Work

My Blog Entry for Friday 6-27-2008

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This entry is for events yesterday but was written on the 28th. Work was what you could call a typical Friday. We almost had a big scare with a file server, but it turned out to not be as bad as we thought. Any maintenance that can be held off until after hours is not such an emergency! I was able to get through a bunch of writing documentation that I needed to work on, but that sucked up allot of my day.

I met up with Jayson for lunch. It is only the second time since I started the new job that I have been out to lunch with friends. It is hard to get time like that at a new job.

After work I meet up with Luke, Vanessa, Jeannette, and others for some drinks after work. We were semi celebrating someone’s departure from my old company. The real going away party is next Wednesday. That will be the 2nd person to go after I left.

I left that group around 8:30 with the hopes of meeting up with Jayson and Gretchen for a drink. Gretchen had traveled into the city to meet Jay for dinner. I didn’t realize they had already headed back to the burbs until after I left my other friends. I was tired so I didn’t want to head back to what would eventually end up being a late night of Karaoke so I headed home to drink lots of water.

My Blog Entry For Thursday 6-26-2008

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Today was actually a very hectic day at work. There was lots to do, but the big issue was the stuff I was scheduled to do just took up so much time. I had my company orientation today. It took up about 3 hours of my day. I know i have been at the place for well over a month but they don’t do orientation that often so this was mine. After the orientation I had about an hour to get stuff out of the way before I went out of the office for the rest of the afternoon to visit our architects. We are working to look at renovating the office so we were visiting them to get some presentation. It was productive but time consuming. While all that was going on I had at least two other research project dropped on my lap that I don’t know when I will find time to look at them before other schedule activities come up next week.

On top of all that I gave myself a due date of tomorrow for two proposals I have to write up. One of them is basically done, and the other is not even started. I guess when it rains it does pour!

Since the world is really small, the architect we use happens to be in the building of an old company I worked for. I emailed one of my friends still there and he was around so on the way out I dropped by to say hi. I got to see about a half a dozen people I know. It was good to catch up.

When I was done visiting I still had to go back to my office to finish up some things before I went home. I ended up not leaving the office until after 6:30.

I didn’t do anything spectacular for dinner. I also called my sister to try and help her fix her computer network at her place. It turns out her network was fine but my brother in law needed help setting up some Apple Airport Express points. I never have done that before so I couldn’t really help them over the phone. We ended up talking for a while, but she had to go because my nephew isn’t sleeping through the night so she had to get to bed early to get some sleep before he woke up later. They think he is having an issue with an ear infection so he is having trouble sleeping. I feel so bad for the little guy!

My Blog Entry For Wednesday 6-25-2008

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Getting to work was interesting today. The 7 train had some issue so even though it takes me less than 15 minutes to get to work, it took me over 40 minutes today. I love waiting for 10+ minutes for a train and then the announcement comes over the PA that says the next train is 4 stations away. Then it shows up and you cannot get on it because it is packed. Then another 5+ minutes go by before another train comes by. This one is almost as packed and people don’t seem to want to move to the middle of the car. That was my commute this morning. Thankfully on the second train a few of us were able to squeeze into the train. I had my drama for the day before 9:30!

Today seemed like a normal day at work. It was one of those days where you don’t think you did any work, but the next thing you know the day is over and you have been busy the entire day. For me I was busy with meetings in the morning with one of the guys on my team. Then I meet with my boss about some planning. Then I grabbed lunch since I forgot to bring breakfast in, so I was hungry for the kindergarden lunch (inside joke that Jayson came up with). I then got through some emails and other misc work, and had another meeting that took more than twice as long as I thought so the next thing I knew the day was over.

Thankfully it wasn’t as hot in my office as it was on Tuesday. I got home at a reasonable hour. I ordered dinner in, and did some work on the computer. A package I that was supposed to show up today doesn’t look like it will make it, so I have to wait another day.

My Blog Entry For Tuesday 6-24-2008

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My day at work basically boiled down to me taking part in a meeting with Cisco for most of the morning. The second half of the day was me writing up a proposal for a project we are looking to do. There was a few other quick conference calls in between that. I also think I discussed a network project with some guys on my team. This was one of those days that a few items took up almost all my time. That is good because time goes by quick, but bad because most other items on the agenda are not taken care of.

I did get to kick off some windows updates on my desktop that I am rebuilding. At an old company I worked for we called that an updateathon. It wasn’t so bad but there were allot of Office 2007 updates. I also plugged in a 5 port switch I brought from home yesterday to use in my office. It replaces the 8 port 100meg hub I had received from my group when I asked for a switch. it is weird when I have to bring in better gear from home to work, but this is now the second job I have had that sometimes I need to. On the plus side I do have a sweet ultra portable Sony.

Apparently my cleaning lady (yes I pay to have my apt cleaned every few weeks) was working in my apartment when the maintenance people came over to fix a leak in my bathroom. They sort of freaked her out. Apparently they weren’t very nice, she doesn’t speak english and I didn’t realize she would be around when I put the request in 3 days ago for them to come over and fix the issue without calling ahead. My dad called me a little while ago to tell me about that whole saga. Apparently my cleaning lady called my parents since she knows my mom. She wasn’t home so I get the story from my dad. Lots of drama, but thankfully everyone is ok now.

I didn’t get out of the office too late. I did do something stupid at home though. I thought tonight was the night for a BBQ in my building. Turns out that is next Tuesday. I can’t read. Oh well. I am now relaxing, writing and listening to some music.

The Grind

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I am finally starting to get into a routine with work. I am not 100% comfortable and in the rhythm, but I am slowly getting there. I am still working to list out all the major tasks I need to accomplish, and what issues are more important than others. I always know that you are not fully productive in a new job for up to 3 months, but it is always hard getting acclimated to the new surroundings even if you know it is natural to be nervous and apprehensive because you are not integrated yet.

Day Three

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I am on day three at the new job. I am having problems timing my morning schedule right. I am ending up at work very early (aka 8:30AM). That would be ok if I wasn’t staying till 6pm the past two days in a row. Well to be technical yesterday was 6:30ish. I had less meetings today, but I had to work on the list of tasks that I need to tackle. For the record it is hovering around 75 so far. The overwhelming factor is diminished a bit today, so there is hope for me!

Day Two

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I am still trying to get a handle on all that is going on and expected of me at the new job. I know that will go on for months, but in the beginning it is imposing to try and pick up on so much so quickly. I already jumped in and had 4 hours of meetings today. I couldn’t even spend allot of time with my team because there is so much planning that is needed. I am just tired. I need to get more sleep.

Day One

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So I started a new job today! Wow, it is totally different, and things are the same all at the same time. I don’t remember starting at my last job being so much of a radical change. I think the department was more established so that might explain it. I am shifting gears to a much smaller organization with more responsibility, vs a very large organization with a set area of responsibility. It is a big adjustment. I am currently in denial mode:) There is just allot to take in. Over time things will come together but the flood of information is allot to get used to.

On the plus side everyone seems really friendly. I can’t complain about the commute. Overall I am just tired from the grind of the first day at a new job. I know it will get easier over time, but it takes a bit to get used to.

Starting Over

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Monday I start a new job. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. Consciously I know the decision to leave my previous job was the right one, but my sub-conscious mind keeps asking if I made the right choice. I know it is my way of worrying about how things will turn out, and keeping me on my toes. Change is good, but it can also get your worrying. People like routine. A new job is an entirely new routine. It is starting over somewhere that you know no one. In a way it is a clean slate, but in another way you have to prove yourself to everyone all the time. As always I am cautiously optimistic. Only time will really tell if I made the right decision, but I have always gone with my gut instinct. It hasn’t always been right, but it is rarely 100% wrong, if that makes any sense?

Ok, enough worried rambling. I am going to try to get some sleep and think about less deep topics to write about.

My Last Day

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Today was my last day at work! It has only been about 15 months but I am moving on for various reasons. I will miss this job. I will miss the people I work with, and the fun atmosphere but if you know me the reasons for me leaving have been obvious for a while. The opportunity that I am going to looks really promising so I am very excited. I am taking a whole 2 days off. I start the new job on monday.

My desk has been cleared out since Monday. I have be in limbo for the past two weeks so in that way I am glad it is over, but like I said I will miss this place. A bunch of us are going out after work to see me off and to celebrate Josh & Ben’s birthday.

I am now off to my exit interview, but as my boss said he would be shocked if HR gave him any feedback he didn’t already know. He is right, I have been completely honest with him and like several other boss’s I have had in recent history I would work for him again!