Friday, September 17, 2010

Duty report...

First, let me THANK everyone for all the
congratulations and WooHoos when I
announced finally getting a job.
Ya'll rock.

Two and a half days into the working world
and I am pooped. Stressed right-the-hell-out.

When I worked for this company many, many
years ago, I was in Test and Inspection. This
time I am part of Building and Assembly, so
it's something I've never done for them before.

The work is tiny, detailed and exacting. Again,
it is done working under a microscope and with
tweezers. They build electronic detectors. Little
gizmos that activate store door openers, garage door
openers and some military thingies like heat seeking
missiles. I can't offer more specifics or they will
have to shoot me for revealing secrets.

But.

What I'm learning to do is place a 1/4" tinted and
coated square glass filter inside a round metal cap about
1/8" wider than the filter. The filter needs to be centered
over a square hole that is very slightly smaller than the
filter.
Then I have to reach back into the cap and apply
a drop of liquid silver conductor to opposite sides of
the filter, without moving the filter out of place.
That requires using the opposite end of the tweezers that
has a hair-thin wire attached to it for applying the silver.

I do all that while I am holding the cap steady on a table
with another pair of tweezers in my left hand.
Under a microscope.

I've never had finger cramps before. ow ow ow.

What I do is only one of several steps required to build
one of I don't know how many different products.

At the end of the first day, I thought my eyeballs might explode.

After the first morning break, I discovered that having a cup
of coffee is a mistake. Holy cow. Seeing all these tiny things
fluttering in a cramped space under the scope adds exponentially
to the stress level. Lesson learned there.

The good part is seeing familiar, friendly faces from many years
ago. Some of these folks have been working there thirty years.
And, a lot of them are younger than me. Of course.
Most of the world is younger than me.

It remains to be seen if the job will ever go to full-time.
Forget permanent. Nothing lasts forever.
I just hope it lasts long enough.

17 comments:

kdzu said...

A Rich man once said, "All you can do is all you can do, but All you can do is enough".
Sorry about the hand cramps........
squeeze rubber balls and hold them under alternating cold and warm water. Of course an aspirin and a shot of Black Jack might also be of benefit.
Not that I might know.

Doom said...

Hand cramps, this might help... http://www.dynaflexpro.com/ I have used it for that and other problems. Look for a better price if you have the money for it, but it is a beautiful thing.

Eye splodey stuff... I can't help with that. I don't think anything but time will help.

As for full time or permanent, as you said, take what you can get for now. I'll add that part to my prayers. Good to see you, well, at it again. I do envy you, if that helps?

boneman said...

uh...the hellboy is going to pray for you...
hmmmm.
Well, with that kind of help, looks like you got it covered.
Maybe some smoochie will help?

Michael Morse said...

I need glasses to find my glasses which are usually on my head but how the heck am i supposed to see them up there?

Congrats again.

the walking man said...

My doc recommended low dose calcium supplements for my hand cramps. It seems to work. As was said a'ready. One can only do what one can do and that doing is enough.

Carteach said...

"Forget permanent. Nothing lasts forever. I just hope it lasts long enough."

The wisest thing I have read in years.

Frequent stretching of the hands helps me when I do fine work. I place hand to hand, palms together, and press them flat to each other. Then, one set of fingers pushes the other backwards, hold them there 20 seconds, and then reverse.

Grumpyunk said...

Sorry about the cramps. Happy about the job. Hope it's just the normal cramps from doing exercise yer not used to.

Jean said...

Larry, I am one of those who prefers to do something correctly from the first try. Silly, of course, so I add to my own stress.
With my first good check I may try the Jack remedy or something similar.
Thank you, dear friend.

Doom, yeah most of the cramping thing is using muscles not used in a long time. The exerciser thing looks good. Your prayers are always appreciated.

Berry, you're not really a watermelon, either. d;-)
Smoochies are some of the best remedies ♥

Thanks, Michael. I get it. My world is fuzzy without my glasses.

Mark- calcium. Noted. Thanks.

CT0, sounds like a good exercise. I'll try it. Thank you.

Unk, I think that is most of it.
It'll get better in time. Thank you.

Jenny said...

Congrats! Congrats! I'm super impressed. You'll get more comfortable with it all, but those first few days are always the most difficult. They are very lucky to have you and I really hope it turns into everything you want and need it to be.

Jean said...

You are a sweetie, Boxer. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Congrats!

Dick

Jean said...

ha...thank you, Dick.

Bou said...

woot! I'm with you, nothing lasts forever, but I'll take what I can get a day at a time. I've been furloughed in my current job, I've had one foot out the door when I've been yanked back in, and I've looked at spreadsheets spelling nothing but gloom and job loss. I've learned its not permanent. But I'll take it while I can!

Jean said...

Bou, you got that right. This has been a very long stretch so I am very pleased to have this job.

Living Dees Life said...

sounds painful!

they have this biofreeze stuff that warms and eases joints, etc. i used it on my back and it helped a lot. no need for it now since the fusion last year.

doing a happy dance for money!!

SippicanCottage said...

I'm glad to hear things are working out for you. All the best from your friend in Maine.

Jean said...

Blaez, I think I've adapted already.
and, yes indeed, money is a good thing!

Thank you, friend Sippican. Breathing easier for now.