I've spent some serious quality time here. The recent past has been, turbulent. In my own life, but certainly in the world at large. Time, politics, shifting social media, these things take their toll.

Like so many sites on the internet, this place is fluid, and if I can help it, resists the trends of the likes of twitter and facebook. It's a quiet and constant effort. One where for a long time the reward of community sufficed. Times what they are, have brought threads like this and this. This isn't a plea for sympathy, but worth noting.

Why is Arc posting about it now? Why would he channel Oldfrank?

I regret the interrupted raffle. Not just because it was unfortunate, but because it was a wake up call to my exposure on a public internet. A place where complete strangers could gather both animosity toward me and enough information to actually impact my personal and professional life directly.

We all know by now that I'm abrasive, but did I ever think I'd be prominent enough in a strangers life for a phone call to a states attorney general? Who can say who out there is taking all this way to seriously? An upset member? An anonymous troll? Who is doing it doesn't matter, I'm disappointed to have to be concerned about my level of anonymity.

In spite of the disrupted raffle, and other obstacles, my life of late has been overwhelmingly positive. I'd love to tell you guys about it. Unfortunately I have to be wholly vague, and that bums me out. On the upside, I'm not concerned about static from my new employer. That is a non issue, as long as I behave like a responsible adult online, my politics and opinions are not of interest. So it boils down to the simple math of what tidbits I post here and from such can someone cobble together a corridor to harm my personal life..

I'd love to share details about my new job, it's great. Every day is something new, and the nature of the beast is that will always be. I could talk about it without violating privacy/ethics of clients. I'm disappointed I even have to think about such a filter, I'd really like to share what's been going on, from the process of getting this job through the intervening weeks. I have to stew on what or how this board could still be an outlet for me in that way.

I can tell you this.

I've been working in the trades since 14. Carpentry, and yes, welding. Home construction and renovation in the recent past. If all goes as planned, I will have hung up the hammer so to speak. I've leaped to a brass ring of something that can take me past 70. Over these years I've gathered knowledge, but also back injuries, broken bones, and some significant mileage for my age.

What carries me through all this is my work ethic, and what I'm experiencing now is culture shock. Simply in that I need significantly less energy to make it through the day. What is exercised is my brain. This isn't an easy job, but it's not roofing in August or digging footings in January. The holidays being what they are with all the treats, I'm just generally worried about my calorie intake.

I've already had coworkers be like "You don't eat? How can you do that?" Uh, yeah, I can frame all day and not eat, office work is not a challenge in that regard. Frankly, I know some of them but not all share my motivation of... it's warm in here, and I used to be either properly outdoors, or in an unheated jobsite.

Ole Arc is rambling again. I'm just bummed I feel hemmed in by what I can share and make sure I'm not vulnerable. It's a drag, because hooo boy. Yes I'm staff here, but I am a member, and this place is a shunt for me.

You sure do seem to require a lot of attention around here lately....

Glad the forum is here to satisfy that need for you..

You are abrasive, we get it.
Many of us are as well towards the general public, just not here among what some of us consider friendly unknown forum friends we've had for years.

I don't give a damn about the raffle, I would have bought a few tickets (only to support the forum) but it was canceled.

I'd have no problem directly donating cash to this forum if it was needed to continue.

Just another forum member's observation.
Whether you agree with it, or not...

Congratulations on the new career Arc. As for all the other stuff, sorry you have to deal with it, your presence is appreciated.

Here's to a happy 2020 for you and yours!

Glad to hear you're in a good place, Arc.

The sacrifice of whatever degree of your public anonymity all to help this place run smoothly is greatly appreciated - I mean that sincerely.

Happy 2020!

-Rob

I’ve always been cautious. Always considered how someone with an interest could glean quite a bit here.
But I’ve still managed to share triumphs, frustrations, fears, concerns, and ask for advice..without giving up too much privacy. And most of the folks here have been extremely generous, kind, and helpful with their advice.

I wish we could hear more about your new job. Sounds like quite a change, and yes, I get that, imow. I worked a physical job for years and years, and then I moved to an office environment. I put pounds on fast, and without noticing at first, because my mind was shifting to new ways of thinking. Hope you have a good workout routine already in place (and iirc, you do). I didn’t. And as the years creep on, it’s a helluva lot harder to get those pounds off.
Best of luck in your new venture!

Sounds like things are going your way. While you may be considered abrasive by some you are on the short list of members here that I would like to have a drink with sometime. (Maybe only one if you piss me off).

Jim has been a computer engineer for 30 years ,
all that time was with companies that had government contracts ,
He had a top level security rating,
but as exciting and fascinating his job was ,
he could share ,pretty close to nothing.

He lost two wives because of it and has only made four friends , that have stuck around , in all those years.

Sure he is sitting very pretty in the money he made but , all that alone time has cost him in three other ways.

he wants to retire , but hates the thought of being alone full time w/o employ.

he's been trapped too long and does not know how to live any other way .

I think a night out with some dancing is in order

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bendable,

quote:

Originally posted by 1lowlife:
You sure do seem to require a lot of attention around here lately....

I'm only human.

I feel the same way. Social media isnt so social!!! Had a co worker that had a bad day and put a rant on facebook. A "friend" screen shotted it and turned it in to her boss. She was then fired.

As far as abrasive. there are a few of us here that fit the bill. I am direct and a bit abrasive myself. So I kind of like that in a person

Congrats on the new job and life. Doing manual labor into your 50's and beyond is not a fun prospect!!!

Arc,
I’m really happy to hear about your new career. I just changed careers twice in the last year, which was scary as fuck for me. I spent 15 years managing a huge grocery Distribution Center, moved to production manager at a wellness company (ultra liberal), and left that to take on the role as GM for a local wholesale foods company.

I hope the new career is great. It’s nice to make the switch from physical to mental work. I completely understand the calorie issue. I used to walk 8 miles a day at the DC. For the last year, it’s maybe a mile, with a lot more desk time.
I have found that multiple small meals keep the cravings more satisfied. A small portion of sliced apples and carrots are a somewhat edible snack when I really need something.

I hope at some point you can share what you have moved into.

Take care brother.

Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra...

La-la, how the life goes on...

Being a forum moderator on the Internet makes one somewhat of an IT Troll. People usually don't know or appreciate what a moderator does, and when the need arises for one to surface, it's usually to tamp down a flame war, a spammer, a troll (the other kind), and generally not be a kind and wise presence. Been there, done that.

When I was a moderator, the only people who knew -- or were even allowed to know -- anything about me were the site owner and other moderators. We would have our regular staff meetings, and then we were allowed to air things out, but usually our job was to sit and hover, not engaging unless necessary.

This separation of real life with moderator duties can be trying at times. I recall time when I wanted to engage with other posters. In that regard, I wore two personas on the board: I had a moderator ID and a regular poster account. I had to take care to keep the two apart from one another, so I didn't allude to my alter ego. That can be a source of stress as well.

Not that this has a whole lot to do with your post, arc. Just kind of a sympatico thing. I congratulate you on your new position, and I also thank you for your "hovering" to make this place run smoothly.

Best wishes with your new work!
Roofing in the summer and footings in the winter, keeping newly poured elevated concrete slabs warm in below zero, working high in strong winds and cold weather, lead me to a change to inspecting work, which leads to dealing with both working types, designing types, and owner types, never shall the twain meet!
Physical versus mental strain, but both deal with people, hence they are both the same, headaches from all directions, but with both satisfaction when it comes out right!
Today's world, information and irritation overload, one has to learn how to handle, especially protect ones self!
Again best wishes, and keep your head upright!

Congrats on the new job, man. Hope you settle in nicely. Changing job venues like that can be kinda weird at first. But it sounds like it's a good fit for you, from what you feel alright telling us so far.

As for the other thing, man, I'm sorry to hear it. The raffle thing was fucked. I wasn't participating because I'm done buying semi-autos until I leave Washington, but I was enjoying seeing the excitement and goodwill it was generating with the membership. It was like watching a big group hug that someone ran up and threw a five gallon jug of ice water all over.

For what it's worth, I can relate. I adminned a gaming forum for years, and we had one member that got himself banned and let back in a number of times. Then the main company closed the old forum and folded it into their absolute mess of a conglomerate forum where you can't find anything. Anyways, one of the moderators bought a vbulletin license and offered to host a forum where the old die-hards of the community could migrate to. So we did. Old site staff became the new site staff, and I was moderating several hundred guys that came with us, including the repeat offender.

When I first started dealing with him, he was 15. By now, he was 21, and I'd had to put him in check a number of times.

This is where I learned about GPS coordinates in EXIF data.

One day, I had to tell him to knock off his horseshit and the next thing I know, I'm getting death threats with pictures of my apartment from Google Earth, and a list of everything he'd learned about me and kept notes on. I took it as a real threat and called up his local police department with his full name (he wasn't careful about posting his info either), and a list of his IP addresses and on request, emailed a link to the thread and screenshots of the PM's I'd been sent.

Never heard another word about it. He didn't come around after that. I can only assume he got the wake up call he needed.

I've been a little more fancy-free about posting personal stuff on Sigforum than I should be. It's a good reminder to be careful. You never know what crazies are going to take something personally. It's one thing to get your nose out of joint over something someone said on the internet. It's another matter entirely to look them up in real life and fuck with them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220 Smudge,

sounds like the new job is a good development. 3 square, well proportioned meals is the healthiest way to go and keep the body running best

Arc, you’re a strong personality and a strong guy. You will do fine in whatever you do.
My best wishes to you and
Illegitmi non Carborundum.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
We all know by now that I'm abrasive, but did I ever think I'd be prominent enough in a strangers life for a phone call to a states attorney general? Who can say who out there is taking all this way to seriously? An upset member? An anonymous troll? Who is doing it doesn't matter, I'm disappointed to have to be concerned about my level of anonymity.

Whoa. If I'm reading correctly, that is disturbing.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
We all know by now that I'm abrasive, but did I ever think I'd be prominent enough in a strangers life for a phone call to a states attorney general? Who can say who out there is taking all this way to seriously? An upset member? An anonymous troll? Who is doing it doesn't matter, I'm disappointed to have to be concerned about my level of anonymity.

Whoa. If I'm reading correctly, that is disturbing.

Assuming he's talking about someone calling in and complaining about the raffle and how it possibly wasn't legal?

quote:

Originally posted by nasig:
sounds like the new job is a good development. 3 square, well proportioned meals is the healthiest way to go and keep the body running best

The human body evolved long before supermarkets, refrigeration, farming and cooking. Eating once a day isn't bad for you. There is a whole thread, and loads of science on it. As well as history on where breakfast and "3 squares" came from.

quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:

Whoa. If I'm reading correctly, that is disturbing.

Assuming he's talking about someone calling in and complaining about the raffle and how it possibly wasn't legal?

That is in essence what occurred.

Arc keep your head high, you are one of the good ones. I will take a straight shooter to someone that blows smoke up your rear any day.

FWIW the nicest firearm in my collection is because of your selfless desire to help others and passion for the M14. I would post some pics but they were all on Photobucket and I haven't rehosted them anywhere yet.

Everyone that sees or gets to shot that M14 is impressed with the build and beautiful stock.