Greatest Thrills ( Archived) (113)

monte!

Yes, I have problems with my legs now from those past athletic activities so that I could put food on my table. I enjoyed it though. It was invigorating to say the least. With the more physically active jobs, there is always a chance in advanced life that the past will come back to haunt us.

If I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed indoors and taught Physical Therapy.

Cable Television and the 100 meter club:

Most telephone poles are accessible by light fiberglass ladders, and those are what many of us used for our daily work, contrary to our Companies wishes. Management preferred us to climb rather than ladder up a pole. They tested us every year for our talent to climb a great height of 100 meters.

Our Company would purposely not provide employees with lift or crane trucks for easy use. Employees who made the climb successfully were in the “100 meter club” and paid a bonus.

Personally, I preferred my feet closer to the ground. That was easier. Other co-workers didn’t like heights either and felt the same way; wanted the easier and safer way the ladders provided. The yearly climb caused lots of anxiety for weeks to come for most of us, especially on that sacred day.

All who made the adventure did so without incident, but the ones who refused jeopardized their jobs.

Working high in the air isn’t like riding a bicycle. Most climbers have to acclimate themselves to the fear every single day. When successful on the first climb, confidence is restored for the remainder of the day in climbing abilities, me included. I have worked on high towers mounted on skyscrapers; so high that I could see the curvature of the Earth, high cranes over waterways and on tall highway signs.

I thought my fear of heights was conquered until an occurrence where ladders, cranes, telephone poles and climbing gear were not involved. In 1995, I was onboard an airline flight traveling from Dallas, Texas to Kansas City, Missouri. A massive thunderstorm was occurring and the airplane got caught in a downdraft of wind upon attempting to land on the runway. The pilot warned us for a rough landing and that’s what we received. The nose of the plane struck the runway first before the landing gear wheels. We were tossed around violently, but the airplane didn’t break up and all the passengers were safe.

The experience reawakened my fear of heights…something to be respected and always prepared for.

Holy moly John, that airplane accident ... WOW. When the nose hit the ground first I would have thought the plane would flip over towards the front and land on it's back. Unbelievable that no one had any serious injuries....but I'm sure there were some frivolous lawsuits.

So the company wanted you to climb the pole instead of using a ladder. Hmmmmm....Was it because there were more accidents on the ladder? Not much can happen climbing the ladder other then fear freezing half way up/down the ladder, or, actually falling off of it but I would think you had a safety harness on like the iron workers wear on the top of skyscrapers. I would think the ladder is safer but what do I know. My job was fear of the next lawyer who was going to belittle me.

My Accident came from a ladder on what we called a mid span (between 2 telephone poles}. I fell 30 feet and crushed my ankle. The only safer way to tackle this feat is by ladder. Some tried walking out to the middle of these lines before and it was told that they had a wip-wow experience. The loose cables they were stepping on and handhold cables they were grasping were going opposite ways, like a dancer high above the ground.

Cable TV and lightning:

It was normal for us to work in lightning storms – part of the job. It made me realize the power of Mother Nature and the consequences of her raff. I‘ve walked in these storms and I’ve experienced lightning bolts strike a few feet in front of me. Yes, they are jagged and bright.

Lightning will strike the path of least resistance and go to Earthly ground…that could even be underground. I had to dig up underground damages many times and they were melted and black. Lightning will even strike in the middle of an above ground cable which was difficult for us to find.

I’ve experienced lightning strikes that came down through the middle of multi-storied houses and apartment buildings, leaving a blackened zigzag hole in the ceilings. I was lucky.

For some reason, certain individuals are more perceptible to being struck by lightning. Why? Over 80% are men. Common theory says that it is because these were mostly vagrant men. What about vagrant women? Is it because vagrant women are a minority? Or are these people like me who spent a lot of times outdoors?

Roy Cleveland Sullivan, for most of his life a forest ranger at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. He was struck seven times:

• While in a lookout tower in 1942.
• While driving in 1969.
• While walking across his front yard in 1970.
• While standing in a ranger station in 1972.
• While on patrol in the park in 1973.
• While checking a campground in 1974.
• While fishing in 1977. Fine, the guy's job kept him outside a lot. Still, seven?

Roy suffered assorted losses during these encounters: toenails, eyebrows, hair, and eventually his nerve. After the fourth incident he started to believe some higher power was trying to kill him, according to a 1989 St. Petersburg Times article; the fifth time came after he tried unsuccessfully to outrun a cloud he thought was following him. Given that, ignoring Bayesian considerations, the chances of being struck seven times in your life are about 1 in 1.6 times 10 to the 25th power, I don't blame him for a little paranoia. Lightning didn't end up killing Roy, though - he took his own life at age 71. Can't help thinking he wanted to beat the universe to the punch.

• Men account for 83 percent of lightning victims.
• Golfers make up just fewer than 5 percent of victims.
• July is the most common month to get struck, noon to 6 PM the most common time, and Saturday and Sunday the most common days, with Wednesday a strong third. Why Wednesday? Wild guess: doctors' day off?

I think Roy did the right thing. Mother Nature couldn't get it right so Roy showed her how it's done.

So I'm guessing you don't go out of the house on Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday from noon to 6 pm in the month of July

Gotta go for now John..Later.....

The thrill of catching a guys eye that you like, not moving, and he comes to you.

At first, the thrill of love with my first ex and then my second ex.

Now, other thrills, driving a car fast, wind in my hair.

Being at the ocean, watching the waves, I feel energy.

Being outside before a storm, feeling the strong wind, it's hard to go inside.

Last, amusement parks - especially roller coasters.

John, wow, you liked alot of thrilling things. I can still go on roller coasters, thank goodness. But now, no way can I go on a ferris wheel. Last time I did, and it stopped with me and my ex on top, I didn't like it at all. Also, it looked like the ferris wheel had gotten alot bigger than when I last looked at one. I know it wasn't true but this height thing is bad. I went to a cirus in a auditorium that did not have bar's going up, and it was bad. My friend and I were almost at the top with all these steps. When she sat down, I was actually getting to her by holding on to people's shoulders, ha. But people understood.

The Dobe

The Dobe!

Most times the Greatest Thrills come from Life Experiences:

1) In cable television, we had areas where the cable lines were underground and connections were contained in vaults. That was always a problem; they had to be serviced constantly because of water. The neighborhoods were above average income.

I got called out one afternoon to service an underground vault. I carefully pumped the water out and started working. I had to shut down the cable to a large area, which was not good because the Soap Operas were playing on TV. I had to work very quickly.

Before I was done, a large snake crawled up into the vault. He seemed interested in playing a game of tag with me. The housewives on the street were not happy and started yelling from their doorsteps. What could I do? I called on my radio and one of my co-workers saved me by bringing a pair of animal gloves to remove the snake. Cable television customers are the least understanding of any utility service.

2) We had to do what we called nonpaying disconnects every 2 weeks. My boss mostly chose me because I was good with the customers. It was not a pleasant task to collect an overdue bill or have to disconnect the cable when the customer can't pay. Incidences had occurred with other cable companies where guns were pointed at technicians who had to disconnect.

I had a nonpaying customer to collect from on a nice summer day. I went to the door and the customer answered. I explained the situation. She replied "I no speak English". I had to make the disconnect. I climbed the pole and before I could do anything she started yelling at me in perfect English (swear words included) and began spraying me with a garden hose. I couldn't see anything but I was able to find my cable cutters and cut the cable line to her house. It fell right on top of her and knocked her down! I climbed down the pole and got away.

I went back later with a Police Officer and finished the job.

Those 2 stories were a scream. I would have not yelled at you to get the snake, just a please, pretty please! My recent visit from a cable guy went great. He was nice only didn't have his info right. My cable would go out. He said if it did, I would have to connect and reconnect cable wires. I had never had to learn how to do this because no other cable company would go out on me. He also said to put the tv selection on input 2. Of course, it went out after he left. I had him out 2 times total. Then I called the company, the guy couldn't believe what the other guy had promised me. He promised we would get the tv to work again. He said no, you do not have to do that. Also, put the setting on input 4. I was saved. No problems since.

As for cutting that women's cable, that cracked me up. I have had foreigners say no English, bull. This was this week just after they had spoken to me in English. Then another guy said, he no speak English. I said, yes he does and you know it.
Wise move to get the police. Who knows what she would have done next.

I do not think I could do all of the thrilling things that you have done, but I did do kinda thrilling things when I was a teenager. Seeing how far I could go without being caught by my parents. I did alot of things they never knew.
I wanted to wear a halter top so I would change at school or have it under my shirt. I'd say that was a compromise, ha. But my Mom got onto to me, she quit work sometime when I was in high school because she thought I needed her. Ha, the truth was for her to keep an eye on me.

The Dobe