Category: work

I’m sure everyone remembers my praise of Microsoft Certification Tests from last time I talked about them, but now I come with new found knowledge and an external pressure (having to get it done fully certified in one year).  For those of you that don’t know, I’m now an MCP (yes Nick and Jason, I can do the dance/handshake now).  Actually, I’m closer to being an MCSA than MCP, but who’s counting. 

Now, this may come as a surprise to those that I have worked with before, as I don’t hold the tests in very high regards.  This is mostly due to the people were MCSE Certified, and the messes they left me to clean up.  Plus there was the horrible taste in my mouth after I took my first test under a year ago.  Not to give myself excuses, but looking back, that first test wasn’t as bad as I made it out to be.  Yes, I don’t doubt that I should’ve passed, but just reading the book without taking any sort of practice test probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do.  Granted, I did pretty much the exact same thing this time, with minimal (read about 30 mins before each test) review for both the Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP.  Honestly, I don’t think it has anything to do with the amount of review time I put towards it, and instead how much I’ve actually used the product. 

Now after I’ve completed both of those tests, looking back, I realize it is a fairly decent test.  It shows if you really know the material, I guess.  I think the last time I took it, I was just so nervous, and when I started seeing the complex questions I paniced more than anything.  This time around, I knew that I knew the material, so it was much easier, and quite painless.  However, at the end of the test it was still hard to push the completed button. 

I’m just hoping the other tests I have go just as easily.  I know, though, that I’m going to have to spend more time on each of them instead of just flying off the cuff, as I don’t know as much intricacies with AD, networking, etc.  Actually, I tried with the Networking I test, and amazingly didn’t do that bad.  Unfortunately, much like the first time I took the Windows 2003 test, though, I failed, but by such a small amount that I’m sure if I would’ve taken it the next day I would’ve passed.  Oh well, such is life.

Four more in 9 months.  It sounds like a long time, but going home and studying is not what I call a fun time.  Hopefully I can mash out a bunch within a week to keep me from spreading it out too much.

All last week I was in Seattle, WA for a new hire orientation. A little late, but there were others that had started before I had. It was actually a good time. The weather was beautiful, and the people were a lot of fun. In fact, of the 35 or so of us, there were only eight of us from the US. The vast majority of the people were from the Paris office, but there were also people there from Singapore, Melbourne, Norway, and the Netherlands. Overall the classes were ok. They were management oriented, so much of what we covered seemed like common sense, but just put into words. Alas, it was good to do something different for a week, and the Grand Hyatt we stayed at was very nice.

Last weekend a group of us went from work went to see the Notre Dame vs BYU game.  It was unfortunate that the guy heading it up wasn’t able to go because of a family emergency, but we still made the most of it.  I drove a group of 3 other guys, and we were on the road at 6:30AM.  We stopped a few times (McDonald’s and then a grocery store to get a pre-ordered sandwich and chicken), and then cracked open our first beers sometime around 8:30AM. 

We then proceeded to drink, eat, and be merry till kickoff at 1:30.  During this time some other guys from worked showed up who brought even more alcohol (read: vodka and Jaegermeister).  One of the highlights was one of the guys being body slammed twice in the back of the neighboring tailgater’s pickup. 

The game wasn’t that excited, and there was absolutely no room in our seats, so we decided to head to the bar sometime around halftime.  Stayed there for a bit, went back to the tailgate, then headed home. 

Driving by US Cellular field we saw the fireworks from Dye’s homerun in game one of the World Series.  We sort of chanced it, by going that way instead of taking Lake Shore (US 41) all the way up, but since the game had already started, it wasn’t that bad.  Someone I managed to watch the Sox win without falling asleep.  I think it had something to do with the hangover I was starting to get at 9 at night.

Note, I did not say Friday night, just Friday.  And just in case you missed the sarcasm, this is in no way typical.

The day started out in regional meetings at a hotel, but then around noon we all broke out and had a corporate picnic at the Windy City Fieldhouse.  We were shuttled there by bus from the hotel, and there was food, beer, and activities.  Having beer was definitely a change from the University life, that’s for sure.

So, we’re having a good time, things are winding down, one of the buses has left, and we start playing flippy-cup with the remainder of the 2 kegs.  Talk about a team building experience 🙂

Anyways, on the way back (sometime around 4-4:30) we decide to hit Octoberfest downtown.  Somehow (actually, I know exactly how), a good chunk of us ended up wearing wigs.  Coworker Joel and I were sporting sexy mullet wigs the whole night.  In fact we may actually get in the paper, and the band at Octoberfest acknowledged us (along with a good part of the crowd at the same time).  Needless to say the debauchery continued with wigs until around 1am.  Good times, that is, until I was called at 7:30 this morning for work related things.  Doh!

Well, today is my “first day” at the new job.  Actually, it’s the first day not being a contractor.  Today has been a fun day of orientations, skills assessments, and other fun first day things.  Tomorrow will be some more of the same too with another orientation. 

It feels good to be “grounded” again somewhere.  I new it was going to happen sooner or later, but now that I have full benefits and the like again, a part of me can give a sigh of relief.  However, it doesn’t feel like anything new, as I’m still on the same project and today is just another day.

As some of you may or may not know, I’m currently working as a contractor.  This means I’m hourly, with essentially no benefits.  While this is nice, having luxuries such as health care, paid vacation, etc are even nicer.  The good news is that I was offered a fulltime position last Friday.  After some negotiation talks, I will hear back from them tomorrow.  Hopefully everything goes well.

**Update as of 7/27**

I have accepted the offer.  The hire on date is tenatively set for next week.  Yay!

Today at lunch a coworker and I went to the 7th floor of Marshall Field’s and had lunch.  I must say, my New York Steak Sandwich with mushrooms and carmelized onions was mighty tasty.  That is definitely one of the nice things about working downtown, you can always get good food for lunch.

I finally received the desk I had been pining over for the last few years.  I ordered it back around the beginning of June, I got a call from USF Holland yesterday, and I took delivery of the desk today.  Since I know you’re all wondering what kind it is, I suppose I’ll clue you in.  It’s a Herman Miller Eames Desk Unit.  I don’t remember how I stumbled upon this little gem, but ever since I did, I’ve wanted one.

Getting it up to the apt wasn’t that bad either.  I had already removed it from the packaging (lots of cardboard on a pallet), and then Aaron and I brought it up in the elevator.  Before the receptionist at USF Holland told me how much it weighed, I thought that there wouldn’t be a problem moving it around.  But at 165 lbs, it’s quite heavy.  Oh well, it’s not like it’ll be moving any time soon.

Now, to get a chair.  At work we have Aeron chairs, and I enjoy them quite a bit.  But my Aunt, who’s in the know on these things, says that Haworth x99’s are way better.  Unfortunately I can’t find a price on them online anywhere.  Oh well, I’ll just have to contact her and find out if she can help me out.

I just got my vacation pay from the University today and it’s over $1k more than I was expecting.  Talk about good times!

Much like Travis, I too have a new job.  I start up in Chicago on Monday.  For the time being, I’ll be crashing on people’s couches until I can find my own place.  Who’s looking for a roommate for a downtown apt?