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By: Xtopher
Date: 2/28/01 3:01:15 PM
# Replies: 62
Xtopher here. I figured that I've got some explaining to do, being gone so long...
A couple years ago, I was logged on as Loki, but forgot my password and lost the Nunnery URL for a while, and generally had too many things going on in my life at once to try and find it again. Then a couple days ago, after getting handed one of the only known tapes in existance of unreleased Zuzu's Petals stuff from John Croft (who played bass for the band) and doing a quick search on google for anything else out there on the web, I rediscovered Webnuns. Yay! As soon as I can, I'll try and get some of that music available for download. Some of it's stuff that never made it out of the studio... very cool.
Ok, as to who I am... Homer knows me as that guy that married Jaka, being tangentially instrumental in us meeting and all. I'm in Houston, and was originally introduced to Webnuns by Jaka. Perhaps I can drag her back on the board sometime soon. We seperated about six months ago, and are getting divorced, but it's an amicable thing and we see each other at least once a week, still best friends and all that, just not married. LONG story, worth later explanation, but not here. She's doing great, quite happy and working doing web development.
Currently, I'm living in Houston working doing tech support for Compaq, working for a company called Convergys (you probably know someone that works here, the company just seems to suck in our kind), been here for a year and a half and I'm at the top technical position I can get without moving into management. At $10.50 an hour. Ug.
But.
Happily, this morning, I got a job offer to do the same job for twice as much money, with better hours and benefits. I'm currently supressing the violent need to cackle.
Oh, I'm also living with Mycroft, who some of you may remember from some of the older postings, and he should posting here again too.
I couldn't find an appropriate place to stick updates on our respective lives, so I figured I'd start something...
It's easier than having my robotic minions track you down individually.
Response #1
By: Da Sissop
Date: 3/1/01 5:30:22 AM
Aha! It's YOU!
Welcome back! Nice to hear you all are still around and doing well.
Those ZZP pages I maintain are in a sort of limbo right now... apparently the too-good-to-be-true web hosting deal I was suckered in by last October was actually too good to be true, and the hosting site has recently vanished. And truthfully, I kinda suspect it was just a kid with a cablemodem. But most of the pages are now here at http://www.webnuns.org/zzp. I *have* mp3s, but I don't presently have room for 'em with this hosting company here. I expect to remedy that shortly.
Response #2
By: Roxanne
Date: 3/1/01 8:40:53 AM
Welcome Xtopher!
Response #3
By: Capt. Spastic
Date: 3/1/01 9:22:19 AM
Loki,
You and I should talk!
Response #4
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/1/01 10:26:03 AM
Captain my captain, of what should we speak? You can... uh...
::quickly updates his neglected user info page::
...e-mail me!
::smacks forehead for forgetfulness::
Response #5
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/2/01 11:12:02 AM
Woohoo! My last day at convergys. Day before yesterday I turned in my letter of resignation... actually, I turned in two of them... the "nice" one, then this one, and left it up to my manager as to which one to turn in. He's going to turn THIS one in AFTER I leave.
BTW, Lou Dowdy is an Operations Manager at Convergys.. my boss's boss, and head of a whole bunch of stuff.
I, Christopher Glenn, wish to terminate my employment with Convergys as of 3/3/01. I have enjoyed working for Convergys, and have especially enjoyed working under my current manager, William Posey, however I was made a job offer by another company that I cannot afford to turn down. $10.50 an hour for the highest technical position I can reach on the team is just insufficient. I'll dearly miss all the people I have worked with, and I am sorry that I will no longer be a part of the Case Management team. I give my best wishes for everyone on the Case Management team, and the entire Compaq Account. Except Lou Dowdy. He can go to Hell. His presence in this company has made working here a Machiavalian nightmare of political infighting and backstabbing. Lou, I've named my first ulcer after you. I hope you rot.
As I roll in the bathtubs full of cash that my new company is giving me, I'll be thinking of the rest of you. Get out while you still can.
Once again, my best regards to all the remaining staff at Convergys,
Christopher Glenn
Response #6
By: The Sorcerer
Date: 3/2/01 11:12:48 AM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FANG!
Sorc'(Rev)
Response #7
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/2/01 11:19:15 AM
Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday Fang!
Response #8
By: Da Sissop
Date: 3/2/01 3:31:25 PM
IT'S SORC'S BIRTHDAY TOO!
("They're cousins, identical cousins...")
Response #9
By: Da Sissop
Date: 3/2/01 3:32:23 PM
Ballsy note, X. I've considered such an exit a time or two in my life, but I ultimately always seem to try to preserve the almighty "future reference".
Ah, now if only my boss would piss me off *immediately* after my employment began, I'd sure tell them all a thing or two, you betcha.
Response #10
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/2/01 4:27:37 PM
My manager (who I handed both letters to), has been personally screwed over by this particular person many times in the past, and is leaving at the end of the month as well to go to work directly for Compaq. Any reference I would get from the company would be a personal reference from him... besides, I think he'll just file the letter away to chuckle over whenever he thinks back to Convergys.
However, I have been cursing the fact that I neglected to bring my 24-shot rubber band gun in today... ::sigh:: The plans for the gatling version of that never quite materialized... I guess we all have to deal with some regrets whenever leaving a particular job.
Oh, BTW, Happy Birthday Sorc!
Response #11
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 3/3/01 9:00:05 AM
Ask and you shall recieve...
http://www.magnum12.com/rbgdtr.htm
http://www.c-zone.net/jellsale/catalog.htm
Response #12
By: sooz
Date: 3/3/01 9:41:57 AM
Happy birthday to the appropriate fellas!
Response #13
By: Da Sissop
Date: 3/3/01 2:30:18 PM
Thankya. Man it's totally AWESUM to finally be able to buy BEER!!!1!
Response #14
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 3/3/01 6:50:30 PM
Happy Beerthday to Fang, and howdy, X!
"TANGENTIALLY"??? I remember being at Cafe Brasil, saying, "Donna, this is Chris. Chris, this is Donna." And then you moved in together. I've always felt really smug for being the guy that introduced you.
Anyway, I'm sorry the marriage didn't last, but then again, I'm happy it's ended well. And I'm sorry your job didn't work out so well, but I'm happy you got another one. You're just an emotional rollercoaster, maaaaan!
Response #15
By: Da Sissop
Date: 3/4/01 5:45:55 AM
Wheeeeee! Let's ride again!
Response #16
By: Roxanne
Date: 3/4/01 6:37:46 PM
Happy Belated Birthday Greetings to the twin sons of different mothers, Sorcy and Fangy!
Let's all ride the emotional rollercoaster in honor of the birthday boys and the divorced and the job-changers and the earthquake victims!
Response #17
By: Capt. Spastic
Date: 3/4/01 9:24:22 PM
Happy B-day everyone intentioned for.
Response #18
By: The Sorcerer
Date: 3/4/01 11:59:19 PM
Thx. It so happened that my raise from back in December FINALLY showed up on my paycheck on my birthday so I actually had something to celebrate. :)
Sorc'(Rev)
Response #19
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 3/5/01 12:27:37 PM
Happy Raiseday!
Response #20
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/14/01 7:05:11 AM
Ok, we finally got our computers in here at work, and I've got a better idea as to what I'm going to be doing after a week's worth of training. The company I'm working for is CSC, which is contracting for Equilon (Equiline/Motiva alliance) and we're supporting the back office computers for Shell and Texaco stations.
Next week is going to be 10 hour shifts to get the call center going... no social life, but great paycheck since I'll be getting overtime for it.
Oops.. write more later... more training.
Response #21
By: Capt. Spastic
Date: 3/15/01 8:28:16 PM
CSC?
Computer Science Corporation?
Response #22
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/16/01 5:46:45 AM
That's right, they're apparently huge. I'm just a part of a tiny 12 person call center here in Houston. We're contracted to the Shell-Texaco alliance, Equilon, supporting the back-office computers of Shell and Texaco stations.
It's actually much less technical than the job I left, and I kinda miss dealing with the big and nasty issues handed down to me from on high, but it's pretty cool nonetheless.
This callcenter got one thing right: unrestricted net access (within the limits of business; i.e. no porn)
The bread and circuses of helpdesk personell is high speed net access to fill downtime with. I know it makes me tremendously happy to be writing this between calls.
Response #23
By: sooz
Date: 3/16/01 7:35:45 AM
CSC. Oh, my. Jim? Ralf? Yoo-hoo?
Response #24
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/16/01 10:50:36 AM
What? Jim and Ralph are fellow CSC employees? Bitter ex-employees? Any fascinating dirt on my employer? Like I said, the group I'm working with is pretty cool, but I've only been here a couple of weeks.
Response #25
By: Capt. Spastic
Date: 3/16/01 11:40:09 AM
X-man:
"CSC?
Computer Science Corporation?
That's right, they're apparently huge."
They are.
Based out of san Diego I believe, and I have quite a few friends of mine that work at the office here in Austin. Good company overall. I wasn't aware that had a Houston office though, until your post, and a call I got yesterday from a headhunter in California asking me if Houston would be too far of a commute to drive everyday. They wanted me to consult on setting up the helpdesk.
Response #26
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 3/16/01 4:51:17 PM
Yikes. Xtopher now works at CSC. The cycle is complete. Prepare for the coming of the anti-christ.
(Or something.)
Response #27
By: sooz
Date: 3/17/01 7:48:15 AM
But Homer, you're already here.
(Smiles and hugs and kisses)
Response #28
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 3/19/01 6:51:11 PM
Read carefully:
"Prepare for the coming of the anti-christ."
Response #29
By: Da Sissop
Date: 3/20/01 5:54:49 AM
Yup, Ralf and I worked for CSC in shipping/receiving/property control for one of their Johnson Space Center support contracts. Ah, those were strange and wonderful times... up until we realized our jobs sucked.
Response #30
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/20/01 7:12:36 AM
Well, the job's going pretty well so far, even if it is much less challenging than my previous job. I have yet to realize that this job sucks... though I'm sure I will eventually. It's wierd going back to first level help desk after being essentially third level with almost complete control over what projects I work on and what calls I deal with. I'm doing profoundly simple work for twice as much money, with the only substantial difference in my work environment being that at this job I have to wear slacks. Go figure.
So Homer, should I create another login under the name rehpotX?
rehpoX? Hmmm...
Response #31
By: Capt. Spastic
Date: 3/21/01 5:45:44 AM
Get ready and hold on X-man.
CSC just annouced a lay off yesterday.
Hope your area doesn't get hit.
Response #32
By: Xtopher
Date: 3/21/01 11:38:29 AM
Hmm, since we just started taking calls for this account last friday, and this account is making CSC great steaming metaphors worth of money, I don't think we're in any immediate danger right now, but thanks for the heads up.
Response #33
By: The Sorcerer
Date: 3/21/01 9:20:24 PM
My hats off to you Xtopher. Working the helpdesk as to be the most underappreciated thanksless jobs in the whole IT industry. I'm sure The Professor can tell some stories from when he was a Helpdesk Supervisor. :) Pretty good money though nowdays. Of course you have to pay well to compensate for the abuse and burnout.
I did a short tour on one of our client's helpdesks years ago and hated every minute of it. But I think it did me good for some later contracts where I implemented and managed helpdesks for some clients.
Funny thing, one of the projects I'm about to wrap up in the next week or so is transitioning our organization's helpdesk operation into the big Enterprise Support Center up at Sprint HQ. Its been quite a ride.
Sorc'(Rev)
Response #34
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 3/22/01 8:28:55 PM
Yes, much much burnout.
I'm just getting over mine. Tanned, relaxed and ready to IT.
Response #35
By: Emil Lang
Date: 3/23/01 2:27:40 PM
Myself, I'm suffering the slings and arrows of incompetent management. Hope your day is going better.
Response #36
By: The Sorcerer
Date: 3/23/01 4:39:38 PM
So what are you doing these days Gowan?
Emil: Hey! Welcome back old timer, long time no see. Managerial incompetence is the only real universal constant.
Sorc'(Rev)
Response #37
By: sooz
Date: 3/24/01 9:09:59 PM
Uh oh. That means I'm incompetent. I'm the boss. Damn.
Response #38
By: Emil Lang
Date: 3/26/01 8:12:02 AM
Nah, every so often a mutant mangaer comes around. It's rare, but it happens. They actually understand things.
Response #39
By: sooz
Date: 3/26/01 2:00:18 PM
I'm not really a manager, I guess. I just started this little one-person company, and kept hiring people because there was too much work. I don't have the highly training to be a gooberheaded boss.
Response #40
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/16/01 2:27:42 PM
%HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SOOZ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SOOOOOOZ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAMN YOU'RE OLLLLLLD! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUU!%
Okay, just teasin' about bein' old. You ain't old! You're RIPE! :-) :-)
Have a great birthday, hun!
Response #41
By: sooz
Date: 11/17/01 12:33:20 PM
HAHAHAHAHA Ripe. Oh gawd, that's rich. Hehehe... ahem.
My beloved husband organized a surprise birthday party for me last night, and I was truly surprised! We walk into a restaurant and there's Sandy-Down-The-Hall (a woman I work with), her husband, then I saw Bob, then a buncha other friends, and Gowan got there eventually... it was lots of mondo fun.
And Gowan gave me a big kiss on the cheek and said "This is from Witch Hazel." So thanks for the smooches, Witchy!
I'm elderly. I'm 38. Sniff.
Response #42
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/18/01 7:49:52 PM
You ain't elderly. For Pete's sake, if I hear that one more time... *smack* *smack*
Too bad I couldn't deliver the kiss personally, but well, you're a long ways away, so I hope you don't mind that my messenger delivered it instead (he's cuter'n me anyway ;-)).
Response #43
By: sooz
Date: 11/18/01 8:33:13 PM
Gowan's pretty cute, but I dunno, Witch, I think you'd give him a run for his money.
Gowan, weren't you supposed to kiss Bob for Witch, too?
Response #44
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 11/19/01 8:19:10 AM
I'll never tell.
Response #45
By: bob
Date: 11/19/01 10:38:47 AM
but the important thing is, that he did not.
Response #46
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/19/01 11:08:50 AM
What? You wouldn't want a kiss from me? I'm hurt.
Response #47
By: bob
Date: 11/19/01 2:04:16 PM
only in person, dear
Response #48
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/19/01 2:42:22 PM
Well, I will only deliver it in person, if someone takes the damn picture.
Response #49
By: bob
Date: 11/20/01 9:31:47 AM
i guess that means i am just s.o.l., then
Response #50
By: sooz
Date: 11/20/01 9:36:33 AM
It's a GOOD picture of the back of your head tho, Bob. You have a nice haircut.
Response #51
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/20/01 10:38:13 AM
Yes, I must admit, it's one of the nicest back-of-heads I've ever seen. (And that's a lot coming from me. I just don't compliment back-of-heads every day, you know.)
Response #52
By: bob
Date: 11/20/01 6:04:29 PM
well thank you very much.
Response #53
By: Da Sissop
Date: 11/21/01 7:53:12 PM
Belated birthday wishes and caviar dreams, sooz.
Response #54
By: sooz
Date: 11/24/01 6:01:39 PM
Tankoo, Fang-a-roo.
Response #55
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/26/01 1:46:44 PM
Oh, and here's a juicy Happy-Belated-Birthday kiss to my favorite Ballardite, Homer. (His birthday was Sunday.) I think he's old enough to drink beer legally now! ;-)
*SWAK*
Response #56
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 11/26/01 9:28:24 PM
I still get carded, though.
Response #57
By: bob
Date: 11/27/01 12:06:16 AM
happy birthday homer
Response #58
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 11/27/01 7:10:23 AM
Thanks much.
I went for birthday dinner with my friend and housemate Xti. We had sushi at a place in Wallingford called Ai. A mutual friend of ours shares the same birthday, and I had hoped that he might be able to come eat sushi with us, but Xti told me this tale:
"I just got off the phone with Michael's girlfriend, and she says they're moving on to phase two of the adventure she planned for him. Phase one involved a ritualistic bathing."
"What's phase two?"
"Let's just guess."
Suddenly sushi didn't sounds so good.
Response #59
By: WitchHazel
Date: 11/27/01 8:52:14 AM
Ahhhhhhhhahahahahaha! That is FUNNY. Phase TWO? Oh gee. Ha!
Xti. I like that. I have a friend that goes by Xian.
Response #60
By: rorschach
Date: 11/29/01 10:44:31 AM
but phase three, if she proceeds to that step,(which comes much later) can often keep you up at night with the crying....
Response #61
By: bob
Date: 11/29/01 11:58:07 AM
there are two different phase threes that could result in that....i know, i know, i am bitter
Response #62
By: rorschach
Date: 12/3/01 11:36:52 AM
there are at least a few more i can envision.... and it all depends on who is crying..... and why.....