Bear Down Wildcats

Yea the tangible benefits I get, but really most of that doesn't speak to me. What moves the needle for me are the intangibles. What is the team like? Pace of work? Do I actually believe in what we are doing? Am I challenged? etc etc..

threenumberones wrote:

OSUCat wrote:I recently switched jobs/careers. I had an hour commute at my prior job. Now I work completely from my dining room table. I am more productive and I have yet to wake up wondering if I can just call in sick. Have a conference call? Well I'm just going to walk around the neighborhood during the meeting. I understand how some people might not be able to be successful while working from home (to many distractions), but I am ecstatic about my current situation. I'm going to miss this once I go back to a office in 2-3 years.

I am having serious reservations of working any further than biking distance from the office in the future (depending on the bicycling facilities). I have recently realized that I dislike driving to work (All those idiot drivers!), I would rather take public transportation if it was more reliable option.

Congrats man, hope it goes well. I've been doing the home office thing for a while now and it has pros and cons. I ended up renting co-working space part time just to get out of the house a bit. The blurred line between home and work does wear on you after a while. Tho I guess it probably depends on what is going on at home.

I think the biggest hurdle is that family and friends can't learn to understand that you're actually working. There's an expectation that you're the one who can do all sorts of things to keep the household running, or run errands, or help people out because you're not "going to work" like others. That gets even worse when the spouse's relatives come for a visit.

This has been my experience LH.

I love my academic half days and I love working from home during them. But my wife can't seem to understand that my academic half days a generally not for errands, groceries, watching the baby, and the honey-do list. Sometimes, but not always.

About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

Chicat wrote:About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

you got that easy -- BOSS

Longhorned wrote:I think the biggest hurdle is that family and friends can't learn to understand that you're actually working. There's an expectation that you're the one who can do all sorts of things to keep the household running, or run errands, or help people out because you're not "going to work" like others. That gets even worse when the spouse's relatives come for a visit.

My wife and friends seem to understand the concept well. The in-laws came into town yesterday, they do not understand the concept. My Father-in-law spent all day trying to discuss golf and good camping places, and mother-in-law wanted to come up with a meal plans. I will need to figure something out for the next two weeks. Maybe I will have meetings every day and go hang out at a coffee shop or something.

Chicat wrote:About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

Hope you got decent strippers this time.

azgreg wrote:

Chicat wrote:About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

Hope you got decent strippers this time.

Actually, if you're gonna have strippers, indecent is the way to go.

97cats wrote:

Chicat wrote:About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

you got that easy -- BOSS

It actually went off without a hitch. Unfortunately the Blackhawks parade and celebration today had some people cancel last minute, but it was a fun time.

Chicat wrote:

97cats wrote:

Chicat wrote:About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

you got that easy -- BOSS

It actually went off without a hitch. Unfortunately the Blackhawks parade and celebration today had some people cancel last minute, but it was a fun time.

Good work. I don't know how similar, but I once hosted a visiting speaker, and I had to send the grad students to the supermarket to buy some cheeses and crackers and stuff and then lay it all out on the reception table. And then the same grad students wolfed it all down while I chatted with the speaker before he walked up to the podium.

OSUCat wrote:

Longhorned wrote:I think the biggest hurdle is that family and friends can't learn to understand that you're actually working. There's an expectation that you're the one who can do all sorts of things to keep the household running, or run errands, or help people out because you're not "going to work" like others. That gets even worse when the spouse's relatives come for a visit.

My wife and friends seem to understand the concept well. The in-laws came into town yesterday, they do not understand the concept. My Father-in-law spent all day trying to discuss golf and good camping places, and mother-in-law wanted to come up with a meal plans. I will need to figure something out for the next two weeks. Maybe I will have meetings every day and go hang out at a coffee shop or something.

You should just look your father in law in the eye and say, "Do you find it amazing that somebody is paying me to talk to you all day?" And then every time he tries to get out of your way, say "No, no. Please. Tell me some more about golf and camping, old man." And each time you say that, top off his coffee to the very top of the rim, letting it overflow just a little. That will teach him.

Longhorned wrote:

Chicat wrote:

97cats wrote:

Chicat wrote:About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

you got that easy -- BOSS

It actually went off without a hitch. Unfortunately the Blackhawks parade and celebration today had some people cancel last minute, but it was a fun time.

Good work. I don't know how similar, but I once hosted a visiting speaker, and I had to send the grad students to the supermarket to buy some cheeses and crackers and stuff and then lay it all out on the reception table. And then the same grad students wolfed it all down while I chatted with the speaker before he walked up to the podium.

Hmmm . . .

It would more be like if you invited 200 guest speakers and 150 of them failed to even respond to the invitation, and then the 50 that did respond ask if they can bring their useless and slightly dim-witted coworker to speak as well. Then at the last moment, 20 of those people cancel, 90 of the non-responders say something like, "oh sorry, the invite just showed up in my inbox mysteriously. Can I still come . . . and can I bring my coworker?", and the grad students you sent out to get cheese came back obviously stoned but somehow having created 8 different tasty and fancy appetizers. Then everyone proceeds to plow through the liquor and food and not one of the speakers you invited says anything meaningful, interesting, or educational since they can't seem to stop shoving Wanton Asiago Fusilli Bites into their gobs.

Longhorned wrote:

Chicat wrote:

97cats wrote:

Chicat wrote:About to host a catered party for about 100 CEOs, AMDs, creative directors and other muckety mucks of the advertising industry on the 94th floor of the John Hancock building.

This is one of those, "I can't believe they trust me to handle this shit" moments.

you got that easy -- BOSS

It actually went off without a hitch. Unfortunately the Blackhawks parade and celebration today had some people cancel last minute, but it was a fun time.

Good work. I don't know how similar, but I once hosted a visiting speaker, and I had to send the grad students to the supermarket to buy some cheeses and crackers and stuff and then lay it all out on the reception table. And then the same grad students wolfed it all down while I chatted with the speaker before he walked up to the podium.

LAMO! You're killing me LH. If more people knew the inner workings of academia, it would make a killer "The Office" type show.

Congrats Chi...In your field, is hosting an event like this on the path to becoming a future Muckety Muck and have a future Chi, who is likely still a teenager somewhere hoping to play "under the shirt, over the bra" with his HS-GF, do your bidding?

Either way...Boss.

Finally getting around to finishing an article to submit for publication.

CalStateTempe wrote:Congrats Chi...In your field, is hosting an event like this on the path to becoming a future Muckety Muck and have a future Chi, who is likely still a teenager somewhere hoping to play "under the shirt, over the bra" with his HS-GF, do your bidding?

Either way...Boss.

Good question. In a word.... No.

It's more a pathway to getting fired because you told the caterer the wrong day or you forgot to give your CEO a wristband and he's denied entry to his own party. Luckily neither of those things happened . . . which of course didn't stop me from having 20 panic attacks that they would.

To become a muckety muck and get a minion I'm going to have to kiss some serious booty. Unfortunately I'm all out of Chapstick.

Back in the office tower this week. Spent the last 5 hours putting the finishing touches on a project to replace 9000 ft of shipboard piping. Was in the Charleston shipyard last week for a final survey with the ship's crew aboard their dry-docked tanker. Those sailors are sharper than us office peoples.

Lot out front coned off for the "shred truck." Voluntold to handle our floor. Coworkers drop stacks of trash paper into boxes by my desk. Box by box to the lot I dump them into the mass shredder.

Going around Colorado and New Mexico looking at Ancestral Pueblo sites while high on cannabis as a way of helping me think about comparative approaches to understanding the origins of the Vestal Virgins in a prehistoric Mediterranean context.

Longhorned wrote:Going around Colorado and New Mexico looking at Ancestral Pueblo sites while high on cannabis as a way of helping me think about comparative approaches to understanding the origins of the Vestal Virgins in a prehistoric Mediterranean context.

Want to meet in Mesa Verde in two weeks?

catgrad97 wrote:

Longhorned wrote:Going around Colorado and New Mexico looking at Ancestral Pueblo sites while high on cannabis as a way of helping me think about comparative approaches to understanding the origins of the Vestal Virgins in a prehistoric Mediterranean context.

Want to meet in Mesa Verde in two weeks?

I just finished leading a tour of Mesa Verde, Chaco, Wupatki, Aztec Ruins. Beautiful part of the country.

I finally got to Aztec back about 10 years ago. It's so wonderfully quiet out there. Same with Mesa Verde, once you start hiking to the cliffs. Wupatki has that wonderful wind hole you can stand over but is in a more flat, uninteresting landscape.

Need to get to Chaco soon.

Currently contemplating either firing my assistant, taking a new job I was just offered, or both.

Interviewing for a new gig Monday. Would be sad to leave my current employer, but they're driving me into the ground.

catgrad97 wrote:

Longhorned wrote:Going around Colorado and New Mexico looking at Ancestral Pueblo sites while high on cannabis as a way of helping me think about comparative approaches to understanding the origins of the Vestal Virgins in a prehistoric Mediterranean context.

Want to meet in Mesa Verde in two weeks?

I'd love to but in two weeks I'll be pretty far away from Mesa Verde.

We'll always have Eloy.

Anyone got anything noteworthy going on this week? I'm a little grounded until having business in Midtown Manhattan at the end of next week.

Longhorned wrote:Going around Colorado and New Mexico looking at Ancestral Pueblo sites while high on cannabis as a way of helping me think about comparative approaches to understanding the origins of the Vestal Virgins in a prehistoric Mediterranean context.

Since you're work looks to involve the ancient four corners region, any thoughts on an author named Craig Childs? I've off and on read his books on the region, most lately House of Rain. He lives in Cortez CO, I think.

CatsbyAZ wrote:

Longhorned wrote:Going around Colorado and New Mexico looking at Ancestral Pueblo sites while high on cannabis as a way of helping me think about comparative approaches to understanding the origins of the Vestal Virgins in a prehistoric Mediterranean context.

Since you're work looks to involve the ancient four corners region, any thoughts on an author named Craig Childs? I've off and on read his books on the region, most lately House of Rain. He lives in Cortez CO, I think.

I've never read anything by him. What little I have read about the southwest is in peer-reviewed anthropological journals and field reports from excavations. My real area is the ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome. I'm just trying to expand my horizons.

I am currently in a three hour interview for a job I don't think I actually want.

Chicat wrote:I am currently in a three hour interview for a job I don't think I actually want.

Now you're sure to get it. When you're that relaxed, they love you. You could get away with leaning forward, furling your brow, and saying, "Is that a nostril hair?"

Longhorned wrote:

Chicat wrote:I am currently in a three hour interview for a job I don't think I actually want.

Now you're sure to get it. When you're that relaxed, they love you. You could get away with leaning forward, furling your brow, and saying, "Is that a nostril hair?"

And even get away with being on a message board DURING the interview, with the interviewer seeing you type that you don't want the job.

CatsbyAZ wrote:

Longhorned wrote:

Chicat wrote:I am currently in a three hour interview for a job I don't think I actually want.

Now you're sure to get it. When you're that relaxed, they love you. You could get away with leaning forward, furling your brow, and saying, "Is that a nostril hair?"

And even get away with being on a message board DURING the interview, with the interviewer seeing you type that you don't want the job.

It was the second time they had me come in and this round consisted of a bunch of people talking to me individually so I was able to scan my phone, answer some emails, and even update you fine folks on what my life was like at that very moment while waiting for the next interrogator.

I turned it down. It would have been great, but not so much better than my current position that it was worth the hustle.

Still kind of kicking myself though. I should have just said fuck it and asked for fuck you money and made them turn me down or give it to me.

Chicat wrote:

CatsbyAZ wrote:

Longhorned wrote:

Chicat wrote:I am currently in a three hour interview for a job I don't think I actually want.

Now you're sure to get it. When you're that relaxed, they love you. You could get away with leaning forward, furling your brow, and saying, "Is that a nostril hair?"

And even get away with being on a message board DURING the interview, with the interviewer seeing you type that you don't want the job.

It was the second time they had me come in and this round consisted of a bunch of people talking to me individually so I was able to scan my phone, answer some emails, and even update you fine folks on what my life was like at that very moment while waiting for the next interrogator.

I turned it down. It would have been great, but not so much better than my current position that it was worth the hustle.

Still kind of kicking myself though. I should have just said fuck it and asked for fuck you money and made them turn me down or give it to me.

You should send them an email telling them you just got fired from your current job for "an incident in which nobody can prove whether a client observed me pantless because he died of unrelated causes before leaving my office", and that you've reconsidered their offer.

Longhorned wrote:You should send them an email telling them you just got fired from your current job for "an incident in which nobody can prove whether a client observed me pantless because he died of unrelated causes before leaving my office", and that you've reconsidered their offer.

Their managing partner would actually get a serious kick out of that.

I almost took the job for the sole reason that there are stock options involved and they are in the process of being acquired by a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. So even if I got the boot in the first six months, I stood to make probably a year's salary+ on that alone once it's announced.

Stock options & espp made us a lot of money. Up 300% since Obama got in office with no signs of letting up.

I love, LOVE, my new position.

The ground is awesome, the clinic is new and a well oiled machine, the medical assistants actually care about their jobs, and my 6th corner office give nice views of downtown.

So glad to be done training, although I do feel little bit like Brooks come Shawshank having officially left academia. "It's weird out here, and I'm not sure I really know my place. So much has changed since I've been away, and I'm not sure I really like it all that much"

Yes it was my choice, but the last 11 years from when I've entered medical training ( add 5 if you include college) have been a blur.

With the fiscal year end in sight it was announced that mountains of unused training money needs spending by Oct 1. The next day I found a course very applicable to our day to day taskings. Problem is it's hosted at a casino in Vegas, which would not be signed off "because it's in Vegas." Nor did anything change when I lobbied for it to rather be viewed as being hosted in "Nevada." But six of us did get approval for the same course hosted at the Rivers Casino right by the Chicago O'Hare Airport in late September. So I'm spending the next hour booking rooms under a group rate. Anyone been to Rivers?

At a 2.5 hour long quarterly company wide breakfast and celebration for the 2nd quarter's achievements.

CatsbyAZ wrote:With the fiscal year end in sight it was announced that mountains of unused training money needs spending by Oct 1. The next day I found a course very applicable to our day to day taskings. Problem is it's hosted at a casino in Vegas, which would not be signed off "because it's in Vegas." Nor did anything change when I lobbied for it to rather be viewed as being hosted in "Nevada." But six of us did get approval for the same course hosted at the Rivers Casino right by the Chicago O'Hare Airport in late September. So I'm spending the next hour booking rooms under a group rate. Anyone been to Rivers?

Rivers is nice. Closest casino to the city and very easy to transit between downtown and the venue. There's also a good amount of stuff to do in the area (shopping, dining, entertainment).


This isn't a "current" work status update for me, but thought I'd share a story from a meeting I had yesterday. Went in to talk to a management group who owns some local restaurants, including a café that does a lot of catering for businesses/meetings downtown. I'm going on and on about their iconic branding and how great it will look advertised on my stuff and how everyone knows their distinctive look but all we need to do is remind people of how great the food is since they've already established themselves visually - really laying it on thick for what must have been almost 5 minutes straight. Then I pause for a second in my diatribe and the VP of Marketing says, totally deadpan and somewhat depressed, "Uh yeah . . . we're doing a total rebranding".

The CEO then looks at me, smiles, and mimes an explosion going off over his head while saying simply, "BOOM".

Chicat wrote:

CatsbyAZ wrote:With the fiscal year end in sight it was announced that mountains of unused training money needs spending by Oct 1. The next day I found a course very applicable to our day to day taskings. Problem is it's hosted at a casino in Vegas, which would not be signed off "because it's in Vegas." Nor did anything change when I lobbied for it to rather be viewed as being hosted in "Nevada." But six of us did get approval for the same course hosted at the Rivers Casino right by the Chicago O'Hare Airport in late September. So I'm spending the next hour booking rooms under a group rate. Anyone been to Rivers?

Rivers is nice. Closest casino to the city and very easy to transit between downtown and the venue. There's also a good amount of stuff to do in the area (shopping, dining, entertainment).

Chicago trip in the books.

About Rivers: I overpaid my student loan. The US Treasury sent me a reimbursement check. Last Friday I cashed it all out as $1 bills to play digital poker at Rivers once the plane landed Sunday and I was checked into my room at the adjacent Hilton. (Dumb) luck was on my side. One of those $1 bills turned into $200, striking straight sevens on the slots. These older ladies who heard the machine keep counting upward all turned to tell me and said they'd been trying to strike on that machine all day, and the moment they turn their back....

I cashed out right away. First time I've left a casino on the positive side.

Nice, Catsby.

My work status update is that I'm understanding the value of hiding from the workplace. I've always hid just to hide, which is valuable in its own right. But now I'm understanding the real secret of so-called "success": Make alliances with a few people who 1) are good people who you'd happen to be friends with anyway, and 2) are very powerful people. Then, set things in motion with them about the changes you want to make in your work environment, and hide from the masses who will do anything to stop those changes. That way, you avoid conversations based on their suspicions about what you're up to, preventing any mobilization against your scheme. And then one day -- if I'm doing this right -- BOOM! Everything is turned backwards and upside-down in your favor, and it's too late for anyone to do anything about it.

This is how you overcome a majority faction and the disadvantage of the numbers game. Democracy is great for a national government, but it's oppressive for the little person in a corrupt environment who wants to get something done for the greater good.

had a bio screening at work this morning.

I always get anxious about my BP being taken for some reason. It is a smidge too high right now (hence why I'm actively losing weight and exercising and cutting my drinking down significantly) but I always get anxious that it will be super high...which makes it higher. Between that and it being nearly impossible to do a blood draw from my shitty veins my health screening took 3 times longer than it should have. And I was poked in 4 different spots for the blood draw.

Getting new computer system. Guess we're staying open awhile longer.

gumby wrote:Getting new computer system. Guess we're staying open awhile longer.

I guess The Onion can wait.

Just had to explain to some irate, mouth-breathing moron (Jefe/Salty) why you are not allowed to have a firearm inside a financial institution.

Just because you have a permit to carry your small dick syndrome weapon on your hip wherever you go like a toddler with a pacifier doesn't mean you are actually allowed to bring it everywhere. Imbecile.

scumdevils86 wrote:Just had to explain to some irate, mouth-breathing moron (Jefe/Salty) why you are not allowed to have a firearm inside a financial institution.

Just because you have a permit to carry your small dick syndrome weapon on your hip wherever you go like a toddler with a pacifier doesn't mean you are actually allowed to bring it everywhere. Imbecile.

That's a federal law, right?

Not a federal law, and only one state prohibits it by law.

scumdevils86 wrote:Just had to explain to some irate, mouth-breathing moron (Jefe/Salty) why you are not allowed to have a firearm inside a financial institution.

But at least you felt totally and completely safe while informing this irate gun-bearing gentleman of that fact.

Drinking heavily prior to going to a Latino Fashion Week event.

Chicat wrote:Drinking heavily prior to going to a Latino Fashion Week event.

Sounds like a blast. Don't forget the selfies.

azgreg wrote:

Chicat wrote:Drinking heavily prior to going to a Latino Fashion Week event.

Sounds like a blast. Don't forget the selfies.

I'm guessing it will suck, but it's an opportunity to network . . . and get drunk.