Recently, a few really good people left Sandia, so we are trying to fill these positions in my department. Naturally, we are in the process of interviewing candidates for these spots. It has not gone well. Who knew it was going to be this hard to find quality candidates?
Last week, during my interview with a candidate I asked him if he had any questions for me. His response: "how do I make a million dollars?" Really? Out of all the questions that you can ask an interviewer, he chose to ask me that!?!?! I mean, i know we teach students that there is no such thing as a bad question, but there is something to be said for relevance.
That candidate was not nearly as bad as the one I interviewed today. In addition to not being strong technically, she entirely misses the mark socially. For example, two of my colleagues took the candidate to lunch. After one colleague (let's call him colleague A) and the candidate was finished eating their portions, the candidate proceeded to reach across the table to colleague B's plate, and asked "do you mind if I have a fry?" Before colleague B was able to respond, the candidate picked up a french fry and ate it.
Seriously? Really? Seriously? When is that EVER appropriate in a professional setting? When is that appropriate on an interview?
Oh, you want another example of the candidate's awkwardness? During my manager's 1 on 1 interview with the candidate he explains that his educational background was in electrical engineering. The candidate's response: "that's hot!" This candidate was really all over the place. She reminded me of the dog in the movie Up..........SQUIRREL!
Does anyone else have any funny interview stories? Please share.
A blog about random food, fitness, and traveling adventures by an expat living in Vienna.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Doggie Day Camp
This past Saturday I went to my friends Bachelorette party in Napa. I dropped K9 Mulligan off at the Pets Hotel in Fremont. I learned a few things about myself that morning. First, I spoil my little man. Second, a la cart options are a BAD idea.
Here is a sampling from the "menu" at the Pets Hotel:
The good news about getting a little sick at the second winery was that by the time we returned to Oakland I was completely sober and able to pick up Mulligan. This way he didn't have to spend the night at the Pets Hotel.
Mulligan received good marks in his "Pawgress Report." Judge for yourself.
Out of the multiple choice categories (Mulligans marks are noted in red):
Fun (Party animal, getting used to new friends, not feeling sociable)
Overall (Carefree, calm and comfy; had a pleasant stay; missed you)
Here are the hand written notes:
"Mulligan is ridiculously adorable. He loved to chase toys during playtime and chase the other dogs. He also loved personal attention and wrestling around with the associates."
It's nice to know that Mulligan does well in boarding. I tried hard to socialize him with people and other dogs when he was a pup. I think Mulligan will stay at the Pets Hotel when I head out of town. He seems to like it there.
Here is a sampling from the "menu" at the Pets Hotel:
- Overnight Boarding: $31 for the Atrium Room which includes meals, 2 exercise walks, and a hypoallergenic lambskin bed; $41 for the suite, which also includes a Poochy cot and a TV.
- Doggie Day Camp: All day play and socialization $23
- Doggie Day Camp (with Atrium Room): $19
- Double Play: One morning and one afternoon play session $14
- Bizzy Bundle (advertised as "most popular"): one treat time, Snack Kong, and group play session $11
- Snack n' Play: One treat time, Snack Kong, and two play sessions $18
- Exit Bath: $13
The good news about getting a little sick at the second winery was that by the time we returned to Oakland I was completely sober and able to pick up Mulligan. This way he didn't have to spend the night at the Pets Hotel.
Mulligan received good marks in his "Pawgress Report." Judge for yourself.
Out of the multiple choice categories (Mulligans marks are noted in red):
Fun (Party animal, getting used to new friends, not feeling sociable)
Overall (Carefree, calm and comfy; had a pleasant stay; missed you)
Here are the hand written notes:
"Mulligan is ridiculously adorable. He loved to chase toys during playtime and chase the other dogs. He also loved personal attention and wrestling around with the associates."
It's nice to know that Mulligan does well in boarding. I tried hard to socialize him with people and other dogs when he was a pup. I think Mulligan will stay at the Pets Hotel when I head out of town. He seems to like it there.
Trying to "Fix" My Computer: FAIL!
About three weeks ago I went into my home office to sync new songs onto my ipod touch. I noticed that my computer was "turned off." I thought that was strange because I never turn my computer off, unless i'm leaving town for a while. (I know, not a very "green" practice.) So, of course I go to turn on my computer and it would not boot past the windows logo screen. In fact, it would just shut down without ever loading windows.
Let the troubleshooting begin:
-I first tried to restore windows to an earlier version. Fail.
-Then i tried to start windows in safe mode. Fail.
-I tried to start windows from CD. Fail.
-I tried to replace the hard drive and load windows from a CD. Fail
At this point the frustration is mounting. Mainly because I couldn't access my music library. Hmmm, I wonder what that tells you about me.
-I replaced the motherboard (x2) and tried to load windows. Fail.
(is this getting old yet?)
-I tried to replace the power supply. Fail
I know this may seem like a lot of trouble to fix a desktop computer. But it was fairly new. I purchased this desktop back in September 2007 when i was finishing up some simulations for my graduate work. So it was a decent computer (in terms of processing, memory, and hard disk space) back in 2007. So, it was MORE than enough for my current computing needs, which consists mainly of email, blogging, and youtube-ing.
I then discovered that Dell does not even make this model anymore. I couldn't even order some of the hardware components new. They only came refurbished (hence changing the motherboard twice). I think Dell discontinued this model because they knew they had known hardware problems.
I think the fact that my computer died is actually a good thing. I mean, who even uses desktops anymore? So after two weeks of trouble shooting, i realized that:
1) I couldn't fix my computer,
2) dell has pretty shitty hardware (my new computer is an HP....see my #4),
3) I have no need for a desktop computer, and
4) Macs are expensive.
Let the troubleshooting begin:
-I first tried to restore windows to an earlier version. Fail.
-Then i tried to start windows in safe mode. Fail.
-I tried to start windows from CD. Fail.
-I tried to replace the hard drive and load windows from a CD. Fail
At this point the frustration is mounting. Mainly because I couldn't access my music library. Hmmm, I wonder what that tells you about me.
-I replaced the motherboard (x2) and tried to load windows. Fail.
(is this getting old yet?)
-I tried to replace the power supply. Fail
 |
| Mulligan trying to lend a hand with the troubleshooting |
 | |
| RAM, graphics card, hard drive, fan, and motherboard |
I then discovered that Dell does not even make this model anymore. I couldn't even order some of the hardware components new. They only came refurbished (hence changing the motherboard twice). I think Dell discontinued this model because they knew they had known hardware problems.
I think the fact that my computer died is actually a good thing. I mean, who even uses desktops anymore? So after two weeks of trouble shooting, i realized that:
1) I couldn't fix my computer,
2) dell has pretty shitty hardware (my new computer is an HP....see my #4),
3) I have no need for a desktop computer, and
4) Macs are expensive.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Labor Day Golf at Wente Golf Course
I played the golf course at Wente Vineyards yesterday. We got the twilight golf special: $65 green fees + cart (it's normally $100). It is an amazingly beautiful course. Judge for yourself from the photographs.
I played pretty terribly. I lost about 7 balls and shot a 108 from the white tee set. However, even with all the lost balls, it was a great round and I cannot wait to play this course again.
I really need to step my game up for the DOE challenge in two weeks.
 |
| View from Tee #1. Par 4 |
 |
| We just finished putting on that green. We were climbing the mountain to get to the next tee box when I took this pic. |
 |
| Very difficult par 5. Blind 2nd shot leading to a split fairway with a tree in the middle. |
 |
| The golf course mixed in with all the vineyards. The best thing is that they let you taste the grapes. Yummy! |
I really need to step my game up for the DOE challenge in two weeks.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Documentary: "Up There"
Colgate Day: Blog Imported from Tumblr
COLGATE DAY
Such a beautiful campus. These photos make me miss Colgate, New York, and the four seasons. Well, let's be honest here, i can do without the brutal winters with all of the lake effect snow. I do, however, miss the fall and spring.
GO 'GATE!
Colgate #28 Best College in America
I’m not sure what metrics they used to for this ranking system, but it is interesting to note that the small liberal arts schools generally out performed (err…out ranked) the large universities.
Horray for a well-rounded education.
Such a beautiful campus. These photos make me miss Colgate, New York, and the four seasons. Well, let's be honest here, i can do without the brutal winters with all of the lake effect snow. I do, however, miss the fall and spring.
GO 'GATE!
In honor of Colgate Day, I couldn’t resist informing everyone that Colgate University was ranked 28th best American College by Forbes.
Colgate #28 Best College in America
I’m not sure what metrics they used to for this ranking system, but it is interesting to note that the small liberal arts schools generally out performed (err…out ranked) the large universities.
Horray for a well-rounded education.
What did I just sign up for?
Wow, what did I just get myself into?
There are times wheni have these grand plans and/or ideas (in the voice of Gru: "light bulb"). In recent history there was the idea to run both the Pike's Peak Ascent and the North Face Endurance Challenge Half Marathon without training. (Those of you "in the know" may remember me telling the story of getting a charlie horse in my left calf 1/4 of a mile to the finish line. Then hyperventilating while crossing the finish line. And pulling yet another muscle spasm while in the first aid tent getting stretched out.) Or, there was this great idea to run the Long Beach marathon this October (although there may be a happy ending to this story...I'll let you know in two months).
Well, my grand idea for 2011 (i know, a little early for new year resolutions) is to complete a half Ironman. Last night, I took the plunge. I signed up for the Rohto Ironman 70.3 Hawaii. For those you who are not aware, a half ironman is a 70.3 mile long triathlon. It consists of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run. WOW, I'm tired just typing those distances...I may need a GU to complete this blog. I'm attaching an image of the course map.
It's no joke.
Although this is a HUGE goal, I'm very excited and anxious to train for this event.I mean, is there a better way to ensure that I will be in beach shape for Hawaii? ;)
There are times wheni have these grand plans and/or ideas (in the voice of Gru: "light bulb"). In recent history there was the idea to run both the Pike's Peak Ascent and the North Face Endurance Challenge Half Marathon without training. (Those of you "in the know" may remember me telling the story of getting a charlie horse in my left calf 1/4 of a mile to the finish line. Then hyperventilating while crossing the finish line. And pulling yet another muscle spasm while in the first aid tent getting stretched out.) Or, there was this great idea to run the Long Beach marathon this October (although there may be a happy ending to this story...I'll let you know in two months).
Well, my grand idea for 2011 (i know, a little early for new year resolutions) is to complete a half Ironman. Last night, I took the plunge. I signed up for the Rohto Ironman 70.3 Hawaii. For those you who are not aware, a half ironman is a 70.3 mile long triathlon. It consists of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 mile run. WOW, I'm tired just typing those distances...I may need a GU to complete this blog. I'm attaching an image of the course map.
It's no joke.
Although this is a HUGE goal, I'm very excited and anxious to train for this event.I mean, is there a better way to ensure that I will be in beach shape for Hawaii? ;)
Tattoo Pics (Rounds 2 and 3): Imported Blog from Tumblr
After two more tattoo sessions--five+ hours, an undisclosed amount of cash, a LOT of pain, and even more itchiness--my tattoo was completed in July.
The first shading session (second session overall) was done on July 3rd. The shading process is interesting because it is generally less painful than outlining. If you compare each pass with the needle (say one stroke outlining versus the shading of one area), outlining is more painful than shading. I think this is because the needle does not go as deeply into your skin when shading. However when comparing the total pain felt per sitting, the shading does ends up being HELLA-painful because the artist keeps going over the same area--the same traumatized and eventually inflamed area.
We shaded in the body of the phoenix on the first day. (Ha! I wrote "we" like I did something other than lay there and be very still.) It took a little more than two hours to complete. I tried to take a picture during a break (like I did for the outlining session), but was unsuccessful because I was bleeding, A LOT. The first three photos were taken on July 4th. Just to be clear, the Phoenix is not actually red. The entire tattoo will eventually be grey-scale. The red is the color of pain. It's red from bruising and the shading process. (That should give you a data point for the amount of pain I endured.)
The healing process after getting shading done is a lot different compared to outlining. Mainly because it itches SO much more (maybe because of the larger surface area that is healing?) AND I can't scratch the itch or else it will ruin the tattoo. I would rather have the pain than the itching.
(As a tangent, this just reminded me of the "would you rather game" that was popular in college...how else were we suppose to pass the time on long road trips to away games? Reading? No. Studying? Not a chance. Instead, we played would you rather. So, for old times sake: "would you rather be in constant pain or have a constant itch that you cannot scratch?")
OK. Back to your regular scheduled programming: while getting tattooed there was a loud explosion outside the shop. It was so loud, I could feel the shock and it set off car alarms. I think someone set off a M-80 firecracker. My immediate thoughts after hearing (and feeling) the sound were car bombing and gun shots. I think my thought process has changed after working at SNL for about 2 years and living so closely to Oakland. Perhaps, it wasn't the best idea to get tattooed the day before the fourth of July. It's a good thing Luke wasn't tattooing me at the instant of the explosion. Or else I would, likely, have a misplaced line down my calf.
I went back to seventh sons tattoo for my final session this past Saturday (July 31). The Phoenix's tail feather's were shaded in. Luke did an amazing job! Judge for yourself: the last three photos posted were taken on Sunday. He added in patterns/textures into the feathers. All of the dots in the tail feathers hurt a lot. It was worth the pain because it looks amazing. I'll post more photos when it heals. Hopefully it will heal fast because this itchiness is almost intolerable.
It's been a long process but the tattoo is finally finished. I couldn't be happier with the final piece. It truly is a work of art. What do you guys think?
The first shading session (second session overall) was done on July 3rd. The shading process is interesting because it is generally less painful than outlining. If you compare each pass with the needle (say one stroke outlining versus the shading of one area), outlining is more painful than shading. I think this is because the needle does not go as deeply into your skin when shading. However when comparing the total pain felt per sitting, the shading does ends up being HELLA-painful because the artist keeps going over the same area--the same traumatized and eventually inflamed area.
We shaded in the body of the phoenix on the first day. (Ha! I wrote "we" like I did something other than lay there and be very still.) It took a little more than two hours to complete. I tried to take a picture during a break (like I did for the outlining session), but was unsuccessful because I was bleeding, A LOT. The first three photos were taken on July 4th. Just to be clear, the Phoenix is not actually red. The entire tattoo will eventually be grey-scale. The red is the color of pain. It's red from bruising and the shading process. (That should give you a data point for the amount of pain I endured.)
The healing process after getting shading done is a lot different compared to outlining. Mainly because it itches SO much more (maybe because of the larger surface area that is healing?) AND I can't scratch the itch or else it will ruin the tattoo. I would rather have the pain than the itching.
(As a tangent, this just reminded me of the "would you rather game" that was popular in college...how else were we suppose to pass the time on long road trips to away games? Reading? No. Studying? Not a chance. Instead, we played would you rather. So, for old times sake: "would you rather be in constant pain or have a constant itch that you cannot scratch?")
OK. Back to your regular scheduled programming: while getting tattooed there was a loud explosion outside the shop. It was so loud, I could feel the shock and it set off car alarms. I think someone set off a M-80 firecracker. My immediate thoughts after hearing (and feeling) the sound were car bombing and gun shots. I think my thought process has changed after working at SNL for about 2 years and living so closely to Oakland. Perhaps, it wasn't the best idea to get tattooed the day before the fourth of July. It's a good thing Luke wasn't tattooing me at the instant of the explosion. Or else I would, likely, have a misplaced line down my calf.
I went back to seventh sons tattoo for my final session this past Saturday (July 31). The Phoenix's tail feather's were shaded in. Luke did an amazing job! Judge for yourself: the last three photos posted were taken on Sunday. He added in patterns/textures into the feathers. All of the dots in the tail feathers hurt a lot. It was worth the pain because it looks amazing. I'll post more photos when it heals. Hopefully it will heal fast because this itchiness is almost intolerable.
It's been a long process but the tattoo is finally finished. I couldn't be happier with the final piece. It truly is a work of art. What do you guys think?
Tattoo Pics (Round 1): Imported Posting from Tumblr
I had a tattoo of a small rose on my right ankle. I got it while I was in high school. Although I do not hate it, nor do I regret getting it, I was also not in love with it either. I thought about getting the tattoo redone or covered up periodically over the last few years. I never went through with it (prior to this year) because I didn’t find the right artist, or the time, or the money to get it (re)done properly.
I have always liked Chinese dragons and phoenixes. I think they are beautiful and I like what the images represent. Well, as you can see by the photos, I decided to get my little rose covered up with a phoenix. It took a bit of research to find the right artist. I found a group of artists at “Seventh Sons Tattoo” in SOMA (it’s on Howard St. between 6th and 7th).
I had my first consultation with Gordon Combs. His portfolio is amazing. Check it out for yourself: http://www.seventhsontattoo.com/gordon_combs.php. You can hardly tell that the canvas is in fact skin in some of his pieces because they look like paintings. I emailed Gordon an image of a Phoenix that I liked so that he can use it as a starting point for his drawing. After meeting Gordon, he informed me that in order to do a good cover up the tattoo will end up being “a large piece”. Of course being a little shocked I replied, “how large is large?” Gordon then motioned to my leg and traced out my entire calf. Needless to say, I was very reluctant to get a piece that large.
Gordon then referred me to another artist, Luke Stewert, who does a lot of Asian inspired tattoos. Luke is an equally talented and amazing artist. (Check out his portfolio here: http://www.seventhsontattoo.com/luke_stewart.php). He’s also a real street fighter. He competes in MMA or UFC style fighting. Badass! Gordon thought that because Luke has more experience in this style of art, that he would know how to best cover it up in the amount of space i was willing to tattoo (notionally mid-calf at the time).
It was settled. Luke was going to do my tattoo and my first session was on Cinco de Mayo. I emailed him the same Phoenix image that I sent Gordon. I told him that although I really liked the image, I wanted the tail feathers to be “fuller” and to extend down onto the top of my foot. I also expressed to him that I wanted him to put his touch into the design as well. He is, after all, the artist and professional here.
Fast forward to May 5, 2010. I worked a half day so that I could get the tattoo started (Luke was booked through the end of May with the exception of this day). When I walked into the shop, Luke showed me his sketch. It was amazing! I loved everything about it. However, the design was large. It was the size of my entire calf. I asked Luke if he can make the design a little smaller, and he informed me that if we made the design smaller we would lose a lot of detail. It would also look funny because we would only be using half of the space. The body is segmented, so it’s natural to use the whole space.
As a “dry run”, Luke transferred his drawing onto my right calf. I’m not really sure how this process works, but it involved a special printer (he xeroxed his sketch with this printer) and some kind of solvent to transfer the ink from the paper to my skin. After he transferred his drawing, he then drew free hand the tail feathers onto my foot and calf using a Sharpie. He told me to walk over to the mirror and check it out. While the design was large, it was also pretty incredible. I was sold and wanted it done.
We got set up to do all of the outlining during this first sitting. It lasted a little over 3 hours. Most of which was painful. If you never got a tattoo before it feels like a bee sting…only dragged across your skin. Over and over again. It’s a good thing I have a high pain tolerance.
I took the second picture half way through this first sitting. The front of the calf and the top of the foot were the worst in terms of pain. I had to put on my ipod, focus on my breathing (isn’t that what they tell mothers in labor?), and zone out. My assessment is tattooing anywhere with bone right beneath the skin hurts like a bitch. The back of my calf (i.e., the meaty side) wasn’t too bad. I was able to text and gchat while he tattooed that section. The final two photos that I posted were taken a few days after my tattoo session.
I thought I was going to be able to write about the entire process in this post, but I’m losing stamina. I’m not used to writing this much.
To be continued….
On deck: Pictures from the second and third tattoo sessions.
I have always liked Chinese dragons and phoenixes. I think they are beautiful and I like what the images represent. Well, as you can see by the photos, I decided to get my little rose covered up with a phoenix. It took a bit of research to find the right artist. I found a group of artists at “Seventh Sons Tattoo” in SOMA (it’s on Howard St. between 6th and 7th).
I had my first consultation with Gordon Combs. His portfolio is amazing. Check it out for yourself: http://www.seventhsontattoo.com/gordon_combs.php. You can hardly tell that the canvas is in fact skin in some of his pieces because they look like paintings. I emailed Gordon an image of a Phoenix that I liked so that he can use it as a starting point for his drawing. After meeting Gordon, he informed me that in order to do a good cover up the tattoo will end up being “a large piece”. Of course being a little shocked I replied, “how large is large?” Gordon then motioned to my leg and traced out my entire calf. Needless to say, I was very reluctant to get a piece that large.
Gordon then referred me to another artist, Luke Stewert, who does a lot of Asian inspired tattoos. Luke is an equally talented and amazing artist. (Check out his portfolio here: http://www.seventhsontattoo.com/luke_stewart.php). He’s also a real street fighter. He competes in MMA or UFC style fighting. Badass! Gordon thought that because Luke has more experience in this style of art, that he would know how to best cover it up in the amount of space i was willing to tattoo (notionally mid-calf at the time).
It was settled. Luke was going to do my tattoo and my first session was on Cinco de Mayo. I emailed him the same Phoenix image that I sent Gordon. I told him that although I really liked the image, I wanted the tail feathers to be “fuller” and to extend down onto the top of my foot. I also expressed to him that I wanted him to put his touch into the design as well. He is, after all, the artist and professional here.
Fast forward to May 5, 2010. I worked a half day so that I could get the tattoo started (Luke was booked through the end of May with the exception of this day). When I walked into the shop, Luke showed me his sketch. It was amazing! I loved everything about it. However, the design was large. It was the size of my entire calf. I asked Luke if he can make the design a little smaller, and he informed me that if we made the design smaller we would lose a lot of detail. It would also look funny because we would only be using half of the space. The body is segmented, so it’s natural to use the whole space.
As a “dry run”, Luke transferred his drawing onto my right calf. I’m not really sure how this process works, but it involved a special printer (he xeroxed his sketch with this printer) and some kind of solvent to transfer the ink from the paper to my skin. After he transferred his drawing, he then drew free hand the tail feathers onto my foot and calf using a Sharpie. He told me to walk over to the mirror and check it out. While the design was large, it was also pretty incredible. I was sold and wanted it done.
We got set up to do all of the outlining during this first sitting. It lasted a little over 3 hours. Most of which was painful. If you never got a tattoo before it feels like a bee sting…only dragged across your skin. Over and over again. It’s a good thing I have a high pain tolerance.
I took the second picture half way through this first sitting. The front of the calf and the top of the foot were the worst in terms of pain. I had to put on my ipod, focus on my breathing (isn’t that what they tell mothers in labor?), and zone out. My assessment is tattooing anywhere with bone right beneath the skin hurts like a bitch. The back of my calf (i.e., the meaty side) wasn’t too bad. I was able to text and gchat while he tattooed that section. The final two photos that I posted were taken a few days after my tattoo session.
I thought I was going to be able to write about the entire process in this post, but I’m losing stamina. I’m not used to writing this much.
To be continued….
On deck: Pictures from the second and third tattoo sessions.
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