Glasgow London Westwoods Skies Los Angeles

Monday, July 27, 2009

Pulled in So Many Directions

This week I'll be somewhat wrapping up some work I've been doing: project in Brooklyn and the other houses I've been working on. The architect's draftsmen have already proven themselves as not the most reliable when it comes to structural drafting, there was a flitch plate that went up in one of my houses that was mysteriously sagging. It turns out there was a header beam neglected from the final drawings that would support this beam 2/3's of the length. Gee, maybe that's why it was sagging...*grumbles* Thankfully the great framers picked up on this and brought it to everyone's attention. Unfortunately, that's when the blame game gets played, but that just means you need to look over your old calculations and pray to god that you did it right. Turns out I did, HA!! Suck it!

Then on top of work stuff, I'm getting ready for my trip up to Buffalo at the end of the week. I've just collected the last of the goodies I'll be bringing up for my friend's BBQ and now I'll be doing some research into cool things to do and see in and around Buffalo and Niagara Falls, plus need to remember my passport for Ontario shenanigans to ensue.

Also, I'm preparing my widdle apartment for my someone special to live here for a whole month! Woooo!! So I'm clearing up some drawer spaces, getting some nice foodie and wine items together and trying to keep the worry wart inside me at bay. This is a big step for me, but hopefully things will work out and we won't end up hating each other and throwing things out the windows, I know my super would frown upon that. ;-)

So wish me luck and make sure to follow me on Twitter @chobson for all my trip pics enroute to that whole other part of New York that I've never been too.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

Today I got the first call from HR at my new job. This was to make sure that papers would be sent to the correct address and also allow me an opportunity to talk with her and get acquainted with the office. So we discussed the usual: clothing policy, what was in the breakroom, they have a Keurig (YAY!!), but an itty bitty refridgerator (boo!) so it'll be like I'm working in Italy which I'm not opposed too.

Now, I like to throw in loaded questions to any HR person, nothing mean spirited or foolish, but something that requires more than looking at the company manual to answer and helps me to figure out the mood of the office. I asked about the music policy and volunteered that I have an external hard drive where all my legal *ahem* *wink wink* music lives and if it was OK to listen to music. At first she wasn't too thrilled about it and said that I would be too busy with calls and questions to listen to music, but then I told her that I normally keep the speaker music level low enough for me to hear, but that won't interfere with my hearing the phone ringing or office people needing my help with something. To that I got an "OHH, then that's totally fine then, I just assumed you meant that you would use headphones. Speakers are totally fine and won't shut you off from everyone."

So this means two very important things: the place is laid back, but still corporate meaning that they have policies to follow, but aren't going to be incredibly stuffy about; I will be an essential employee, meaning that I'm going to be in the chain of command and this makes me very anxious and nervous.

I really hope that I'll be able to perform well for this place. I don't want what happened at my first corporate gig to happen again, where I was hired as a statistic and wasn't acquainted with anything and just thrown to the lions knowing that I would be disposed of 5 months later, just short of being able to collect unemployment. I want to be able to work and not play politics, I want to be able to sit down, get some work done and not be judged because I went out with friends the night before. More importantly, I don't want to work under constant scrutiny; constructive criticism and learning are what I desire, not picking apart everything I do in order to belittle me.

So, I will play by the rules and I won't ruffle too many feathers (not until my first year is up anyway). My nose will be to the grindstone, as I have to learn another few programs for this place and I will do my best to represent myself and the company.

However, my desk buddy will be coming along with me for my very first day, this should be a precursor for my personality and an olive branch I will extend.

He goes on top of my monitor because I love him. :-)

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Commence Yay Week!

So, since I got hired and am no longer worried about getting hired, I can finally enjoy this time of no work and actually call it a vacation! I had gotten advice earlier on when I had just gotten laid off to just sit back and enjoy the time to yourself, but knowing me and how my one anchor in life had been removed I knew that there was no way I would be able to just sit back and enjoy, that was time to be spent worrying and scouring the ads for employment.

Now that I have gotten my anchor back I now feel free to venture off and enjoy the midweek outside to myself away from office workers and students inside, so this week will be spent out in coffee shops and boutiques and food shops, preparing for my massive month of August filled with a very special visitor and a very extreme road trip up to Buffalo, NY.

Yay Week begins today enjoying my Sunday inside away from all the beach goers and tourists getting my computers and apartment in working order. Tomorrow, weather willing, I will venture out and enjoy the WiFi of some local coffee places and plan out the road trip up North.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Hired!

My search is over, my 6 months of scraping by and scavenging for work is over, I have been hired by the firm out of East Hartford. I will start 8/10 and begin a new portion of my career.

This has probably been the most trying few months of my life and I am glad it is over with. A recession means that no one's job is safe and I've been humbled tremendously by my layoff. It also taught me to save more and not squander my money, so even though it hurt and depressed me I was able to glean some good out of this. I will turn over a new leaf and be smarter with my money.

Also, I appreciate and love all of my friends and family that have helped me out in this time. Some of you know how low I almost got and I really appreciate you being there for me, even though you probably had no idea how much you helped me. I'm a Cancer, I hide things from people, so you'll never know, truly, how much that phone call or that little link via IM really helped me that day. Thank you.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Busy Bee...bzzzzz bzzzz

Yeah, if you haven't heard from me or have wondered what happened to that crazy Twitter/blogging girl that you used to follow, she's been quite busy.

The last few weeks have been insane because of wrapping up a certain project that had been tweaked substantially from it's original layout, so much so that it required a complete redesign. *sigh* But it's more work that keeps me busy so I will not complain. Also, in the midst of this I had some cool Twitter meetups as well as summertime shenanigans with my local friends.

Had an awesome Twappy Hour with @fairfielddesign and friends on his lovely boat in the Fairfield Marina. Then got a random invite from another friend for some Saturday sailing shenanigans. So I've been a proper Connecticut girl and have been boating already twice this summer. Jeeves, I think it's time for my second gin and tonic, I'll be out by the dock sunning myself...*has a CT snob moment*

And more importantly, and what has been really keeping my life and sanity together for these past few months, my someone-very-special will be coming up for nearly the month of August. <3

I am beyond words and still nervously shocked about everything. It'll be so nice to have that someone here with me, even doing the mundane things like washing the dishes or watching some TV. Just knowing that he'll be with me will be the best thing ever. I'm so happy I want to burst, but I know there are obstacles up ahead and am willing to see where this love rabbit hole leads too...So I am getting some nice food and drink goodies together, getting everything cleaned up and some drawer space cleared and hoping that this crazy odyssey (as I've labeled it) really is real and not something that's been living in my head. It'll be cool to poke him in the shoulder and say, "hey, you really do exist!"

*crossing fingers and wiping away some tears* :'-)

Monday, July 06, 2009

Interview #3 and a renewed hope

Well, since this was only my third interview in nearly 6 months, I've now gone completely superstitious and refused to announce to the internetz that I actually went on an interview. So now I feel I can actually talk about it since I don't think any bad juju can fall onto the prospect (I hope, *pulls out beads for St. Jude*).

I received a call last Saturday, on my birthday no less, from this company out of East Hartford. The pre-interview went well, even though this is a bit out of my driving range I figured, what the hell, they sound like a good place and do everything from HVAC to architectural goodies as well as structural stuff. So I agreed to an interview on Thursday at 2.

I checked the place out and tried to figure out where they got my info. from (I didn't want to be rude and ask "so where did you get my resume from??" I felt that may be too desperate even for me). Turns out I didn't apply for them, they must have found me from somewhere. So, since I know nothing besides what was said over the phone, I find them on good old Google.

Turns out they are a great mid size company: they actually are in a real office building (that they designed no less, the showoffs...hehehe), they have a cool young dude in control and an even cooler old dude that started the firm who is one of those eccentric engineers birthed from MIT (I see a good relationship that could form as I myself am just a wee bit eccentric too ;-) ) and they have a great website. Plus they have a broad design portfolio that is pretty decent (I would link to it, but as normal superstitious behavior dictates, I can't as that would bring m bad juju.)

So it is a bit of a drive into foreign territory, East Hartford. Around 50-60 minute commute one way taking I-91 (another foreign land filled with traffic patterns I am not at all used to). However, it's in a officey area with all types of fooderies and even a couple parks, so that's pretty cool.

The interview went well, I would say. We stayed there about an hour and a half gabbing about our experiences, the architects we loved and hated as well as our favorite structural engineers that we went all starry eyed over (I have a crush on Cecil Balmond, he uses chaos theory shapes as structures, *swoons*). And more importantly, I didn't feel a pit of dread in my stomach as I left the interview. Unlike the place in Chelsea, he didn't mention to me the epic battle over the position and they didn't make me feel bad for causing them stress in making a decision. Hence, these guys are pros.

So they said they'd get back to me in a few weeks and we'll go from there. At this point, I was just happy to get called for an interview. I would love to work with them however, I know how many people are probably vying for this position, so I will keep my hopes low and keep my bridges open and running for the other options that may be presented to me.

But c'mon, it's a crazy MIT guy, who wouldn't like him as your boss?! Especially in an engineering office!? OMG the antics that we could get away with...I would have to introduce him to the whole Cube Warfare division of Thinkgeek. ;-)

*fingers crosses and prayers for St. Jude (yes, that's the Patron Saint of Lost Causes, I know what kind of economy we are in, get those hands up and praying!)*
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T