2001-07-20 - 12:45 p.m.

Do I Feel Any Different?

My office has a tradition that when new engineers finally pass their license exams (like I just did) that we bring in donuts or bagels for the office. Fortunately 6 of us passed the exam this time (which is actually pretty amazing) so we all worked together to bring in breakfast stuff.

This involved me having to get up at 6 AM on Thursday (normally I stay in bed until 7:30 AM in order to catch my 8 AM bus) and running to the local Noah's Bagel store. I was shocked! I arrived there around 6:50 AM and there were tons of happy people reading the morning newspaper there.

WHAT?!?! I understand that people whom have to work have to wake up before noon. I'm one of them. But why would somebody go to a store to have coffee and a bagel an hour before having to go to work?

Why aren't they in bed until the very last minute?

Oh well, I'm not paid to figure these things out, so I won't.

When I got to work and started setting up I was kidding with 4 of the other engineers who passed the exam that Shortround was probably going to walk in late and hand off a bag of day old bagels that he bought at Safeway and pretend like the entire breakfast was his idea. One of my co-workers nearly dropped dead when Shortround walked in the room minutes before the announced start of the office party (that really was what we were hosting) and pulled up a ratty bag from Safeway. Inside were 2 dozen wet, cold, and slimy bagels. He brought them from home straight out of his refrigerator.

Then he had the nevre to tell us that we could finish setting up because he had to go upstairs. Keep in mind that Shortround just sits and sleeps at his desk.

The funny thing is that I've got the guy pegged and everything he is doing is only pissing everybody else off too. I just have no tolerance for lazy people. Keep in mind that the guy is paid over $50k a year and hasn't produced a single reliable result yet in 2001!!! I am so not shitting. I have so many friends without engineering degrees that should be getting his $50k and I honestly believe I could teach them a thing or two ... and in less than 6 months they could design circles around him.

Government Work

This is why I want to leave government work. Basically people don't have to work and abuse the system. Not everybody, but enough do.

And this is why the exam was really so important to me. If you don't have your license, you can't really find a job as an engineer. I could be a bum and live at my folks home or find some friends to crash with, but I want to stand on my own salary. I don't want to feel that kind of control.

So yes, I do know feel different. I've done what other engineers before me have done and proved that I'm at least just as good. I have found a confidence that was in part lacking. I'm not afraid to make serious suggestions to people I don't even know when it involves environmental / professional work. Oh, I've lots left to learn, but I realize now that I can do a lot on my own too.

In fact, I've grown a lot professionally since I hired on.

So I'm still hoping that I'll get that job in the Bay Area. I'll be closer to my family and friends.

But I'm also sad that very few of my friends take me up on my offer to come to Davis. :( They have standing invites, but rarely do they talk to me or come up. You can watch movies, get drunk, or other non-outside stuff just as easily.

I understand it is a long drive, because I make it nearly every week to the Bay Area. I feel I've been asked to travel a lot more down there, than host people in my place. That is why I appreciate Shells more after driving to Santa Cruz. She has been asking to come to my place (and will in a few weeks) and after having done the Davis to Santa Cruz drive this week, I realize she must really like me to always drive up to the Bay Area through Hwy 17 (which is incredibly nice, but also slow). :)

-=-

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