Champ Superstar

MY LIFE AS A LIBERTINE. You can't stop the forces of my hurricane heart. Words, life, love, beer, books and music from a girl in New Orleans.

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    BECAUSE YOU ASKED: "What do you do for work?"

    So, I started the silly Formspring page [http://www.formspring.me/champsuperstar] because it looked like fun. It was. It is. Got some interesting questions, some of them legit. So, I answered them the best way I know how: with humor.  But, a few of the questions I felt like I should expound upon. It didn't seem Formspring was the right forum for the answers. Or, at least, not the full on, spill-my-guts answers that this blog is for. So, I thought I'd answer them here. Especially while everyone is enduring Mardi Gras. I can tell all AND fly under the radar at the same time.

     

    So What do you do for work?

     
    >At the time I was asked this, I had just left that crap job I had been at for 8 months. I took some time and went on tour, visiting family and friends, writing and doing a lot of drinking. I only sent out 2 resumes.  I was offered a couple of things, but didn't take them. I was waiting for "something". Well, amazingly, the day after the Superbowl I got a phone call. "I need you in Memphis as soon as possible." Wow. Ok.
     
    It was my old job, the job I loved and the job I unfortunately left when I was planning on getting married. The job requires 100% travel and, for a girl like myself who can't sit still, it's perfect.  So, for those of you who've asked, I can't explain in 140 characters, so here's a brief description:
     
    I work for a company that does non-destructive testing in nuclear, petro, and power refineries and plants around the world. We have a highly skilled team of technicians and inspectors who are trained to use equipment such as x-ray, eddy current, ultrasonic, liquid dye penetrant, magnetic particle and tons of other cool gadgets to measure corrosion, thickness, weakness, and other structural mechanics. These guys are awesome. They measure piping, crawl up towers, into vessels, exchangers, tanks and and other enclosed spaces to do this. And they do it in blocks of 6-8 weeks, sometimes longer, working 12 hour days every day until the job is done. Sites have to completely shut down every unit every so often to do this job. I love those guys. Mike Rowe could learn a thing about dirty jobs from them. 
     
    I do not do any of that.
     
    One, I'm afraid of heights. Two, I'm afraid of enclosed spaces. Three, it's really freaking hard work.
     
    No, no. I do what I always do: tech.  The company I work for hired me as a tech writer (which at that time was a glorified data entry clerk) and sent me to Port Arthur. I learned a ton of valuable skills there, including some highly specialized software and all the vernacular. Soon, instead of just entering data, I was writing reports based on data the Inspection crew would give me. These reports were sometimes 10 pages long, filled with crazy numbers, strange words, acronyms and gauge readings. The reports end up going to OSHA, the API and any other relevant government entities. I eventually learned how to interpret them all.  So, I moved up and up and was sent on more and more jobs. It was great. I was so excited about this line of work that I even got a TWIC card issued by the Department of Homeland Security, which put me through a rigorous background check, among other things. But, again, I left all that last year when I wanted a more regular schedule that didn't require me to travel. So, I took the first job I was offered at way less than my normal rate...yeah, I took about a 2/3 cut in pay to be with Eric. FOOLISH. Love is blind. So much for that dumb decision. Never again.
     
    So...back to Monday. I got a call to go to Memphis, which I eagerly accepted. I knew it meant missing Mardi Gras and South by and just being in NOLA for awhile, but I can't stress enough how much I love this job.  And this time, I get to sorta be the expert. I've been working with PCMS for almost 4 years now and apparently it's a very coveted skill. They've already asked me to move to Memphis. I politely declined, but agreed to be there for the next few months. This will ensure we migrate all this accumulated data (some of it well over 30 years old) to the new database, get through the turnaround using the database, and then scrub and massage new data. I LOVE IT so far.  It's like this HUUUUUUUUGE puzzle and I get to solve it! I take this data (millions of pieces) put it all where it's supposed to go and then calculate and present the risk rate. I get to do this 80+ hours a week, which is fun, though always taxing. 
     
    If you know me, you know I'm not a sleeper, so keeping this busy is a godsend. When I get home at night after being on site for 12-14 hours, I just fall out and sleep soundly for 6 hours (better than my average!). 
     
    Anyway, I can't tell you how excited I am about this project. It's like the holy grail of projects. 
     
    Looks like I'll be here at least through spring, but don't worry...I'll be back in NOLA periodically to drink, party and piss everybody off! 
     
    Yay!
     
    Cheers,
     
    Champ
     
    PS I had some pictures of my little office, but I think I left my phone in the car. 
    • 13 February 2010
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    Comments 2 Comments

    Feb 13, 2010
    shercole said...
    Well Im happy you find something you enjoy doing. Sounds really cool. Best wishes.
    Mar 14, 2010
    Ray Nichols said...
    Congrats! Sounds really interesting and challenging.

    O.K., so, where are the pics?

    Leave a Comment

  • Champ Superstar's Posterous

    I'm one in 2 million. Literally.

    I live life as a libertine.

    I love books, beers and bands.

    I drink Smithwick's and Jager shots.

    I love and miss my Grandma and My Best Girl Bigsby.

    I like geeks, writers and responsible people.

    I like dangerously clever people with multisyllabic vocabularies and twisted logic.

    I like to fall sleep in the Whedonverse and wake up on my own.

    I like kickin' it old school. I like the Doctor on Friday nights and Zach Morris on Saturday mornings. I like tat'd greasers with bad attitudes and soft hands. I like epic books and shifts in the paradigm. I like Centro-Matic at midnight and a full moon view from my front porch.

    I like my cocktail hour to start at noon. I like Lester Bangs and the rock writer ethos. I like bad movies and gossip sites. But, I loathe bad writing and insincere fandom.

    I like Ernie Cline and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I like sidewalk orgasms and rock overload in spring.

    I like Elvis Costello and My Name is John Michael. I love Kathleen Edwards. I like F U songs with bitter lyrics. A lot. I like words: well spoken, well written and well justified.

    I like epidemiology. I like late nights in dark rooms in a self-conscious haze. I loathe the daylight. I like cozy bars and strong cocktails. I like making lists. I love Saints football, cold days and hot toddies.

    I like people who don't question my motives.

    I like beans and rice at Juan's and Torchy's tacos. I like socialist theory and the history of salt. I like being guided by Robert Pollard. I like dirty, rotten scoundrels. The movie and the rogue class.

    I like playing unfair. I like holding grudges. I like to rage. I like to make out in random places. I like to wake up in my own bed. I like the occasional karmic kick in the head.

    I like to find out how people who got married in high school are doing these days. I like people who f**k for validation. I like cribbage and farkle and games with interpretable rules.

    I like when the universe tells me to jump already.

    I like Chicago. The city, not the band. I like New York and Nashvegas.

    I love New Orleans.

    I like expensive hotels and cheap drinks with men of dubious character.

    I like random magic tricks, well-practiced bad jokes and short road trips with people who listen to good music. I like vampires, the Chupacabra and Roberto Clemente. I like Bigfoot and Godzilla and UFOs and Jandek.

    I like to change my mind. I like when others don't.

    I like a sincere laugh. I like irony not defined by Americans or Emo kids. I like screw-ups and screwing with people. I like being serenaded by boys who sing me Death Cab songs.

    I like to try and hide the pain for the things I can't explain.

    I like WILCO.

    I like to geek out.

    I like the slow descent into a life I never meant.

    I do not like hugs. I am never bored.

    STALK ME:

    Twitter: @champsuperstar

    Email: champsuperstar@gmail.com

    Google Voice: 504.383.4277

  • About Champ Superstar

    I'm one in 2 million. Literally.

    I live life as a libertine.

    I love books, beers and bands.

    I drink Smithwick's and Jager shots.

    I love and miss my Grandma and My Best Girl Bigsby.

    I like geeks, writers and responsible people.

    I like dangerously clever people with multisyllabic vocabularies and twisted logic.

    I like to fall sleep in the Whedonverse and wake up on my own.

    I like kickin' it old school. I like the Doctor on Friday nights and Zach Morris on Saturday mornings. I like tat'd greasers with bad attitudes and soft hands. I like epic books and shifts in the paradigm. I like Centro-Matic at midnight and a full moon view from my front porch.

    I like my cocktail hour to start at noon. I like Lester Bangs and the rock writer ethos. I like bad movies and gossip sites. But, I loathe bad writing and insincere fandom.

    I like Ernie Cline and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I like sidewalk orgasms and rock overload in spring.

    I like Elvis Costello and My Name is John Michael. I love Kathleen Edwards. I like F U songs with bitter lyrics. A lot. I like words: well spoken, well written and well justified.

    I like epidemiology. I like late nights in dark rooms in a self-conscious haze. I loathe the daylight. I like cozy bars and strong cocktails. I like making lists. I love Saints football, cold days and hot toddies.

    I like people who don't question my motives.

    I like beans and rice at Juan's and Torchy's tacos. I like socialist theory and the history of salt. I like being guided by Robert Pollard. I like dirty, rotten scoundrels. The movie and the rogue class.

    I like playing unfair. I like holding grudges. I like to rage. I like to make out in random places. I like to wake up in my own bed. I like the occasional karmic kick in the head.

    I like to find out how people who got married in high school are doing these days. I like people who f**k for validation. I like cribbage and farkle and games with interpretable rules.

    I like when the universe tells me to jump already.

    I like Chicago. The city, not the band. I like New York and Nashvegas.

    I love New Orleans.

    I like expensive hotels and cheap drinks with men of dubious character.

    I like random magic tricks, well-practiced bad jokes and short road trips with people who listen to good music. I like vampires, the Chupacabra and Roberto Clemente. I like Bigfoot and Godzilla and UFOs and Jandek.

    I like to change my mind. I like when others don't.

    I like a sincere laugh. I like irony not defined by Americans or Emo kids. I like screw-ups and screwing with people. I like being serenaded by boys who sing me Death Cab songs.

    I like to try and hide the pain for the things I can't explain.

    I like WILCO.

    I like to geek out.

    I like the slow descent into a life I never meant.

    I do not like hugs. I am never bored.

    STALK ME:

    Twitter: @champsuperstar

    Email: champsuperstar@gmail.com

    Google Voice: 504.383.4277

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