Saturday, May 9, 2009

It's Early Sunday Morning

I made it through the first week at my "new" job working in the Micro Lab. I put the quotes around new because I worked there before, but as a back-up tech. That was nine years ago as far as working the day shift. Many things changed since I left. Where there used to be three technicians during the day and one during the evening shift, is now two daytime technicians and a part-time evening technician.

Monday morning I walked in, greeted by familiar faces. It almost felt like coming home. In a way I guess because I worked in the quality assurance department for seventeen years before taking the waste water treatment job. The people who work in Q.A. for the most part are still there. There are a few familiar faces throughout the plant, but there are so many new ones. That's what happens when you fade into a out of the way job. I like it when someone asks me how long I've worked for the company and I tell them twenty-three years while watching the expression on their faces!

The first thing for me to master is plating techniques. This consists of cutting samples, mixing them in a solution, taking a certain amount and carefully putting it onto what is called a plate. Back in the day, most of their tests were conducted using Petri dishes, now there is a new technology that allows a special type of media on special paper to grow the cultures needed. This is called Petri film. The film saves time, but can slip around so you have to be careful!

The first week has passed and my technique is improving, thus increasing my speed. Not only do I have to get all of the samples "plated", I have to make up several types of broths used for the samples, everyday get certain samples shipped to our corporate lab. If there is downtime (very little of that) we stock up supplies for the lab or clean it. It may not sound like a lot of work, but it is. The day goes quick and before I know it, it is time to go home.

Now if I can only keep my scissors sharpened and concentrate on the task at hand, I'll have that part of the job down.

There is more to the story though. Computer work, paper work and other various things are done by the second technician. Once I learn how to do that part, my lab partner and I will alternate the tasks each day.

This world is the complete opposite from water treatment. The main thing is little or no walking, although there is a lot of standing. So far, this doesn't seem to bother the knee. No stair climbing or straddling water lines involved with lab work. It's clean, not that the treatment plant was messy, but it didn't take much for it to get that way. If something breaks down, I'm not scratching my head trying to figure out what happened or scrambling to make sure sludge and water don't flood me out.

I like the lab job. As for water treatment, it is a fascinating occupation, and should I ever have to resort back to it, at least I'll have an idea of what to expect. Right now though, I believe it's a safe bet I probably won't go back because of my knees and feet. There are places that do have operators who monitor computers all day, so that's something I can consider should I have to.

I will miss the people I worked with. There are a couple of them, and they know who they are, that had they not encouraged me and trained me, chances are I would have quit that job long ago. The first supervisor I had at water treatment had faith in me, yet, I needed to prove to not only myself, but to these guys I could do it, and I did. The current supervisor helped me out many times, especially when I thought I couldn't take it anymore. He was gracious enough and his selfless actions (like during the ice storm in January; providing a ride to and from work, cigarettes, and general orneriness) are what makes him a good supervisor. He was genuinely interested in Alan's music and even attended a gig once.

Long live the water wars!