The Official "Say Anything" Thread

[The Bacon Junkie]

Let's see if we can lure him out of his hole...

Hey Gang... 

Thanks Bick... 

I've been pretty busy lately trying to get my life in order.  I'm looking for a new place to live, as I was asked to leave my current living situation (I have about a month to do so).

I'm looking to go back to school to change careers, because even with a "Teacher Of The Year" award and many accolades from parents and other teachers, I got a whopping 2% raise.  That doesn't even cover cost of living increase.    The standard raise used to be 5% if you ticked all the boxes. I've ticked all the boxes and added a few boxes of my own...  I want to be able to support a family someday, and making shy of 30K as a teacher in Kalifornia ain't getting the job done.  With more and more cutbacks in education every year, it doesn't look like things are going to change anytime soon. 

The dilemma is, do I get a place to live, then have to move again within a month or two depending on where I get accepted to a school?  Do I just move back to Connecticut and stay with my folks and only apply to schools there?  I'm thinking about becoming an RN.  There's a huge demand and there's job security.  I'd also be able to make a salary that would allow me support a family if I wanted... (I do). 

I'm trying (halfheartedly) to sell the 999 so I can afford to go back to school/move/afford a place to live.  I got a bunch of other stuff I need to sell too, as I probably can't take it all with me. 

So, that's pretty much what's going on...

Oh, and my Papa just had shoulder surgery.  The joint had deteriorated to the point where he had pretty much lost all function in his right arm.     They had to entirely rebuild the whole shoulder structure.  They cut off the top half of his upper arm bone and pounded a metal stake with a ball on the end down through the center of the remaining bone.  Then they cut away most of the other half of the shoulder joint and welded/glued/attached a plastic and Teflon cup in there.  They snapped everything back together like Legos.  The upside is that the surrounding bone and muscle tissue had no deterioration.    The Doc said the bones and muscles looked like those of a 30 year-old.    So, it looks like it will be 6-8 months of intense therapy to get him back to around 75% mobility.  But, 75% is a whole lot better than what he had before... 

So, that's weighing on my mind too... Do I move back to CT to help my Mom take care of my Dad, and go to school there?  That seems like the most sensible idea, but over the last (almost) 8 years I've built a new life for myself in CA.   

So, thanks for asking about me, y'all.    I'm sure my answer was a bit more than you bargained for, huh...    

 




 
-Ryan

[ducpainter]

I was almost certain you were on the road to be ML's lackey...

[Pip]

I hope things get a little clearer for you soon, Bacon Buddy. 

[The Bacon Junkie]

I was almost certain you were on the road to be ML's lackey...

That's still a possibility.... 

If he helps pay for tuition, room and board...   

I hope things get a little clearer for you soon, Bacon Buddy. 

Thanks, Zombie Buddy!   




 

[ducpainter]

That's still a possibility....  

If he helps pay for tuition, room and board...  

Thanks, Zombie Buddy!  




 

so...

this going back to school thing...

whatcha wanna be?

edit...

T just refreshed my memory...

good luck

[Bick]

Good to see you, Junkie.

Best wishes in what ever endeavor you decide.

[AJ]

Good to see you, Junkie.

Best wishes in what ever endeavor you decide.

+1
 

[The Bacon Junkie]

Thanks DP, Bick, Dude... 

I love my job teaching kids, but it's just not cutting it, salary-wise anymore. 

Once I get certified as an RN, I want to specialize in pediatrics.  That way I can continue to help young children. 

[DucNaked]

My understanding is a concrete slab poured in cold weather cures better, albeit more slowly, because the top and bottom cure at a more uniform rate.

In hot weather the bottom cures very slowly compared to the top which is exposed to the sun.

My concern is he wants to use calcium to get the concrete to kick so he can finish it. I understand his concern because of the low temps. I'm not really worried about the corrosion because it will take a very long time to destroy the reinforcing wire, and there is no other metal involved.

Calcium can cause issues with the way I want to color the slab. If I can't get the etching stain to take I'll be forced to rough up the surface and paint. I don't want that.

I should have waited until next spring...
I used to like you.

This

Don't worry about the temp. Unless it drops below zero you don't have anything to worry about. It's going to be making its own heat as it cures to.

The corrosion is a nonissue as well. This time of year every concrete guy is pushing the cal. Use liquid if you can, you want it evenly distributed in the mix. More than likely they will have bags, but with the finish you want it "could" be problematic.

Without the cal he could be there into the next day trying to get a finish on it. He could up the cement in the mix use a 3000 or 3500 psi mix and or a plasticizer. But if he has no experience with plasticizers now isn't the time for him to start. The higher percent cement and lack of water will make it kick and make it stronger.

If your using a true etch to finish your floor I wouldn't swett the cal. A true etch is a chemical reaction and will have to be neutralized (usually with a baking soda solution). This is probably the only way I would "stain" a floor in my home. It will bring life to the concrete rather than just a color.

[ducpainter]

This

Don't worry about the temp. Unless it drops below zero you don't have anything to worry about. It's going to be making its own heat as it cures to.

The corrosion is a nonissue as well. This time of year every concrete guy is pushing the cal. Use liquid if you can, you want it evenly distributed in the mix. More than likely they will have bags, but with the finish you want it "could" be problematic.

Without the cal he could be there into the next day trying to get a finish on it. He could up the cement in the mix use a 3000 or 3500 psi mix and or a plasticizer. But if he has no experience with plasticizers now isn't the time for him to start. The higher percent cement and lack of water will make it kick and make it stronger.

If your using a true etch to finish your floor I wouldn't swett the cal. A true etch is a chemical reaction and will have to be neutralized (usually with a baking soda solution). This is probably the only way I would "stain" a floor in my home. It will bring life to the concrete rather than just a color.

The only reason I'm concerned...

http://www.concretedecor.net/all_access/505/CD505_Mixtures-Additives.cfm

I'm going to use Kemiko etching stain. It is a true chemical reaction, If you take time to read the article it specifically states that calcium can affect/diminish the reaction.

...and I disagree about corrosion being a non-issue. It isn't an issue I'm really concerned with though.

Keep in mind there are non calcium accelerators out there that won't affect what I want to do. The redi-mix plants and contractors don't use it for 2 reasons

it's more money

Concrete guys are like every other trade...

"we've always done it that way". 

[DucNaked]

“It's very common for decorative concrete guys to just increase the cement content by 100 pounds and just call it a day,” Collins says. “That will have the same effect.”
This 
Might cost $40

[ducpainter]

“It's very common for decorative concrete guys to just increase the cement content by 100 pounds and just call it a day,” Collins says. “That will have the same effect.”
This 
Might cost $40

I'm gonna talk to him and see what he'll do. I completely understand his point about not being able to finish it because of temps and I'm not looking for cheap. I'll gladly pay for the extra cement in the mix.

I just don't want to get to the floor staining part and have it not work.

I'd be really really pissed...

because T would be really really pissed.

How's your shoulder?

[Monsterlover]

That's still a possibility.... 

If he helps pay for tuition, room and board...   

Thanks, Zombie Buddy!   

 

Well, I'd consider sending you to school, but it would be machinist school.

Now, room and board. . .

I'll give you a cot and blanket and you can sleep at the shop.  You can also park your bike in there.  As far as board goes, there's another business up front that does a lot of dried fruit and nut packaging (think trail mix)  You may raid them, and blame it on mice.

[DarkMonster620]

Hey Gang... 

Thanks Bick... 

I've been pretty busy lately trying to get my life in order.  I'm looking for a new place to live, as I was asked to leave my current living situation (I have about a month to do so).

I'm looking to go back to school to change careers, because even with a "Teacher Of The Year" award and many accolades from parents and other teachers, I got a whopping 2% raise.  That doesn't even cover cost of living increase.    The standard raise used to be 5% if you ticked all the boxes. I've ticked all the boxes and added a few boxes of my own...  I want to be able to support a family someday, and making shy of 30K as a teacher in Kalifornia ain't getting the job done.  With more and more cutbacks in education every year, it doesn't look like things are going to change anytime soon. 

The dilemma is, do I get a place to live, then have to move again within a month or two depending on where I get accepted to a school?  Do I just move back to Connecticut and stay with my folks and only apply to schools there?  I'm thinking about becoming an RN.  There's a huge demand and there's job security.  I'd also be able to make a salary that would allow me support a family if I wanted... (I do). 

I'm trying (halfheartedly) to sell the 999 so I can afford to go back to school/move/afford a place to live.  I got a bunch of other stuff I need to sell too, as I probably can't take it all with me. 

So, that's pretty much what's going on...

Oh, and my Papa just had shoulder surgery.  The joint had deteriorated to the point where he had pretty much lost all function in his right arm.     They had to entirely rebuild the whole shoulder structure.  They cut off the top half of his upper arm bone and pounded a metal stake with a ball on the end down through the center of the remaining bone.  Then they cut away most of the other half of the shoulder joint and welded/glued/attached a plastic and Teflon cup in there.  They snapped everything back together like Legos.  The upside is that the surrounding bone and muscle tissue had no deterioration.    The Doc said the bones and muscles looked like those of a 30 year-old.    So, it looks like it will be 6-8 months of intense therapy to get him back to around 75% mobility.  But, 75% is a whole lot better than what he had before... 

So, that's weighing on my mind too... Do I move back to CT to help my Mom take care of my Dad, and go to school there?  That seems like the most sensible idea, but over the last (almost) 8 years I've built a new life for myself in CA.   

So, thanks for asking about me, y'all.    I'm sure my answer was a bit more than you bargained for, huh...    

 




 
-Ryan

thing is, your dad's gonna be OK, you OK, health wise, if you need to leave the idilic weather of CA to go back to CT, and sorry to say it this way, save some on a place to live, while you bunk at your parents ... so be it, look for schools there ...

Now, if you're a teacher with a degree, send me a pm and lemme see if the schools where diplomat kids and very wealthy kids go to here have an opening and how mucha they pay ... interested in 10 months of rain, $500/month for a 2 bedroom/1 bathroom / 1 parking apartment? ... lemme know ...

[DucNaked]

I'm gonna talk to him and see what he'll do. I completely understand his point about not being able to finish it because of temps and I'm not looking for cheap. I'll gladly pay for the extra cement in the mix.

I just don't want to get to the floor staining part and have it not work.

I'd be really really pissed...

because T would be really really pissed.

How's your shoulder?

He should be able to finish it if he's willing to put in the time. If he's planning on pouring Monday it should be all set up now and ready to go.

Don't piss off T!! It's to early in the process... There will plenty of time for that later.

Shoulder is doing good.  Better than I expected . Had to stop the pain meds after the first day, they were making me sick.