After 7+ years, today is my last day working as a consultant at California State Fund (worker's compensation insurance). I'm busy backing up emails and files that may be useful. While I technically will not be available as a resource to this client any longer, I know realistically that I am the only person with knowledge of certain projects and I might be called upon to provide support or information.

I have spent the last 2 months training others on the design, implementation, and functionality of the application and trying to get an answer on whether the client or my company owns the source code I developed. Neither party can find the contract which was signed initially in the late 1990's. Today, my management has finally agreed to turn over the source code to the client with a signed agreement that no other consulting firm will be allowed to have access. So now I'm frantically trying to get everything moved from our our Denver source control system to the client's network and need to provide the last bit of training on how to build the software, create the InstallShield installation image, and deploy the application. Nothing like a little pressure.

I returned from vacation yesterday hoping for some information on whether there is another project for me. My manager sent an email asking whether I wanted to continue in Java development or whether I was willing to go back to my Microsoft roots. I indicated I was willing to do either, whatever best served the company needs. (OK, gag...really I'll do whatever it takes to keep my job).

There is a position within another division of our company based in Arlington Heights, IL. If I get the position, I would still be working here in California. I don't know whether travel will be required. The position splits its responsibility between product development and professional services (i.e. consulting). This is the Microsoft opportunity my manager mentioned. He sent me the job description and I seem like a good fit for the requirements. So I submitted my resume yesterday. I need to be interviewed for the position just like any external candidate.

As of tomorrow, I will report to our Oakland, CA office but I have no idea what I will be doing in the meanwhile until I find another position.

At work last week, we learned the client is planning to reduce the size of our consulting team as of July 1. In the past, the client has indicated the size of the team and worked with our company to identify the people who would serve on that team. This time the client has specified exactly who would stay and who would go. Our management knew about this some time ago but has been trying to negotiate with the client regarding the number of consultants (and presumably the names as well). Until it was finalized, management did not want to cause unnecessary concern among our team.

Another week has now passed and our team was eager to know who is being let go so we can make appropriate plans. Our manager called a meeting yesterday to tell us who will be leaving (although, again, he says it is not finalized). My name is on the list of those leaving the project. I guess I'm not surprised. I have been participating in a "knowledge transfer" for the past month since I am the only developer remaining who created a custom web application for the client. The client is moving towards my company's new software offering and only those developers on our team with experience in that software product are being retained.

Those who are removed from the project might not have other projects to move into, and ultimately may be laid off. There is a possibility of interviewing with other divisions within our company if they have open positions but that is not a guarantee if the skill set is not right.

I'm a bit concerned for my prospects. I was previously developing in Visual Basic 6.0 (a now defunct technology). I have been doing Java development for the past 2 years but that is not enough experience for most hiring companies. I have previously looked at leaving the company but my skill set is an impediment and I did not get a lot of job leads.

Within our team there is mixed feelings about whether staying or leaving is better. Our client has gone through some major upheavals and it is a pretty miserable place to be right now. Those of us leaving now have the best opportunity to find other positions within our company. Those left behind may be facing a similar prospect later when the "good positions" or any available positions, for that matter, have already been snatched up.

I have officially resigned as the club caller for Oaktown 8s. I purposely waited a few days to mull it over to make sure it wasn't just a knee-jerk reaction. Behind the cut is my official email to the Board that explains:

( Resignation Letter )

I have not donated blood in several years. But today the local blood bank was collecting donations on-site at the client where I work so I decided to participate. I know that men who have had sex with other men are officially prohibited from donating blood. In my opinion, that is total bullshit and I have never had any qualms about lying on the questionnaire. I regularly get tested for HIV and they themselves test the donated blood. Today I was rejected for a completely different reason than my homosexuality.

After filling out the questionnaire, they interview you to go over your answers. One of the questions asked whether I spent more than 3 months cumulative in the UK from 1980-1996. I lived in Staines (near Windsor) for 6 months in the middle of 1996. The interviewer told me I was permanently barred from donating blood. The reason? Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) commonly known as "Mad Cow Disease". There is no test for this disease so they have a blanket exclusion of anyone who spent more than 3 months in the UK. The red cross has a detailed explanation on their website.

Best wishes to ufcub for a very happy birthday!

Oaktown 8s has been struggling with a declining attendance and member participation. Some weeks we can barely get a square. Last week, Ken Sale (who fills in for me on the last week of each month) had to call 2-couple choreo. The Mainstream class we started last Fall has pretty much hit a screeching halt. There were only 2 students - one of them disappeared altogether and the other shows up sporadically.

In an effort to build new interest in square dance and gain critical mass for a new class, we have been holding a monthly "Open House" on the first Wednesday of each month. The idea is that beginners can come out and dance for the evening and current and former members can come be social and dance whatever level they are able. It has not done much to bring in the past club members. But in the past few months we've usually had one to four beginners show up. Some have come back multiple times.

Last night we had a 8 beginners, all wildly enthusiastic. Most of them had found us on their own because they were interested in some form of dance. While we only had 2 squares, there was a great energy in the room and everyone seemed to have a great time. It is really amazing how much that buoys me and was definitely reflected in my calling.

Two of the women indicated they had a bunch of friends who were curious about it and said they would come if these women gave a favorable report. Fortunately, they had a blast and are planning to bring their friends next month.

I've also told all the beginners that if they come back any time, even if it's not the monthly open house, I will call a beginners tip for them. I really want to make this available so everyone can dance as often or as infrequent as they like.

bibliocub went into surgery at 1 pm. He was done by 3:30 pm and back in his hospital room by 4:30 pm. The surgeon said everything went really well and they caught it "just in time". There was some blockage and inflammation but it was well before infection and any possible rupture.

Michael is now resting in his room, still a bit groggy. He will stay overnight for observation and will be released tomorrow (I don't know the specific time).

Thanks for all the well wishes!

Mr. Golden (bibliocub) is in the Kaiser emergency room after suffering severe abdominal pain all night. They took him in for a scan to see if it might be appendicitis. The doctor just came in and confirmed the diagnosis so Michael will be going into surgery today. He should be able to come home tomorrow.

Best wishes for a very happy birthday to:

otterpop58 - 50
low_fat_muffin - 41
bootedintexas - 41


And as an extra surprise for low_fat_muffin, I got an extra ticket to tonight's opera, The Bonesetter's Daughter, so we are on! And while I didn't have to blow anyone (in your own words), I would have gladly done so if that's what it took.Hugz!

Hi, my name is Michael, and I'm a "Where's George" addict (www.wheresgeorge.com).

For those unfamiliar, this is a site where you record all your US paper money by serial number, series, and zip code and then watch where it travels as others re-enter the same bills. They use a formula based on how many bills you've entered, how many have been re-entered, etc. to calculate a score and both a state and US percentile.

Yes, I "deface" my currency with red inked stamps telling the new owner of the bill to "Track this bill at www.wheresgeorge.com". Yes, I follow my score and percentiles. I admit, it's not all that exciting but it can be habit-forming.

Oddly, I received a $1 bill as payment for the 50/50 raffle during the A&C weekend that looked like one of my own bills (I have a distinctive pattern for stamping my bills). I re-entered it on Where's George today and confirmed this was a bill I had originally entered in February 2008. And here, in September 2008 the same bill had found its way back to me again. No one else had made any entries for this bill so I have no idea where it traveled over the past 7 months.

Really weird. I'm not sure what is the statistical likeliness of this happening but I'm curious.