In early July I was called to a meeting at DST Human Resources (HR) to discuss my position. DST, a large corporation, is half owner of Argus Health Systems, which is the company I work for. Ever since I joined Argus in January 2007 there has been some upheaval, including a major project cancellation, several reorganizations of the Information Technology department, and quite a few resignations. These resignations included all of the other members of the architecture team I had joined, included its manager. By December 2007 I was the sole remaining architect.
During the first six months of this year there were a couple of discussions about potential future paths for me to take, however no movement towards those options ever happened. The meeting at HR in July was to inform me that my current position had been eliminated, and that I was being placed in an internal job placement program. DST and Argus recognize that sometimes people become displaced, but that they might still have value to the company. The placement program was put into place to try and retain people rather then just terminate them.
The program was initially slated to run through August 22nd. If at that time no new position had been found for me, I would have an exit interview and be terminated. In the last week prior to the deadline, I finally started getting interviews, and ultimately was looked at by four managers. Since the HR process around an offer takes time, my deadline date was extended to August 28th.
Wednesday morning I was made an offer by one of the managers, fortunately the one I had hoped would approach me. I will finish this week at my current job, and report to my new position in mid-September, after returning from vacation.
I will be working as an Application Analyst Consultant for the CMS Program Office at Argus. Application Analysts work directly with the users of automated solutions, they gather and present requirements, influence design, manage projects, et cetera. Part of the changes that Argus has been experiencing the last 18 months has resulted in increased responsibility for the Application Analysts. Many of the activities that were in the Architects realm before have now moved to the AA realm.
One of my long-term projects here involved the CMS Program Office (CPO) so I know the manager I’ll be working for, and several of the people on his team, already. I also have worked with my new manger’s supervisor, who is the head of CPO.
CMS, or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is the government agency overseeing, among other things, Medicare Part D. The group I am joining is responsible for several of the CMS mandated communications between insurance companies and their members. Explanation of Benefits letters, Transition letters, and Direct Member Reimbursements are all part of these communications.
My new manager has told me that he values the technical expertise I bring, and the contacts I have within the IT organization. My role will, in part, be a liaison between the CMS Program Office and IT. It will be less nuts-and-bolts technical, but still heavily involved with technology solutions and management.
Obviously, Sibylle and I are hugely relieved to have this placement process end successfully. Until Wednesday, canceling or postponing our Europe trip was a very real possibility. With a transfer in hand, we will be leaving, as planned, for our European vacation. And when we return, I’ll start a new job.
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/programming">programming</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/tips">tips</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/exceptions">exceptions</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/error">error</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/toread">toread</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://damieng.com/blog/2008/08/01/ten-commandments-for-developers">Ten commandments for developers » DamienG</a></div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/development">development</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/programming">programming</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/design">design</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/usability">usability</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/ui">ui</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/commandments">commandments</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ReuleauxTriangle.html">Reuleaux Triangle -- from Wolfram MathWorld</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">A bit to drill square holes</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/interesting">interesting</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/mathematics">mathematics</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/triangle">triangle</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/reuleaux">reuleaux</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/drill">drill</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/engineering">engineering</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/geometry">geometry</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/politics">politics</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/list">list</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/johnmccain">johnmccain</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/2008election">2008election</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://blog.uncommons.org/2008/08/24/a-java-syntax-quirk/">New Adventures in Software » A Java Syntax Quirk</a></div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/java">java</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/puzzle">puzzle</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/syntax">syntax</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/humor">humor</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/programming">programming</a>)</div>
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The following comparison is from Dive into Python, by Mark Pilgram, Section 2.2.1:
dynamically typed language:
strongly typed language:
weakly typed language:
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/society">society</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/marketing">marketing</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/quality">quality</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/sethgodin">sethgodin</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://www.coderholic.com/free-python-programming-books/">Coderholic » Blog Archive » 10 Free Python Programming Books</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">Free books!</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/toread">toread</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/development">development</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/python">python</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/django">django</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/documentation">documentation</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/books">books</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/computer">computer</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/free">free</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/programming">programming</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/library">library</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://www.linuxscrew.com/2007/10/11/7-must-read-linux-tutorials/">7 "must read" Linux tutorials | Linux Screw</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">Putting the "i" in Linux</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/toread">toread</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/linux">linux</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/unix">unix</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/reference">reference</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/shell">shell</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/bash">bash</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/list">list</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/os">os</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://www.pomonahistorical.org/12times.htm">Folding Paper in Half Twelve Times</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">Two to the twelfth power is 4096 layers.</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/howto">howto</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/geek">geek</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/interesting">interesting</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/paperfolding">paperfolding</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/mathematics">mathematics</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/research">research</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/puzzles">puzzles</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/geometry">geometry</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/security">security</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/humanrights">humanrights</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/immigration">immigration</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/rights">rights</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/dhs">dhs</a>)</div>
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This morning I had a dentist appointment to have a couple of small cavities filled. Growing up when I did, I have a almost paralyzing fear of the dentist. Between braces, three abscessed teeth, a couple of root canals, and one root amputation, I’ve had more than my fair share of difficult dental procedures. My childhood dentist was a fearful character in my life; he used to tell me that he was spraying rat poison in my mouth, to keep me from swallowing when he sprayed fluoride on my teeth. “Don’t swallow! Rat poison!”
I believe that we are all born with a certain amount of dental courage, and once it is used up, there isn’t any more. I used mine up long ago.
Finding a dentist you like isn’t easy. Finding one you like, who is compassionate to your fears without being condescending or saccharin is next to impossible. Last winter, at the recommendation of one of Sibylle’s friends I tried a new dentist. I hadn’t been in a number of years and I was afraid, not only of going, but that he would find lots of problems.
I was hugely relieved when there weren’t any problems that couldn’t be taken care of by some more rigorous flossing. Unfortunately, the dentist himself was less than I’d hoped for. Still, first impressions are sometimes wrong, so I thought I’d give it a go, and scheduled a second, six-month cleaning. At the cleaning last week the hygienist discovered two small spots that concerned her. The dentist agreed and said I needed fillings.
My worst fears realized.
Upon arriving at the office, and being led back to the treatment station, the assistant said that Sibylle would have to wait in the lounge. I said that I was terrified of the dentist and that if she couldn’t stay with me, the procedure wasn’t going to happen. She excused herself to talk to the dentist, and came back saying that they would recommend another dentist.
I said, “Thank you, I’ll find my own dentist,” and we left.
Part of the fear equation when I was a child was that I had no choice but to go to the dentist. It was scary, and often painful. The lack of control only added to the situation. Even as an adult, it is hard sometimes to disagree with authority - especially medical authority. We are all conditioned to respect and listen to doctors. Listening to myself, and doing what took care of me this morning, was hugely empowering.
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/toread">toread</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/security">security</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/privacy">privacy</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/surveillance">surveillance</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/freedom">freedom</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/identity">identity</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/schneier">schneier</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/society">society</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://kk.org/kk/2008/08/very-longterm-backup.php">Long Term backup</a></div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/toread">toread</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/interesting">interesting</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/history">history</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/technology">technology</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/storage">storage</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/backup">backup</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/kevinkelly">kevinkelly</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/johnmccain">johnmccain</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/politics">politics</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/opinion">opinion</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/2008election">2008election</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/vietnam">vietnam</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/toread">toread</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/18/cafferty.mccain/index.html">Commentary: Is McCain another George W. Bush? - CNN.com</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">In a word - yes. Be afraid.</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/cnn">cnn</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/johnmccain">johnmccain</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/politics">politics</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/opinion">opinion</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/president">president</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/2008election">2008election</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/toread">toread</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/08/was-mccain-tort.html">The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">Violence begets more violence, and torture, it seems, begets more torture.</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/history">history</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/johnmccain">johnmccain</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/vietnam">vietnam</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/hypocrisy">hypocrisy</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/torture">torture</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/bush">bush</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://philip.greenspun.com/humor/eecs-difference-explained">EE versus CS</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">Once upon a time...</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/engineering">engineering</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/programming">programming</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/science">science</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/funny">funny</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/humor">humor</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/geek">geek</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://www.wesg.ca/2008/06/automatically-update-your-computers-uptime-on-your-website/">Automatically update your computer’s uptime on your website | wesg</a></div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/bash">bash</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/uptime">uptime</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/script">script</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/interesting">interesting</a>)</div>
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<div class="delicious-link"><a href="http://www.governmentsecurity.org/articles/DefaultLoginsandPasswordsforNetworkedDevices.php">Default Logins and Passwords for Networked Devices</a></div>
<div class="delicious-extended">For when you want to "borrow" your neighbor's router</div>
<div class="delicious-tags">(tags: <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/reference">reference</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/list">list</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/wifi">wifi</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/passwords">passwords</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/default">default</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/wireless">wireless</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/useful">useful</a> <a href="http://delicious.com/zanshin/hack">hack</a>)</div>
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