pphaneuf: (Enlightened)
[personal profile] pphaneuf
A few weeks back, I found myself having dinner with [livejournal.com profile] tygrbabe, where I discussed with her the fact that I rather enjoy her company. She is one of my favourite persons, after all! She seems to be enjoying my company as well, which I find to be a relief. After all, this was fairly high on my list of things that I didn't think would be happening any time soon, after the events I mentioned in my previous post. But here I was, at the movies, holding hands and giggling. Life is weird, sometimes, but it could be much worse than this, I think!

The movie, by the way, was Charlie Wilson's War, and to make a quick summary, it included much more boobies than I would have expected. It's actually rather good, with some excellent work on the part of Philip Seymour Hoffman, an often underestimated actor, in my opinion. He seems to be often put in quirky roles, does well in them, and I like quirky.

Upon leaving the movie, I glanced at one of the buildings downtown, wondering what is happening at Google with my application there... Oh, yes, I was keeping a lid on it (well, mostly, as I'm hardly the most secretive person around!) until things were becoming a bit more solid, but I have been interviewing with Google recently, after some ex-Nitiot who's now there pointed them my way. [livejournal.com profile] tygrbabe pointed out that they wouldn't exactly hang a giant sign out on the side of the building, so we proceeded to go on a walkabout, where she threatened to push me in a number of snow banks.

After that, as I entered a metro station, I pulled out my mobile phone to send an SMS to the lady [livejournal.com profile] azrhey to let her know that I was coming back, as we had agreed. Doing so, I noticed that I had left it on silent mode, from the movie, and that I had a voice mail message. I check it out, and it turns out that it's an offer from Google! Heh, while I was wondering what was going on, they had contacted me. Which makes me wonder if they have some kind of mind reading device...

A few days after that, I decided to accept the offer. Turns out that this leads to a two weeks orientation that is to be done at their Mountain View campus, the fabled Googleplex. Checking schedules, this lined up to be starting the week after [livejournal.com profile] azrhey and I moved into our new place. As in, we're doing the actual moving on the Saturday, and I have to be there at 8:00 on the Monday. It certainly seems that I'm not content with my life being a roller-coaster, it also has to be doused in kerosene and set ablaze. Otherwise, it's just too boring, right? Thanks to the [livejournal.com profile] cpirate for the extra help!

Our new place is pretty awesome, if a bit dark (there isn't much lighting included, we have to get our own). The bathtub is big and deep, the shower is spacious and has a neat pane of glass instead of a shower curtain. There's a secret passageway to the bedroom. The toilets are fancy dual-flush models (about time we get them here!), albeit with non-standard fitting sizes (argh, the joys of being an owner, I guess). The shower and bathtub faucets have fully separate temperature and flow controls, like I maintain is the proper way (and is the normal way in sane countries like Denmark, and very common in the rest of Europe). We're missing a few items before we can actually have people over properly, like proper lighting so that we don't just sit in the dark.

Now, I'm writing this on the plane from Chicago to San Jose, which is going pretty well up to now, as opposed to my last trip to New York City (which the quick-witted among you will have associated with my Google employment, on top of visiting the fine people I know over there). On top of the Google orientation and overall excitement of being a "Noogler", I hope to visit [livejournal.com profile] morethanreal, see the Computer History Museum (which I've dreamed of for almost twenty years now!), and generally visit San Francisco. Maybe a bit much to pack in my free time, I'll see.

P.S.: You're reading this, therefore I didn't end up in a flaming plane wreck.

Date: 2008-01-28 10:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] phrawzty.livejournal.com
Nice mate - gratz on joining the ranks of El Googlo.

Date: 2008-01-28 11:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rezendi.livejournal.com
Make sure to gorge yourself silly at their famous cafeteria, too!

If you're bored in SF, I can do email intros to friends of mine there - let me know.

Date: 2008-01-28 02:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
I have a feeling I might not be too bored! ;-)
(deleted comment)

Date: 2008-01-28 02:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
Roller-coaster on fire, the usual. ;-)

Thanks!

Date: 2008-01-28 12:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] evildrgo.livejournal.com
Funny that... I was passing through O'Hare last night too...

Date: 2008-01-28 01:33 pm (UTC)
ext_157608: (Default)
From: [identity profile] sfllaw.livejournal.com
Eat well for me! :)

Date: 2008-01-28 02:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
I have to watch for the Google 15!

Date: 2008-01-28 03:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pdage.livejournal.com
Grats! And also - are you going to move away AGAIN? I'm still happy for you, I'm just confused (as usual).

Date: 2008-01-29 06:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
No way, man! I'm not moving. :-)

They have an office in Montreal, that's where I'll be working.
(deleted comment)

Date: 2008-01-29 06:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
Well, you can also give me a quiet hug. Or enough warning that I can put on earplugs. ;-)

Date: 2008-01-28 03:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sailorfrag.livejournal.com
Haha. They're scooping all of us up, it seems. I'll have to see if I can come up with any good excuses to work out of Montreal and/or Waterloo from time to time (I'm in the Googleplex starting in August, for likely a couple years at least).

Oh, and yes, they do have mind-reading devices. Clearly that must be the only possibility.

Congrats!

Date: 2008-01-29 06:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
And mind-erasing too, it goes without saying.

googly woogly

Date: 2008-01-28 04:51 pm (UTC)
ext_39218: (Default)
From: [identity profile] graydon.livejournal.com
Congrats. I'm a bit jealous.

Do make sure to see the computer history museum. Don't pay attention to any of the crap in the lobby. The goods -- a.k.a. "the permanent exhibit" -- are behind the big doors. Allocate several hours to meandering through the ancient piles of forgotten tech.

Re: googly woogly

Date: 2008-01-29 06:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
I'll be sure not to miss it, as apparently it's well within walking distance of the office.

Date: 2008-01-28 06:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] my-fair-kadie.livejournal.com
Congratulations on the job!

Date: 2008-01-28 06:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] grimmwire.livejournal.com
ConGoogulations!

Date: 2008-01-29 04:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ze-dinosaur.livejournal.com
Welcome to the fold :)

Date: 2008-01-29 05:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
I'm supposed to learn the secret handshake Real Soon Now (tm)!

Date: 2008-01-30 09:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eeyore42.livejournal.com
Welcome to the Bay Area!
Where are you staying now?

Liz and I live up in Concord.

Date: 2008-01-30 05:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pphaneuf.livejournal.com
Make no mistake, I'm not moving down here! I happened to get a new place in Montreal at the same time I got hired. :-)

I'm staying in Mountain View, near Castro and El Camino Real.

February 2016

S M T W T F S
 123456
7891011 1213
14151617181920
21222324252627
2829     

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 20th, 2025 04:40 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios