Explore the Concrete Beach

That is the time I started writing this. I am currently at work at this odd hour. I started at 8PM to turn over a new system and of course when it was suppose to be easy, it’s not!

I’ve been listening to MIS people go back and forth trying to figure out what went wrong and they can’t so I am stuck here in my cube, in the dark because they shut off the lights on our floor at 9.

Luckily I have a light at my desk and the computer moniter to help me see.

It’s no secret I don’t like my job, really I’m more bored with it. A few days ago I sent off my resume to another company in another state. I’ve determined it’s time to move on. Sitting here at 12:45AM on a Friday night is not doing my 28 year-old self any good and it’s time for a change.

I hope I get an interview for the job I applied for, but we’ll see. I should here something in the next two weeks.

My co-worker, Kristine, said the other day said to me, “So, now that you’re done with grad school, what are your goals? Like what’s your 5-year plan?”

I gave her a look, which I often give to people and if you know me you’ve scene it before, the look of “you’re kidding right? :eye roll:” Yeah, the eye roll is a bad habit of mine, but I’m not one to hide his feelings on something. I replied to her, “I hate that question.”

Yes, I hate the “what’s your 5/10 year plan?” question. I don’t like to predict the future for myself and I don’t let “fate” take me wherever it wants, typically I find people who wait for something to happen usually get left behind.

I don’t believe in making plans for myself, because “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” When that happens you gotten continually change and adapt.

This poster is just so wrong.

Yesterday, I work I let it slip (mostly on purpose) that I wanted to find a new job by the end of the year. It’s not because I hate the company I work for or my current job, I just want to do something different and maybe more in tune with what I spent the last year in grad school doing. I mean how many people have a MBA in Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management? Not a lot, because my school is the only one in the country to offer it. It just feels like time to do something different.

My boss found it kind of surprising that I said I was looking for a new job, she said I couldn’t leave, I just laughed, but she knew this was coming and she knows I’m not one to hide my feelings or thoughts.

So what do I want to do?

Well, there lies the problem.  I’m not 100% sure. I’ve always been one of those people who learn about a lot of subjects and then fill the gaps as needed. I’ve narrowed down the companies and organizations I would like to work for to a select few, but looking at their job databases it’s hard to figure out exactly where I would fit and what job would be suited for me. I look at most jobs and think I can do that. When I started at my current company no one trained me, I learned the product and created procedures by myself, I had a few guidelines, but I learned everything by asking people questions and using commonsense. If you make mistakes, they are fixable no matter how badly someone blows the issue out of proportion ( :cough: sales people :cough: ), because that’s how I, and most people, learn.  

So, that’s where my thinking is right now, trying to figure out details and something new I want to try. If I set I goal it’s not 5/10 years out it’s for the 1 year at most. It’s all about enjoying the journey, not the end. If you haven’t realized that yet, you’re probably falling behind as we all ready know what the end is…right?

So am I crazy for not setting 5/10 year goals? Suggestions?

So long 2009, I bid thee farewell.

I wish I could say 2009 was a superawesomefantastico year, but I can’t, but what I can say it was pretty darn good to me.

In January I started Graduate school and now at the end of 2009 I finished Grad school in just one year and have an MBA in Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management. Now how many people have an MBA in that specialty? It was long and there were times I threw up my hands and said why did I do this, but in the end I’m glad I did and I’m the first person in my family (at least between my sister and me) that has an MBA. No I just got to figure out what to do next.

2009 was an excellent sports year in Pittsburgh. I got to see the Steelers win their 2nd Super Bowl in my lifetime and saw the Penguins when their 3rd Stanley Cup. I don’t think Pittsburghers realize how lucky they are. My dad said he never though he would see the Steelers win another Super Bowl in his lifetime after the win in Detroit in 2005, but he did and that’s coming from someone who’s only 48.

2009 at work was with it’s ups and downs. The current project I’m working on gets more frustrating everyday, but I’ll live and in 2010 I think it might be time to move on, it just feels right, but we’ll see. My second I still love, who knew I would like retail so much, but I think it’s because of the people I work with, they are just so much fun. I wish more people would come by and shop, but it’s still realzing to me and hasn’t gotten old.

2009 was also a big travel year for me. I didn’t leave the US but I flew to Florida 3 times this year and California once. I also got two knew airport credits (DFW and Santa Anna/Orange County/John Wayne) and a new hotel credit (HoJo Anahiem). I love traveling and hope to do more in 2010, I know there is a trip to Vegas scheduled for May and I hope to visit places I haven’t been to in years. On top of that list would be New York City and Toronto.

 The world was odd in 2009, but in the end we survived another year and that is really what matters.

So long 2009, you were a fun year and I hope 2010 is better not just for you too!

Happy New Year Everyone!

So how was your Christmas?

I hope it was good. I got my Keurig Mini-coffee maker from my sister and was thrilled. Though I don’t drink coffee, I do drink teas and hot chocolate and I have had about 20 cups since Christmas Eve when I got my gift.

Why Christmas Eve?

Well when my sister (Becky) and I were younger we use to have those in school “Santa’s Workshop” days where your parents gave you like $20 and you bought a bunch of crap for your family. Becky and I would then pass them out to our family, my dad’s side, on Christmas Eve that why they would get presents from use the day before and Christmas morning was spent opening up everything my parents, grandparents and aunt and uncle bought us. Christmas Eve was the time Becky and I exchanged presents with each other.

It became a tradition, even though my dad just wants to open everything on Christmas Eve because he says he wants to sleep in on Christmas, though the man can’t sleep past 7AM when we do presents at 9.

As we aged we’ve up graded the presents from random mugs and picture frames to clothes, golf clubs, and even a computer. Yes, a computer. We bought it for my parents a few years ago.  Don’t know if it was the wisest thing in the world, but we did it.

On Christmas I opened up a Wii. I was excited, but I find it funny when my parents said they didn’t know what to get me so they got me a Wii. If I was younger still and asked for a Wii, my parent’s would probably have looked at each other and rolled their eyes, but when you’re 28 and they have no clue on what to get you apparently video games systems are the way to go. I was excited for the Wii and have been playing it since Christmas Day, it’s like I’m 14 again playing on my N64.

Best. System. Ever!

So those were my main gifts on Christmas I did get a nice Penguins hoodie too! Can’t go wrong with a Pens hoodie.

So how was your Christmas and can you believe it’s almost 2010?

Where has the decade gone?

Which also means I graduated high school 10 years ago. Wow.

:blink:

That’s still odd to me, but I know we will not have a reunion as my senior class did not like each other that well and the people in charge did nothing with our class, except design the crappiest senior t-shirts ever and they wonder why no one bought them. Shooting stars are not something everyone would want to wear on a t-shirt.

Later this week my top memories from the last decade.

Mark

Yessssssssssssssss! I finally finished grad school and I am sitting at Pittsburgh International waiting to board my Southwest flight to Florida for a much needed vacation. Not  a short weekend or a few days but a  full week. I get to hang out with a handful of friends, so it should be a fun week.

A lot of people keep asking, “What’s next?” like something is suppose to magically happen after you’ve completed a degree. It happened in undergrad also, and I just hung out at a radio station for 4 years. Best/worst decision in my work life so far.

Why, you ask?

Basically it lasted two years to long. I enjoyed my time their met some great people and honestly some not so great people. I still talk to a handful of them, the usually complain about their job, but must people do that too. There were many high moments, but there were many lows especially toward the end with hours being cut back, masses of people getting fired and the fun was sucked out of showing up to work. The funny part of the whole experience was how it ended. I never quit, and I was never fired. I was just ignored. In the end I realized I had to move on, there wasn’t anything there for me I didn’t see myself doing the same job, though at one point I thought maybe I could, but nah, there was nothing in the end.

Do I like my current job?

Yes and no, it has it’s benefits like, benefits, I don’t know how I survived with no health insurance for 4 years, but I did but as you get older you realize how important it is like when you are taken to the ER at 3:30 in the morning for a reaction to medication.  My current job isn’t one I see myself doing long term. I work with fun people, but the work isn’t me, it’s not what I want to do, yet when you apply for other jobs employees tend to cast you in a role as someone even though your the opposite based on your previous job.

So what lies ahead?

I dunno, right now I’m thinking vacation and 85 degree weather. Then when I return and after the holiday’s I’ll evaluate and look at my options.

I’m glad grad school is over, and I’m the first in my family to have a MBA :pats self on back:

For now let’s party! Almost time to board my plane. Click the “Follow Me” link on the right side and you can follow my vacation and look for Ustream links where I will be airing fireworks and other random vacation things, as Tom Bergeron would say, Liiiiiiiiiiiivvvvvvveeeeee!

Tomorrow is my last day of Grad School! Hooray!

I wrote my final paper for my “Drama of Leadership” class. Yes that’s the classes name and I am glad to be done with it. Not that it was hard, I just hate writing papers.

The really big news tomorrow concerns my event planning class. Tomorrow morning our group of 4 is going to present our event plan for the opening of the Consol Energy Center to several people of the Penguins and Mellon Arena. So it’s safe to say I’m a little freaked out and excited at the same time. Here’s a list of people we are presenting too:

James Santilli, VP of Marketing, Pittsburgh Penguins

Jill Shipley, Director of Fan Development & Special Events, Pittsburgh Penguins

Ross Miller, Director of Marketing, Pittsburgh Penguins

Jay Roberts, General Manager, Mellon Arena

Rob Goodman, Assistant General Manager & Director of Marketing, Mellon Arena

Yeah, who knew these people would take such interest in MBA presentation, but they did so I’m happy they care enough to see what we came up with and I hope they use some of the ideas we have for when the Consol Energy Center Opens.

Here’s a preview of one of our slogans:

BIG, BIG Thanks to Ryan Lenocker of KickSave Design for putting up with me the past few weeks while he worked on a few logos for us. Thanks Ryan for all of your help.

This time next week I will be in Florida, but before I get to that point I have to endure one of the craziest weeks in a looooong time.

After surviving this weekend of Pittsburgh Sports teams losing in every way imaginable here is my schedule for this week:

I have normal work Monday-Friday (Obviously)

Monday- Penguins VS Hurricanes

Tuesday- I work at the Mall

Wednesday- work on my project that is due on Saturday

Thursday- Hair Cut and write paper that is due Saturday

Friday- Meet with group about project that is due Saturday

Saturday- MY LAST DAY OF GRAD SCHOOL

A word about this project. My event planning class has been working on planning the grand opening of the Consol Energy Center. It just started as a normal made up project we had to do and we we’re having fun with it creating a lot of ideas.

Well, our teacher knows some people from the Penguins and asked if they wanted to come and see our presentation. Well guess what they’re coming and not just one person. Last we heard we have the VP of marketing, the GM and Assistant GM of the Mellon Arena, Someone form the Consol Energy Center and a few others I don’t remember. Also, the Dean of the Business Department and the Department head of the SAEM (Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management) Department.

So we’re all a little freaked out at this point and this week is going to by one for the ages as you can see above I have another class I have to write a paper for and I have normal work, mall work and hockey games that can’t be missed (research of course).

So that’s my week when it’s over i will have a MBA and I will be on a plane heading to Florida, so I’m really excited!

Well, it’s another gray Monday here in Pittsburgh. The rain has been falling for a few days on and off and it looks to continue that way for the rest of the week, but at least it’s suppose to be in the 60s at it’s lowest point so that’s a good thing.

This weekend while I was working at the mall my manager and I ordered from a restaurant which is in the outside portion of the mall. We usually order from there on Saturday’s because we get sick of the food court and there food cost just as much as the food court, but it’s 100X better.

Like I said we order from this place every week so the bartender who takes our order, Lucas, knows the deal when we call. So I went to pick-up our order. I walk into the restaurant and the girl behind the podium says, “Hi,” and I say, “Hello how are you?” as I walk toward the bar area to pick up the food and then she says, “Are you the new guy? Here’s your apron.” I stopped and look toward the bar area as I see Lucas laughing as he heard the whole conversation.

I said, “No, I am just picking up food.” Slightly embarrassed she apologized and I proceeded to pick up the food from Lucas and when I walked out she apologized again and said, “You must be a waiter, somewhere because you just look like a waiter.”

Now I am required to wear all black or black and white for my job at the mall, I choose to wear all black because when I used to wear a white shirt at the store I work at it would look not so white by the end of the day because there is so much dust flying around the mall. But still I didn’t know I look like a waiter.

Is there a certain type of look that fits a waiter?

I could never be a waiter because, well, people would piss me off with there special orders and I would probably drop a tray of food on someone, which wouldn’t be good.

I get annoyed at the people at my other job in the morning that go to the café and get picky about what piece of bacon they want or how crispy a hash brown was made. I feel bad for the cook because some people are just so picky. That and these office ladies like to steal tea bags constantly. They take two cups shove tea bags, sugar packets and sometimes lemon into one cup, then place the other on top and fill it with water and it looks like they just doubled up their cup.

I just roll my eyes and try not to cause a scene. One day I will stop the office ladies and just be like why are you stealing tea bags? The kicker is the first cup of coffee or tea is free.

Sigh.

That’s it for now.

10 days until vacation.

Penguins VS Capitals Game 2 tonight.

LET’S GO PENS!

Later!

I deal with a lot of graphs and time lines. At work we can view our pay advices days before payday, so we can check for errors. Also they have a representation of our check. I thought I would share.

As you may have guessed most of my check goes to taxes, 24 percent to be exact. That sucks, but what are you going to do?

3 percent is my benefits and 6% is goes into my 401k, which is the max at which the company will match. 33 percent or a third if you will disappears like that.

Why can’t this be Florida with no State Taxes?

Today is not going to be a fun day.

Why?

Well because I’ll spend most of it stressing for my Quantitative Methods midterm this evening. The issue is not the math or the problems, but for some reason there is a vocabulary section on the test.

Why? I don’t know. We don’t even use most of the terms. I know what standard deviation is and the co-efficient variables. I know relative f, mean, median and mode, but do you think I can remember the different types of quantitative problems? Not so much. In a class where 95% of the time was constantly run through problems that I will most likely do well on, I’ll screw up defining the word statistic, ratio, ordinal or some other random word. That’s what stresses me out.

I also have a Legal midterm on Thursday, which was suppose to be next week but someone in the class told the teacher that this week is the 4^th class and it should be the midterm since we only have 7 weeks. I was not too happy with that and then she felt dumb because she forgot we have a midterm in stats this week. Thanks for ruining it!

I would have rather had less on the final and more on the midterm, but I guess they didn’t see it that way.

Something that has been bothering me at work is this whole “Living the Brand” crap.

I get that most companies and even more so now, people have branded them selves in some way. Sometimes annoyingly so others I find creative and interesting, but mostly annoying. I’m and tired of thinking a company runs my life outside of work. I try to keep everything separate in my life.

This blog, my Facebook and Twitter accounts are me and no one else or anyone’s ideas. So I guess this is my “brand” but what it really is me just being me. I don’t like people asking me “what have you done to live the brand today?” I usually think to myself “show up at work and do my job.”

In short I don’t want to live any type of brand I just want to be myself. Is that too much to ask these days?