One Year

It's been one year since I started working for this company. And it's
been one hell of a ride so far. It's been a lot of things. A lot of
stress and pressure. And a lot of goofing off. In fact, if truth be
told a lot of the time, I can't help but goof off, because I am
waiting for something to happen, some result to test, anything.

The money's not so bad either. Could be a whole lot worse. This job
rescued me from working on the night-shift. I guess if I had not
gotten this job, I'd still be in a call center doing supervisory work,
at about half my current pay. Probably less.

I started on this job, when one of my former managers called me and
asked for people to man his department. I tried to find people for
him. I didn't really think that I'd be working for him. Neither did
I care if I earned anything from this or not. After several weeks of
follow-ups, he called one morning, just after I got home, and I was
still sleepy and he told me that he needed me on his staff, even if I
didn't do any programming. And he asked me how much I wanted, being a
moron (albeit a very sleepy stupid moron) I gave a round number.
Something I can live with, but enough to make him turn me down. Or so
I thought. He told me to start immediately. That woke me up and I
wanted to kick myself on the head.

I spent my first week working half-day (afternoons) at the office,
went to the call center, took a nap, went on shift and trained an
agent, got home, slept for several hours, before going to Makati, to
work half-day again. That was one week of hell. The funny part about
my new work at the time was that there was nothing to do at the
office. I sometimes found myself sleeping on the floor beside the QA
people. Actually, beside Donna's desk. So I can safely say that I
spent my first week sleeping beside her. She was working on her
computer and I was on the floor beside her sleeping with my jacket as
a pillow.

Midway through last year, I got promoted because my boss found a way
to get kicked out and still get paid. He got a good settlement. Good
enough to leave me with the problems he created, and which I helped
exacerbate in the first place. In essence, I helped dig my own grave.
I'm not yet finished crawling up and out of that hole, but I'm
getting there.

Of particular note was that time last year, first week of May. I
worked the weekend. And May 1, and 2 (a Monday which was declared a
holiday). Tuesday came along and we found out that two programmers
resigned on the Sunday. We were two programmers short. That week was
very noteworthy because I spent 80 hours in the office that week.

There have been overnights, and there have been Saturdays. And the
occasional Sundays in the office.

I admit this is a crazy job. And insanity really is a requirement
hereabouts. But it's still a good ride so far.

Tense, cold and with no friend to have lunch with,
--andoy
17 January 2006