- Joined
- Dec 3, 2000
- Messages
- 3,002
Heya folks! Just made it back from my first rotation on the North Slope! The job is going great overall. I actually like my co-workers, the food up there is so great it burns a guy out, I'm making pretty decent money, and it looks like I may become part of the "core construction group" that has projects booked through 2008 already. and will be moving from all around the slope taking on different projects.
Things I missed?
1. My wife, son, and dog- that needs no explaining
2. personal freedom- very....institutional feel up there at camp. It sometimes reminded me of Military Basic Training, and reminded my colleagues with a more colorful past of jail time. There's weight rooms, gyms, TV viewing rooms, etc. but...it seems there's a certain way for EVERYTHING to be done, and it seems always someone looking around the corner to be sure you are dong things in that prescribed manner.
3. MUSIC!! I never realized how much I love my music! I've been blissfully listening to Loreena McKennitt and Johnny Cash CD's all morning. Lotsa guys have Ipods, and MP3's with AM/FM transmitters for the trucks that seem to work real well, if I can get up the cash I might do the same.
4. Cantina- I found myself frequently wondering what y'all were up to- I get along with and enjoy talking with everyone, but I missed the conversation here ALOT. Not one person up there knew what a Puukko or a Leuku was!
topics regarding spirituality or any level of profundity were typically short lived and disappointing. Lots and lotsa good folks here.
5. tinkering with my guns and knives- just not alot for my idle hands to do up there besides working and weight lifting. I killed alot of time either reading books, or just talking with friends. Watched a couple movies there. Boondock Saints freakin' SUCKED! and Hostel was pretty cool.
I'm working for a brand new construction division, which has been interesting. I've spend some days sitting in my truck doing absolutely nothing because I didn't have a permit or the necessary materials, and I spent some days shovelling from beginning to end. I could sometimes get a really nice somewhat rare saw or drill, but usually couldn't get the basics, like a measuring tape, a framing hammer, a pencil, or a rake for dirt work. My general attitude and perception seems to be a real asset on this job. It is mildly frustrating not having the proper tools for a job, and having to deal with all the safety stuff, but ultimately I just don't get worked up like most guys. When it all comes down to it, I figure thatI'm paid by the hour, whether the hole is being excavated with a backhoe, or a table spoon.
Oddly enough, it's mostly the older guys that don't make it. One of them was truly unsafe to be around due to his foul temper and poor impulse control, another guy got sent home for threatening to beat up one of his co-workers (who in all reality probably would have beaten HIM up) and talking about bringing AK-47's up there to kill everybody. Another guy felt it was his God given right to chuck tools at his helpers, and the last guy was a crazy little meth monkey that was planning to slit the safety officer's and his roommates throat that night because he got a warning for backing up too fast.
It's a damn good way to put food on the table, it never ceases to amaze me that grown men can't handle that job for the money we get. There's a saying up there that has alot of truth to it. "Playin' Hide and Seek for two grand a week" (I'm only makin' closer to one thousand a week myself)
Now I need y'all's help and suggestions, and I have a HUGE gripe about my job.
There's a new safey officer that's looking to enforce a ban on pocketknives up there! (and this was before the tweaker threatened to slit his throat)
Supposedly the reason is a high number of knife related injuries. Couldn't possibly be because a knife is the most widely used tool up there, could it?
imagine! grown men on the North Slope can't have pocket knives! we can weld with acetylene torches,chainsaws, run heavy equipment, work on electrical systems, drive heavy trucks, etc. but we're not supposed to carry the same pocket knife we've had since we were six years old!
There was some mention that we should have proper cutting tools issued for the job (razor knives which were of course, not available) somehow I bit my tongue, swallowed a mouthful of blood, and resisted asking when a decent pocketknife became an improper cutting tool...
Same way I kept my mouth shut while the managers sweated, toiled and discussed how to fix the air compressor with the flat tire....(no kidding! really!)
Anyways, I'm looking at semi-legal options to have sharp things accompany me on the job site.
The first idea was to get a roofing hammer, and sharpen it to a hair splitting edge.
The second idea is to take a hint from the Razel and sharpen the side edge of a wood chisel to keep in my toolbox. The future of even personally owned razor knives is in question right now, even though nothing is certain right now. I used my Benchmade the day before I left to cut some things for a couple of Safety Officers....(one whom is really cool and I think deliberately requested a pocket knife from me to help make a point)
Anyhoo, that's enough typing for now.
It's good to see y'all.
Things I missed?
1. My wife, son, and dog- that needs no explaining
2. personal freedom- very....institutional feel up there at camp. It sometimes reminded me of Military Basic Training, and reminded my colleagues with a more colorful past of jail time. There's weight rooms, gyms, TV viewing rooms, etc. but...it seems there's a certain way for EVERYTHING to be done, and it seems always someone looking around the corner to be sure you are dong things in that prescribed manner.
3. MUSIC!! I never realized how much I love my music! I've been blissfully listening to Loreena McKennitt and Johnny Cash CD's all morning. Lotsa guys have Ipods, and MP3's with AM/FM transmitters for the trucks that seem to work real well, if I can get up the cash I might do the same.
4. Cantina- I found myself frequently wondering what y'all were up to- I get along with and enjoy talking with everyone, but I missed the conversation here ALOT. Not one person up there knew what a Puukko or a Leuku was!
topics regarding spirituality or any level of profundity were typically short lived and disappointing. Lots and lotsa good folks here.5. tinkering with my guns and knives- just not alot for my idle hands to do up there besides working and weight lifting. I killed alot of time either reading books, or just talking with friends. Watched a couple movies there. Boondock Saints freakin' SUCKED! and Hostel was pretty cool.
I'm working for a brand new construction division, which has been interesting. I've spend some days sitting in my truck doing absolutely nothing because I didn't have a permit or the necessary materials, and I spent some days shovelling from beginning to end. I could sometimes get a really nice somewhat rare saw or drill, but usually couldn't get the basics, like a measuring tape, a framing hammer, a pencil, or a rake for dirt work. My general attitude and perception seems to be a real asset on this job. It is mildly frustrating not having the proper tools for a job, and having to deal with all the safety stuff, but ultimately I just don't get worked up like most guys. When it all comes down to it, I figure thatI'm paid by the hour, whether the hole is being excavated with a backhoe, or a table spoon.
Oddly enough, it's mostly the older guys that don't make it. One of them was truly unsafe to be around due to his foul temper and poor impulse control, another guy got sent home for threatening to beat up one of his co-workers (who in all reality probably would have beaten HIM up) and talking about bringing AK-47's up there to kill everybody. Another guy felt it was his God given right to chuck tools at his helpers, and the last guy was a crazy little meth monkey that was planning to slit the safety officer's and his roommates throat that night because he got a warning for backing up too fast.
It's a damn good way to put food on the table, it never ceases to amaze me that grown men can't handle that job for the money we get. There's a saying up there that has alot of truth to it. "Playin' Hide and Seek for two grand a week" (I'm only makin' closer to one thousand a week myself)
Now I need y'all's help and suggestions, and I have a HUGE gripe about my job.
There's a new safey officer that's looking to enforce a ban on pocketknives up there! (and this was before the tweaker threatened to slit his throat)
Supposedly the reason is a high number of knife related injuries. Couldn't possibly be because a knife is the most widely used tool up there, could it?
imagine! grown men on the North Slope can't have pocket knives! we can weld with acetylene torches,chainsaws, run heavy equipment, work on electrical systems, drive heavy trucks, etc. but we're not supposed to carry the same pocket knife we've had since we were six years old!
There was some mention that we should have proper cutting tools issued for the job (razor knives which were of course, not available) somehow I bit my tongue, swallowed a mouthful of blood, and resisted asking when a decent pocketknife became an improper cutting tool...
Same way I kept my mouth shut while the managers sweated, toiled and discussed how to fix the air compressor with the flat tire....(no kidding! really!)
Anyways, I'm looking at semi-legal options to have sharp things accompany me on the job site.
The first idea was to get a roofing hammer, and sharpen it to a hair splitting edge.
The second idea is to take a hint from the Razel and sharpen the side edge of a wood chisel to keep in my toolbox. The future of even personally owned razor knives is in question right now, even though nothing is certain right now. I used my Benchmade the day before I left to cut some things for a couple of Safety Officers....(one whom is really cool and I think deliberately requested a pocket knife from me to help make a point)
Anyhoo, that's enough typing for now.
It's good to see y'all.
