I have yet to sign anything. But I've received an offer of employment from Oracle. That I'll accept.
I'd like to say I headed into this with a zen-like calmness. That was definitely true over the past few months, when we were waiting for EU approval. But once that came and it turned into a waiting game, I was getting a little antsy. And while I'd resigned myself that my fate had been long ago decided and was out of my hands, it doesn't stop you from wondering how you will pay for your mortgage with two unemployment checks.
It's always a little weird to survive a layoff, as there's definitely a measure of survivor guilt. People sometimes say, "Congratulations," but it doesn't seem right. I mean, you don't tell that to someone who survived a plane crash. I will, however, accept, "I was praying for you," "I'm glad you made it," or, as my sister put it, "I'm so relieved for you."
So finally, I have some closure. Time to take a deep breath, and plow ahead.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sun set.
We interrupt our coverage of my visit to Prague with this special bulletin.
Rhonda and I spent the final night of our three-week Japan trip where it all started for us - the Odakyu Hotel Century Southern Tower, where we stayed on our honeymoon in 2004. We checked out of our other hotel, took a cab to the Southern Tower, and checked our bags as we were much too early for check in. We decided to head across the terrace near Shinjuku Station's new south exit to the Takashimaya Times Square department store.
As we headed across the terrace, down on the station facing us, was a giant Oracle billboard. That's when we knew that as nice as it was to get away from it all for three weeks - the worry, the insecurity, the pressure - this day would come.
Much of the fireworks I expected last week in Prague carried over to this week. Last Thursday, Oracle scheduled a webcast for today to discuss Sun integration and roadmaps. The same day in Europe, the EC gave their blessing to the merger, setting the wheels finally in motion. Overnight last night, there were many media reports, including one from the AP that Oracle had closed its acquisition of Sun.
Inside Sun, there have been a wide range of emotions, from jubilation that we'll soon receive closure, to all-out depression from the SMI lifers. There have been a few rather poignant tributes to Sun, from James Gosling's tombstone image to a touching musical tribute from Alec Muffet, finally resulting in this email from Scott McNealy.
About halfway through college, perhaps spurred on by a free Java t-shirt that I wore with fanboy pride until the logo was disintegrating, I decided Sun Microsystems was the company I wanted to work for. In late 1999, only 18 months out of college and in my second job, I was able to make that happen. With a new girlfriend that would later be my wife, and a new job at a company whose technology and culture I held with the highest esteem, I felt on top of the world at 23. (I know, what a sap I was.)
To its credit, Sun did not disappoint. While I haven't always been completely satisfied with my job or with the work I was being given, I always greatly enjoyed working at Sun. From the company dress code ("you must") to the mission statement ("kick butt and have fun"), Sun's culture has been a perfect fit for my working style. I've also felt Sun has conducted itself ethically in its pursuit of profit. I'd even forgiven Sun for its roots as the Stanford University Network (however, former chief technologist Bill Joy is a Berkeley guy).
Which leads to today, where I am feeling more conflicted than I thought I would be. The last few years have been difficult and stressful career-wise, and working for Sun had lost a bit of the luster that it held for me at the turn of the millennium. The nice thing about this week has been remembering and rediscovering what I thought was so great and special about Sun in the first place. While I'm sad that it had to come to this, I would rather see Sun end up with a buyer that values its technology (and, hopefully, its employees) and is going to do something new and forward-thinking with it, than to be bought for its customer list and sent to the slaughter. The alternatives to Oracle could have been much, much worse.
So I'm definitely willing to give this the benefit of the doubt. We'll see what happens over the coming weeks - if I even have a job by then, although things are looking promising. Things are going to move fast and furiously (which is never good for my blogging output) and while life as we know it is going to change at Sun (and will it ever), there is perhaps a second life for this company I love.
And the sun will rise tomorrow.
Rhonda and I spent the final night of our three-week Japan trip where it all started for us - the Odakyu Hotel Century Southern Tower, where we stayed on our honeymoon in 2004. We checked out of our other hotel, took a cab to the Southern Tower, and checked our bags as we were much too early for check in. We decided to head across the terrace near Shinjuku Station's new south exit to the Takashimaya Times Square department store.
As we headed across the terrace, down on the station facing us, was a giant Oracle billboard. That's when we knew that as nice as it was to get away from it all for three weeks - the worry, the insecurity, the pressure - this day would come.
Much of the fireworks I expected last week in Prague carried over to this week. Last Thursday, Oracle scheduled a webcast for today to discuss Sun integration and roadmaps. The same day in Europe, the EC gave their blessing to the merger, setting the wheels finally in motion. Overnight last night, there were many media reports, including one from the AP that Oracle had closed its acquisition of Sun.
Inside Sun, there have been a wide range of emotions, from jubilation that we'll soon receive closure, to all-out depression from the SMI lifers. There have been a few rather poignant tributes to Sun, from James Gosling's tombstone image to a touching musical tribute from Alec Muffet, finally resulting in this email from Scott McNealy.
About halfway through college, perhaps spurred on by a free Java t-shirt that I wore with fanboy pride until the logo was disintegrating, I decided Sun Microsystems was the company I wanted to work for. In late 1999, only 18 months out of college and in my second job, I was able to make that happen. With a new girlfriend that would later be my wife, and a new job at a company whose technology and culture I held with the highest esteem, I felt on top of the world at 23. (I know, what a sap I was.)
To its credit, Sun did not disappoint. While I haven't always been completely satisfied with my job or with the work I was being given, I always greatly enjoyed working at Sun. From the company dress code ("you must") to the mission statement ("kick butt and have fun"), Sun's culture has been a perfect fit for my working style. I've also felt Sun has conducted itself ethically in its pursuit of profit. I'd even forgiven Sun for its roots as the Stanford University Network (however, former chief technologist Bill Joy is a Berkeley guy).
Which leads to today, where I am feeling more conflicted than I thought I would be. The last few years have been difficult and stressful career-wise, and working for Sun had lost a bit of the luster that it held for me at the turn of the millennium. The nice thing about this week has been remembering and rediscovering what I thought was so great and special about Sun in the first place. While I'm sad that it had to come to this, I would rather see Sun end up with a buyer that values its technology (and, hopefully, its employees) and is going to do something new and forward-thinking with it, than to be bought for its customer list and sent to the slaughter. The alternatives to Oracle could have been much, much worse.
So I'm definitely willing to give this the benefit of the doubt. We'll see what happens over the coming weeks - if I even have a job by then, although things are looking promising. Things are going to move fast and furiously (which is never good for my blogging output) and while life as we know it is going to change at Sun (and will it ever), there is perhaps a second life for this company I love.
And the sun will rise tomorrow.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Random thoughts from my journey to Prague
(Consider this a draft, pictures to follow.)
In the walkway connecting the hourly parking garage to the international terminal, the first ad you see is for Sun Microsystems. I haven't decided yet if that is happy, sad, or ironic.
Just ahead of the Sun ad was a Tiger Woods ad for Accenture, which provided some levity since Rhonda has been worried about my flight and that has made me nervous as well.
Rhonda used the restroom and said someone was in there crying. I said, "Don't be her." We browsed the bookstore and Sephora in a pathetic attempt to delay the inevitable. We said our goodbyes outside the security checkpoint, and to her credit, I didn't see her lingering around when I looked over my shoulder as the line snaked around.
Had a tonkatsu dinner at Tomokazu, a Japanese restaurant on the post-security side. For airport food, not half bad. Figure there won't be many Asian meals for the next week.
This is my first time flying Lufthansa, and I'm not sure I've ever seen this many German people before. (Duh, this flight is going to Frankfurt.)
Our plane is a 747. It doesn't have the screens in the back of the seat in front of you like on American or United; instead there are 15" or so ceiling-mounted standard-def TVs every eight rows or so. There is one right over my head, meaning I have to watch the one twenty feet away. Boo.
No one is sitting next to me. The guy next to the window and I are ecstatic.
On the plus side, Lufthansa has two Japanese music channels on their in-flight lineup. The DJ speaks in Japanese but repeats herself in English, so I don't have to guess who sings which song.
JERO, this is a good start. Although the music is a little too light for my taste, I am already napping on and off by the time we reach cruising altitude.
The snack is a bag of crackers with a picture of beer on them. I also have a Coke Light. Love how only in America do they call it Diet Coke, since it doens't actually help you lose weight. Wow, Germans really like to booze it up on the plane. I feel like I'm the only one not drinking around me.
Dinner is eh. Wait a minute, is the booze free?!? It doesn't dawn on me until after the flight attendants have passed me by that no one is paying for these drinks.
I notice that the J-Pop songs are already repeating - I've already heard Thelma Aoyama and AI, and we're only like three hours in. Lame.
After dinner, when they pick up the trays, they are offering Bailey's and cognac. I decide I will speak up and get a Bailey's, since they appear to be free, but apparently my flight attendant has pegged me as a non-drinker, since she offers my neighbor a drink but not me!
After dinner I try to get as much sleep as I can. I stow my iPod and listen to channel 13, the relaxation channel. It's a channel with meditation instructions in both German and English over new agey music. It does the job and I get about four hours in, and I am about to try to force myself to sleep more when I wake up right in time for (500) Days of Summer.
(500) Days of Summer is pretty good, although I'll have to see it again, since it was the "edited for television" version (somehow I don't think they were yelling, "panda!") and a couple parts have subtitles and split-screens that I couldn't see clearly on a little screen from twenty feet away. I'm not Superman.
The time on the laptop tells me it's 11:13 PM in California, which means it's 8 AM in Prague. To me it feels like I went to bed at 2 an got up at 6, which means I'm on Prague time, but I will need to stay up for at least another twelve hours. Methinks this jetlag is going to suck.
Sort of awake, so as planned, I am working on my resume. Again, not sure if that is ironic.
Breakfast was not bad for airline food. My first coffee in what seems like forever (when it was more like 14 hours) is going down nicely. Listening to Dashboard Confessional. Less than an hour until Guten Tag, Frankfurt.
Neighbor just got up to use the bathroom for the first time. We're nine hours in, I've gone three times. What is he, a camel?
BSOD on Departures screen at Frankfurt Airport. Never fails to amuse.
Frankfurt is a big, sprawling airport. This is the kind of airport that if you have a connecting flight, you want to have lots of time to get to the gate. And you don't want to be hauling a big shoulder bag, and you want to be in at least fair physical condition. Let's it put it this way: I've never seen people riding bikes *inside* an airport before.
The Oracle advertising presence in FRA is huge. They sponsor all the kiosks you can charge your devices at. Talk about your omens: a Sun ad in SFO, Oracle marketing dominance in FRA.
Short, packed flight to Prague. Got to give it to Lufthansa: they served a cheese sandwich for lunch on a one hour flight! American airlines sometimes don't even give you peanuts. I also noticed they ask if you want multiple drinks (e.g., coffee and juice, or soda and water). And I didn't get charged for my bag. Wow, do the American airlines suck.
Shared a ride to the hotel with a Sun colleague and wife, both of whom I just met. Nice folks, of course. His wife confirmed that all that booze on Lufthansa was free. Seriously considering Lufthansa for all future travel.
All checked into the hotel. Room is super nice. Rhonda will be very jealous that I have a Japanese TV channel; I plan to watch that ad nauseum while I am in the room.
Debating going for a walk, or sticking to my plan and using today to iron. Dinner is in a couple hours and I need a shower, so the walk is not likely. More to come later, I'm sure.
In the walkway connecting the hourly parking garage to the international terminal, the first ad you see is for Sun Microsystems. I haven't decided yet if that is happy, sad, or ironic.
Just ahead of the Sun ad was a Tiger Woods ad for Accenture, which provided some levity since Rhonda has been worried about my flight and that has made me nervous as well.
Rhonda used the restroom and said someone was in there crying. I said, "Don't be her." We browsed the bookstore and Sephora in a pathetic attempt to delay the inevitable. We said our goodbyes outside the security checkpoint, and to her credit, I didn't see her lingering around when I looked over my shoulder as the line snaked around.
Had a tonkatsu dinner at Tomokazu, a Japanese restaurant on the post-security side. For airport food, not half bad. Figure there won't be many Asian meals for the next week.
This is my first time flying Lufthansa, and I'm not sure I've ever seen this many German people before. (Duh, this flight is going to Frankfurt.)
Our plane is a 747. It doesn't have the screens in the back of the seat in front of you like on American or United; instead there are 15" or so ceiling-mounted standard-def TVs every eight rows or so. There is one right over my head, meaning I have to watch the one twenty feet away. Boo.
No one is sitting next to me. The guy next to the window and I are ecstatic.
On the plus side, Lufthansa has two Japanese music channels on their in-flight lineup. The DJ speaks in Japanese but repeats herself in English, so I don't have to guess who sings which song.
JERO, this is a good start. Although the music is a little too light for my taste, I am already napping on and off by the time we reach cruising altitude.
The snack is a bag of crackers with a picture of beer on them. I also have a Coke Light. Love how only in America do they call it Diet Coke, since it doens't actually help you lose weight. Wow, Germans really like to booze it up on the plane. I feel like I'm the only one not drinking around me.
Dinner is eh. Wait a minute, is the booze free?!? It doesn't dawn on me until after the flight attendants have passed me by that no one is paying for these drinks.
I notice that the J-Pop songs are already repeating - I've already heard Thelma Aoyama and AI, and we're only like three hours in. Lame.
After dinner, when they pick up the trays, they are offering Bailey's and cognac. I decide I will speak up and get a Bailey's, since they appear to be free, but apparently my flight attendant has pegged me as a non-drinker, since she offers my neighbor a drink but not me!
After dinner I try to get as much sleep as I can. I stow my iPod and listen to channel 13, the relaxation channel. It's a channel with meditation instructions in both German and English over new agey music. It does the job and I get about four hours in, and I am about to try to force myself to sleep more when I wake up right in time for (500) Days of Summer.
(500) Days of Summer is pretty good, although I'll have to see it again, since it was the "edited for television" version (somehow I don't think they were yelling, "panda!") and a couple parts have subtitles and split-screens that I couldn't see clearly on a little screen from twenty feet away. I'm not Superman.
The time on the laptop tells me it's 11:13 PM in California, which means it's 8 AM in Prague. To me it feels like I went to bed at 2 an got up at 6, which means I'm on Prague time, but I will need to stay up for at least another twelve hours. Methinks this jetlag is going to suck.
Sort of awake, so as planned, I am working on my resume. Again, not sure if that is ironic.
Breakfast was not bad for airline food. My first coffee in what seems like forever (when it was more like 14 hours) is going down nicely. Listening to Dashboard Confessional. Less than an hour until Guten Tag, Frankfurt.
Neighbor just got up to use the bathroom for the first time. We're nine hours in, I've gone three times. What is he, a camel?
BSOD on Departures screen at Frankfurt Airport. Never fails to amuse.
Frankfurt is a big, sprawling airport. This is the kind of airport that if you have a connecting flight, you want to have lots of time to get to the gate. And you don't want to be hauling a big shoulder bag, and you want to be in at least fair physical condition. Let's it put it this way: I've never seen people riding bikes *inside* an airport before.
The Oracle advertising presence in FRA is huge. They sponsor all the kiosks you can charge your devices at. Talk about your omens: a Sun ad in SFO, Oracle marketing dominance in FRA.
Short, packed flight to Prague. Got to give it to Lufthansa: they served a cheese sandwich for lunch on a one hour flight! American airlines sometimes don't even give you peanuts. I also noticed they ask if you want multiple drinks (e.g., coffee and juice, or soda and water). And I didn't get charged for my bag. Wow, do the American airlines suck.
Shared a ride to the hotel with a Sun colleague and wife, both of whom I just met. Nice folks, of course. His wife confirmed that all that booze on Lufthansa was free. Seriously considering Lufthansa for all future travel.
All checked into the hotel. Room is super nice. Rhonda will be very jealous that I have a Japanese TV channel; I plan to watch that ad nauseum while I am in the room.
Debating going for a walk, or sticking to my plan and using today to iron. Dinner is in a couple hours and I need a shower, so the walk is not likely. More to come later, I'm sure.
Up In The Air
Ahh, where to begin?
Nine months since my last post. Tsk tsk. In my defense, it's been a busy and exciting nine months; sometimes harrowing, sometimes jubilant, not devoid of dull moments, but it probably could have used some more.
Did we make it to Japan? Yes. Was it an incredible, life-altering experience? Yes. Can we wait to go back? Not really. We are already backing off our "this may be the last time we go for a while, so let's make it last" stance, to one of "maybe shorter trips more frequently will scratch the itch." I hope to fill in my blog with tales of our Japan trip, possibly in LOST-style flashbacks. And, hopefully, flash-forwards.
Did IBM buy Sun? Of course, we know the answer to that is no. But Oracle did, and with that news came drama on a colossal scale. I don't like to blog much about business, since I like my job and wouldn't like to lose it (and I really don't consider it very professional). That said, my involvement in Oracle-Sun integration has really dominated the past four months or so. It has kept me busy, busy, busy, and made me glad I didn't decide to ditch my landline to go cellular only. I'm doing more work than ever (for the same pay, I should add), and I've moved to a new group. It's been very challenging.
Which leads to current events. I am typing this from 35,000 feet on a Lufthansa 747 over Calgary, on my way to Prague via Frankfurt. How I ended up on this plane, I'm still not entirely sure. But when you have a chance to travel on business to a faraway land, when you've been with a company for a decade and only traveled to Colorado once, that's tough to pass up.
I'm not sure if this will be my last hurrah. Rumor has it that by the time I land on American soil next Saturday, there may not even be a Sun. I may not even have a job by then, and if I do, who knows where it will be doing what.
It's going to be a very interesting week.
Nine months since my last post. Tsk tsk. In my defense, it's been a busy and exciting nine months; sometimes harrowing, sometimes jubilant, not devoid of dull moments, but it probably could have used some more.
Did we make it to Japan? Yes. Was it an incredible, life-altering experience? Yes. Can we wait to go back? Not really. We are already backing off our "this may be the last time we go for a while, so let's make it last" stance, to one of "maybe shorter trips more frequently will scratch the itch." I hope to fill in my blog with tales of our Japan trip, possibly in LOST-style flashbacks. And, hopefully, flash-forwards.
Did IBM buy Sun? Of course, we know the answer to that is no. But Oracle did, and with that news came drama on a colossal scale. I don't like to blog much about business, since I like my job and wouldn't like to lose it (and I really don't consider it very professional). That said, my involvement in Oracle-Sun integration has really dominated the past four months or so. It has kept me busy, busy, busy, and made me glad I didn't decide to ditch my landline to go cellular only. I'm doing more work than ever (for the same pay, I should add), and I've moved to a new group. It's been very challenging.
Which leads to current events. I am typing this from 35,000 feet on a Lufthansa 747 over Calgary, on my way to Prague via Frankfurt. How I ended up on this plane, I'm still not entirely sure. But when you have a chance to travel on business to a faraway land, when you've been with a company for a decade and only traveled to Colorado once, that's tough to pass up.
I'm not sure if this will be my last hurrah. Rumor has it that by the time I land on American soil next Saturday, there may not even be a Sun. I may not even have a job by then, and if I do, who knows where it will be doing what.
It's going to be a very interesting week.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Dollar dollar bill, y'all.
Earlier in the week, my friend Alma twittered, "I need to learn how to save money. And also how to make enough money to actually save it. =/." I offered to send some links her way, then figured I might as well blog it in case they would benefit someone else.
First a disclaimer: I am, by no means, an expert on personal finance. I have 800+ credit, but that's because I make all my payments. In fact, I have a ton of debt, a lot of it credit card debt, that I am still chipping away at. I have made many bad financial decisions (I bought a house in 2005, so you can guess how that's gone), just some of them not as spectacularly bad as others. But I have done a lot better the last few years, and like Jules Winfield, I'm trying. Real. Hard. To be the shepherd.
Enough chatter for now, here are the links:
(You may notice there are all personal finance links, and there's not a lot about investment. There's a reason for that: I have debt. It doesn't make sense to sink the money I have into stocks or mutual funds when I have debt accumulating interest. That said, I like The Motley Fool for investing advice, and still own piddly amounts of MVL and PEP stock.)
My advice is simple:
Hope that was helpful. Now it's time to go to sleep so I can carpool with my wife to work. You see how that works?
First a disclaimer: I am, by no means, an expert on personal finance. I have 800+ credit, but that's because I make all my payments. In fact, I have a ton of debt, a lot of it credit card debt, that I am still chipping away at. I have made many bad financial decisions (I bought a house in 2005, so you can guess how that's gone), just some of them not as spectacularly bad as others. But I have done a lot better the last few years, and like Jules Winfield, I'm trying. Real. Hard. To be the shepherd.
Enough chatter for now, here are the links:
- Consumer Reports Money & Shopping Blog: Hard to go wrong with Consumer Reports.
- Consumerist: not really an advice site, but it will let you know which companies treat their customers like crap, so you can avoid them. Entertaining.
- Get Rich Slowly: J.D. runs a pretty nice site about frugality. I think blogs like this are best since they offer practical, first-hand advice.
- I Will Teach you to Be Rich: I like this site quite a bit. Ramit targets young people, he's a bit brash but very passionate, and focuses less on frugality (he's not as extreme as some of the other bloggers) and more on redefining what it means to live "rich". He just wrote a book of the same name and I think I will check it out.
- NPR Planet Money: Birthed by our current financialpocalypse, NPR breaks down the financial system. Recommend the podcast, which I listen to daily, and usually just skim the blog. Won't help you balance your checkbook but knowledge is power, and peeking behind the curtain of capitalism and understanding how we got here can only help.
- Smart Spending by MSN Money: It's alright, not my favorite. kind of high-level for my tastes.
- Smart Money Consumer Action and Spending: these are alright. There's some overlap but you can pick and choose what to read. Yay, Google Reader! Yay, 'j' button!
- The Simple Dollar: Trent uses a lot of personal testimony in his content, and practical advice like that is always , useful. Sometimes this blog takes frugality to a level I wouldn't, but different perspectives are always a plus.
- Wise Bread: this blog is not bad. I like that there are a lot of different contributors, but a lot of posts about good deals make me want to spend money, not cut back.
(You may notice there are all personal finance links, and there's not a lot about investment. There's a reason for that: I have debt. It doesn't make sense to sink the money I have into stocks or mutual funds when I have debt accumulating interest. That said, I like The Motley Fool for investing advice, and still own piddly amounts of MVL and PEP stock.)
My advice is simple:
- Pay yourself first - sock away your 401(k) contribution or savings right out of your check, before your impulsive ass can spend it. And always, always, put at least as much in your 401(k) as to get the match from your employer. That is free money.
- Stop buying shit - umm, yeah. I have a wall full of books and DVDs that's very impressive when people come over. But did I really need to spend $10 on a DVD I watch once a year, because it was a "deal"? The worst thing you can do is buy something specifically because it's a "deal". Pick something you want - a house, a car, an engagement ring, a trip to Japan - and when that video game is in your hand, think about how badly you want it compared to what you are striving for. That said...
- Don't be a cheap-ass - you still have to live. Denying yourself everything is just going to make you miserable. Every once in a while, you have to treat yourself - you just don't want to do it all the time, or in huge quantities. Use your judgment.
- Compromise - I have two speeds for shopping for clothes. I either buy pretty nice clothes, name brand stuff, off the clearance rack, at Costco, or at outlets. Or I just buy functional clothes from Target or Costco. I like nice stuff, but I don't like paying for it. I like Diet Coke, but if Diet Pepsi is on sale, guess what I'm drinking. Starbucks or Peet's coffee beans are pricey, but not compared to the two bucks and twenty minutes of your life you blow because you're too lazy to make your own.
- Never, ever buy anything from Target that's not on sale. Everything goes on sale at Target eventually.
Hope that was helpful. Now it's time to go to sleep so I can carpool with my wife to work. You see how that works?
日本に行きます!
I am totally psyched to announce that we're going back to Japan. After careful deliberation and lots of soul searching (at least for me, for my wife it was no contest), I decided $550 including all taxes was too cheap to pass up.
I estimate that we're going to pay $1100 for the plane and about $1500 for a cheap hotel or apartment for three weeks. At one point when gas was at its most expensive, I thought tickets might cost that much. I think we can eat pretty cheap, maybe splurging only a couple times on meals. I am most worried about how much we will spend on clothes (Rhonda) and tech and anime crap (me).
This may seem foolhardy in a recession. Rhonda already has her pink slip, and after dodging layoffs just a couple months ago, the IBM acquisition rumors don't exactly spell job security. Trust me, that is why I took almost the full 44 hours the seats were on hold to pull the trigger.
But this is a pretty important and symbolic trip for us, for reasons I don't want to explain. It has taken on added meaning over the last two years. When you have pretty dire financial and health situations over which you have no control, and you keep having to put off your dreams, it's incredibly disheartening. I know we are not the only people in this boat. But this opportunity presented itself at a time when we were in position to take advantage, and sometimes you need to make your own luck.
Also, scoff if you will, I feel this was divine intervention. I wasn't shopping for Tokyo tickets. I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact we might never go to Japan again or, at least, not in 2009. But a system of coincidences put itself into alignment Tuesday night. I had the "1000+" article count in Google Reader, yet I decided to read from a feed that is probably not in my 25 favorites. I decided to click on a link in that article to a website I'd never heard of, on a whim. That page happened to have a story on United fares specifically from SFO (and only SFO) to Narita for $400. The fare was only available on a handful of dates but some of those dates worked for our schedule. The sale only lasts until tomorrow, and the flights have basically all sold out. We were extremely fortunate, at a time when it seems like it's been a while since we've had some good fortune.
And you can see how I felt like we had to do this.
I didn't mean to write so long about this. Initially, it was just going to be a brief "woohoo!" kind of update. But it's nice to be excited about something again. We've had some news that made us feel relieved lately, and/or grateful, but not excited. Pumped. Alive.
I estimate that we're going to pay $1100 for the plane and about $1500 for a cheap hotel or apartment for three weeks. At one point when gas was at its most expensive, I thought tickets might cost that much. I think we can eat pretty cheap, maybe splurging only a couple times on meals. I am most worried about how much we will spend on clothes (Rhonda) and tech and anime crap (me).
This may seem foolhardy in a recession. Rhonda already has her pink slip, and after dodging layoffs just a couple months ago, the IBM acquisition rumors don't exactly spell job security. Trust me, that is why I took almost the full 44 hours the seats were on hold to pull the trigger.
But this is a pretty important and symbolic trip for us, for reasons I don't want to explain. It has taken on added meaning over the last two years. When you have pretty dire financial and health situations over which you have no control, and you keep having to put off your dreams, it's incredibly disheartening. I know we are not the only people in this boat. But this opportunity presented itself at a time when we were in position to take advantage, and sometimes you need to make your own luck.
Also, scoff if you will, I feel this was divine intervention. I wasn't shopping for Tokyo tickets. I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact we might never go to Japan again or, at least, not in 2009. But a system of coincidences put itself into alignment Tuesday night. I had the "1000+" article count in Google Reader, yet I decided to read from a feed that is probably not in my 25 favorites. I decided to click on a link in that article to a website I'd never heard of, on a whim. That page happened to have a story on United fares specifically from SFO (and only SFO) to Narita for $400. The fare was only available on a handful of dates but some of those dates worked for our schedule. The sale only lasts until tomorrow, and the flights have basically all sold out. We were extremely fortunate, at a time when it seems like it's been a while since we've had some good fortune.
And you can see how I felt like we had to do this.
I didn't mean to write so long about this. Initially, it was just going to be a brief "woohoo!" kind of update. But it's nice to be excited about something again. We've had some news that made us feel relieved lately, and/or grateful, but not excited. Pumped. Alive.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sunset?
Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated. I have just been sick for about a month. Pretty sure it was a flu, which was awfully resistant to antibiotics, followed by acute allergy symptoms the last couple of days. Going through Kleenex so fast I should buy stock in KMB.
It's been an interesting week, to say the least. My wife will officially be out of a job this June. Well, unless she gets hired back. We're trying to be optimistic, partly because no one really seems in a rush to work at her at-risk school, and partly because the federal stimulus package has a significant chunk of change earmarked for education.
Of course, the big news today is the report that IBM is in talks to buy my beloved employer, Sun Microsystems. Having survived a layoff less than two months ago, you can imagine how thrilled I am about this news. Yes, folks, that is sarcasm. At least JAVA stock is up, eh?
I spent about half my day wallowing in self-pity, before I decided I can't do anything about it, so there's no point in concerning myself with it. If I've learned anything since the tech bubble burst at the beginning of this decade, it's that business is business. And while I look at being acquired by Big Blue as the equivalent of getting traded to the Yankees, it's neither a done deal nor a certainty that I'll be on the chopping block if it is.
So I guess I decided it would be cathartic to put those thoughts into words. I'm not so sure that it was, in retrospect. Rhonda is more disappointed by this than I am, because she knows prospects for our planned trip to Japan this summer are bleaker than bleak. Of course, being this is the last subject I want to talk about at this point, it will of course be the only thing my family will want to talk about this weekend when we are in Vegas for my sister's birthday. Hopefully, a few of them read this between now and then, and politely remind the others that our family's crumbling financial stability is not a jovial dinner topic.
It's been an interesting week, to say the least. My wife will officially be out of a job this June. Well, unless she gets hired back. We're trying to be optimistic, partly because no one really seems in a rush to work at her at-risk school, and partly because the federal stimulus package has a significant chunk of change earmarked for education.
Of course, the big news today is the report that IBM is in talks to buy my beloved employer, Sun Microsystems. Having survived a layoff less than two months ago, you can imagine how thrilled I am about this news. Yes, folks, that is sarcasm. At least JAVA stock is up, eh?
I spent about half my day wallowing in self-pity, before I decided I can't do anything about it, so there's no point in concerning myself with it. If I've learned anything since the tech bubble burst at the beginning of this decade, it's that business is business. And while I look at being acquired by Big Blue as the equivalent of getting traded to the Yankees, it's neither a done deal nor a certainty that I'll be on the chopping block if it is.
So I guess I decided it would be cathartic to put those thoughts into words. I'm not so sure that it was, in retrospect. Rhonda is more disappointed by this than I am, because she knows prospects for our planned trip to Japan this summer are bleaker than bleak. Of course, being this is the last subject I want to talk about at this point, it will of course be the only thing my family will want to talk about this weekend when we are in Vegas for my sister's birthday. Hopefully, a few of them read this between now and then, and politely remind the others that our family's crumbling financial stability is not a jovial dinner topic.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Chinese New Year Resolutions
Gung Hay Fat Choy, interwebs! The Year of the Ox is upon us.
I am running quite a bit behind, mostly due to mad stress and uncertainty over Sun's huge layoff. I basically tabled any life decisions until after January, and now that the immediate future is secure, it's time to get things in gear.
I wanted to make some New Year's resolutions, but I was too preoccupied. But I gave it a bit of thought, and ladies and gentlemen, I give you my Chinese New Year's Resolutions, better late than never:
There it is; that's the list. I will be posting updates, at least partially as a motivational tool for myself. And since (C)NYR's are, well, pretty arbitrary, I reserve the right to add to the list as the year goes on.
Ganbarimasu!
I am running quite a bit behind, mostly due to mad stress and uncertainty over Sun's huge layoff. I basically tabled any life decisions until after January, and now that the immediate future is secure, it's time to get things in gear.
I wanted to make some New Year's resolutions, but I was too preoccupied. But I gave it a bit of thought, and ladies and gentlemen, I give you my Chinese New Year's Resolutions, better late than never:
- Get healthy. - yes, I know I could not be more vague. I don't want to just say "lose weight" - what if I gain muscle? Essentially, these are the things I need to do: lower cholesterol. Eat better and avoid fast food. Make an exercise plan that I can stick to. Get my remaining nerve issues with my leg and foot resolved.
- Retire to bedroom by 10:30 - I know what you're thinking. It's almost midnight. FAIL. No, I said bedroom, not bed. Currently Rhonda spends the first hour or so sleeping on the couch because I stubbornly refuse to go to bed. This isn't altogether fair. So the plan is to get some exercises and stretches down before bed, possibly get to sleep a little earlier, and ...
- Read more - and not just comics and manga. Actual books with words. I have a lot of books I started and never finished, and quite a few more I have wanted to read but are just collecting dust on a shelf. and I have a library card.
- Improve my Japanese - 2008 was a failure of epic proportions when it comes to my foreign language skills. I need to at least get to where I was two years ago. Goal is to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) this winter. Improved Japanese skills will come in handy when I ...
- Get my ass to Japan - It's been five (!) years since our honeymoon in Japan. We have been planning to return for quite a while now, but our plans have been scuttled by the economy, looming layoffs, etcetera etcetera. I think this summer it can finally happen.
There it is; that's the list. I will be posting updates, at least partially as a motivational tool for myself. And since (C)NYR's are, well, pretty arbitrary, I reserve the right to add to the list as the year goes on.
Ganbarimasu!
A couple of weird and disparate stories from this weekend.
Instead of rolling in the Scion as usual, we took the CR-V to Stockton so I could pick up the elliptical I bought at Christmas vaca. The CR-V has no iPod capabilities (the FM transmitter broke), so my wife was fiddling with radio stations. One of the stations played Digable Planets. I haven't heard Rebirth of Slick in years. Great, right?
It was the oldies station. That song came out when I was in high school!
Went to mass Sunday morning. They got to the part where they offer prayers, and it played out mostly as usual. There was a prayer to respect the right to life, which is pretty standard nowadays. A little later, the last prayer was for (and I paraphrase): that our leaders, especially President Obama, govern in a matter to respect the rights of the unborn. Lord hear our prayers.
At which point I leaned over to my wife and said, "That's it?!?"
When did it come to this? Why is the intersection of politics and religion so narrow that there is only room for one issue? At a time when I'm not really getting along with my church, this ain't exactly smoothing things over.
(I don't want to start an abortion debate. Personally, I'm not down with it, but I'm not rabid about my position. I feel like I don't want other people shoving their religions down my throat, so who am I to do the same? An abortion is a personal choice and it's between you and your God, whoever He is. The key word there being "choice". I don't think victims of rape or incest should be required to have a baby. There are a lot of people who think that makes me a lousy Christian and that I will burn in hell, but I say this is between me and MY God.)
My point, of course, is: what about the rights of the *born*? Is abortion really that much bigger a sin than war? Torture? Suppression of civil liberties? Discrimination based on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sexual preference? What about capital punishment? I don't understand people who are against abortion but in favor of the death penalty. What is it with you people, timing?
I guess I should just shut up now before I make anyone else angry.
Instead of rolling in the Scion as usual, we took the CR-V to Stockton so I could pick up the elliptical I bought at Christmas vaca. The CR-V has no iPod capabilities (the FM transmitter broke), so my wife was fiddling with radio stations. One of the stations played Digable Planets. I haven't heard Rebirth of Slick in years. Great, right?
It was the oldies station. That song came out when I was in high school!
Went to mass Sunday morning. They got to the part where they offer prayers, and it played out mostly as usual. There was a prayer to respect the right to life, which is pretty standard nowadays. A little later, the last prayer was for (and I paraphrase): that our leaders, especially President Obama, govern in a matter to respect the rights of the unborn. Lord hear our prayers.
At which point I leaned over to my wife and said, "That's it?!?"
When did it come to this? Why is the intersection of politics and religion so narrow that there is only room for one issue? At a time when I'm not really getting along with my church, this ain't exactly smoothing things over.
(I don't want to start an abortion debate. Personally, I'm not down with it, but I'm not rabid about my position. I feel like I don't want other people shoving their religions down my throat, so who am I to do the same? An abortion is a personal choice and it's between you and your God, whoever He is. The key word there being "choice". I don't think victims of rape or incest should be required to have a baby. There are a lot of people who think that makes me a lousy Christian and that I will burn in hell, but I say this is between me and MY God.)
My point, of course, is: what about the rights of the *born*? Is abortion really that much bigger a sin than war? Torture? Suppression of civil liberties? Discrimination based on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sexual preference? What about capital punishment? I don't understand people who are against abortion but in favor of the death penalty. What is it with you people, timing?
I guess I should just shut up now before I make anyone else angry.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Survivor Guilt
Survived layoffs today, for the umpteenth time. I've lost count, but unlike the others, this round came during the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression. So I have to feel pretty good about having a paycheck tonight.
As an added bonus, I have a new boss (my second this week) in a new division. Finally, my group is where it should have been the day I joined it.
People seem to think I should be pretty happy about these developments. Relieved, yes. Grateful, yes. But not happy. Several people that I work with closely had to leave today. So today has been incredibly difficult. Not only do we need to fill the gaping void left by their departure, but I am, of course, worried about them and how they will adjust. And I'm also left wondering why they are unemployed, and I get to continue working from home with four weeks of vacation a year.
If I've learned anything about this process, it's that I can't predict what is going to happen. What inevitably happened was so far from what I would've thought it is difficult to wrap my head around. And I don't have too much time to dwell on it, since we now have to figure out how two people are going to do the work of four. As usual, the future is wrought with uncertainty and I don't know where my path will take me. But at least I've bought some time.
As an added bonus, I have a new boss (my second this week) in a new division. Finally, my group is where it should have been the day I joined it.
People seem to think I should be pretty happy about these developments. Relieved, yes. Grateful, yes. But not happy. Several people that I work with closely had to leave today. So today has been incredibly difficult. Not only do we need to fill the gaping void left by their departure, but I am, of course, worried about them and how they will adjust. And I'm also left wondering why they are unemployed, and I get to continue working from home with four weeks of vacation a year.
If I've learned anything about this process, it's that I can't predict what is going to happen. What inevitably happened was so far from what I would've thought it is difficult to wrap my head around. And I don't have too much time to dwell on it, since we now have to figure out how two people are going to do the work of four. As usual, the future is wrought with uncertainty and I don't know where my path will take me. But at least I've bought some time.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."
"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more."
"So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
'Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).' "
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Better Than Advertised.
A thought I had earlier: all 4 of Cal's 2008 losses came on the road to teams that are playing in bowls. 2 of those teams won their bowls (Maryland and Arizona) and the other two (U$C and Oregon State) haven't played yet.
Additionally, Cal beat three other bowl teams: Colorado State, Michigan State, and Oregon, which just ran all over Oklahoma State. That doesn't count Miami, which Cal beat in the Emerald Bowl. Stanford and Arizona State both barely missed bowl eligibility. The only truly terrible teams on Cal's schedule were the Washington schools.
Considering this was supposed to be a "rebuilding" year, that's not too shabby.
Additionally, Cal beat three other bowl teams: Colorado State, Michigan State, and Oregon, which just ran all over Oklahoma State. That doesn't count Miami, which Cal beat in the Emerald Bowl. Stanford and Arizona State both barely missed bowl eligibility. The only truly terrible teams on Cal's schedule were the Washington schools.
Considering this was supposed to be a "rebuilding" year, that's not too shabby.
Friday, December 26, 2008
I just broke into my own house.
This week I programmed the HomeLink garage door remote in the car to open the garage at my parents' house (a comedy of errors in itself). So I pull into my driveway after a long week away from hoe, and I hit the button to open the garage door.
And nothing. Evidently I wiped out the command to open my garage door. And being the paranoid type, I locked the gate before I left.
As if the sight of me giving my wife a boost over the fence was not funny enough, her arms were too short to slide the latch over. So she gave me a boost instead.
Well, at least we're home.
And nothing. Evidently I wiped out the command to open my garage door. And being the paranoid type, I locked the gate before I left.
As if the sight of me giving my wife a boost over the fence was not funny enough, her arms were too short to slide the latch over. So she gave me a boost instead.
Well, at least we're home.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
"Heroes", we need to talk.
It's been two-and-a-half years since you came into my life. At first, I wasn't too sure about you. But you grew on me, and we were happy for a while. Sure, I overlooked some of your flaws, but at the end of the day I enjoyed your company, so I stuck with you.
But, I dunno, lately things have changed between us. Actually, not us. YOU. You've changed. Lately it seems like you're not making any sense. You'll say something that totally contradicts something you've said before. Your flaws became more and more glaring. I get the impression your dad doesn't like me: I heard he called me a sap and a dipshit. And, okay, you also put on some weight. I wasn't going to say anything, but you've packed on a lot of dead weight and you're no longer as attractive as you used to be.
I've been trying to give you a chance. But I don't know how many second and third chances are in me. I think I've been pretty patient over the last year-and-a-half, waiting for things to turn around, but now I think it's time to break it off.
Aww, don't cry. Look, I've been really busy with work and stuff. It's just that TiVo only holds twenty hours of high-definition content, and I have to share that with all my other shows. I'm always rushing to watch stuff before it gets deleted, or before TiVo says he won't record anything else. It's not you, it's me.
Here's a tissue. Just because we're taking a break doesn't mean we can't get back together again. Look, deep down inside you're the same show I fell in like with. Maybe someday you'll figure out who you really are. Give me a call and maybe we can start over again.
Huh? What do you mean? I....Okay, fine, I admit. Yeah, I've been seeing "LOST" all this time. And you know what? I love "LOST"! You know what else? "LOST" has met my parents! Have you? No? Didn't think so! You can forget about us getting back together! We are sooo through!
But, I dunno, lately things have changed between us. Actually, not us. YOU. You've changed. Lately it seems like you're not making any sense. You'll say something that totally contradicts something you've said before. Your flaws became more and more glaring. I get the impression your dad doesn't like me: I heard he called me a sap and a dipshit. And, okay, you also put on some weight. I wasn't going to say anything, but you've packed on a lot of dead weight and you're no longer as attractive as you used to be.
I've been trying to give you a chance. But I don't know how many second and third chances are in me. I think I've been pretty patient over the last year-and-a-half, waiting for things to turn around, but now I think it's time to break it off.
Aww, don't cry. Look, I've been really busy with work and stuff. It's just that TiVo only holds twenty hours of high-definition content, and I have to share that with all my other shows. I'm always rushing to watch stuff before it gets deleted, or before TiVo says he won't record anything else. It's not you, it's me.
Here's a tissue. Just because we're taking a break doesn't mean we can't get back together again. Look, deep down inside you're the same show I fell in like with. Maybe someday you'll figure out who you really are. Give me a call and maybe we can start over again.
Huh? What do you mean? I....Okay, fine, I admit. Yeah, I've been seeing "LOST" all this time. And you know what? I love "LOST"! You know what else? "LOST" has met my parents! Have you? No? Didn't think so! You can forget about us getting back together! We are sooo through!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
So as soon as I posted about what a great day I was having, I got some really awful news.
Man killed in officer-involved shooting in south Stockton
I don't know the poor victim, but I do know one of his family members. She probably wouldn't consider me more than an acquaintance, but she is a member of my church and, until recently, active in my old youth group. I am saddened and troubled by her and her family's needless loss.
Man killed in officer-involved shooting in south Stockton
I don't know the poor victim, but I do know one of his family members. She probably wouldn't consider me more than an acquaintance, but she is a member of my church and, until recently, active in my old youth group. I am saddened and troubled by her and her family's needless loss.
Today, I Didn't Even Have To Use My AK.
... I have to say it was a good day.
Kind of an average day today at work, but it was a pretty good night. I had an appointment today with my allergy doctor for an annual visit. I last saw him last Christmas vacation, which means I didn't have to go in for a sinus infection or bronchitis all year. That is pretty phenomenal.
I'm not exactly sure why I had such a good year (which, given my back and cholesterol problems, is sort of ironic). I would attribute it to a couple of factors. One, over-the-counter Zyrtec and Zyrtec-D (and especially their Kirkland generic counterparts) allowed me to better medicate myself without worrying I was swallowing two dollars every time I took one. Two, I have taught myself to be more aware of my allergy symptoms and react with aggressive meds, instead of only taking drugs after it was too late. And third, maybe the shots are working.
Anyway, good news came that since my shots are going so swimmingly, I only have to go every four weeks instead of every three. But wait, there's more: if I make it through another year at that schedule, no more shots! To top it of, I got hooked up with a goodie bag of samples, and after we talked a bit about Rhonda's allergies, I went home with a bag of samples for her too! He might as well have given me a hundred-dollar bill.
Went to Costco, bought some cheap gas, bananas, cookies, and a pizza for dinner. Started reading Google Reader and found out more tickets were made available for the sold-out Emerald Bowl. And guess who ended up with two of those tickets? That's right, this guy!
It's been a rough year for us, but there have been some good days here and there as well. Like last Sunday when we were invited to Auntie Helen's and Grandma made us mole and (made me) tacos. It's pretty important that even as it seems like the world is going to hell in a handbasket, things are not always as bad as they seem, and there are some bright spots behind the clouds.
Kind of an average day today at work, but it was a pretty good night. I had an appointment today with my allergy doctor for an annual visit. I last saw him last Christmas vacation, which means I didn't have to go in for a sinus infection or bronchitis all year. That is pretty phenomenal.
I'm not exactly sure why I had such a good year (which, given my back and cholesterol problems, is sort of ironic). I would attribute it to a couple of factors. One, over-the-counter Zyrtec and Zyrtec-D (and especially their Kirkland generic counterparts) allowed me to better medicate myself without worrying I was swallowing two dollars every time I took one. Two, I have taught myself to be more aware of my allergy symptoms and react with aggressive meds, instead of only taking drugs after it was too late. And third, maybe the shots are working.
Anyway, good news came that since my shots are going so swimmingly, I only have to go every four weeks instead of every three. But wait, there's more: if I make it through another year at that schedule, no more shots! To top it of, I got hooked up with a goodie bag of samples, and after we talked a bit about Rhonda's allergies, I went home with a bag of samples for her too! He might as well have given me a hundred-dollar bill.
Went to Costco, bought some cheap gas, bananas, cookies, and a pizza for dinner. Started reading Google Reader and found out more tickets were made available for the sold-out Emerald Bowl. And guess who ended up with two of those tickets? That's right, this guy!
It's been a rough year for us, but there have been some good days here and there as well. Like last Sunday when we were invited to Auntie Helen's and Grandma made us mole and (made me) tacos. It's pretty important that even as it seems like the world is going to hell in a handbasket, things are not always as bad as they seem, and there are some bright spots behind the clouds.
Friday, December 05, 2008
When the Twit Hits the Fan.
It was brought to my attention today that I'm too contradictory on Twitter in my replies to people. I think it's something that should be addressed. Making people feel uncomfortable about twittering or because of one of my tweets is bad. If that's the case, I apologize because I'm not trying to do that. I'm interested in what my friends have to say, which is the whole point of replying to them.
There are a couple of problems. One is that you can't relay tone very well through written communication. So I'd imagine sometimes things I type that I think are funny or playful come across as arrogant or condescending. I don't really know what to do about that - it just comes with the territory. It isn't intentional.
More often than not, I think I come across like I always have to be right, or like I'm argumentative. This is often true, I'll admit. But most of the time I like to play Devil's advocate or offer contrary ideas. It doesn't mean I am arguing vehemently for my opinion or crapping all over your opinion. I'm just doing it for the sake of conversation, and I don't know I've ticked anyone off until after the fact.
I thought having a dialogue was part of the point of Twitter, or of basic interaction with others, for that matter. If we all have the same opinions, it makes the world a pretty boring place. I'm not asking to be excused for being a dick, I'm saying I'm not trying to be one in the first place.
So in the future, I will try to be a little more aware of what I write and more selective in what I reply to. I just wanted to clear the air and explain myself, and explain where I'm coming from. (Trust me, if I fundamentally disagree with what you have to say, I will make that abundantly clear.) But I do feel I have something to contribute, or else I wouldn't use Twitter in the first place (or blog, for that matter).
There are a couple of problems. One is that you can't relay tone very well through written communication. So I'd imagine sometimes things I type that I think are funny or playful come across as arrogant or condescending. I don't really know what to do about that - it just comes with the territory. It isn't intentional.
More often than not, I think I come across like I always have to be right, or like I'm argumentative. This is often true, I'll admit. But most of the time I like to play Devil's advocate or offer contrary ideas. It doesn't mean I am arguing vehemently for my opinion or crapping all over your opinion. I'm just doing it for the sake of conversation, and I don't know I've ticked anyone off until after the fact.
I thought having a dialogue was part of the point of Twitter, or of basic interaction with others, for that matter. If we all have the same opinions, it makes the world a pretty boring place. I'm not asking to be excused for being a dick, I'm saying I'm not trying to be one in the first place.
So in the future, I will try to be a little more aware of what I write and more selective in what I reply to. I just wanted to clear the air and explain myself, and explain where I'm coming from. (Trust me, if I fundamentally disagree with what you have to say, I will make that abundantly clear.) But I do feel I have something to contribute, or else I wouldn't use Twitter in the first place (or blog, for that matter).
I've Got So Much Trouble On My Mind...
Look, today was not a good day.
I don't write much about my job, mostly because I am worried about getting sued out of existence. It's just not the smartest thing to do, even though I love my employer and (for the most part) my job. I certainly love having one.
My company will soon be laying off 5,000-6,000 employees, somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of its worldwide workforce. Our stock price is down over 90% over the last 6 years. So I won't be blowing any trade secrets or violating my NDA by saying morale is low. I have done, I think, a pretty good job of plowing ahead and staying the course given the uncertainty. But today was not one of my best in the morale department.
I also had a half-hour conversation with my wife about a meeting she had at work. I don't have too any details except Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting 7.2 billion dollars from the education budget. Yes, 'billion'. With a 'b'. Like that will improve our craptastic schools.
As a first-year teacher in a new district, she is understandably spooked. That news is on top of the extreme (I would say excessive) amount of work and level of stress this job has brought on for both of us. And on top of all that it is *still* better than if she was at her old job.
She isn't home yet. I haven't decided if we should go out somewhere in a feeble attempt to forget about our problems, or stay home and brood. I vote for brooding. This year cannot end soon enough. Now excuse me while I go look for something to punch or break.
I don't write much about my job, mostly because I am worried about getting sued out of existence. It's just not the smartest thing to do, even though I love my employer and (for the most part) my job. I certainly love having one.
My company will soon be laying off 5,000-6,000 employees, somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of its worldwide workforce. Our stock price is down over 90% over the last 6 years. So I won't be blowing any trade secrets or violating my NDA by saying morale is low. I have done, I think, a pretty good job of plowing ahead and staying the course given the uncertainty. But today was not one of my best in the morale department.
I also had a half-hour conversation with my wife about a meeting she had at work. I don't have too any details except Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting 7.2 billion dollars from the education budget. Yes, 'billion'. With a 'b'. Like that will improve our craptastic schools.
As a first-year teacher in a new district, she is understandably spooked. That news is on top of the extreme (I would say excessive) amount of work and level of stress this job has brought on for both of us. And on top of all that it is *still* better than if she was at her old job.
She isn't home yet. I haven't decided if we should go out somewhere in a feeble attempt to forget about our problems, or stay home and brood. I vote for brooding. This year cannot end soon enough. Now excuse me while I go look for something to punch or break.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Epic Win.
It's amazing, really, that something so trivial as a football game can mean so much.
This time last year, I was in excruciating pain. Not just because my team got beat by their rivals, hitting rock bottom in a season where we were seconds away from being the #1 team in the country. Nope, I was in actual physical agony, squirming in my chair, trying to find a position that would let me stay comfortable for just a few minutes without acute pain shooting down my leg.
Today, I returned to Memorial Stadium in Berkeley for the first time since last season's downpour against USC. That was the day, as I stood in driving rain for three hours, that I started to realize the numbness in my foot and the discomfort in my back was not going away. Four months out of surgery, it was great to be able to walk freely around Berkeley and its cumbersome hills with a minimum of discomfort. We did quite a bit of walking too, because after the game, we walked to get yogurt, we walked to get dinner, we did some shopping at Comic Relief and Half Price Books on Shattuck. And while I am undeniably exhausted, I have confidence that with some rest tomorrow I'm going to be OK and able to do it again next season.
I won't say it didn't matter that we won - of course it mattered. They call it the Big Game for a reason. We lost 3 out of 4 of them when I was in school and 4 more after I graduated to make it 7 straight. But to get out there for a day in beautiful sunny weather, to watch my team run all over our hated rivals, to not have to worry about health or work or whether I'll have a job in two months - that made me happier today than I really deserved to be.
This time last year, I was in excruciating pain. Not just because my team got beat by their rivals, hitting rock bottom in a season where we were seconds away from being the #1 team in the country. Nope, I was in actual physical agony, squirming in my chair, trying to find a position that would let me stay comfortable for just a few minutes without acute pain shooting down my leg.
Today, I returned to Memorial Stadium in Berkeley for the first time since last season's downpour against USC. That was the day, as I stood in driving rain for three hours, that I started to realize the numbness in my foot and the discomfort in my back was not going away. Four months out of surgery, it was great to be able to walk freely around Berkeley and its cumbersome hills with a minimum of discomfort. We did quite a bit of walking too, because after the game, we walked to get yogurt, we walked to get dinner, we did some shopping at Comic Relief and Half Price Books on Shattuck. And while I am undeniably exhausted, I have confidence that with some rest tomorrow I'm going to be OK and able to do it again next season.
I won't say it didn't matter that we won - of course it mattered. They call it the Big Game for a reason. We lost 3 out of 4 of them when I was in school and 4 more after I graduated to make it 7 straight. But to get out there for a day in beautiful sunny weather, to watch my team run all over our hated rivals, to not have to worry about health or work or whether I'll have a job in two months - that made me happier today than I really deserved to be.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)