Work Work Work

Erik Bates | April 21, 2006
[hidden by request]

Scott Horowitz | April 21, 2006
Well, when you ask a question like that, shouldn't you answer it first?

Anna Gregoline | April 21, 2006
Records Clerk at a large law firm.

Steve West | April 21, 2006
Banking operations at a federal credit union.

Erik Bates | April 21, 2006
[hidden by request]

Scott Horowitz | April 21, 2006
Database Administrator for a Realty Company.

Aaron Shurtleff | April 21, 2006
Agricultural Bioscientist with the University of Florida. :)

Kris Weberg | April 21, 2006
Graduate Student at Duke University.

Steve Dunn | April 21, 2006
Lawyer

Lori Lancaster | April 22, 2006
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Jackie Mason | April 22, 2006
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Amy Austin | April 22, 2006
Wow, Aaron... I went to UF from '90-'95! How long have you been there???

Mike Eberhart | April 22, 2006
Senior Network Systems Engineer...

Michael Paul Cote | April 22, 2006
Graphic Designer for a mid size printing company

John E Gunter | April 27, 2006
Web U.I. Developer for Cox Target Media - makers of that blue envelope, Valpak!

Jackie Mason | April 27, 2006
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Lori Lancaster | April 27, 2006
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John E Gunter | April 27, 2006
Well you could always get your address removed. The way to do that is go to CoxTarget Media and fill out the form. They'll stop sending the envelopes to you that way.

David Mitzman | April 27, 2006
Code Monkey for a small software company

Jackie Mason | April 28, 2006
[hidden by request]

John E Gunter | April 28, 2006
You couldn't until I fixed the form about 6 months ago! ;-)

But you're welcome.

An interesting piece of information I found out about when I started working for direct mailing companies over 15 years ago. They actually help to keep the cost of postage down. All of the money that the companies spend to send us this junk-mail is what really finances the postal service.

Made me not so angry about all the stuff they fill my mailbox with.

Amy Austin | April 30, 2006
I know I've read you say this before, John... but it still sounds like Val-Pak propaganda to me! ;-)

John E Gunter | May 1, 2006
I didn't hear it from Valpak first.

Amy Austin | May 1, 2006
Okay... "direct mailing" propaganda, then! ;-p

E. M. | May 2, 2006
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Jackie Mason | May 4, 2006
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Lori Lancaster | May 4, 2006
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Aaron Shurtleff | May 4, 2006
Better late than never...

Amy, I've been here at UF since 2004! :)

David Mitzman | May 6, 2006
Well, since this is the work work work thread, I figure I can say it here...

I've officially put in my two weeks notice at my current job and start a new job as a Jr. Hotel Analyst on Monday, May 22nd. Increase of pay, insane benefits, decrease in hours (9-5 with an hour lunch instead of 9-6 with an hour lunch). I even get to wear a suit to work (a slight change from when I wore a short and t-shirt to work every day in Florida) but that's ok.

I'll be working for the Loews Corp (a financial holdings company, not the movie theater or hardware store people). They own quite a few subsidiaries, including Lorilar Tobacco, Loews Hotels, CNA Insurance (just to name a few).

Anyway, since I got my official offer package in the mail the other day, I think it's safe to make the announcement!

The absolute best part is that it's in midtown NYC. 60th and Madison Ave to be specific for any of you familiar with the area. No more driving to Jersey and dealing with a 110 mile round-trip commute. It's mass transit time!

Jackie Mason | May 7, 2006
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David Mitzman | May 7, 2006
Thanks. Yeah the commute was pretty nasty. Dealing with traffic on Long Island and in Queens/Bronx/Manhattan was nightmarish.

Aaron Shurtleff | May 9, 2006
Congrats, Dave!

As another person who, oddly enough, has a 110 mile round trip commute, I can say that getting rid of that would be heaven. Not that Florida traffic into and out of agricultural areas can ever compare to Jersey! :(

David Mitzman | May 9, 2006
Thanks Aaron. I'm very stoked about the whole thing. I did live in Florida for a while but down in PSL and then Jupiter. When I was in Jupiter I worked at Best Buy for a lil' bit before I came back and one day it must've taken me over an hour to go from my apartment to Palm Beach Lakes Blvd (maybe 11 miles at most). Stupid I95

Michael Paul Cote | May 9, 2006
Congrats Dave. Sounds like a win win win situation! I have to admit that although I don't always like my job, I like my 10 minute commute.

Amy Austin | May 9, 2006
Yeah, that's cool, Dave... I know you were looking for a better job situation -- I'm glad it appears to have worked out for you!

Ed has done many 2-3 hour commutes -- one for a year & 1/2 while we were still in WA. And my dad has literally spent years behind the wheel of his car -- he did a weekend commute from Jax Beach to Pensacola (that's a 7-hour drive, folks) for quite a while... and currently, he does a 4-hour weekend drive each way. I don't know how he does it: my longest commute ever was 30 minutes/miles each way, and the lack of traffic/lights actually made the return trip more dangerous after a hard day's work... I almost fell asleep many times on the way home from that very physical job and swore that would be the longest drive *I'd* ever make to work! (Gainesville to High Springs, Aaron -- so I know what you mean about the simplicity of it... but DAMN, where do you live?! It must be farther than Ocala!!!)

Aaron Shurtleff | May 9, 2006
Amy, oh no! I'm not based out of the Gainesville campus. I work out of the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, FL. (Yes, it's pronounced like "Why Mama". No I don't get tired of the jokes. If you follow the FL news, I'm near the brush fire area in the last couple of days...if you don't, then you have no idea what I'm talking about, and really, why should you?). I actually live in Saint Petersburg. To get to Wimauma, I have to go south, over the Sunshine Skyway bridge (only hit by a barge once!), and then back up north on I-75, take the Sun City Center exit (they call Sun City Center "God's Waiting Room", so you can guess what the traffic is like there! ;) ) and it's about 20 minutes further east, out into nothingness. Just farms and..."undocumented agricultural workers" (I think that's the right term).

Scott Horowitz | May 9, 2006
I have a 12 mile commute that takes 35 minutes. Gotta love LI traffic.

Amy Austin | May 9, 2006
Ah! Gotcha', Aaron. I knew there were a lot of UF satellites out there, but I gotta' admit -- that's not one that I had heard of!!!

David Mitzman | May 10, 2006
Thanks again. It'll be very cool. Counting down the miles till I'm done with this, 625 miles left after this morning's commute. Hooray!

Jackie Mason | May 11, 2006
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Scott Hardie | May 16, 2006
I manage a team of web developers.

It's across the street from my apartment, and yet I still don't have time to visit TC more than every few weeks.

Congrats on the new job, Dave – and the new commute.

I'll give credit to Valpak: When I asked to be taken off their mailing list, it worked. Thank you for your part in that, John. It's the ten other companies who send me mail weekly and won't stop that make me want to back a dump truck full of unwanted mail up to their front doors every week and let it out.

Jackie Mason | May 16, 2006
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Scott Hardie | May 16, 2006
Well, it's not that good. I'm in the boonies, so driving out of my apartment complex to the main street, then from there driving around a lake to the office takes the distance up to about 2.5 miles, too far to walk. It's less than one mile as the crow flies.

(For what it's worth, I'm out of the closet now about my job; I'm tired of keeping it a secret. I'm also soon to come out of the closet about a few other things in my life – no, not that closet – and I would appreciate it if the few of you I've told in email would keep it to yourselves for now. Thanks.)

Lori Lancaster | May 16, 2006
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Scott Hardie | May 16, 2006
Yet another reason to skip the reunion... :p

David Mitzman | May 16, 2006
This thread has suddenly turned into a cliffhanger. I fully expected a 24 countdown clock with the bloop, bleep, bloop, bleep noises. Even though my new job is just slightly closer than my current job mileage-wise, it's still way better. Midtown NYC beats out any place any day of the week.

Aaron Shurtleff | May 16, 2006
Scott, how can you call where you live the boonies?! I work in the boonies, and, trust me, you aren't here! :)

Oh, and I didn't know that you were in the closet about your job. I mean, I didn't talk about it with anyone, so I didn't inadvertently out you, but still... I'd ask why you were in the closet to begin with, but not my business.

Oh, and you'll laugh about this (or maybe not), but when I read your mysterious message about "other things", the first thing I did was check my e-mail to see if you've told me anything I shouldn't leak! :) That's my big ego for ya! ;) Of course, if I do know something, I don't know I know... Until further notice, I'm not talking about Scott anymore! :D

Jackie Mason | May 16, 2006
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Michael Paul Cote | May 17, 2006
Jackie that's just too funny to even think about!!! 8-)

Scott Hardie | May 19, 2006
You're right, Aaron. I shouldn't have called it the boonies. We have a Chevron, and there's a Wendy's a half mile down the road.

Seriously: I should appreciate the level of development that is actually around me. I've visited friends in Bumfuck Nowhere and it ain't pretty.

Jackie Mason | May 19, 2006
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David Mitzman | May 19, 2006
I have a friend from Bradley that used to live in Astoria, IL. I went down there occasionally with him on a weeknight or weekend trip. Now being from NY, a town of anything less then 50,000 seems small and this town was like nothing. 3 traffic lights at most.

Amy Austin | May 19, 2006
Haha... this is a one-light town -- literally! And yet, I still wouldn't call it "the boonies," because for "shopping" there is a Piggly Wiggly and a Handi-Mart... although the Pig is really only good for when you run out of something fairly basic -- milk, bread, eggs, etc. -- and the other is pretty much only good for just milk... or else the munchies. And gasoline. For our "dining" enjoyment, we have a Hardee's, an Andy's and a proprietary "greasy spoon" that we have not yet had the pleasure of patronizing. That's pretty much it. I'm not sure of the population, but I am fairly certain that it can't be in the 5-figure range.

Although... if you really want to judge just how "back woods" you live, then perhaps the most appropriate gauge ought to be the proximity of the ubiquitous and omnipresent Wal-Mart: ours are 12 miles in one direction and 17 miles in the other.

Michael Paul Cote | May 19, 2006
Don't knock Bumfuck Nowhere. I grew up in it's sister town Buttfuck Vermont. And we were jealous of the people in Bumfuck Nowhere.

Scott Horowitz | May 22, 2006
So, I just get called into my bosses office for an impromptu meeting. They tell me that they're closing our office, and moving the entire company to Buffalo. They ask me to go and be the sole IT guy up there. I decline because I have no desire to move to Buffalo, but I think I'll be able to work remotely from home to get them set up, while I look for another job. The worst part is that I'm the only one in the company that knows right now, and I have to keep my mouth shut, and not tell my friends that they are going to be laid off. This just sucks. If anyone knows of a DBA Job in NYC, let me know.

---me just venting

Jackie Mason | May 23, 2006
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Amy Austin | May 23, 2006
It's true what Jackie said -- there are definitely worse ways to find out (like your poor chump colleagues... unless... they happen to read this thread... mmm??); but, at least -- luckily for all of you -- none of you really even has to worry about it, what with Dave bringing about the Apocalypse and all... ;-)

Scott Horowitz | May 24, 2006
They told everyone today, so I felt better. We knew it was coming because the company is just not doing well. I have a lot of options right now, people actually want me... go figure.

But thanks for your concern. It's nice to know that people I have never met care about me.

Scott Horowitz | June 22, 2006
I got a job today. I will be an Oracle Developer for www.gcsnet.com. I start in 2 weeks, I'm so excited

Michael Paul Cote | June 23, 2006
Congrats, Scott. Good luck with the new job.

Jackie Mason | June 23, 2006
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Scott Horowitz | June 27, 2006
Well, this is how it is

My last day here is Friday. Then I have next week off, except my new boss wants me to come in one day next week to learn about the project and potentially meet the client. Then I'm getting a giant "laser" shot in my eye to fix my vision. And I start the new job fully on the 10th.

John E Gunter | August 30, 2006
Reviving this discussion because I ran across the site listed at the bottom. Before I post that link though, I want to repost my previous comments that this site talks about.

You couldn't until I fixed the form about 6 months ago! ;-)

But you're welcome.

An interesting piece of information I found out about when I started working for direct mailing companies over 15 years ago. They actually help to keep the cost of postage down. All of the money that the companies spend to send us this junk-mail is what really finances the postal service.

Made me not so angry about all the stuff they fill my mailbox with.

Amy Austin | August 30, 2006
Best propaganda site I've ever seen... ;-p ;-D

(BTW, I'm soon to be delivering for the local post office myself...)

Scott Hardie | September 2, 2006
Nice logic in that article: All those billions of pieces of mail every year necessitate that the USPS run an expensive operation, but take away the billions of pieces of mail and they'd still need that expensive operation. Huh? That doesn't make sense. Sure, if you eliminate junk mail and a family gets four pieces of mail a day instead of five, I can see the USPS needing to have the same system. But four pieces of mail out of five are junk mail. It's circular reasoning: We need to allow so much junk in order to afford our expensive system for delivering you so much junk. I regret to dis the industry in which both of you work, but to me that rings false.

Speaking for myself: Other than Netflix, who will be out of the direct-mail business in five years or be bankrupt, I receive approximately two pieces of actual mail a year, and send approximately zero. Why should I allow a mail carrier to arrive at my home and hand me piece after piece of garbage every day so that after six months a friend can mail me a birthday card for forty cents instead of a few dollars? I realize that my actual-mail volume is much lower than most people's, but it's still ridiculous. The USPS is not allowed to make a profit, so thousands of jobs aside, what does it care if it sends a lot of mail or a little? The only people who care about junk mail are junk mailers, and it's long past time for our country to stomp them out the same way we did with telemarketers.

Tony Peters | September 2, 2006
I guess it depends on your POV. true I don't mail leters much now but I know that I used the USPS pretty regularly for a decade and a half of living outside the USA and I still do now. All my bills come USPS and I make it a habit to select USPS as a delivery method when ever I can. The cost for my time has never been so much that I have to have it overnight. I don't get much junkmail but then I've only lived here for 8 months so I'm sure it will increse with time.

Scott Hardie | November 16, 2006
I would like to mention gripe that my frustration with junk mail has increased sharply since getting a car and a credit account with it. I don't know if it's the auto manufacturer or the bank, but one of them is selling my address and I'm getting piles of catalogs all of a sudden. They're all for crap, too: Wine baskets by mail, frozen steaks by mail, computer parts by mail, stores in New York and California that suddenly want the business of Mr. Scott Hardie Or Current Resident. Oh how I detest it all.

Amy Austin | November 16, 2006
I experienced the same thing after our last car purchase, too, Scott. I suspect it's the work of the financier, but then I am just inclined to believe them to be evil anyway. (YES, CHASE MANHATTAN, I AM TALKING ABOUT YOU BASTARDS!!!)

Jackie Mason | November 17, 2006
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Scott Hardie | November 17, 2006
Funny you mention that. After my little rant last night, I realized where the computer-parts-by-mail catalog came from: I bought memory cards from Amazon.com but they were supplied by one of the affiliated zShops, and now a month later this very same seller has sent me their holiday catalog. Funny, the other catalogs I've started receiving are all addressed to the identical name and address, quirks of punctuation intact. Maybe I was too quick to blame the car company and the bank...

Amy Austin | November 17, 2006
Heck, don't let that make you feel bad, Scott... I have no similar paper trails to blame (and believe me -- I have even used one of my dogs' names as my first before and made mental note of similar misspellings *just* to keep track of where my info goes/comes from!), and when it's specific to cars and LOANS, I will not hesitate to blame -- fairly or otherwise -- the BANKS!!!

Lori Lancaster | November 17, 2006
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John E Gunter | November 17, 2006
Well, I hate to inform everyone that anytime you use a credit card to purchase something, your name gets added to a mailing/calling list somewhere. Sure you can get it removed, but once you buy something with a credit card, guess what!

Jackie Mason | November 17, 2006
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Scott Hardie | November 18, 2006
Heh, I love to "annoy" them in that way too, Jackie. One particular clothing retailer is relentless with the catalogs and tries to get my phone number or address out of my several different ways when I hit the store. I always refused at Best Buy, even passing up warranties so they wouldn't have my contact info, but earlier this month I broke down and joined the Reward Zone program, and when I gave them my phone number, my precise mailing address popped right up on the clerk's monitor for me to approve.

The worst offender for selling my address was easily Western Illinois University. Years later and I still got heaps of offers for credit cards with the "WIU Alumni" logo plastered on them and other junk, not to mention the useless alumni newsletter that went into the garbage instantly. The school used to call me and email me every couple of months to verify that my contact info was still accurate, until I started lying to them to get out of it – thank goodness it worked.