Bookshelf:

Recently Read & Reviewed:

• L. E. Modesitt, Ghost of the White Nights

Currently Reading:

• Alastair Reynolds, Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days

Next Up:

1. John C. Wright, The Golden Age
2. Margery Allingham, Dancers in Mourning
3. Daniel Keys Moran, The Armageddon Blues
4. Joan D. Vinge, World's End
5. Margery Allingham, Flowers For The Judge

Time Off For Good Behavior

We have the week off from work, which is quite a relief since last week was extremely stressful. I think we were all ready for the respite.

I did have a conference-call meeting this morning, though, and have a small amount (hopefully only half a day) of programming to do this week. I think it should all work out, but I'd like to get it done with as soon as I can so I can enjoy the rest of the week without it hanging over me.

Speaking of work, I've been ruminating recently that sometime this month I've passed the point where I have been working at Apple longer than I worked at my previous (and only other) employer, Epic Systems. Back-of-the-envelope calculations tell me that the crossover day was actually this past Wednesday, so that's fairly cool. Even discounting the Dot-Com days, I think it's fairly rare for someone to spend over four-and-a-half years with a single company these days - especially in the tech sector - and I've now done it with two different employers. I wonder if that's a good thing, or a bad thing? (Well, one good thing is it means I get to enjoy their benefit packages to fuller extents than I would if I hopped jobs every 2 years.)

I was talking about this with some folks at work recently, and joked that Epic is doing so well lately that I'm surprised they haven't contacted me to try to hire me back.

Well, guess what was waiting for me in the mail when I got home today from lunch with Debbi and a shopping trip into San Francisco? Yeah, a letter from Epic's HR asking if I'd consider coming back.

I was amused - and flattered, too. It's nice to know I'm still remembered fondly (fondly enough that they'd be willing to pay me again). I'm not planning to go back in the foreseeable future (last week's stress aside, as I've said before I do like working for Apple!), but I did like living in Madison, and if I were to move back they're probably where I'd first turn for employment.

So if you live near Madison, WI - or are willing to move there - and are looking for a job, you might hit them up. Companies making good money, paying good salaries, and hiring, seem all too few these days.

Saturday Debbi and I were both kind of reeled by what we suspect was a mild cold we were both fighting off. Plus working through the stress of the previous week (Debbi had her own, entirely unrelated to mine). So we did some errands and then took it easy the rest of the day.

Sunday was not a lot tougher, but we did go back to Levitz, where I ordered a sofa, to be delivered on Friday. It's a comfy, purple sofa with patterned throw pillows for accents. It's also a sofabed, which was only a little more expensive and may come in handy in the future for visitors. I'm slightly worried that it will also become a cat scratching post, but have some thoughts on discouraging that. Moreover, the only couches which are truly cat-resistant have coverings which I don't really like. So, well, it's worth the gamble.

I'm looking forward to it. I've had the futon for 9 years, and have been ready to replace it for, like, 3. I've just dragged my feet for quite a while.

It's definitely chilly here. I've been using the heat for the last week, which means higher electric bills in my future. Alas. Autumn comes a little late here, as well, as many trees are only now dropping their leaves in earnest. But that also means we get the pretty colors for Thanksgiving.

I'm going to try to be more diligent about writing entries on my week off. Wish me luck!