My new Yamaha C3 Scooter
-Hello 110mpg Yamaha C3 Scooter! Ever since I got my scooter it has been really fun to drive to work. I can relate to why people have motorcycles (not that my top speed of 42mph is as fast as a motorcycle but I can relate). It’s been really nice to ‘zip’ around town in a small simple transportation tool. I’ve had my scooter for 3 months and it’s sometimes hard not having a car, but I’m struggling through it. My goal is to have this ride through December.
I do use a helmet, gloves, a jacket, and of course cool shades. I had 1 mishap, which was slipping in some wet grass (my commute was doing some off road, but I’ve since found a slightly faster way). My commute to work is 3.1 miles in 6 minutes 30 seconds. I don’t take any major roads except when I go to Waterford Lakes and I’m on SR 50 for a few minutes. Other than that I’ve found back roads to get to wherever I need.
Everyone asks, “What are you gonna do when it rains?”, and I say, “I have rain gear that I’m gonna wear!” The cold weather at the beginning of the year definitely sucked, mostly because I don’t have a full helmet, it’s just a skull cap with some cool graphics on the side. 😉 I hope to show off some video of me riding it and will add it to the post later.
For now it feels good to be this economical and enivornmentally friendly. We’ll see how long it lasts….
There’s no real easy way to gain experience, and I always hated the notion that companies wanted someone ‘experienced’, but I now understand what experience really is. Since making a lateral move to another program, there was a short interview process in which we talked about my ‘experience’ and what this new task entailed. Everything ‘clicked’ during the interview, those engineering and program terms I wasn’t very familiar with long ago, were common words, phrases, and acronyms that I’ve had lots of exposure to. It felt really good to hear those words that I was extremely familiar with.
My career has lead me to an interesting place, and I can finally define what I want out of my accomplishments working for a company. It’s easy..and it’s my new ‘resume objective‘: “To apply my systems and software knowledge and experience, to work on a product that is powerful, reliable, robust, and intuitive, while helping people and profiting for a company.” You like? Having worked with defense companies for 7 years now with 3 different companies, I’m starting to understand what these companies are looking for, and I believe my resume sums it up well.
I really enjoy putting experiences into words and now this post and my resume describe that. I always had a software engineering title and knew that was wrong, but was afraid to put systems engineer on my resume. Now, I know it’s right and everything I’ve been doing falls under systems engineering, but more specifically integration and test. I’ve really enjoyed the work I do, because it’s so dynamic. The biggest benefit is training people, and customer support related tasks. It’s such a multi-functional role, and being relied on for so many different things feels good.
Keeping my resume up to date lately has been great, aside from being easy. However it’s been more important to finally keep my resume and experiences written down and up to date.
In all, I still hate when a company wants someone ‘experienced’ and I understand why, but I would hope they give those with powerful degrees and a great attitude an opportunity, because in the end you always have to get spun up, adjust to the environment, do in-formal training and learn the system. It just takes people with experience less time and people without a little more. Also going from job to job is less frightening. Hang in there, buy your time, but don’t limit yourself to just one thing or one job, anything you do can be considered experience…
10. As an American it’s expensive here. For example, a BLT Sandwich averages around $10-$13. Tipping is not expected, and servers make between $18-$25 an hour.
9. Driving on the opposite side of the road doesn’t take long to get used to about a week. It takes 2 weeks to get used to the area and drive on the opposite side of the road. Everyone drives slow and relaxed just like…
8. ….No Worries, really means something to Australians. They care about spending lots of time with their friends and families.
7. People are extremely friendly, but they’re usually thrown off by American accents, so add a little twang to your vernacular.
6. Internet here is expensive and slow. There are no unlimited services.
5. The food is very good when you find the right place. Bookings aka Reservations are essential…I say essential because if you show up randomly they look at you funny. My favorite meal is kangaroo steak.
4. People love the outdoors, bush walks, and camping are huge activities!
3. Drinking local wine is extremely popular and their wine selection is incredible!
2. Movies don’t come out here like in the States, they’re anywhere from a week behind to 3 months behind (obviously depends on the movie, ie. The Dark Knight…Heath Ledger…)
1. The El Camino is coming back! You watch!
