Archive for the ‘Work’ Category

Rough Year

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

It has been rough year and I pray it is coming to a close. I am so tired and jaded.

Last summer, 2007, projects at work were at full steam and one of my grandmothers passed away, Anne Jones. It was a little bittersweet, since it was in many ways the last connection to my Dad’s family. With her passing it also brought back a lot of memories of my Dad. But I was able to bear down and get through and return to work within a couple of days from her passing.

Since then, I have been through some personal turmoil brought on by friends and family. The kind of things that just don’t go away. Those things that dig into your soul and change you even though you try to not let it.

There has been more changes at work than I can ever go into here. Some changes have been positive, but many have left me frustrated. I still believe things are resolvable and never as dire as they may feel in the moment.

I was diagnosed with an abnormality in my right lung in late winter of his year. (see previos postings under surgery) I had to have a large section of my right lung removed. The procedure required 8 weeks of rested recovery, but only just starting to feel normal.

In the Spring my wife was released from her job of 5 years do to discrimination. There is a lawsuit pending at this time. The stay has heard the charges and giving us a letter of agreement and the right to sue.

This summer has been a wash, since the average work week has been roughly 60+ hours. Beyond the crazy work schedule I lost my mom’s mother, so my last surviving grand has passed. This required another rush trip to Texas and doing my best to support my mom. Just a couple of weeks from my Grands passing Em lost an uncle unexpectedly.

The positive thing was an unplanned pregnancy and a new beautiful baby girl, Maddy. My family remains by my side through all of this and continue to support me. I am so fortunate to have them there when I return home everyday.

God please stop this roller coaster I need to ride the merry-go-ride for a bit.

sent from my iPhone

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Back at Work

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

I returned back to work last week after being gone for 8 weeks. It was a long week, especially since I was dead tired by 2pm each day. I managed to push through and make it a full week. It was a busy week attempting to get up to speed with all that has changed within Tribune Interactive over the past few weeks. I was pleased to find that my team did a great job keeping things up and running with few incidents. I am not sure they really need me anymore. Well it feels great to be back in the swing of things, now to get my blog part of my normal routine again.

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Rolling with the Punches

Thursday, April 3rd, 2008

In June, Em and I are expecting our third child, which appears to be a little girl. I believe it is fair to say that we are eager to introduce this child to our family. My kids are doubly excited to have a baby sister that they can teach how to drive their parents crazy. This is exciting times for the Jones’s and we seem to keep rolling with every punch that comes along with this great news. The punches: my surgery, healing from my surgery, we have to find a new place to live, moving in the next few weeks, and a baby on the way.

Apparently this isn’t enough to keep me busy and at my wits-ends; Em’s employer has decided to change their work relationship/arrangement. Em has been working from home 3 days a week and in the office 2 days a week. This has allowed us the ability to only have our daughter in daycare part-time which has been financially beneficial, but also great for the bonding of my family. Just 10 weeks prior to delivery date of our daughter her employer has decided to adjust her schedule to work in the office 5 days a week. I am not really a distrustful sort and will not speculate on why this happening at this time, but will say that this stinks and quite honestly poor timing. Em had communicated with her employer that she cannot change the current arrangement they have, since the day-care cost for two kids full-time and one part-time and transportation would negate the salary she currently collects. Since, then they have posted her position on Monster.

My current assumption is that Em will return to freelance design and marketing work once her employer let’s her go. But, here is my struggle. I fail to understand how a small manufacturing firm in a small town cannot be more sensitive to their employee’s needs, especially after employment of a few years. This is in stark contrast to the how respectful and considerate my employer, Tribune, has been to me. I guess through all of this I am thankful for my job and boss. Thanks Barb and Tribune.

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Self-Absorption

Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
 

 
 

Forgive me for this is moment of self-absorption.

On the 4th of March I was awarded an MVP award for my work in 2007 as a team member of Tribune Interactive. The second award was for my work on the project that actually brought me to Tribune Interactive the Gen 3/CMS project. It was really cool to be recognized for my efforts just days before my surgery.

Okay, back to normal.

  

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Hell-a-Cool

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

Pinball Game

Zell’s number 2, Randy Michaels, had pinball machines, jukeboxes, and air hockey put in to support the creative atmosphere he is promoting within Tribune Interactive. That is cool and all, but the coolest is one of the pinball machines is a South Park machine, hell-a-cool. I am not sure that it has stirred the creative juices, but I know it has started a few brag boards and heated games early in the morning and over lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Well, the cat is out of the bag!

Tuesday, August 7th, 2007

I took a permanent position with Tribune Interactive a division of Tribune as Sr. Manager of Technical Production/Central Operations.  I really enjoyed my time with the organization as a contractor and it became apparent that there was a good cultural fit for me there and plenty of challenges, which I enjoy tackling. 

It is really funny how things work out; I was preparing to start my search for a new contract when this came together.  To say that I am not nervous would be foolish talk.  I have been contracting for years and this is a permanent position with a lot of responsibility.  This opportunity has given me a little peace, as well as excitement for the next challenge in my career.

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1 down 9 to go

Saturday, June 23rd, 2007

This past week my team successfully deployed the first site, Orlando Sentinel, on Tribune Interactive’s platform.  The launch went relatively smooth, in fact much better than I hoped. There were a few bumps, but the team did an incredible job of resolving issues as they arose.  I am sure the remaining 9 sites will deploy smoothly with the team that I am fortunate enough to be managing.

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the final countdown

Wednesday, June 20th, 2007

The day has come my team is launching the first of many newspaper sites, Orlando Sentinel. It feels that all of the Tribune Company is looking to see how this launch goes, no pressure at all. We make the switch at 6pm CST this evening and if all goes well I will be home by midnight.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASisLT5XHtg[/youtube]

You have to love the pressure.

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Cubbies from Tribune Suite

Monday, June 11th, 2007

ani-chicago-cubs.gifI attended the Cubs game this evening. The game was a first in a series versus Houston Astros. It was a perfect night for a game and even better game to be viewing from a suite. Tribune honored my project team by setting us up in a Tribune Suite, which came will all the food, drinks and desserts you could devour. My goodness it was good.

It was great to see the Cubbies beat the Astos, 2 to 1 in a make up meeting. Zambrano helped solidify the game with a home run in the third. Zambrano pitched for eight innings and walked one, gave up three singles. An error led to the Astros’ only run in the eighth inning when the second baseman skipped a ball to the fist baseman.

Thanks to Tribune for treating the team.

Posted in Celebrate, Chicago, Fun, Work | No Comments »

When Pigs Fly

Friday, June 1st, 2007

Beta 3 Build was finally successful at 7pm, so much for our 4pm plans. That put me on the 8:40pm train to the burbs and puts me home at roughly 10:30pm.

I have a small conference room right next to my desk that we use for quick meetings. The walls are all whiteboards, which is highly effective and everyone should have at least a single whiteboard wall. Shortly after we launched Beta 2 a pig appeared on the board. We tried to get someone to confess on the art, but no confession ever came. Over the coming weeks the pig was mysteriously grow wings, gained a bow-tie, clouds, etc. For whatever reason no one could ever bring themselves to erase the pig and there he lives.

Angel Pig

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Beta 3

Friday, June 1st, 2007

I am able to close another chapter on the project that has been denying me time from my family.  We are moving our 3 and final development build to our Beta servers this evening.  This past months has been brutal and I am exhausted.  I wish I could say that this was the end, but in all actuality it is the beginning.  Starting Monday we start the deployment phase of the project, where we start moving current newspaper sites onto the new codebase.  A few of the sites will be Orlando Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, Chicago Tribune, News Day, AM New York, Daily Press, Baltimore Sun, Courant, and Morning Call. 

It will be a long summer, so prayers are requested.

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