Work

Wow, I am back on 40 plus hours a week. It seems the past two weeks we have been non-stop busy. I am just beginning to catch up with last weeks schedule.
OK, now the funny:
Last night we were in bed for maybe 45minutes. (anyone who knows us knows we go to bed early on week nights) Jim reaches across the bed and shakes me. "We're late for work!"
I said to him "What?!"
"It is 9:15!" He says.
Now all that is going through my head is how am I going to explain being late to my boss when I call in.
Final my eyes begin to focus and I reach for my cell phone to call work and low and behold it is 9:15..............PM.
"Jim it is PM not AM."
He asked me "are you sure?"
"Yes, dear. Let's go back to bed."
That is the funny of our day so far.

Additional Reponsibilities At Work

Around a week ago I waste asked if I would be willing to become the "Champion" For our 5S team. Lead the meetings, set the calender ,review and chart the audits. And so on. This was brought up through our upper management team that I would be a good person for this job.
I am very excited. I will be juggling both my regular job duties on the shop floor and working on my 5S duties. Currently there is no additional pay for this and I understand that with the way things are it is hard to give raises when the funds are not there. So, I will wait and prove myself and take it from there.
Then this week I was president of my company to go to a meeting with him out side our company. I am really excited for that. I will be the first non management or office employee to attend one of these meeting. What can I say my world is looking a little brighter lately.
Now, I still have the people around me upset that I get to take part in things that they do not so there is a little resentment. All I have to remember is I have worked really hard to get where I am at. I done some schooling and am more than willing to voice my opinions when I feel it maybe helpful. LOL Seriously, I have been working really hard. And feel that I am looked at as a valuable member of my company.

Things going on

Where does the time go. Things have been so busy and yet so slow.
Let's see what news do I have. I made it through another layoff. We are down to 14 people on my shift. It is a dramatic change. We used to be at least 30-40 strong. Even with the current layoff there is still no work.
OK, some entertainment. Yesterday, I was attempting to move a waste barrel (weighs at least 300-400 lbs)at work. It is kept in a 4 inch high tub. With it being in in the tub it is even harder to move. I was finally able to get the dolly in and hook the barrel hook. I climbed up on it to tip it back. And boom!!! The hook undid it self from the barrel and I went flying back into the sink. The sink broke. It is more like a laundry tub but still it broke under my butt. I am fine. Don't worry. Just a little banged up and embarrassed about the sink. And I have been getting crap about it all week. LOL

Keep our fingers crossed

Yesterday the company I supply parts for announced that they have begun another round of layoffs. That makes me nervous. The plant I work in was originally 100 people plus strong. Now we are at around 44 people. We are running at the bare minimum. If our customers continue to layoff it is going to affect me at some point.

A Day Off

So I have today off of work. No I did not take a vacation day. With the housing and building market down it reflects down my way in the food chain. There fore we have been reduced to 32 hour weeks. Some employees work Monday - Thursday and others work Tuesday - Friday. We need to ensure we have all 5 days covered. All I can ask is please people start buying Windows!!!!! OK I know we are in a recession. But when the time comes to buy think of me. I only make the components for one of the big name window makers out there. (sorry I do not get discounts I can toss your way)
So here are my plans for today. Laundry.( I missed my Friday laundry days), wrap Christmas presents (no kids home I can do it all out in the open) Organize my shoes(yes I really need to do that). My husband says why do you have so many shoes when you only have 2 feet. I will have to photograph my shoes so you can see what he is talking about. Just like clothing he asks me why I have so much. Hmmm, lets see. We live in a state where I need 2 wardrobes. One for summer and one for winter. And then I have my work clothes I do not work in a office I work manufacturing so I need clothing that can get yucky. Then I need non work clothing. I like to look nice so sue me. Plus, I have already eliminated 4 bags of clothes that I do not wear.
I think this evening I will have the kids trim the Christmas tree. We already have the yard set up with lights it just does not look as good as it would look out there if there was snow. Something about brown grass just does not make you think Christmas.
So what are your plans today?

Great Great News

OK,so now I can spill my news. It has been killing me to keep my mouth shut. Last week was a weird week at work for my hubby. First his plant manager pulls him a side and asks him if he would be interested in doing a inspection type job. Then just yesterday he had a meeting with the president of his company to talk about how he felt about being a supervisor for his department. (his was demoted last week). So, today he was offered the position. And of course he accepted.
I am so proud of him and the hard work that he does. He has been able to prove himself to others and they see that he has great potential.
GREAT JOB HONEY

Week Three

I have just finished my third class on Lean Manufacturing. I am already seeing things in a new light. And understanding why we do things the way we do now. One of the things I have discussed with someone who has taught this at my work is that now that I have been taking this class I am more receptive to the whys and the hows of things that management wants to do. He had said "maybe we should focus more on training instead of just telling people about what we are trying to do." I agree with him about that. I now see that they are not trying to make what I do harder or eliminate my job but to make it easier and free me up to do other things. I hope that when this is done I will be able to use what I learn on another level for my company.
I will keep you posted.

I have time off

I have a full NINE days of no WORK. Yippy........now what do I do? Sleep till noon, haha. Not me I will be up with the birds. My goodness. The things I could do. I do know I plan on cleaning the carpets. Since the kids go back to school on Tuesday I will not have to worry about them getting in the way.

Saying Goodbye

Today I said goodbye to a fellow employee. Brian has always been around ever since I worked for my company. I am what one calls a repeat offender.LOL I just can not stay away from the place. When I first started Brian was my department manager. And over the years he has just continued to progress with the company. During this time he had never changed. He is still as easy going and all around nice person. Never let his position go to his head.
I feel that due to the fact that I spend so many waking hours with the people I work with they kind of become like family. So him leaving makes me a little sad.
During my years with the company I have always been able to talk to Brian about almost anything and he has been a strong supporter for me. When I decided to take the class on Lean Manufacturing he was all for it. Me deciding to take this class came up two days before he said he was moving on. So, I of course was joking with him that " I was after his job".
Now, even though he is moving on to new challenges he will still be a constant in my life. I know that if there are challenges at work I can not face or have questions about he will be right there to guide me through it.
Thank you Brian and Good Luck with your new venture.
S

Educationing Myself

I have recently found a opportunity to educate myself. I am going to be taking a seminar that deals with Lean Manufacturing and 5-s. Most of you are probably like what the heck is this about. Well, you know the saying "a place for everything and everything in its place" that is kind of a 5-s rule.
Lean is a way of life for some manufacturing companies. I know we practice lean where I work and we also practice the 5-s way of life but I want to learn more. I want to become an asset to my company. So starting in September I will be taking this seminar one day a week for six weeks. Wish me luck.

What are they thinking

So, not to sound like a whiner because I hate it when all you hear about is people whining at work but here are my issues that I have been dealing with.

• hours cut from four 10 hour days to five 8 hour days(only for dayshift)
• expect employees to drive an extra day but no additional compensation
• cut employees in half yet expect the same amount of work done in 8 hours that was done in 10

Key phrases lately out of the mouths of management

• work smarter not harder (kind of hard to do when you run a two person machine with only one person)
• If we do get out what needs to be shipped in 8 hours then we stay late and get it done.(All I can think is do you have a turd in your pocket because I am not staying later than my 8 hours)
• Safety, Quality, Quanity (when they mean Quanity, Quanity, Quantity)

So, thats all for my whining today. Thanks for listening.