Stuffed

This was a long time coming. Getting my fill of this place now. This place is like a mezze of things to piss you off. On their own its no biggie but add em altogether and you're set to burst.

So lets see wats on the mezze menu. Lazy people, everywhere. From the guy at the supermarket, to the guys at the post office, to the guys on the hanger floor, to the managers in the big offices. Then a plate of boot lickers & slime balls. Never seen so many people so unashamedly sliming their way to the top and getting results from being such creeps. Even worse when you see all the guys who do work hard get constantly passed over. Then, self servitude. If it suits them well but totally screws you over they'll do it that way. Even if there is a simple way so that everyone will be happy they won't do it because of the 1st point, it's too much effort, they are lazy.

To be honest I was ok bearing with it all till very recently. When the company announced cost cutting measures and as such will not be providing me a flight back home in between contract renewals. Ironic as those flights cost nothing, cos they bung me on unsold seats so I fail to see how they save cash by not letting me have my ticket.

Also the people you work with makes a big difference in your life. Ordinarily I am happy being on my own and isolated, its how my whole life has been. With 4 days off to escape and forget about it all and feel refreshed. But not here, just a mere 2 days off, the shittiness of work is still very much in my mind on that final day off. So with no one to trash talk with and get my mind off it all, I start getting tired.

I dunno where I am going with this. I am simply tired of attending work with a bunch of dicks. Maybe its about time I packed it in and looked elsewhere.

DISCLAIMER: Sure there are good guys I work with but there are so few in the big picture. Its like tossing a couple slices of tomatoes on a krispy kreme burger and trying to say its health food.

Quacks

I knew it went on. Or rather I had a suspicion it may be going on but to be confirmed on a sneaking feeling like this, is... a lil... lost for words really.

Chatting to "E" today he told me of a plane that was in last week. A bunch of engineers were swapping out an oil to fuel heat exchanger. Knowingly, "E" quizzed them why, they responded saying that the pilots noted excessive fuel was being used. So therefore the fuel must be leaking into the oil supply via the heat exchanger. "E" asked them how they came to that conclusion? They never really gave an answer, just assuring this was the solution.

Thing is "E" & myself know that plane has an internal fuel leak from the wing tanks to a dry bay inside the planes fuselage. Its an easy fault to find just open a drain valve that leads to the dry bay. If anything other than condensation comes out, you have a problem. When we did it the other day over 5 liters of fuel poured out. Highlighted it to the foreman, who yet again worked his magic and the plane was sent flying, labelled serviceable.

But that's not the point, the point is a fault occurred. But rather than search for the problem and confirm what was wrong they just pointed to the quickest "fix" and send the plane on its way. And when it comes back with the fault still there they just change another random bit rather than fix it, and its off flying again. Being a more experienced engineer who has seem more than me, I asked how does it ever get fixed. He answered, it just flys around the world with the problem, while guys randomly change perfectly working bits. It never really gets fixed unless its by pure accident or some one like us gets hold of the plane.

Even more lost for words when he assured me it wasn't just here. Most airlines are like that. No one ever diagnoses problems or delves into a faults history to really solve it. Just prescribe a placebo and let the next doctor deal with it.

Daisuki Sushi

It's been a while since I made sushi, probably close to six months and it shows coz my skills are starting to suck. Really need to get back into practice again.
Just wished it wasn't such a pain in the arse to make.

Burnin Rubber

Those who have met me will say I like cars. Those who know me will say I like driving. The latter is certainly more true than the former. With most of my driving life spent in generic wheeled boxes, as the nomadic nature of my job prohibits me from owning any vehicle that is half decent. My RX8 is an exception to that as I got that while still holding a normal 9 to 5 lifestyle. A relic of a time long gone.

But I still understand that learning the basics of driving can be done in anything with wheels. As such I'm making the most of my time driving these boxes. Concentrating on learning how to keep momentum thru the turns by lining up the corners correctly. How to make the most of the road surface available. Practising on keeping the car stable in the turns.

Thou all this practising on the corners is definitely leaving its mark. Blessed with the cheapy rubber these rentals are shod with, after just 2 months the strain is starting to show.

The run around

Old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. With that in mind, this is how the company I work for describes themselves.

I came into work one morning to be instantly told that I had to drive to another airport to work. Whilst better than being asked to go home, it was till a pain. I mean why could they not just tell me a day or 2 in advance and save me a totally pointless 1.5hr, 130KM drive.

But I aint got it too bad when you consider "A" & "J" just came back to resume their contracts only to be told; but we weren't expecting you till next week. The company sent their agency an email 2 days before they left the UK, stating not to commence their contract till a week later. Of cause by then it was too late. Notice was far too little to change seat dates and inform all parties involved. So the company expects them to go to their rented housing and sit n wait for a week to pass. No pay or compensation for time lost. An extra week they could have spent at home with loved ones wasted. Thankfully in the end they agreed to start the contract date as previously agreed. But it was certainly getting blood out of a stone for that to happen.

Then there is what happened to "E". He had come in for a night shift. Part way thru that night they told him to go home as he had to work day shift at that other airport. So he goes off home, arriving home late that night. Do you think he is able to get a decent rest before the 6am alarm sounds?

Then most reciently, today. Working at the other airport on day shift. At 6pm I get a call TELLING me to get my arse in to my usual airport base to work night shift; which starts at 7:30pm. And when I flatly refuse the voice on the end of the phone sounds upset and shocked. And then proceeds to TELL me again to work. Like I didn't understand the 1st time. Work essentially a 24hr shift, for these cunts? Don't think so. I've done shifts close to 30hrs before but that was with people I respected and loved working with. Funny part to this particular tale is "E" refused to come in as he didn't fancy a 24hr shift and the only engineer due to work that night called in sick. So now they are stuck with a full force of mechanics but no one to direct them.

This place really has to learn to stop treating people like crap and thinking about others for a change. Its amazing how much extra you can get out of some one if you are just a lil polite and think about them when you make a decision.