New Work...during Birthday Month!

Started my new job this week - Working for CGI, a Canadian company that bought Logica not long ago.  My laptop didn't show up until Thursday - and ever since, I've been installing a whole suite of tools.  This place uses the most current set of HP NonStop development apps I've ever seen -  So they're all a bit new to me as well. I'm nervous, probably from all my experiences as a consultant - even when those jobs go well, they end.  So I feel residual pressure.  And installing Eclipse/Cross platform Compilers/Subversion/SQL tools and other stuff has been strange, hopefully it will all hang together tomorrow.

It's a new start, the working alone in the house will take some getting used to...Sunday I'll drive up to Waltham, Ma. for the week.  We (Me and the other two new guys) will be meeting with the Sr. Dev't. Team onsite.

Went to BWW with the guys Wednesday - We're down to 1 teenager again.  Steve got some Arduino, and Dave his class ring.

Working (soon) (from home)

So - I haven't posted in ages, and I had news, so hear it is... I found work, that starts 5/13...They will allow me to work from home (!) and the pay will be basically what I have been making on the road the last few years.  I am setting up the spare bedroom as my new office, leaving the old one as a Music Room.

I've been home since March 2nd - cleaning things up, and getting back in the groove of my family.  S. is still at Storrs (now thinking of becoming a Math Teacher) and coming home on the weekend to be a Scoutmaster of Troop 3. D. is struggling with classwork, but enjoying being SPL of Troop 1, and doing theater.   N. is enjoying his POP Puppet ministry through church (Praise Christian Fellowship), but not Scouts so much.

Almost Spring

It's been nearly a year.  My work at Quest was good for my C skills, and nice to go back to working in TAL.  Made a few good friends/co-workers and enjoyed my manager...Nuff said.

I was surprised two weeks ago that I was asked to come back early one weekend got the project straightened out and found out that my contract, which was up for renewal, was not going to be renewed.  They are hard at work doing a massive reorganization, and putting all projects on hold to be re-assessed.  So Poof, I was gone at the end of the week.  I rented a U-Haul trailer, packed my room up and drove it home.

T1 and T3 are both camping this weekend - Steve will be at Workcoeman, and Dave, N. and I will be at Sequassen, across the street. It's March - but will be in the 20's at night with a High (!) in the 30's...bah.

Working out my unemployment, it will be from Ct. this time (they pay more) but not enough...Thinking about what needs to be fixed - praying about the roof, the RV (needs to go), and other stuff.

I cannot tel you how much I don't want to go on the road again...

If you change careers 4 or 5 times in a lifetime...

I'm overdue - So....What else am I supposed to do?  Local Scout Exec? or some other related job?  What could I do that would pay enough that would leverage my History Degree?

Va-Va-Va--Virginia

Found a contract with Quest Diagnostics (Tal programmer) in Chantilly, Va.  Started Monday - It is amazingly expensive and crowded here.  Traffic is ridiculous everywhere, and it took 5 1/2 hours door to door from home to my hotel in Manassas, the ride home will probably be longer since it will be rush hour around DC/Baltimore/and NYC.

But it is a bit too close to fly, unless I drive to Baltimore to fly Southwest - so I'm trying the drive.  Small shop, only about 5 Tandem developers.  Nice enough, and has a café - but it's taken a couple of days to get me a PC and a TACL (logon).

Boy Scouts!

Nate is one as well - Tomorrow we camp at Mohawk with Troop 1.

Pie Day

Had two interviews with Quest Diagnostic as a Tandem Consultant - they want a TAL programmer.  I may have found the only TAL shop that doesn't require Base24 skills.  I also interviewed for a job in Itasca, Ill.  But the first job made an offer - What a bunch of mixed feelings.  I must provide, and keep my commitments (bills) - but failing to thrive in that local job is galling, I could see why it had to end - but it's humiliating nontheless.  But I do feel (finally) more connected to home, like I finally arrived in Ct. myself - and I'll survive sometime on the road.  Hoping that the 7 hour drive is doable, and the one hour flight from Dulles (5 minutes from work) or Baltimore - will be very cost friendly.   Dawn is only an hour north as well.  I need to figure out my housing next week - I start (so far) on the 26th.