Oh... There's no quick only Cuban Time

What the hell am I doing working in the field? Well as most of you know we started this off a little different at work this week. Right now it is just my boss and myself. So we've got my boss who hasn't work in the field for 2+ years and me. I've been running the field operations and project management for 2+ years but I am practically useless. Still can't lift things, climb ladders, or even stand for a lengthy period of time. So again, I ask what am I doing there?

*addition 7/20/07 4:00pm*
The housekeeper is trying to kill me! I have setup camp in the kitchen and I walk out for a few minutes to test something. I walk back in and WHOA, holy shit stop... the floor is wet!!! She's mopping. Luckily I spotted it before going in. I have trained myself to spot these situations and I am always scanning the floor for wetness because it don't mix will with crutches. So I didn't want to add a new post for this since it was related. I am actually posting this from a customer's house. So like above.... I will ask, what am I doing here?
*end addition*

Well somebody that knows what going on has to be able to teach and direct the one who does not. Now, don't get me wrong my boss is a very intelligent man and certainly understands the concepts quite well. I mean he should, he has been doing it for 20-30 years. But here's the problem. The processes we go through now, even the cables and connectors we use now are different. Plus I don't think he realized you actually have to be in decent shape to move in and out of tight spaces while protecting the customer's house. Stand up get some parts, sit down put it together, stand up test, rinse, repeat. So not only does he not know the new equipment but the techs that we laid off and/or quit have had their processes for YEARS and know where all their tools and stuff is. My boss comes in and can't find anything.

This is driving me crazy. I feel pretty much useless in the field. I'll sit on the sofa and do some work on the computer and think about the things that I can do myself. So I too am playing a little catch up since I was out for a bit. So I sit there and wonder if part XYZ was installed correctly and working, "oh let me just go check that real quick..... oh damn A) there is no real quick with anything on crutches and maneuvering through the house and B) that part I am thinking of is installed outside in the back yard. How the shit am I going to get to it?" Yeah sure I could but I would end up dirty and really sweaty because I'd be crutching through the damn yard in 95 degree heat. Then get yelled at for tracking mud into the house onto the white floors with my crutches. So I stand there and show my boss how to do something and get him going on it for a bit while I stand around in HYD mode (Hold Your Dick).

Now we can top it all off with the fact that my boss is a true Cuban at heart. So what that means to people that don't know... he has NO concept of time. Prior to moving to Miami I really didn't know about the concept of "Cuban Time." But the clue should have come from the fact that my boss was late to my interview. And, he hasn't been on time since. To this day he defends that by saying when he shows up on time bad things happen. This drives me completely bonkers. I am typically on time if not early to just about everything I do. Sure, I've been late to things or caught up at the office or other things. But generally if I say a certain time I'll be there at that time. The other day he says we'll meet after lunch around 1 at the site. So at 1:30 I call and ask what the plan is. We end up meeting at 2:45. Trust me, I understand the guy is busy he is trying to get shit back up and running again. But I am still going

After I had been with the company for a bit and I was meeting my boss at client meetings I would show up on time and have to dance a jig for the customer or even potential customer for at least 15min before he showed up. Talk about awkward. "Hi, I'm Matt, he's about 20min behind me. I don't know shit about sales and I don't even have the proposal or the plans so I am going to ask you for a glass of water, pet your dog, and say hi to your family and then I'll sit out by your pool. Thanks for having me. Oh... You got any chips and salsa?"

Vacation to Jersey

So I guess it has been a little bit since I've posted. Sorry if you feel neglected. Between work and
vacation I've kept pretty busy. I know I know... You're thinking "Vacation?!? He's hardly even working why does he get vacation" Well basically I figured since I'm not working I should just take one.

So on July 4th I went to a BBQ at the Boss's house. Got asked the same questions about a dozen times about the leg. But we had good food and went to some pretty craptastic fire works in South Miami. Probably some of the worst ones I've ever seen.

The next day I flew to Jersey. This was a bit interesting. I typically travel with a backpack and a small duffel but I don't think this would work too well with crutches. But I was able to get everything I needed in one backpack. I don't know how exactly but.... I did. I ended up driving to the airport and crutched to the ticket counter to ask for a wheelchair. So this wasn't a bad gig. They wheeled me right to the front of the line put my bag and crutches on the x-ray machine (I should have had them put me through so I could see my post op x-ray pictures) and wheeled me to the pat down area. I think the guy owes me a drink or something, geesh. But it was sure nice to skip the line. Also first on the plane too bad I wasn't in first class but bulkhead seat will do.

The weekend was good. Got to see the rents, hang out with Rachel and Marc, and my grandmother was also in town. Oh and we can't forget the puppy Jayda. Rachel, Marc and I went to the movies a couple times. We saw Ratatouille and Live Free or Die Hard again and saw Transformers. All of them are totally awesome movies!!! If you haven't see them yet you must!

I also got primped and pampered. Well.. sorta. I got my hair cut, a massage and my eye brows waxed. So yes... now I have two eye brows. And I do still happen to go home to get my hair cut. I just haven't found a place here in Miami that cuts my hair the way I like. I've tried a couple times but it just doesn't work out. So all in all the weekend was pretty good. Got to see pretty much everybody and hang out and pretty much do nothing. It was kinda nice.

The return trip wasn't too much different then going there. Except for the fact we pushed back from the gate on time and taxied out to the runway at which point we just sat there. You know it isn't a good thing when captain comes on and says he's shutting the engines off because we are going to be a while. So after about 2 hours of trying to find a new flight path around the storms we were cleared. Finally! So basically we spent 6 hours on a plane instead of 3.

The one bad thing about going home was I miss my first kickball game. Not that I am signed up to play but I figured I could be a good cheerleader or something like that. But my team won!! Congrats Brickell Slap and Tickle!

Well this week has been pretty busy. With our only tech quitting on Friday and starting on Monday it's just going to be my boss and me things have been a bit nutty. I've spent quite a bit of time working on some engineering work but also making as much stuff is completed prior to him leaving. So yeah.. next week will be interesting to say the least. Yeah.. I'll let you know.

Not too much to report on the ankle. I definitely have a lot more flexibility and the bruising has gone down considerably. So we'll see what the doc has to say in a couple weeks.

Plot Thickens

Well I guess I will report that there isn't much of a change to the leg/ankle right now. I've been getting around pretty well with my boot, but I will still be using crutches for another month or so. That is if the crutches make it. I have left chunks of the rubber feet around my apartment and the streets. I have ordered new feet online but it seems like every place I go to order from is sold out.

Also, acupuncture has also been going well. I have a cream and a liquid that the acupuncturist gave me I apply to my leg that is supposed to help reduce swelling and dissipate the bruising. He also gave me the most horrible tasting Chinese herbs to take. After some discussion with him he's going to encapsulate them for me so I can take it in a pill form. Phew.

But that isn't the big story at the moment is not my ankle. It's work. I know I've mentioned before work's been a little harry for the past couple months. We've been busy but we haven't had any new work come in. So with people getting laid off, people breaking ankles, people getting rehired it's been quite a mess recently. Well one of the guys we regretfully laid off has found himself a new job. I am very excited for him and glad that he has been able to find work. So I've been mainly working from home providing support to my other guy in the field, learning engineering software, and doing other office work that I can. Well..... Here is where the plot thickens. Due to obvious uncertainties in the company my remaining guy has decided that he needs certainty for him and his family. He put his two weeks last Friday. So that leaves it to my boss and I.

So how is this going to work? I can't walk and really work in the field and my boss has been really out of the field work for about the last 2 years (it's been my job). So we think we have an idea. In, what I think is Disney Pixar's best movie ever and probably the best movie this summer, Ratatouille. Remy the rat hides under Linguini's hat and by pulling his hair in different directions gets Linguini to do what he commands. It may be our only option for the time being.

At least for right now I've been able to work. I have yet to figure out if I am allowed to work and supplement my disability income or if I am screwing myself. I got a whole 'nother set of papers to fill out. I have started to see the insurance claims come into my insurance company though. They haven't all been processed but anybody want to guess what the total billed to the insurance company is up to so far?

Well, I am off to figure out how I can carry my bags when I head to the airport on Thursday.

Have a happy and safe 4th.

Go for a ride...

Well, I have now been out of work for about three weeks. I ran out of PTO days (vacation days) last Tuesday. I am still waiting to receive legible paperwork so I can submit for my short term disability claim. And I am getting pretty bored sitting on the couch. So I am making no money and I've got no job. Wonderful eh?

"What?! No job" you say? As I discussed in the beginning, this has been a very interesting turn of events in the past couple weeks. I talked to my boss last Sunday and basically his hands are tied. We just don't have enough money to pay more then one person. He has tried talking with the other partners to see if there is something that can be done, anyway to get me some work. The only real things my boss could really come up with are just some BS things. Granted they would be helpful but I can't be doing work that we can't charge my hours back for. So if something comes up like programming some lights or something like that then we could probably work something out.

So I decided that I need to start finding some work. Either via my job or some job but I need to find someway to bring some money in. I decided to call the other partners in the company in the NJ office. After explaining the situation I think they realize they need to find some work for me or they may lose me. They have decided to push down some engineering work for both the Miami and NJ offices. So basically I'll be working with CAD and Visio to generate drawings for the technicians to follow. I'll get paid an hourly rate (yet to be determined). It does look like I may get some work directly from Miami after all. We got a call from a customer last week saying there was an issue with some outside lights not turning on consistently. So I get to make some programming adjustments. I am not sure how they are going to pay me, but I am going to submit my time worked. Also we have a new prospective client. I spent about an hour generating a lighting and motorized shade quote to pass along to engineering for a proposal. A whole hour. w00t!

My week could be busy. Well at least for the first couple days. Between getting caught up with the engineering software and doctor appointments.

I have finalized the acupuncture schedule. I will meet 3x a week for a month, then 2x a week for two months and then 1x a week for another 2 months. Basically a 5 month program that he believes will cut my recovery time down by about 30%. Like I've said before my realistic goal it to be back on a bike by Thanksgiving. One comment I would like to add on behalf of my grandmother regarding Acupuncture. I found out recently she is experiencing similar yet more severe hand numbness that I was having. Hers is pretty much permanent and effects the whole hand. After completing a nerve conduction study (which she says doesn't hurt), seeing orthopods and finally seeing an acupuncturist she still has no relief. I ended up telling my acupuncturist about this. I think we agree that it is possible the nerve damage may be too far along but it does seem like quite a coincidence that my grandma and I have the same symptoms in the same hand.

I will know much more about my recovery/physical therapy timing once Tuesday afternoon rolls around after my meeting with the orthopedic surgeon. I'll keep you posted.

Other then all this drama I have a bit more to throw on the fire, although it isn't really dramatic. I met a girl online about two weeks ago. We've exchanged a good handful of emails. She seems like a great person, seems to get my sense of humor, and overall is somebody I would like to meet, oh and is cute to boot. So we decided to meet on Saturday. The only stipulation for meeting was we couldn't go somewhere where I would have to walk a lot. So no romantic walks on the beach or anything. We decided on a nice sit down at the stereotypical Starbucks. Unfortunately her car broke down on Friday so we are going to reschedule for some time this week. We were both bummed about not meeting but we did get a chance to chat online over the weekend. As I've been typing this I as thinking of a name so you could identify her as I post more of the story. But of course I wouldn't post her real name, it would have to be a nickname or something. But then I realized I am not Jacqueline and I don't come up with nick names for all my friends and people I've dated. If she comes up with one I'll think about it and let ya know.

Since I screwed up my ankle I have thought about riding quite a bit. But last week I was on my way home from acupuncture. I was driving down the road and I was thinking about what I was going to do that afternoon. First thought that popped in my head was "hey I'll go for a ride"..... "aww fuck."