I work in a Big Cabinet Shop, in the layout and design area. In other words, I create the paperwork that the shop floor uses in order to build the cabinets. Most of the cabinets are self-explanatory, since we base our cabinetry on a 3” increment – the cabinets are a width that is evenly divisible by 3.

Once in a while, there is a cabinet designed that needs extra attention – it cannot be built just by looking at the elevation print that is supplied in the paperwork. This is either a special or custom print, depending on complexity and composition. Any cabinet that does not face the viewer squarely needs a special print, because the software we use measures the width of the cabinet from a fixed point – if the cabinet is angled, it measures how wide the face is from left to right, and if the cabinet is actually wider but is set at an angle, the apparent width is less than the actual. For example, a cabinet that is 17” wide, but sitting at a 45° angle to the other cabinets on the wall, will appear to the software to be 13 15/16” wide, and will be labeled as such. The cabinet list at the bottom of the page has the correct width listed, however.

In order to facilitate the correct building of the cabinets, if a situation arises where a special or custom print is needed, a note is written on the elevation view to that effect: “SPECIAL PRINT C# 2, 3, 5” indicating that cabinets 2, 3, and 5 are different from the norm. A special print is then generated – a separate piece of paper, with the correct dimensions and a cut list for all the parts involved. If it’s really complicated, a set of orthographic drawings will be included on the print.

The quality inspector just came up to my desk and asked me if this cabinet (#5, in this case and the basis for the example above) is really 13 15/16” wide or 17” wide. I confirmed that it needed to be 17” wide. He confirmed that they had built it according to the elevation, not the special print.

I wonder what they do with the special prints that are included in the job papers? It doesn’t seem that they use them in order to build the cabinets….

Bunchamorons.

Is it just me, or does it seem like there are more and more vehicles in the Phoenix metro area with Mexican plates? It seems like they are starting to outnumber the snowbirds and other out-of-state visitors.

Tonight, on the way home, I was passed (and by passed I mean, of course, blown by like I was sitting on the side of the road on blocks) by a Grand Marquis with Chihuahua state plates. Of course, he was right ahead of me at the next red light, and when that light turned green he was off like a rocket again.

No wonder my auto insurance keeps going up.

<ring>

The house phone is ringing. Since TMBWitW and I have cell phones, we don’t normally answer the house phone.

<ring>

I’m sitting right next to it, I’m the only one home, so I figure I’ll answer it.

“Good morning, Cartter’s” – dead silence. Oh great, I’m on an autodialer and the lag between the answer and the person is –

“Yes, is this the Cartter residence?” (If you had been polite enough to have been listeneing while the phone was ringing, and you had heard me answer the phone…)

“Yes, it is.”

“Is Scarlet or Cary available?”

“This is Cary.”

“Mr. Cartter, this is (name of insurance company) calling to update our records. This phone call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes (second voice: OK, now just go right into it) Is your home phone number XXX-XXX-XXXX?” (Great. A trainee. I’ll bet they teach her all sorts of illogical questions.)

OK, now I understand that the autodialer dials the phone and hands it over when someone answers. But, really, since you are reading your script from the database that the autodialer used to dial my number, why is it necessary to ask if this is still my home phone number?

“Yes, it is.”

“Mr. Cartter, did you recieve a letter asking for an update of information for your policy with (name of insurance company)?”

“Yes, and my wife returned it with the updated information either yesterday or the day before.”

“OK, thank you for your time. (second voice: give him the contact information in case he has any quesitons) Mr. Cartter, in case you have any questions about this phone call, please call 1-800-XXX-XXXX and refer to contact number XXXXXXXXXXXX.” <click>

Me, staring at reciever: “Well, I’m glad I don’t have any questions, since I didn’t record that conversation and I didn’t have anything to write with.”

Princess has found a home.

J and A decided to make her a part of their family. Their two boys love her so much, when we visited them last night the youngest was afraid that we were going to take her with us when we left. He cried until after we were gone and Princess was still there.

TMBWitW and I are happy, relieved, and sad. Happy that we were able to find her a good home, and we had final say over who adopted Princess. Relieved that the placement period is over. Sad that Princess just wouldn’t fit in.
It has been so hectic, that I forgot who we were working with to place Princess. I will have to dig back through my notes and post that information here, to publicly thank Carol (I at least remembered her name, just not the organization she is with) and to let others know about her.

Last night, on the way home from church, it was kind of raining a little bit. My wife and I were stopped at a light, and there was a car headed north, waiting to turn west. There was a glob of traffic going south, and a person on a bicycle approaching the intersection from the north, on the west side of the street.

Do you see what I was imagining?

Turning vehicle got a clear spot, started the turn. Saw the bicyclist, stopped – across southbound traffic. Southbound Dodge pickup saw the turning vehicle stop, hit his brakes. Freshly wet pavement in Phoenix, after a long dry spell = ice rink. Even with his ABS working overtime, the Dodge hit the turning car in the right rear passenger door, spinning her clockwise 180°. The look on the bicyclist’s face when she realized she was about to wear a Toyota was rather odd – and all control left her muscles as she just coasted into the driver’s door of the Toyota. The light turned green for us, and, since I am not a doctor nor was my lane blocked, my wife and I continued on our way.

A lack of common sense really hurts sometimes. That, and not paying attention to your surroundings.