Posts by Steve Egner

47

I lost my job at Microsoft today...thanks to a wonderful economy...

by dolphman in

jw
friends

for the last few years, many of my friends have lost their jobs and have not found suitable replacements.

most are on unemployment, and those whose unemployment has run out are simply eeking out some meager existence doing something they don't like, that doesn't pay well, and doesn't help to really reduce the stress they face every day.. well, to be honest, i used to laugh my ass off at them.

ha ha ha i would say.

Steve Egner

Hey Dolph,

Sorry to hear about the job; Blows like that can really hurt. Don't let it sap your self-esteem.

Although a 10 question quiz recently painted me somewhere between an isolationist and a neo-con, I like to think of my self as the compassionate conservative that Bush pretended to be.

May be you'd like to meet up for dinner sometime? Princess and I would love to meet you. Take your mind off things...

Bottom line is....................forget modern education as to being in computers, law, medicine or whatever.............
Encourage your young ones to be a plumber. Yes.................A PLUMBER! No matter how advanced and how educated society gets............everyone has to go to the toilet.

LMAO Happy Dad!

Oddly enough, Microsoft employees comprise a large portion of our customer base. What business? Why, Steve's Plumbing, of course. You can visit our site: www.stevesplumbingllc.com

We do our best to market directly to their preferences, and we get quite a bit of referral business through their employee's online forum.

You've indirectly pointed out a trend in education: Mothers encourage their children to seek the "professional" feilds, without considering the trades. The result? A serious shortage of quality people in the trades, pushing both demand for work and trade wages ever higher. Even "open shop" (non-union) plumbers and electricians in this area bring in over 50K annually, with benefits.

We too, though, have noticed a dip in the economy. Customers are less prone to expensive "impulse" purchases, and shop around more. Still, manufactured products decay and fail at the same rate that they always have. Some try to postpone repairs, others try the "do-it-yourself" route. Either way, we'll be getting another call soon...

The downside? in this culture, tradespeople will never have the respect or societal stature accorded to those in computer, legal, medical, or academic positions. You need to have a thick skin and a strong sense of your own dignity, or the painful truth of class distinctions will wear you down. Add to that the wear and tear on your body, the net result of the daily physical effort of our work.

So, don't run down to the union hall just yet, Dolph.

If you are seriously considering self employment, then plan carefully, and implement your plan without holding anything back.

If you get back in to the computer field, great! Call me when your plumbing breaks.

Hell, call me anyway, or come to one of the upcoming fests: October 9th in Hillsboro, OR, or December 26th in Edmonds.

Steve

10

All your recommendations on how to develop a social network....here

by logansrun in

jw
friends

one of the most difficult aspects of leaving the jws is finding a new social network to replace the social network you have lost.

finding friends among the jws is not usually a difficult task, but finding them outside the organization can be daunting, especially considering you were told not to develop a social life "in the world.

" discussion boards like this are great...but not enough.

Steve Egner

Hey Bradley,

It was great to meet you in Dallas. Does it seem like ages ago to you too?

Rachel and I have often joked that if we didn't have children, we wouldn't have friends. It seems that parents of pre-schoolers often mix, drawn together by a strong mutual interest, their kids. Unfortunately, it's difficult to leap right into that "parenthood" stage without having at least one close friend first...

O.K., strike that one.

Even having read many of your posts, I still don't know what your real interests are. In your position, I would search for groups pursuing activities which I found appealing, and join them. It seems there are groups for every kind of physical activity, with meetings and scheduled events.

And then there are churches. I was a member of one where I felt like I had friends all over the world. The social life was great, big parties, conventions, ski trips, inner tubing down rivers, everyone smiling and laughing... until I changed my mind.

O.K., strike that one too.

Watch out for churches...

By the way, I've met some good people here, including you Bradley. I look forward to seeing you again sometime. Any chance you'll be out here for either of the upcoming fests?

Steve

8

Is it true Paul Hamms is to turn in his medal?

by kls in

i have read this on another board is this true?

Steve Egner

I was thrilled to see Hamm win the gold... It took incredible focus and poise to come back and perform at such a high level after his crash landing from the vault.

That said, after the judges mistakes were revealed, I felt very strongly that he should have willingly relenquished the gold medal in person to the Korean competitor. Here's why:

The judging mistakes were not subjective judgement decisions. The judges made an objective error, before the performance began, essentially a math error. No one is questioning their judgement of the performance, so no review of the performance should be required.

Big Tex,

I remember a Super Bowl where the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys on a controversial call by a referee. A few days later, the NFL publically admitted the call was incorrect, but they did not strip the championship from Pittsburgh. Nor should they have.

I've been in a funk for years over that game. You'd think I'd be over it by now...

But with all due respect for the opinion of a fellow Cowboys fan, the analogy just doesn't hold up. This issue really doesn't parallel a referee's decision. For the parallel to run true, it would have to go something like this:

The Cowboys and Steelers play, final score, Cowboys 28, Steelers 31. Now, after the game, an official realizes that when the game began, the official scoreboard read Cowboys 0, Steelers 7, rather than Cowboys 0, Steelers 0. He sees that the Steelers have actually been credited seven points that they never earned. The net result should have been Cowboys 28, Steelers 24.

An impossible scenario, I admit, but the point is, the football analogies don't work. For the analogy to apply, you have to create a situation where the outcome of the game is decided by a mistake made off the field of play, before the game began. Not likely.

The one salient point, I believe, in favor of Hamm keeping the medal is this: Had the Korean been given the appropriate starting value for his exercise (an additional one-tenth of a point), given the subjective nature of the judging, we cannot project with certainty that the scoring outcome would necessarily have resulted in a score one-tenth of a point higher than what he actually received.

All in all, I feel that the pure essence of sportsmanship still called for him to hand over the medal. Person to person, without compulsion, as soon as the error was revealed. The uplifting effect this act could have had on international sport would have become legend, elevating Hamm's reputation far above that of an ordinary gold medal recipient.

Sadly, that moment has passed, and teammates, coaches, family members, journalists, and various olympic committees have all weighed in on the matter, clouding the issue with political pressure and poor comparisons.

Sport disappoints me again. I miss what might have been.

Steve

50

Would you attend your own DF'ing/DA announcement?

by unbeliever in

jw
friends

my friend was summoned to a jc.

she did not go and pretty much told the elders to kiss her ass.

she wants to attend the announcement which is tonight.

Steve Egner

By the time local elders came by to dispense with us, sufficient time had passed, so that I felt no anger or bitterness toward them. I knew them both personally, one had been a pallbearer at my father's funeral years ago, a close family friend. I hugged him as he left...

I simply wanted to hear the words, to imprint the occasion, to formally end an era of my life.

When someone's name is read like this, and the person sits stoically and accepts the "punishment," all in attendance are comforted by the fact that this person apparently agrees with the Big Lie. See? The process of repentance has already begun. See? They are sitting there taking their punishment because they KNOW they deserve it. This MUST mean the elders did the right thing, the process is just, the Big Lie is true.

For the rank and file "true believers", this is quite true, and shameful, I agree.

However, as mature former members, it is within our power to approach it differently.

play with it ..have fun with them...piss them off

Rachel and elected to enjoy the event, and we did. From our dress to our demeanor, this moment was ours, not theirs.

My mom attends this congregation and I don't want to stir the pot by participating in this but damn am I tempted. Can you imagine??

I'll never regret the choice we made. In fact, I heartily recommend it. It was fun to stir the pot.

Steve

7

"Run the race. Don't let the race run you."

by onacruse in

jw
friends

i'm not a big sports fan (i usually just ignore that section of the newspaper .

now, he knew, and everybody knew, that he didn't have any hope of winning that race, what with the overwhelmingly dominant kenyans and ethiopians as his competitors.. but, he decided to go for it, and took the lead, even if only for one lap (#2 out of 25), and stuck right in the pack for another 3 laps.

he ended up finishing 12th, and walked away as proud as any man or woman could be.. what struck me as i was reading this was that it made me think of how we, as exjws, often feel like we're in a race: a race to make up for lost time, a race to salvage what we can from lost families and friends, a race to reconstruct ourselves, a race to get a retirement fund.. but, as the commentator said: "run the race.

Steve Egner

Hey Craig,

it made me think of how we, as exJWs, often feel like we're in a race: a race to make up for lost time, a race to salvage what we can from lost families and friends, a race to reconstruct ourselves, a race to get a retirement fund.

A similar attitude was exhibited by WWII vets, upon their return home, after years away at war. As Tom Brokaw describes in his book, "The Greatest Generation", many of these attacked life with an incredible zeal, accomplishing amazing things. They saw time as a tangible asset, and appreciated life in ways that those unscathed by war could not.

While reading the book, I couldn't help but notice parallels to ex witnesses. Many of us have come to appreciate "time" as never before, and are now making better use of it.

The life examples in the book are inspiring, and I recall them often, as I try to face the life ahead with the same vigor. I'm going to keep biting off great, big, chunks of life, from now on.

"Run the race. Don't let the race run you."

This is excellent advice. While it still comes down to one's personal approach to life, I would add, "Don't avoid the race. Face it, and run your best."

Steve

30

Things kids say & do that bring a lump to your throat

by Simon in

you know what i mean ... when they do something **so** nice that you nearly start to blub !!.

the other day angharad had gone out and i was joking with the kids that with mum gone, they could have a pint of beer with me if they wanted (to see what they would say).. liam (7) told me in an earnest voice "dad, i don't think i'm old enough to drink beer yet.

i think i have to be 16" (16 = grown up to him for everything ... he's already sussing out how old he needs to be to drive).. well, i told him how i was proud he was so sensible and wasn't afraid to stand up and say "no" and that i was really looking forward to when he was old enough to take me out and buy me a pint of beer (ok, father-son moment ... i was getting emotional already).

Steve Egner

I'm 44 years old, rapidly approaching ex-redhead status as I gradually turn gray.

A few weeks ago, in a discussion about hair color in our family, my 6 year old daughter Zoe said this:

"Mommy's hair is brown. Rhys' hair is red, my hair is red, and Daddy's hair is... (squinting at me) Daddy, you're turning Blonde!"

God bless her.

Steve

6

about demonism

by mordenukboy in

jw
friends

.

this is going to sound crazy.. where we live we heard and saw demons over that time of the child abuse bit.. we also heard 3 million people walked out it was only balanced by 3 million newbies is that true does anyone know ?.

it must be verified of course.. i suufered severe injuries with attacks including police ambulances etc.. there seems to be an awful lot of people outside can we get a damage report to know whats wrong .

Steve Egner

On August 3rd I discovered the cure for demons. Make sure you have a full charge in your plasma rifle and BFG9000, and get in there Marine! This works equally well on Earth as it does on Mars ...

Now that's funny. Steve

30

movie of the week: Open Water

by MegaDude in

a couple surfaces from their scuba dive and the boat is gone.

there is nothing around them but the wide open ocean.

oh, wait.

Steve Egner

Jerry,

Did you read "The Last Dive" about the father and son who died on that U-boat wreck? Really good, and a reminder that you can't get careless with scuba diving.

I gave that book the "National Geographic" examination (pictures and captions) at Barnes and Noble. "Shadow Divers" covers that incident well, with frank detail of the tragedy and sensitivity toward the father and son. John Chatterton and Richie Kohler relate that experience within the context of the discovery of the U-boat's identity, over a five year period.
You'll like "Shadow Divers", I'll bet. A sobering read.
Now get out there and have fun.
Steve

30

movie of the week: Open Water

by MegaDude in

a couple surfaces from their scuba dive and the boat is gone.

there is nothing around them but the wide open ocean.

oh, wait.

Steve Egner

Ross,

I've seen one guy do the "Polaris Missile" impersonation where he cleared the surface all barring his fins!!!

That would have been quite a sight! Our divemaster related the converse experience during our last class. He was guiding a group in Hawaii, off Molokini Crater. The drop location may as well have been bottomless. One of the divers, unfamiliar with his rental equipment and well out of practice, neglected to inflate at all on the descent. The shocked divemaster plunged with all speed, and retrieved him around 85 feet. The diver was not atttempting to resist his uncontrolled descent in any way, and was plummeting like a statue. In the book "Shadow Divers", they referred to that as a "dirt dive."

Jerry

Of course, this is the same dive master who told me about skip breathing as a way to get more bottom time off my tank, which can make a dive go really wrong really fast. Steady breathing is the way to go, short dive or not.

You said you were thinking about investing in a bike? Just my two cents, regular aerobic activity is the best way to get more bottom time off your tank. I bike and swim, and have seen a big benefit to my diving. My regular dive buddy had to switch to a high pressure 130 cubic foot tank (3600 psi) in order to have surplus air when I reach the limit on my low pressure 80 cubic foot tank (2400 psi).

He's biking now.

Steve

30

movie of the week: Open Water

by MegaDude in

a couple surfaces from their scuba dive and the boat is gone.

there is nothing around them but the wide open ocean.

oh, wait.

Steve Egner

Hey Jerry,

LOL. A sprinkler system does not count as a toy. Anything for the maintenance of the house or yard does not count.
However, if the husband purchases said toy, i.e., Excursion SUV, but it is acquired by wife, it becomes the wife's toy. Therefore, the husband is due a toy credit, is moved back up to the head of the toy line and qualifies for more toys, i.e., new bike, dry suit.

Thanks for the plug!

Your lake-diving experience reminded me of a similar dive while on Orcas. Randy and I decided to dive an inland lake at Moran State Park. We'd been there swimming and snorkeling with our families, noted that the water was quite warm, and dove wearing our shorties, mine just a 3ml suit.

We couldn't descend more than 35 feet. Our hands and heads were forming ice.

We did encounter a lot of curious Brown Trout, Bass, Bluegill, and other fish who seemed to have no objection to our intrusion. I found a lot of neat old bottles, and we enjoyed the dive from 30 feet and up.

We'll suit up properly next time.

And Ross,

Very concise advice on the use of a drysuit. You might add a reminder to exhale all the way to the surface, should the user find themselves in an uncontrolled ascent (I don't yet know how to add a winking icon here...). New users corking to the surface are a common event around here, sometimes newsworthy.

It seems to be the best way to enjoy diving here year 'round, I know I'll have to bite the bullet soon. Or start timing my surface intervals after I stop shaking!

I hope I can join you two on a dive someday.

Steve