The waiting is the hardest part.

I interviewed for a new job on Monday. I feel I have a great shot at getting it. I just wish I would know now! They are running a background check on me, so I am sure they are interested, but the waiting is killing me. This seems like a great company and I think it would be much more rewarding than DMP.

A few notes...I am studying hard for my CCNA exam. I think I am getting it. The theory and layered model are pretty much committed to memory. The subnet masking and TCP/IP are pretty much there. I understand the octet and binary configuration and how they apply. I will need to get the important tables memorized and hope to get the lab experience in PA. I hope to commit everything necessary to pass the multiple choice portion of the test now and get a loose understanding of the labs before I get there. Cross your fingers for me!!!

A note about my little boy. I guess he pulled a grand stunt today. He locked mom out of the house with stuff on the oven! They had to call the fire company to break into the house to stop the kitchen from catching on fire! That little devil! Yeah, maybe my mom can relate the harmless *cheese making adventure to this!

*Did I ever tell you about the time when I was a kid and tried to make my own cheese? I saw a movie at school about how they made cheese in the old country and I decided to go home and try it myself. I ended up placing a mix of dairy products in a bunch of bowls and then turning on the floor heaters in the kitchen to cure it. When mom came home...it was trouble time!

My son is going to get me back for every incident like that!

Same old thing, that I did last week...

Sitting in my hotel room in Sacramento, California. Home of Governor Arnold. There was an article in the paper here last night describing how broken this state is and that all of the people that voted for Arnold are now turning against him. For those of you that don't know, California's economy is something like the 7th largest economy in the world. California is also a VERY blue state, meaning that it is very left wing. Well, the typical left strategy of taxing the hell out of its residents and not controlling state programs that are designed to help the actual disadvantaged have dragged the state into the proverbial toilet. Here are just some of the issues:

- The workmans comp system is so defrauded and broke that one state representitive told an audience "It would be too expensive to go after the defrauders, so we will just continue to raise everyones insurance to cover the losses. It would be cheaper that way."

- Teachers are tenured after 2 years. So, if you get a bad teacher who hangs in there for 2 years, you have them for LIFE!

- Californians passed a proposition in the 70's that caps what the state can collect for property taxes. Now, I don't believe in over taxing anyone, but, there has to be a system in place which allows for correction to the current times. Let me give you an example...If you moved to California in 1980 and paid $100,000 for your house, you would have paid property tax of approximately $1000 a year in 1980. Based on the proposition your total tax today, 25 years later, would be $1250.00 per year. Yet a house that cost $1oo,000 in 1980 would be worth approximately $650,000 to $1,000,000 depending on where it was, today. You have seen a 600% to 1000% value increase, and have had a total of 1% added to your tax burden every year based on the original price of your house. It is not hard to understand why this happened...few people, especially retirees, could afford their own homes if the paid the actual taxes on them, but, no middle ground was established to help the state if there was an upshoot in population or a real estate boom. Here is California today...bad teachers, 48th in the national educational system out of 50 states, and no end in sight. The proposistion took money from children and schools. Take the Andy idea, just for a second, and think about it....Here goes:

Take that same $100K house you got in 1980. It is now worth $1,000,000 on the market. Establish an actual value based on location, inflation and appreciation since 1980. In other words, do not base it on market asking price or inflated market price, but on what the property is actually worth and tax it from there. Now, take that $100K house, factoring in inflation and other factors, the house is actually worth about $300K. Now your tax burden shifts from $1000 per year to $3000 per year. Still a pretty huge bargain for todays day and age. The idea works down the line also...old folks paid $30,000 for a house in 1975. Their tax now is under $500 a year. The house has an inflated value of $500,000. The ACTUAL value of the house is more like $150,000. The new tax burden is $1500 a year. I don't think that it is too much to ask for a 200% increase of your tax burden on a house you have made a %1600 profit on. Also...if there is a price drop...the same rules would apply. Your house could be adjusted down to actual value if need be.

The issue with Arnold is simple. He was voted in to change the system, but when he tries to make changes the established system fights back. For example, he has asked that teachers work 5 years before tenure instead of the current 2. Arnold is now "hurting education". It is one of those typical scenarios...Change the system, but not my part...

I loved my time in California, but unless it gets fixed, I will have a hard time moving back.

Anyhoo...I am phone interviewing with a local Seattle company today and hope to interview in person next week. I would like to spend more time at home than I currently am. I have a down day today, so I will work on a school campus project using DMP parts as well as go over some training techniques with our new trainer Thor.

Hugs and Kisses, #4

Take This Job And Shove It!

My friend Suzy Mills posted a few comments on her website today about handling job interviews. I think her points are very good and I would recommend everybody take a look. She can be linked from my main page.
Her most valid point is the one in which she says to be yourself (and no, that does not mean showing up in boxers and scratching your nuts throughout the interview) because if you come across as conservative, they will assume you ARE conservative. I was not chosen for a job last year simply because they asked *my management style and I could tell it wasn't what they were looking for. As for the etiquette about not asking about benefits...they know the etiqutte also, and knowing you won't ask, they can get away with short shifting you later. If you want to avoid problems later on down the line, you had better ask about the benefits that are important to you, or risk bad feelings later.

*My management style, if anyone cares : I like to delegate. If I am running a department that has different shifts, diverse duties or anything of that nature, I pick one person who best represents that shift or specific duty and make them a team leader. The team leaders and I then get together to make decisions. I definitely still run the department, but, have the luxury of more input when it comes down to decision time. I find a team effort works better than one guy making all of the decisions. The guys that I played hockey with, know my style...I would run the team, but have one forward lead the forwards and I would usually lead the defense and we would make decisions together on what we wanted done. In the 10 or so years I played, my teams won many championships. It took the right combination of talent, leadership and personalities to win all of those games. My guys were not always the most skilled, but damn it if they weren't the best TEAM. I think my biggest source of pride was that we were all friends as well as teammates. On most teams, that wasn't the case.

Call me...on the line...call me anytime!

Doing some work from home today. Since I was just here 2 weeks ago, I am pretty much caught up with my trip planning and am helping out on tech support. I like talking with people from around the country, so it isn't that bad.

The in-laws are in town from California. My father-in-law loves it up here in Washington. He sees the same things I see. The surroundings are just beautiful and you can live in the country and be in the city in no time. My mother-in-law, surprisingly likes the cooler temperatures of the Pacific Northwest. I can kind of see what she means, after living in Arizona for 4 months, I welcomed the nice cool winter and spring we had this year. She has lived in California for 35 years, and all of that sunshine is great, but, having seasons is pretty great too.
I moved to California from NY and didn't miss winter (and still don't), but I did miss my favorite time of year which was fall. Cooler temps, leaves changing, Halloween, and just that strange feel to the air that the summer was over and the holiday season was just around the corner. California had a similar season that started in late November and went thru December. Not quite fall, but it had that same feel. We are in the throes of fall here in Washington and it is just fantastic. If you have never been to Washington, it is a great place to visit. Weatherwise, it is NY lite. No harsh winter, no over humid summer, just a mild cycle throughout the year. Word to the uninformed...it rains like a bastard from January to March. Be warned, if you come to visit during the rainy season..it, well, rains.

Anyhow, I have to get back to the phones.

Rollercoaster, of love...It's great to be here, again!

First of all, I am not dead. Scott tried to kill me, but he was not successful. You know me, I'm getting old. Well anyway Scott and I went to Magic Mountain on Friday and when first in the park he bolted for X. For those of you that don't know what X is, it is by far the worlds most kick ass rollercoaster. Anyhow, still groggy and just fresh from breakfast, Scott seats me in the front car, on the outside. MOTHERFUCKER!!! it scared the shit out of me right from the start. I was a bit trembly getting off of that one. Did I ride it again later that day???Hell yes! I do not recommend it for your wake up call however!

Friday evening The Posies rocked San Diego. Once again I ask...how in the fuck does Coldplay, Oasis, Good Charlotte, The Killers, Bright Eyes and the rest of those half talent bands have huge careers, while The Posies, a band with 10X the talent of any of those others toil in obscurity? It just makes no sense. The boys tore it up from the first chords of "Throwaway" from "Amazing Disgrace" to the complete destruction of strings and instruments in the finishing number of "Definite Door" from "Frosting On The Beater". The San Diego crowd blew however, talking with Jon and Darius afterwards, they were disappointed to say the least. I hope that the Posies bypass that artistic void from now on. Let San Diegans be content having the "right" bands on their iPods, when seen at Starbucks. They don't deserve The Posies.

Everyone I know, is trying to get into this show...

Two nights until The Posies. I am extra fired up this time because Vinny and I are on the VIP list. Our little t-shirt project has turned into a part of Posies history! Like I have said many times before, it is surreal to actually be personally involved with a band that you have admired for so long. Anyway...Friday night is it!

I am in San Diego this week and Scott and I are off to Magic Mountain to ride some coasters. Lets hope I don't die before I get to see The Posies on Friday night.

I am doing some training with some local dealers and then should be finished by Thursday evening.

I have started to study for my CCNA exam. It looks like it will be tougher than a mother to pass, but I figure if I study enough to have the basics down, I can have the rest filled in at school. So far, as I study and restudy the basic chapters I am actually memorizing the OSI levels and what each one does. It will take some hard work and study, but I think I can pull it off.

I have to return to training tomorrow so it's off to bed.

Some days are just like that...even in Australia!

Are You Happy To Be Here?

This is my sweet little boy. I can't imagine what life would be like without him. I am only sorry I didn't have him here earlier. Today I found out that my estranged (and very strange) brother implied to an old friend of mine that he was somehow a mistake, or "trouble" as he put it. Not only was he planned, he is the center of his mother's and my world. I played hockey 3 nights a week. Gabi designed and decorated our home as well as our friends homes. We went out all of the time, met with friends, went to concerts, drove the fancy German sports cars... (OK, I didn't give EVERYTHING up!), but all of that has changed and truth be told, I don't miss it all that much. Playing in his playroom with Alex, or chasing him down the hall playing "monster" is everything I need. He is a good, sweet boy and I am thankful everyday he is here.

Now that I finished that, let's move onto Paul Ward. Back when I was a youngster we were in one school district, but had three different elementary schools. Ours, called Middlehope and another called Milton were tiny satellites of the much larger Marlboro Elementary school. When we all converged for junior high in Marlboro, us and Milton were kind of on the outside and the bulk of our class were all kids that grew up together in Marlboro. Very seldom did we "outsiders" become part of the Marlboro group. Later on, as we got older, with sports and various classes together were some of those boundaries blurred, but in reality we went through the last 6 years of our public educations as "us" and "them". Fortunately for me, I met a kid who was part of the Marlboro group who accepted me in. His family, including cousins were all intertwined in the system and we all got to be pretty good friends. His name was Paul Ward. He and I have been friends since 1976. As I stated in another post, we eventually drifted apart when I moved from NY to CA. We spoke occasionally like when the Devils won the cup in 1995, but the good old days of coaching baseball, going to Devils games and going through divorces together were all but gone, and we drifted apart. Well, lo and behold, who calls out of the blue tonight, yes you guessed it...Paul Ward. He is doing great and is putting his youngest through college now! Yikes, I am old! It is nice to be surprised by an old friend once in a while. I will see him in October when I go back east.