I went on my last run at lunch today; my last run because my last day is tomorrow.
It was cold out but wasn't unbearable in the sun. And after I started my intervals, I stopped feeling the cold.
Afterwards it felt weird to finish cleaning out my locker in a room that used to be our janitor's closet but was now our company locker room (complete with showers). The vultures started circling and contacting me several days ago inquiring as to the availability of my locker. We now have over 100 employees and only 12 lockers. Locker space wasn't such a problem when there were only 30 of us.
The way to leave a company is definitely to start taking your stuff home with you at least a week in advance. Tomorrow, I leave with what I came with, and just an external hard drive, a coffee mug, and the water bottle sitting on my desk. I wish I could take my dual monitors, but I think my new company gives developers dual monitors so my withdrawal won't be for long.
Showing posts with label muse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muse. Show all posts
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Moving On [Up?]
I put my two weeks notice in at work yesterday. I've been here for almost five years, by far my longest stint (by two years) at any one job. I'm leaving not because of a Gen Y itch or because I don't feel I'm adequately compensated. Rather, I'm not really in the same role as I was when I was hired. Let me elaborate:
When I started, there were ~20 of us and only 5 engineers. We had two QA resources and the 7 of us reported to the CTO and COO. We had one person doing support. I was hired to essentially build a new and comprehensive web application from the ground up. Being in that role made me the go-to person for support and any issues. I never really realized how much I fed off the feedback and interactions that were required.
Something changed earlier this year. I don't know if a bit just flipped in my head or what, but I just started thinking about moving on. I dragged my feet for months before finally pulling the trigger and started looking. Ironically, that week, I got two phone calls at work from head hunters. I NEVER get calls at work. They didn't really pan out and I stopped looking until another engineer, who was one of the afore mentioned five, left about 5 weeks ago. At that point, I felt it was ok to start looking.
I wound up finding and applying for two very different positions and getting two very different offers. One was for a $15K pay raise while the other was for a 10% pay cut. It turns out, I took the pay cut for the promise of being happy and fulfilled again. I wasn't wild about the pay cut; especially since my wife is almost 8 months pregnant and is taking 6 months off from work. But I did manage to negotiate a 6-month review which will hopefully result in getting some of that back.
One of the better things that the new company will offer is that not only does my sister work there as well, but it's located in Boulder, 15 minutes or so from my house and 10 min from the gym. Hopefully that will bode well for my training.
When I started, there were ~20 of us and only 5 engineers. We had two QA resources and the 7 of us reported to the CTO and COO. We had one person doing support. I was hired to essentially build a new and comprehensive web application from the ground up. Being in that role made me the go-to person for support and any issues. I never really realized how much I fed off the feedback and interactions that were required.
Something changed earlier this year. I don't know if a bit just flipped in my head or what, but I just started thinking about moving on. I dragged my feet for months before finally pulling the trigger and started looking. Ironically, that week, I got two phone calls at work from head hunters. I NEVER get calls at work. They didn't really pan out and I stopped looking until another engineer, who was one of the afore mentioned five, left about 5 weeks ago. At that point, I felt it was ok to start looking.
I wound up finding and applying for two very different positions and getting two very different offers. One was for a $15K pay raise while the other was for a 10% pay cut. It turns out, I took the pay cut for the promise of being happy and fulfilled again. I wasn't wild about the pay cut; especially since my wife is almost 8 months pregnant and is taking 6 months off from work. But I did manage to negotiate a 6-month review which will hopefully result in getting some of that back.
One of the better things that the new company will offer is that not only does my sister work there as well, but it's located in Boulder, 15 minutes or so from my house and 10 min from the gym. Hopefully that will bode well for my training.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
How I Wish to be Awoken: An open letter to my dogs
Dear Bajan and Luna, (think Cajun with a "B")
There seems to be some confusion as to when and how it's appropriate to wake me up in the mornings. This letter is an attempt at defining those rules and guidelines.
I realize you are both Labs and thus, by definition, blood, genes, breeding, whatever, you guys love food. However, it is never acceptable to wake me up early because you are hungry....ever.
It is especially inappropriate to wake me from a deep, REM-filled slumber at say, 4AM, with the sounds of gagging followed by the liquid slushing sound of stomach regurgitation. And when that regurgitated matter consists of mainly consumed dog poop from the back yard (the reason you probably puked to begin with) and it's putrid stench fills our room, you should know that it's only out of my undying love for you (because you keep my feet warm when you sleep under my desk) that I don't make you rue the day you were born. The fact that the vomit contains bits of last night's dinner and some blades of grass as well, does not get you off the hook.
It is likewise both inconsiderate and blatantly obnoxious to wake me up at 4AM with the lovely sounds of retching to the point where I actually think you're dying. And when I, in my sleep-induced stupor shove you off of our new bedroom carpet and onto the hardwood floor it is not out of anger, but rather the desire to not have to spend an hour scrubbing and vacuuming up the stench of regurgitated poop vomit. However, I do appreciate it when you don't actually vomit but rather only cough up some blades of grass, which are most easily cleaned - especially off the hardwood floors.
Words cannot even begin to describe the level of detestability when, nary an hour or so after the previous vomit attempt you wake up the entire neighborhood with your maniacal barking due to a squirrel blundering accidentally into our yard via the top of a fence. Normally I would find it rather humorous as you dance between the trees hoping for a glimpse of the chattering rodent now berating you for scaring the bejeezus out of him. Additionally, it is normally quite humorous to watch you slink away from the trees and stand just far enough away to let the squirrel think you are gone only to pounce when he dares climb down the tree trunk. I say normally because at 5AM, nothing is funny. Not even your squirrel-induced antics.
So please consider this a notice, if you will, of what is acceptable behavior in our house and what is not and refrain from doing the above ever again.
Sincerely,
Master
There seems to be some confusion as to when and how it's appropriate to wake me up in the mornings. This letter is an attempt at defining those rules and guidelines.
I realize you are both Labs and thus, by definition, blood, genes, breeding, whatever, you guys love food. However, it is never acceptable to wake me up early because you are hungry....ever.
It is especially inappropriate to wake me from a deep, REM-filled slumber at say, 4AM, with the sounds of gagging followed by the liquid slushing sound of stomach regurgitation. And when that regurgitated matter consists of mainly consumed dog poop from the back yard (the reason you probably puked to begin with) and it's putrid stench fills our room, you should know that it's only out of my undying love for you (because you keep my feet warm when you sleep under my desk) that I don't make you rue the day you were born. The fact that the vomit contains bits of last night's dinner and some blades of grass as well, does not get you off the hook.
It is likewise both inconsiderate and blatantly obnoxious to wake me up at 4AM with the lovely sounds of retching to the point where I actually think you're dying. And when I, in my sleep-induced stupor shove you off of our new bedroom carpet and onto the hardwood floor it is not out of anger, but rather the desire to not have to spend an hour scrubbing and vacuuming up the stench of regurgitated poop vomit. However, I do appreciate it when you don't actually vomit but rather only cough up some blades of grass, which are most easily cleaned - especially off the hardwood floors.
Words cannot even begin to describe the level of detestability when, nary an hour or so after the previous vomit attempt you wake up the entire neighborhood with your maniacal barking due to a squirrel blundering accidentally into our yard via the top of a fence. Normally I would find it rather humorous as you dance between the trees hoping for a glimpse of the chattering rodent now berating you for scaring the bejeezus out of him. Additionally, it is normally quite humorous to watch you slink away from the trees and stand just far enough away to let the squirrel think you are gone only to pounce when he dares climb down the tree trunk. I say normally because at 5AM, nothing is funny. Not even your squirrel-induced antics.
So please consider this a notice, if you will, of what is acceptable behavior in our house and what is not and refrain from doing the above ever again.
Sincerely,
Master
Monday, May 24, 2010
Um, Excuse me? What's your motivation?
Given the number of political careers that have been helped ruined by scandalous affairs and the typical answer by politicians to promptly disappear and enter rehab for months so as to avoid talking about it, I figured I'd wade into the debate to offer some of my own insight - especially in the light of the most recent incident (at the time of this writing) with Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN).
Souder, being interviewed by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, in providing some insight as to how depressing it can be to be a public figure and have a story like this break is quoted as saying "...I'm not a suicidal guy for religious reasons..."
To me, this represents a HUGE problem with specific branches of organized religion, but don't worry, I'm not naming names. Here's my rationale:
I would argue that people should do good deeds because it's the right thing do to, not because they expect to be rewarded for it (either now or after they die). Conversely, people shouldn't refrain from doing bad things because they fear not being rewarded (or of being caught for that matter).
Motivation by reward in this particular context strikes me as fairly greedy and selfish. So, does taking Souder's comment at face value imply that were he not religious he would more seriously consider suicide?
My belief is that people shouldn't be slaves to their religion. It's supposed to be a choice (although most people don't act this way) and people should make their religions work for them instead of the other way around. I don't believe religion is supposed to be a pain in the ass. Sure, there's something to say (and gain) for overcoming difficulty, but this doesn't apply here - the man's motivation for not killing himself is because of his religion.
Souder, being interviewed by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, in providing some insight as to how depressing it can be to be a public figure and have a story like this break is quoted as saying "...I'm not a suicidal guy for religious reasons..."
To me, this represents a HUGE problem with specific branches of organized religion, but don't worry, I'm not naming names. Here's my rationale:
I would argue that people should do good deeds because it's the right thing do to, not because they expect to be rewarded for it (either now or after they die). Conversely, people shouldn't refrain from doing bad things because they fear not being rewarded (or of being caught for that matter).
Motivation by reward in this particular context strikes me as fairly greedy and selfish. So, does taking Souder's comment at face value imply that were he not religious he would more seriously consider suicide?
My belief is that people shouldn't be slaves to their religion. It's supposed to be a choice (although most people don't act this way) and people should make their religions work for them instead of the other way around. I don't believe religion is supposed to be a pain in the ass. Sure, there's something to say (and gain) for overcoming difficulty, but this doesn't apply here - the man's motivation for not killing himself is because of his religion.
Friday, July 10, 2009
In the Era of the Cell Phone
I left my keys at work today and I didn't realize it until I was looking in my bag for my wallet and keys about to get off the bus some 30 minutes after I left a locked office for the weekend. Within the next 40 minutes, however, I was at home, my keys were on their way home to me, and I didn't even have to walk home.
After I got off the bus, I called my wife some 10-15 times until I got a hold of her to inquire as to where she was. As she'd not yet left Denver, she was pretty much out for getting a ride home. I then called our friend Ashley who happened to have driven to work that day. After a quick explanation of my situation, she said she could swing by and pick me up on her own way home. I spoke with my wife again who offered to stop by the office and pick up my keys. The problem was that I needed someone in the office to let her in as it was locked and most everyone had already gone home. I wound up getting a hold of Randy, one of our sys admins and all around office god. He brought my keys down to my wife and the crisis was averted.
Now, take out the cell phone and what would have happened? Better yet, what if I weren't married or lived alone? I'd have had to go back to the office to get my keys.
After I got off the bus, I called my wife some 10-15 times until I got a hold of her to inquire as to where she was. As she'd not yet left Denver, she was pretty much out for getting a ride home. I then called our friend Ashley who happened to have driven to work that day. After a quick explanation of my situation, she said she could swing by and pick me up on her own way home. I spoke with my wife again who offered to stop by the office and pick up my keys. The problem was that I needed someone in the office to let her in as it was locked and most everyone had already gone home. I wound up getting a hold of Randy, one of our sys admins and all around office god. He brought my keys down to my wife and the crisis was averted.
Now, take out the cell phone and what would have happened? Better yet, what if I weren't married or lived alone? I'd have had to go back to the office to get my keys.
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