Training...

I'm going to be gone for most of next week, so I'm trying to make sure the Indians can do as much of my report as possible...

Tam says:
go ahead and download [file name] from [website]
Maheshwar says:
ok we'll check that...
Tam says:
it has the data for phone and email in there
Tam says:
and with phones, we also report "First Contact Resolution"
Maheshwar says:
ok do u wan't to save it localy...
Tam says:
ya, save it to your hard drive
Tam says:
Arun is there working with you?
Maheshwar says:
ok...
Maheshwar says:
yes he is with me only...
Tam says:
ok
Maheshwar says:
ok we've downloaded [file name] from [website]...
Tam says:
ok, that’s the raw data for both email and phones
Maheshwar says:
ok...
Tam says:
first thing we want to do is get the basic OVS and ODS scores

10 minutes later...

Tam says:
let me know if you have any questions about that...
Maheshwar says:
well we r just checking it nd let u know if we have any problems with that...
Tam says:
ok

20 minutes later...

Tam says:
How’s it going? this shouldn’t take too long, and we have more to cover today...

An hour later...

Maheshwar says:
we r filling in some of the components in the file those were left over, so as soon as that gets over we'll get back with u...
Tam says:
ok... what file? the KPI? were you able to get the quality for MSN?
Maheshwar says:
Yes KPI, We've downloaded the quality file u've mentioned we'll complete the KPI very soon and then look into that quality file...
Maheshwar says:
we would need an hour to complete KPI and then we' ll start working on quality...
Tam says:
ok, the KPI is done for this week, let me know any things you need to go over specifically before next week, but I want to try cover as much as possible before then..
Maheshwar says:
sure...

The KPI is the report that I prepare weekly (the final copy for this week got sent out well before this conversation even started). The work I originally wanted them to do, should take 5 - 10 min. Still don't have what I asked of them... so I might add more to this later...

Testing

Tested for a belt in Karate on the 18th. It went well, and in about 12 - 18 months I might be ready to test for black. That would mean going up to Phoenix, and impressing this guy.

On the 26th I took the test for the job I'm hoping to get. I did well, so should be hearing from them next week for an interview. I've never had a panel interview before... hell, I've never had to have an interview scheduled... I'm hoping I don't get so nervous I lose the ability to talk...

The Indian's are starting to catch onto how to fill in my main report. Unfortunately, they still don't seem to understand that there are deadlines... Last Tuesday, with an hour to go before the report had to be sent, I contacted them to ask how things were going, and get them to send the report back with the information they had filled in that morning. They were off to lunch. I had to do the entire morning's work in 1 hour to send the file on time, and I don't think they realized that I was actually expecting them to do the work. They returned 10 minutes after the report was sent to say, "it's going fine." Um... beg to differ.

Now granted, assigning the work to them means I'm sitting around doing nothing for parts of my day, but I don't expect to be here much past this time next month, so if they can't do something, they better find out now and ask me.

In WoW, my Hunter is 16, my Druid is 17 (and working on getting the sea lion form), and my Priest is still only 5. I kind of want to level her up as I do enjoy being a pure healer, but I'm having too much fun with the other characters right now.

And can I just add, I hurt from yesterday. Domino's trot should be used as torture.

Trail Ride Postponed

Ikarus, or Mikey as Anna called him, was sick today, leaving Anna a horse short. So no trail ride for me. Gretsky had been promised to the other lady, the father and daughter were going to take turns on Wild Thing, Kaibab is in Alabama for the year, which left me with Domino!

Last week there was no lesson because Anna was off competing on Domino, and this week he had ribbons pinned up outside his stall.

I think Anna was originally planning to work on something specific, but Domino has a very big trot that takes some getting use to. Big like springy... not jarring like Kai, but defiantly not smooth like Gretsky. I mentioned before that I had to actually work to go up in posting trot on Gretsky. Well on Domino, I had to work to try get my butt back down on the saddle. The problem was, with being flung up from the saddle with every step, I felt the need to try hold on with my legs, which Domino figured meant I wanted him to go faster... When Domino's trot gets faster, it gets bigger and springier. I already have bruises forming on the inside of my knees, which I figured was at least a little better than hanging on with my lower legs (and going faster).

Last lesson I worked on getting a good strong working trot out of Gretsky, who was quite happy to shuffle along if I would let him. This week, I was trying very hard to keep the trot reasonably slow and manageable so I didn't grip, but as soon as I did grip, Domino thought I was telling him to go faster, which he was quite happy to do, and with the bigger, springier trot, it was even harder not to grip. By the end of the lesson I was doing a pretty good job, either that or Domino was bored, and doing a low energy trot (for him). But I got to feel like I'd gotten better, so it was good.

Next week I'm out of town, but after that we should be returning to a weekly schedule.

Could be the last update for a while...

I got WoW. Damn work... want to be at home playing!

"We will be."

So yesterday at 11:30am I gave my Indians a task. I told them to take lunch, and enter some specific data into the main report I do. This data takes me about 10 minutes to enter, it's mostly selecting specific data from a pivot table, and then copying and pasting that data into the report. There's a little more manipulation, and some simple math (addition) involved, but I figured they'd probably take an hour for lunch, and another 30 minutes to do the work.

The downfall of that plan, was that the task was given to 2 out of the 3 I've been training. The third is going to become the group's programmer, so spent the day working with our current programmer. The Indian programmer, Sharad, seems to be pretty sharp. He seems to be following my training quite easily, and was actually starting to get bored as I was repeating myself. The other two, Arun and Maheshwar, don't seem to be following so quickly. And this task fell to Arun and Maheshwar.

I didn't hear from them at all yesterday afternoon. At 4, I was going to ask if they needed help (although I'd told them to ask me any questions they had), but they weren't on IM anymore. Today I asked if they had managed to enter the data. The reply?

"We will be."

*blink* "Will be?" *blink*

So I did it. Not sure exactly what they were doing from 11:30am - 5pm yesterday... that better have been a damn good lunch.

I hate this place...

I mean... if you're going to shut down the break room so you could clean the floors... wouldn't you pick noon too? After all, it's not like anyone trying to train Indians on a Sunday would tell them to take an hour, and then head to the lunch room herself... not like this person could possibly be upset at not even being able to get to the chicken she stashed in the refrigerator that morning, never mind actually getting to a microwave to heat it up... No one would possibly want to eat lunch at noon would they?

And it would have been WAY too much to ask for some kind of sign out, explaining that someone putting their chicken in the refrigerator at 8am would not have access to those refrigerators at 12pm. WAY too much to ask.

When do I get laid off?

Addition:
And then I try to go to the bathroom, and suprise a guy coming out of the women's bathroom... And he should have been worried, since he'd just finished peeing on the toilet seats. Yeah... today's gonna be a short day.

Lesson 11

Gretsky again today. Lots of work on trying to get an energetic walk and trot. I gotta get more comfortable using the dressage whip. Gretsky pays far more attention to my legs if he thinks I'll back them up with the whip. I just have some kind of mental block, where using the whip is like admitting I wasn't good enough. I did finally manage to get a good working trot though.

Today was nice and cool and cloudy, but the flies were horrible. Every time poor Gretsky shook his head, a cloud of flies exploded and then quickly decended back to his face. When we stopped for a water break for me, he took the chance to try scrape the flies off against his leg.

Lets play a game of "Find the Jack Russel Terrier." Pia is in this picture, but don't look on the ground.

No lesson next week. Anna will be out of town again. But the week after, we're going to go on a trail ride!

Worship Me!

I live about half a mile from this place...

I don't think any further explanation is needed. :)

Mum to Tam Translations...

So, I emailed my mother about the possible job, and her response really pissed me off, and I know she doesn't mean anything like what I read into what she's written, but that doesn't help.

It sounds great Tam. Fingers crossed (ours are too).

Translation: Good so far.

- Are you still applying for other jobs?

Translation: I think the fact that you sounded excited about the job you told me about means you are going to do something stupid, like stop applying for other positions, before you actually have a job, so when you fail to get this position, you will be unemployed.

Did the construction guy get back to you? Oh, did you hear back from
Pima College yet?

Translation: Instead of being pleased with anything positive, you should be focusing on your failures, because even though "construction guy" said something about trying to schedule interviews "next week," and it's early Monday afternoon right now, by saying no (and there is no way the answer could be yes yet, because you're at work), you're a failure, because I think you should have heard back already.

Love, Mum

Translation: Always here to crush any hope.

Good News on the Job-front?

The very first position I applied for is looking the most promising. I've passed the initial application screening, and now get to schedule an appointment for a practical test. I happen to know the person who prepared this test, and although they won't tell me what's on it, they assure me I should be able to do fine. Now I just need to remind myself of the specifics I've forgotten in the close to 2 years since I was troubleshooting computers and networks on a daily basis, and try not to cripple myself with nerves... This weekend is going to be such a study session at my house.

If I manage to get this job, I'll be earning just over $7,000 per year more than what I do now. That's about a 30% increase (do the math on that one... told you I was underpaid). I'm a bit nervous about making such a big jump in pay, it just seems a little too good to be true.

I don't know how many people applied for this position originally, but 35 have moved on with me to this next step. The two people on the list that I know already accepted other jobs, so chances are not everyone will bother scheduling their practical test, which will be good, because I'm not sure how well I interview. I've never talked with anyone and NOT gotten a job, but I don't know that any of that actually counted as a real interview. I tend to just get handed things, but then, I don't have a history of being particularly ambitious.

Excuse me now, I have to go study some more.

Day of Reductions

I'm up to three Indians now, and they even finally managed to get a phone for the last 15 minutes of my 4 hour training session this morning. And then came the reductions.

Apparently the company announced a while ago that there was going to be some restructuring, so if I'd been paying attention, today wouldn't have been a surprise. Well, I still wouldn't have known who would be gone, but I would have expected something. One member of my team is now gone, the one who actually thought we'd last out the year. Not so much... at least in his case.

It's deathly quiet now. Of the 11 cubes in the area I sit, only 3 are now in use. Four have sat empty since my old project was ended, three people got laid off today, and one guy now works from home. Shhh!

Lack of Updates

I started training the two (2) people in India who will be replacing me when the company lays me off. Training two people in who are in India, while I am in Arizona, and they have no phone... lemme tell you, it's a blast.

There was no karate last week. I was explaining this to my mother...

"One guy's going to be out of town, and the other has a murder trial starting next week."

There is an intake of breath, followed by a loaded silence from my mother. I know there is something wrong with what I've said, and I'm not sure what, so I think for a few seconds.

"He's a lawyer."

"Oooh." The relief is audible as my mother lets out the breath she was holding. Gotta be careful when talking to mom's.

So karate should start back up tonight, and on a Thursday later this month, there will be testing.

There, you've been updated, I gotta get back to my Indians.