Prime Day

I spent way too much money on Amazon.  OK, one of the things I bought was a new pair of work jeans, because some of my older ones are getting pretty ratty, even though they weren't on a Prime Day deal.  I was shocked at how expensive they've become.  Fortunately, they had a coupon offer so I only paid $37 instead of $57, but let's just say I hope they last a long, long time.  

The other things I bought were for my garden, and I'll show you those when they get here.  I am still planning on doing a vlog, if I can ever get my act together and get it done. 

As if that weren't enough -- spending, I mean -- my sister contacted me this afternoon because my mother still doesn't have a headstone on her grave.  It had never occurred to me that she hadn't gotten one, because she had done the whole pre-paid funeral thing and had even planned her own service.  I guess I'd thought that would have been included, so I didn't think about it. Anyway, sis wants to get one, and has contacted us all to see if we would split the cost.  Of course, I said I would.  Eh, I can live without a dryer for a few more weeks.  But then, I kinda made that decision when I ordered four new raised beds on Prime Day deals...oops, I guess I spoiled the surprise, didn't I?  Sorry 'bout that. 

I am wondering though if when I reconnected the dryer after disconnected the generator after the ice storm, I messed something up, but I don't think so.  If I'd done that, I would think it wouldn't have taken 6 months to start tripping.  It's probably just the motor is old. Or the rollers and bearings are worn out.  

In other news, this morning at work, Cuz got all the brazers together and gave us a good chewing out because our production has dropped here lately.  I just wish I could make them understand that we can't braze if we don't have parts, or if those parts are wrong and we're spending half our day walking over to tubing putting in a re-work.  So here's the deal, if they'd keep up their end of the bargain, we would get them more headers than they know what to do with.  

Their end of the bargain is this: 

1)  There must be completed orders available to be brazed at all times.  If any brazer has to pick up a broom, or find something else to do because there's no work, the deal is off.

 

2)  The orders must have the correct number of parts in them.  If it is a 12 piece order, there must be 12 of each part -- not 11, not 13.  TWELVE.  If there are too few, then I have to stop doing my job, step away from my stand, and walk over to tubing to order a rework.  Then I'll have to go back to tubing sometime later and get the part I ordered.  When I'm doing that, I'm not brazing.  If there are too many parts, I have to stop doing my job and fill out a scrap ticket, then track down a supervisor and a group leader to get it signed twice, and finally, walk over to the scrap area to put it into the bin over there.  While I'm doing that, I'm not brazing. If any brazer has to either order a part or write a scrap ticket because they can't make tubing count their parts, the deal is off. 

3)  The parts tubing sends to the brazers must be correct, that is per print.  When I have to stop doing my job, step away from my stand, and walk over to tubing to order a re-work because management didn't make them  do a first piece inspection, that's time I'm not brazing.  Every minute I spend beating an adapter tube into place, or stretching one, or re-rounding the ends with my needle nose pliers, that's time I'm not doing MY job.  Every time I have to scrap and reorder a leg because it was smashed flat in the machine and the operator sent it down the line anyway, that's time I'm not brazing.  If I have to re-round the holes in the headers because they have burrs, or simply weren't re-rounded, that's time I'm not brazing. If any brazer at any time has to reorder a part because it wasn't done per print, or has to take time to manipulate that part to make it fit the jig, or do anything that should have been done before the part left the tubing department, the deal is off. 

Point is, they can't just stand there and yell at us if you're not willing to give us the management support we need to be successful at our jobs.  Well, they can, but they'd just be wasting their breath.  Someone is going to have to actually solve these problems, or nothing will change. That's the main problem out there.  They're looking for scapegoats, not solutions.  

Wow, I didn't really mean to get off onto that rant, but it's just so frustrating.  Especially when you've been told that management considers your department low priority, but still expect you to put out nit-picky perfect parts with the jacked up garbage that tubing sends us.  

I can't wait to get out of that toxic cesspool, I'm telling you.  

How's about let's end this post with something more pleasant, shall we?  My knitting progress:

 Yarn:  Euphoria Knits

Colorway:  I don't know, the label is illegible

Pattern:  Sockhead

Needles:  US 2.5 / 3 mm

And my new favorite song:  

Whatever my lot -- even if it is a frustrating dead end job in a toxic work place -- you are still my God.  

It is well...