Some updates….

On Mom....

She’s supposed to be coming home today, but then again that was also supposed to happen yesterday. I’m encouraged that she’s well enough to go back home, but concerned she’ll let things go again if she begins having renewed symptoms.

I guess we’ll just have to play it one day at a time.

Once again, I want to thank each and everyone of you who sent your well wishes and prayers her way, it means a lot to all of us I assure you!!

On the caboose…

Well Wolleybugger never called over the weekend so I’m not sure what to think about that. However, in Sunday’s paper they did indicate that someone else had already adopted the second car. So, I’ve dropped a voice mail, and an email to each of the folks spearheading the efforts and offered my assistance in whatever way they feel I could be of help.

I guess we’ll just see how it all plays out. For the record, I’m fine with being a ‘grunt’ on the project, in fact I’ll probably have more fun in that capacity!!

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On work projects…

I’ve been working on a project for the mortgage insurance company. Mainly a tweak to the call accounting reporting system I did for them last year. I’m expecting to deliver it, after several delays, tomorrow. With any luck it will perform as expected and that one can get moved to the ‘done’ column.

The D&B merge project is heating up on the job. We’ve just placed the latest info from D&B in the testing regions and have run two preliminary passes through the data; with any luck at all we’ll be in full phase testing by the Monday after Thanksgiving.

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With everything else that’s been going on, I really haven’t had much to ‘blog’ about.

The impending decision on my contract renewal is still up in the air. I know I’m still ‘in the mix’ at the moment, but the review process is on going. It’ll be good to know, one way or the other, and sooner, rather than later!

Contracts, and especially renewals, are the toughest part of the contract programming business for me. If I know that the gig is going to end, I can simply begin looking for another, but, it’s this period of uncertainty that really tends to drive me crazy.

I’m in the 85-90% confidence category with respect to my contract being picked up, but that 10-15% ‘not knowing’ is just crazy making for me.

I think it’s this sort of thing that keeps a lot of folks who could be very successful as contractors, from entering the field. I know that I got very comfortable in my last ‘real job’, even though, in the end, that comfortable feeling was not at all warranted.

Most of us let ourselves believe, day to day, week to week, that we’ll simply continue to be ‘employed’ by our present employer. Despite hearing about business closings, layoffs, corporate downsizing, etc… we still get up everyday believing our jobs are safe and things will just continue.

I think one of the things I like about contract work is that you know when the job starts, and ends. You know when you have to start looking for a new gig, usually in plenty of time to find one. In this case, knowing they wanted to renew the contract for another year has sort of placed the entire new contract search on hold. It’s a situation I’ve not really been in before.

Time will tell if my decision to lock myself in without a signed deal was a good decision, or not. I know I made it because I’ve enjoyed this project. The company, the people as well as the work have all been great. I’d rather renew here than start another project, but, in the end, I’ll do whatever I have to do.

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and there’s so much to wrap up before Wednesday. Then again, it seems this way every year as the holidays approach.

Are you ready for the holiday? Big plans? No plans? How are you planning to enjoy Thanksgiving?