Neanderpundit

One of the things sharp observers notice about me is the way I approach the things I do.

There are a few things- like filling out expense reports- that drive me nuts. but the rest of what i do, I do with passion.

I’ve been in the robotics field for fifteen years. I have a personal relationship wiht all the people where I have installed robots, and all the robots I have set up or programmed or designed, I stay in touch with- so to speak.

When I installa system, each robot has a unique IP that I can contact via the internet anywhere in the world, and I often log on to the robot so that I can see how it’s been utilized, what changes can be made to improve operation, etc.

A couple months ago I logged on to a robot I’d installed some years ago. I saw that they had some inefficient routines. In a hotel room late at night, I downloaded the code, made a few changes, in about qa week they had a noticeable increase ion quality and cycle time.

They actually called me. ‘Something happened to the tobot” they said. ‘The parts are better and we get about 15% more a day”.

“So what’s the problem”?

“We want to make sure something didn’t break”

“No, I did that.”( I’ve done this before. They keep a password active for me so I can get in) ” I changed a couple routines last night”

“Oh. Thanks!”

Passion for what you do is what separates the placeholders from the performers. Passion for your job can exist at the McDonald’s burger-flipper level. Do you have passion for what you do?

I groaned as I saw who would be celebrating mass this morning, but Marty actually got it right, and I was impressed. “it’s easy to fall into the “familiar routine” trap.” he said. ‘Those moments when we break out of our routine and do something special for, or with, the people in our lives, are the times when we remember, the special memories.” He’s right. Do something different. Maybe not this very moment, but break out of your routine. Do something you’d never expect. Take your wife horseback riding- or to see an art exhibit, or just for a long drive with a picnic at the end of it.

Routines are the asassins of memory. Don’t let yours flourish.

So sue me.

Home depot. Lowes. Menards. Ace Hardware. True Value Hardware. Farm & Fleet. Tractor Supply store. These are the places I went to find a filter for my Troy Bilt.

“We don’t have parts for that old off brand equipment”

Off brand? Troy Bilt is the best known name in tillers.

One place, one lawnmower supply store has one filter on the back shelf, covered in the dust of ages. (in the bag; the filter was nice and clean)

“That’ll be sixteen eighty three” For a filter the size of a beercan. I could probably make my own cheaper.
“Okay. Here”
“oh, I’m sorry. We don’t accept American Express”.
‘What? My PAPERBOY accepts American Express!!”
“Sorry”

Retards.

Same problem I have every year with my mower. Sure, my mower is 43 years old. I’ve taken care of it and it’s in good shape. Yeah, my tiller is 40 years old. it works like new- WHEN IT HAS A CLEAN AIR FILTER.

Whatchagonnado.