Category: Life

Posted on

Next Step

I would like to use this time to inform all my “peeps” who regularly read this little forum here of my… technically “our”… upcoming plans.

After much discussion and deliberation Jess and I have decided to move in together.  Again, technically I’m moving in with her, but the final result is the same.

We view this as the natural progression of our relationship and we are both ready and very excited.  My lease at my apartment is up the end of September so a decision needed to be made.  Actually, we have talked about it for quite a while, including before I signed my last 6 month lease, but wanted to be sure it was right for both of us.  Now, it is.

Movers have been scheduled and preparations have begun, but some assistance may still be required.  Those of you know who you are… You will be properly bribed pizza and lubricated with beer if necessary.

For the record, I would also like to add that this is not the final step.  My ultimate goal is not to move in and mooch off her until she wises up and kicks me out.  “Next Step” implies that more steps will follow.  I’m a big believer of one thing at a time, and so in keeping with that mindset, once this is done and settled there will be more steps to come.

Read into that what you will.  *wink*

Discuss amongst yourselves…

Posted on

It all came out in the Wash-ington

Wow… that wasn’t a whole lot of fun. The game, specifically, but pretty much the entire Saturday sucked donkey balls. Here’s the recap of my weekend trip to see the Boise State Broncos vs. the Washington Huskys.

Jess and I got on the road early on Friday. After a quick stop at McD’s for some road breakfast we were off. Drive was very uneventful, which is good. No blasting dirt storms or anything. It was nice to run into all the members of Bronco Nation who were heading up to the game (estimates said upwards of 10,000 made the trip). We were flying my Bronco flags on the car and saw many other people doing the same. We barreled through Ontario, Pendleton, gassed up in Yakima (where I got my first comment on my BSU gear from a guy delivering beer to the convenience store who said, “Beat them Huskys!”… he must be a Cougar fan.), and kept going through to Bellevue where we were staying at the Westin.

Continue reading “It all came out in the Wash-ington”

Posted on

One Year

Jess, today is our one year anniversary since we met for that evening of miniature golf and a couple beers.

I can hardly believe it.  I would have never had guessed a year ago I would be here, and I couldn’t be happier.  I certainly wasn’t expecting what I found, but I’m glad I did.

You are an amazing person and I love spending time with you.  The best compliment I can give you is that you allow me to be me.  I, as everyone, have plenty of my own issues and goofy peccadilloes and you accept them all.   I never knew how important that could be until I met you.

Here’s to the previous year, and looking forward to the future.  As Frank Sinatra sang, the best is yet to come.

Love you.

-Jason

Posted on

… And begins again

Today was the first day of my next career. I have to admit, it was a strange feeling that I haven’t had in a long time. Everyone knows those first day jitters, be it in a new school or job. Just those butterflies about what’s new and different.

New faces, new places.

But everyone I met was exceptionally friendly. I think I will fit in just fine. I did bring 4 dozen Krispy Kremes to bribe my way to a leg up in people’s minds. You gotta do what ya gotta do.

Of course, my first day didn’t exactly come off without a hitch due to a combination of issues.

Apparently a developer left the company yesterday, and he had a desk by the windows. Thus, there was a seniority rule in effect for anyone who wanted to sit there. All this shifting could cause a cascade of desk moves, so exactly where I would sit was up in the air.

But the bigger issue was that the PC they ordered for me was on backorder. It was supposed to arrive today, but somehow got delayed until tomorrow.  So, I had nothing to work on, nor anywhere to do it… but everything should come together tomorrow.

Basically, my day went like this. I got there about 8:45 after making the Krispy Kreme run and after a quick loop around the office, it was time to get down to all the paperwork. Who doesn’t love paperwork anyway? After getting that all finished, I met with some of the tech people for a bit. Then, Mike, the tech manager, pretty much said that I could bug out if I wanted to, since there wasn’t much for me to do. I figured I might as well, since I didn’t want to keep anyone else from their work by entertaining me. So, I left about 10:30 with plans to return at 3pm for the tech team meeting.

That meeting took all of 30 minutes, so all in all I “worked” just over 2 hours today… and that was STILL more than I had to do at HP.

Tomorrow, I’m heading in at noon (as they need to have time to receive and setup my PC). Whew… all this work is really taxing!

A few more post HP thoughts.

I have to say, it is now quite strange to drive past HP and realize that I no longer work there. Just a very odd feeling. Also, another odd feeling was to be technically unemployed for an entire weekend. I mean, the last time that happened was in 1994 when I was laid off from the law firm runner position before I started delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut. Thats a long time. I suppose, technically it is only the second time since I started working at the age of 16 to not currently be employed, and that was when I quit Nu Look Car Wash in the last few months of my senior year to be able to enjoy those festivities. Of course, I started working immediately after graduation.

I have to admit, I feel a bit odd about not working today or tomorrow morning, despite the fact that this is no fault of my own. Damn this pesky work ethic!

Anyway, I’m off and running in Wirestone’s corral. Granted, I didn’t exactly shoot from the gates at top speed, but I will get there soon enough.

Posted on

And so it ends…

Door ClosingThis is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

-T.S. Eliot

Indeed, this is how my HP world ended. Certainly not a bang, but with a whimper. I got home from what was my last “day” with HP and started this post. Actually, this day was exactly 38 minutes long. My exit interview was scheduled for 9:30am Friday morning. I arrived a little before 9 to finish cleaning up some things on my PC and to get my last load of crap out to the car.

I find it amusing that they still call it an “exit interview”. Quite frankly, it was more of an “escort out of the building” than an interview. According to the HP Portal, the exit interview consists of sitting down with one’s manager who asks about why you’re leaving, your overall HP experience, how they could improve things, etc. In actuality, here’s how it went.

The guy performing the “interview” was someone I’d never met since my latest manager (as of 3 weeks ago, I think the 10th I’ve had in 8 years) was remote. In fact, I spoke to my actual manager exactly once. So, this process was sub-contracted out to a local manager. Now, he was a nice enough guy. I think he was more happy that my leaving was on good terms. I really got the impression that he’s done more than one of these where the person leaving is none too pleased about it. Welcome to the wonderful world of corporate layoff culture. Anyway, I soon realized that there was going to be no “interview”. I gathered up my remaining shit and headed to the door.

Opened the card controlled double doors, handed him my badge, and poof… Gone. That’s it. The ultimate whimper.

The accompanying picture you see above is, in fact, the final door closing on my HP career. I was able to whip out my camera and snatch one shot before the door finished closing. Not often that you get an image of both and actual and metaphorical event in one shot.

Continue reading “And so it ends…”

Posted on

Thank God It’s August

Summer HeatWe made it. It is finally August and I couldn’t be happier.

I barely survived the smoking, sun-scarred moonscape that was existence here in July.  In case you’re not from here or didn’t leave your house for a full month (in either case, I envy you) but July was officially the hottest month on record here in Boise. The Statesman said that there were 14 days of 100+ temps. Well, if you look at this pdf you will see that in addition to those “official” triple digit temps, there were 8 additional days that were 97-99. As I see it, if you’re driving around and its 97 or above ‘officially’ you will find somewhere in some parking lot or whatever is over 100. I think that should count. Just because where they took the measurement didn’t hit 100 doesn’t mean that somewhere you were didn’t.

That makes 22 out of 31 days that were WAY too friggin hot. Not to mention, it’s not like those other 9 days were cool and breezy. They were still hotter than hell.

Continue reading “Thank God It’s August”

Posted on

Offer Extended!

Hi Everyone. Quick update before we head out of town to McCall for the weekend.

They extended me an official offer! Their initial offer was a little low salary wise, so I countered and asked for a little bit more and they gladly met my requirements. (I agonized over actually sending it, but it worked out.)

All I have left to do is to officially sign it and set up a start date. That will be done on Monday.

I can finally exhale and relax. It’s been a LONG time coming.

Thanks again to all of your for your well wishes over the past month. It is ALL worthwhile.

More on Monday. Hope you enjoy your weekend as much as I will.

Posted on

All But Official…

Well folks, whatever you all have been doing, has apparently worked.

It is all but official that they are going to make me an offer. The C.O.O had a meeting he had to go to at the end, but everything we discussed basically boiled down to the fact that I fit with them both technically, but what appears more importantly, personally. They put a premium on their hiring people that fit the team. I guess I do just that.

I’m assuming I will hear from them tomorrow as far as an official offer with all the nitty gritty such as pay and whatnot.

The position sounds very cool, and it really sounds like one that will have lots of opportunities to not only use what I already got, but to expand my skill set and learn new stuff.

But really, the selling point for me is the people. I met half a dozen people and they are all very very cool. I can’t tell you how exciting it will be to go to work and actually interact with folks doing the same gig on a daily basis. It has been a long time since that has happened.

I don’t have much more to report at this time. Keep your eyes peeled for further updates. When I know more, you’ll know more.

Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I’m sure it made a difference. (Although, the fact that I just plain kick ass might have had something to do with it too.)