The Blog of The Dave

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A New Task

Posted on | September 27, 2006 | No Comments

At work today I was taught how to install base trim. Luis told me that every once in a while I’ll sort of “move up” by being taught new things to do. This, of course, makes sense. It’s nice, though, to feel like I’m moving forward rather than stagnating, doing the menial tasks.

Installing base trim is more involved than you might think. I’ll spare you the boring details, though. Just know that it’s more than just nailing the trim in place. Alright? It’s not that it’s difficult, really. I mean, it’s not mentally challenging so much. It’s physically challenging. Well, it’s physically challenging when you have knees that seem to be getting progressively worse.

Installing base trim would be easier if I could get on my knees and crawl along the floor, nailing the trim in place. It hurts for me to put weight directly on my knees. My options are to either bend over and install, which isn’t good for my back, and makes me dizzy from the bending and straightening. The other option is to sit on my ass and scoot along the floor, similar to how I put the putty in the nail holes (the epitome of menial tasks). I chose the scooting-on-my-ass method. It’s a little slow-going, but I still manage to get the job done.

As soon as my medical insurance kicks in I’m going to the doctor to find out what is up with my knees. The general pain of getting up and sitting down, or even going up and down stairs, is tolerable. But if I have any extra weight, like when I’m carrying something, it becomes less tolerable.

I’m also finding that I need to get in better shape. Hopefully the job itself will help in that regard. I’m not strong enough to do some of the tasks that are asked of me. I manage, but I feel like I’m not performing at my optimum.

On Tuesday I was asked to carry a couple of doors (including the door frame) down from the third floor and put them in the garage. I asked Luis what was the best way to carry these things and he showed me how he does it. Then he says that it’s easy. My response: “Ha!”

Luis was able to pick up the doorway and support most of the weight in one arm, over his head, and control it with his other arm. It looked easy enough. The problem that I found, though, was that I am about two feet taller than Luis. When I lifted the doorway in the same manner that he did, I smacked it into the ceiling, damaging the ceiling slightly. I could lift it okay, I just didn’t have room to do so. This meant that I had to carry the doorway in another manner, which was far more difficult. I had to carry it like it was luggage. At times even dragging the doorway, until I could get outside and could lift it properly.

Obviously, there’s nothing that I can do about my height. What I’m hoping for is that my muscles will get stronger and that carrying heavy items in alternate ways won’t feel like it’s going to kill me.

Anyways, although this sounds kind of bitching and, yes, I am venting a bit, I am happy that I’m being given new tasks. Stagnation is never a good sign in a job. Stagnation means that they don’t think you can handle anything else, or they don’t want to waste time training you to do anything else. I was beginning to feel as though that may be the case, so I was getting a little worried. Now I feel less stressed, though more physically stressed.

In November my insurance coverage will kick in and I’ll have my 90-day review, which should result in a much-needed raise. I’m looking forward to it.

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Category: Bitching, Bragging, Update, Work

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