Goodbye Intel

Well -

I'm no longer an Intel employee. I have worked there for 12 years of my life. I've actually worked there my entire adult life - and started working there straight out of college. Actually, I started working there before I got out of school as an Co-op at Intel, and then went back to school and then went back to Intel.

We've had our ups and downs. The last few years we've been in a slump - Intel and I. Intel has been all processes and security, lots of lay offs and very little fun. I've been wanting more flexibility and making choices because they are right and not necessarily because they follow the process.

But, Intel has booted me and all of my co-workers out. Intel has said it doesn't need a NOR memory business any more and instead of shutting us down completely - it has made it possible for us to start up our own company. I am now a part of Numonyx. However, I still sit in the same building and I'm still doing exactly the same job. I'm just now making money for a different company. Our colors are now orange instead of blue.

The color thing is sort of hard for me - my elementary school colors were royal blue, my high school colors were blue and silver, I went to KU and the colors were blue and red (GO JAYHAWKS!!!! FINAL FOUR BABY!!!!) Intel's colors are royal blue. I grew up in Kansas City with the Royal's and their color is Royal blue. The Rocklin kids soccer teams are all royal blue. So, I've always been associated with the color blue. I'm not totally sure that I can just switch my lifelong blue association to orange. Orange? Who chooses Orange? I guess we wanted to be associated with Cingular or something.

Anyway, today marks the first day of our new company. It's exciting, and a little bittersweet.

Feeling Creative

Oh man, oh man, oh man. I'm feeling SO creative this weekend. Prissy's baton coach drew out a costume that she thought would be cute on Prissy for her marching and presentation. I was pretty sure I could make it (and made a test one from my test fabric.) Yesterday, we went to JoAnns and Prissy found a fabric that she absolutely loves.

I modified the pattern and put the costume together yesterday and today while I was at Walmart, I found this really long fringe. I've seen some other costumes with fringe like this and I wasn't sure what we could use as a skirt for the costume. So, I bought it and decided to see if it would look cute. It seemed like it would be ok. So, this afternoon, I put the two straps on the costume and put some elastic on the fringe and sewed it on - I was surprisingly nervous doing this. But, it came out really really cute. It's absolutely not perfect - but, I'm really proud of it. I hope it passes!

Anyway, here is the front and the back:





I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. I freaking altered a pattern and sewed a costume from a drawn PICTURE!!!! The board president/team seamstress can do that sort of stuff in her sleep. But this is the first time that I'VE done it. I'm a ROCKSTAR!!!! ROCKSTAR I TELL YOU!!!

However, I bet you $100 the coach will hate the fabric and fringe and want me to do something else. And then I will quietly cry in my wine glass.

Customer Support

Oh Crap Man -

My dad got a new laptop. He had it sent to us so we could install his speech software and get wireless working - get all the mail and other things setup and ready for him to use. My mom was going to take it back with her when she comes out next month.

We got the laptop yesterday and the display is all hosed up. Hubby is a graphics device driver developer - so, he did several tests on the system and determined it wasn't software (because it was screwed up even before the OS starts up.) And he determined it wasn't the graphics card because when we plug in an external monitor it is absolutely beautiful - so we know that the LCD panel on the laptop is hosed. It's also a bit weird in booting and just isn't "right."

• I sent an email to customer service last night, and then got on a chat with them.
• The chat guy agreed that the LCD is hosed and gave me a phone number.
• I called the phone number today and I was connected to another technician.
• I went through the same thing as I did with the chat guy - and he wanted to send someone out to fix the LCD panel. NO - I want a computer that works. My dad paid for a computer that works and shouldn't get one that has to be fixed before it's even been used once.
• He says ok, gives me a number and then connects me with customer service again.
• I have to go through the entire thing again with the next guy and the next guy tells me that they will send a technician out to the house to fix it. Once again - I say NO, I want a computer that works and that I'd like to exchange it for one that functions. He tells me that he has to connect me to the returns and exchange desk and gives me their phone number - which happens to be the phone number that I called originally.\
• The returns person comes on and the number I was given is not valid (even though it worked for the previous guy.) So, I had to go through the entire shpeel AGAIN! She tells me they can send out a guy to fix the LCD and I say no - again. Being put on hold about 5 times during the call with this last person. Then, she comes back with a bribe and says that they will fix the LCD in 2 days, but I'll have to wait for 2 weeks to get another system (although, we got the system in 5 days from order, so I don't really understand why it will take two weeks to get another one just like it, but whatever.) My mom isn't coming for a month, so 2 weeks is fine. I stick to my guns and say I want a new system. It's brand new - it should work. Is that too much to ask for?
• She had to put me on hold for another 10 minutes to get authorization and finally got it approved.
• This evening, I finally get a response from my email I sent and they want me to take the computer apart myself (but it will void the warantee) to fix the LCD connection. I think maybe NO.

I was on the call for almost an hour - and that was after the 45 minute chat session last night.

Man, I hate customer service.. If it doesn't work - they should just take the fucker back and give me one that does work. Period. Is it really that difficult?

Physical Therapy

I've been going to Physical Therapy for a few weeks now. It's so not fun. I absolutely hate it. Today my physical terrorist therapist decided to take it up a notch. I was doing exercises called "Spazzes" and the "Monster Walk" as well as just the regular leg lifts, balance exercises, bridges, ball, bicycle and leg extentions. To end the session - they hooked me up to electrodes on my knee. HOLY FUCK PEOPLE!!!! He wasn't kidding when he said he was going to kick it up a notch.

I couldn't go to Taekwondo this evening - which is a bummer, and my knee has been seriously hurting me all day. I'm not getting any better and it's really pissing me off. I don't want to take a 3-4 month break from Taekwondo. I don't want to have surgery and I CERTAINLY don't want to be on crutches. Bleh... BLEH I SAY!!!!

I'm not so happy with my stupid knee right now... I'm not used to not having some sort of control over my OWN BODY!!! JUST HEAL DAMNIT!!!! I almost started crying in therapy today - not because it hurt (which it did), but because I know it's not working. ARGGHHHH!!!!!

Yer Face

I have a confession - I'm a I Can Has Cheezburger addict. I think Karla May turned me on to them a year or so back. The comment section is all sorts of weird, but I love the pictures and the captions. This was one today:



There is at least one a day that makes me laugh. Anyway, I thought that I would give you a peek into what brings me joy during my work day. :D

Don't Be Shy

I've had this song stuck in my head all freaking day long. I like it, but enough is enough. Reflects my mood today... Is it a continuation of my whatever post yesterday? Probably.. Little bit more melancholy mixed in today.




Don't Be Shy by Cat Stevens:
Don't be shy
just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear
or nobody will know you're there

Just lift your head,
and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy,
just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by ...

You know love
is better than a song
Love is where
all of us belong

So don't be shy
just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear
or nobody will know you're there
You're there, You're there, You're there...

Don't be shy
just let your feelings roll on by
Don't wear fear
or nobody will know you're there

Just lift your head,
and let your feelings out instead
And don't be shy,
just let your feeling roll on by
On by, on by, on by, on by,

Whatever

Totally non-descriptive blog title. But, it's completely the way I feel today. Whatever. Oh, you want to take another week of vacation - whatever. Oh, you want to make my hair really dark - sure, whatever. Oh, I can't make a decision anymore that I usually totally make - whatever...

It's actually quite freeing.

Whatever.

I will no longer be an Intel employee after this weekend... Whatever...

I'll be a part of a new company - and I'm a bit sad, but.....

Whatever....