The Baffalo Awakens

[Baffalo]

Or, how the Baffalo finally found his way back (and the crazy adventure getting there).

Hey everyone. It's been far, far too long and I gotta say, it's been absolutely bonkers ever since. I haven't posted because since I last did, the following has occurred:
1. I got a new job in Northwest Arkansas as an electrical designer,
2. I moved into a rental house with my sister,
3. I met someone and we can't keep away from each other,
4. The lead electrical on our team quit... making me the most experienced,
5. I was hospitalized for a day due to infection,
6. I finally get to take a week off after 4 months solid of redesign work.

So, little bit of background. I was kicking around the idea of moving to northwest Arkansas (NWA) for a while because there were more options for jobs. I happened to apply to a place where they were wanting an electrical designer. I interviewed on a miserable Thursday in mid July, and on my drive back on Friday, they called and extended an offer to me. I almost had to pull over on the side of the interstate about 100 miles west of Little Rock because I was so happy I was crying. Almost 3 years of hunting for work and finally I was going to be doing what my degree was good for, and they'd be helping me towards a Professional Engineering license to boot.

Since my sister's lease ended in August and I needed to move up there anyway, we decided to get a place in the Bentonville/Rogers area. We settled on a duplex that was supposed to come available August 1, but we got a call on the 30th that it was unfinished and they'd need another week. Ok, we stay in a hotel for a week. I call on Friday to confirm we can move in on Saturday. Nope... contractor has our side finished, but the city won't issue a Certificate of Occupancy until both sides are finished, and this asshole just went on 2 weeks vacation. So now we're scrambling to find a new place, and happen to luck out with a nice little house in Centerton (just outside of Bentonville heading west).

In late August I met someone online and we arranged a quick meet. We weren't expecting anything to kick off but when we met each other, it was practically love at first sight. We sat in the restaurant for almost 4 hours before they asked us to leave. We've been together ever since and it's amazing. More than once I've had to go out to their family farm and help with something, and almost every time cow 17 wants to check my truck out. Usually by standing in my way so I have to wait.

In December, "Blue" (his nickname since I won't use real names), put in his 2 week notice. We came to find out that he'd been cutting so many corners on these projects that he was making circles! Important safety items like available fault current was being ignored or carried over from other projects, and he was forging engineer seals. Let's just say it's unlikely he'll ever be back. But it's a mess because we're still finding things that he was doing wrong, and it's really haunting us. I'm lucky to have two other people on my team now, but tracking down every single problem is one of those things that might take years until the projects are fully built. Joy.

In late January I had an abcess form under my arm, and it grew to be almost 4 inches in diameter right next to a lymph node. I wound up getting hospitalized because of it, and thankfully they got to it before it went blood-borne. I was severely dehydrated, in near constant agony, and I hated every moment of it. Ick.

And yes, I'm off for a week to catch up on one of my favorite boards of all times. After 4 straight months of redesign, we're finally caught up enough I can take time off and relax some. I'm hoping at least someone is excited I'm back... right guys?

[Iroscato]

Nah, welcome back mate. Sounds like you've been keeping busy O_o

Are you fully recovered from the above medical horror story?

[Baffalo]

If you mean I haven't had to return to the hospital, then yeah I'm alive. Not entirely healed but that's what a tight schedule and no down time get you.

[Raw Shark]

I've always enjoyed the Beaker avatars. Don't remember anything else. Good luck with the medical shit.

[Baffalo]

Beaker is my spirit animal. Crazy little bastard knows what he's on about but no one understands him.

[Raw Shark]