95 posts tagged “work”
I'm trying to be proactive and organize my email. I moved from Eudora to Thunderbird sometime in March but I imported all my old mail to Thunderbird. And I created more folders than I used to have so I could sort my emails efficiently.
The only problem is that it's not really efficient. I have to figure out which folder to put the stupid mail in, and do I need to keep everything associated with said subject in the folder, even if it's just a reply "ok" or "thanks"?
I've decided to reduce the number of folders and use tags and searches instead. But how many folders should I have? One is too less - I have one folder alone with 4000 emails and it's a booger to access. Do I do two folders - financial and others? But does travel count as financial or other?
Arg... I wish I could just delete all the emails but what if I need it later?
Even though sometimes I think being able to check email on my phone would be neat (yes, we're back to that topic!), when you think about it - is it ever really necessary? Sure, it's convenient, but without being at a computer connected to the internet, can you do much with that email?
I look at people walking around, staring at their Blackberries or iPhones. What in the world could be so important that you need to read your email all the time? I bet most of those emails are pointless, just like the myriad of text messages people send to one another.
One boss just got an iPhone. The other is considering it or a Blackberry. Neither check email regularly when they're in their offices - you think getting mobile email is going to change that? Nah - it won't. Sure, maybe if they're waiting in an airport somewhere, they'll answer a few emails. But day to day? Won't make a difference. They're just not that in to email.
I still think the Peek is cool though.
Last week was such a bipolar week. Started out nice and normal, great day in the middle, and then BAM! All hell broke loose.
Hoping this week will be better, but I don't expect it to be.
My friend at work and I are going out to lunch on Monday. Well, at least we're planning on it - she's already flaked on me twice so who knows. The funny thing is that most of the time (all of the time?), I don't even want to partake in these social events, but when they get cancelled, I can't help but be irked. Why suggest doing something (such as going out to eat, or planning a bbq) and then not following through? Maybe it's because I never suggest doing anything but I never flake!
I just don't know what to do about a certain somebody anymore.
Not that I really did before, but he used to just be kind of quirky (ADD-ish). Now he's getting to be almost verbally abusive in the way he talks to some people.
It's really awkward. And the thing is, I'm not sure there is anyone who could get through to him. Even if I did speak up, in defense of others, it would not help anyone. I'd screw myself over as well as that other person.
*Sigh*
Dear Alphabet,
Your job is to stare at numbers and figure out if they are good or bad. They even make it easy for you - if it's good, it'll be in black. If it's bad, it'll be in red. It's that simple.
Your job does not require you to judge students technical, analytical and whatever else -ical abilities. You yourself have no expertise in that - what possibly makes you think you can spot it in someone else?
So just go back to your numbers and leave the real thinking to the brainiacs (note - not you).
Love always,
Me.
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I still believe what I believe - but hey, he was the one that started discussing the student. It's not like I said "hey, I think..."
If there was one piece of technology (is technology counted in pieces now?) that I wish would become mainstream, it would be instant messaging. I know - lots of kids already IM - but I wish it would become more prolific in the workplace.
It's a quick and easy way to get or give information and it's non-intrusive. I had to get a hold of my boss who's traveling (as he often does) - but how? He wasn't checking email, even though the meeting site had free wireless internet. I didn't want to call his cell - what if he was in the middle of giving a presentation?
It would have been great if I could send an IM to his two students (who were there with him). Sure, I could email them, but would they have their laptops with them? If they were on IM - I could see based on their status messages. I wasn't about to send an email and sit for the next five hours wondering if they read it or not.
The best I could do was send a text message to one of the students. I did check (with another student) that they have text messaging on their phones because I'm sure they wouldn't have appreciated paying 5 or 10 cents per message! (Which is why the IMing would have been better).
Anyway, they did get my message across to my boss and he [eventually] called me back.
It's not sureproof, though - a couple of hours later, I needed to talk to him again. Alas, the meeting was over, he had walked away and the students didn't know where he was. I tried calling his cell - got vm four times. Eventually I did leave a message (and he called me an hour later) but I know some people (like me) who don't like checking voicemail.
But seriously - get on IM! I command you!
Even though we didn't check in luggage, we still managed to overpack. A gazillion ounces of sunblock? Not needed - didn't end up putting that much on. Laptop computer and memory card reader to transfer photos? Didn't bother. Extra memory cards and batteries? Didn't take that many pictures. Actually, this was a part blessing in disguise. I usually document everything (like when I go to Disneyland - how long we stood in line, etc) but this time, I didn't. I didn't plan not to, but it was nice to enjoy the vacation instead of keeping tabs on everything.
Also brought a camcorder but didn't see anything worth filming. Some people videotaped the radio personalities doing the hulu during the welcome dinner, but I don't listen to the radio station (my mom does) so I don't really know them anyway.
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The sun sets in Hawaii earlier than it does in Los Angeles. This surprised me.
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My mom wondered how Japanese tourists (there are a lot that visit Hawaii) feel when they visit Pearl Harbor, since it was their ancestors who attacked the naval base. I asked her how she feels that her ancestors took over the island of Taiwan and pushed the aborigines/indigenous people into the mountains. She didn't quite get my point.
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Listening to tour guides speak in Chinese (both the ones from the local Hawaii travel agency and the docents at the Polynesian Cultural Center) is pretty funny. Although, I don't really know the Hawaiian names for some of the places we visited, since the guides just said the Chinese names. For example, Hanauma Bay is translated into Kong Long Wan - aka Dinosaur Bay. The land does kind of look like a dinosaur head, but you would never guess "Hanauma" was the name of the bay (also, Hanauma doesn't mean dinosaur).
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My dad is fascinated by plants/trees and by seafood (I guess that's what happens when you grow up in the southern port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan). He would be constantly pointing out this plant or that tree - to be honest, I and my sister have no interest in flora. My mom was somewhat interested, but then sometimes impatient.
At one point of the PCC tour, my dad was pointing out some breadfruit trees and part of our tour group followed him. Prompting Angela, our docent, to say "where are you all going?" She was nice, though. Later when we were riding the canoe and we passed by some breadfruit, she asked - where's that uncle (the polite form in Chinese) who likes breadfruit? Just so she could point out the trees to him :)
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After returning from Hawaii, I've been reading on Wikipedia about Hawaii and Polynesian cultures. I do kind of agree with those that say Hawaii was illegally seized by the U.S. I've read that the Hawaiian monarch was overthrown by American (and others) businessmen. Um, that's not really an "overthrow" - that's more like a foreign invasion. It's only an overthrow if the overthrowers are natives, not foreigners.
So begs the question - do I bring my laptop (and if so, which one) on my 4-day long vacation?
I've traveled once a year for the past 14-some years, on trips ranging from 5 days to a week. Since I've had a laptop (2003), I've brought my laptop with me for internet (remember dial-up?!) and later wi-fi. Not so much because I wanted to stay connected while away, but because of work.
Well, now that I'm going on a vacation for just 4 days (the first 3 is the long weekend) - do I really need to? I can just wait until I get back to take care of work. Plus, the hotel only has free wi-fi in the lobby and sometimes that can be a pain. Do I really want to have to go down to the lobby for wi-fi? The building has some 40+ floors! Plus, it's Hawaii - who goes to Hawaii to go on the internet?
Anyway, the problem is that we're bringing digital cameras and will likely take pictures of everything. So transferring the photos to the computer daily would be ideal. Do I bring the Apple (Powerbook G4) which is lightweight (about 5 lbs) and thin? Or do I bring the HP (Pavilion dv5) which is heavier and wider, but faster? On top of that, both laptops have overheating problems (the HP moreso).
Furthermore, the software for the Nikon D-SLR doesn't work with the Apple (I only have OS 10.3.3), plus we can't find the disc so I can't load it onto the HP. I guess we'll have to bring a card reader. I sure hope the Apple's 80GB hard drive is enough. Neither laptop has good battery life - about 2 hours for the Apple and slightly longer (but not by much) for the HP. The HP is also prone to dust (hordes of it) and generally looks ugly because of said dust.
If only I hadn't bought an iPod Touch in May... and if only I hadn't
bought the HP in February... I could have just stuck it out with the
Apple, and then gotten a netbook. That would have been the smart thing
to do, but who says I'm smart? I could get a netbook now - but most of
them only have 3 or 4-in-1 card readers so I'd probably still have to
buy a card reader.
There's talks of furloughs because of the budget situation and obviously, no one likes furloughs. But then we have faculty saying that they should raise taxes (until what, we're eventually paying 100% tax?!) or how faculty will flee to private universities.
I guess I am naive in thinking that professors, especially those in the more technical (scientific) fields would be less about money and more about innovating. I don't know the specifics for all professors, but many of them make six figures a year. Even with the cost of living in our region, they can still live comfortably. But no, that's not enough for them. Their children have to go to expensive private schools, they need to travel on someone else's dime, they need to get cellphones/computers/whatever bought for them.
When they are hired, they're offered bonuses - such as start-up funds, a cushy office, even a job for their spouse. They teach approximately one class a quarter - which meets for about twice a week. Most of them teach the same 3 classes every year, so they re-use the material. From what I can tell, many of them are much more concentrated on their research (funded by outside sources) than they are about teaching.
Campuses are discussing what they have had to cut back on. One campus can't fill 200 faculty positions. Two hundred?! Do they even have professors there?
These faculty members are so self-absorbed. Don't get me wrong - I think the chancellors and senior managment (especially those who have questionable ethics) should take a pay cut. Even if it doesn't impact the budget much, it's a goodwill gesture. And those protesting staff members can ponder whether it's better to have furloughs or layoffs. And stop being inefficient at their jobs. But the faculty members need to stop - they make a ton of money, they'll continue to make a ton of money, and their jobs are secure.
I half-volunteered to do some extra work at work. I say "half-volunteered" because I never come right out and say "oh, I'll do that". Some people already think I'm too helpful, so I just casually say "if you want me to help..."
There are a few reasons why I offered:
1. Some of the stuff in this paperwork mountain has been sitting out there since 2005 - it's not that difficult to clear. Time-consuming, yes (esp when you have to wait for people to fax you stuff), but not really difficult. Doesn't it bother people to have stuff just sit out there?
2. I have a superiority complex - I think I can do basically anything I set my mind to. Stuff that I "can't" do is more or less because I haven't yet tried. I know - delusions of grandeur :) But given #1, anyone could clear out the list if they would just do it. (Nike, don't sue me for using your trademark!).
3. I have some free time - or I did, when some of my people were out of the office last week. Some are back so things might get busy again, but for a while, I was just filing paperwork and waiting for something to do.
4. Given the current economic climate, wouldn't you want to do whatever you can to make yourself invaluable? I certainly think so.
5. I'm a sucker for praise - if I can make real progress on this mountain of paperwork, maybe people will tell me how amazing I am :)
I've only started working on this mountain but already there are a couple that were easily matched up to other stuff - you just had to know where to look. I guess people don't bother - they just look at the first page. I know - people are busy, they don't have time to be a detective, but I am a curious person so I'll always follow the trail.
