Week off

[Elfshadow]

So I have this week off, due to plant shut down, and outside of reading up on HVAC stuff, I have no idea what to do with myself if I'm not working. I miss the days of being a kid when I could always think up something to do.

[toocoolforschool]

Go to home depot and buy some stuff.

[Elfshadow]

Go to home depot and buy some stuff.

If only I had the money. The week off is burning the last of my vacation time. Most of the rest of it was burned losing mondays thoughout alot of the last 2-3 months.

[toocoolforschool]

Burning mondays from lack of work or hangovers?

[Elfshadow]

Burning mondays from lack of work or hangovers?

I don't drink. Lack of work. Plant was closed the majority of mondays due to lack of orders. Management has been laying it at the feet of the election.

[toocoolforschool]

Good time to look for new job.

[Elfshadow]

Good time to look for new job.

Went and got my epa 608 cert done this week. Actually once I get my card I need to apply for pro so that I can get access to the educatianal forums on here.

[ga-hvac-tech]

If I had time off... I would find something around the house to resolve... there are always things to fix/clean, etc.

Good plan on getting into the Pro section and reading up at the Education forums. Also might look at Building Science forums (again behind the pro door)... lots if interesting stuff there!

[Elfshadow]

If I had time off... I would find something around the house to resolve... there are always things to fix/clean, etc.

Good plan on getting into the Pro section and reading up at the Education forums. Also might look at Building Science forums (again behind the pro door)... lots if interesting stuff there!

Did most of that stuff earlier in the week. I rent not own so alot of it I can't touch myself and the company that manages our house can be picky to deal with.

Monday, Did all of the yard work.
Tuesday, Went to supply house and took EPA exam. That thing is a farce. Changed oil in car and looked at brakes and other fluids.
Wensday. Dead from bordom. Pooked at some video games that used to interest me but don't realy any more
Thurday. Figured out I would rather be working then not.

[ga-hvac-tech]

Did most of that stuff earlier in the week. I rent not own so alot of it I can't touch myself and the company that manages our house can be picky to deal with.

Monday, Did all of the yard work.
Tuesday, Went to supply house and took EPA exam. That thing is a farce. Changed oil in car and looked at brakes and other fluids.
Wensday. Dead from bordom. Pooked at some video games that used to interest me but don't realy any more
Thurday. Figured out I would rather be working then not.

How about a day in the country... 'Tis the season for fall colors... sometimes a change of scenery is good. Then again... there is usually some interesting scenery at the local mall... <grin>.
I usually do the fall colors thingy on a weekday so the crowds are not there. My hobby is photography (own more camera gear than the cost of a new car)... I prefer to do landscape photography when the crowds are somewhere else.

A hobby is a good thing... diverts attention away from being too single minded... and for me refreshes my mind to be more productive when I go back to work.

BTW: Understand and agree with video games not being interesting anymore.
You can come over and clean out my van for me... <grin>

[Elfshadow]

How about a day in the country... 'Tis the season for fall colors... sometimes a change of scenery is good. Then again... there is usually some interesting scenery at the local mall... <grin>.
I usually do the fall colors thingy on a weekday so the crowds are not there. My hobby is photography (own more camera gear than the cost of a new car)... I prefer to do landscape photography when the crowds are somewhere else.

A hobby is a good thing... diverts attention away from being too single minded... and for me refreshes my mind to be more productive when I go back to work.

BTW: Understand and agree with video games not being interesting anymore.
You can come over and clean out my van for me... <grin>

I would take you up on that, if you agreed to pay me in tools and meters.

Probably do some work on my familes comps the rest of the week. Sisters are always bugging me to clean their virus's or what not.

[ga-hvac-tech]

I would take you up on that, if you agreed to pay me in tools and meters.

Probably do some work on my familes comps the rest of the week. Sisters are always bugging me to clean their virus's or what not.

Ahhh, a 'cyber nerd'... LOL. I lost my IT guy last year.. guy moved away. I need to find one around here.

Off to run some calls... have a new customer with vending machines (healthy products both refrigerated and non-perishable). Atlanta is mostly an AC market... so after busy season there is time to do other things. I am getting into (slowly) some small refrigeration stuff.

Most of the stuff in my van is expensive enough you would need to work 3-4 days as general labor to earn one of them used... The van project is really more my area... need to re-organize lots of the space... Believe it or not, with a LWB Chevy 1 ton... I am running out/space inside. Need to get rid of stuff I do not use regularly.

[Elfshadow]

Ahhh, a 'cyber nerd'... LOL. I lost my IT guy last year.. guy moved away. I need to find one around here.

Off to run some calls... have a new customer with vending machines (healthy products both refrigerated and non-perishable). Atlanta is mostly an AC market... so after busy season there is time to do other things. I am getting into (slowly) some small refrigeration stuff.

Most of the stuff in my van is expensive enough you would need to work 3-4 days as general labor to earn one of them used... The van project is really more my area... need to re-organize lots of the space... Believe it or not, with a LWB Chevy 1 ton... I am running out/space inside. Need to get rid of stuff I do not use regularly.

Yeah, in my misspent youth, I was trying for a computer science degree. Wish I had stuck with it although I think hvac will be more sutible to keeping my interest. I actually find computer programing logic training to be very useful in figuring out wiring and troubleshooting the more complex systems. There is not much difference in tracking down a programing error, and faulty equipment/wiring issue. Troubleshoting is actually quite fun.

IT work would pay well, but be boring. No where near as engaging as programing. This is one of the reasons I want access to the educational part of the site. The controls side of HVAC that I have seen seems like it would be neat to learn.

[ga-hvac-tech]

Yeah, in my misspent youth, I was trying for a computer science degree. Wish I had stuck with it although I think hvac will be more sutible to keeping my interest. I actually find computer programing logic training to be very useful in figuring out wiring and troubleshooting the more complex systems. There is not much difference in tracking down a programing error, and faulty equipment/wiring issue. Troubleshoting is actually quite fun.

IT work would pay well, but be boring. No where near as engaging as programing. This is one of the reasons I want access to the educational part of the site. The controls side of HVAC that I have seen seems like it would be neat to learn.

As I read your post... I thought about controls. This may be a good place to look at. Most controls guys make their living from a laptop plugged into the panels of a major building system.

Personally... I think I was born with a mind that literally 'sees' mechanical things and electrons going down wires. I can just look at things and find the issue... rarely do I have to go through a step by step procedure to find the offending part. (This was the reason aircraft mechanics was not for me; the FAA REQUIRES--by law--you to follow the written procedures to the letter).

The other thing for me: I just like running my own show... Was talking to Greg, the guy with the vending machine co... he and I agreed we would drive a forklift at HD before we would work in corporate again.

[Elfshadow]

As I read your post... I thought about controls. This may be a good place to look at. Most controls guys make their living from a laptop plugged into the panels of a major building system.

Personally... I think I was born with a mind that literally 'sees' mechanical things and electrons going down wires. I can just look at things and find the issue... rarely do I have to go through a step by step procedure to find the offending part. (This was the reason aircraft mechanics was not for me; the FAA REQUIRES--by law--you to follow the written procedures to the letter).

The other thing for me: I just like running my own show... Was talking to Greg, the guy with the vending machine co... he and I agreed we would drive a forklift at HD before we would work in corporate again.

Yeah, the main problem I see with learning controls on your own is getting controllers to play with. The programming in them seems simple enough. I have gotten looks at ekon logic builder for ALC and I think it was niagra for honeywell spiders. Seems like it would be easy enough to learn. Then again my first programing was done on a 70s era vax that the college I had was teaching on, this was late 90's mind you. programing on a dumb terminal in ansi standard C. Getting a complex program running for the first time is comparable to tracking down some of the more complex problems in HVAC.

I tend to veiw everything as a system based on what I have learned with computers.

[Kevin_1963]

I have a PS3 that my kid uses. One day my oldest told me her boyfriend plays a lot online - so he hooked me up with a few games. Once I got playing, I got hooked. I can spend an entire afternoon of wasted time online playing Battlefield or Call of Duty.