Notes and Motes - from the road (part 1)
Jan. 26th, 2011 07:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jjmaccrimmonWork
If it hasn’t become obvious, I’m on the road again and back in Southern California. I was sent out to support an engineering test and help organize the madness at the site it’s being run from. My cat herding skills are being put to the test because half the assets we need to administratively do our job aren’t in place. I’m putting the administrative work ahead of the test execution side on this trip to gather more management and support experience.
Even though I’m on the road, I’ve had to prompt my manager (back in Huntsville) to schedule meetings and technical reviews; still following documentation for ops back in Huntsville; and watching developments there on the upcoming office move. While I may be a contractor, most of my coworkers regard me as the branch chief’s number 2. I haven’t jockeyed for it or done anything to shine the spotlight on myself. I just seem to be in the right place, or making the right decisions, or have earned the respect of my peers in this agency. I’m still a humble contractor and am working my tail off. The advantage is that in April, I’m supposed to be one of the few contractors moving into the new agency building on base.
Travel
Being here in SoCal is still surreal to me. The familiarity and the sensations are almost overwhelming. In a lot of ways, Los Angeles and the Southland will always be home. When I left Huntsville, it was 35 F and raining. When I landed at LAX, it was 74 F and mostly sunny. The drive out here was almost second nature; enough so that I tossed my Thomas Guide (map) aside and drove up to Oxnard from memory. Since I’m supposed to be here on and off for the next month, I’m planning to use my unscheduled time off creatively. Descanso Gardens, the Getty and a few abandoned site hunts are in the planning stage. Likewise, I plan to visit friends when & where possible. I intend to keep my connections here if I can manage it.
If it hasn’t become obvious, I’m on the road again and back in Southern California. I was sent out to support an engineering test and help organize the madness at the site it’s being run from. My cat herding skills are being put to the test because half the assets we need to administratively do our job aren’t in place. I’m putting the administrative work ahead of the test execution side on this trip to gather more management and support experience.
Even though I’m on the road, I’ve had to prompt my manager (back in Huntsville) to schedule meetings and technical reviews; still following documentation for ops back in Huntsville; and watching developments there on the upcoming office move. While I may be a contractor, most of my coworkers regard me as the branch chief’s number 2. I haven’t jockeyed for it or done anything to shine the spotlight on myself. I just seem to be in the right place, or making the right decisions, or have earned the respect of my peers in this agency. I’m still a humble contractor and am working my tail off. The advantage is that in April, I’m supposed to be one of the few contractors moving into the new agency building on base.
Travel
Being here in SoCal is still surreal to me. The familiarity and the sensations are almost overwhelming. In a lot of ways, Los Angeles and the Southland will always be home. When I left Huntsville, it was 35 F and raining. When I landed at LAX, it was 74 F and mostly sunny. The drive out here was almost second nature; enough so that I tossed my Thomas Guide (map) aside and drove up to Oxnard from memory. Since I’m supposed to be here on and off for the next month, I’m planning to use my unscheduled time off creatively. Descanso Gardens, the Getty and a few abandoned site hunts are in the planning stage. Likewise, I plan to visit friends when & where possible. I intend to keep my connections here if I can manage it.
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no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 02:52 pm (UTC)Road Warrior
Date: 2011-01-27 04:48 pm (UTC)