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Respect and Gratitude
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<blockquote data-quote="Frunobulax" data-source="post: 659411" data-attributes="member: 27202"><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">I worked as a helper this year in Chicago, from November 23rd through</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">December 24th, and since my seasonal stint is now over, I thought I</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">would share my experiences and add a few words to the varied,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">interesting, and passionate conversation that you all have managed to</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">create on BC.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Since my hire date, on November 2nd, I have been lurking on this site,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">reading through almost every thread (and even some of the archives),</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">because I wanted to learn as much as I could about the company and its</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">operations, culture, and history. This site is positively--no other</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">word--addictive; and I managed in six weeks to receive, among much</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">else, a series of mini- (and in some cases maxi-) tutorials on</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">management-labor relations, the lore of package car driving, and the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">importance of community, discipline, loyalty, and hard work. There are</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">a lot of interesting voices here; and after a week or two of immersion</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">in the site I was able to begin to identify and appreciate the various</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">personalities and their unique perspectives, preoccupations, concerns,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">and quirks.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Briefly, by way of background, I have many years of varied work</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">experience and have run my own businesses since 2000. At the end of</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">2008, I decided for a variety of reasons (stability, benefits, and</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">others) to close down my law practice and to apply for a series</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">federal jobs in my primary areas of expertise: law and commodity</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">futures trading. The process took nearly eight months, from February</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">to mid-October, and although I was selected as among the most highly</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">qualified candidates and was interviewed, I was not selected. These</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">positions, for those who know the Federal GS hierarchy, were GS-13 &</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">14 level, and so not exactly entry level jobs. During this time, I ran</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">through my savings, had no unemployment insurance since I was</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">self-employed, had to write off tens of thousands in 2008-earned fees</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">because my clients were suffering, maxed out my credit cards, and on</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">and on. By late summer I was seriously scrambling. So by the time UPS</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">called me I was (to rather understate the matter) delighted to have</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">the work.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">I should note that I do not fit the profile of a typical out-of-shape</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">"white-collar" desk worker. I am 6'3; 215 lbs.; I work out nearly</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">every day, walk 25 miles a week, lift weights, and am in physical</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">condition close to what I had at eighteen.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">I was prepared for an extremely demanding physical job; and the helper</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">position did not disappoint. I worked a high-density urban (primarily</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">residential) route with perhaps twenty high-rise condiminum buildings</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">along the city's lakefront just immediately east of my own</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">neighborhood. We averaged 240 stops and 600 pieces a day. Peak days</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">were December 15th and 16th, when we banged out 680 (by 17:30) and 650</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">pieces respectively, along with 200-300 end-of-day pickups at the UPS</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">store. Several of these bulk stops lacked access ramps so I had to</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">take the handtruck up six-to-eight concrete steps with loads between</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">150 and 200 lbs. Once (and this was definitely foolish on my part) I</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">had 400 lbs. on the two-wheeler on a Walgreen's delivery--6 65 lb.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">crates and three other pkgs.--but I forgot about the six-inch curb.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Busy corner. Many people watching me. Really should have done two</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">trips. Realized my mistake as I began to try to make the curb. Didn't</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">want to shame the Teamsters and UPS by backing off the challenge. Went</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">for it .... and ... got it up and over. Barely.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">I loved the work. I have tremendous respect for you guys (and gals)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">who are PC drivers. I liked everyone I met and worked with. (I briefly</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">worked two other routes with three other drivers.)</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">In fact, I enjoyed the experience so much that I am going to try to</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">make a career with the company. Two drivers are going to recommend me</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">to the center manager; and I'm going to see where it goes.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">I have learned a lot as a (previously) silent visitor to your</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">community. Sorry for the long post. Respect to all of you. And sincere</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">gratitude for the experience and the opportunity to contribute during</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">peak.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Oh, and by the way: Tieguy and Upssocks are not the same guy; "How's</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">the View" is the greatest thread; DOL and airbusfxr will mend fences</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">once the mechanics have a new deal; and as for who has the hottest BC</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">female avatar ... diplomacy is required of newbies so I won't touch</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">that one.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Best on the holidays and New Year.</span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'">Brian</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Frunobulax, post: 659411, member: 27202"] [FONT=Book Antiqua]I worked as a helper this year in Chicago, from November 23rd through[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]December 24th, and since my seasonal stint is now over, I thought I[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]would share my experiences and add a few words to the varied,[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]interesting, and passionate conversation that you all have managed to[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]create on BC.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]Since my hire date, on November 2nd, I have been lurking on this site,[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]reading through almost every thread (and even some of the archives),[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]because I wanted to learn as much as I could about the company and its[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]operations, culture, and history. This site is positively--no other[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]word--addictive; and I managed in six weeks to receive, among much[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]else, a series of mini- (and in some cases maxi-) tutorials on[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]management-labor relations, the lore of package car driving, and the[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]importance of community, discipline, loyalty, and hard work. There are[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]a lot of interesting voices here; and after a week or two of immersion[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]in the site I was able to begin to identify and appreciate the various[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]personalities and their unique perspectives, preoccupations, concerns,[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]and quirks.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]Briefly, by way of background, I have many years of varied work[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]experience and have run my own businesses since 2000. At the end of[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]2008, I decided for a variety of reasons (stability, benefits, and[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]others) to close down my law practice and to apply for a series[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]federal jobs in my primary areas of expertise: law and commodity[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]futures trading. The process took nearly eight months, from February[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]to mid-October, and although I was selected as among the most highly[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]qualified candidates and was interviewed, I was not selected. These[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]positions, for those who know the Federal GS hierarchy, were GS-13 &[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]14 level, and so not exactly entry level jobs. During this time, I ran[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]through my savings, had no unemployment insurance since I was[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]self-employed, had to write off tens of thousands in 2008-earned fees[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]because my clients were suffering, maxed out my credit cards, and on[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]and on. By late summer I was seriously scrambling. So by the time UPS[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]called me I was (to rather understate the matter) delighted to have[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]the work.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]I should note that I do not fit the profile of a typical out-of-shape[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]"white-collar" desk worker. I am 6'3; 215 lbs.; I work out nearly[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]every day, walk 25 miles a week, lift weights, and am in physical[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]condition close to what I had at eighteen.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]I was prepared for an extremely demanding physical job; and the helper[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]position did not disappoint. I worked a high-density urban (primarily[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]residential) route with perhaps twenty high-rise condiminum buildings[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]along the city's lakefront just immediately east of my own[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]neighborhood. We averaged 240 stops and 600 pieces a day. Peak days[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]were December 15th and 16th, when we banged out 680 (by 17:30) and 650[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]pieces respectively, along with 200-300 end-of-day pickups at the UPS[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]store. Several of these bulk stops lacked access ramps so I had to[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]take the handtruck up six-to-eight concrete steps with loads between[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]150 and 200 lbs. Once (and this was definitely foolish on my part) I[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]had 400 lbs. on the two-wheeler on a Walgreen's delivery--6 65 lb.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]crates and three other pkgs.--but I forgot about the six-inch curb.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]Busy corner. Many people watching me. Really should have done two[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]trips. Realized my mistake as I began to try to make the curb. Didn't[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]want to shame the Teamsters and UPS by backing off the challenge. Went[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]for it .... and ... got it up and over. Barely.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]I loved the work. I have tremendous respect for you guys (and gals)[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]who are PC drivers. I liked everyone I met and worked with. (I briefly[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]worked two other routes with three other drivers.)[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]In fact, I enjoyed the experience so much that I am going to try to[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]make a career with the company. Two drivers are going to recommend me[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]to the center manager; and I'm going to see where it goes.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]I have learned a lot as a (previously) silent visitor to your[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]community. Sorry for the long post. Respect to all of you. And sincere[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]gratitude for the experience and the opportunity to contribute during[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]peak.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]Oh, and by the way: Tieguy and Upssocks are not the same guy; "How's[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]the View" is the greatest thread; DOL and airbusfxr will mend fences[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]once the mechanics have a new deal; and as for who has the hottest BC[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]female avatar ... diplomacy is required of newbies so I won't touch[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]that one.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]Best on the holidays and New Year.[/FONT] [FONT=Book Antiqua]Brian[/FONT] [/QUOTE]
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