Archive for June 19-25, 2000Musings of My Mind
Sunday, June 25, 2000
Lady Hawthorne
Indeed! That's my new ride! A Lady Hawthorne by Huffy, that is! A new 26", 21-speed, champagne colored bicycle-- Beautiful, if I must say so myself!! I wasn't planning on buying a bike today (in fact, I had just told Barbara that it may happen next weekend but not this weekend). Brian and I went out to kick some tires and see what we could find. We found one that I kinda liked-- a Royce Union white/blue model that was okay but still, nothing to write home about. At the second place it was pretty much the same until they let me take the bike to this bicycle to the parking lot. It was like smooth as glass to ride and pedal. It has a real bicycle seat, too!! The only thing its lacking is a mirror (and I'll probably get one that'll fasten to my helmet) and an odometer. Maybe I can find the old fashioned kind? Nah, Brian says that they're not made that way anymore . . . bummer-- I liked that kind, too!
So I went on my bike ride this afternoon, a 7-miler is my new base. I thought it was farther than that but that's a respectable distance so I don't mind. I'm going to keep that as my baseline and build up from there as I feel like it. Some nights are going to be easier than others-- it seemed a lot easier to ride the last mile tonight than Friday night when I rode it. I think that was directly related to the new bicycle but, we'll see.
Errands Run . . .
. . . and all of the weekend's chores are done. Grocery shopping and Costco run and, well, that's all we have for errands. Must be time to go back to work. Five more days before a LONG (welcome) weekend-- thank goodness!! Then, there's only three days back to work before our next break in time.
**********
Tonight? Brian needs to write a bit since I distracted him this afternoon. That's okay, I'm in the mood for stir fry anyway and I make it better than he does! ;>)
Have a great night and Happy Monday!
Saturday, June 24, 2000Nothing-- Absolutely Nothing!!
That's the way my day has been-- or at least, that's the way it feels right now. I made pancakes for breakfast which we rarely have which is probably why I was craving them. Then, I proceeded to get my nails filled and my pedicure-- heaven!! The last time, I didn't have a pedicure because we didn't have time because of the way that I'd gotten booked into the appointment (we couldn't remember why today either). But I got one today and I really needed that massage!!
On the way home from there, I stopped at a local mall to do some shopping but, for a change, nothing screamed to come home with me. That's pretty rare indeed! I just couldn't find any sneakers which I need desperately or anything else. It was really kinda sad.
Also, by the time I thought about eating, I had developed a headache which, when I got home, seemed to get worse so I laid down for awhile. Now you see why I have done absolutely nothing!
Well, okay, I take that back-- Barbara Thompson gave me a couple of new recipes that you'll want to check out! I have always wanted a recipe for Pecan Pie and, thanks to her mother, there's one on Barbara's website!! Also the "High Demand" Pennsylvania Dutch/Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches recipe has gone up on Barbara's site so there goes her page count-- right outta here!
After I put those pages up for her this afternoon, my otherwise unproductive day, is somewhat less unproductive.
Tonight?
I've got a couple of email to write and I'm sure there's a good movie I need to see somewhere on television. Hopefully I'll find it before it ends!
Have a good one!
Friday, June 23, 2000Rolling On
My bicycle problems seem to have turned out to be a figment of my imagination. Brian went to fix it and it didn't need fixing . . . hmmm, I hate when that happens. When he was fixing it, he managed to break my mirror which now makes me feel very uncomfortable. I guess I'll have to get a new bicycle now. I didn't realize how much I used my mirror until I didn't have it anymore!! Not good!!
Anyway, after Brian broke my mirror, I went on down the road and on down the road and on down the road-- Yes, I've added another mile to my ride! I'm up to 7-1/2 miles!! When I got home, I did 80 stomach crunches, too so hopefully, things are moving in the right direction. Its a lot cooler down here these days with a good wind so it was a lot easier to do that tonight.
E-o-Q Blues
I've got three contracts out-- that's it! Then all of my current deals are finished. I won't be that bored though because I'll be helping out other people who haven't gotten the "Finish-Before-The-End-Of-The-Quarter" list from their AVPs. Inevitably, a bunch of contracts will show up in the last week-- we already know of three that are coming in but the customer hasn't reviewed the agreements yet. We have no idea when we'll get them. Next week will be busier . . . the Daynotes Gang and Netwidows are hoping that I'm busier so I stop sending all of those pesky jokes! Man, I'm bored!!
Weekend Plans?
Yeesh, what am I doing this weekend? We've gotta do a Costco run (Brian's out of his mass quantities of Coke) and I've gotta get my nails done on Saturday. Other than that, I think we're pretty wide open. I may have to go see Mission Impossible 2 before Shelley Bowman tells me all about it!!
Tonight, Brian BBQing and I'm doing the veg and side dish for dinner-- should be good stuff!
Hope you have a great evening, too!
Thursday, June 22, 2000NDAs
The NDA plan was well received by my department!! That helps a lot-- team playing and all of that, don'tcha know? Before we send the NDA Request Form and Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement to the intranet, we're going to make sure that our NDA is the most current that it can be as far as reflecting the constant software updates that happen throughout the Silicon Valley. Once that's been reviewed by general counsel, we'll post them on the internal website and see how the reaction goes. Today, there was a mixed reaction from two non-disclosures that came up: the first, was the sales didn't want to wait to get a mutual document. Their logic is that it is near the end of the quarter and they can make a sale, they need to do it NOW!! The second instance was a customer that submitted their one-way document and I requested a mutual document from them. They had no idea if they even had a mutual agreement! So I gave them our form to review-- we'll have to see how it flies . . . tomorrow.
Creative Writing 101
How to make a Senior Contract Negotiator unhappy: Let a salesman think he can re-write the software licensing form!! Last week, I submitted to the sales rep, an agreement to give to the customer. Today I got the document back from the customer-- it wasn't the same document that I'd sent out. The sales rep got creative and decided to do a little changing of the format . . . okay, I can't accuse him of it but, the changes that are in the document are not my changes-- they aren't written in my style. I do not believe that the AVP for the area is happy with the sales rep either. They are on a three-hour time difference and, at 5:30pm, he told the sales rep to call me and get it all straightened out-- to do whatever I told him to do to get the customer happy and me happy!
So, the document has been re-submitted to the customer. The sales rep was waiting until I had it finished which wasn't until 4:05pm PDT-- 7:05pm EDT. There's an email going to the customer that somehow they got the wrong document and we're trying to accommodate the requests that they made but "this is the best we can do" for it. Its a large deal but it may go south before the end of the quarter and rot while waiting for the customer to review it until July. Guess the sales rep will learn not to mess with my formats anymore-- he'll only figure it out though if his commission is delayed because the deal was put off until July.
Cycling On
To say that I've not cycled the way that I'm cycling now is a distinct understatement. I've never had a "derailing" happen-- I think that's the term Brian used-- but its happening now. Brian's going to fix it for me tomorrow night but, for tonight, I was only able to ride 5 miles. I was not happy, needless to say. By the time I turned the corner on the last 3/4 of a mile, every time I pushed the pedal it would slip-n-skip! Yikes-- not fun!!
Brian'll fix it for me tomorrow night and then I can . . . cycle on!!
Wednesday, June 21, 2000Virii?
First: I apparently was affected by a virus at work-- on my hard drive, silly!! The W97.Marker.Q showed up in a document and, when I tried to send it to someone, "root" came back and told me that I sent them a virus. Oh, boy-- just what I always wanted to give a customer!! I was not pleased, needless to say. Until yesterday, I was not aware that I did not have McAfee installed on my laptop from work-- not good! Today, they came by and ran Norton Utilities to have a look-see at whether or not I had any infected files. Sure 'nuf, I had 9!! Then, on top of it, they ran it again on the main drive that our department files documents on and, guess what? There were 3 files infected, particularly two copies of the document that I sent to the customer!!
Accordingly to MIS, it appears that all will be well now that the infected files have been repaired. I'm glad that has been saved but the thing is, how far did this go because I didn't have McAfee on my system? AND, more importantly, WHY didn't I have McAfee on my system?
Perhaps we'll never know answer to those questions . . . and so, the saga continues. BTW, did you notice that, once again, I'm having problems with my computer at END-O-QUARTER?? It always happens that way!! ARGH!!
Second: So I'm waiting on all of the Norton Utilities running to finish up a document that has to be sent to a client within the hour. Of course there's a deadline on it-- I've got less than an hour. First, as noted above, the virus happens and they have to fix it before I send it out to another customer (understandable). I get my computer back and operating as it should and, the MAIN servers GO DOWN and there's NO email access!!!!! Zip!! NADA!!!! ZILCH!!!!!!
By the time that the email servers came back up, the customer was gone for the day-- I was NOT a happy camper!! ARGH!!!
Cycling Again
Thanks for all of the advice I got about the heat and cycling-- I wasn't thinking about all of the factors involved, obviously!! I've learned my lesson: tonight I still did my 6-1/2 miles but I stopped to drink a bit of water. Only for a few seconds each time but enough so that I could take a sip or two of water. I have to move the drink holder up somehow-- but that is a project for the weekend!
I know it doesn't sound like very far-- 6-1/2 miles when people like John Doucette are riding a lot farther but, for me that's a lot! I enjoy it and, when I get home, I have built up my stomach crunches to 70-- which also doesn't sound like much but it is FOR ME!! I started out with 20 and I'm now up to 70 so I think I'm doing okay. The crunches help me to stretch my back which would be miserable without it so, it does serve a dual purpose.
Non-Disclosure
Tomorrow, at our regular weekly staff meeting, I'm going to present what I hope will end up being a new plan for handling Non-Disclosure Agreements. I know that some people don't think they're important but, when you weigh all of the factors involved in the confidentiality of software, including the know-how, technical information, etc., it can be the "family jewels" on the line if you don't watch out.
I bring this up to relay to you a humorous situation that happened this morning. A sales rep brought me a one-way non-disclosure agreement; this is the kind of document that will help the customer's information protected but not our information. I proceeded to ask the sales rep what was going to be happening and found out that a Proof of Concept (demonstration of our software) was going to be happening. Upon hearing that, I said to the salesman "Well, if we're going to be doing that, we definitely need to have a mutual non-disclosure in place with the customer." His response was (and I quote), "If its not publicly known, I don't know if that's non-confidential" Oh, yeah? I proceeded to remind him that "not publicly known" and "confidential" are generally in the same category as far as Non-Disclosure Agreements, in general, are concerned. He has stood corrected and the customer is being petitioned for a mutual document.
There is a huge education problem in this company-- I've mentioned it before-- the sales reps are cowboys who go out and lasso up the next deal, and line 'em up for brandin'. Problem is that no one thinks about the details until its too late. Hopefully, we'll be able to re-educate them so that we start getting things in place. The way that it has to be handled, however, is so that it doesn't feel to the sales reps that we're putting a stumbling block in their way but a tool to help them. That's the psychology we're going to have to work on!
The Recipe Page has been a huge success!! Thanks to all of you for stopping by and we sure hope that you're enjoying all of those great eats!! I've finally had a chance to add a new recipe: another Zucchini Casserole but this one is a Main Dish. Coincidentally, this was dinner tonight so there is also a picture of it available. Brian and I watched tapes of Monty Python's Flying Circus while we ate dinner tonight so, coincidentally as well, my post is "late" getting up by my usual standards and, although its "How To" night, I haven't had time to watch anything and I probably won't get time until about an hour from now (10PM)!! ARGH!! Where did my night go? ARGH!!
Have a good one!
Tuesday, June 20, 2000Whoops!
I think I may have over-done just a bit . . . I went 6-1/2 miles on my bike (1-1/2 over my base of 5 miles) and its 91F outside and I was wearing black and I only drank water twice and I'm just getting done with all of those pesky antibiotics (I don't know if that really affects anything but Brian thinks it does) BUT, when I finished my ride by pulling into the parking space to put my bike in the garage, I almost keeled over!! Not an exciting feeling, I must say!! I called Brian on my cell to come down to the garage, mostly to spot me so I could get off and get my pads and helmet off-- that's the first time I've had to call him and I hope its the last!!
**********
Weird night for us tonight . . . Brian doesn't feel like writing and I'm still trying to cool down . . . Laundry's done so what's left?
Monday, June 19, 2000The nice thing . . .
. . . about this daily posting is that it causes me to close-out, shut-down and call something "A Day". It is also nice cuz you get to meet new people (and you know who you are!) with different viewpoints and different expectations in the world. That's been much of the fun along the way here-- correspondence from around the globe, literally!! Where else can you get a penpal from Senegal?
Shelley Bowman mentioned that she's thinking of starting to write a daily journal. I'm trying to encourage her to join the ranks of the other Netwidows online. I think she'd have another perspective about children and life in general that would give us a new perspective and fresh viewpoints and expectations. Shelley's a very interesting and funny lady-- and I do mean that in the kindest sense!! The emails that I've received from her are humorous and insightful-- a joy to receive and I believe a website for her would be similar in content. As I told her this morning in an email, she's already a "netwidow"-- Dan has a computer! She might as well be a "NETWIDOW" so we can all commiserate together!!
9 Days
There are NINE (9) business days until our next 4-day weekend!! Man, I'm soooooo bored out of my mind, I don't know if I'll make it. I know it'll pick up soon but, WHEN????? I talked to the AVP for the area that I support today and he's very calm and cool about the four or five documents that we're expecting to get in before the end of the month. That's because he doesn't have to do the revisions and deal with the attitudes of the other "negotiators"-- I do!!! I am allowed to panic-- even though I have nothing to panic over currently-- I've got the lion's share of the work to do and it will all come in at Noon on June 29!!
New Neighbor
I keep forgetting to mention it: we have a new neighbor downstairs. He's a young man, looks to be in his early 20s and he is VERY quiet!!! He's been here for a week (See how quiet he's been? I keep forgetting to tell you he's there!) and the worst thing he's done is shut his door too hard!! I hope our luck holds out for him to stay that way-- you'd think he'd be a bit rowdier but he's not and we're glad of it!! A welcome relief after the last group that moved out!!
Myself and one of the neighbors across the way are the longest-lived-here people in our building now. When we moved in three years ago (Jan and Scott, the other couple were here about two weeks longer than me and Brian didn't move in until the following February), people that had lived in the building had lived here upwards of 20+ years!! All of those "old timers" have moved because the rents got to be too high!! The rent in California is ridiculous and buying real estate is even harder!! Oh, well, as long as the stock at my company keeps going up, we might have a chance.
**********
Well, I guess that's all for tonight-- not much happening around here that I can see. Have a good one and take care of each other-- that's really important!
Archive
