Somnium7? Anyone know how to reach him?

[kojdogg]

Mike, aka Somnium7, who has been a very cool guy in my dealings with him, was/has been doing some tech work for a friend of mine and it has streched out for months. He has my buddy's pres (two Neotek strips) and my friend has paid a lot of money for parts and labor to him for some work, but now my buddy can't get in touch with him by email or phone.

First and foremost, I hope he's okay. Second, I know my buddy is getting a bit anxious about this, so if anyone can get him a message, could you ask him to contact Lyle about his Neoteks?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

[Somnium7]

Originally Posted by kojdogg

Mike, aka Somnium7, who has been a very cool guy in my dealings with him, was/has been doing some tech work for a friend of mine and it has streched out for months. He has my buddy's pres (two Neotek strips) and my friend has paid a lot of money for parts and labor to him for some work, but now my buddy can't get in touch with him by email or phone.

First and foremost, I hope he's okay. Second, I know my buddy is getting a bit anxious about this, so if anyone can get him a message, could you ask him to contact Lyle about his Neoteks?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Hey kojdogg,

I emailed Lyle today and gave him an update. I feel really bad for being out of touch for so long but things have been seriously bad on my end. After my wife left me I had planned to move to DC for my new job. Unfortunately the week before I was to move my new employer terminated me without reason. I had money down on an apartment in DC which I lost, and my old place had been put up for sale by the landlord so as a result I have been homeless ever since. People don't seem to want to rent to an unemployed dude for some reason.

Anyway sob story aside, I managed at great effort and expense to save everything in a storage unit. The Neotek project is safely in there and is 90% completed. As soon as I get myself situated I will be completing it and sending it back with a full refund on the labor that had been paid. I never did send a bill for the parts and I ultimately plan to eat that cost as well which is several hundred bucks.

Please understand that these events I described above hit me without any warning and have really devastated my life to the point where I was living in my van for awhile. I was forced to throw out or sell (at a loss) many of my own possessions including my Hammond spinet, my 1967 Econoline, lots of studio gear and just about all of my furniture.

I am finally getting some serious job offers and have been interviewing every day of the week for the past few weeks. Tomorrow I am even flying to Milwaukee for an interview and then possibly to Seattle next week. So I feel I will be getting my shit together again pretty soon.

[antichef]

Great to hear from you Somnium7, and good luck with the interviews!

[Somnium7]

Originally Posted by antichef

Great to hear from you Somnium7, and good luck with the interviews!

Thanks buddy, it's good to hear from you too and to be online again.

I hope people here understand that there hasn't been any intention of being greasy to kojdogg's friend on my part. I think some of you remember when the troubles began for me and a few of you even helped me out by buying equipment from me.
The job market had been totally dead for almost two months and now I suddenly find myself bombarded by job offers. Trust me I'm getting myself into one of them.

Everybody who purchased items from me got their equipment intact and in reasonable time. As hard as I tried I did not have the time to complete the Neotek project before everything went to hell. Since then I have been living all over the East Coast with anybody who will put me up. I've been to NY, PA, DE, DC and back to VA trying to keep afloat and find work.

It has been a very rough few months.

[omtayslick]

Best of luck to you. Glad to hear there's some hope on the horizon.

[Dr ZEE]

Originally Posted by Somnium7

...

It has been a very rough few months.

It could be worse. Like, imagine!, a stabile boring and secure existence when the only exciting thing to look forward to is another plate of nachos'n'salsa and a gallon of vanilla ice-cream together with a nightly dose of CNN headline news. And the next day, and the next day and the next...

Enjoy the moments of cold rain and salty sh*t in your face

/best wishes and all that.

p.s.
you never know what the storm may bring to your shore...

[kojdogg]

Mike-- I'm really sorry to hear about everything that's been going on. Thanks a lot for getting in touch with Lyle. I didn't mean to add any extra stress with this! Good luck with your interviews and I'm really glad to hear that things are looking up.

[Somnium7]

Thanks for the kind wishes guys! My trip to Milwaukee was hectic and exhausting. I got a call form the people today and the interview went very well. A few more formalities and hopefully I'll be gainfully employed again and planning my relocation.

As soon as I'm settled and have unpacked my storage stuff I will be getting back to work on all my projects beginning with the Neotek strips. I too am dying to see that project finished because it is the hotness! Upgraded components, a custom output stage with Jensen transformers etc. I'm still drooling over the thing. Not to mention the sexy chassis and panel work

[TheRockDoc]

Welcome back, S7!!!

glad to hear that you are safe, albeit topsy turvy.

Stay in touch!....

Dan/TheRockDoc

[Somnium7]

Hey Doc nice to hear from you too!

More bad news for me. I didn't get the job in Milwaukee due to my wrecked credit report. I have got less than one month to find something else now before I am back in my van again.
This is getting really damn frustrating. I have 4 more people looking to have me work on their gear but no place I can setup to do the work. My current living situation (if you can call it that) barely gives me enough room to breathe a deep breath much less do repair stuff.

So to all those who need repairs or are waiting for their gear still I am sorry. I just can't get things straightened out no matter how hard I try.

[antichef]

Originally Posted by Somnium7

This is getting really damn frustrating.

ack!!! that makes my skin crawl! Maybe the credit crunch will lead to a complete restructuring of the industry and crap like this will become an embarrassing chapter in US history. But in the meantime, it really sucks!

[TheRockDoc]

It is hard for me to believe that employers will not allow you to work because of your credit...

Really sorry to hear it S7...that is REALLY f'd up.

Isn't part of the reason people work is so they can PAY THEIR BILLS??

[Somnium7]

Originally Posted by antichef

ack!!! that makes my skin crawl! Maybe the credit crunch will lead to a complete restructuring of the industry and crap like this will become an embarrassing chapter in US history. But in the meantime, it really sucks!

I find the concept of credit reports to be quite disturbing. To begin with it is such an abstract in terms of judging a person's worth. Sort of like looking an unfinished self portrait. You only have a vague idea at best.

Then it is completely unfair that EVERYBODY has to have a credit history. Like many others I do not believe in credit cards and refuse to own one. So why should I be forced into this system when I am not participating in any way? All it does is make me look bad because I'm not paying up on credit card debts.
I don't want to be part of that system whatsoever so I should have the freedom to opt out of it completely. But I have NO CHOICE.

It is hard for me to believe that employers will not allow you to work because of your credit...

Really sorry to hear it S7...that is REALLY f'd up.

Isn't part of the reason people work is so they can PAY THEIR BILLS??

Thanks Doc. In this case it is the employer that is losing out. Everybody I interviewed with their said I was THE perfect guy for the job. The fella that was going to be my manager was so excited to get me on his crew and went so far as to say that they hadn't found anybody else that came close to who they were looking for. I was the hotshot they were hoping to get but instead of getting me they got bent-over by corporate policy. Now they will be forced to hire one of the lesser qualified candidates and have to spend manpower to get that person up to speed.

I got another rejection letter yesterday which stated I did not meet up with the educational requirements but that I was a great match otherwise. Once again stupid policies in place make no sense.
I have done this kind of work for 10 years. What I learned in college 10 years ago is completely useless and obsolete information today. So tell me where it makes any sense to deny a person work based on how much school they had 10 years ago? Bogus!

Next week I have an interview with the US Coast Guard. Not joining up but working for a civilian agency that handles the IT work for them.
Wish me luck...

[antichef]

Originally Posted by Somnium7

Next week I have an interview with the US Coast Guard. Not joining up but working for a civilian agency that handles the IT work for them.
Wish me luck...

good luck!!

[Somnium7]

Originally Posted by antichef

good luck!!

Thank you!!! Good news here, the US Coast Guard is offering me the job. And I might have found some space I can use temporarily to get back to work on repairs and stuff. It's gonna be cold but at least it's dry and has electric

I can't wait to finally get settled in again. This lifestyle may have been exciting when I was in my 20s but it plain sucks now!

[kojdogg]

Originally Posted by Somnium7

Thank you!!! Good news here, the US Coast Guard is offering me the job. And I might have found some space I can use temporarily to get back to work on repairs and stuff. It's gonna be cold but at least it's dry and has electric

I can't wait to finally get settled in again. This lifestyle may have been exciting when I was in my 20s but it plain sucks now!

great news s7-- glad to hear it!

[Somnium7]

update: I had to move yet again staying with a friend now. My background investigation for the Coast Guard job got held up for 2 and a half weeks because the Dept. of Homeland Security person responsible for approving them was on vacation
Good news is I made it though the scrutiny and started work last week!

Funny how the Government couldn't fault my BG and Credit Check but a stupid Healthcare company can! WTF?

Barring further unforeseen disasters I believe I will be able to afford my own place again some time next month. I will have to move closer to my job in NC though because the 62 miles each way commute is gonna kill me!

So there is the news on me. Hopefully I can get all of my things out of storage before the big freeze sets in. And buy new socks. What is it with being homeless and socks disappearing?

[sweetbeats]

What is it with being homeless and socks disappearing?

That's a total falacy and you know it...socks disappear even when you have your own place...I have more singles than pairs...having four kids doesn't help I suppose...those little socks sneak away even more discreetly.

Thx for the update...glad things are looking up.

[Somnium7]

More good news. I have finally started getting paid from my new job. Eating real food again is kicking my ass
I have been hunting for a new abode near my work. Nothing definite yet but there is much available so it's a matter of sifting through and separating the wheat from the chaff. Hopefully get into something by X-Mas and finally put an end to this homelessness escapade.

I also got my tools back from the pawn shop and have begun the process of paying back all the folks who have been helping me out since the shit hit the fan.

I can't wait to set up shop again and breathe some fragrant solder fumes

[dementedchord]

good to hear things are looking up bud...

[jrhoden]

yes glad to hear things are picking up ....hope everything works out man

good luck !

[donkeystyle]

I'm really glad things turned around for you somnium7

[kojdogg]

Originally Posted by kojdogg

Mike, aka Somnium7, who has been a very cool guy in my dealings with him, was/has been doing some tech work for a friend of mine and it has streched out for months. He has my buddy's pres (two Neotek strips) and my friend has paid a lot of money for parts and labor to him for some work, but now my buddy can't get in touch with him by email or phone.

First and foremost, I hope he's okay. Second, I know my buddy is getting a bit anxious about this, so if anyone can get him a message, could you ask him to contact Lyle about his Neoteks?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Originally Posted by Somnium7

Hey kojdogg,

I emailed Lyle today and gave him an update. I feel really bad for being out of touch for so long but things have been seriously bad on my end. After my wife left me I had planned to move to DC for my new job. Unfortunately the week before I was to move my new employer terminated me without reason. I had money down on an apartment in DC which I lost, and my old place had been put up for sale by the landlord so as a result I have been homeless ever since. People don't seem to want to rent to an unemployed dude for some reason.

Anyway sob story aside, I managed at great effort and expense to save everything in a storage unit. The Neotek project is safely in there and is 90% completed. As soon as I get myself situated I will be completing it and sending it back with a full refund on the labor that had been paid. I never did send a bill for the parts and I ultimately plan to eat that cost as well which is several hundred bucks.
...

Sorry to have to post here and ask for help again with this, but it's been over a year and Mike never made good on this. Anyone know how to reach Somnium7 aka Michael Ruberto?