UPDATE:
After considering the below mentioned people, I decided to do what the govt. does on freedom of information and blackout the name.
In one case, the person means well but is misguided. Let it go, but consider options.
In the other case, I think I resent myself for not taking initiative. I'd already resigned from life at that point, and it is not worth carrying the resentment. My idea, but that was it. I'd been so disillusioned and became so self medicated by then, I'd seriously given up on riding in the mainstream of civilization. It is done. Besides, his infant girl at the time liked me. She'd kick and smile whenever I came near--too little to walk then.
If you bother to skim this lengthy post, this will make senseToday, I realized that the hardest and most challenging aspect of my job, aside from the PC part--to be explained--is the snapping of the snaps which dangle from cushions on outdoor furniture, You have to thread them between the slats and reach under to snap them. Hundreds of them. It is bend over work. And it is the most mentally challenging.
OK. I get paid, so who cares? Normally, no one. But when Ms Ecomania, the manager who writes my checks (on hello kitty check stock) is in an odd mood, one is reminded that he is merely hired help and his thoughts are probably inconsequential. This catches me off guard. I am used to little or no supervision. Leave me alone when I am doing my thing, please.
Apparently she has been listening to environmental horror stories and getting angry. I already knew she thought all plastic of any kind was evil. I once tried to explain that all plastic is not created equal and that many petro products have valuable use in many aspects of life. This did not go over very well. I even wondered out loud about the disposal of curly light bulbs, and the net cost of producing batteries, etc. for a Prius, and if it really resulted in a significantly reduced carbon footprint, although if the car was free I would love it. Good fuel economy hits me where I live.
Today, before guests were to arrive, the A/C guy was to come and change all the filters. It is a regularly scheduled thing. Considering the fire fiasco last month, and the fact that I can still detect a hint of the odor, I figured it was not being done any too soon.
In case he arrived before Ms E showed up, I was instructed to order him to only replace the obviously dirty filters and leave the others. This is because she did not think the discards looked that dirty last time and felt it was "wasteful" and bad for the environment. I resisted the urge to explain that it is not always that visible at a glance and that clean filters save energy.
Fortunately, she arrived before the A/C guy.
Don't get me wrong, I am not a guy who throws plastic bags into the sea or razes forests in my spare time. However, I often do not buy the talking points of half informed ecology nuts.
So, I was done with things and had a couple of things used in my glamorous job in the laundry room sink where I wash them out. I noticed the soap dispenser was inop. Of course it is pewter and is some sort of accessory a designer mandated along the way. Those things are everywhere, and they are not very functional without regular attention. Since it was plugged up, I was trying to loosen the clog by running hot water into it. And the other stuff was getting rinsed as a by-product of my effort.
No big deal. Ms Eco comes by and strikes up a conversation about something from the doorway to my left. I continue what I am doing but look at the speaker, as is my custom. Then I turn the spout part over to let the water go the other way. I had actually just begun and was wanting the hot water to arrive at max temp. That takes a minute in the laundry room.
She suddenly asks if I am unaware that there is a water shortage in this area(which there actually isn't any more). It caught me by surprise. I explained I was trying to deal with the malfunctioning dispenser. She then proceeds to lecture me about how she only uses the water when absolutely necessary, blablabla. Sometimes my emotions are not well hidden. She detected my annoyance and then went into a bigger lecture claiming I was just running water, my hands weren't even under it, blablabla. I was stunned.
So I just shut it off and said OK. I was too stunned and proud to explain myself. It was absolutely ridiculous. The little estate there is very energy and water intensive in so many ways. I always keep my usage of things to a minimum anyway, but come on.
That incident, coupled with the note from the landlord saying they are again going to try to sell the house--and I think they are really out to do it this time, caused me to think that this trip may be well timed, and that I most likely will be making some changes. Maybe I should get myself a logo and incorporate that in a slogan, "change I can live with".
People are suckers when they get caught up in everything green. They rarely know what the hell they are talking about. I was thinking green before they called it green. My motives for this lne of thought was economic and somewhat political, as well as practical. I saw no good reason why one would be dependent upon government controlled monopolies for power or water.
It is my bad that I didn't follow through and quickly went on a multi year bender, then never pursued the ideas. At least I know part of one concept was patent worthy because an old "friend" whom I had shown the plan patented it under his name and enjoyed a lucrative career off of that idea. I didn't find out for over a decade. I still had the original sketches but have no stomach to sue. I'll just defame him when I can and let it go.
If it ain't a lie, it is not libel. Here's the devil of which I speak: (bold is mine)
United States Patent 5,695,004
B+++++++ December 9, 1997
Air conditioning waste heat/reheat method and apparatus
Abstract
An air conditioning system comprising a compressor, condenser and evaporator as functioning components in a primary loop for moving a working fluid in a continuous and automatic cycle of operation between such components. The system includes a plurality of zones through which the air to be conditioned is moved. The zones each include stacked horizontal tubes in a single coil with vertical heat exchanging fins in a parallel array with the tubes of each stack extending through the fins. A wrap-around heat pipe with first parallel tubes adjacent to the input of such zones and with second parallel tubes adjacent to the output of such zones and parallel horizontal lines coupling the first and second parallel tubes.
Inventors: B*******; W++++++ R. (Tampa, FL)
Appl. No.: 08/159,669
Filed: November 30, 1993
The bold italic part is the meat of the matter. This part of the patent doesn't explain a lot in detail. That's how they work. I also had a patent for something unrelated under my name. The rest of the patent info goes on and on.
It was a way to help dehumidify the air by augmenting the process utilizing energy already available from the air handler. It saved energy costs in the dehumidifying process. My application of the identical process was part of something else but this was just one application. This operation was discussed, including the valves, restrictors, etc discussed in the body of the patent.
I might have even let him use it for free if he;d been straight up in the process.
Took him four years before it was awarded. Long time patent pending is a desirable thing. Apparently he started manufacturing a few years before he filed. Good for him, and not so good for him. I would have agreed to an arrangement if he had called and asked. Oh well
His gain did not cause my problems. It was my idea and it takes a very small man to claim credit for the work or ideas of others. I'd rather be me. No lawsuit could punish him worse than life already has by making him be who he is.
Anyway, I was into generated electric power at the source way back when it was still illegal. The same people who like massive regulation now used it then, too. It was based on the same idea as this healthcare thing. Force everyone to pay so it will be cheaper.
It is possible the emergence of Ms E as a full blown eco nazi is a sign from the universe that I need to think of some alternatives to my present situation. I guess the note from my land people is the same thing. They did include a thank you to me for being "such a great tenant and good neighbor". Gotta love those people.
They'll keep me updated, and doesn't mean I have to hit the road right away. But if they sell the place, it could be Adios, Ballistic Mountain. Finding another setup like this for anything close to what I now pay would be quite a task. This was an incredibly fortuitous find.
Life goes on, and I guess this means I better sort, organize and get this tour on the road, quickly.
*****other bottom line: don't be lecturing me about no dadgum Green. I'm way ahead of my time and most eco nazis too***
if they were expensive in various ways. The history there was not one in which I received much benefit from various episodes prior to this.
+++another after thought: Bill taught me some lessons. ++++
It's a Bless their hearts situation. Not a case in which I couldn't have done something else, especially in the big picture. Better to assess how I can fix my world than to stew in anger citing the faults of others. My trials and tribulations are often of my own doing. Certainly any change in scenario can be greatly influenced by my own actions.
