It's 'High Time' to Celebrate: Happy NLAD!

An Electrifying Event: "National Lineworker Appreciation Day", that is. Today, April 12th, according to a monthly magazine from a rural energy co-op I receive. Whereas other 'National' calendars that keep us apprised of important dates to acknowledge designate it as April 18th. What the heck, let's just make it NLA week--they deserve it, these unheralded men (and now between 4-7% women, which is partly why its now "lineworker" rather than "lineman"). These people who we tend to only notice when they are NOT present, when we look for them to show up in a power outage. Well, they are out there proactively as well, maintaining the lines so we can maintain a steady supply of power. And, according to the "Occupational Outlook Handbook" (the national weather forecast for occupations for the near future), the overall employment of line installers and repairers is projected to show little or now change from 2019 to 2029. So, while the employment figures might not be 'looking up', at least we will continue to see them at a steady rate if we bother to look up ourselves. Yep, if playing with high-voltage electricity, seeking greater heights, working irregular hours when the weather is irregular, are among desired job descriptors, this job may be for YOU! Add handling a chain saw while dangling from a line, and you have the description of one of the linemen's best friend, the "Tree Trimmer"!

Spacing Out, 60 Years Distant: Another group celebrating 'looking up above' are the Russians, who are celebrating the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin, who completed one revolution around our globe as part of the early space race 60 years ago today. My imagination and spaced out humor allow me to visualize Yuri arriving home to a warm greeting from his wife, Valentina: "Yuri, you're 8 minutes late! You said you'd only be gone 100 minutes...what kept you, don't even try that line about someone going the wrong way and you had to avoid them..." 😊 

Treat Your Lineworker: To a grilled cheese to show your appreciation, what else? As it's also "National Grilled Cheese Day". It's easy to do and you can keep it warm in tin foil and wait for them to show up...and leave it on the hood of the truck, waving appreciation from a distance--even without COVID I'm not sure you want to hug them after they have been on a high wire act, especially if they identify themselves as being engaged in "class 4" work, which involves phase to phase 36kV. THANK YOU! 

🎵I am a (lineworker) for the county...

And the Witchita (lineworker) 

Is still on the line...       -revised from Glen Campbell's 1968 "Witchita Lineman" album...

Some things take time getting used to...

Here's to you, all you lineworkers...say CHEESE!