Work Life

Ahhhh, I’m feeling pretty good today.

I feel this way for a couple reasons. First, I’m starting to feel well again after about a week and a half of a nasty bronchial illness. Breathing problems, coughing so hard that every muscle wasn’t just sore, it was in pain, and being so tired that I had to struggle to stay up most evenings. I was in a NyQuil/Mucinex haze for a good ten days. I still have a cough, but today is the first day since my birthday that I actually feel decent. This, is a good thing.

Next, I just wrapped up a six week long project last Friday. If it wouldn’t have completed, I would have taken all the blame, and now that it has completed, we in IT don’t really get any credit. It’s typical, but annoying nonetheless. This was one of those instances where a salesperson promised a client something that Domino doesn’t exactly deliver out of the box. So six weeks, a consulting project and tens of thousands of dollars later, Domino has been made to do what was requested.

And what was requested was mind-numbingly not necessary in my opinion, but of course I’m not a salesperson that would promise the moon. Anyway, it’s over and it’s working, and the consulting firm we worked with kicked ass for us as always. So life is good. I’m feeling better, the high-stress time-sensitive project is behind me, and I can breathe again. Both figuratively, and literally. Expect things to pick up here again shortly!

Exactly one year ago today I was laid off from my former job as manager of groupware services for a global company. I was incredibly sad about it at the time but I tried to put a good game face on it. I was one of the first 20 employees in the U.S. and helped build to over 250 over five years when I was eventually part of the RIF. It was hard to be forced out of a place that I had been such a part of building.

I figured that finding a new job would be fairly easy. I had skills and certifications in both administering and developing for Domino, knew HTML development, a little flash, and had a very deep understanding of messaging infrastructure and everything that goes along with it.

But it wasn’t easy. It was damn hard. In 1999 I didn’t go a week without several calls from recruiters trying to lure me away. Now there were no calls. I was sending out what seemed like an endless stream of resumes, and getting few bites.

But I kept at it, and after three months of unemployment I found my current job.

Wow, what a difference. I am now at a place that values employees. The owners say “Hi” and actually know your name, and when they ask how you are doing, they really want to know. Also, there’s no longer the dread and black cloud of potential layoffs that I had always lived with at the previous place. My current gig utilizes Notes and Domino in ways I had only dreamed of, and my hardware that will be hosting Workplace Services Express is on the way.

One year later I’m in a much happier, low-stress, Domino-heavy work environment. These people get it. I love the folks I work with, and am learning new things all the time. Money isn’t everything. There’s a lot to be said for the quality of life you lead, and my quality has increased ten-fold.

I write this to remind myself that when things look bleak, keep at it, better things are ahead.

I want to thank again three guys who really helped me out during the difficult months last year. Bruce, Tom and especially John. Thanks guys. Your IM conversations to talk me off the ledge, support and kind words helped me get through. Much appreciation.

Now I don’t look at last year as a RIF, it was my Emancipation.