Categories
Adventure

First Week Working at Stockton

After nearly 13 years of working at Atlantic Cape Community College, I started a new job at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey this past week. The commute is only a different by a mile, so no major changes there. Though I do have to admit that I found myself driving to the old job on 2 of my first for mornings. Luckily it didn’t cause me to be late.

First week went pretty well. I wasn’t nervous at all, didn’t have any issues sleeping, etc. Didn’t feel like that big of a deal so far. I think not taking time off between jobs kinda kept me from noticing much of a change. That and I am pretty confident in what I do at this point, so there’s really no doubt that I can’t do a great job.

Thus far things have been a bit boring as I’m mostly meeting people and had to sit through a very long HR orientation. The HR folks were extremely polite and helpful, but HR orientation just isn’t very exciting for me no matter how great a show is given. I’m just a bit anxious to tackle some serious web problems!

The guys I’m working with seem pretty cool. Definitely a bit unique as I would expect from someone with a web skill set, but very capable of getting some serious work done. I do look forward to doing some good and really improving the web presence in numerous ways.

I’ve eaten lunch at the Student Center everyday. Many of the vendors there seem to be closed for the summer, but with the flex schedule’s half hour break I really don’t have much time to adventure too far. So far lunch options have been good and I’ve been sure to bring an apple or something like that to hold me over throughout the day.

Access to my accounts, email, a computer, etc. all took several days, which was frustrating. It’s really hard to work a modern job without access to such. However, it turned out that this is the norm with new hires. So I just waited it out, and Dave did do a great job of helping to speed up the process. That was very much appreciated!

So far, so good. I’m really looking forward to settling in and getting some serious work done!

Categories
Adventure Development

Resigned from Atlantic Cape Community College

While I was happily employed at Atlantic Cape Community College for nearly 13 years, I had officially resigned and worked my last day on May 16, 2014. Not aggressively seeking employment elsewhere a pretty exciting opportunity opened at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, and after interviewing they offered and I accepted.

Working at Atlantic Cape was a great experience, I’ve grown and learned so much during my time there. More importantly I’ve met and worked with some amazing people. Easily the thing I will miss most will be no longer seeing some of those great friends on a daily basis any longer.

My co-workers gave me a fantastic send off. A pizza party, treats and some very generous gifts! Tonya baked an amazingly creative Lego cake (they know me so well), and NGM made a severed head in a jar (umm, maybe doesn’t know me quite that well). The head in a jar was very morbid and disturbing, but I do have it admit it was creative and flawlessly executed.

It was sad saying good-bye and thanks to everyone. Some folks got a bit emotional at times, and while I felt a bit guilty for leaving them they completely agreed that it was a wise move for me. They were so understanding and happy for me, even though they expect to miss me a great deal.

I’m very excited to get started at Stockton this week! Everyone I met and the tour of where I’ll be was very exciting. I can’t wait to get in there and help make them an even better place!

Categories
Books

Animal Farm

Animal FarmContinuing with reading books I saw on a top 10o list, I decided to next read Animal Farm. I’ve always heard about it and knew the general story, but figured it was time to give it a shot.

I really enjoyed it a lot. It’s pretty obvious right off the bat that it mirrors the Russian revolution. Much of it I found to be quite humorous but also a bit too true at the same time.

By far and away and perhaps that saddest I’ve ever felt while reading a book was when Boxer gets taken away. I kept hoping that somehow he’d get away in time with each word I read, and was so very sad when he didn’t. I really liked Boxer and am still a bit bummed over his loss. It was pretty rough.

This was a very good book and I can easily see why it made it to that top 100 list.

Categories
Books

The DaVinci Code

The DaVinci CodeSomeone shared a list of 100 books or so that the average person has only read no more than 6 of. While I was over the lists claim of 6 books read, I did notice quite a bit that I hadn’t read.

Near the top of the list of popular books was The DaVinci Code. I hadn’t read that nor seen the movie, so now was a fine time to give it a shot. I recall it was quite the rage a number of years ago and I did read it’s sequel, The Lost Symbol which was pretty good.

It was pretty solid stuff. While I had a basic idea of the books formula, it was still pretty interesting. I was a little surprised at whom turned out to be the Teacher and what the grail was.

I’m kinda a bit excited that I figured to solve the one riddle by holding it to a mirror. Felt like a real super-sleuth for a bit.

Categories
Books

The Good Luck of Right Now

The Good Luck or Right Now

I felt like I had to read something that was a bit more on the positive side than zombie or end of the world stuff. Just needed to mix it up a bit.

With nothing specific in mind, I perused the new arrivals section at the library. My goal was to get something happy but not be a super girly book. From the titles and covers, this was looking to be a very daunting task.

After much indecision I figured I’d try The Good Luck of Right Now. It was blueish and seemed safe.

It turned out to be a pretty good book too. Not quite as happy as I was expecting, but still happiness was found in the end for some unlikely characters.

The whole philosophy behind the title was interesting and does seem to make sense at times. The format of letters written to Richard Gere was interesting as well. Strange at first, but you catch on to it in no time.

Easily my favorite part was the mecca to Cat Parliament. I did chuckle a bit at the grandness of it all and the excitement it brought.

Different, but a good break from the recent books I’ve read.

Categories
Sports

Shorthanded Improbable Kickball Victory

I do believe our victory over Pitches be Crazy last night was the finest athletic team effort I’ve ever been a part of. We were down a guy in the field all game, only started with 2 girls and had to take the out penalty, and played a fairly strong team.
Well in one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen, I watched us all take the field in the first missing 2 fielders giving them Grand Canyon sized gaps to kick to. With some amazing fielding we walked away giving up only 2 runs and would hold it to that until the very last inning. We won I believe 15-4 (though it may of been more for us) and all the ref could do was look at me like how is this really happening.
It was really awesome and I’m so proud that everyone gave it their all and played so well. It’d of been very easy to just assume that we couldn’t win with our lack of a proper roster.
A pretty amazing game.