*sigh*

After delayed performance review results and a mediocre (at best) raise they're delaying the payout day for the retroactive salary adjustments until May 11. I'm kind of expecting them to delay it further - HR/Payroll here is certainly not known for meeting deadlines - self-imposed or otherwise. Actually, I think that might apply to all other facets of this company as well ;)

The SEC/Options backdating probe and the subsequent trading black-out period (also extended. . . multiple times) is still going on so we're not permitted do anything with ESPP, Stock options or RSU's (not that my options are worth anything with our stock price vacillating in the vicinity of $16 - my strike price is very nearly twice that). So, I won't be collecting any additional income from any of those . . .

Speaking of the backdating probe, there was a segment on the news about the SEC Investigations that have been plaguing tech companies which showed Erik Lie, the guy who blew the whistle on the pervasiveness of options backdating. If I ever see that ass-clown on the street, he's getting a swift kick in the balls. I realize that this is completely unfair to him, since he was lifting the veil on a lot of corporate shadiness. In this case, though, I think the old adage, "Ignorance is bliss" applies . . . unless you're Erik Lie.

60% Weird

According to Blogthings' "How Normal Are You?" test I'm only 40% normal . . . I guess I'm not all that surprised :)

To my 2-3 (semi-)loyal readers, how normal are you?

You Are 40% Normal

While some of your behavior is quite normal... Other things you do are downright strange You've got a little of your freak going on But you mostly keep your weirdness to yourself

How Normal Are You?

Great Mall Excursion

We really don't have any sort of dress code at work. I regularly see engineers walking around in flipflops and t-shirts, I've seen female engineers in knee-high stripper boots and Catholic schoolgirl skirts (that one always throws me off), but mostly it's asian guys with their slacks pulled up a bit too high and an unironed button down shirt. I, personally, find myself in jeans more often than not and, as a result, my jeans are pretty well weathered . . .

Recently, I found a couple of small holes developing - you know when the weave of the fabric is gone in one direction, so you have just a bunch of parallel strands of a lighter color in a spot? That's what's going on. There's one starting about where my phone sits in my front pocket, there's one on the other side where my money-clip protrudes a bit, but the one that made me decide it was time for a trip to the mall was the one in my crotch.

Now, the fact that the biggest of the three holes is developing there kind of baffles me. In the case of the holes by my pockets, those are completely understandable - each marks a stress-point that also lends itself to being rubbed accidentally on other stuff. The one in my crotch, however . . . is in my crotch. If there's any region of me that I make a conscious effort to keep from pointy objects, high pressure or blunt force impact, it's my crotch. Regarding stuff inside my pants causing a concentration of stress . . . I'm asian. 'nuff said. Plus, I spend a majority of my time surrounded by asian male engineers, so chances of being aroused at work are extremely, extremely low.

After ~3.5hrs I ended up with two pairs of jeans, a sweater and a new work shirt. I was super picky about jeans this time around - last time I ended up w/ a pair that looked decent, but the waist was a bit big (I can pull them off w/o unbuttoning anything) and they faded to this a blue that is oddly bright. This time, however, I think I did ok. One pair of Levi's 527 Low Boot Cut and a pair of Old Navy regular fits. Both are a decent length (not too long, not too short) and seem rather flattering around my child-bearing hips.

All in all, a productive and relatively painless trip to the mall, despite the crowd . . . and the fact that it was the Great Mall.

Chopz of STEEL

I used to saxophone pretty much every day back in high school. On top of daily concert band at school, I had lessons on Mondays, Jazz band and Wash U Wind Ensemble rehearsals on Tuesdays, A second Wash U rehearsal on Thursdays and concerts/performances, solo/ensemble festivals, auditions and spot gigs with other groups spread out through the year. College was definitely less intense from a saxophoning standpoint, but I still crammed in a lot of playing over my 4 yrs.

Following graduation, after work consumed my life (and my will to live . . . ;) I've hardly played at all . . . until today.

Today marks the rebirth of a happier, more fulfilled, more saxophonic Joe. A couple days back I contacted the director of the Foothill College Symphonic Winds too see if I could join their band and it looks like I'll be rehearsing with them starting this coming Wednesday. I can honestly say that I haven't been as excited about anything for quite a while. It's going to be awesome. On top of getting to play again, I'll be leaving work every Wednesday earlier than usual to make the 7:30 rehearsals in Palo Alto.

In preparation for my return to the musical world I spent about an hour practicing after I got home from work tonight. It was kind of sad. My action's all uneven and my tone quality on sustained notes is pretty shitty, but I'm too busy being stoked about playing again to worry about it. My plan is to spend an hour practicing every day after work - spending a lot of time with long, quiet, low notes to fast-track the rebuilding my Chopz of STEEL, a bit of time working on technical facility and overall evenness of action with old etudes, and then some sight reading - both on saxophone and Guitar Hero (that shit works . . . for reals . . . no, seriously).


It's going to be awesome.