It's not often that I get to do something different at work. And by different, I mean something other than sitting in front of a computer all day creating software solutions for clients. But it just so happens, Monday was that day.
On Monday, I was one of a select few in my team chosen to go on a company facility tour. Too bad I suck at facility tours. Truth be told, it was my first facility tour... ever.
The facility is located in Braintree. It was the company's first waste facility. As the company has grown, there have been other larger facilities. But Braintree was the first.
Interestingly enough, I grew up on the South Shore. I never knew that there was a waste facility in Braintree located near the Quincy shipyards. I must have driven by it many times growing up. And truth be told, the street signs for the facility are so hidden that unless you're looking for it, you probably wouldn't even know it was there to begin with.
Needless to say, it was an interesting tour particularly because it gave me insight as to one of the many things that my company does. Having context is great, especially for a software developer such as myself. I get to understand the reasons why an application is designed as such.
The most interesting part of the tour was when a group of us were led into a bay containing drums upon drums of hazardous waste. If seeing drums of waste weren't interesting enough, there was a facility worker in the adjacent room about 10 feet away. The worker was decked out from head to toe in protective gear, gas mask, gloves, etc. He was quite visible as there were no doors... just a door way. But there he was, doing something with a drum in his protective clothing. And there we were, dressed in regular clothes with nothing but a hard hat and goggles.
Of course, we were assured that we were completely safe. Regardless, it just looked odd. If we were exposed to radiation of some sort, I am hoping to get a cool super power. We'll see.
Super powers aside, it was a nice informative tour.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
I Suck At Work
Yesterday was somewhat of a sad day for me. Aside from not winning $640 million from the Mega Millions lottery, I was a little sad because after having only worked at my current place of employment for three months, I had given my notice two weeks prior which resulted in yesterday being my final day there. Yes, it's true. I suck at work.
There is, however, a long story behind my brief tenure at my current company. While working for my previous company located in Danvers, I had started job hunting when my manager was unceremoniously let go. It was my belief that office politics had more to do with my manager's dismissal than performance, but that is just my opinion. Needless to say, the writing was on the wall and I began looking for a new place of employment.
Shortly after my manager's dismissal, I landed a job with a local company in Norwell. After being offered the position, I was disheartened to find out that the position had been financially frozen. So alas, since the opportunity was no longer available to me, I went with Plan B which was to accept the offer from another company located in Weymouth.
It just so happened that my previous employer in Danvers laid me off around the same time I accepted the new position in Weymouth. Unfortunately, my previous employer beat me to the punch because I was set to deliver my resignation letter the same week they laid me off. Oh well. Needless to say, I felt pretty under-appreciated when the company laid me off after three years of service. But like I said, with my manager's dismissal shortly before, the writing was on the wall.
Anyway, my time at my current company in Weymouth has been fantastic. Everyone, including the President of the company, has been very supportive of me since day one which made leaving pretty hard. And really, it was a surprise to me that I would even be leaving the company after only three months. Had chance not intervened, I would most likely have stayed in Weymouth.
The company that I had originally received an offer from in Norwell had contacted me that the position was no longer frozen. As a result, the hiring manager had remembered me from my interview before and really wanted to hire me. As a result, they made an offer again. And after some careful deliberation, I accepted because the position seemed to be the better fit for my family.
Hopefully, I made the right choice. It's always tough to know until you experience it. The grass is always greener, right? I must say though, I have nothing but praise for the company in Weymouth that I am leaving. On my final day, my boss told me that I had a standing invitation to always return should things not work out. He praised my work and told me that they would even make a position for me if they had to. It was very nice to hear those kind words. And truth be told, it was very nice to hear that the company thought so highly of me and wanted me to stay. It was quite the contrary to the company in Danvers.
Although in defense of the company in Danvers, things were not always that terrible. When an entirely new management team took over, that was when things went downhill for that company in my opinion. Up until then, I had never seen an entire management team, and I mean everyone, turn over. It was very bizarre.
Anyway, hopefully I made the right choice. It was definitely sad to leave the company in Weymouth even if it were only three months. And I think it is definitely harder to leave when the company actually wants you to stay. Nevertheless, I do want to thank everyone at the Weymouth company for giving me the opportunity in the first place and for believing in me. I really do appreciate it. Thanks everyone!
There is, however, a long story behind my brief tenure at my current company. While working for my previous company located in Danvers, I had started job hunting when my manager was unceremoniously let go. It was my belief that office politics had more to do with my manager's dismissal than performance, but that is just my opinion. Needless to say, the writing was on the wall and I began looking for a new place of employment.
Shortly after my manager's dismissal, I landed a job with a local company in Norwell. After being offered the position, I was disheartened to find out that the position had been financially frozen. So alas, since the opportunity was no longer available to me, I went with Plan B which was to accept the offer from another company located in Weymouth.
It just so happened that my previous employer in Danvers laid me off around the same time I accepted the new position in Weymouth. Unfortunately, my previous employer beat me to the punch because I was set to deliver my resignation letter the same week they laid me off. Oh well. Needless to say, I felt pretty under-appreciated when the company laid me off after three years of service. But like I said, with my manager's dismissal shortly before, the writing was on the wall.
Anyway, my time at my current company in Weymouth has been fantastic. Everyone, including the President of the company, has been very supportive of me since day one which made leaving pretty hard. And really, it was a surprise to me that I would even be leaving the company after only three months. Had chance not intervened, I would most likely have stayed in Weymouth.
The company that I had originally received an offer from in Norwell had contacted me that the position was no longer frozen. As a result, the hiring manager had remembered me from my interview before and really wanted to hire me. As a result, they made an offer again. And after some careful deliberation, I accepted because the position seemed to be the better fit for my family.
Hopefully, I made the right choice. It's always tough to know until you experience it. The grass is always greener, right? I must say though, I have nothing but praise for the company in Weymouth that I am leaving. On my final day, my boss told me that I had a standing invitation to always return should things not work out. He praised my work and told me that they would even make a position for me if they had to. It was very nice to hear those kind words. And truth be told, it was very nice to hear that the company thought so highly of me and wanted me to stay. It was quite the contrary to the company in Danvers.
Although in defense of the company in Danvers, things were not always that terrible. When an entirely new management team took over, that was when things went downhill for that company in my opinion. Up until then, I had never seen an entire management team, and I mean everyone, turn over. It was very bizarre.
Anyway, hopefully I made the right choice. It was definitely sad to leave the company in Weymouth even if it were only three months. And I think it is definitely harder to leave when the company actually wants you to stay. Nevertheless, I do want to thank everyone at the Weymouth company for giving me the opportunity in the first place and for believing in me. I really do appreciate it. Thanks everyone!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
I Suck At Starting A New Job
I started my new job today. Too bad I suck at starting a new job.
Starting a new job is never fun. In the past companies that I have worked for, that generally means you are the "new guy" until a new hapless victim takes your place by joining the company.
I didn't mind being the "new guy" though. I was happy to be anywhere but at my previous employer. And usually, when that feeling of dread creeps in at work, it's definitely a sign that a change is needed. So off I went to a new job.
Truth be told, my days at my previous employer were limited once my manager left. My manager recruited me to work at the previous company located in Danvers. From where I live (in Norwell), that is quite the commute. Luckily for me, my manager was quite understandable about the grind of the long commute and allowed me to work from home several days a week for the three plus years that I was there. All of that changed when he left.
Once new management took over, I was asked (and by asked I mean ordered) to commute to the office more. Even though I agreed to come in more, I was labeled as "doing just enough to keep my job" by the new management. I can only assume that label is because I came in 3 of the 5 days, and not all 5 days like management originally wanted. As an interesting side note, I was actually more productive working at home than at the office, but what can you do? I couldn't change management's opinion regardless of how productive I was. Hearing that I was doing just enough to keep my job was quite insulting, especially considering how many hours I worked above and beyond for the company over the three plus years I was there.
Like I said, what can you do? When I first joined my previous employer, the company used to believe in balancing work life with personal life. It was a family friendly company which I didn't mind going above and beyond for. All of that changed when new management came in. And with it, my dread for working there started.
Luckily, I found a new company to work for; one that is much closer than Danvers. So far, the company seems like a good place to work at. But, it's still early. It's just my first day after all. And as luck would have it, my new boss was out today so I still don't exactly have too much information on what I will be doing.
Hopefully things will go well.
Starting a new job is never fun. In the past companies that I have worked for, that generally means you are the "new guy" until a new hapless victim takes your place by joining the company.
I didn't mind being the "new guy" though. I was happy to be anywhere but at my previous employer. And usually, when that feeling of dread creeps in at work, it's definitely a sign that a change is needed. So off I went to a new job.
Truth be told, my days at my previous employer were limited once my manager left. My manager recruited me to work at the previous company located in Danvers. From where I live (in Norwell), that is quite the commute. Luckily for me, my manager was quite understandable about the grind of the long commute and allowed me to work from home several days a week for the three plus years that I was there. All of that changed when he left.
Once new management took over, I was asked (and by asked I mean ordered) to commute to the office more. Even though I agreed to come in more, I was labeled as "doing just enough to keep my job" by the new management. I can only assume that label is because I came in 3 of the 5 days, and not all 5 days like management originally wanted. As an interesting side note, I was actually more productive working at home than at the office, but what can you do? I couldn't change management's opinion regardless of how productive I was. Hearing that I was doing just enough to keep my job was quite insulting, especially considering how many hours I worked above and beyond for the company over the three plus years I was there.
Like I said, what can you do? When I first joined my previous employer, the company used to believe in balancing work life with personal life. It was a family friendly company which I didn't mind going above and beyond for. All of that changed when new management came in. And with it, my dread for working there started.
Luckily, I found a new company to work for; one that is much closer than Danvers. So far, the company seems like a good place to work at. But, it's still early. It's just my first day after all. And as luck would have it, my new boss was out today so I still don't exactly have too much information on what I will be doing.
Hopefully things will go well.
Friday, September 2, 2011
I Suck At Richardson's Ice Cream
Last night, my coworkers and I went to Richardson's Ice Cream, located in Middleboro. It was a non-sanctioned after work activity that my boss thought would be fun. I guess it was sort of a team building exercise. Too bad I suck at Richardson's Ice Cream.
For anyone curious, I had the apple crisp ice cream. It was good. I would have preferred a little more crisp, but all in all it was good. I would stay say, however, that my favorite ice cream is Kimball Farm in Westford.
Speaking of Kimball Farm, Richardson's also has other activities beside devouring delicious ice cream. Among the other activities at Richardson's was a mini golf course, a driving range, and batting cages. Oh, and cows! Live pungent cows.
One of my coworkers (Jeff) had the grand idea of having a home run derby at the batting cages. Thus, several of us (me included) headed off to the batting cages. I figured, why not? It's definitely been some time since I swung a bat. The last time was in college, which was well over fifteen years ago.
Needless to say, I'm old. For starters, I stopped wearing the batting helmet for fear of contagious diseases. I originally considered it until one of my other coworkers (Jonathan) jokingly mentioned lice. So no helmet it was.
My first time in the batting cage was not so memorable. I must have missed every single pitch that came flying over the plate. Granted, I was using a little league bat because the one adult bat that was there was being used by Jonathan. For anyone curious, swinging a little league bat is harder than one would think. The bat is a lot lighter and a lot shorter. It felt like swinging a fly swatter at the balls.
The first time in the cage was very humbling. I even ended up getting bruises on my hand from gripping the tiny little league bat. Things, however, did get a lot better when I switched bats with Jonathan for my last go around. In my opinion, Jonathan won bragging rights for the home run derby. I think it's the bat.
All in all, it was a great time. It was fun to hang out with my coworkers, which is something I don't normally do since I work from home a lot of the time.
For anyone curious, I had the apple crisp ice cream. It was good. I would have preferred a little more crisp, but all in all it was good. I would stay say, however, that my favorite ice cream is Kimball Farm in Westford.
Speaking of Kimball Farm, Richardson's also has other activities beside devouring delicious ice cream. Among the other activities at Richardson's was a mini golf course, a driving range, and batting cages. Oh, and cows! Live pungent cows.
One of my coworkers (Jeff) had the grand idea of having a home run derby at the batting cages. Thus, several of us (me included) headed off to the batting cages. I figured, why not? It's definitely been some time since I swung a bat. The last time was in college, which was well over fifteen years ago.
Needless to say, I'm old. For starters, I stopped wearing the batting helmet for fear of contagious diseases. I originally considered it until one of my other coworkers (Jonathan) jokingly mentioned lice. So no helmet it was.
My first time in the batting cage was not so memorable. I must have missed every single pitch that came flying over the plate. Granted, I was using a little league bat because the one adult bat that was there was being used by Jonathan. For anyone curious, swinging a little league bat is harder than one would think. The bat is a lot lighter and a lot shorter. It felt like swinging a fly swatter at the balls.
The first time in the cage was very humbling. I even ended up getting bruises on my hand from gripping the tiny little league bat. Things, however, did get a lot better when I switched bats with Jonathan for my last go around. In my opinion, Jonathan won bragging rights for the home run derby. I think it's the bat.
All in all, it was a great time. It was fun to hang out with my coworkers, which is something I don't normally do since I work from home a lot of the time.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
I Suck At Work
I suck at work. During the normal course of the work day, I very rarely get to email or instant message anymore. And the instant messaging that I actually do is with other coworkers about certain projects. So it came as a surprise to me yesterday when one of my former coworkers (Mike) from my previous company sent me a message via instant messenger.
Mike and I used to work in town together. At the company, we were the one of the few people who shared the same first names; Dave being the other common first name. Anyway, I left that company over three years ago. Mike, apparently, remained there... until recently.
Anyway, the gist of Mike's message was that he was finally leaving that company in town. And he was quite excited to embark on his new endeavor. Naturally, I congratulated him on his new opportunity. I was then surprised when Mike thanked me for everything I had done for him.
I was particularly touched by his actions because... well, to be honest, I never gave much thought about how my actions at work impacted others. Apparently, Mike had considered me a mentor at one time and thanked me for helping him get where he was at the company, which he is currently leaving. In my opinion, I did not do anything. Mike got to where he was based on his own merits. I only showed him the possibilities.
Regardless, his actions got me thinking that perhaps I do more than I realize. After all, my friend (Carlos) referred to me as "the Doctor" at my previous employer. I never knew why Carlos called me that, but perhaps it may have to do with how I carry myself, not just at work but in life in general. The thought that I do make an impact, enough to receive an instant message out of the blue, actually brought a smile to my face yesterday.
Mike and I used to work in town together. At the company, we were the one of the few people who shared the same first names; Dave being the other common first name. Anyway, I left that company over three years ago. Mike, apparently, remained there... until recently.
Anyway, the gist of Mike's message was that he was finally leaving that company in town. And he was quite excited to embark on his new endeavor. Naturally, I congratulated him on his new opportunity. I was then surprised when Mike thanked me for everything I had done for him.
I was particularly touched by his actions because... well, to be honest, I never gave much thought about how my actions at work impacted others. Apparently, Mike had considered me a mentor at one time and thanked me for helping him get where he was at the company, which he is currently leaving. In my opinion, I did not do anything. Mike got to where he was based on his own merits. I only showed him the possibilities.
Regardless, his actions got me thinking that perhaps I do more than I realize. After all, my friend (Carlos) referred to me as "the Doctor" at my previous employer. I never knew why Carlos called me that, but perhaps it may have to do with how I carry myself, not just at work but in life in general. The thought that I do make an impact, enough to receive an instant message out of the blue, actually brought a smile to my face yesterday.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
I Suck At Hanging Out With Aimee
Yesterday, my friend (Aimee) came by for a visit. Unfortunately, I actually had to go into the office in Marblehead to work yesterday. So I could not see Aimee. I guess you can say that I suck at hanging out with Aimee. It's probably just as well. I think she wanted to see our daughter (Briana) more than she wanted to see me anyway. That's pretty much how it is these days.
Actually, Aimee has a busy schedule with two children of her own. Since weekends don't really work for her, Tuesdays end up being the day she is available. And unfortunately, I tend to be in Marblehead on Tuesdays. From what I have been told, Aimee had a great visit. She got to hold and feed Briana. Sadly, Karen did not get a picture of Aimee holding Briana. So Aimee seems to be the lone elusive friend of mine who has held Briana without my getting a picture of the incident.
As an interesting side note, my boss actually called Karen yesterday thinking I was working from home. He had just arrived at the office himself and forgot that I was likewise in the office. He got a chuckle out of telling me the story.
Regardless, I missed hanging out with Aimee. I feel like I haven't seen her in some time. The last time was at the photo scavenger hunt that I organized back in February, and even then I didn't get to see her that long.
Following work, Karen, our newborn daughter (Briana), and I hung out with my friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea). After all, it was Tuesday and Tuesdays are Lost nights. Truth be told, I thought last night's episode of Lost was rather blah (although I still enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than the stupid Bai Ling tattoo episode).
Anyway, Lost aside, the night was great. Andrea got to hold and feed Briana for much of the night. It's always a plus when you can pawn off feeding duties of your newborn daughter to your friends. I'm just kidding.
Actually, it was just fun to hang out. Andrea got to hear the story of our friend's (Cara) wedding where Marc got a little inebriated. That was also the wedding where Marc imbibed on some breast milk complements of my friend (Jeannette)... and that was before the rapid downward spiral of martinis. Yum. Martinis. I haven't had one in quite some time. Ah, the good old days.
Actually, Aimee has a busy schedule with two children of her own. Since weekends don't really work for her, Tuesdays end up being the day she is available. And unfortunately, I tend to be in Marblehead on Tuesdays. From what I have been told, Aimee had a great visit. She got to hold and feed Briana. Sadly, Karen did not get a picture of Aimee holding Briana. So Aimee seems to be the lone elusive friend of mine who has held Briana without my getting a picture of the incident.
As an interesting side note, my boss actually called Karen yesterday thinking I was working from home. He had just arrived at the office himself and forgot that I was likewise in the office. He got a chuckle out of telling me the story.
Regardless, I missed hanging out with Aimee. I feel like I haven't seen her in some time. The last time was at the photo scavenger hunt that I organized back in February, and even then I didn't get to see her that long.
Following work, Karen, our newborn daughter (Briana), and I hung out with my friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea). After all, it was Tuesday and Tuesdays are Lost nights. Truth be told, I thought last night's episode of Lost was rather blah (although I still enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than the stupid Bai Ling tattoo episode).
Anyway, Lost aside, the night was great. Andrea got to hold and feed Briana for much of the night. It's always a plus when you can pawn off feeding duties of your newborn daughter to your friends. I'm just kidding.
Actually, it was just fun to hang out. Andrea got to hear the story of our friend's (Cara) wedding where Marc got a little inebriated. That was also the wedding where Marc imbibed on some breast milk complements of my friend (Jeannette)... and that was before the rapid downward spiral of martinis. Yum. Martinis. I haven't had one in quite some time. Ah, the good old days.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
I Suck At Meetings
It's a good thing that I wake up very early these days thanks to our newborn daughter's (Briana) feedings.
On Monday, shortly after feeding Briana in the wee hours of the morning, I decided to start work a little early. For anyone curious, I have the luxury of working from home most days of the week. I do, however, have to go into the office which is located in Marblehead at least one day during the week. That day is usually Tuesday.
Thinking that things were business as usual, I figured Tuesday was my day in the office this week. It was not until one of my coworkers sent me an email asking about attending a meeting on Monday that I started to doubt my schedule.
Apparently, I suck at meetings. I have never been big on meetings. Throughout my professional career, the majority of the meetings I have attended were an inefficient waste of my time. My time could have been better spent on actual work as opposed to listening to someone reading from a document as they go over the subject matter for the meeting. (Why not just send me the document? It would be so much easier for me to read it myself as opposed to listening to someone else read it... only to have to read the document anyway.) Yes, I dislike meetings.
Monday's meeting, however, was a meeting that I actually do enjoy... the collaborative meeting type. Those collaborative meetings have exchanges of ideas between group members, which to me are great learning experiences because they provide an insight into another point of view.
Sure enough, I had to be in the office to collaborate during the meeting on Monday. And unfortunately, I missed my usual window of opportunity in terms of beating the morning traffic. D'oh! Under normal circumstances, I'd probably rush out the door and drive like a maniac up to Marblehead. That, however, would prove to be a futile endeavor due to the bumper to bumper traffic.
Anyway, two hours or so later, I made it just in time for the meeting... with about 5 minutes to spare. That was a relief. Needless to say, Monday night Karen and I (and Briana) went out for dinner at Not Your Average Joe's in Norwell. Karen thought it would be a nice way to unwind from the day's activities, and I could not have agreed more.
In an effort to try something different at Not Your Average Joe's, both Karen and I ordered something from the menu that we had never had before (which may have been a little difficult because we do frequently go there a lot). Needless to say, the food was delicious as usual. I had the sweet blue burger. (Cue Rachael Ray's "Yum-O" sound.)
On Monday, shortly after feeding Briana in the wee hours of the morning, I decided to start work a little early. For anyone curious, I have the luxury of working from home most days of the week. I do, however, have to go into the office which is located in Marblehead at least one day during the week. That day is usually Tuesday.
Thinking that things were business as usual, I figured Tuesday was my day in the office this week. It was not until one of my coworkers sent me an email asking about attending a meeting on Monday that I started to doubt my schedule.
Apparently, I suck at meetings. I have never been big on meetings. Throughout my professional career, the majority of the meetings I have attended were an inefficient waste of my time. My time could have been better spent on actual work as opposed to listening to someone reading from a document as they go over the subject matter for the meeting. (Why not just send me the document? It would be so much easier for me to read it myself as opposed to listening to someone else read it... only to have to read the document anyway.) Yes, I dislike meetings.
Monday's meeting, however, was a meeting that I actually do enjoy... the collaborative meeting type. Those collaborative meetings have exchanges of ideas between group members, which to me are great learning experiences because they provide an insight into another point of view.
Sure enough, I had to be in the office to collaborate during the meeting on Monday. And unfortunately, I missed my usual window of opportunity in terms of beating the morning traffic. D'oh! Under normal circumstances, I'd probably rush out the door and drive like a maniac up to Marblehead. That, however, would prove to be a futile endeavor due to the bumper to bumper traffic.
Anyway, two hours or so later, I made it just in time for the meeting... with about 5 minutes to spare. That was a relief. Needless to say, Monday night Karen and I (and Briana) went out for dinner at Not Your Average Joe's in Norwell. Karen thought it would be a nice way to unwind from the day's activities, and I could not have agreed more.
In an effort to try something different at Not Your Average Joe's, both Karen and I ordered something from the menu that we had never had before (which may have been a little difficult because we do frequently go there a lot). Needless to say, the food was delicious as usual. I had the sweet blue burger. (Cue Rachael Ray's "Yum-O" sound.)
Friday, June 5, 2009
I Suck At Work
it almost seems fitting that i would have a bad day at work today. after all, i suck at work lately. interestingly enough, it was exactly one year ago today that i left my previous employer in downtown boston... after working for them for over five years.
it's amazing how quickly time flies. in addition to my leaving on this date last year, i was passed out in the backseat of a cab last year... probably with my own vomit all over me... an unfortunate side effect of imbibing too much scotch in a short amount of time. i wish i could say it was a good time... but i can't even remember it. i have since learned my lesson: drink at home... just kidding.
as much as i suck at work right now, i actually do enjoy my current employer. i'm actually liking my employer more right now because the scheduled project launch over this weekend has been postponed. so i can actually have a little weekend.
anyway, amid all the hectic craziness recently at work... i have been listening to a particular song over and over again. this is what i sometimes do while i am working... i'll play songs on a repeated loop. as i get into full work mode (and by work mode, i mean i start hitting some keys on my keyboard), i barely even notice the song repeating... over and over again.
(the video is the song that i have been playing over and over again.)
for some reason, this particular version of the song brings a smile to my face. as i sit here on a friday night... apparently with no life... i started to think about something my friend (aimee) said today. aimee joked about how i was trying to recapture the past. of course, she was simply joking about my new found interest in teeny-bopper music like the new kids on the block... and now recently hannah montana... and i guess you can add the cast of glee to that too.
nevertheless, i wonder if aimee was onto something. perhaps i am trying to recapture the past with things like "glee" and "hannah montana"... things that are set in high school, which for me is a long time ago. maybe it is the reason why i started to think about things from last year like my imbibing incident. quite simply: things were so much easier back in the past.
i didn't have to think about awful things like my son's (braden) passing or anything like that. i don't know. maybe aimee is right. either that, or it is a midlife crisis... much like how my friend (garv) recently got a new motorcycle.
it's amazing how quickly time flies. in addition to my leaving on this date last year, i was passed out in the backseat of a cab last year... probably with my own vomit all over me... an unfortunate side effect of imbibing too much scotch in a short amount of time. i wish i could say it was a good time... but i can't even remember it. i have since learned my lesson: drink at home... just kidding.
as much as i suck at work right now, i actually do enjoy my current employer. i'm actually liking my employer more right now because the scheduled project launch over this weekend has been postponed. so i can actually have a little weekend.
anyway, amid all the hectic craziness recently at work... i have been listening to a particular song over and over again. this is what i sometimes do while i am working... i'll play songs on a repeated loop. as i get into full work mode (and by work mode, i mean i start hitting some keys on my keyboard), i barely even notice the song repeating... over and over again.
(the video is the song that i have been playing over and over again.)
for some reason, this particular version of the song brings a smile to my face. as i sit here on a friday night... apparently with no life... i started to think about something my friend (aimee) said today. aimee joked about how i was trying to recapture the past. of course, she was simply joking about my new found interest in teeny-bopper music like the new kids on the block... and now recently hannah montana... and i guess you can add the cast of glee to that too.
nevertheless, i wonder if aimee was onto something. perhaps i am trying to recapture the past with things like "glee" and "hannah montana"... things that are set in high school, which for me is a long time ago. maybe it is the reason why i started to think about things from last year like my imbibing incident. quite simply: things were so much easier back in the past.
i didn't have to think about awful things like my son's (braden) passing or anything like that. i don't know. maybe aimee is right. either that, or it is a midlife crisis... much like how my friend (garv) recently got a new motorcycle.
Monday, November 17, 2008
I Suck At The Sunnyside Bowladrome
this past friday, i did something that i have not done since starting my job in marblehead: i hung out with my coworkers after hours.
it's not that i dislike my coworkers or anything like that. i like my coworkers a lot. they are a great bunch of people to hang out with. it's just that with my long commute home, it occasionally makes after hours events a little more difficult.
friday, however, i got to hang out with my coworkers at the sunnyside bowladrome in danvers after work. i definitely suck at the sunnyside bowladrome. after all, i have never been to the bowladrome... or anywhere in danvers. my boss had planned this outing a while ago after a bunch of us had a group luncheon in marblehead. (the luncheon was quite fun, especially since all of us got to learn about the "triple deuces" offered by a local bar in town.)
needless to say, all of us had fun bowling. it seems like all bowling alleys look the same to me... and the sunnyside bowladrome is no different. inside is usually... old... with a musty smell... although the bowladrome did have an electronic scoring system (which reminded me a lot of atari with its old-school graphics).
i am extremely terrible at bowling... although i could probably still beat my friend (hot amy). and as added proof that i am definitely getting old, the left cheek of my derriere started getting sore, as did my shoulder. who knew bowling could be such a workout?
afterwards, a bunch of my coworkers walked on over to the onion town grill, which is a restaurant directly across the street from the bowladrome. i must say, i love that name "onion town". for anyone curious, danvers is apparently famous for onions... or more importantly... the danvers onion.
anyway, my coworkers and i had a great time on friday. when my coworkers left, i was then lucky enough to hang out with karen and my friends (kerry and jen)... who were also at onion town.
while i was out an about bowling up a storm at the sunnyside bowladrome, karen and jen took the commuter rail train up to salem to meet up and hang out with kerry. i think it's been a while since the three of them just hung out together. so it was nice that they were able to hang out together... at least, i hope it was.
i don't know what they did prior to onion town... if they did do anything prior to onion town... but i was lucky enough to meet up with them at onion town.
the four of us ended up going back to salem to a pub called o'neills. in case anyone is curious, o'neills is an an irish pub and restaurant. o'neills was rather interesting. not only did they have a pub and restaurant area, they have a dance area. while we were there, the place quickly filled with people on the dance floor... although i am not sure if they were actually dancing.
needless to say, i had a great time on friday.
kerry has since offered to make pancakes for us if we stay over her place the next time we are in salem instead of heading home. yummy... pancakes!
it's not that i dislike my coworkers or anything like that. i like my coworkers a lot. they are a great bunch of people to hang out with. it's just that with my long commute home, it occasionally makes after hours events a little more difficult.
friday, however, i got to hang out with my coworkers at the sunnyside bowladrome in danvers after work. i definitely suck at the sunnyside bowladrome. after all, i have never been to the bowladrome... or anywhere in danvers. my boss had planned this outing a while ago after a bunch of us had a group luncheon in marblehead. (the luncheon was quite fun, especially since all of us got to learn about the "triple deuces" offered by a local bar in town.)
needless to say, all of us had fun bowling. it seems like all bowling alleys look the same to me... and the sunnyside bowladrome is no different. inside is usually... old... with a musty smell... although the bowladrome did have an electronic scoring system (which reminded me a lot of atari with its old-school graphics).
i am extremely terrible at bowling... although i could probably still beat my friend (hot amy). and as added proof that i am definitely getting old, the left cheek of my derriere started getting sore, as did my shoulder. who knew bowling could be such a workout?
afterwards, a bunch of my coworkers walked on over to the onion town grill, which is a restaurant directly across the street from the bowladrome. i must say, i love that name "onion town". for anyone curious, danvers is apparently famous for onions... or more importantly... the danvers onion.
anyway, my coworkers and i had a great time on friday. when my coworkers left, i was then lucky enough to hang out with karen and my friends (kerry and jen)... who were also at onion town.
while i was out an about bowling up a storm at the sunnyside bowladrome, karen and jen took the commuter rail train up to salem to meet up and hang out with kerry. i think it's been a while since the three of them just hung out together. so it was nice that they were able to hang out together... at least, i hope it was.
i don't know what they did prior to onion town... if they did do anything prior to onion town... but i was lucky enough to meet up with them at onion town.
the four of us ended up going back to salem to a pub called o'neills. in case anyone is curious, o'neills is an an irish pub and restaurant. o'neills was rather interesting. not only did they have a pub and restaurant area, they have a dance area. while we were there, the place quickly filled with people on the dance floor... although i am not sure if they were actually dancing.
needless to say, i had a great time on friday.
kerry has since offered to make pancakes for us if we stay over her place the next time we are in salem instead of heading home. yummy... pancakes!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
I Suck At Installing A Thermostat
today has been a very frustrating day... as evident by the fact that i'm still awake in the wee hours of a friday night doing work.
i suppose i don't really have to be working into the wee hours of night. so i guess it is technically by choice that i hammer away at the keyboard and pulling my hair out in frustration. there has been a project at work that has been driving me nuts.
it was a simple project... in theory. all i had to do was edit some lines of code. it was easy. i tested the code and it worked. the person requesting the changes also approved the changes, so i moved the edited files to our live production environment. that is when the problem started.
apparently, the person who approved the changes discovered what we developers like to call "a bug" with something related to the changes i made. in a state of panic, the person went to all the senior management and started to yell that the sky is falling. okay, so maybe those weren't the exact words... but it was close.
needless to say, the incident makes me look bad because i moved the code to our live production environment... even though this person approved of the changes. truth be told... the "bug" is not even of my own doing. this bug existed for at least two months prior to my touching this project. it just so happens that it was discovered when i moved the files to our live production environment. so, that's even more annoying...
anyway, since i take pride in the things i do... i'm working into the wee hours of night trying to rectify the problem... and hopefully people won't think i'm that bad at what i do.
so now that my venting is done, i suck at installing a thermostat. actually, the installation of the thermostat was very easy. the easy installation is probably the highlight of today for me. (curse you, work!)
my friends (bill and jen) recently moved into a new apartment. so as to not confuse anyone, bill and jen are siblings... not significant others as some people in ireland believed.
bill got a new programmable digital thermostat to replace the old mercury dial thermostat that came with the apartment. as he was hesitant to install the thermostat on his own, he asked for my help. of course, i obliged because i like doing home improvement projects... just not the ones that pertain to my own home. for some reason, doing other people's home improvement projects are much easier and more enjoyable.
anyway, it surprisingly took me very little time to install the new thermostat. for some reason, i was expecting wires galore because bill said there were a lot of wires coming from the wall. there were only two. having only two wires made things easier, that's for sure. well, i hope bill and jen like the new thermostat. (and for anyone curious, we did test to make sure it worked.)
afterwards, i got to hang out with jen and bill for a little while, which was nice. we ended up watching a show called "three sheets". it's basically a show where the host (zane lamprey) goes to a foreign location to imbibe alcohol with the locals. it must be a tough job... to get intoxicated for work. but the show was interesting to say the least.
from jen and bill's, i went to the south shore ymca in quincy... which is probably the other highlight of my day because it was the first time i set foot in the south shore ymca since my son (braden) passed away two months ago. likewise, it was the first time for karen. as it had been quite a while, karen and i planned on meeting at the ymca to visit a few people and say hello.
karen had to do a nutritional consultation with someone that night anyway, so i just worked out before meeting up with her... that is... if you can call it working out. i must have looked awful running 2 miles with my ipod on. it was the first time in a long while (again, at least since braden passed away) that i did any type of cardiovascular exercise. i also did some free weight training, so we'll see how sore i am tomorrow. but i must say... gotta love those endorphins!
anyway, seeing everyone at the ymca was good. my friends (ally and michelle) were there. and as karen pointed out, one of the members in the class sounded like alan alda of mash fame. so it was an interesting time.
i suppose i don't really have to be working into the wee hours of night. so i guess it is technically by choice that i hammer away at the keyboard and pulling my hair out in frustration. there has been a project at work that has been driving me nuts.
it was a simple project... in theory. all i had to do was edit some lines of code. it was easy. i tested the code and it worked. the person requesting the changes also approved the changes, so i moved the edited files to our live production environment. that is when the problem started.
apparently, the person who approved the changes discovered what we developers like to call "a bug" with something related to the changes i made. in a state of panic, the person went to all the senior management and started to yell that the sky is falling. okay, so maybe those weren't the exact words... but it was close.
needless to say, the incident makes me look bad because i moved the code to our live production environment... even though this person approved of the changes. truth be told... the "bug" is not even of my own doing. this bug existed for at least two months prior to my touching this project. it just so happens that it was discovered when i moved the files to our live production environment. so, that's even more annoying...
anyway, since i take pride in the things i do... i'm working into the wee hours of night trying to rectify the problem... and hopefully people won't think i'm that bad at what i do.
so now that my venting is done, i suck at installing a thermostat. actually, the installation of the thermostat was very easy. the easy installation is probably the highlight of today for me. (curse you, work!)
my friends (bill and jen) recently moved into a new apartment. so as to not confuse anyone, bill and jen are siblings... not significant others as some people in ireland believed.
bill got a new programmable digital thermostat to replace the old mercury dial thermostat that came with the apartment. as he was hesitant to install the thermostat on his own, he asked for my help. of course, i obliged because i like doing home improvement projects... just not the ones that pertain to my own home. for some reason, doing other people's home improvement projects are much easier and more enjoyable.
anyway, it surprisingly took me very little time to install the new thermostat. for some reason, i was expecting wires galore because bill said there were a lot of wires coming from the wall. there were only two. having only two wires made things easier, that's for sure. well, i hope bill and jen like the new thermostat. (and for anyone curious, we did test to make sure it worked.)
afterwards, i got to hang out with jen and bill for a little while, which was nice. we ended up watching a show called "three sheets". it's basically a show where the host (zane lamprey) goes to a foreign location to imbibe alcohol with the locals. it must be a tough job... to get intoxicated for work. but the show was interesting to say the least.
from jen and bill's, i went to the south shore ymca in quincy... which is probably the other highlight of my day because it was the first time i set foot in the south shore ymca since my son (braden) passed away two months ago. likewise, it was the first time for karen. as it had been quite a while, karen and i planned on meeting at the ymca to visit a few people and say hello.
karen had to do a nutritional consultation with someone that night anyway, so i just worked out before meeting up with her... that is... if you can call it working out. i must have looked awful running 2 miles with my ipod on. it was the first time in a long while (again, at least since braden passed away) that i did any type of cardiovascular exercise. i also did some free weight training, so we'll see how sore i am tomorrow. but i must say... gotta love those endorphins!
anyway, seeing everyone at the ymca was good. my friends (ally and michelle) were there. and as karen pointed out, one of the members in the class sounded like alan alda of mash fame. so it was an interesting time.
Monday, September 22, 2008
I Suck At Going Back To Work
today begins my road back to normalcy. although, depending on who you ask, i was probably never normal to begin with.
in the name of normalcy, however, i went back to work today. too bad i suck at going back to work.
i was dreading going back to work... not that i dislike my job or anything. i actually like my job and the company i work for in marblehead. i dread the commute and this morning's commute did not disappoint. the only good thing about this morning's commute was that i got to wave and say good morning to my son (braden) in the cemetery. i am guessing the cars behind me must have thought i was crazy for waving at braden... but oh well.
surprisingly, work itself went well today. granted, i was in a lot of meetings today. a lot of my coworkers were also quite supportive and offered to help with things, which made my transition back to work a little easier. in fact, a couple of us were even able to laugh and share delivery room stories about the birth of our respective children. my coworker (john) told me that he basically did all he could in the delivery room to not pass out. i got a chuckle out of that.
needless to say, work provided a nice distraction today. the time went by very quickly. so if anything, work has at least forced me to view things with greater focus and concentration.
i'm sure things will return to normal some day. i know it will just take time.
for anyone curious, when i got back from work, karen and i went to visit braden. we decided to walk to the cemetery. after our visit, we headed back and crossed the street to where the church was located. well, as it turned out, the church had its sprinklers showering the sidewalk. both karen and i looked at each other and thought about the inevitable drenching. then at that very moment... the sprinklers fizzled out. karen and i looked at one another and smiled... and then we thanked our little angel, braden.
i think i am going to play the lottery now... i'm hoping angels like to gamble. just kidding.
in the name of normalcy, however, i went back to work today. too bad i suck at going back to work.
i was dreading going back to work... not that i dislike my job or anything. i actually like my job and the company i work for in marblehead. i dread the commute and this morning's commute did not disappoint. the only good thing about this morning's commute was that i got to wave and say good morning to my son (braden) in the cemetery. i am guessing the cars behind me must have thought i was crazy for waving at braden... but oh well.
surprisingly, work itself went well today. granted, i was in a lot of meetings today. a lot of my coworkers were also quite supportive and offered to help with things, which made my transition back to work a little easier. in fact, a couple of us were even able to laugh and share delivery room stories about the birth of our respective children. my coworker (john) told me that he basically did all he could in the delivery room to not pass out. i got a chuckle out of that.
needless to say, work provided a nice distraction today. the time went by very quickly. so if anything, work has at least forced me to view things with greater focus and concentration.
i'm sure things will return to normal some day. i know it will just take time.
for anyone curious, when i got back from work, karen and i went to visit braden. we decided to walk to the cemetery. after our visit, we headed back and crossed the street to where the church was located. well, as it turned out, the church had its sprinklers showering the sidewalk. both karen and i looked at each other and thought about the inevitable drenching. then at that very moment... the sprinklers fizzled out. karen and i looked at one another and smiled... and then we thanked our little angel, braden.
i think i am going to play the lottery now... i'm hoping angels like to gamble. just kidding.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
I Suck At Working From Home
yesterday, i had a brief glimpse into what life would be like to work from home.
i suck at working from home. for as long as i can remember, i have always wanted to work from home. luckily, my job is the kind of job that can actually allow me to work from home. (everyone i know thinks i "work with computers" or that i do something with computers. my job title is "developer"... so i develop stuff.)
needless to say, the mindless activity of developing requires me to program things... and well, i don't necessarily have to be sitting in an office to be programming things. thus, that was why i always wanted to work while enjoying the comforts of my own home.
anyway, my boss allowed me to work from home yesterday. karen had a doctor's appointment in which ultrasounds were going to be taken of my little minion-to-be. so rather than make the long commute to and from work, i asked my boss if i could work from home. i would have posted the picture of the ultrasound because you can see the little minion's face, but pictures of the ultrasound printouts didn't really come out that well. someday i'll get a scanner.
for anyone interested in the minion update, the ultrasound was pretty cool. karen had to drink a glucose drink because of her family history with diabetes. so, i imagine drinking the orange glucose drink was like drinking pure sugar. well, i think maybe the minion felt the rush too because he/she was quite active during the ultrasound. the arms were waving; the legs were kicking... all very cool.
after the doctor's appointment, i got to go home and start working from home. i must say... it was awesome. not that any of you need a visual or anything, but i stripped down to my boxers (because that is what any self-respecting developer would do) and sat in front of my computer... doing computer stuff. karen must have thought i was crazy. (and really, who is the more crazier one... the pregnant woman with uncontrollable hormones or her husband sitting in his boxers in front of the computer?)
boxers aside, i actually did accomplish a lot of work from home. (i'm developing a web site for work from start to finish.) i'm so looking for when i can actually do this telecommuting thing more often... not that i have anything against the town of marblehead... the town of marblehead is great... i just like my boxers.
i suck at working from home. for as long as i can remember, i have always wanted to work from home. luckily, my job is the kind of job that can actually allow me to work from home. (everyone i know thinks i "work with computers" or that i do something with computers. my job title is "developer"... so i develop stuff.)
needless to say, the mindless activity of developing requires me to program things... and well, i don't necessarily have to be sitting in an office to be programming things. thus, that was why i always wanted to work while enjoying the comforts of my own home.
anyway, my boss allowed me to work from home yesterday. karen had a doctor's appointment in which ultrasounds were going to be taken of my little minion-to-be. so rather than make the long commute to and from work, i asked my boss if i could work from home. i would have posted the picture of the ultrasound because you can see the little minion's face, but pictures of the ultrasound printouts didn't really come out that well. someday i'll get a scanner.
for anyone interested in the minion update, the ultrasound was pretty cool. karen had to drink a glucose drink because of her family history with diabetes. so, i imagine drinking the orange glucose drink was like drinking pure sugar. well, i think maybe the minion felt the rush too because he/she was quite active during the ultrasound. the arms were waving; the legs were kicking... all very cool.
after the doctor's appointment, i got to go home and start working from home. i must say... it was awesome. not that any of you need a visual or anything, but i stripped down to my boxers (because that is what any self-respecting developer would do) and sat in front of my computer... doing computer stuff. karen must have thought i was crazy. (and really, who is the more crazier one... the pregnant woman with uncontrollable hormones or her husband sitting in his boxers in front of the computer?)
boxers aside, i actually did accomplish a lot of work from home. (i'm developing a web site for work from start to finish.) i'm so looking for when i can actually do this telecommuting thing more often... not that i have anything against the town of marblehead... the town of marblehead is great... i just like my boxers.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
I Suck At Starting A New Job
yesterday, i began the post-working-in-town era. too bad i suck at starting a new job.
after working in boston for the past 5+ years for the same company, i decided to try my hand at a company located way up in the northern booneylands of marblehead. as it turns out, there is no commuter rail or mbta subway station in marblehead (at least, according to the mbta website). the closest public transportation station is in salem, which is a nearby city. so even if i wanted to take public transportation, i probably would have to take buses and whatnot from salem. thus, the commute would be very painstaking... and definitely not fun like my old subway train rides home with my friends (hot amy, aimee, jen, and carlos).
anyway, my first day at the new job went pretty well. it's weird being the "new guy". when i first arrived at the reception area, i was pleasantly surprised to receive a goody bag. inside the goody bag was my name plate, pads of paper, a tape dispenser, tape, scissors, pens, pencils, highlighters, a company mug, a solar calculator, and a box of tissues. it was definitely a nice welcome, although i'm not sure what i'll do with some of the items.
from there, i met my new team. i had a quick tour of the facilities (after all, i have to know where the bathrooms are) and i got to meet every tom, dick, and harry in the company. i'll be lucky if i can remember even one of their names. truth be told, i'd be lucky if i can remember where the bathrooms are too. from there, i got to set up my desk, my computer, and stuff in my little cubicle.
(pictured below is my desk in my cubicle. i will definitely need to decorate it some more.)
i'm not actually a big fan of my desk. the desk squeaks. i suppose that is part of being the "new guy" though... getting the old squeaky stuff.
once my cubicle was set, i got to go out for lunch with my new team. we went to bertucci's. interesting fact i learned yesterday: marblehead does not allow chains. apparently, it was a struggle for starbucks to open a place in marblehead. thus, bertucci's is located in a nearby city, not marblehead. (i would tell you the city that bertucci's is located in, but i don't know anything around the marblehead area.) i found that tidbit of information very strange.
after lunch, i had another orientation training with human resources about how to use the phones. i won't be able to remember any of the training. the next thing i know, it's time to go. (well, it was time to go according to my new boss.) my boss let me leave early to avoid the traffic. plus, he knew i arrived early in the morning. in fact, he set up my working hours as 7:30am to 3:30pm-4:00pm. i must say... leaving before 5:30pm felt so odd. i'm not complaining though...
anyway, we'll see how day two goes. i've been itching to actually get my hands dirty and do some work. hopefully soon...
after working in boston for the past 5+ years for the same company, i decided to try my hand at a company located way up in the northern booneylands of marblehead. as it turns out, there is no commuter rail or mbta subway station in marblehead (at least, according to the mbta website). the closest public transportation station is in salem, which is a nearby city. so even if i wanted to take public transportation, i probably would have to take buses and whatnot from salem. thus, the commute would be very painstaking... and definitely not fun like my old subway train rides home with my friends (hot amy, aimee, jen, and carlos).
anyway, my first day at the new job went pretty well. it's weird being the "new guy". when i first arrived at the reception area, i was pleasantly surprised to receive a goody bag. inside the goody bag was my name plate, pads of paper, a tape dispenser, tape, scissors, pens, pencils, highlighters, a company mug, a solar calculator, and a box of tissues. it was definitely a nice welcome, although i'm not sure what i'll do with some of the items.
from there, i met my new team. i had a quick tour of the facilities (after all, i have to know where the bathrooms are) and i got to meet every tom, dick, and harry in the company. i'll be lucky if i can remember even one of their names. truth be told, i'd be lucky if i can remember where the bathrooms are too. from there, i got to set up my desk, my computer, and stuff in my little cubicle.
(pictured below is my desk in my cubicle. i will definitely need to decorate it some more.)
i'm not actually a big fan of my desk. the desk squeaks. i suppose that is part of being the "new guy" though... getting the old squeaky stuff.
once my cubicle was set, i got to go out for lunch with my new team. we went to bertucci's. interesting fact i learned yesterday: marblehead does not allow chains. apparently, it was a struggle for starbucks to open a place in marblehead. thus, bertucci's is located in a nearby city, not marblehead. (i would tell you the city that bertucci's is located in, but i don't know anything around the marblehead area.) i found that tidbit of information very strange.
after lunch, i had another orientation training with human resources about how to use the phones. i won't be able to remember any of the training. the next thing i know, it's time to go. (well, it was time to go according to my new boss.) my boss let me leave early to avoid the traffic. plus, he knew i arrived early in the morning. in fact, he set up my working hours as 7:30am to 3:30pm-4:00pm. i must say... leaving before 5:30pm felt so odd. i'm not complaining though...
anyway, we'll see how day two goes. i've been itching to actually get my hands dirty and do some work. hopefully soon...
Thursday, June 5, 2008
I Still Suck At Work
with still nothing to do during my last week at work, i decided to be creative to pass the time away. yep, i still suck at work.
so in the interest of creativity, i raided the company supply cabinet. i found a glossy white folder, a glossy blue folder, envelope adhesive, and double sided tape. lucky for me, i had scissors already at my desk.
with all the supplies now sitting at my desk, i started cutting away. on our floor, the desks have a slight wall that is a little bit shorter than the height of the computer monitor that sits on the desk. my coworkers (particular tim and kristen) were wondering what i was doing at my desk because all they could see was me with a pair of scissors and pieces flying around.
anyway, i told them it was a surprise and cut some more shapes out of the folders. i even grabbed some heavy books from the book shelf next to my desk to add weight onto the glued pieces. as it turned out, i had to switch to using the double sided tape because the envelope adhesive did not stick too well.
when all was said and done, i revealed by creation. (picture below is my creation. it's a baseball jersey with my phone extension.)
my coworkers are part of the red sox nation. so they got a nice chuckle out of my creative project. they had even considered having a retirement ceremony for the jersey at lunch time. unfortunately, i already had plans for lunch.
needless to say, i just stuck the retired jersey on the wall, much like how it's done at baseball stadiums. i give it a couple of days before the owner of the company goes ballistic and takes my art project down. the owner of the company is quite particular about things.
so in the interest of creativity, i raided the company supply cabinet. i found a glossy white folder, a glossy blue folder, envelope adhesive, and double sided tape. lucky for me, i had scissors already at my desk.
with all the supplies now sitting at my desk, i started cutting away. on our floor, the desks have a slight wall that is a little bit shorter than the height of the computer monitor that sits on the desk. my coworkers (particular tim and kristen) were wondering what i was doing at my desk because all they could see was me with a pair of scissors and pieces flying around.
anyway, i told them it was a surprise and cut some more shapes out of the folders. i even grabbed some heavy books from the book shelf next to my desk to add weight onto the glued pieces. as it turned out, i had to switch to using the double sided tape because the envelope adhesive did not stick too well.
when all was said and done, i revealed by creation. (picture below is my creation. it's a baseball jersey with my phone extension.)
my coworkers are part of the red sox nation. so they got a nice chuckle out of my creative project. they had even considered having a retirement ceremony for the jersey at lunch time. unfortunately, i already had plans for lunch.
needless to say, i just stuck the retired jersey on the wall, much like how it's done at baseball stadiums. i give it a couple of days before the owner of the company goes ballistic and takes my art project down. the owner of the company is quite particular about things.
Monday, June 2, 2008
I Suck At Work
today begins my final week at my current job.
with all of my projects delegated to my other team members... and with no new projects to work on because of my departure... i have had absolutely nothing to do at work. so naturally, i figured i would do what i do best... cause trouble.
in addition to the joy street location, my company has an office located on 101 federal street. 101 federal street also happens to be the address of my bank, but that is beside the point. the 101 federal street office consists of 5 people. one of those 5 people happens to be one of my coworkers (natasha) who i instant message a lot during the course of the day. natasha is the executive assistant at the 101 federal street office. ever since i trained her on one of the applications that our company created, she has been keeping me up to date on the coming and goings at the 101 federal street office.
anyway, natasha sits in full view of one of the directors (amy)... not to be confused with my friend hot amy. amy is not exactly the most technically proficient individual i have known. i am probably lucky that she even knows how to use instant messenger. needless to say, i decided to play a joke on amy today.
if you were ever visit the 101 federal street office, you would know that every room in the office has a special clock hanging on the wall. the clock naturally has to be a chelsea clock because the company's owner's brother also happens to own the chelsea clock company. when i was training natasha on the application, she had mentioned how every room had to have the chelsea clock. in addition, she mentioned that there was some joking from the directors about how each room had to have a chelsea clock because there was a camera contained within the clock and that the main office could then keep tabs on the 101 federal office location.
naturally, i used this tidbit of information for my pleasure. with the help of natasha and instant messenger, i asked natasha what amy was doing at the moment. amy was scribbling something in a notebook. so, i sent an instant message to amy telling her to stop scribbling in her notebook. confused, she asked how i knew she was writing something... to which i replied... "because i can see through the camera in the clock."
from what i am told by natasha, amy started to freak out. amy kept peering at the clock and kept asking me questions. she even started to ask one of the other directors something about the clock, to which i sent her an instant message saying that "the camera is a secret, don't ask him!" after that, amy freaked out some more.
i wish i could have actually been there to witness firsthand amy's freakout. natasha was having trouble keeping her laughter in. natasha soon sent me an instant message saying that all amy was saying is that she could not believe there are cameras in the office. naturally, i then sent amy an instant message saying that it was not so hard to believe.
freaked out even further, amy then asked me if... not only could i see her, but could i hear her as well. of course, i had her going. i told her that that there was an ip address that i could get to via my computer to see her and that the audio portion was a bit muffled. that got amy even more freaked out. i was dying laughing at my desk because natasha was telling me about amy's paranoid panic.
eventually, i had to finally tell amy that i was just kidding around with her. amy took the joke well. she's a good sport. i will definitely miss my partner in crime in natasha, amy, and the rest of the people at the 101 federal office location when i leave work. it's too bad i suck at work.
with all of my projects delegated to my other team members... and with no new projects to work on because of my departure... i have had absolutely nothing to do at work. so naturally, i figured i would do what i do best... cause trouble.
in addition to the joy street location, my company has an office located on 101 federal street. 101 federal street also happens to be the address of my bank, but that is beside the point. the 101 federal street office consists of 5 people. one of those 5 people happens to be one of my coworkers (natasha) who i instant message a lot during the course of the day. natasha is the executive assistant at the 101 federal street office. ever since i trained her on one of the applications that our company created, she has been keeping me up to date on the coming and goings at the 101 federal street office.
anyway, natasha sits in full view of one of the directors (amy)... not to be confused with my friend hot amy. amy is not exactly the most technically proficient individual i have known. i am probably lucky that she even knows how to use instant messenger. needless to say, i decided to play a joke on amy today.
if you were ever visit the 101 federal street office, you would know that every room in the office has a special clock hanging on the wall. the clock naturally has to be a chelsea clock because the company's owner's brother also happens to own the chelsea clock company. when i was training natasha on the application, she had mentioned how every room had to have the chelsea clock. in addition, she mentioned that there was some joking from the directors about how each room had to have a chelsea clock because there was a camera contained within the clock and that the main office could then keep tabs on the 101 federal office location.
naturally, i used this tidbit of information for my pleasure. with the help of natasha and instant messenger, i asked natasha what amy was doing at the moment. amy was scribbling something in a notebook. so, i sent an instant message to amy telling her to stop scribbling in her notebook. confused, she asked how i knew she was writing something... to which i replied... "because i can see through the camera in the clock."
from what i am told by natasha, amy started to freak out. amy kept peering at the clock and kept asking me questions. she even started to ask one of the other directors something about the clock, to which i sent her an instant message saying that "the camera is a secret, don't ask him!" after that, amy freaked out some more.
i wish i could have actually been there to witness firsthand amy's freakout. natasha was having trouble keeping her laughter in. natasha soon sent me an instant message saying that all amy was saying is that she could not believe there are cameras in the office. naturally, i then sent amy an instant message saying that it was not so hard to believe.
freaked out even further, amy then asked me if... not only could i see her, but could i hear her as well. of course, i had her going. i told her that that there was an ip address that i could get to via my computer to see her and that the audio portion was a bit muffled. that got amy even more freaked out. i was dying laughing at my desk because natasha was telling me about amy's paranoid panic.
eventually, i had to finally tell amy that i was just kidding around with her. amy took the joke well. she's a good sport. i will definitely miss my partner in crime in natasha, amy, and the rest of the people at the 101 federal office location when i leave work. it's too bad i suck at work.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
I Still Suck At Hanging Out With Coworkers
tonight, my coworkers and i went out after work. my new boss (anthony) wanted to get the entire team together and hang out. the last time the team went out, one of the members (sean) was in china. so tonight, the entire team was present. apparently, anthony likes to have outings to bring the team together and boost morale and all that.
i'd say it's a good method to build teamwork because booze and food are involved. unfortunately, i still suck at hanging out with coworkers. we ended up going to the elephant and castle pub and restaurant (like last time).
it's funny because i have been to plenty of company outings during my six year tenure at work... and each time i have always dreaded going out with coworkers. and again, it's not that i dislike my coworkers. i like my coworkers. i think it's more of the fact that these company outings are like "forced" get togethers.
needless to say, the food was delicious at the restaurant. (i had grilled salmon... and naturally a few pints of guinness.) i'll have to admit, it was actually a good time. maybe i shouldn't dread these company outings so much because i have had a pretty good time the last times out. then again, it could be the beer talking. but yeah, we hung out, told stories, laughed. it was fun.
anyway, i got to ride the subway train home with anthony afterwards (he lives in braintree which happens to be the destination of the same train i take home.) as he would normally have walked from the station to his house, i offered him a ride because it was quite late... and dark out. so lucky for anthony, he got to meet my parents while i picked up the car.
incidentally, my parents were quite impressed that he knew chinese better than i did. (he's a "white devil" with "yellow fever" as he is married to a chinese woman. plus, he has lived in hong kong.) so needless to say, i got to spend some quality time with the new boss. it was actually quite nice. i got to learn more about my new boss. he seems like he really cares about the team... it's a nice feeling... hopefully, he'll stick around because i sure would like him to... but we'll see.
i'd say it's a good method to build teamwork because booze and food are involved. unfortunately, i still suck at hanging out with coworkers. we ended up going to the elephant and castle pub and restaurant (like last time).
it's funny because i have been to plenty of company outings during my six year tenure at work... and each time i have always dreaded going out with coworkers. and again, it's not that i dislike my coworkers. i like my coworkers. i think it's more of the fact that these company outings are like "forced" get togethers.
needless to say, the food was delicious at the restaurant. (i had grilled salmon... and naturally a few pints of guinness.) i'll have to admit, it was actually a good time. maybe i shouldn't dread these company outings so much because i have had a pretty good time the last times out. then again, it could be the beer talking. but yeah, we hung out, told stories, laughed. it was fun.
anyway, i got to ride the subway train home with anthony afterwards (he lives in braintree which happens to be the destination of the same train i take home.) as he would normally have walked from the station to his house, i offered him a ride because it was quite late... and dark out. so lucky for anthony, he got to meet my parents while i picked up the car.
incidentally, my parents were quite impressed that he knew chinese better than i did. (he's a "white devil" with "yellow fever" as he is married to a chinese woman. plus, he has lived in hong kong.) so needless to say, i got to spend some quality time with the new boss. it was actually quite nice. i got to learn more about my new boss. he seems like he really cares about the team... it's a nice feeling... hopefully, he'll stick around because i sure would like him to... but we'll see.
Friday, April 18, 2008
I Suck At Hanging Out With Coworkers
i suck at hanging out with coworkers. i generally follow the golden rule of not mixing business with pleasure, which in my case is rather easy to do because there is no pleasure with where i work.
thus, i am hesitant to do many things with coworkers outside the work environment where there is a group or team setting. i usually dread such get togethers. that is why i never like going to my company's holiday party. i would rather get intoxicated so that the feeling of pain is numbed. (as it turns out, i have gotten very inebriated many times during company outtings for this very fact.)
that is not to say that i dislike my coworkers. one of my friends (carlos) is also one of my coworkers. things are different when you are having a good time with certain individuals who are your coworkers as opposed to being seemingly forced to hang out with a group of individuals who are your coworkers.
tonight, i thought, was one of those nights. to my surprise, i actually had a good time. this past monday, my new boss started at the company. in an effort to get to know everyone on the team, he wanted to go out for some drinks and dinner tonight. naturally, i immediately felt dread when first asked because it was going to be one of those "forced" get togethers.
anyway, we ended up the elephant and castle pub and restaurant which is just a short walk from my company after work. on the walk over, i got to learn about my boss's life, his family, etc. while we were at the restaurant, we talked about everything from sports to other people at work. he genuinely seemed like a nice guy. of course, this may have been the booze talking. (just kidding. i didn't drink that much... only two pints of ireland's finest: guinness.)
i shortly left after my second drink to meet up with karen. i actually think karen was relieved to find me standing and sober as opposed to staggering and attempting to dance and sing because she knows how i get during company outtings. needless to say, it was surprisingly nice and i had a good time.
thus, i am hesitant to do many things with coworkers outside the work environment where there is a group or team setting. i usually dread such get togethers. that is why i never like going to my company's holiday party. i would rather get intoxicated so that the feeling of pain is numbed. (as it turns out, i have gotten very inebriated many times during company outtings for this very fact.)
that is not to say that i dislike my coworkers. one of my friends (carlos) is also one of my coworkers. things are different when you are having a good time with certain individuals who are your coworkers as opposed to being seemingly forced to hang out with a group of individuals who are your coworkers.
tonight, i thought, was one of those nights. to my surprise, i actually had a good time. this past monday, my new boss started at the company. in an effort to get to know everyone on the team, he wanted to go out for some drinks and dinner tonight. naturally, i immediately felt dread when first asked because it was going to be one of those "forced" get togethers.
anyway, we ended up the elephant and castle pub and restaurant which is just a short walk from my company after work. on the walk over, i got to learn about my boss's life, his family, etc. while we were at the restaurant, we talked about everything from sports to other people at work. he genuinely seemed like a nice guy. of course, this may have been the booze talking. (just kidding. i didn't drink that much... only two pints of ireland's finest: guinness.)
i shortly left after my second drink to meet up with karen. i actually think karen was relieved to find me standing and sober as opposed to staggering and attempting to dance and sing because she knows how i get during company outtings. needless to say, it was surprisingly nice and i had a good time.
Monday, March 24, 2008
I Suck At Leaving Work At Work
my normal working hours are from 8:30am to 5:30pm. i usually get to work earlier than the rest of my team, so when 5:30pm sounds i feel no guilt in being the first one out the door.
generally, once i'm out the door, i usually can focus on other aspects of my life such as booze, women, and this blog (not necessarily in that order of course). i consider myself lucky that way because i know a friend who can't leave work at work. he gets all riled up over his job to the point where it's painful to ask the "how's work going" question because the diatribe that follows just seems to continue endlessly. so naturally, i try to avoid asking that question whenever i see him.
i can't really imagine getting all stressed over work... that is... until now. today, i suck at leaving work at work. as some of you may know, i have been working on a social networking project. this project is a nightmare and has been from the start. there has been no formal specifications written. and naturally, there is tight deadline in a couple of days. needless to say, i have been asked to build something based on the meandering imagination of whatever i can pull from my butt, all within a few days.
naturally, that does not bode well for my happiness. in fact, i have just spent an additional 3 hours of my life working at home, where i could be doing other stuff like enjoying my booze, my women and this blog... and sadly, i have to continue the vicious cycle again tomorrow morning. sad. at least the red sox will be playing tomorrow.
generally, once i'm out the door, i usually can focus on other aspects of my life such as booze, women, and this blog (not necessarily in that order of course). i consider myself lucky that way because i know a friend who can't leave work at work. he gets all riled up over his job to the point where it's painful to ask the "how's work going" question because the diatribe that follows just seems to continue endlessly. so naturally, i try to avoid asking that question whenever i see him.
i can't really imagine getting all stressed over work... that is... until now. today, i suck at leaving work at work. as some of you may know, i have been working on a social networking project. this project is a nightmare and has been from the start. there has been no formal specifications written. and naturally, there is tight deadline in a couple of days. needless to say, i have been asked to build something based on the meandering imagination of whatever i can pull from my butt, all within a few days.
naturally, that does not bode well for my happiness. in fact, i have just spent an additional 3 hours of my life working at home, where i could be doing other stuff like enjoying my booze, my women and this blog... and sadly, i have to continue the vicious cycle again tomorrow morning. sad. at least the red sox will be playing tomorrow.
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