So I'm sure some of you out there… well maybe just two of you, are wondering how my life in Atlanta is going. I've been down here two weeks, this is my third. So far work is good, real slow due to the holidays though my work will ramp up quickly with little time to adjust, sort of a sink or swim attitude here. I'd take the days off but I don't have any vacation and its fine just being here. I may work some remotely next week like on the 27th or something so I don't rush back to the office to sit by myself. The laptop pretty much works anywhere I can find a wireless network or wifi and I can connect to just about everything here which is cool.
My nights are spent either with Mana and Pappa (wifey's grandparents) or with the crabbs. Usually I go to the crabbs if there is something I want to watch on TV, like on Thursday nights for the office or something, though I missed the last one. When I stay at home with Mana and Pappa we watch pretty much one show, and one show only… and that my friends is Walker Texas Ranger.
I'm not sure how they got into it, but Pappa loves Walker. Its two episodes back to back, 7 and 8 o clock on the Hallmark channel, which I was unaware of a Hallmark channel even existing. So after watching Walker for about 2 weeks or so I have determined that it is the best show in history. The guy is a machine, I mean he always wins. The plot's are simple and easy to follow so if you fall asleep during the show you can wake up and feel like you didn't miss a thing.
Here's the typical plot: Bad guys up to no good. Walker and Trivet stumble upon there no goodness. Trivet and sometimes CD charge in and get tied up. Walker goes in and round house kicks everyone and rescues Trivet and CD. Walker, Trivet, CD, and blond Assistant District Attorney lady go to CD's bar and celebrate. Perfect plot everytime.
Last night's episode had Walker, Trivet, and CD fishing in the Bayou. They stumble upon Pappy O Daniel making meth in the bayou. Walker proceeds to have Vietnam flash backs as he hunts down Pappy O Daniel's gang. Trivet and CD got tied up, Walker rescued them. He round house kicked the gang, blew up the meth lab and hauled Pappy and his men into jail. Then he got back to fishing and a few days later showed up to CD's Bar for drinks.
Walker is the perfect combination of Ninja and cowboy… in fact he's a ninja cowboy.
So that's about what I do. Some nights I read, though I feel like I read all day at work so I'm a little tired of it when I get home.
Don't take any crap from those greaseballs. They think they have an angle on the world and are slicker than slick until they get in a bind. Then, they whine like babies.
Remember they don't house anything. They're selling their HR services, that's all they got. There's nothing more pathetic than an HR person trying to explain financials.
Position yourself so that the heavies come to you for something. Try to take a look at what they're using for financial analysis then, come up with your own spreadsheets which do the job better. Once you show that you have a skill that they value then, you're in.
Trust me, there was a guy where I used to work who did this. He was a former underwriter and developed his own spreadsheets which everyone on the floor used. He had them wrapped around his finger.
Posted by: Chris T. at December 19, 2006 12:31 PMThanks chris, appreciate the advice. Deloite is more than an HR firm though, they do everything from taxes to HR and a lot of systems stuff. And generally with me as the exception, they hire tons of people who really know their stuff.
I've found consultants are an interesting breed, a third of them know they're stuff really well and can communicate well, a third of them no nothing but can fake it so well that no one knows they don't know anything, and the other third know some stuff and fake the rest... I'll probably be the latter. I know some good stuff that i learned from CIGNA and will have to fill the gaps with.
Posted by: holtonian at December 20, 2006 01:13 PMYou need to use code words.
Posted by: Chris T. at December 20, 2006 05:07 PMYo...what's your new email address? I'm headed to Atlanta on Sunday...need a place to stay - can you hook a brother up? Email me!!!
Posted by: Luke Trader at December 27, 2006 12:28 AMYo...what's your new email address?
Posted by: Luke Trader at December 27, 2006 12:29 AM