Ok first of – new job in the bag. (insert pat on the back here) I will be starting on Tuesday and will work in the city so I will most probably take ferry every morning. Thats should be great. 45 minutes each way but no driving and no traffic. It will give me plenty of time to read and listen to my podcasts. Hooray. I have had crazy week I think I had about 6 interviews in one week and there was a day – I think it was Tuesday when I had 4 in one day. They all went well and because I felt confident I will get at least one offer (I had actually 2 offers and scheduled second interview for a third one) I just said no to a contract I was looking at with one of them. The one I choose is a business-technology solution oriented company with offices in New Zealand, U.K., and Australia. Lot of focus is on setting up and maintaining different database systems as well as designed custom applications for their (our) customers. There are also other technology solutions they are working with customers. The company is expanding and restructuring so it seems there are going to be lot of opportunities to move ahead. Oh by the way – I have been going to so many of these interviews that I have learned to tie my tie really fast and pretty much with my eyes closed. Some of these interviews (especially the second and third ones) were just little too much I think. I had to be assets on so many levels – skills, personality, reliability, etc. These were either done on company’s intranet or they sent me to a employee profiler to fill out an hour and half scribbles and comprehensions tests. I am sorry but I think its all just a bunch of bullshit. Companies were checking all my references anyway, so these home made psychologist are creating some sort of voodoo understanding of personalities. I am sure it works just as well as voodoo itself. Never the less it was experience and I know what to expect from now on in New Zealand. I guess I did good on those tests because as I said they called me back for second and third interviews.
So I got the job on Friday and in the evening I went to Iolanthe II where 4 of us from the ocean race met and got the boat ready for sailing next day. Saturday morning at 8 we were heading out to first Gold Cup series of races this year. These are all day affairs and this one took 13 hours of sailing to complete. It would take much less of a time but because it was beautiful sunny but with hardly any wind we were progressing at rather sluggish rate. Oh well such a difficult life spending a day on water drinking beer and having fun. The next big race is on the 6th of October. You know I am really loving my life right now. I feel like I have dropped huge weight off of my shoulders and just enjoying meeting new people. I went to this Czecho – Slovakian gathering today but it was quite boring and mostly family oriented. We watched some silent Czech movie with Boleslav Polivka and then I left. I went out with one of my friends. She is cute and funny and talks quite a lot which I find entertaining and to be perfectly honest I am rather used to it. I am looking forward to my now regular Coast Guard classes on every Tuesday evening.
Oh – by the way Monika…(a friend of mine who is getting married back in SF Bay) – good luck with all that marriage stuff. I will not give you any advice (I am pretty sure you got plenty of those from your “gang” out there) since the only thing I have learned is that it takes two to make things work. Not much you can do about that. Just know I miss you all and hope you are both happy.
I know this is not funny – but you know what…it really is
and this one too…
martin!!!! CONGRATULATIONS
Huge congrats on the new job, Martin! I imagine it is an enormous relief! Don ‘t have too much fun sailing (or beer! not with the potential gybes!). Keep the photos coming of your adventures