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Choice Mindsets

Choice Mindsets

02 Mar

Posted at 15:54h in Uncategorized
Matt Hoying:
“I find it ironic that Megan has a file folder marked ‘Paperless’ and… there’s paper in it.”

 

While tracking down what was surely a truly thrilling portion of the Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee Standard General Conditions of the Construction Contract (even the name is long, legal, and boring…), Matt came across one of Megan’s files that, well, seemed like a bit of an oxymoron. The paper in the “Paperless” file is, coincidentally, more legal-beagle language: the portion of the Ohio Revised Code that dictates which kinds of documents can be kept electronically and which must be kept as hard copies.

At Choice One, we’ve noticed a few oxymorons within our line of work. Like how sewer smoke-testing smoke comes as a liquid. Or how traffic engineers perform “speed studies” with the expectation of slowing drivers down. And that sometimes there’s more right-of-way on the left side of the street. Shoot, even our industry is an oxymoron—is there such a thing as a “civil” engineer?

Matt, if you’re looking for more irony concerning paperless-ness, perhaps you could calculate how much paper was used by the State of Ohio to ascertain if a bit of information had to be kept on paper or not. We’re guessing the amount of paper devoted to becoming paperless at the state level is “seriously funny” compared to Megan’s single sheet of printed text.

 

16 Feb

Posted at 11:15h in Uncategorized
Bruce Metz (Jackson Center Village Administrator):
“Do you know what I’m pointing to?”

 

No, Bruce is not pointing to his warm, friendly heart or his stylish (albeit green-less) shirt. He is pointing to his Jeff-Puthoff-style pen placement, because he knows how much Jeff Puthoff misses his precious pocket.

While many of us at Choice One often keep a snazzy, blue-ink-only Choice One pen in our pockets, a few of us carry (or in some cases don’t carry…) more distinctive items:

  • Dane Sommer keeps two pennies from the year he was born in his pocket for good luck.
  • Brian Barhorst has old 50/50 tickets. He says he never wins, but we know better—he just doesn’t want to buy us all lunch.
  • Andy Shuman keeps pepperoni and cheese in his pocket. His Hot Pocket, that is.
  • Kaye Borchers doesn’t keep spare change, although she clearly should. Dane, do you have a couple of cents (or sense?) she could borrow

 

Bruce, thanks for so kindly sympathizing with Jeff on the lack of personal storage space. Pocket or not, however, let’s make sure that pen you carry is one of those snazzy, blue-ink-only types. We’ll have Jeff drop one off if he remembers to tuck an extra in his… padfolio.

P.S. If you haven’t submitted your team for the Sidney Charity Cup, sign up before the March 1 deadline!

02 Feb

Posted at 11:15h in Uncategorized
Kyle Siegrist:
“To be clear… I can grow a mustache, it is just very blonde and thin.”

 

Do you feel the need? The need for …a thin blonde mustache?

If that statement makes no sense to you, it’s probably because you haven’t seen the 2018 Sidney Choice One Charity Cup Invite. If you can’t tell from the invitation, this year’s theme is all the US Navy F-14s, volleyball on the beach, mirrored aviator fun from the 1986 movie Top Gun you can handle. Designer Kyle Siegrist is our resident “Goose” on the invite. Just without the mustache part…

Kyle, maybe your lack of a Goose-style mustache is due to the fact that you weren’t yet born in the height of the Top Gun era. But it’s ok, you were born in a MUCH better year: 1994. You know, the year Choice One Engineering was founded. Good things clearly come from the year 1994, so we know that despite his lack of facial hair in the upper lip-ular area, Kyle is still one of “the best of the best,” like the pilots from Top Gun.

So if you’re not busy on March 28, and don’t mind getting the song “Danger Zone” stuck in your head, come out to the Sidney Charity Cup. We can’t promise our version of Goose will have a mustache, but we’re pretty sure we can promise good food, good competition, a good cause, and a lot of Top Fun!

 

19 Jan

Posted at 11:21h in Uncategorized
Matt: “The City asked us about doing a water model for them.”
Jake: “I do modeling. Just not water modeling–that’s up to Brian Schmidt.”

 

Well, Jake, this photo proves you very wrong: we wouldn’t say you “do modeling” either. The stare is all wrong, your lips are too tight together, and what is with the shine on the top of your head?Regardless, your version of water modeling is not the kind of water modeling Brian might do for our clients.
Don’t’ feel bad Jake, we all did some “modeling” for the About Us section of Choice One’s new website, and can’t say we did much better. You can check out all of the green-clad models on our new Meet Our People page (be sure to hover over each photo to learn a little something about each of us). We engineers often don’t like being photographed, so please be very impressed that we all stood in front of the camera, held still (for at least 30 seconds!), and willingly smiled (some more willingly than others). It’s not that we don’t like to smile, it’s just that glaring lens and flashing light in our faces makes us… anxious. Indeed, our group photo on the homepage is indicative of our crew’s usual approach to having our photos taken.
Jake, we appreciate your modeling efforts–thanks for sharing your “talent” with the world. Maybe try Deja Blue brand water next time to bring out your blue eyes? Jake’s “modeling” aside, if you have a minute, check out the new and improved www.choiceoneengineering.com and find out just what other kinds of modeling Choice One can provide.

05 Jan

Posted at 09:00h in Uncategorized
Josh Craig:
“This is how we know it’s winter in Loveland.”

If you haven’t heard, it’s cold outside. Just ask the perpetually-freezing Mike Goettemoeller, who wears a fleece jacket even in July.

There’s a few other ways we know its winter around Choice One other than Mike G.’s zipper-to-the-nose attire. Those sitting close to exterior doors hear the constant “Riverdance” of Choice Oners knocking snow off their shoes. Our breakroom refrigerator is far more full because no one wants to go out for lunch. Craig Frilling lets us all enjoy the tooth-jarring rumble of his 1989 GMC Safari van for 20 minutes as it warms up. And Caray needs her vehicle jump-started twice each day because of the cold. Wait… nope. She just left her lights on again.

Hang in there, Mike G.! Spring is only 74 days away. Plus, if you want to look forward to some (potentially!) warmer weather, save the date for the Sidney Charity Cup, Wednesday, March 28, 2018! Join us at Shelby Oaks Golf Course to support the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association and be “transported” to the Top Gun Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California-where today’s forecast is sunny and 69°.

22 Dec

Posted at 18:42h in Uncategorized
Various:
“I don’t know the guy who’s playing Cousin Eddie, but he’s dead on.”

 

Put engineer Nick Selhorst in a bathrobe, and we have a Christmas sensation!

After sending out our 2017 Christmas card (you can check out the full version here), we’ve received many delightful comments regarding Nick’s (frighteningly) accurate portrayal of Cousin Eddie from the 1989 holiday movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

For those who are familiar with the movie, you might notice that Choice One has a lot in common with Cousin Eddie. We deal with sewers on a daily basis. Several of us own some version of an RV. Many of us are a little clumsy. And we all do our best to have a positive attitude even when we’re stuck with the Jelly of the Month Club.

Indeed, I think we’re ok having something in common with Eddie (especially Nick!). In the end we don’t mind being the goofy cousin who enriches your holiday season with our willingness to be a little… unique. So in the spirit of Clark W. Griswold, “Merry Christmas to all and to aaalllll a good night!”