Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Just about done
So, we launched at the beginning of this week and it's been surprisingly smooth since then. Some issues have come up, but nothing major and nothing that has anything to do with me. I think I'll actually get a couple of days free before I need to head back home.
Since launch I've gotten three consecutive nights of 6+ hours sleep, and it's been fantastic. I feel like a totally new person - I was so stressed that I was about to bite everyone's head off, and I was letting the pressure of the project get to me. My work actually started to suffer - I made a few rookie mistakes because I just wasn't thinking clearly. But, we pulled it off in the end and everyone's happy - the customer, my boss, his boss, his boss, etc. Overall it was a definitely success.
I definitely have some wrap-up to do, but I'm hoping to focus today solely on the stuff that has to get done while I'm here. If possible, I'll also write up some "buttons" in case of emergencies (like breaking news events) so that I rather than talking folks through the process of changing settings, I can talk them through pushing the button. And, if I get that done, then I can just chill here in Delhi and enjoy myself on Thursday and Friday! W00t!
Oddly enough, I have no desire to see the Taj Mahal. I do, however, want to get a feeling for some local culture other than this office building (although it has been interesting to work in an industrial area, where there is not another blond head ANYWHERE). So, assuming I actually get done today, I will check out Delhi for the next couple of days - or, I might just check out the pool and the television tomorrow and check out Delhi Friday with a coworker. At any rate, it feels good to be done!
And, of course, starting Saturday I have to focus on all the personal life that fell by the wayside for the last few months...
Since launch I've gotten three consecutive nights of 6+ hours sleep, and it's been fantastic. I feel like a totally new person - I was so stressed that I was about to bite everyone's head off, and I was letting the pressure of the project get to me. My work actually started to suffer - I made a few rookie mistakes because I just wasn't thinking clearly. But, we pulled it off in the end and everyone's happy - the customer, my boss, his boss, his boss, etc. Overall it was a definitely success.
I definitely have some wrap-up to do, but I'm hoping to focus today solely on the stuff that has to get done while I'm here. If possible, I'll also write up some "buttons" in case of emergencies (like breaking news events) so that I rather than talking folks through the process of changing settings, I can talk them through pushing the button. And, if I get that done, then I can just chill here in Delhi and enjoy myself on Thursday and Friday! W00t!
Oddly enough, I have no desire to see the Taj Mahal. I do, however, want to get a feeling for some local culture other than this office building (although it has been interesting to work in an industrial area, where there is not another blond head ANYWHERE). So, assuming I actually get done today, I will check out Delhi for the next couple of days - or, I might just check out the pool and the television tomorrow and check out Delhi Friday with a coworker. At any rate, it feels good to be done!
And, of course, starting Saturday I have to focus on all the personal life that fell by the wayside for the last few months...
Sunday, April 05, 2009
so f'in foreign!
Wow, things are different here. Little things I hadn't seen in quite some time, like extremely persistent beggars, most of them old women and small children, some of whom are trying the old trick of "you distract him, I'll pick his pocket". Thankfully I'm wearing relatively tight jeans and not carrying much with me, anyway.
Just ordered room service from the hotel, ordered a drink called "Jal Jeera" billed as a "refreshing summer drink". It tasted like spiced saltwater, but I figured "hey, I should see this through - maybe I'll acquire the taste by the time I get to the bottom of it." Needless to say, that didn't happen, and as I finished it I found myself wondering where the water to make it came from. I guess we'll find out tomrorow.
Lots of other interesting things so far; lots of programming, particularly soaps, seems to be in a strange Hindi-English pidgin. Of course there are no subtitles for either language, which makes me wonder; does everyone who watches TV speak both languages?
Tomorrow I start in the office - even though the travel time has sucked, it's actually been pretty good to not be working for a couple of days....
Just ordered room service from the hotel, ordered a drink called "Jal Jeera" billed as a "refreshing summer drink". It tasted like spiced saltwater, but I figured "hey, I should see this through - maybe I'll acquire the taste by the time I get to the bottom of it." Needless to say, that didn't happen, and as I finished it I found myself wondering where the water to make it came from. I guess we'll find out tomrorow.
Lots of other interesting things so far; lots of programming, particularly soaps, seems to be in a strange Hindi-English pidgin. Of course there are no subtitles for either language, which makes me wonder; does everyone who watches TV speak both languages?
Tomorrow I start in the office - even though the travel time has sucked, it's actually been pretty good to not be working for a couple of days....