Can you get worn out and then screw something up, like an air traffic controller?
General Bulk Electric System Dispatcher Here, AMA
- Thread starter rmenergy
- Start date
Yes. Today seems to be operating close to the prescheduling forecast so hopefully it stays that way.
I left the transmission operator position due to excessive ot, this isn’t as bad as that one was but this year has been busy. I’m probably somewhere around 200-250hrs of ot so far this year. 300ish is the norm for a year here. Last place started at 1000hrs/yr of ot & went up from there. That was divorce city, hence the move.
I guess it should be noted that I'm the youngest "on shift" senior here, by at least 10yrs. I'll be 44 this year while the other 3 are mid/late 50's & 60's. The older guys use the ot as a way to build up their retirements as they no longer have kids at home. This amount of ot doesn't, usually, wear on me from the hours alone. I still have a family with a 12yr old son at home. It's more the family stress that wears on me. Had I been single, or possibly not have any kids, I might have stayed at my last position just for the $$$$$. Shift work is hard on family life already, throw in a bunch of ot & many guys end up divorced.
I immediately thought about the extra money versus the potential strain on a relationship as I was read how much OT you have to do.
Question: do they have good retirement benefits?
Lat place not so much. This one yes, although not as good as the people that hired on years ago.
I have a small pension, 401k & 457b (as well as my IRA that I rolled my previous 401k's into). Having the 401/457 combo allows me to double the federal limit of pretax contributions. Most are limited to 19.5k/yr as a max, I can do 39k/yr. Combine that with my pension, IRA & the medical benefits in retirement & I'll be doing just fine. I don't live too high up on the hog but do make an Aston Martin payment to retirement every month.
Good stuff.
Yeah, looks to me like your only real indulgence is 98 year old cigars but then again you need those to satisfy your penis cravings. Cigars serve the role of penis substitute for latent homosexuals.
*No idea why I just wrote that ^
I think you and I are at a comparable point in our careers and I am kicking up my savings efforts a notch. That’s why I thought to ask. It’s on my mind often.
I've left several important details out of my job description & other points just for that reason. I'm sorry to hear that happened to you.
I did show my son the benefits of starting savings early & what compounding interest can do. I was late in the savings game by not really starting until 29. I'll still retire just fine but those missed years really add up later in life.
Nothing unusual. There are generally 3 emergency levels that will allow the ISO/BA or system operators to acquire additional energy from offline plants, pseudo gen, dynamic transfers, etc...
Here is the alerts for my area with basic description:
your area may vary slightly but the results are the same
Christ this has been one busy set of night shifts. Even had to shed load(well pseudo gen actually) last night in a portion of central CA. Haven’t even had time to fuck off & post on this forum.
Getting ready to walk into my last shift of the week, hopefully it’s a quiet one.
Getting ready to walk into my last shift of the week, hopefully it’s a quiet one.
Well last night was fucked too. Had to shed just under 400mw of load to help a utility with emergency work/repairs.
I had these grand plans of hitting the gym at 0600 every morning after work (usual routine pre-cv19). I was so exhausted after every shift this week that I just went straight home & passed TF out.
Oh well, next week
I had these grand plans of hitting the gym at 0600 every morning after work (usual routine pre-cv19). I was so exhausted after every shift this week that I just went straight home & passed TF out.
Oh well, next week
What's the typical workout routine - weights? Cardio?Well last night was fucked too. Had to shed just under 400mw of load to help a utility with emergency work/repairs.
I had these grand plans of hitting the gym at 0600 every morning after work (usual routine pre-cv19). I was so exhausted after every shift this week that I just went straight home & passed TF out.
Oh well, next week
Prior to CV19 would be Bjj 0600 class 2-3/week. Would also mix in regular gym 2-3/week.
Cardio only days were simple. 60min on treadmill, 15 degree incline at 3.5-3.7mph.
All other days would be 20-30min of treadmill with rotating weight workouts.
If I knew a day would be bad or didn’t feel like driving to the gym I’d do a small kettlebell routine.
15min Turkish get-ups
100 swings
50 cling/press
Repeat.
I’m not super into working out so don’t turn it into a science like many guys do. I just try to keep my, currently, fat ass moving. I put on WAY too much weight during lockdown as the gyms were closed.
In all honesty, I don’t think I’ll be going back to Bjj. I fucking hate sport Bjj & all this shit they’re doing now. I much prefer Judo & old school Gracie Bjj(got blue from Rodrigo Gracie back in the day). The VT stuff was interesting at least. I really despised going to class before lockdown. There’s no OS Bjj in my area & judo doesn’t fit my schedule here either. Think it’ll just be cardio & weights from here on out.
Nice! Sounds like you're conscious to stay active as you age - very cool you got your blue belt from Rodrigo! ...how old did you say you are? Early 40's?
Also did you say you are at the desk most of your shift?
Yeah man. Will be 44 this summer. Sit my ass at a desk for 12hr shifts. It’s a killer. When I worked in the plants I’d walk about 5mi every shift as well as 10+ flights of stairs every day. Now it’s sitting in front of a bunch of monitors & not allowed to leave the room. It caught me quick.
Yeah those desk jobs are killer for sure! I suppose you're biggest challenge is watching what you eat during those 12 hour shifts? (Plus the fact you are not as active on the feet as you were before in the precious position.)
....always easy to just start binging on shit food out of boredom.
Years ago I Worked with a guy who was in a similar position as you.. put on a lot of weight then finally had enough and signed up for Weight Watchers of all things and he actually dropped 70 pounds and was featured in the local newspaper weight watchers ad ...he went from eating shit food through out his shift to eating small portioned snacks every hour consisting of carrots / celery / grapes / apples ...tuna/turkey sandwhiches on whole wheat bread for lunch.....things like that.
You seem like you'd be much more disciplined in what you eat though so his might not be as big of an issue as most others.
I tend to stick to a low carb diet. This week I took a kale salad with 2 hard boiled eggs for every “lunch” around 2300-0100. Also too two small bowls of chili verde. Just roasted peppers, chicken stock, garlic powder, paprika & onion powder with a bit of pork that needed to be used or thrown out. Plain celery for a snack.
Many weeks the salad will be spinach & the sides will be roasted Brussels. Coworkers complain they smell like farts when I hear them up though haha
I had to cut mixed nuts out as without the gym it was too many calories.
My main problem is days off. To make up to the family with my schedule, I bbq/smoke meats regularly & have family friends over degas well. Tend to over eat & drink a bit more than usual during these get togethers
Right on! Looks like you are mostly on point with the diet ...with the indulgence on the days off with the fam...overall looks like you're doing the right things, keep it up!
