testing testing.... ?

Just checking to see how long a forum can go without posts before it seizes up completely.

It looks like it still works.

I have been pretty busy, this may be kind of long but here it goes.

I used to work for the University of Wyoming in the Department of Research Support as the manager of the machine shop and a mechanical designer. I was at UW for just over three years and really liked my job, but due to the collapse of the prices in the energy sector the state of Wyoming is in financial troubles. The university receives over 2/3's of it's money from the state in a block grant. Last spring (May) UW was tasked with cutting 42 million from it's 2017/2018 budget. The dean of the college of arts and sciences immediately targeted my department for elimination, this all was happening while a new president of the university was coming on board. The dean even had one of the associated deans send a email to our department head stating that the dean was proposing to the president to cut our department.

The new president said nobody would get let go during the 2017 budget year (FY 2017 started on July 1st, 2016), but did put out a plan for getting people that met certain criteria to retire early. Most of the people that accepted the offer were low paid staff, not the high salary faculty even though many are well past retirement age and met all of the criteria.

Trying to read between the lines as our dean still was going after us I decided that I should look around for a new job to see what was out there.

In October the president held a town hall meeting laying out the cuts needed for FY 2018 and the cut for the college of arts and sciences was exactly that of the salary line for the department I was in. The day after the town hall meeting the associate dean sent out another email stating that FY 2018 our department would not be funded by the college of arts and sciences.

Many researchers, professors, students, support staff sent emails to the president of the university, VP of the research office, and the VP of administration stating the need for our department.

During all of this turmoil the president of the university, the VP of the research office, VP of administration, and the dean of the college of engineering had many conversations with me stating that they really wanted to retain me in some fashion. When they were pressed for what position, where would the money come from, and if they could guarantee it in writing as in a contract, they all told me that they had know ideas to any of the questions, and could not answer them. This went on even during my last weeks at the university.

My applying paid off with a position that is still in Laramie Wyoming. It is with a company that does a lot of government/military products produced from tungsten. I actually turned down the first offer due to the university telling me that I would not lose my job, and the new job was sort of a lateral move. One week later the plant manager called up and told me that they created a whole new position just for me, they offered me a salary that was 25% more than my salary at UW, plus a hefty bonus at 90 days. This was something that I could not pass up, so December 2nd was my last day at UW, and December 5th was the start of the new job. Here I am a month plus later and I know that I made the right decision.

Lastly I am still teaching ski lessons at the local ski area on the weekends.

That's quite the journey sticks... good to hear how it all worked out. Many are not so fortunate as you know.
Amazing with everything on your plate including... kids? That's your daughter in your avatar correct? How old are your kids now?
And you still teach skiing... man you're full on. Do you still have a bike? I hope you have time to ride this coming spring.
My deal is selling my house this spring/summer. The housing market is on fire in Nelson, hardly anything for sale and folks on waiting lists to buy homes so I shouldn't have any problems. Property values skyrocketing. My BC assessment went up 36K this year so basically my bottom line follows this. Want to grab my equity and small chunk of land out of town. Need big shop and big garden. The on towards self sufficient lifestyle. Hopefully enough $ left over and time because I haven't had a bike for three years now and it's killing me. But I needed the break for my injured pelvis to heal... which it has.
My little Stinker Enzo in my avatar turned 3 in December and he's just amazing. I love him so much it kinda hurts...

My daughter is 13 and into so many things, but a real good kid.
Yes, I am still teaching ski lessons, just the other day I had a group of 23 never ever skiers, with ages 13 to 44 years old, I got them all up on skis and going. It was pretty fun as the next day I saw just about every one of the students and they all would say hi, I would give them just a few more pointers before parting ways.
Yes, I still have a bike, I am going to get a new one for myself in the spring. The wife is taking over the 300, and the daughter is taking over the 200.
It has been quite the journey, but I believe that I am in control of my destiny.

Good luck on selling the house, and finding some land to build on. Congrats of the 3rd B-day for Enzo.

Get this, while looking through one of the local pawn shops I came across a Rickenbacker 380L PZ guitar, a mint one is worth $2,500.00, this one needs a good cleaning and a little fret work, I paid $238.00 for it.

Great steal on the Ricky...! The obviously didn't research what they had. Old instruments never lose value, and many believe (like me) wooden instruments only sound better with age.

When I was reading through your post above I could only think a new bike was rolling into your garage this year... right on! Have you settled your decision as to what? Or are you still in the beautiful stage of feeling confused as to what to get?

Here fyi is a link to my heartfelt needs and desires... property bro. Remember this is Can funds, about 30% less than US dollar.
Just posting this for fun, you get to see what some Canadian real estate is doing.
https://propertyguys.com/property/index/id/97422#

My plans are a new KTM 250 XC smoker.

That place looks sweet!!! that is the kind of property I like. The wife wants to build a shouse (shop/house).
https://mortonbuildings.com/projects/home-cabin

Howdy shift, Howdy Kyle.....
Nice to see there is some activity here still...I often meant to get back here but for crazy reasons it never happened. I just had hip surgery on the other side last wednesday and looking forward to PT and getting this all behind. Plans are to take care of the new grand-daughter soon as she arrives(end of february). I'll still do trim carpentry as the homes come around to that point but going to leave the framing to the young bucks now.
Kyle, I'm so glad you were able to find work there in Laramie...

Hey Kim thanks for dropping in.
We're trying to keep this place alive.
So how long before you can walk after hip surgery? Are you in a chair until then? And you mentioned
"the other side" so does that mean you had both hips modded? What did they do exactly? I've seen
where they cut the ball off completely and attach a synthetic or perhaps metal (Ti baby!) ball. Is that what you got?

I also envy the exciting times you and your family waiting for the new addition. Always good news there. Never can we have too much love and them new little stinkers know how to bring it!

I was up and moving the first night...albeit was only to the bathroom. HA! I had a procedure known as a BHR, Burmingham Hip Resurface done vs. a THR (total hip replacement). It is the least invasive method available for osteo arthritic hip. I had my right hip done in 2012 and now my left was done last wednesday, the first of february.
I'm already moving around with just the aid of a cane. My implants are cobalt medical grade steel...not the brand or resurface procedure you hear about with the lawsuit looming.
Yes, anxious for the new addition to the family to arrive.

shiftpro wrote:Hey Kim thanks for dropping in.
We're trying to keep this place alive.

I dropped a message on the FB Dirt Bag page and reminded peeps about this site today.
See if we can't keep this thing going....

Hey Kim, glad to hear the surgery went well. Congrats on the new addition that is coming to the family, I hope all goes well for everybody.

sounds like you scored huge on the pawn shop find...whats your plan for it?
I like the idea of building a home/garage from a morton building..more like a garage/home. Nicole Bradford and her husband Ben built a home in a metal garage...nice square footage to adapt to their lifestyle. Very simple and practical at a lower cost.
What's the company name your working for now? Is their business south of town out near where you live?
I didn't know you were a downhill skier too...bet it was a bit tough finding anything challenging in Lincoln.

@Kim,
Can you please explain the lower cost of a metal building?
I hear lots of talk in Canada about this, and certainly look cheaper at first glance. I've been pricing out and still much cheaper to build conventional construction... stick built. At least up here.

Kim, the plans for the guitar are to clean it up and let Colby play it for a while. I am looking for a Epiphone Emperor Swingster for myself.

I have been a downhill skiier for 30+ years. I would go skiing (primarily in Colorado) 4-5 (15-20 days) every year until we moved out here. We either teach or ski just about every weekend at the local ski area. We try to get about 5 days in at Steamboat each season.

I work for Tungsten Parts Wyoming, they are located in West Laramie, about a 10 minute trip to work.