On days like today, I both love and hate my job.
First, let me say that I love electricity. That probably sounds weird to most people, especially when you consider that I'm a girl. But what I see that most people don't, is that electricity is like a beautiful, but wild, animal. It is an amazing, sleak creature with slick black fur and deep green eyes. We all use it every day. It makes our lives better. We are amazed by the things it can do and often take for granted it's beauty. Just like the wild animal, if treated properly and with appropriate respect, it can amaze us and improve our lives. But, if we mistreat it, abuse it, or take it's wild nature for granted, then it becomes that viscious beast that will kill us without a moment's hesitation. Oh, there are some who live to tell about the attack, but I would dare say, none who want to repeat the encounter.
Yes, to me, electricity is a beautiful and viscious thing to be handled with great care.
Now, I come to days like today. My job, essentially, is to keep the beast in check. To know how it must be treated and cared for and make sure that those who use it do the same. I want the people to know that this quiet killer lurking inside their walls has been properly contained so it never presents any unexpected or uninvited danger to them or their families. On a day like today, where I find gross mishandling of the beast, it infuriates me. Don't try to walk up and take a picture of that wild bison, they say. It can turn in an instant and kill you. Oh, you have a really fancy camera and you read a photography book you got at Home depot? Well, why didn't you say so. Sure, you are qualified to walk up to any wild animal and take it's picutre and it won't harm you. Just make sure it knows about the book from Home Depot.
I have heard it all. "A trained monkey can pull wire." "It's just from here to there and slap in a plug, what's the big deal?"
"I don't understand why something so harmless needs so many critical procedures and practices to follow."
I suppose the hundreds of man hours spent studying about electricity and then writing directions for it's safe use are just a big waste of time.
"It's my house, I can install the wiring without any training or knowledge. Don't forget, I have that book from Home Depot to follow."
I guess by that thinking, it's my body, I should be able to prescibe my own medications and do my own surgeries. I'm sure there's a medical book to tell me how to do it. I have to go to medical school to treat other patients, but I don't have to have any formal training to put a sleek, wild, black panther in every livingroom and hope it doesn't eat the owners. I don't even have to tell them I put it there and they can just live in blissful ignorance and hope they don't do something to set it off.
Over the years I have seen so many scary things. It's like watching people walking ignorantly on the edge of a cliff and wanting to drag them to safety, but not being able to.
Breathe Jane, just breathe. Being passionate about it only gives you heartburn because you can only do what you can do.
But, I will keep learning about the beast. I will watch it and do my best to protect others from it as well. But, then as the saying goes, you can't fix stupid. There will always be that one person who thinks it's so pretty that it has to be safe. Just remember, we all use electricity every day, and we do it, for the most part, safely. But, that's because there are always people like me out there watching the beast and working to keep it safely in it's cage where it's beauty can be enjoyed, and it's danger avoided.
Now, why can't this nice hotel have a microwave in the room?
First, let me say that I love electricity. That probably sounds weird to most people, especially when you consider that I'm a girl. But what I see that most people don't, is that electricity is like a beautiful, but wild, animal. It is an amazing, sleak creature with slick black fur and deep green eyes. We all use it every day. It makes our lives better. We are amazed by the things it can do and often take for granted it's beauty. Just like the wild animal, if treated properly and with appropriate respect, it can amaze us and improve our lives. But, if we mistreat it, abuse it, or take it's wild nature for granted, then it becomes that viscious beast that will kill us without a moment's hesitation. Oh, there are some who live to tell about the attack, but I would dare say, none who want to repeat the encounter.
Yes, to me, electricity is a beautiful and viscious thing to be handled with great care.
Now, I come to days like today. My job, essentially, is to keep the beast in check. To know how it must be treated and cared for and make sure that those who use it do the same. I want the people to know that this quiet killer lurking inside their walls has been properly contained so it never presents any unexpected or uninvited danger to them or their families. On a day like today, where I find gross mishandling of the beast, it infuriates me. Don't try to walk up and take a picture of that wild bison, they say. It can turn in an instant and kill you. Oh, you have a really fancy camera and you read a photography book you got at Home depot? Well, why didn't you say so. Sure, you are qualified to walk up to any wild animal and take it's picutre and it won't harm you. Just make sure it knows about the book from Home Depot.
I have heard it all. "A trained monkey can pull wire." "It's just from here to there and slap in a plug, what's the big deal?"
"I don't understand why something so harmless needs so many critical procedures and practices to follow."
I suppose the hundreds of man hours spent studying about electricity and then writing directions for it's safe use are just a big waste of time.
"It's my house, I can install the wiring without any training or knowledge. Don't forget, I have that book from Home Depot to follow."
I guess by that thinking, it's my body, I should be able to prescibe my own medications and do my own surgeries. I'm sure there's a medical book to tell me how to do it. I have to go to medical school to treat other patients, but I don't have to have any formal training to put a sleek, wild, black panther in every livingroom and hope it doesn't eat the owners. I don't even have to tell them I put it there and they can just live in blissful ignorance and hope they don't do something to set it off.
Over the years I have seen so many scary things. It's like watching people walking ignorantly on the edge of a cliff and wanting to drag them to safety, but not being able to.
Breathe Jane, just breathe. Being passionate about it only gives you heartburn because you can only do what you can do.
But, I will keep learning about the beast. I will watch it and do my best to protect others from it as well. But, then as the saying goes, you can't fix stupid. There will always be that one person who thinks it's so pretty that it has to be safe. Just remember, we all use electricity every day, and we do it, for the most part, safely. But, that's because there are always people like me out there watching the beast and working to keep it safely in it's cage where it's beauty can be enjoyed, and it's danger avoided.
Now, why can't this nice hotel have a microwave in the room?
