I write this with a twinge of guilt. I write this with a twinge of guilt because I write this at 12:30 on a Wednesday afternoon. Work much? Well, yeah...that's why I feel guilty. I'm working right now. I'm getting paid to depress keys on a keyboard and play God of War on my PS2 and do laundry and do dishes.Because it's raining, you see.
What I'm doing at work--all summer--is surveying the gas services to the houses and businesses, looking for gas leaks which, if found, will be classified and put on the work schedule for four-month scheduled action or 12-month deferred action. It's mandated by the Michigan Public Services Commission that we--the gas company--do this.
I use a $15,000 laser that emits an infrared "footprint" along the services and is calibrated to respond to 10 parts per million methane gas in the air. The higher the alarm pitch frequency, the higher the concentration of methane gas in the air.
Sound fun? To a degree, it actually is. We leak surveyors are left alone, for the most part. We have to deal not with customers and customers calling in gas leaks. So, that's good. The worst part about the job is that--hell, yes!--it gets boring and--hell, yes!--we have to deal with moronic question/statements from passersby like, "Ghostbusters! Find any ghosts?" or "I wasn't speeding, honestly!" (The device looks like a radar gun hooked to a rectangular laptop.)
Like I said, each device is approxiately $15,000, out the door, so, obviously, they must stay out of the inclement weather. I'm more than happy to oblige. So I sit here, at home, waiting out the rain.
I still feel kinda guilty, though. Damned conscience!
6 comments:
You are a lucky lucky man!
I wish i could get rained out...i still got another long ass 2 1/2 hours to go :-(
2 1/2 hours are ALWAYS long ass. Look in Merriem's and, under "long ass," it'll say "2 1/2 hours." And...vice-versa. =-p
I ended up gettin' SOME work done. So it wasn't a total wash.
It's for the good of the machine, Adam, so cut yourself some slack! Your obligated to stay in.
Yeah, take the down time while you can get it. Remember in the dead heat of Summer when nary a rain drop falls that you had today off to relax in the drizzly goodness.
True 'nuff, Melmac, true 'nuff!
@ Terry: Damn good point! You mean the heat of Summer when it's 90 degrees with 87% humidity and the only thing dripping is the constant stream of sweat from underneath my besmirched hat? Good point. My guilt is thus assuaged.
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