy that will do well in the government world . Just try to not let the B.S. get to you when it rears it's ugly head . I had to catch myself many times not to react to the politically correct stuff as I worked for a county for almost 17 years . Thanks for the good news !

I appreciate your input. Being from the underground construction side of life, our mentality and cussing ability is probably 2end only to the Marines or a drunk sailor. I'm fortunate because I've always found ways to fit in. It helps to have an open mind and know how to adjust.

 

[Cheesy]

Eli's soccer season ended yesterday with another win. They went up against a team that slaughtered them at their last meeting. Yesterday was a different story. They pushed that team all over the field and handed them their only loss and it was also a shut out. The game was rough and Eli had recently started using his bulk against the opposing players. He doesn't go looking to hurt anybody but no one is going to try to intimidate him and get away with it.
One kid from the other team who may have come up to Eli's neck and weighed 90 lbs, tried to trip Eli up and failed miserably. He got sat on his ass right in front of us...and called Eli a MOFO in Spanish. The line ref was in front of us, too, and heard it. He called the kid out, but the kid wasn't having it and charged Eli. Eli used his Tae Kwan Do black belt stuff and gave the kid a much needed attitude adjustment. The kid got a red card and ejected. You could hear the kids' coach ripping his ass from across the field. Eli got a yellow card and his teammates cheered him.
Our SIL told the ref that E has the 2nd degree black belt and has competed in South Korea. The ref looked impressed and said that it was probably in the other kids' best interest that he got the red card.

I know enough Spanish to get me in trouble and called the kid a pendejo under my breath.

 

[DavidBT]

Eli's soccer season ended yesterday with another win. They went up against a team that slaughtered them at their last meeting. Yesterday was a different story. They pushed that team all over the field and handed them their only loss and it was also a shut out. The game was rough and Eli had recently started using his bulk against the opposing players. He doesn't go looking to hurt anybody but no one is going to try to intimidate him and get away with it.
One kid from the other team who may have come up to Eli's neck and weighed 90 lbs, tried to trip Eli up and failed miserably. He got sat on his ass right in front of us...and called Eli a MOFO in Spanish. The line ref was in front of us, too, and heard it. He called the kid out, but the kid wasn't having it and charged Eli. Eli used his Tae Kwan Do black belt stuff and gave the kid a much needed attitude adjustment. The kid got a red card and ejected. You could hear the kids' coach ripping his ass from across the field. Eli got a yellow card and his teammates cheered him.
Our SIL told the ref that E has the 2nd degree black belt and has competed in South Korea. The ref looked impressed and said that it was probably in the other kids' best interest that he got the red card.

I know enough Spanish to get me in trouble and called the kid a pendejo under my breath.

So, I have to ask, what's MOFO in Spanish? Oh, and what's pendejo?

 

[Cheesy]

Madre puta is the street version I know for MOFO. Pendejo is asshole.

 

[DavidBT]

Madre puta is the street version I know for MOFO. Pendejo is asshole.

Thanks, I never caught on to Spanish cuss words.