Monapolis Times

I think I've forgotten how to do anything else but insulate TDF duct work......... Pitsburgh? what's that................. Ok maybe it's not that bad, but I'm sure Trev and I are the going experts on rigid insulation. Goodness knows I could tell you how it grits between the teeth compared to flex.

I'm thinking our rags must come from someone's home, because they aren't store bought cloth or anything. They are actually ripped up pieces of someone's clothing. Well this week a piece of someone's old pink fleece jogging pants ended up as our cloth at the insulation table. Pink fleece jogging pants............. think about that for a second.......... pink.......... fleece.......... getting any mental images? Jogging pants.................. is it coming to you? Or are you having trouble, because those three things don't belong in the same sentence. Who wears PINK pants in the first place (no Andrew they are not pink they are SALMON or more like a rusty red....), let alone fleece jogging pants. I was looking around the shop trying to picture who's home this monstrosity came from. Picturing the guys I work with walking around with wives wearing something out of the 80s. Or even some of the women that work up front owning a pair. Gave me something to chuckle about while slicing through mile upon mile of insulation. Are you with me here? Or am I alone on this one...

So I asked Danny (big bosses son, future big boss) about my book. We have these books that throughout the apprenticeship have to be signed by someone when we've accomplished a task. At the end of the apprenticeship it has to be I believe 75% full. Our union is for both tinbangers and roofers, so I don't see myself filling out any sections that have anything to do with roofing, but as long as I can get the rest of it filled out, I'm good. I didn't know when I should start concering myself with that though, so I was a big girl and asked! You have to understand this is a big feat for me due to my life long partnership with shyness. It took me awhile to see our forman in a casual light. What's that all about anyway? In my mind I KNOW he's a nice guy, as is everyone out there (well most anyway......), so why would someone have trouble making the first move to get to know that person. Pooey on shyness, I spit at thee!!!! So I asked and it turns out that if I leave or finish my apprenticeship, whichever happens at Dilfo first, they will then go through the book and sign off on all the necessary areas. He DID however say that most people finish their apprenticeships once started at Dilfo, which made me feel REALLY good. I would love nothing better than to stick with Dilfo throughout my apprenticeship and beyond if possible!

I've started biking to work! It's actually quite satisfying. I enjoy it. At the end of the day I can definitely feel it in my thighs though. Rock hard legs coming up! Yay health!! Hopefully this added with good eating will put off anything my high cholesterol started on my heart up until now. Breath easy!

Me? A health nut?

Ok so we're going to try something new here. I've decided to work on areas of my health that my rigorous job doesn't touch. I definitely get a good workout standing all day, as well as in my arms with all the lifting and hammering that I do. However this does not touch my middle or other areas that could use a bit of toning up. As of last week I started in on my jogging again. (Have you ever seen the movie "What Women Want" with Mel Gibson? In that movie he, or should I say Helen Hunt, came up with a shoe commercial. In that commercial they mention how therapeutic running is. How the road is there for you everytime, yada yada yada. Well that commercial couldn't have said it any better. I was feeling a bit down lately and so I went for a run. That run has now become determination.) Along with my jogging there is my kickboxing. Now my Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are kickboxing days, and my Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays are jogging days. I've cut out a lot of crap in my diet (I even walked into McD's and ordered something for my daughter and didn't order anything for myself.... now THAT'S restraint!) I haven't had a pepsi in over a week now........... I KNOW!!! I'm also working on getting my bike in working order this week so that I can hopefully start taking it to work next week. This may seem a bit sudden and over the top, but this is my personal goal right now. I want this for myself. Not only will it help get me in better shape for some of the more vigorous work I'll experience, but it will also help me personally in so many ways. Health is never something that should be a passing phase. So GO LISA GO!!

I believe that I am going for my basic training this January at work. It will be a two month full time course load at I'm hoping Algonquin. We may be moving our classes to Oakville, but I'm hoping that when that is implemented, I'll have finished my intermediate if not my advanced courses. I won't put too many eggs in that basket though. One can only hope for the best. I'm a bit excited about going though (to the classes, not Oakville). It will be interesting what I can pick up. I'm learning so much, but there is SO much more to soak in!

Yes, it truly was embarrasing....

So at lunch one day at work I had put my head down to rest my eyes (honest!) and I ended up falling asleep. When I awoke everyone was leaving the lunch room except these two electricians that have been revamping the shop for the new plasma coming in. So The last tinbanger walks out the door, I'm thinking oh shit, time to go. I stand up take a step just as I catch the bad end of virtigo and lose my balance. I swing around to try and catch myself and end up doing a 180 into the fridge, which is about two feet behind where i originated! I stop, lean on the fridge to catch my barings and the two electricians are just sitting there taking in the show. Never try to act like you weren't really sleeping and then get up too fast when your still not sure which way is up. That was seriously the most embarrasing thing to happen to me at work! Right, back to work, bring on the power tools!!
This year is the tinbanging unions 100th anniversary. So they are having a dinner and dance in November I believe. At first I wasn't going to go. I am getting to know others, but not sure well enough yet to sit among a room full of them. I'm still a bit shy I guess. Andrew is going however, so he talked me into going as well. Let's see how social I can be! Now to find a date!
I am also going to play some golf with Dilfo this August. I guess I am getting out there a bit more. I thought of getting onto the union baseball team, but I think I'll wait until next year when I'm a bit more established. (was that an excuse?......)
I went to Toronto a few weeks back to check out the Pride parade. Didn't make it to the parade however. I was expecting it to be around noon or something and it didn't start until 2pm, so we had to start our way back to Ottawa by then. It's ok though, there's always next year and we did have a blast with my sister. We checked out the zoo (that place goes on forever!) on Saturday. That evening we headed over to friends of Carolyn's and wow she is cute when she's buzzed! Being the mature adults that we are, Carolyn, Tammie and I raced Greg and Den home. We called a cab, and they were going to take the trolly... streetcar? Note: I did say "going to take". End Note. We showed up home and about five minutes later they pull up in a cab! Not that they had a chance anyway, lol. So Sunday morning we went for some Dim Sum and Tammie actually ate something! Yay for trying something new beebs!! After that we chatted and then headed back to Ottawa. So I had a great weekend, and it was good to see my sister. We'll be out there again at the end of August for a visit and a trip to the CNE (get the barf bag ready!)