My theory with this blog was to always start the day with some thoughtful ranting/pondering elaboration on some idea or peeve. However, it's tough to stop myself from just jumping into the days email flurry. :(
Today a long awaited message allowed me to publicly communicate details of the demise of my oceanographic research team, and as such I had a flurry of emails I have eagerly been waiting to send, so I did that.
It's a closing of one door, and opening of another I guess. I just seem to be in the hallway here for a bit. I see more and more empty desks as those around me have closed up shop and headed home, or onto their next project.
I suspect I will also start to spend less time here as the next 8 weeks transpires. But I do like the routine, and the opportunity to explore some stuff I don't normally get to do. I'm doing a bit of free-form, self directed research on, say, aquatic snakes. So I'm learning about pythons :) Okay, the aquatic bit is weak, but I need to tie it into the whole oceanographic metaphor, so get off my case.
Anyway, now that my messages have gone out, I need to do follow-up interpersonal messages with less formality to chase them down, so I'd best get onto those, and then start dealing with the responses.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Open Spaces
Just my luck that as operations around me in my Oceanographic corporation are closing down, while the remaining team (near me) are the most annoying.
These are socially dysfunctional people. A particular profession seems to attract a specific type of person - the role of sea-floor substrate analysts. These guys are great, and provide a good value, but the skills that they use day-in, day-out don't involve people skills, reading social cues, communication and being aware of their place in a community.
They need to immerse themselves in a very abstract world, and thus generally have trouble seeing themselves from other people's perspective. I guess it's called empathy, seeing ones self, or your behaviour from another's perspective. Thus you see habits like the guy who must suffer from a bit of post-nasal drip. His problem resolution is not to buy a big box of kleenex. No - he's found a solution I have never seen in another workplace in my 25 years in large groups. His solution is a 130dB every 3 to 5 minutes continuously.
Then there is the near-by female 'sea-floor substrate analyst'. She giggles on every interaction with a sort of half laugh, and either can't tell that all the male students are flirting with her, or can and doesn't care. I hate to think of the business impact of a 2 hour conversation at her desk as a student chats her up. She's probably getting about $90k in salary, and both that and the student are going out the window for several hours a day.
Another guy entertains himself by snapping the lid on his glue-stick incessantly, another thinks he's a stand-up comic and jumps into a loud performance whenever more than one person is nearby, and yet another laughs by loudly and rapidly breathing through his clenched teeth - and EVERY interaction is funny. Oh, almost forgot the guy with the loud voice who is the poster boy for patronization. If someone didn't know what the word meant, but knew this guy, all you'd have to say in way of explanation is his name, and they would respond "ah, that's what it means."
Meanwhile the rest of the floor has emptied out and is quiet. Ah well - I keep telling myself that someday soon I'll have a new job, or be at home and it will be quiet and peaceful and I'll not have to deal with the sweaty ears from wearing headphones all the time listening to audio of wind through the cherry trees... yes, cherry trees, the sound sample lasts a long time, and is both peaceful and blocks out chatter very well. Go figure.
With that rant out of the way, I will turn to my mornings work, and my long awaited first cup of tea. Would love to know I'm not the only one with annoying open-office neighbours. Comment below!
These are socially dysfunctional people. A particular profession seems to attract a specific type of person - the role of sea-floor substrate analysts. These guys are great, and provide a good value, but the skills that they use day-in, day-out don't involve people skills, reading social cues, communication and being aware of their place in a community.
They need to immerse themselves in a very abstract world, and thus generally have trouble seeing themselves from other people's perspective. I guess it's called empathy, seeing ones self, or your behaviour from another's perspective. Thus you see habits like the guy who must suffer from a bit of post-nasal drip. His problem resolution is not to buy a big box of kleenex. No - he's found a solution I have never seen in another workplace in my 25 years in large groups. His solution is a 130dB every 3 to 5 minutes continuously.
Then there is the near-by female 'sea-floor substrate analyst'. She giggles on every interaction with a sort of half laugh, and either can't tell that all the male students are flirting with her, or can and doesn't care. I hate to think of the business impact of a 2 hour conversation at her desk as a student chats her up. She's probably getting about $90k in salary, and both that and the student are going out the window for several hours a day.
Another guy entertains himself by snapping the lid on his glue-stick incessantly, another thinks he's a stand-up comic and jumps into a loud performance whenever more than one person is nearby, and yet another laughs by loudly and rapidly breathing through his clenched teeth - and EVERY interaction is funny. Oh, almost forgot the guy with the loud voice who is the poster boy for patronization. If someone didn't know what the word meant, but knew this guy, all you'd have to say in way of explanation is his name, and they would respond "ah, that's what it means."
Meanwhile the rest of the floor has emptied out and is quiet. Ah well - I keep telling myself that someday soon I'll have a new job, or be at home and it will be quiet and peaceful and I'll not have to deal with the sweaty ears from wearing headphones all the time listening to audio of wind through the cherry trees... yes, cherry trees, the sound sample lasts a long time, and is both peaceful and blocks out chatter very well. Go figure.
With that rant out of the way, I will turn to my mornings work, and my long awaited first cup of tea. Would love to know I'm not the only one with annoying open-office neighbours. Comment below!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Strange Week
This week somehow seems the first of the slow weeks. The disconnectedness is really starting to kick in. Sure there are still emails and such to deal with, but there is more of a sense of being on the outside looking in. But some skills development is providing some interest in my day. I can make some headway with trying some interesting stuff that I would not normally have time to explore.
The phases are/will be like this: Phase I - A flurry of looking to find any low-hanging fruit opportunities. Phase II Some digging and connecting with people I know to see if connections and relationships can turn up anything. Phase III broad looking around outside our firm for other opportunities. Phase IV Periodic scanning around while killing time waiting for the formal disconnect from the company. Phase V Settling into a home-based routine, lunches with friends, working relationships. Phase VI searching for contract and consulting work, attending networking events, circulating resumes.
Phase V & VI aren't very pleasant in one way, but in another it's got the benefits of a flexible lifestyle. Working around home, camping, getting outdoor exercise. Of course, there is the added stress as well. So one must try to create one's own structure. That's where some phase II/III investigating can potentially line up something suitably entrepreneurial to get obsessed about, and possibly become a revenue generator.
Well, the fact that I'm recalling all these phases of the coming months points out the fact that the reality is settling in. Soon we'll find ourselves dealing with those situations and we'd all best be prepared.
The phases are/will be like this: Phase I - A flurry of looking to find any low-hanging fruit opportunities. Phase II Some digging and connecting with people I know to see if connections and relationships can turn up anything. Phase III broad looking around outside our firm for other opportunities. Phase IV Periodic scanning around while killing time waiting for the formal disconnect from the company. Phase V Settling into a home-based routine, lunches with friends, working relationships. Phase VI searching for contract and consulting work, attending networking events, circulating resumes.
Phase V & VI aren't very pleasant in one way, but in another it's got the benefits of a flexible lifestyle. Working around home, camping, getting outdoor exercise. Of course, there is the added stress as well. So one must try to create one's own structure. That's where some phase II/III investigating can potentially line up something suitably entrepreneurial to get obsessed about, and possibly become a revenue generator.
Well, the fact that I'm recalling all these phases of the coming months points out the fact that the reality is settling in. Soon we'll find ourselves dealing with those situations and we'd all best be prepared.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Falling Down on the Job
Here it is mid-morning and I'm just getting to my blog for the day. I've already had several email flurries. Oh well. Working on the new role opportunities. Trying to get one that is designated for northern USA to be considered for me. It would be great to distract them with that argument, forgetting about whether I'm the guy for the role or not. On my resume I added a little map showing my city as part of a triangle with the other locations, showing that I am closer to the one US spot, than the other US spot is. Hopefully that carries some weight. But oceanographic folk aren't always the most rational! :o
My old VP is even being helpful. I didn't think of this person as the most pleasant in the world, but I guess we did get along well at a corporate dinner, and hopefully non-disparaging things were said about me when my work came up occasionally. So one can only that my professional behaviour and reasonably decent contributions would carry some weight in the hiring process. The role I'm scouting out in, what was it-aquatic mammal classification strategy - sounds like a good one for me. It's not a specific product, which, while interesting would tend to bore me too quickly. I mean, being a product manager for kelp biscuits would be interesting in that you do lots of customer facing stuff. But it's a week-by-week schedule driving job really, in development work. I enjoy the making-something fulfillment of it. You end up with a product that ships. The mammal classification work is strategy stuff for the future. That's much more in-line with my previous research work, and the 'vision' component is very much related.
Sometimes, looking at senior positions I wonder - could I really do that? But then I think of the people I know in those roles, and how there are often slugs that just generate grammatically marginal stuff, and how our company hasn't been the trailblazers of all the new oceanographic products lately, and realize that surely I could do at least as good a job.
So anyways, I'll see if there's any chance. How would failure look for this? Probably one of two approaches - a note from the hiring VP saying they've got someone already, or that the role needs to be in the US locations... or just no response at all. Actually the generally ignoring you approach seems most like our corporate culture, where the motto is never answer the phone, and don't talk to anyone unless you're locked in a room with them.
My old VP is even being helpful. I didn't think of this person as the most pleasant in the world, but I guess we did get along well at a corporate dinner, and hopefully non-disparaging things were said about me when my work came up occasionally. So one can only that my professional behaviour and reasonably decent contributions would carry some weight in the hiring process. The role I'm scouting out in, what was it-aquatic mammal classification strategy - sounds like a good one for me. It's not a specific product, which, while interesting would tend to bore me too quickly. I mean, being a product manager for kelp biscuits would be interesting in that you do lots of customer facing stuff. But it's a week-by-week schedule driving job really, in development work. I enjoy the making-something fulfillment of it. You end up with a product that ships. The mammal classification work is strategy stuff for the future. That's much more in-line with my previous research work, and the 'vision' component is very much related.
Sometimes, looking at senior positions I wonder - could I really do that? But then I think of the people I know in those roles, and how there are often slugs that just generate grammatically marginal stuff, and how our company hasn't been the trailblazers of all the new oceanographic products lately, and realize that surely I could do at least as good a job.
So anyways, I'll see if there's any chance. How would failure look for this? Probably one of two approaches - a note from the hiring VP saying they've got someone already, or that the role needs to be in the US locations... or just no response at all. Actually the generally ignoring you approach seems most like our corporate culture, where the motto is never answer the phone, and don't talk to anyone unless you're locked in a room with them.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Fresh Week
After a self-crafted long weekend, I'm back and it's a nice quiet morning. The obsessive throat clearer isn't in yet, the obsessive glue-stick-cap snapper isn't in yet, and the constant cocoa-butter-coating slatherer isn't stinking up the neighbourhood yet. This is kind of pleasant.
I've got a number of things I want to explore this morning. A potential new-role could be in an area we'll call sea-mammal classifying. I can guess how I would go about doing that, and it relates well to experience I have exploring crustacean classifying, but I should read up on it to get knowledgeable. I know one of the big international oceanographic standards bodies has standards in this area, and I downloaded that last week. So I should read through that stuff, maybe create a few charts. That's the easiest way to remember new material, is just throw yourself into it and work with it for a while. Pretend you are explaining it to someone as dozy as yourself.
This weekend I planted stuff in the garden, got some patio furniture, did some stuff with the backyard fish ecosystem (an easy clean-out for the filter)and did some stuff with friends. The weather cooperated nicely, and even today it's doing a good job, as it's rainy. Just what I'd hoped for for the newly located plant material.
I already checked my email this morning, against my usual code of doing this blog work before I dropped my brain into work. The other thing I want to do, not so work related, is check out NASA's activity with the Mars lander action yesterday. We were with friends for supper just around when everything was happening - so I need to catch up. I imagine there are pictures by now too. This is so cool! New pictures of Mars, somewhere away from Opportunity and Spirit rovers. Will there be snow? Will it be smooth or rocky? Will there be surface markings caused by snow-melt? So many interesting questions. More interestingly - will they be able to dig a hole, get some ice, put it into a beaker, warm it up and see water!? And if so, will anything be swimming around in it.... and could they even tell with the equipment they put on the thing.
Okay, I'm too excited. I have to go make some tea and check out their website, like every other geek is doing this morning.
-Researchinator to mars, come in mars.
I've got a number of things I want to explore this morning. A potential new-role could be in an area we'll call sea-mammal classifying. I can guess how I would go about doing that, and it relates well to experience I have exploring crustacean classifying, but I should read up on it to get knowledgeable. I know one of the big international oceanographic standards bodies has standards in this area, and I downloaded that last week. So I should read through that stuff, maybe create a few charts. That's the easiest way to remember new material, is just throw yourself into it and work with it for a while. Pretend you are explaining it to someone as dozy as yourself.
This weekend I planted stuff in the garden, got some patio furniture, did some stuff with the backyard fish ecosystem (an easy clean-out for the filter)and did some stuff with friends. The weather cooperated nicely, and even today it's doing a good job, as it's rainy. Just what I'd hoped for for the newly located plant material.
I already checked my email this morning, against my usual code of doing this blog work before I dropped my brain into work. The other thing I want to do, not so work related, is check out NASA's activity with the Mars lander action yesterday. We were with friends for supper just around when everything was happening - so I need to catch up. I imagine there are pictures by now too. This is so cool! New pictures of Mars, somewhere away from Opportunity and Spirit rovers. Will there be snow? Will it be smooth or rocky? Will there be surface markings caused by snow-melt? So many interesting questions. More interestingly - will they be able to dig a hole, get some ice, put it into a beaker, warm it up and see water!? And if so, will anything be swimming around in it.... and could they even tell with the equipment they put on the thing.
Okay, I'm too excited. I have to go make some tea and check out their website, like every other geek is doing this morning.
-Researchinator to mars, come in mars.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Sweet Day Off
Ha - I'm not even at work today. Taking a day to do chores, catch up on stuff, go for a long lunch etc. Dropped off my car for some scheduled maintenance, took care of some investment junk, had breakfast with my newly returned SO, just back from Switzerland (sans nazi gold I might add, in spite of my request).
Anyway, enough blogging - this is a down day. :)
Anyway, enough blogging - this is a down day. :)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Taste Test Residue
I'm not too smiley this morning. I did a lot of chores after work yesterday. I brought some pants in for alterations, bought some pet supplies, got some groceries for supper (a piece of haddock) and got rid of a bunch -years worth - of plastic shopping bags at the grocery store. They have a token collecting box. Something tells me they just throw them into landfill anyway, but I'll take them at their word. We've been saving them up for a long time, anticipating that there would be a day when you didn't have to put them in the garbage to blow around a landfill.
On my way back, I also dropped into the wine store (LCBO) to get something to go with dinner. I thought a riesling would be a good match to the haddock, and I was right. I had it with a light tempura-like batter, some green beans and some boiled potatoes. A nice simple meal of nice fresh ingredients. That with my home-made french bread, it was nice. The wine complemented it well. But I also wanted to make the wine tasting a bit more interesting - so I had both an Austrian Riesling ($14) and an Australian ($20). The latter is the 2007 Wolf Blass gold label. The former an Aichinger von den terrassen 2006. They were very similar actually. Both were quite dry with peppery notes as a riesling should be. Whites notoriously lack complexity in most varietals, so rieslings and gewürztraminers are better choices. Think pineapple husk, white grapefruit rind and white peppercorns. The Austrian had a bit of a garlicky note to it as well, just a hint, like licking your fingers after chopping garlic.
Anyway - it was a bit of a wash between them, with the Australian coming in a bit better. Neither a stellar experience that I need to immediately repeat. They're tightly capped and chilled, so I'll have another sippy comparison tonight. There's lots left, and my SO returns from Geneva as well, so that will be good.
As well, I felt a migraine kick in about 10:00 last night. Some extra sulphite impact perhaps. So here I remain this morning with about another 4 hours of unpleasant left hemisphere taste test residue.
Hopefully a pending French strike (there's a shock) today won't impact my SO's travel home. I should check my morning email to see if she got away... yes - she was in the line up for her plane in Heathrow and emailed to say she'd picked up some single malt at duty free and was on her way. Auchentoshan lowland.
And now that I've peeked at my email, I must fully commit to cleaning it up.
On my way back, I also dropped into the wine store (LCBO) to get something to go with dinner. I thought a riesling would be a good match to the haddock, and I was right. I had it with a light tempura-like batter, some green beans and some boiled potatoes. A nice simple meal of nice fresh ingredients. That with my home-made french bread, it was nice. The wine complemented it well. But I also wanted to make the wine tasting a bit more interesting - so I had both an Austrian Riesling ($14) and an Australian ($20). The latter is the 2007 Wolf Blass gold label. The former an Aichinger von den terrassen 2006. They were very similar actually. Both were quite dry with peppery notes as a riesling should be. Whites notoriously lack complexity in most varietals, so rieslings and gewürztraminers are better choices. Think pineapple husk, white grapefruit rind and white peppercorns. The Austrian had a bit of a garlicky note to it as well, just a hint, like licking your fingers after chopping garlic.
Anyway - it was a bit of a wash between them, with the Australian coming in a bit better. Neither a stellar experience that I need to immediately repeat. They're tightly capped and chilled, so I'll have another sippy comparison tonight. There's lots left, and my SO returns from Geneva as well, so that will be good.
As well, I felt a migraine kick in about 10:00 last night. Some extra sulphite impact perhaps. So here I remain this morning with about another 4 hours of unpleasant left hemisphere taste test residue.
Hopefully a pending French strike (there's a shock) today won't impact my SO's travel home. I should check my morning email to see if she got away... yes - she was in the line up for her plane in Heathrow and emailed to say she'd picked up some single malt at duty free and was on her way. Auchentoshan lowland.
And now that I've peeked at my email, I must fully commit to cleaning it up.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Blogger Confusion
I was trying to log in to blogger for this account (account 'A') yesterday and my usual passwords were not working. I tried to do a forgotten password thing and the wacky behaviour started.
Instead of sending me a 'click here to reset your password' it sent me double emails containing links for a different blog - call it blog 'B'. It is one that I own, but one for which I had not indicated the same email. Blogger should have no awareness of email address 'A' from account 'B', so clearly they are using cookies to associate blogs that are unconnected and assuming the same user. So if you use the same computer as someone else, watch out. I was careful not to click the link send to email A to reset blog B.
But even more annoying, I couldn't get it to send me a useful link for resetting 'blog A'. It would just send me a link to their 'forgot your password' page. Not the reset link. Trying again, it said this time it sent the instructions to my secondary email address (I don't have one) and said if I didn't have one, it was locking my blog for 5 days and I could try again after that. WTF!?
I went to blog B and did a 'forgotten password' successfully, with the proper email address for that. I logged in, and scoured the user info - nowehere had I told them about email A. Meanwhile, blogger was sending repeated double messages about blog B to email A, of which it should be unaware.
I wonder if random people are getting 'click here to change your password' links for other people's blogs!?
Just to top it off, here I am the next day, successfully getting into my blog with my normal bookmark from my work computer. So clearly my unknown password still works.
Anyway - all that to say Blogger seems to be screwed up big time. I wonder if they know what they're doing. Perhaps they are run by the same oceanographic experts that run my firm - they are exhibiting suitably erroneous and inappropriate behaviours.
So not only do I need to continue scouring the oceanographic employment landscape, but also look for another blogging option that is as nice looking as blogger, but without the crap.
-Researchinator
Instead of sending me a 'click here to reset your password' it sent me double emails containing links for a different blog - call it blog 'B'. It is one that I own, but one for which I had not indicated the same email. Blogger should have no awareness of email address 'A' from account 'B', so clearly they are using cookies to associate blogs that are unconnected and assuming the same user. So if you use the same computer as someone else, watch out. I was careful not to click the link send to email A to reset blog B.
But even more annoying, I couldn't get it to send me a useful link for resetting 'blog A'. It would just send me a link to their 'forgot your password' page. Not the reset link. Trying again, it said this time it sent the instructions to my secondary email address (I don't have one) and said if I didn't have one, it was locking my blog for 5 days and I could try again after that. WTF!?
I went to blog B and did a 'forgotten password' successfully, with the proper email address for that. I logged in, and scoured the user info - nowehere had I told them about email A. Meanwhile, blogger was sending repeated double messages about blog B to email A, of which it should be unaware.
I wonder if random people are getting 'click here to change your password' links for other people's blogs!?
Just to top it off, here I am the next day, successfully getting into my blog with my normal bookmark from my work computer. So clearly my unknown password still works.
Anyway - all that to say Blogger seems to be screwed up big time. I wonder if they know what they're doing. Perhaps they are run by the same oceanographic experts that run my firm - they are exhibiting suitably erroneous and inappropriate behaviours.
So not only do I need to continue scouring the oceanographic employment landscape, but also look for another blogging option that is as nice looking as blogger, but without the crap.
-Researchinator
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Tuesmonday
Not your regular Monday, but a shifted one following a long weekend. So back in the dead-end world. The weekend was good though. Forgot about work and the world of oceanography almost totally. Working outside and in some carpentry/reno chores, as well as some major clean-up efforts gets your mind off it. I worked myself to virtual exhaustion, then cooked supper, or joined friends in the evening. Finally I could take a few hours at the end of the night to watch computer - well, hooked up to my TV watching the whole canon of Mythbuster episodes. I have a couple of more to go on the DVD's a friend loaned me. Since giving up on cable, I have only seen it on hotel TV's while travelling. The show is quite good. The personalities of the two hosts are good, but the 20-something sidekicks who have been added are quite lacking. They exhibit a much more haphazard embracing of science, and their spoken exchanges sounds incredibly poorly scripted. They may as well hold their scripts and read them directly. I'm expecting them to read the stage directions out by accident. "This result is unbelievable wave hands about!"
I fear I see this more and more. Production values and intellectual depth of television personalities is being eroded rapidly. It seems it's done in an effort to appeal to 20 somethings. It is obvious when someone has "something going on upstairs" versus someone who doesn't understand the fundamentals about which they are talking - but it seems that either a) the producers can't tell, or b) they just don't care and just want to get the content out there.
My cold still is hanging on. But my barrage of remedies even before I picked up the symptoms from my SO made a big difference. It never got past the annoyance of runny sinuses. I used vitamin supplements, echinacea, hot liquids and extra rest. Once it manifested, and then began to wane, I dopped the remedies, though, and my sinuses are busy this morning again. But luckily no sore throat, cough or congestion.
Well stuff to do here at work, strangely. And my daily activities of job hunting and walking as well are waiting for me.
I fear I see this more and more. Production values and intellectual depth of television personalities is being eroded rapidly. It seems it's done in an effort to appeal to 20 somethings. It is obvious when someone has "something going on upstairs" versus someone who doesn't understand the fundamentals about which they are talking - but it seems that either a) the producers can't tell, or b) they just don't care and just want to get the content out there.
My cold still is hanging on. But my barrage of remedies even before I picked up the symptoms from my SO made a big difference. It never got past the annoyance of runny sinuses. I used vitamin supplements, echinacea, hot liquids and extra rest. Once it manifested, and then began to wane, I dopped the remedies, though, and my sinuses are busy this morning again. But luckily no sore throat, cough or congestion.
Well stuff to do here at work, strangely. And my daily activities of job hunting and walking as well are waiting for me.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Routine
Routine is a central value in human lives. Actually all animals are fundamentally creatures of habit, just in that we made that journey from protozoa to aggressive drivers in a system defined by the cycles of night and day. So, with this blog I start my day, and I punctuate my weary existence as a discarded oceanographic researcher with tiny things that entertain me. Like today, for example, I get my bonus clams. Yes, we in the oceanographic research field are literally paid annual bonuses in clams, and today I get mine.
Its a bit bittersweet, as I know my organization has also been eliminated, but what the heck - I'll take the clams... sending half them to the government, but at least there is a bit of texture to my week.
My kettle boils and I briefly stare into my dwindling tea drawer to see what I'll have today. English breakfast today, it appears. I keep my kleenex in the same drawer and so every time I blow my nose, I get a little hit of caffeine.
May day today looks like it will involve completing the review of a patent, briefly scouting the world for new employment, reviewing a press release, and (hopefully) telling all my collaborators about my demise. Then a long weekend alone - I think my main project will be to try and sell a garage full of old stuff I need to unload.
And so on with my day.
Its a bit bittersweet, as I know my organization has also been eliminated, but what the heck - I'll take the clams... sending half them to the government, but at least there is a bit of texture to my week.
My kettle boils and I briefly stare into my dwindling tea drawer to see what I'll have today. English breakfast today, it appears. I keep my kleenex in the same drawer and so every time I blow my nose, I get a little hit of caffeine.
May day today looks like it will involve completing the review of a patent, briefly scouting the world for new employment, reviewing a press release, and (hopefully) telling all my collaborators about my demise. Then a long weekend alone - I think my main project will be to try and sell a garage full of old stuff I need to unload.
And so on with my day.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Battle the Virus
My life these days is all about walking through a soup of active viruses trying to ensure they don't get a hold on me. My SO has a cold and I'm hoping I can avoid it. This isn't usually such a big deal - I try me best and sometimes I'm successful, sometimes not. I think I probably get her colds maybe 50% of the time. I'm particularly worried this time 'cause I just 3months ago had a nasty bastard of a cold that not only knocked me out for several weeks, but I also had to carry it off to France and live with it through a business trip. It was pure hell. I had to talk to people visiting a presentation between coughing fits, and I felt like my body was glowing with radioactive emanations due to a raging fever.
Even still, I have a slight remnant from that experience. One ear has crunchy sounds when I hear loud noises (fluid in my eardrum from congestion still not clearing). And I have the occasional deep, lungy cough that was characteristic of that cold. So the thought of getting another one is really not pleasant. And, heading into a long-weekend here as well. One where my SO is about to go on a biz trip herself to Switzerland. It will suck enough being alone on a long weekend, but to be sick too will both suck and blow.
Anyway, my morning sits in front of me. Mostly all patent related stuff here now, and the daily effort on the new role side of things. The oceanographic field in our fair city seems to be doing well still for entry level folk, but I don't see much in the way of senior management stuff. Annoying how hard it is to find stuff, particularly as one constantly hears a barrage in the media about shifting demographics and how a massive retirement of boomers will leave us without leadership in our companies and a shortage in the work force - ahhhhh - what ever will we do!? We are so screwwwwed! But wait, whats this? The media is totally off-base? Is it possible? How could reality not jive with TV news. Hmmm, must be reality that's wrong.
-Researchinator grumbling heard across the valley
Even still, I have a slight remnant from that experience. One ear has crunchy sounds when I hear loud noises (fluid in my eardrum from congestion still not clearing). And I have the occasional deep, lungy cough that was characteristic of that cold. So the thought of getting another one is really not pleasant. And, heading into a long-weekend here as well. One where my SO is about to go on a biz trip herself to Switzerland. It will suck enough being alone on a long weekend, but to be sick too will both suck and blow.
Anyway, my morning sits in front of me. Mostly all patent related stuff here now, and the daily effort on the new role side of things. The oceanographic field in our fair city seems to be doing well still for entry level folk, but I don't see much in the way of senior management stuff. Annoying how hard it is to find stuff, particularly as one constantly hears a barrage in the media about shifting demographics and how a massive retirement of boomers will leave us without leadership in our companies and a shortage in the work force - ahhhhh - what ever will we do!? We are so screwwwwed! But wait, whats this? The media is totally off-base? Is it possible? How could reality not jive with TV news. Hmmm, must be reality that's wrong.
-Researchinator grumbling heard across the valley
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Mid-week, Taking Stock.
Today is supposed to end on a cloudy note, turning into rain, but it's starting nice and clear and sunny with a warm summery high predicted. My daily walk is going pretty well. I'm trying to do 2 a day, but it's not always possible. I'm actually rather busy in spite of our pending demise.
We have several months before I need to worry about that, but I'm also trying to strike while the iron is hot. My oceanographic research team is similarly looking about and hoping to find something that preserves their professional interests. The pickings are a little thin, unfortunately.
I've put lots of feelers out, but have yet to connect on something promising. It's certainly easier to find something from a position of strength (ie employment) but its still tough.
Professionally I'm wrapping up a bunch of patent related activity, both initiated by me and also by some collaborators from outside the company. I hope these things can get cleaned up fast and leave me some time for more exploratory stuff. It's hard to say what the summer holds for me.
Stockmarket-wise, things have been gaining strength, which bodes well. But one does not typically get laid off during a booming stock market, so I wonder about the coming months. I'm feeling like I should 'take profits' on the oil front as I'm thinking OPEC isn't stupid enough to totally destroy their market by forcing all their customers into hybrids. Anyway, something to think about. And so, on with my day.
We have several months before I need to worry about that, but I'm also trying to strike while the iron is hot. My oceanographic research team is similarly looking about and hoping to find something that preserves their professional interests. The pickings are a little thin, unfortunately.
I've put lots of feelers out, but have yet to connect on something promising. It's certainly easier to find something from a position of strength (ie employment) but its still tough.
Professionally I'm wrapping up a bunch of patent related activity, both initiated by me and also by some collaborators from outside the company. I hope these things can get cleaned up fast and leave me some time for more exploratory stuff. It's hard to say what the summer holds for me.
Stockmarket-wise, things have been gaining strength, which bodes well. But one does not typically get laid off during a booming stock market, so I wonder about the coming months. I'm feeling like I should 'take profits' on the oil front as I'm thinking OPEC isn't stupid enough to totally destroy their market by forcing all their customers into hybrids. Anyway, something to think about. And so, on with my day.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Discomfortabulous Day
It was a long night for both me and the SO. She's picked up a head cold (what the heck is that anyway?) I guess I should say a rhinovirus or something. I on the other hand started a migraine last evening - the future of which I knew all too well, and it's playing out as per normal. I have about another 4 hours or so to go on it, which is tough 'cause I have solid meetings starting in about 15minutes through that whole period... including a chat about that other job opportunity, for which I am already underexcited. So disinterest plus a migraine - just what you want for an interview.
My first global meeting since our demise was determined - will it be communicated to the rest of the folks? Probably not - but we'll see shortly. Ahh - I see it is on the agenda
Oops, checked my email and dialed into a call. Also found a tylenol 3 in my drawer so popped that to try and mute this migraine. All in all, not looking like a great day. I think I'll be bailing early this afternoon.
My first global meeting since our demise was determined - will it be communicated to the rest of the folks? Probably not - but we'll see shortly. Ahh - I see it is on the agenda
Oops, checked my email and dialed into a call. Also found a tylenol 3 in my drawer so popped that to try and mute this migraine. All in all, not looking like a great day. I think I'll be bailing early this afternoon.
Monday, May 12, 2008
PondScum
Accidentally looked at my email and once again I seem I'm being put off from talking to my collaboration partners about the end of my oceanographic research project. I feel very guilty to have to drag my feet on this, as they need to know sooner rather than later. But the decisions has implications (which we warned about) and they are scrambling to figure it out.
Meanwhile I also have an chat coming up with a guy who runs another project to see if I might take a role there - as a product manager for sub-sea ocean soil aggregates. It seems like the worlds most boring subject matter. I mean it's about things which go under the ground at the bottom of the ocean that nobody ever sees. And the technology may well be obsolete, as a competitor is making, let's say an sub-sea ocean soil aggregate that competes with ours, and they have a better evolution path for existing customers - or at least it seems that way to me, who doesn't know the subject much other than from what I read in the technical oceanographic press.
So how am I going to appear enthusiastic about this - particularly when it's probably another more junior role with year(s) before opportunity for advancement. Ugh.
I would be happy if there was an opportunity to jump to another oceanographic company in the neighbourhood, but I don't see many chances for that yet. I think I need to take another spin through my resume.
Oh yeah - worked on the pond over the weekend and sucked the scum out of the bottom and washed down the stones and liner and rebuilt the edges with some sand to minimize the risk of water loss. Somehow that work seemed to have a lot to do with the office.
-Researchinator complains - "I'm sore today"
Meanwhile I also have an chat coming up with a guy who runs another project to see if I might take a role there - as a product manager for sub-sea ocean soil aggregates. It seems like the worlds most boring subject matter. I mean it's about things which go under the ground at the bottom of the ocean that nobody ever sees. And the technology may well be obsolete, as a competitor is making, let's say an sub-sea ocean soil aggregate that competes with ours, and they have a better evolution path for existing customers - or at least it seems that way to me, who doesn't know the subject much other than from what I read in the technical oceanographic press.
So how am I going to appear enthusiastic about this - particularly when it's probably another more junior role with year(s) before opportunity for advancement. Ugh.
I would be happy if there was an opportunity to jump to another oceanographic company in the neighbourhood, but I don't see many chances for that yet. I think I need to take another spin through my resume.
Oh yeah - worked on the pond over the weekend and sucked the scum out of the bottom and washed down the stones and liner and rebuilt the edges with some sand to minimize the risk of water loss. Somehow that work seemed to have a lot to do with the office.
-Researchinator complains - "I'm sore today"
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Minor Entertainments
In this period of change I managed to mess with my new laptops bluetooth capability and get a few things working. One would think - having used a Mac for many years, that MS would be ashamed to offer a new feature without actually making it available. But alas, winXP ensures that the feature is not actually available. Turns out I found an installer buried deep on my disk that installed one component which turned out itself to launch another installer (all this discovered over two days) to install the other components of bluetooth that finally made it usable. Sure I could turn it on, and see the glowing logo light up, but otherwise it was previously invisible.
All the fine MS help pages would say stuff like "right click the bluetooth logo in your tray" - followed by 2 pages of procedure after that. There was next to no help if there was no bluetooth logo in my tray.
Anyways, no help to the help, I managed to get it working - synced a PDA through the air, got a BT headset working nicely and so I can say that's done.
A minor entertainment in this period of change. I need to scare up some enthusiasm for still doing stuff while we also try to find new roles. Our Oceanographic research group in this oceanographic products company is so screwed.
All the fine MS help pages would say stuff like "right click the bluetooth logo in your tray" - followed by 2 pages of procedure after that. There was next to no help if there was no bluetooth logo in my tray.
Anyways, no help to the help, I managed to get it working - synced a PDA through the air, got a BT headset working nicely and so I can say that's done.
A minor entertainment in this period of change. I need to scare up some enthusiasm for still doing stuff while we also try to find new roles. Our Oceanographic research group in this oceanographic products company is so screwed.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Flurries
There are brief flurries of busy time as we scramble around to connect with the appropriate spots where some out-of-work oceanographic researchers may find a home. Morale has suffered of course, but everyone puts on a cynical but positive face.
Word also came down that an adjacent group of 20 people working on a "fish-farm" commercialization got canned (no pun intended). That one is a particularly head-shaking event, as they have customers lined up, and relationships with all the big fish distribution companies. The group that was supposed to be guiding such ocean harvesting commercial ventures is shooting itself in the foot. They intend to launch other such ventures in the future, but with this they are pissing off just the customers that they will need to go to in the future. I'm sure they will all say "oh now, we're not falling for that again." Next time a venture shows up to hawk its wares.
Also meanwhile the Lofty Project has come to a close. The big long-term lofty idea that would revolutionize oceanography research and change the world. Well, turns out that one of the exec's pet projects on which he coached and collaborated has been chosen. Funny thing, as he's also part of the selection committee.
So today, up come some oceanographer execs to chat with us about our pending demise. We already had a call - so nobody knows what they will do with themselves for the day after the 5 minutes it takes to say hi. But that's their problem.
The company is contracting to it's pre-2000, unsuccessful model rather than embracing the more successful parts of research that took them over. A few well placed cronies have built their own kingdoms, and in the process are protecting themselves by sacrificing the overall company. It's quite fascinating to watch it happen, and it's not over yet.
Let's watch...
Word also came down that an adjacent group of 20 people working on a "fish-farm" commercialization got canned (no pun intended). That one is a particularly head-shaking event, as they have customers lined up, and relationships with all the big fish distribution companies. The group that was supposed to be guiding such ocean harvesting commercial ventures is shooting itself in the foot. They intend to launch other such ventures in the future, but with this they are pissing off just the customers that they will need to go to in the future. I'm sure they will all say "oh now, we're not falling for that again." Next time a venture shows up to hawk its wares.
Also meanwhile the Lofty Project has come to a close. The big long-term lofty idea that would revolutionize oceanography research and change the world. Well, turns out that one of the exec's pet projects on which he coached and collaborated has been chosen. Funny thing, as he's also part of the selection committee.
So today, up come some oceanographer execs to chat with us about our pending demise. We already had a call - so nobody knows what they will do with themselves for the day after the 5 minutes it takes to say hi. But that's their problem.
The company is contracting to it's pre-2000, unsuccessful model rather than embracing the more successful parts of research that took them over. A few well placed cronies have built their own kingdoms, and in the process are protecting themselves by sacrificing the overall company. It's quite fascinating to watch it happen, and it's not over yet.
Let's watch...
Monday, May 5, 2008
First Day of Limbo
The day begins sunny and bright, looks like it will be a nice one today. I think a walk will be in order around lunch time. My group will be interesting as we slide headlong into an indeterminate period prior to dissolution. We have a couple of on-going research projects to wrap up as best we can, and also the larger job of finding a permanent (as if that exists) job.
The past weekend was reasonably nice - I felt rather anxious on Sunday out of the blue - but a bout of bread making and chicken stock creating was good at dispelling that. In line with my work I also started an experiment based on reading about baguette making in paris. I heard that the dough contains only flour, water, salt and yeast, and that the award winning guy ferments his dough for 30 hours instead of the usual 3. That is intriguing 'cause I play with macrobiotic stuff (making yoghurt, beer, natto, sprouts...) in the kitchen already - plus all the bread I like to make. So I made a batch of bread and split it, making one be just white flour, salt, water, yeast... plus some olive oil and honey; the other my usual path, using various flours and additives like psyllium husk and ground flax.
Both batches were turned into a fully kneaded dough ready for rising, but only the brown batch was risen, shaped, proofed and baked. The other one is still on its first rise 15 or 20 hours later. I'll do the final proofing and baking tonight.
Anyway, that's a valuable experiment. Lots of fun - not so great at work.
The past weekend was reasonably nice - I felt rather anxious on Sunday out of the blue - but a bout of bread making and chicken stock creating was good at dispelling that. In line with my work I also started an experiment based on reading about baguette making in paris. I heard that the dough contains only flour, water, salt and yeast, and that the award winning guy ferments his dough for 30 hours instead of the usual 3. That is intriguing 'cause I play with macrobiotic stuff (making yoghurt, beer, natto, sprouts...) in the kitchen already - plus all the bread I like to make. So I made a batch of bread and split it, making one be just white flour, salt, water, yeast... plus some olive oil and honey; the other my usual path, using various flours and additives like psyllium husk and ground flax.
Both batches were turned into a fully kneaded dough ready for rising, but only the brown batch was risen, shaped, proofed and baked. The other one is still on its first rise 15 or 20 hours later. I'll do the final proofing and baking tonight.
Anyway, that's a valuable experiment. Lots of fun - not so great at work.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Breakfast Beer
Okay, it's not morning, rather just back from lunch and a pitcher of beer. This morning was the official call about the end of our oceanographic research at this location. So my small team, and an adjacent team is being eliminated. Interesting how they avoid those words. Words like execution of the plan are used rather than laying off everyone. I guess we should be able to find some roles inside the business for people, but it's hard to say whether that will work for everyone.
I'm not really concerned too much. I think things were untenable as they were. A contingent of known-bad management has continued to show themselves as such. Decisions were based on political issues rather than value to the company. So the oceans will go on without us, and perhaps we'll find ourselves in better positions.
The coming weeks and months until our eventual termination will continue to be interesting. Watch here for the goings-on.
-Researchinator maintaining a positive outlook
I'm not really concerned too much. I think things were untenable as they were. A contingent of known-bad management has continued to show themselves as such. Decisions were based on political issues rather than value to the company. So the oceans will go on without us, and perhaps we'll find ourselves in better positions.
The coming weeks and months until our eventual termination will continue to be interesting. Watch here for the goings-on.
-Researchinator maintaining a positive outlook
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Well, Perhaps Not Every Morning
A busy few days. The old adage about taking time off is true. If you take holidays you have to work twice as hard before and after thereby reducing the value of the time away to near zero.
But I feel like I'm kind of back on track. However, more importantly, it appears that the clouds are forming.
The lofty project competition has reached the final presentation stage. I might have mentioned that out of the short list of 6 proposals, I'm involved in two, but I'm not super proud of the results. The concepts originally proposed by many individuals were grouped (rather haphazardly) into amalgamated groups. The result is a design-by-committee approach that has made the proposals less lofty, often, they are proposals for work already going on elsewhere already. Hardly earth shattering, wow factor proposals.
As well, the results were presented rather weakly by inexperienced presenters sharing charts put together by a big group with several loose cannons spread through each group, injecting random text.
So the world of "oceanography" research is safe from the treat of a planet altering disruptive research proposal. I think my primary proposal will be the one that wins the competition, but it will address weakly conceived concepts.
Meanwhile the hints are that this location's research will be shut down anyway. Hence I need to start browsing for some other engagement opportunities. This is a large multinational oceanography concern, so there may well be some interesting opportunities internally. I saw one for a Director of Kelp design. I have considerable experience in Kelp design, I've designed Kelp at all stages, though my current role in research is more about the broad area of lets say, fish ecosystems. I'm happy to have the fish ecosystem job, but I'm probably not as well suited to it as I am Kelp design. Problem is I'm even more suited to Inter-Crustacean communications, and I don't see much of that in the company. A lot of it gets farmed out these days to pacific rim Crustacean firms.
Hey - I just had a call to get my laptop replaced. Oh joy. Well, at least I'll have a new lightweight one for a while before I'm turfed.
But I feel like I'm kind of back on track. However, more importantly, it appears that the clouds are forming.
The lofty project competition has reached the final presentation stage. I might have mentioned that out of the short list of 6 proposals, I'm involved in two, but I'm not super proud of the results. The concepts originally proposed by many individuals were grouped (rather haphazardly) into amalgamated groups. The result is a design-by-committee approach that has made the proposals less lofty, often, they are proposals for work already going on elsewhere already. Hardly earth shattering, wow factor proposals.
As well, the results were presented rather weakly by inexperienced presenters sharing charts put together by a big group with several loose cannons spread through each group, injecting random text.
So the world of "oceanography" research is safe from the treat of a planet altering disruptive research proposal. I think my primary proposal will be the one that wins the competition, but it will address weakly conceived concepts.
Meanwhile the hints are that this location's research will be shut down anyway. Hence I need to start browsing for some other engagement opportunities. This is a large multinational oceanography concern, so there may well be some interesting opportunities internally. I saw one for a Director of Kelp design. I have considerable experience in Kelp design, I've designed Kelp at all stages, though my current role in research is more about the broad area of lets say, fish ecosystems. I'm happy to have the fish ecosystem job, but I'm probably not as well suited to it as I am Kelp design. Problem is I'm even more suited to Inter-Crustacean communications, and I don't see much of that in the company. A lot of it gets farmed out these days to pacific rim Crustacean firms.
Hey - I just had a call to get my laptop replaced. Oh joy. Well, at least I'll have a new lightweight one for a while before I'm turfed.
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