I have been certified for many things over the years including Health and Safety Officer, asbestos inspection, Hazmat worker (hazardous materials handling) OSHA Occupational safety, and etc.

The Radon gas hoopla is very dependent on where you live, as far as the naturally occurring radon coming up from the depths of Hell to pollute your home. The real problem started when homes were built almost hermetically sealed (Dom's home is NOT THAT WAY), for reasons of efficiency and heat retention etc. Before, say the 1980's homes were less tight, but beyond the 80's and into the 1990's and beyond, homes were made so tight and the construction standards have jumped up to the point of almost living in a sealed up space capsule. That has considerable drawbacks.

I attended a week long class for the asbestos inspector/sampler and quizzed our very knowledgeable instructor about the details and laws etc. involving asbestos. It would take a thesis to explain it all but suffice to say there is some justification to the asbestos issue but it became very overblown due to lawyers and fear and the ramming through of laws that had little to do with the actual science, mineralogy, testing for and use of asbestos in building and mastic products. Many with minuscule amounts. But fear is a mind killer and high emotion destructive to rational thinking.

I have asbestos linoleum flooring and mastic (installed in the 1950's, I would guess) in my home and I just covered it up with new super duper flexible linoleum certified to be free of any and all poisonous substances that could possibly be present in the entire universe.

So there! Now go drink some Beer and relax and enjoy your life.

Starting classes tomorrow. For the first time in years, I'm not excited at all about teaching.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

Dune reference itt

ok gonna smoke a bowl and enjoy my life!!!

That is a sad circumstance, John. Not being excited about your career is the death Knell and a sign from God that it is time to move on. I did, and believe me it made a very great difference on my life and outlook.

Retire after this year and go on an extended European tour of Cathedrals and great art works. Starting in Summer 2021. Things will have calmed down enough by then to allow travel and American Tourists to gallivant about Europe to their heats content. Life is short. Carpe diem.

Zeno,

It's good advice. I usually look forward to returning, but I'm not looking forward to teaching on a laptop from my dinning room.

And I have so much time off that I could spend the summer traveling.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

Johnny will figure it out. best believe

John, I'm into my 2nd week of teaching remotely....I really don't like it, even though I don't have to leave home. I much prefer the classroom.

but not the ventilator i hope.

it's not really work from home, more like live at work.

Either way you can't beat the commute I always felt the commute was the worst part of working but then I always had a job I loved. The last couple of years when I was still working for a company I did it from home and loved that aspect.

I've worked from home when I worked for myself and there are pluses and minuses. I liked the separation of going to work when I had a company job and my commute was usually not much at all. Being in the same environment that working at home brings means less separation and you always feel like you are "at work". The Plus was I made more money and less wear and tear on vehicle and I could drink beer and watch Baseball on TV and I was paid because I read and write at the same time and can multitask like the dickens!!! But always being home - That drags on you. I did it for a year and half and then went back to slaving away for a company. Albeit I made wads of cash that I buried in all sorts of financial investments and retired early.

One thing that can help if you work from home is to have a dedicated space/office that is exclusive for your work. In a separate room is great and have it "sealed off" from the rest of your living space. That helps some psychologically and you go to work - and then- leave work, even if all within your home.

This is true. I always treated work at home as work and I always had a dedicated workplace/office. As a trader there was no overlap or blending of work and non-work for me. When the opening bell rings I am at work and focused. When the closing bell rings I am done and popping a beer. Even though I am technically retired I still work most days but now I don't feel guilty if I get bored and decide to do something else instead.

Yeah. Commute is the worst part of a job I otherwise almost entirely enjoy

1 other is the odd customer, like this busybody recurring customer that I've probably pissed off beyond repair for my impatience with her silly questions, like, "would you describe it as a small leak or big leak," when it's a leak that's almost entirely obscured by the pedestal of a pedestal lavatory.

I said something like, " what difference does it make, how large or slight? The basin is in disrepair. "

More exhausting talking to some customers than the job itself, even if it's extensive

Ok I hate my job

dont blame them as they dont understand plumbing and you do.

its the same as we have to school you all the time on your music choices. but you are getting a little better,,,, slowly.

A customer like that, though, that I'd done multiple jobs for, needs to surrender control and delegate responsibility to someone that has demonstrated their fitness. Learning how to navigate life with some level of optimization is Darwinian. She'll learn someday.

I have found that customers interfere more when they are small companies rather than large ones.

When you are working for a large company you normally work with a engineering manager, who knows about engineering and works out that you know what you are doing and let’s you get on with the job.

Working with smaller companies you often have to work with the owners or directors of the company, they tend not to know much about engineering and there role in the company hierarchy gives them a sense of importance. For example:-

We had a problem with a faulty network switch on site and the director of project development was there.

“I am here to help, I can escalate this to board level if necessary”

“Thanks, but we just need someone to go to the computer store and buy a new switch”.

Along with commuting dealing with difficult customers or people in general is a key benefit of working at home as well. One of the reasons I enjoy solitary work.

I don't know if it's necessary any more, but I used to hide the fact that I was working at home. In the 80s, people assumed that working at home meant I was free to be bothered. I always had my own office at home with its own phone line, and never answered the other line or answered the door.

One of my super powers is saying no to people, and I came to relish the times someone would come to the door and I'd be looking at them from my front office window and shaking my head with my "Sorry! Busy now!" shake.

Now I think it's so common to work at home that I doubt if people have to suffer the same annoyances.

I told my friends who are working from home that they need to go and take a walk every 2 hours. Sitting indoors like that will drive anyone up a wall, but working on top is a whole different level.

Considering the current days, being outside for even 5 minutes, even if it's to walk up and down their driveway, is frightening for them. I guess Plan 2 is start drinking before noon.

I just saw the FDA head discuss the vaccines. Finding an approved vaccine is unlikely by the end of the year, even if there was a vaccine today, ramping up production wouldn't happen until the new year. If they accomplish approval by the end of the year, then widespread distribution won't be well into 2021.

I have a routine. I have always been an early riser and start the day with a 5 mileish hike (weather permitting) otherwise I do an indoor workout. Then I shower and eat breakfast and watch/read pre-market news and by the time the bell rings I am ready to go. During the day I will often walk laps in my mancave/office to keep the blood circulating. I spend more time pacing/standing than I do sitting.