Pictures of my view

I wanted to share the wonderful view I have from my desk. I look at this every day behind my monitor.

To the right (West) is the Olympic Mountain range off in the distance past the Puget Sound. Straight ahead (South West) I can just sit back and look out over Elliot bay to West Seattle and Alki Beach. Finally to the left (South by South West), you can see these building. A friend of mine I met on the train lived in the short colorful orange and tan building at the left, just below the center of the picture. I had to do a little work to combine 3 different pictures into this panoramic shot of my view, but I'm very happy I put a little effort into this.

Barcode to this webpage.

This barcode is a common sight in Asia.


It is a bar code that (in Asia) a camera-phone would be used to store this web site's URL and my cell phone number.

It could be that one day you will see these around in the US and Europe when our technology catches up with East Asia (specifically Japan.)

The three very clear squares (in the upper corners and bottom left) are used to identify the top and left side. The information in the middle is used to represent a 2D barcode.

Crazy stuff!


Later,
SteveO

New job, and I have a view!

It's my first day here at Oberon Media, and I have a wonderful view of the Olympic Mountains from my desk. We are up on the 10th floor, and there are only a couple buildings that block my view of the water. One of them is only a block away, but I can almost see the entire mountain range off to the right, and I have clear view across Elliot bay to the South West.

My building is very easy to recognize on the skyline. It's the big black one with the slanted roof. 2101 4th ave. which makes me only 5 blocks away from the water.

It also seems that I save time by taking the bus to work, and a nice lady who lives in my apartment complex walks the same way to work as I do. So it's nice to have a short walk to the bus, a one hour ride, then a 3 block walk on level ground to the office building. I can tell I'll be begging for a rain coat when the rain really starts, but at least there are a bunch of places to eat near by (along with a pretty good sushi place.

Anyway... my lunch is about over.

Later,
SteveO

New Job!

Today I had another interview, and I got the job!

I now work at Bridge NW as a contract employee at Oberon Media. A publisher for casual games. It is kinda nice, more responsibility and higher pay. This makes 4 interviews, and 4 jobs in the past 6 months. I really think I found the field for me. It is sort of sad to be saying goodbye to Microsoft, but I really think it will be good to work for a smaller company that has a high rate of hiring contract employees.

So, wish me luck in the next month, and maybe by the time I get back from Christmas, I'll have a permanent job!

Anyway... I still don't know for sure what days I'll be home for Christmas, but I think it will only be a short stay. It looks like I have the next week off, but that could change Monday after I fill out all the paperwork. For Thanksgiving, I plan on visiting James and his family out on the peninsula for dinner. It will be the second time I do that, and It's always good to see his family (they remind me of my own, and make me feel just like I am another one of their kids!)

Other than that. I guess I'll be trying to figure out what my plan for Christmas is while I still have time. That's all for now.

Later,
SteveO

This morning at work....

IT's 10AM on a Saturday in Redmond Washington, at Microsoft's Bear Creek building. On the 1st floor toward the back of the building, near the fire escape is a hallway. Along one wall, six computer stations, on the other side, 2 large computer stations with 5 computers each, and one large with one computer...

11AM, two more people show up to help... that makes 4/7 people.

I can't help but notice the large number of TVs around here... all Samsung HDTVs. It is kinda neat.

We are getting down to the wire, tomorrow at Noon is the last day we have to get all of this content into the database. There is a lot of work to do, and we are just about running at half force. I hope we get it done before it gets too late.

Anyway, back to work.

P.S. they gave me free food. the best pastries I've ever had, and pizza... and free coffee... and free juice... and all was good.

Later,
SteveO

The Corporation

This is actually the show "The View From Here" where they feature the documentary "The Corporation".

The recent videos in my blog...

so, I've been adding a lot of videos to my blog... I thought it would be a neat way to just share some of the stuff I really liked online. I have found a lot lately that caught my eye... actually a few of the videos I have already seen on DVD... like today's videos...

I think I like watching videos on the Internet much more than watching tv on cable...

anyway... other than that... I've been working about 45 to 50 hours lately.. taking one day a week off. I'm looking for a new job because it looks like after this position MS won't be hiring until after the holidays... GRRRR stupid Volt... sometimes I feel like they just take my money... and insurance would be cheaper if I just payed it myself and got the extra $8 an hour... because now I have to pay about $100 a month for insurance... hmm.

anyway... that's my thoughts at the moment.

Later,
SteveO

Orwell Rolls In His Grave

Great food for thought if you liked 1984...

Who Killed the Electric Car?

Also Available from many video rental places:

Dog with two legs

Improving our schools...

'Students First In Line' Program To Offer Job Training At Needy Schools

Spying On Paranoid Schizophrenics

The perfect Solution...

In The Know: Is The Government Spying On Paranoid Schizophrenics Enough?
Ok... I think I love the Onion...

Ninja Parade

This just fresh off the onion website... check it out:


Ninja Parade Slips Through Town Unnoticed Once Again

It was pretty cool

Blame Halo 3

This video is awesome!


http://view.break.com/390565 - Watch more free videos

It reminds me of my old job... just sittin around playing all day long... 'cept I got paid to do it...