Category: Work News

Okay. Maybe I rushed to judgement about my company not springing for training. I am in class right now for Exchange Server 2003. I can hardly believe my fortune, but I guess they feel I need training. Of course, it’s not the course they originally wanted for me, but it’s one that’s probably more important and marketable. In fact, it’s on track for me and my personal plan for skills growth. And, it happens to be local. Now I can be home and be working as well.

Once this training is done, I’ll probably take the exam that goes along with it and try to get trained on the design aspects of Exchange. It would be great to be able to get on a project where these skills are utilized… that’s my next target.

Don’t you hate it when your management tells you that you need to take a class – get training in something that would make you more marketable and really increase your opportunities – then, after you do all the research, find a class and get ready to take it, they so: “What? Travel? Sorry – we can’t pay for travel to take a class.” I guess it’s off, then. I wouldn’t have minded except that they got my hopes up. So, I’m feeling a bit down today. I had hoped that I would have the opportunity to grow my skills in a highly specialized area, but it looks like that won’t happen. Sometimes, I hate my job.

For now, I will be working in Tucson, Arizona. A nice place, really… at least in Winter or Spring. Today was really nice. I got off a nice short [read: less than 3 hour] flight and took a slow drive to the customer site with the windows down. It’s odd, really. I can tell I really live in a big city when places like Tucson seem… well… quiet. I asked the receptionist in the office if today it was really quiet outside and she looked at me like I was insane. Aparently, this time of year is quite loud and busy for Tucson. Summer is when it’s really quiet.

Hmm… Don’t know if I could handle THAT much quiet. I guess I just get used to a certain background ‘hum’ that seems to be present in all of the larger cities I go to. I don’t get close to the ‘open range’ on most projects. It’s good to breath cleaner, drier air once in a while.

I think that’s what I’ll call this project from now on. When people ask my what I’m working on, I’ll say: “I’m working in Limbo right now.” I will go to Tucson next week for the second half of the week and all of the week after. After that I hear whispers about Australia and “other international sites” but nothing concrete. I wish I could actually MAKE PLANS!!! I think I need a new job. One where I can go home every night.

This seems to be the ongoing rant on my site. I guess I should have something more interesting to complain about…

But all I know is that I’ll be there two more weeks. After that is still a toss up. The projects are fighting over me. It’s kinda nice to be wanted. However, I still don’t know much past 2 weeks. That seems to be the magic number on this project. They will probably keep me until the end of April [note: last time it was March] if they had their way. So, I have adopted the attitude that it doesn’t matter to me anymore. If I stay on this project, I will get to go to some exciting places, like Puerto Rico and Australia. If I go to the new project I get to go to Kentucky… but the work will be challenging and exciting.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Well, not that it’s my decision to make, you understand… I just work here.

I have no clue as to my whereabouts past next week. I know I will come to San Francisco again next week, but after that my destiny is rather unclear. First – on this project, I may or may not go to Tucson… or Australia… or San Juan, Puerto Rico… or maybe even come back here [to San Francisco]. That’s all up for grabs. Second – I’m wanted on another project and they will transition me as soon as they can get someone to take my place. If they’re fast, then I’ll transition off next week and the week after, I’ll be in Kentucky. Yep. Kentucky. I don’t think I’ve ever worked there. Driven through, yes. Worked? No.

My work life is a bit confusing to me. I’d like some structure, please!

I’m torn about my choices here – not that I have much of one. I have to go where they send me. While the work on this current project puts me to sleep in 30 seconds flat, I get to travel to some awesome places. However, this new project would keep me in Kentucky for a while (not real exciting) but I would get to use my higher-level design skills. The work would be much more exciting and more of what I’m trained for.

They changed my travel plans yet again. It looks like I won’t be California city-hopping after all. Instead, I’ll just fly to San Francisco and stay there for the whole week. Who knows what will happen after that. Not quite as much of a Road Warrior, eh?

This is a crazy project. I never seem to know where I’ll be from one week to the next. Stability? Future Plans? What’s that?