Is it July already?

Once again, quite a long time has elapsed since my last post. A little over half a year since my New Years Day post for 2014. I'd like to say that the reason I haven't posted is that I've been extremely busy and preoccupied with other things, but that is not the case. However the year so far has had some noteworthy events to share with you all.

Since the last post, the one year anniversary of my time here at Echostar/Sling passed. Along with a fairly decent annual review and raise. I am definitely enjoying my time here, and still believe that getting laid off from my Northrop Grumman position was a blessing in disguise.

My one year anniversary at Echostar is noteworthy, but so far the highlight of the year (and perhaps the last couple years) is something that I would never have thought possible a few years back. It pretty much deserves its own post, so I will only touch upon it here. Last month, June, my daughter Reagan came to California for a visit. In her 13 years, this was the first time that I had the opportunity to spend time with just my daughter. I'll expand on her visit in another post, but overall it was a pretty good time.

That said, there is still not much else new. Still putting off getting my hip surgery, and two of the three motorcycles still need repair of some degree. Hell, the Dyna even now seems to be starting to make a little top end noise. At 36k miles, it likely needs a valve adjustment and perhaps a look at the cam chain. But, if I do one thing well, it's procrastinate.

That's about it for now. Hopefully I'll have some time to write about Reagan's visit sooner rather than later. Until then, take care and enjoy the day.

Happy New Year 2014!

Happy New Year!

Once again, it's been quite some time since my last post here. But what can I say, I've been busy, preoccupied, or otherwise distracted. Those are not bad things mind you, just the normal ebb and flow of life.

Looking back, 2013 was a decent year. As the year started I had a sort of verbal confirmation of a job offer, so I wasn't anxious about my employment situation. Then after some administrative items were worked out, I was formally offered the position and started my new job January 28 2013. I've mentioned the new gig in my last posts, and it's been pretty much the same. The challenges and exposure to different technologies continue to be a refreshing change from the last few years at NorthropGrumman/USPS. I was able to visit Echostar's Cheyenne WY data center, and used that trip to visit my land outside of Fort Garland CO. Training is also easier to attend than it was at Northrop Grumman, and I am now a VMware Certified Associate for Data Center Virtualization. It's one of VMware's lesser certtifications, but it's something. I plan to take one or two more classes in the coming year.

Perhaps the one sour note of 2013 is that I continue to be somewhat unmotivated when it comes to getting my non-running motorcycles on the road. It pains me to say that their status still remains unchanged since my last posts. But in a related note, my niece attended the motorcycle safety class and now possesses a motorcycle endorsement on her license. I helped her shop for a bike and she decided on a 2010 Kawasaki 250r Ninja. She is still getting used to riding and hasn't taken it home to her place in San Francisco. That means it is another bike in my garage. Hopefully she'll be comfortable riding it enough to take it home this spring. While on the subject, I recently realized that it will ten years that I've had the Dyna! I picked it up February 14 2004. Lately, there has been a bit of top end noise while I ride it. With thirty thousand miles on the clock, it's probably due for some work. I may be bringing it in for service soon.

But to sum it up, 2013 has passed without much fanfare. No complaints though, and no regrets. It was fair year indeed. Looking forward to see what 2014 brings.

Happy New Year everyone!

Summer 2013

We're about a week into Summer of the year 2013. I wish I had something witty to write, but unfortunately I do not. I also wish I was writing this post because of some exciting revelation or discovery, and again, I do not. As I'm watching the final laps of a NASCAR race postponed from yesterday due to rain, I'm writing this to pass some time. You see, I am somewhat stuck home or close to home for the next 24 hours. I am having a routine medical procedure tomorrow that requires me to have a diet of clear liquids today. I am allowed tea and coffee, and even with sugar. But no creamer or milk. I am also allowed to have Jello, so I have a batch of Lime Jello in the refrigerator. Obviously I am off from work tomorrow. With Thursday and Friday being days off for the Independence Day holiday, this is going to be a short week at the office.

So what else is new? Not very much. The status of the two non-running motorcycles has not changed. I still haven't scheduled having my hip replacement surgery. Actually, the hip hasn't been too bad recently. Sure, there are days when the pain is bad, but overall it has been bearable.

Speaking of the new job, I'm still learning the ins and outs. But I have been able to contribute much more over the past couple months and I am settling in. Definitely enjoying my new gig.

That's about all I have for now. So until next, take care.

Return to Work II

Hello readers. Sorry once again for the somewhat lengthy lapse of time since my last post. I'd like to say that I've just been too busy to take time out to write something, but that would not be truthful.

So I've been at the new job for just over three months. I'm still learning the lay of the land, but I am enjoying it. I am working with a bunch of great people, and getting the opportunity to work with a wide variety of tools, applications, and technologies. Soon, I will get to travel to Cheyenne Wyoming to visit our main data center for a meet and greet with coworkers I only know from email and teleconferences. I've been to Wyoming a few times and I'm looking forward to the trip.

There is not much else to report. The status of all the vehicles are pretty much the same as always. But I did get a new desk for my office at home. Replaced the old computer desk I had when I moved here with a nice L-shaped desk from Staples. I finished the desk last week, and I'm still doing a little rearranging. Being this is May, I booked flights for my annual Thanksgiving week trip to visit dad in Florida. I'm not sure if I will be able to see Reagan or not, but it would be nice to hang with my daughter even if it's just for a few hours.

I know it's not much, but that's about all I have for now. Until next time, enjoy.

Return to Work

In my last post I informed you all that I was no longer employed. Not being too worried about the situation I called it my 'Trial Retirement'. I also told you about three prospects that I had been pursuing. Not too long after that post I was informed that an offer was in the works. Even better was it from the company that I had applied for outside of a recruitment agency! I came close to getting an offer from the number 2 prospect, Cisco, but I was informed that they had rehired a former member of their team.

Apparently though, there was some administrative confusion and an official offer was delayed. But that was a good thing. Still a little unsure, I was able to enjoy the holidays and a few weeks just relaxing and not worrying about searching for a new position since I figured I had one almost in hand. Then, about mid-January I did receive a formal offer for the position. After a background check I was cleared to start. My 'Trial Retirement' officially ended January 28th.

Where did I end up you ask? I'm a Senior System Engineer at EchoStar / Sling Media here in Foster City. That's right, Foster City. My commute is now about two and a half miles. But it's not just the commute I like. As I felt that in the past couple years my talents were wasting away at Northrop Grumman, the work at EchoStar is challenging and engaging. I will have opportunities to learn and utilize new technologies that were the domain of a different team in a different data center at Northrop Grumman. While at the same time, utilizing skills and experience from my past for other duties.

At this point, I am really glad that I didn't accept the first offer that came along just because it was an offer in hand. I also cannot help myself from pointing out that Romans 8:28 comes to mind. I posted that passage on Twitter and Facebook not long after I was laid off from Northrop Grumman. In the end, all things have worked together for good. But I have to say, I was getting used to not using an alarm clock...

Until next time my friends.

Trial Retirement

When I first got the news I was being laid off, I jokingly referred to my unplanned sabbatical as my "trial retirement". One thing I didn't mention in the post "All Things Must Pass", was that I have saved a bit of cash over the years, so I wasn't in a panic about finding something else right away. As a matter of fact, I could probably skate for close to two years without breaking a sweat.

So I first thought that I'd relax for a few weeks, enjoy the time off. There was the long weekend in Las Vegas to help celebrate my sister's birthday, followed by a week in Florida visiting with my dad for Thanksgiving that were coming up. Funny though. On one hand I knew I could relax and not worry. But on the other hand there's that feeling of urgency and that I if I'm not looking for a new job I may miss a really cool opportunity.

I updated my resume and posted it to Dice, Monster, and CareerBuilder. Almost immediately my phone and email were blowing up. On some days, fielding and responding to inquiries was more of a full time job than work ever was! I think it is because it is so interrupt driven. And some recruiters, what a pain in the neck. One particular recruitment agency seemed to be focused on jobs from one particular company. Seems this company had a bunch of similar positions open. But I would get calls and emails from different people at this one agency for these positions. Each time I would be asked to answer the same pre-screening questionnaire, supply the same references, send the same current copy of my resume. Yet, after 10 or 12 times, never even resulted in at least a telephone screening with the company looking to hire. Talk about a waste of time...

The three leads that did go anywhere had nothing to do with that agency. One resulted in a job offer that was withdrawn because they didn't want to wait a few days while I had final interviews with two other companies. The second one is through a recruiter that is definitely much more professional than the one previously mentioned. There was a face to face interview last week, and I am waiting for the final word. Hopefully tomorrow. Monday December 17. The third is a result of me applying for a job online. I have a final interview scheduled there on Tuesday. I would prefer the last because it is a full time gig, but I would be happy with a job offer from either of these last two.

If I don't get a job offer, I think I will take a few weeks off and enjoy my "trial retirement". Send a resume here and there, and respond to inquiries about opportunities that really excite me. At least that's what I want to do. I probably wouldn't feel as burnt out or overwhelmed if not for the recruitment agency that overloaded me with calls and emails for positions at one company that went nowhere. More than one person has told me that when they were in a similar position, they regretted not taking the opportunity to enjoy the time off.

All in all, life is good. I still have money in the bank, a roof over my head, food in my belly, and a couple of toys in the garage. Maybe, I need to finally put my passport to use to really call it a trial retirement.

All Things Must Pass

Let me first admit that I stole the title of this post from George Harrison's 1970 triple album (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Things_Must_Pass).

Little did I know when I posted Manage This, that two weeks later I would be unemployed. At least partially due to the stresses I noted from having to wear two different hats. Understandably upset at first, I quickly started to look at this as not a door being shut, but as a door being opened. As Romans 8:28 states, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.". Over the last few years at Northrop Grumman as a Unix Systems Administrator for the USPS, I felt that my talents were being squandered. I believed that as I remained, I would fall behind on new and exciting technologies. You see, the work at USPS was divided into different teams. Most of the Unix Admins were there to support various applications. But the team that got to learn, test, and implement new and emerging technologies was based out of a data center in Eagan, MN. Here in San Mateo, the Unix Admins were somewhat subservient to the teams in Eagan. We may have used new technologies, but usually only following procedures and policies set by the groups in the Minnesota office. Yes, there was exposure to new tech. But not a large amount of opportunity to experiment and learn. Staying there, I left that technology was going to pass me by and that the only avenue of growth was the managerial ladder. But I like the trenches, I like the technical challenges and solving puzzles.

So here I am, enjoying some time off. Heck, I'm somewhat mildly annoyed that I already have some irons in the fire with a couple of cool opportunities. My phone and email has absolutely lit up the last couple days after updating my profile on two of the well known job sites. But they will have to wait. My sister celebrates a milestone birthday this Friday, and I am heading out of town to help her celebrate. I'm taking a road trip to meet up with her, my niece, and a couple other people. It's been some time since I had the Challenger on a nice long ride, and I'm sure she'll appreciate the chance to stretch her legs here and there on my drive tomorrow. Funny, that reminds me of a little song Don Imus used to play on AM radio back in the day, I think it was called Plastic Jesus.

The last week was just a minor setback, a small bump in the road. As for my time with Northrop Grumman and the USPS, all things must pass.