1500 Posts... A Mini-Rant Giveaway!

FullStepJeffs

I finally hit 1500 posts... Background... I "joined" here on 20 Jun 2003, however, I think it was much later before I even knew this message board existed... you know, join the Collectors Club and you get the following... a membership to our forum, etc.

Okay... enuf of the small talk.

I got back to the wonderful sand box late last night after 15 days rest and relaxation in my house on my street with the wife and kids. Upon my return, I found out the company I've worked for the last 20+ years, who refused multiple requests by me to fix a potential significant issue concerning the lack of capability to move one of my dependants after completion of this assignment, decided to give me a new location to live in when I get to leave here in December. Wonderful Minot (with girls behind every tree), North Dakota with a reporting date of 31 January 2010. Not to bemoan the wonderful state of North Dakota or the Eskimos who live there, but this means, after 12 months in the 120 plus degree sand away from the family, I would have to move to another location, without them again, for a possible minimum of another 12 month vacation in artic conditions.

Therefore, I decided today to retire, opting for the 7 day declination period. For those of you in my line of work, you might understand what that means... however, for the rest of you, it goes like this... IF my company authorizes my request, I will retire on 1 Jan 2010. I will have 94 days of leave accumulated at the end of this assignment. My top boss won't let me take all of it, because I'm in a position which has no replacement until close to that time. Therefore, I'll have to sell back 60 days of leave (my company has guidance which states an employee can only sell back 60 days in a career) and hope my top boss will allow me to take the remaining leave. I could discuss the companies potential for a request for an exemption to the leave policy, but I won't bore you with small talk.

So, here comes the giveaway... the person who posts the most correct answers to the following questions will win a prize upon my return to the states (unfortunately, you'll have to wait that long for a final answer to the questions)...

Will I:

1. Be authorized to retire from the company or end up in Minot, North Dakota?

2. Be granted the capability to take the 34 days leave in total, partially, not at all, or not applicable since the company will let me sell it all back?

3. Receive payment for the leave sold back before or after departure from the sand or not applicable for other reasons?


A Tie Breaker Question:

What numerical day in November or December 2009, will I depart the sand en-route to my next destination? (BE specific... I need month and day for this to work here)

The final tie breaker is... the person with the earliest posted, most correct list of answers.

Again, the winner will be announced upon completion of the movement in November or December 2009.

To keep this post coin related, please post a coin with either a snow or sand-based theme (or any coin on a coolness rating scale) I can see using the message boards picture attachment capability (i.e. I can't see them if you use Photobucket).

Thanks to all of you who have helped me build my #1 set listed HERE and to all those who have helped me here in the boards over the last few years. If you have upgrades to the set, please let me know... I need to purchase something soon... my last purchase euphoria is wearing off.

Peace From the Middle East!

Steve

P.S. I’d love to figure out what day exactly I actually made my first post here… anyone with the capability to teach me how to figure that out… please let me know.

End of Rant

quickwing

Steve, I spent a few weeks for a couple of years hunting birds in the Minot area. The prairies are beautiful in the fall and the sharp tail, pheasants, and prairie chickens are found in abundance. I don't hunt deer but the whitetail I saw were mostly trophy size deer. The North Dakota area has some of the most hospitable people in the country, and yes there are women around every tree which can prove tough for a happily married man. Sometimes when I get bored at work and the calendar nears last September my mind drifts to those wonderful prairies and fantastic bird hunts.
If you don’t enjoy the beauty of the prairies, don’t like to bird (or deer) hunt, and would miss the hustle and bustle of the city life then your ship out of luck with this assignment. My advice would be try it you’ll like it.

ajia

Steve,

Before I attempt to answer the questions, what line of work are you in.
This will help determine if the 'business' is even able to pay (let alone want to) for your leave.

FullStepJeffs

<< <i>Steve, I spent a few weeks for a couple of years hunting birds in the Minot area. The prairies are beautiful in the fall and the sharp tail, pheasants, and prairie chickens are found in abundance. I don't hunt deer but the whitetail I saw were mostly trophy size deer. The North Dakota area has some of the most hospitable people in the country, and yes there are women around every tree which can prove tough for a happily married man. Sometimes when I get bored at work and the calendar nears last September my mind drifts to those wonderful prairies and fantastic bird hunts.
If you don’t enjoy the beauty of the prairies, don’t like to bird (or deer) hunt, and would miss the hustle and bustle of the city life then your ship out of luck with this assignment. My advice would be try it you’ll like it. >>




Quickwing,

I have absolutely nothing against the people of North Dakota and really don't care about the trees (that's a company joke I probably should have left out)... it's leaving my family again for another year that bothers me the most.

Hunting would be exceptional, I'm sure. But what's the point if the kids are still 1500 miles away?

I also probably should have reitterated that I tried everything (short of calling a Congressman) not to get to this point... but the company refused two seperate requests including a Humanitarian request.

Oh, and by the way... the winner of this giveaway will receive (at the minimum) a complete BU+ war nickel set in a capital plastics holder.


Steve

FullStepJeffs

<< <i>Steve,

Before I attempt to answer the questions, what line of work are you in.
This will help determine if the 'business' is even able to pay (let alone want to) for your leave. >>



My sig line says it all...

Steve

flicker

May God bless you for what you are doing for others.
Good luck with the outcome.
God Speed to you and yours!

ocon4008

OK, I am in. Your rich uncle, because you have been a good and faithful employee, and because he knows he can no longer find any other ways to torment you, will allow you to:

1) Retire on terminal leave.

2) Graciously allow you all 34 days of leave and buy back only the 60. (He is a little short on cash this year what with helping out all the wayward cousins who got in trouble.)

3) It may take a few minutes to process your paper work, and check it three times. But then they will process the checking paperwork, check that seven times, send all copies to personel in Cleveland via USPS, Cleveland will authorize payment of said buy back leave. They will send a voucher request to procurement which will check all paperwork to make sure everyone has their copy, and a copy has been placed in your permanant record. Procurement will then send a request to Accounting to make sure they have enough in their checking account; Accounting will check all paper work for spelling errors, and send a request in triplicate to corporate headquarters in Washington to make sure you were actually an employee in the first place. As you can see this may take a few weeks; therefore, my guess is you will be home when the check arrives.

Tie-breaker: 29 November 2009 you are on a mule train to Rihayd; where you will catch a plane to Perth. After a two day layover a boat will ferry you to Guam; where you will catch a plane to (you guessed it) Minot, North Dakota. There they will process your leave paper work and on January 2, 2010 you will be free to go home.

Enjoy your retirement you have earned it. Thank you for your service.

Jim O'C.

WoodenJefferson

Here’s how I see it unfold.

You will:

1. Be authorized to retire from the company
2. Be granted the capability to take the 34 days leave in total
3. Receive payment for the leave sold back after departure

A Tie Breaker Question:

What numerical day in November or December 2009, will I depart the sand en-route to my next destination?

December 7th

a snow or sand-based theme coin: see attachment

All I have is this Token and you might have a pocket full of them already?

I'm going to PM you a story.

jesbroken

When I was separated from the Air Force in 1972, I returned stateside for my final debriefing in Charleston, SC--this took 2 hours after which I was provided all paperwork for my term in the military along with a check for my unused leave accrued while in Nato Command Europe. So, therefore, I will say:

1) Retirement authorized.
2) 34 days leave authorized(when I was in 60 days was the max allowed to be sold back)
3) Payment received upon debriefing if you have a security clearance above mediocre(they would not debrief overseas when I was in).

December 12, 2009


Thank you for your 20 years serving America. I hope you have a wonderful life with your family once home and adjusted to civvy life.
Good luck in all your endeavors.
Jim

Swampboy

1. N.D. no go, no way. Let's get those authorization papers going!
2. Yes - total.
3. Yes. It's the fair thing. Let's all concentrate now.

November 7th.

Best of luck handling the curve ball FSJ and thanks for the Giveaway!

LALASD4

Retire, get pay, before leaving.

YaHa

Jeff, I don't know what the hell you are talking about.. But I say you'll retire to Colorado with great future and the date will be November 28,2009.. Way to go and thanks, You know my son will probably hold your post or one like it in 3 more years.. Yaha

mikeyg

Dont have a clue but I do thank you for your service to all of us and hope that all will go the way that you want it to.

frnklnlvr

Thank you for serving our country for the past 20 years! I don't blame you for not wanting to be away from you family for a minimum of a year.

Ok, now for the questions.

1. Yes, you will be authorized to retire.

2. You will be granted to take the 34 days of leave.

3. You will receive payment for leave sold back after departure from the sand.

A. Dec. 10, 2009 will be your departure day.


Good Luck and God Bless!

FullStepJeffs

Well, I've sat here and thought if I wanted to ask one more time if anyone else wanted a shot at this giveaway, but since one of the original posters actually got every question right, including the bonus question, I just don't think it's right to offer this up again.

The winner is Swampboy. He even got the proposed day of departure right... and since I have a ticket issued, that's the official day.

As soon as I get home, I'll ship out the item. PM sent to Swampboy.

Peace to all from the Middle East.

Steve

Bochiman

Congrats to Swampy!

And, congrats to Jeff for coming home again

Swampboy

Wow!

We did it! Kinda like a forum mind meld.
I'm glad they saw things 'our' way.


Presumably the girls in ND will get over this in time.

Swampboy

Many thanks to FullStepsJeffs for the giveaway and for the Prize!!

A beautiful set of Silver War Nickels .........








......Wow!! What a thrill to get the mail tonight on this wet, stormy night.

You rock Steve!

STONE

Swampboy is on a roll with winning giveaways!
With that said, I don't think my giveaway prize will be as nice as FSJ's

FullStepJeffs

I'm glad you like them... it's a set I put together a few years ago from examples I liked.

Steve

ProofArtworkonCircs

The earliest post you ended was Oct 26, 2004 5:12 PM
http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=332661&highlight_key=y

The earliest post you started was Oct 27, 2004 12:41 AM

It is possible you posted to the middle of a thread earlier than the first item, but I sort of doubt it.

WoodenJefferson

Congrats Swampboy and kudos to FullstepJeffs for the splendid give-a-way and his future.

FullStepJeffs

<< <i>The earliest post you ended was Oct 26, 2004 5:12 PM
http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=332661&highlight_key=y

The earliest post you started was Oct 27, 2004 12:41 AM

It is possible you posted to the middle of a thread earlier than the first item, but I sort of doubt it. >>



I have no idea how you figured that out, but it seems about right.

Thanks!

Steve

JJM

giveaways

hiijacker

1) Retire on terminal leave.

2) Granted all 34 days of leave and buy back only the 60.

3) Be home when the check arrives.

Tie-breaker: 30 November 2009

ProofArtworkonCircs

<<I have no idea how you figured that out, but it seems about right>>

When you first bring up the U.S. Coin Forum page, at the top left you will see a "search" box. To its left is "advanced" Click on that which brings up a form. Fill in your name, select the forums you want and hit "search" (There are many blanks for entries that you can ignore)
In your case, you have 67 pages of items to step through until you get to the end. I use it all the time to see if there is any response to posts I have made.