Recently in Work Category

I've decided that I'm in the wrong business.  I am now willing to sell anyone my new fangled web page building system.  I'll call it Customer Relations and Publishing (CRAP).

So, buy CRAP now for the low, low price of $10,000,000 which gets you the base system.  Any and all improvements, including support will be billed at the rate of $1,000,000 per hour.

Let me know if you're interested.

In the world of computers there tend to those persons who are very specialized at one little thing and nothing else.  They couldn't even begin to tell you the difference between html, which provides a means of describing the structure of text, and php, which is a reflective programming language originally designed for producting dynamic web pages.

I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE!!!  Please excuse my yelling.

This has happened before and I am sure it will happen again.  I get dragged into a project that involves a piece of technology which I am not permitted to have access to because it is sensitive.  Fine.  I don't want access to the sensitive information and I really don't care for the project either.

But when you imply that I don't know how to keep information 'secure' then you have gone too far.

Just to clarify, I am a Webmaster.  To me, a webmaster is responsible for everything that is on the web.  That means the webmaster is responsible for knowing how to setup and manage the webserver (apache, php, mysql, etc.).  The webmaster is capable of (although maybe not a guru) developing graphics that work including knowledge of colors and how they impact the web.  The webmaster should also be capable of developing in a number of different web languages including perl, php, xhtml, and javascript without using Dreamweaver or Frontpage or (Insert-Name-Of-WYSIWYG-Editor-Here).

And Lotus Notes is not web design.

/endrant

We interviewed five individuals last week for the job.  The committee agreed on one of those as being a perfect fit, one of them being good enough to spend the time on training and the others just not being what we need.

It was the first time that I had actually been on the other side of the table during an interview and it was very eye-opening.  The reality of job interviews is that no-one likes them but they are a requirement due to the nature of business.  For the interviewee it is a nerve-racking experience where they are required to put themselves out there and hope they can demonstrate at least something that the interviewer will like.  For the interviewer it can be a challenge to see past the smoke and mirrors to find out if the interviewee is really capable of the job or just capable of smoke and mirrors.

I won't be specific as I believe that the interview experience is something that an interviewer shouldn't discuss but I will pass on a few bytes of reality.

If you are interviewing for a job that requires knowledge of technology, at least try to learn the basics.  While many organizations have gone the way of Dreamweaver and Frontpage there are many, many more who have not.  WYSIWYG design has always been seen as the way to begin but not the way to end.  Especially in a constantly changing environment that requires constant updates and attention.  And remember that everyone you meet is probably playing a role in the employment decision, especially the secretary.

I previously mentioned that one of my co-workers had heard that he might be deployed to Iraq.  He found out last Friday (yes, the 13th) that he was going.  And not only going, but being activated immediately.

Now, don't get me wrong...I wouldn't even think of doing the following if his job wasn't so critical and if he hadn't confirmed that he will be gone for a full year at the minimum.

Today, we posted his job to get it filled.  Hopefully, we'll have someone within the next month.  Hopefully.

Until then, I may be a ghost while I try to survive the work load.  We already had enough work for 4 people and there was only 2 of us.  Now it's just me.  Anybody interested in being an underpaid, overworked, well respected webmaster?

One of my co-workers found out yesterday that he may be deployed to Iraq.

are useless.

So the boss walks in today and says "I promised [*The Big Boss] that he could have this website by tomorrow. Come see me in 10 minutes and we'll go over it."

Did I mention how often this happens? I really do enjoy my job and this happens everywhere, not just here. But we are not talking about a simple little thing. We are talking about roughly 20 pages of content that must look nice.

So of course, everything else gets put on hold until this is done.

*Name excluded to protect the innocent

If there is one thing that is really, really, really cool about my job...well, there isn't just one, there are many.

So many that I can't even begin to describe them.

I just love my job. And that is something that I haven't been able to say in a long, long time.

Don't dare wake me from this dream or I'll have to hurt you.

One might say that having goals is a good thing. But what does one do when life is such a fluid journey down a road that changes often and leads to unexpected adventures?

One gets over it and keeps on moving so as not to hold up traffic.

Ten years ago my only goal was to be sitting in front of a computer making lots of money. One month ago my only goal was to be challenged even if it meant less money. Goals mean nothing if they can never be reached. Money isn't everything, happiness is. I'm happy. Hell, I'm ecstatic.

I am 'The Webmaster' and I have the unique privilege of working with some of the greatest people that I've met in a long time.

So I call up the now former client to inquire about the final paycheck and such and during the conversation he basically says that it was a personality conflict.

PERSONALITY CONFLICT!?!?!?

Okay. So I admit that there may have been a conflict considering that I really wanted to earn the money I was getting versus just sitting there doing nothing. I admit that after 3 weeks of doing absolutely nothing the boredom finally got to me and I started reading BOFH to pass the time. I admit that I even went so far as to accepting a job that paid less because it provided a more challenging and stress-inducing environment than where I was at. If that is what you want to call a personality conflict then go right ahead. Just keep in mind that what it really means is that I just wasn't lazy enough to sit around all day and do nothing. I could have done that driving the school bus.