# Quirks from the job that you bring home



## BXMurphy (Feb 21, 2022)

What things from your job bug you in real life? Here's what I mean...

I just bought a Weber SmokeFire and mentioned it on SMF. Someone said I should hit up or follow 

 chopsaw
 for advice on the thing because he has one and is gracious in giving out help and advice on the unit.

So I did the obligatory search before asking already answered questions when I hit this thread.

And then he says... "_*Aesthetics is everything in Carpentry , and when you do that for a living , the slightest deterrent from balance or proportion can be maddening to look at for me*_ ."

I'm an old printer. For sure, I have a lot of pet peeves like bad typesetting, poor punctuation, etc. *The #1 thing that absolutely drives me to distraction is crookedness*. Can't stand it. I've been known to straighten pictures in doctors' waiting rooms.

What bugs _you_?

Murph


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## JLeonard (Feb 21, 2022)

I've been a Nurse for 30+ yrs. My wife refuses to watch any medical show while I'm in the living room with her. She says the snickering gets on her nerves.
Jim


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## BXMurphy (Feb 21, 2022)

JLeonard said:


> I've been a Nurse for 30+ yrs. My wife refuses to watch any medical show while I'm in the living room with her. She says the snickering gets on her nerves.
> Jim



What do you snicker at the most? I bet it'll ruin me for life!


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## JLeonard (Feb 21, 2022)

BXMurphy
 Just some of the stuff that they show and do on these "medical dramas". It leads to a lot of eye rolling moments. 
Jim


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## civilsmoker (Feb 21, 2022)

Well for me.....it is hard for me to get away from work..... *I mean almost everything around reminds me of work*....hunting/hiking but only when at least a mile in (off trail) and boating almost get the there but there are still aspects of work in both (contours, grades, storm water retention/flood protection, and water surface elevations).....  Even standing in front of the smoker reminds me of work....thermodynamics, electrical, and mechanical engineering all right in front of me......cooking for me is even work based....following a set of specs (performance specs) to get a reasonable expectation of the results.............but that first bite of the results erases thought of work instantly!


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## normanaj (Feb 21, 2022)

I will always comment on paint jobs especially when I see sloppy cut lines.


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## BandCollector (Feb 21, 2022)

I was a teacher for 35 years and now my retirement job is working for a small company servicing natural gas lamps, fireplaces, grills, and heaters.  I am also a bit of a neat freak but have no problem with others borrowing my tools as long as they are returned from where they were found.

Our shop manager constantly works amongst clutter and chaos on his desk and in our showroom (which would make a hoarder cringe).  When he borrows and finishes with my tools he simply lays them down where he stands.

  Enough said!

John


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## checkdude (Feb 21, 2022)

normanaj said:


> I will always comment on paint jobs especially when I see sloppy cut lines.


LOL! Same here. Funny how we can spot faults where others can't.


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## smokerjim (Feb 21, 2022)

Guess I'm lucky or unlucky depends I guess, being a meat manager not much out side of work reminds me of it.


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## DRKsmoking (Feb 21, 2022)

Same for me as for 

 chopsaw
 , I was a cook first for many years and now a carpenter ( for even more years ). And I see things that drive me crazy and I hold my tongue unless someone asks me what do I think of what they have done/built or had another contractor do. 
Then it's too late I have hurt someone's feelings, I feel bad , but don't ask, Please

And in cooking , I hate a dirty messy kitchen, Time to lean you have time to clean. AND DON"T PUT KNIVES IN THE SINK FULL OF WATER. I have fired people for this .
So I am a bit of a clean nut and straight and square freak.

Wow sorry went too far again

David


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## Alsta (Feb 21, 2022)

I work quality control, on the corporate side so I am involved with a lot of the communications and the reporting. I have developed a serious lack of tolerance for lack of communications - there is no reason to not advise as to what's going on with todays technology. Whether it is as simple as a note written on the back of an envelope to a glorified email  - Don't leave people in the dark. 

And I agree! In the kitchen, Treat those knifes with respect! Especially since they are not yours!!!!


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## smokeymose (Feb 21, 2022)

Since I've been "unemployed" for a little over 3 years now, nothing work related bothers me, but during 35 years with a trade show/convention services contractor (the last 12 years as Operations Manager), the thing that galled me the most was scatterbrained people.
"My phone was dead so my alarm didn't go off"
"Hey I have to run home because I forgot my wallet" (while you have 4 trucks and drivers waiting to head out of town for a week).
"I'm only late 15 minutes. What's the big deal?" (while you have 6 other people at $20 an hour waiting).
A truck won't stay running at 15 degrees. " Did you add anti-gel when you filled up yesterday?" "I forgot."
But my all time favorite non work related bug is people not knowing the difference between "there", their" and "they're" and "border" and "boarder".


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## Nate52 (Feb 21, 2022)

I'm in charge of survey and layout for a site construction company. Part of my job includes being on the job when the concrete subs are there for quality control. Its mostly to ensure that everything is ADA compliant. So that means I'm always critiquing sidewalks everywhere I go. My wife is not a big fan of me constantly quoting the regulations.

But then other times I see really interesting looking ramps and think to myself "how would I have staked that one out?" Its more exciting than it sounds.


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## civilsmoker (Feb 21, 2022)

Nate52 said:


> I'm in charge of survey and layout for a site construction company. Part of my job includes being on the job when the concrete subs are there for quality control. Its mostly to ensure that everything is ADA compliant. So that means I'm always critiquing sidewalks everywhere I go. My wife is not a big fan of me constantly quoting the regulations.
> 
> But then other times I see really interesting looking ramps and think to myself "how would I have staked that one out?" Its more exciting than it sounds.


Aggggggg......I understand that....My old company inventoried ie GPS'd, and digital leveled every single ADA ramp in Idaho on state routes...we also developed the State standard on how to put them back and pass inspection....let me just say one size does not fit all......


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## Brokenhandle (Feb 21, 2022)

Not really something that bothers me...maybe my wife...drive down the road and I can tell you every single farmer that uses GPS and auto steer. Whether it's planting or doing tillage work. 

Ryan


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## bigfurmn (Feb 21, 2022)

I am a dispatcher and driver for a freight comapny. Things that drive me nuts, people who can't figure out how to drive! I don't even pay attention to people who get mad at those of us who know how to drive.


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## DougE (Feb 21, 2022)

Well, when you're an arborist, you can't help but look at every tree as you drive down the road and do a mental pruning job on each one. It's not as bad now that I've been out of the game awhile, but I still do it some.


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## BXMurphy (Feb 22, 2022)

DRKsmoking said:


> And in cooking , I hate a dirty messy kitchen, Time to lean you have time to clean. AND DON"T PUT KNIVES IN THE SINK FULL OF WATER. I have fired people for this .
> So I am a bit of a clean nut and straight and square freak.



Clean freaks. Good GRIEF!    I could never understand that.

Knives in water. Meh. As long as you don't get cut and even then... we can buff that out...

Sorry, DRK!


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## BXMurphy (Feb 22, 2022)

Alsta said:


> I work quality control, on the corporate side so I am involved with a lot of the communications and the reporting. I have developed a serious lack of tolerance for lack of communications - there is no reason to not advise as to what's going on with todays technology. Whether it is as simple as a note written on the back of an envelope to a glorified email  - Don't leave people in the dark.
> 
> And I agree! In the kitchen, Treat those knifes with respect! Especially since they are not yours!!!!



Lack of communication bugs you, huh? Interesting. 

See what I did there?


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## BXMurphy (Feb 22, 2022)

smokeymose said:


> But my all time favorite non work related bug is people not knowing the difference between "there", their" and "they're" and "border" and "boarder".



Hell, NO! Don't even get me going! I HATE that! Arrrgh!!!!

I also hate excuses for not working. Can't abide it.


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## BXMurphy (Feb 22, 2022)

Here's another one I can't stand from my stint in the corporate world: people who end their sentences on an upswing.

Every sentence sounds like a question. Hard to describe in a forum but it might go something like, "I was looking at the chart that you sent me? And I had some questions for you?"

You gotta sound more commanding than that.


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## yankee2bbq (Feb 22, 2022)

At one point in my life I was a concrete finisher for a city municipality. Doing sidewalks, curbs and driveways. I was trained by an old timer in “perfection” and everything was picture framed. Thus, it’s looking at any concrete work for mistakes and how it was finished.


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## negolien (Feb 22, 2022)

I don't know I' am always consciously trying not to yell "You fkin Idots" out loud instead of just in my head. Does that count lol? When you face the idiocy of the human race on a daily basis it's hard to look at people the same.


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## fxsales1959 (Feb 22, 2022)

BXMurphy said:


> What things from your job bug you in real life? Here's what I mean...
> 
> I just bought a Weber SmokeFire and mentioned it on SMF. Someone said I should hit up or follow @chopsaw for advice on the thing because he has one and is gracious in giving out help and advice on the unit.
> 
> ...


broadcast engineer....  and this isn't from work, but from freelance video and production. I want to slap the phone out of hands when I see people taking video in portrait mode versus landscape. fer crissakes folks is your TV mounted vertically or horizontally? I've also been told I'm a bit hard to watch TV and movies with. From bad edits and continuity issues to color balancing. You get that after 30 years of shooting and editing video.  sorry...  My journalism background used to make me crazy about spelling and diction before the stroke. I've backed off of that one, now being a one handed typist (left hand is pretty much useless these days). a short post like this take3s15-20 minutes to type and proof.


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## BandCollector (Feb 22, 2022)

One non related irritant that gets me is when people say "I seen him/her/it/etc."  instead of I saw.

English grammer has been thrown out the window.  I wonder if people are not paying attention in school or just don't care.  I takes just as much effort to learn something properly as it does improperly.  

Drives me nuts,

John


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## BurntWeenie (Feb 22, 2022)

Data are NOT data is


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## clifish (Feb 22, 2022)

Also in the printing industry and I am constantly looking at the "junk" mail sent to me finding errors or just poor execution.  

Oh and when I am on my Jeep Wrangler forum and people use the sentence "why are my breaks making noise"!  it is brakes!!!!


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## chp (Feb 22, 2022)

What bugs _you_?

Some things I can’t help but bring home. I have been a firefighter for over 20 years, so I tend to look at every situation and consider the bad outcomes. I also can’t watch any of the 911 type shows. 
My first career was as an analytical chemist, so everything was both accurate and precise. However, I enjoy cooking, grilling, and smoking because I can  relax and practice the art without getting caught up in the science. I can completely leave the accurate aspect at work. That part never carried over. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the science side and I certainly hear the same thing with some of the engineers responses, but it’s fun to practice an art too.


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## Smoke-Chem BBQ (Feb 22, 2022)

This isn't a quirk from my day job, but for 20 years I had a really cool one-day-a-year side gig as a crew chief for a major fireworks company.    Before retiring from that two years ago, I ran July 4 firework shows for towns around the state.  Kind of a dream job for a chemist...  

Anyway, I still love watching firework shows, but in the back of my mind I'm still filing away cool choreography I'd like to use, or noting errors in the timing or sequencing or shell selection used.


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## GaryHibbert (Feb 22, 2022)

I'm working on my 47th year as a tractor/trailer truck driver--on road and off.  Watching all the incompetent and simply brain dead drivers on the roads just drives me nuts.
Gary


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## kawboy (Feb 22, 2022)

30+ years in the bumper chroming business, the wife has learned to tune out my naming every make and model of vehicle we'd see while on the road.


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## SmokinAl (Feb 22, 2022)

Well, I haven’t worked for 17 years (retired at 59). And luckily I was either an independent contractor or owned my own business when I was working, so I really didn’t have any of that drama. But I don’t have a pension either.
Al


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## 912smoker (Feb 22, 2022)

I've been providing life and supplemental benefits to groups for over 30 yrs. 
Before that a plumber/elec for 13 yrs. I still check out the outlets in every room to make sure they're all turned the same way and mounted correctly. Take notice of every faucet and still have a "plumbers' eye" and  use it on a regular basis ....according to my wife   .

Now with my current profession.....
try to imagine asking woman that you come in contact with...her weight 
And when they refuse , my response is that I was pretty good with livestock in the FFA.
If they will get on all fours I can get within 5 lbs 

Keith


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## SmokinAl (Feb 22, 2022)

GaryHibbert said:


> I'm working on my 47th year as a tractor/trailer truck driver--on road and off.  Watching all the incompetent and simply brain dead drivers on the roads just drives me nuts.
> Gary



Sorry, don’t mean to hi jack this thread, but Gary I’m still waiting to see you on TV. The Weather channel has all those Canadian trucker shows & I‘m still wishing I will see your rig on one of them. And I’m wondering if you were involved in that protest? Once again, sorry for the hijack.
Al


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## Hank R (Feb 22, 2022)

After driving truck for 10 years and school Bus for 32 years, it bugs me to no end when one can not back into a spot and be straight line with the side of bus or truck as well as the front end.  Wife keeps tell me to get over  it...


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## mneeley490 (Feb 22, 2022)

Mmm, without revealing too much, let's just say I work in the court system.
Reviewing police reports, it always amazes me (in these days of spell-check) that I see something like, "...the suspect tried to _steel _the item...". There, their, and they're, are always abused.
Reports have to be written fully and completely in order to hold a suspect after their arrest. For a minor allegation, the officer can sometimes go on for pages. But when something truly horrific crosses my desk, the initial report is only a couple sentences long. That's a hard sell to a judge.

Also, occasionally I have to answer phone calls from the public.
(My favorite _Parks and Recreation, _Ron Swanson line goes: "I hate the public. The public is stupid." Many people say I remind them of Ron Swanson.)
Apparently, Civics isn't taught in the school systems anymore. Most callers are flummoxed to learn that the real court system doesn't work exactly like on _Law & Order, _or whatever courtroom drama they're watching. No one ever gets arrested, and then goes to trial in a week.

Lame excuses for missing court irk me as well. Some I've heard include:
My mom didn't wake me in time. (He's 45 years old.)
I live in _X _and there was a big crash on the freeway, so I can't make it. (Yeah, I live there too, but somehow I made it on time.)
I have to be somewhere else tomorrow. Can I reschedule? (No. It's not a dentist appointment. You can go to jail.)
I can't get transportation. (Your hearing is in 2 weeks. There are planes, trains, buses, and automobiles. Figure it out.)

Statistically speaking, it's an amazing anomaly with how many, many people suffer a flat tire on the way to their court hearings.
Bomb threats are rare, but somehow always happen on a Friday, the day when sentencings take place.
Fire evacuation drills are always scheduled to interfere with the lunch hour, and if possible, when it's raining outside.


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## mneeley490 (Feb 22, 2022)

Smoke-Chem BBQ said:


> This isn't a quirk from my day job, but for 20 years I had a really cool one-day-a-year side gig as a crew chief for a major fireworks company.    Before retiring from that two years ago, I ran July 4 firework shows for towns around the state.  Kind of a dream job for a chemist...
> 
> Anyway, I still love watching firework shows, but in the back of my mind I'm still filing away cool choreography I'd like to use, or noting errors in the timing or sequencing or shell selection used.


Assuming you're not a, "Here, hold my beer" kind of guy.


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## Smoke-Chem BBQ (Feb 22, 2022)

mneeley490 said:


> Assuming you're not a, "Here, hold my beer" kind of guy.


I can be...it all depends on what I'm doing.     But with the big pyro, I was always plenty cautious.  I got through 20 years without anyone getting hurt.

Oh, we had a couple of spectacular mishaps--the quality control on some of the imported shells isn't what it should be--but the safety protocols always kept everyone safe.


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## crazymoon (Feb 22, 2022)

BXMurphy said:


> I also hate excuses for not working. Can't abide it.


BXM, My excuse for not working is retirement ! I always tried to leave " work at work", but usually woke up in the middle of the night stressing about the next project though !


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## BandCollector (Feb 22, 2022)

912smoker said:


> Now with my current profession.....
> try to imagine asking woman that you come in contact with...her weight
> And when they refuse , my response is that I was pretty good with livestock in the FFA.
> If they will get on all fours I can get within 5 lbs
> ...



LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## BandCollector (Feb 23, 2022)

Here is another one:  My wife, who is reading specialist, cringes at the misuse of the apostrophe and despises the random capitalization of common nouns.


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## clifish (Feb 23, 2022)

BandCollector said:


> Here is another one:  My wife, who is reading specialist, cringes at the misuse of the apostrophe and despises the random capitalization of common nouns.


Please don't show her any of my posts


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## kawboy (Feb 23, 2022)

Smoke-Chem BBQ said:


> I can be...it all depends on what I'm doing.     But with the big pyro, I was always plenty cautious.  I got through 20 years without anyone getting hurt.
> 
> Oh, we had a couple of spectacular mishaps--the quality control on some of the imported shells isn't what it should be--but the safety protocols always kept everyone safe.


As a display pyro myself, I got a kick out of you "spectacular mishap" comment. Safety protocols are a good thing some times. Biggest danger always seems to be wandering spectators.


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## chopsaw (Feb 23, 2022)

clifish said:


> Oh and when I am on my Jeep Wrangler forum and people use the sentence "why are my breaks making noise"! it is brakes!!!!


Drives me nuts too , but I've learned to use that to my advantage . When searching for used parts or tools , purposely misspell what you're looking for . 
Most of the time you'll get some good hits . I was restoring ATC 3 Wheelers a few years back . Found some good parts using " 3 Weller "   " threa willer " 



912smoker said:


> Before that a plumber/elec


Sorry , but I just had a vision of the 3 stooges with water coming out of the light fixture when they turn the switch on . Lol . 

Just added some outlets in a workout area of my basement . I like all the cover screws horizontal . 

Here's my electrical gripe . All my rooms are wired with a light switch and a ceiling fan switch . In a 2 gang box the first switch as you enter the space should turn the light on !!! Not the freaking fan . Drives me insane .


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## 912smoker (Feb 23, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Drives me nuts too , but I've learned to use that to my advantage . When searching for used parts or tools , purposely misspell what you're looking for .
> Most of the time you'll get some good hits . I was restoring ATC 3 Wheelers a few years back . Found some good parts using " 3 Weller "   " threa willer "
> 
> 
> ...


Yes sir all of the cover screws should line up and the ground should be facing the floor !

And the switches also drive me crazy  !
There IS a proper order  

Keith


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## GaryHibbert (Feb 23, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Here's my electrical gripe . All my rooms are wired with a light switch and a ceiling fan switch . In a 2 gang box the first switch as you enter the space should turn the light on !!! Not the freaking fan . Drives me insane .



Yeah!!!  Our house builder wired up the switches in the master bdrm that way.  Coulda killed him.
Gary


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## Brokenhandle (Feb 23, 2022)

912smoker said:


> I've been providing life and supplemental benefits to groups for over 30 yrs.
> Before that a plumber/elec for 13 yrs. I still check out the outlets in every room to make sure they're all turned the same way and mounted correctly. Take notice of every faucet and still have a "plumbers' eye" and  use it on a regular basis ....according to my wife   .
> 
> Now with my current profession.....
> ...


I'm curious...how many actually got down all four compared to how many set you on your "plumber's eye"?   

Ryan


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## BandCollector (Feb 23, 2022)

clifish said:


> Please don't show her any of my posts


I always ask her to edit mine before I post them and I'm sure she would be happy to do the same for you. . .LOL

John


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## MJB05615 (Feb 23, 2022)

When I was a Retail Store Manager, I would straighten the stuff on the shelves wheneve we'd go to the store, the Mrs. didn't like the extra time it took, lol.  Since I've been a Photographer the last 29 years, I'm always looking at displayed pictures either in stores or people's homes, offices, etc, and mentally critiquing them.


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## mosparky (Feb 23, 2022)

Gotta agree on the switches and outlets. Part of being smart is knowing where you are dumb. If I don't make all the light switches, the one closest to the door, I will forever be flipping the wrong one !
Quirks from work ? Probably the biggest one is precision. I've worked in and around machineshops for 20+ yrs. Hence when I measure something out, close enough is seldom good enough. Cut a board, I do my darnedest it split the line (and the line has to be drawn with a sharp pencil). Same with measuring spices and such. 1 pound of burger for the freezer is gonna read 1.00 on the scale.


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## tx smoker (Feb 24, 2022)

Cool thread. A couple things that annoy the daylights out of me.

-People that don't know the difference between "your" and "you're". "Your" is a possessive pronoun and "you're" is a contraction combining the words "you" and "are". To see somebody write something to the effect of "your gonna like this" bugs me to no end. There is nothing in that sentence to possess so why are you using a possessive pronoun? This happens WAY too often.

-Insurance people who ask for the VIN number of your vehicle. VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number. So are they asking for your vehicle identification number number? Is a VIN number a special secret identification number to note the VIN? Same with the PIN number for your debit card.

-People who try to sound smart and say "I will notate that in the file". Notate is not a word. It may have been misused for so long that it's become acceptable but that's like saying if we rob enough banks that too will become acceptable.

-Using the non-word irregardless. That also is not a word. Matter of fact it is a double negative that actually negates the point that somebody is trying to make. The word that should be used is regardless: "without regard to".

-Having been a high-end carpenter, both framing and finish, I am all about balance, symmetry, and perfection. I can spot a door header that's 1/16" out of level from all the way across the room. Used to drive my trim carpenters crazy when I hung up the tool bag and started into management because it's just not acceptable in a house that has a 7-figure price tag attached to it.

-Tracy hanging pictures even the slightest bit out of level. Drives her nuts when I stop and straighten one that she just dusted.

Just a few....
Robert


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## MJB05615 (Feb 24, 2022)

1 other thing I really dislike, people who can't be bothered to us their directional signal when making a turn.
I'm supposed to be a mind reader and know if they're turning right or left?  It's a lot worse in the last 10 years too.  Maybe it takes too much effort while driving and texting to lift or lower the lever?


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## crazymoon (Feb 24, 2022)

MJB05615 said:


> 1 other thing I really dislike, people who can't be bothered to us their directional signal when making a turn.
> I'm supposed to be a mind reader and know if they're turning right or left?  It's a lot worse in the last 10 years too.  Maybe it takes too much effort while driving and texting to lift or lower the lever?


MJB, It's none of your business which way I'm turning !


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## 912smoker (Feb 24, 2022)

Brokenhandle said:


> I'm curious...how many actually got down all four compared to how many set you on your "plumber's eye"?
> 
> Ryan


Hahahaha not one has taken advantage of the offer Ryan. They just chuckle and fess up 
I have responded with 
"well you're just big boned" or "no ma'am my wife refers to it as juicy " 

Keith


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## Bearcarver (Feb 24, 2022)

MJB05615 said:


> 1 other thing I really dislike, people who can't be bothered to us their directional signal when making a turn.
> I'm supposed to be a mind reader and know if they're turning right or left?  It's a lot worse in the last 10 years too.  Maybe it takes too much effort while driving and texting to lift or lower the lever?



They have the right to turn without signaling!

Bear


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## Bearcarver (Feb 24, 2022)

I always notice woodworking wherever I go.
Ever Since I was a Kid with a Heart Murmur, and My Dad would have to take me to all the "Heart Specialists".
Every office, lobby, or waiting room we were forced to wait in, Old Dad would be saying "Ay Yai Yai, I can't believe they pay people for work like this", referring to the all the Trim Joints in the Base, Door, and Window trim in the rooms. Now I notice the same things!!

Bear


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## chopsaw (Feb 24, 2022)

Bearcarver said:


> all the Trim Joints in the Base, Door, and Window trim in the rooms.


Yup . When running standing trim the miter should be so that you " look past " it . Not into it . Shows up like a sore thumb . Drives me nuts . 
Heck when I used to hang sheathing on buildings , I would make all the writing so you could read it . Not upside down . Drives me nuts .


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## Fueling Around (Feb 24, 2022)

My wife has put up with my "bringing it home" for over 30 years.
I have worked in many trades and was an engineer for 25 years (16 years with a major aerospace company).
I notice everything.

We're renting a condo for a snowbird winter.  My squawk log is almost 3 pages long.


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## Brokenhandle (Feb 24, 2022)

I really like this thread! It has made me laugh alot! Made me realize I'm really fortunate...and I'm glad so many of the things mentioned don't bother me. Not making light of anything,  and please don't grade my punctuation...I'd probably flunk. 

Ryan


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## zwiller (Feb 24, 2022)

I run a title company and have been at it for my whole life.  It's really cool, I work with all sorts of famous names all the time, like James Brown, Steve Miller, and Jim Morrison.   

My grandfather owned a sign shop that specialized in neon.  I inherited his OCD for graphics.  I see it all day long.  Here's a good one I saw this past Christmas.


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## bauchjw (Feb 24, 2022)

Brokenhandle said:


> I really like this thread! It has made me laugh alot! Made me realize I'm really fortunate...and I'm glad so many of the things mentioned don't bother me. Not making light of anything,  and please don't grade my punctuation...I'd probably flunk.
> 
> Ryan


Haha! I agree, its a really great thread to read through with some great insight. Maybe its the inner Iowan, but I felt really blessed that I'm not really bothered by a lot anymore.  I used to take some stuff home with me, but had to let it go with help from the wife and others to save the marriage! However, I will say that I admire craftsmanship and am in full support of the craftsman here who take issues with imperfection!


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## mosparky (Feb 24, 2022)

912smoker said:


> Yes sir all of the cover screws should line up and the ground should be facing the floor !
> 
> And the switches also drive me crazy  !
> There IS a proper order
> ...


 I'll see that and raise you a "up is on, down is off"


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## chopsaw (Feb 24, 2022)

mosparky said:


> "up is on, down is off"


And that's why I hate 3 way switches . One's always wrong !!


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## Brokenhandle (Feb 24, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> And that's why I hate 3 way switches . One's always wrong !!


I did notice that today when I went upstairs and turned light on...switch was up so flipped it down to turn light on. Was gonna turn light off upstairs so switch would be correct when I came downstairs!  Look what you're (your  ) doing to me lol.
And Keith,  
9
 912smoker
  as a former plumber, with no plumber's eye...I used to be skinny...it sucks being the skinny guy, guess who gets crawlspace duty lol!  As a former plumber...they are water heaters, not hot water heaters...hot water is already hot, no heating needed!

Ryan


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## bauchjw (Feb 24, 2022)

912smoker said:


> I've been providing life and supplemental benefits to groups for over 30 yrs.
> Before that a plumber/elec for 13 yrs. I still check out the outlets in every room to make sure they're all turned the same way and mounted correctly. Take notice of every faucet and still have a "plumbers' eye" and  use it on a regular basis ....according to my wife   .





chopsaw said:


> Just added some outlets in a workout area of my basement . I like all the cover screws horizontal .
> 
> Here's my electrical gripe . All my rooms are wired with a light switch and a ceiling fan switch . In a 2 gang box the first switch as you enter the space should turn the light on !!! Not the freaking fan . Drives me insane .


 My father-in-law is a retired master electrician, when my wife and I bought a house, 13 years ago, the previous owners had been trying to flip it cheap, but got caught in the crash. I didn’t notice anything annoying about how they did the wiring, but within less than a day into his friendly visit, he was tearing everything apart. He did about 15k worth of rewiring for free over a week because he couldn’t handle it being below his standards, trust it because it was below his standards, or want his daughter in a house with wiring/switches/outlets below his standards I was pleasantly shocked, even though I had to pay for material I wasn’t expecting…..including dry wall and mud that he did after the wiring….again to his standard! Even if I wanted to argue, it was very clearly not an option for me if I wanted his daughter under that roof! Besides, I learned a lot!

EDIT: To clarify and address 

 Fueling Around
 ‘s very good point. I left out that the house was 100 years old. It was a safety issue more than cosmetic.I think they somehow had spliced “knob and tube” to modern wiring. That’s what started the major overhaul, his obsession with details is what stuck in my memory though.

For the grammar, spelling, punctuation people, pease forgive my mistakes….normally I’m typing on my phone!


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## Fueling Around (Feb 24, 2022)

Many of the gripes against electrical is merely cosmetic or common sense of alignment, switch position, and outlet orientation.  I agree with the commonsense comments, but they do not violate NEC (code) regulations.

Code only addresses safety.
Here is a common code violation






Sad is the 3 inspection stickers passing this installation


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## BXMurphy (Feb 24, 2022)

crazymoon said:


> MJB, It's none of your business which way I'm turning !



Are you in a labor union?


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## BXMurphy (Feb 24, 2022)

zwiller said:


> I run a title company and have been at it for my whole life.  It's really cool, I work with all sorts of famous names all the time, like James Brown, Steve Miller, and Jim Morrison.
> 
> My grandfather owned a sign shop that specialized in neon.  I inherited his OCD for graphics.  I see it all day long.  Here's a good one I saw this past Christmas.
> 
> View attachment 526802



The printer in me screams, "Bad kerning!"


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## BXMurphy (Feb 24, 2022)

BXMurphy said:


> The printer in me screams, "Bad kerning!"



I figure there's at least a half-dozen OCD freaks in here that just went looking up what "kerning" meant. Go ahead... admit it... I know you're you're in here...


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## Bearcarver (Feb 25, 2022)

mosparky said:


> I'll see that and raise you a "up is on, down is off"



Exactly!!
Mrs Bear turns the wrong one on and messes them up.
I like up being on & down being off, especially at the end where I go in there at night in the dark. I like to just rub my hand upward across the plate, catching the switch on the way. I don't like having to find the switch & stand there having to figure out which way to swipe it.

Bear


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## clifish (Feb 25, 2022)

BXMurphy said:


> I figure there's at least a half-dozen OCD freaks in here that just went looking up what "kerning" meant. Go ahead... admit it... I know you're you're in here...


Not me,  30 years in the printing business,  that is both a bad font choice and bad kerning.  Just today I got a newsletter from a customer ( A PR firm at that) and they use auto hyphenation in every paragraph.  While technically not wrong,  it drives me nuts.  For those that do not know,  auto hyphenation is when a word is too big to fit at the end of a line there is a hyphenation inserted to continue the word on the next line.


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## zwiller (Feb 25, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Here's my electrical gripe . All my rooms are wired with a light switch and a ceiling fan switch . In a 2 gang box the first switch as you enter the space should turn the light on !!! Not the freaking fan . Drives me insane .


I get that.  I had to move a bunch of stuff they way I wanted it, bonus was adding dimmers.  Helped rewire my nephew's house and he had 3 and 4 ways all over the place and ONLY the dude who built it coulda understood it.  Was probably really slick in the 40s...   One of the previous owners didn't help by putting in single poles all over.  LOL  Our bedrooms all have switch to outlet for lamps.  Was not a fan at first but has grown on me.  All our closets had pull string lights and HATE them.  I came close to rewiring mine for switches a few times like I did in my last house but put it off.  One of them went bad recently and I work in a few small gov office that have motion sensor restroom lights and wondered...  Found motion activated LED fixtures on Amazon for $17.  OMG.  Total game changer and making me look at things in another perspective.  Just replaced smoke detectors and that is another wild one.  I went with units with a built in lithium battery good for 10 years.  They're only good for that long anway (Dad retired FD).  Under $20 too...  Put in a one of those usb power hubs in the kitchen and has been a Godsend.  Pretty cool time for this sorta stuff.


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