A Vacation From My Problems (A Sept. 2010 Trip Report) - COMPLETED 12/14

[glennbo123]

Flying through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, you know.

Star Wars Episode IV

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Just sayin'.

 

[afwdwfan]

So when were you in the area?

I think the last time was late summer 2008. I used to work for the USDA auditing records and examining physical grain quantity/quality at grain elevators. The closest guy we had to that area was in NC and he was a peanut expert, so 3 or 4 midwesterners who know grain would head out to NJ, DE, MD, VA and NC for 2-3 weeks every year to cover that area. I got out there 3 different times between 2004 and 2008. I actually enjoyed the area, with the exception of the winding, overcrowded roads. There were some places they wanted to send me that I'd avoid like the plague. Wisconsin for example, (no offense Barry, it was for reasons involving your state's grain regulations) but I always volunteered for the Pacific Northwest and Chesapeake trips.

That said one of probably the top 10 worst elevators I've ever been to was in your fine state. Safety seemed to be an afterthought.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Flying through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, you know.

Star Wars... the real first one.

+1

Star Wars Episode IV

Missed it by 8 minutes.

I think the last time was late summer 2008. I used to work for the USDA auditing records and examining physical grain quantity/quality at grain elevators. The closest guy we had to that area was in NC and he was a peanut expert, so 3 or 4 midwesterners who know grain would head out to NJ, DE, MD, VA and NC for 2-3 weeks every year to cover that area. I got out there 3 different times between 2004 and 2008. I actually enjoyed the area, with the exception of the winding, overcrowded roads. There were some places they wanted to send me that I'd avoid like the plague. Wisconsin for example, (no offense Barry, it was for reasons involving your state's grain regulations) but I always volunteered for the Pacific Northwest and Chesapeake trips.

That said one of probably the top 10 worst elevators I've ever been to was in your fine state. Safety seemed to be an afterthought.

So I take it you don't do the inspections anymore? And I'm glad the safety problems you saw had to do with grain elevators and not the roads.

 

[glennbo123]

Missed it by 8 minutes.

Get Smart

 

[afwdwfan]

So I take it you don't do the inspections anymore? And I'm glad the safety problems you saw had to do with grain elevators and not the roads.

No, I took the USDA job out of college, worked there and farmed part time for 4-1/2 years and since fall 2008 I've been farming part time while working as a grain buyer. That is why I'm sitting in front of a computer all day. I've got 3 screens on my desk... 1 with the grain markets, 1 for the customer account screen and 1 for e-mail, fantasy sports and the DIS.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Get Smart

We already used that one. I just re-posted one quote missing a title above. And there's a small quote in the chapter, plus a famous gag I referenced that was mis-identified earlier.

I've got 3 screens on my desk... 1 with the grain markets, 1 for the customer account screen and 1 for e-mail, fantasy sports and the DIS.

 

[afwdwfan]

Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

DUH... Jurassic Park

And I thought you were just sharing TMI.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

There were some places they wanted to send me that I'd avoid like the plague. Wisconsin for example, (no offense Barry, it was for reasons involving your state's grain regulations)

Don't get me started. I can't believe our grain regulations are the way they are.

Honestly, I have no idea what I'm talking about. I grew up on a dairy farm. Your silly little grain rules don't apply to me

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

DUH... Jurassic Park

And I thought you were just sharing TMI.

+1

TMI...now when have I ever done that?

Don't get me started. I can't believe our grain regulations are the way they are.

Honestly, I have no idea what I'm talking about. I grew up on a dairy farm. Your silly little grain rules don't apply to me

I have nothing whatsoever to add to this conversation.

 

[All7OfUs]

Just read the entire update- and will have to go back through again for proper commenting. However, I need to go get ready to go out out lunch with a friend, and will have to come back to it. I would have gotten 3 points had I not been thankful, bringing my awe-inspiring score to an in-your-face 4 points.

Back later...

 

[afwdwfan]

Don't get me started. I can't believe our grain regulations are the way they are.

Honestly, I have no idea what I'm talking about. I grew up on a dairy farm. Your silly little grain rules don't apply to me

I don't even know much about it... I was successful in my evasion of work in that area. Made up a fake letter from the doctor saying something about a lactose allergy...
Honestly though, I just had to make a work related trip there once for a conference in Milwaukee. I made another epic trip to Madison back in my college days, but that's another story entirely.

I have nothing whatsoever to add to this conversation.

Well that works. You probably know about as much about that as I know about building a bridge/road/whatever it is exactly that you do.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Just read the entire update- and will have to go back through again for proper commenting. However, I need to go get ready to go out out lunch with a friend, and will have to come back to it. I would have gotten 3 points had I not been thankful, bringing my awe-inspiring score to an in-your-face 4 points.

Back later...

Wow! Nicely done. Which ones did you recognize?

I made another epic trip to Madison back in my college days, but that's another story entirely.

Well that works. You probably know about as much about that as I know about building a bridge/road/whatever it is exactly that you do.

You don't know how happy it makes me to hear you say that. Most people know as much as you do about building roads, but are very happy to tell us how to do our job anyway!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Current Standings After 20 Entries and the Beverly Slogan Contest

FreezinRafiki 42.5
Glennbo123 41
Trennr 33
Afwdwfan 26.5
That's Nice 14
Marvali 11
MissLiz 11
Mom3sonstt 8
Middlepat 6
Goofy+3 5
Melk 5
Wherem I Now 3
Flossbolna 3
Sonnyeclipse 3
jedijill 3
Mrs. Knowitall 2
Belle_princess 2
Pennylane1084 2
All7OfUs 2
LegoMan3 1
Emma's Dad 1
3timesmom 1
Dvczerfs 1
sara98629 1*

Note: I'm not close to posting an update yet, so there's no need to anxiously watch and hit the refresh button. It'll most likely come tomorrow.

 

[afwdwfan]

It involves 8 people piled into a Suburban, talking my way out of a speeding ticket in rural Illinois, a couple of coolers of Wisconsin's finest beverages, ESPN College Gameday, 4th row seats on the 50 and Kyle Orton and the Purdue Boilermakers beating the Badgers...

Coincidentally a movie quote was directed toward a Wisconsin fan that threw a beer at us after the game in the parking lot, but it wasn't appropriate for this forum. And those same Wisconsin fans were so nice to us before the game.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Okay, not only is he super adorable, with a name like Brick Heck, how can you NOT love him?!?!?!

And while we don't have an Axl or a Brick in our family, I do believe that my oldest daughter (who is 8) is starting to lean toward the Sue side of the world. She is beyond self-conscious and shy which, of course, at Disney World calls out to CMs "Pick me! Pick me!"

One of these trips, I'm going to push her off her seat at Festival of the Lion King when they ask her to participate. And then, I'm going to yell "You got up! You have to do it now!"

(and I'll take one of those Parent of the Year applications, please)

Haven't you ever wondered what kind of parents would name their kid Brick?

And does your daughter wear a yellow cross-country hoodie everywhere?

 

[All7OfUs]

Wow! Nicely done. Which ones did you recognize?

Dude!! Are you REALLY going to make me go back and look them up again??



Okay, let's see, they were Wall-E, THe Jerk, Get Smart, and.... ah crap, hang on.

Oh yeah, duh, "inconceivable". Best. Movie. Ever! Princess Bride.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

I made another epic trip to Madison back in my college days, but that's another story entirely.

Dude, every college trip to Madison is epic.

It involves 8 people piled into a Suburban, talking my way out of a speeding ticket in rural Illinois, a couple of coolers of Wisconsin's finest beverages, ESPN College Gameday, 4th row seats on the 50 and Kyle Orton and the Purdue Boilermakers beating the Badgers...

Coincidentally a movie quote was directed toward a Wisconsin fan that threw a beer at us after the game in the parking lot, but it wasn't appropriate for this forum. And those same Wisconsin fans were so nice to us before the game.

We're usually very nice, but I know that guy that you're talking about. We kicked him out of the state a few years ago. What a jerk.
Let's start a guess the (cleaned up for the Disboards) quote contest! Give us a hint on the movie. Hey, if Mark isn't doing an update until tomorrow, we have to entertain ourselves somehow.

 

[afwdwfan]

Dude, every college trip to Madison is epic.


We're usually very nice, but I know that guy that you're talking about. We kicked him out of the state a few years ago. What a jerk.
Let's start a guess the (cleaned up for the Disboards) quote contest! Give us a hint on the movie. Hey, if Mark isn't doing an update until tomorrow, we have to entertain ourselves somehow.

You're absolutely right. We had a blast. From my experience, Wisconsin and Iowa fans have been the most fun opposing Big Ten fans to tailgate with before and after a game. We talked with the people around us during the game and even had several offer to buy us beers afterwards. There were just 2 individuals we had negative experiences with in Madison. You'll have that everywhere though.

The quote I mentioned is actually a paraphrase from a PG-13 comedy that we used very often in our college days, but it always centered around the 2 most important words in the quote. It was appropriate due to the maturity of the individual provoking the situation and it comes from a movie that taught us what time a popular fast food place stops serving breakfast. I know you've got this one, Barry!

 

[FreezinRafiki]

You're absolutely right. We had a blast. From my experience, Wisconsin and Iowa fans have been the most fun opposing Big Ten fans to tailgate with before and after a game. We talked with the people around us during the game and even had several offer to buy us beers afterwards. There were just 2 individuals we had negative experiences with in Madison. You'll have that everywhere though.

The quote I mentioned is actually a paraphrase from a PG-13 comedy that we used very often in our college days, but it always centered around the 2 most important words in the quote. It was appropriate due to the maturity of the individual provoking the situation and it comes from a movie that taught us what time a popular fast food place stops serving breakfast. I know you've got this one, Barry!

"I wipe my own [redacted]! I wipe my own [redacted]!"