B
BikerEd
Guest
Okay this is really off topic and only mentions CF a couple oftimes, sometimes I like to just talk about my day.
Beginning of long boring story. I am a Certified Engineering Technician (you don’t want an explanation) I started in Inspection and Materials Testing, like all good closet nerds/geeks I excelled. I got a promotionand a transfer to the Division I wanted “transportation”. Don’t get me wrong Ilike “geotechnical” and “commercial inspection”. I like foundation constructionand soil mechanics but I LOVE BUILDING ROADS AND BRIDGES. So the next time you’re stuck in traffic and want to yell at the guy standing there doing what appearsto be nothing, or just looking around, that’s me (or my job) and it’s a very important job.
Side note: if you ever have an incurable case of insomnia, please e mail me a phone number you never want me to call again and I can explain the finer points of highway construction from mix design to sub-baseplacement to joint sealing and coatings (I’ll skip traffic control) if you can make it 10 minutes without falling asleep, you should call a doctor. Point and case: Ten days ago my father fell and broke his elbow in two places, cracked three ribs and did something bad to his wrist (hey we’re Currans, Meet and Exceed) the Kids call when they get my dad home from the hospital, I promptly leave work and go over to their place. My dad is sitting in his rocking chair moving as if to produce enough heat and energy to heat the house for most of the winter. “Dad, did they give you anything” he responds “yeah a vicadim, and an oxycotin, and this is my third glass of wine” keeping a straight face I respondwith “so how’s that working for ya?” he looks over and says “tell me about the project you’re on, anything but how I hurt myself” so I start talking, withinten minutes he smiles at me “Thanks Dude, that’s what I needed; I’m ready to goto sleep now” he goes to bed and is asleep before I shut off his lights. He must have been in real pain he last twice as long as my mom.
So to stupid story. We are paving tonight and it’s a damp, cold & humid night on the verge of rain, but nothing on the radar. Humid and damp for me = even best of cases coughing sporadically. So I’m coughing and spiting (perfectly acceptable in construction world). It starts to spit, then steady mist. Rain is bad for paving; I’ll save you the long list of boring reasons why. However, it starts raining heavier, we are producing steam that has become a dangerous ; I call to my partner up ahead at the paver “Yo, Man we can't see back here it's getting bad man; I hear truck slamming brakes but I can’t see them, what’s the action plan?” Rainman (I call him that and he laughs because he does math faster and more accurate in his head than I do) “the water is evaporating before it gets to the paver; it’s up to the contractor”.
The superintendent comes back to see me, we are standing three feet apart with brightlights on our hard hats and cannot see each other’s facial features. Sup “you got safety concern?” me “well, I been saying for a long time" I’m NOT going to die of Cystic Fibrosis" (this scares my mom every time I get On my Motorcycle) but getting creamed by a tractor trailer at 2:30am on the interstate was not the alternative I was hoping for” Sup “sistasromotions” is that something in the mix design?” me thinking about the random coughing fits tonight and spitting on the road “It is tonight” then I continue “no it’s a lung disease I have, don’t worry you can’t catch it, you have to be born with it” just then we hear a truck slamming the brakes, I look and say “did yousee the truck?” sup “no I was looking at you” Just then my phone rings so does his. My phone call “OK I got standing water just spoke to big Daddy (what we call the Inspector In Charge) he sez trucks on the road Then, shut it down” I hang up; sup hangs up looks at me “Ok XXXXXX (name omitted on purpose) called with this weather we gotta pull the plug” me “ok sounds good” sup “Hey, for having multiple cytictosis you look great, I never woulda known! (before any bad comments “sup” is a smart guy, an honest guy, a fair guy, please not comment’s about his messing up the CF name the first time he heard it) so that’s my long boring story off topic with a side note on living with CF.
Best of luck
Ed
Actually I get this at home. My husband has a similar background. Will have to remember to have him discuss traffic signal controllers or the pavement management system next time I can't sleep.