A waste of bits and bandwidth

Woke up today and had no place to go. I think that will be the hardest part of all this. I feel pretty upbeat about my chances for finding a new job. I think that disappointed describes my feeling the best when it comes to getting laid off. Not that big a deal, just disappointing.

I guess you really do get used to it after a while. Maybe it’s more that the unknown isn’t that scary when you have hung out there a few times before. Thanks to all of you for your comments! Nice to know that you guys are pulling for me.

Went out for lunch with Biff and Roger at the Cactus Club today. (Man, that’s a special place…) I carefully consulted my calendar before agreeing and surprise, I was free for lunch! We haven’t seen Roger since he left for the flat lands to fly helicopters some time ago.

After listening to him tell his storey’s, Paul and I looked at him and told him to start blogging. Damn that was funny… Hopefully he’ll be around for a while but it looks like his trip will be shortened as he has a test flight that could see him moving even further north.

It’s not for me but I completely understand him. He’s doing what he loves and that is the very reason I have never gone back to the shop. If you do what you love to do everything else will fall into place.

Now I have to try and fill my day tomorrow. I’m going to work on the resume a little and maybe send a few out depending on how the tweaking goes. I might even follow up with a few people that I have good relationships with. After that? No idea. Maybe I’ll do a lap of the park and take some pictures.

You can probably expect some changes/additions to the site, as well. I’ve got the time…

Well, today was the day and I got the axe. We had heard that the layoffs had started in the morning and sure enough it was on. The planned meeting was a survivor meeting and I wasn’t invited. In total, about 20% of the company is gone after today. At least I didn’t go alone…

I’m fine with it and have no regrets at all. It was a good time while it lasted and better than where I was before. The severance package was much better this time round so no worries. Plus the CTO offered to give me a reference to anyone who was interested.

I’m not sure what the next step is. I guess I’ll take some time off before my trip and then start the 2004 job search! Oh joy… I hear that the market is better, so here’s hoping…

We hit the Shank Club which is the official IW watering hole when this sort of stuff happens. I’ve been there more times than I can count during my time at IW and frankly, I’m just relieved that this is over. Now I can move on again.

No worries, I’m fine. I always am…

Time to update your anti-virus software kids. The Mydoom virus, AKA Novarg or Shimgapi has been spreading today.

At this point, no one knows exactly what it does, but it does contain a backdoor that has the ability to download and execute arbitrary files. Apparently, it will also use your machine to launch a DDoS attack against SCO (they deserve it actually…).

Just a warning to update your DAT files and don’t open attachments! (I’m talking to you Neil!!)

Tuesday is the big day! Or maybe not… At least they’ll tell us something even if it’s just to say that they don’t know anything. Given that everyone figures they’re being laid off and have had two weeks to stress out over it, I expect a bit of a rowdy meeting. And probably more people vandalizing my whiteboard…

Today I experienced a total brain cramp and completely forgot that I was to be going for Dim Sum at noon. I didn’t even have that “Am I supposed to be somewhere?” feeling. Nothing. Not a sausage…

I went about my normal Sunday routine and never gave it a thought until I saw the message later in the afternoon. Hmmm…. I hope this is just stress.

I’m experiencing a nice headache yet I’m still going to re-arrange my living room. I had an idea this afternoon and figured I’d give it a try. When your living room is 11 X 13 your options are pretty limited. After 18 months, I guess it might be time to try something new.

Had a nice dinner at the Newton’s on Friday evening. We enjoyed a great chicken dinner and played several games of fooz. I noticed that the booze took away from the game but made the trash talking that much more enjoyable.

Wow, this entry is really lame. I should just go to bed.

To my Chinese friends, Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Crongrats are in order to John and his wife (whose name escapes me, or I’d be using it now…) who today became the proud parents of a baby boy! Conveniently, John lost his job 10 days ago…

We were told that there will be a meeting on Tuesday. That set off a whole new round of speculation on the nature of the meeting. “Do you think it’s just an update or will they turf us all?” “If we survive, do you think they turf us after our project is done?” “What’s up with Biff’s hair?”

It’s all pretty shitty and the only consensus that was agreed upon was that we want this to be over sooner rather than later.

I updated my resume last night which actually went pretty smoothly. I’ve applied for one job, which would be really cool, but I doubt I’ll get anywhere with it. I don’t even know that I’m going to lose my job but one needs to be realistic and realize that there’s a good chance that I will.

One thing I hated about the last place was that it was so quiet. Today I was sitting in my cube and realized it was dead silent. Everyone is good on the surface, but just below that there’s a lot of apprehension.

Even now it’s different from a few years ago where it was so lively and dynamic. I still want to stay but who knows what the new environment will be like.

Me thinks it’s time for some GTA…