Performance Appraisals

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You had him executed by the Spanish Inquisition, didn't you, Mr. WOOD
of GATE?

As Mister, he is not of the court. The title would be Lord Wood, of
Gate if he had that power.

 

[John Woodgate]

You had him executed by the Spanish Inquisition, didn't you, Mr. WOOD
of GATE?

Not me, it was one of the six other 'John Woodgate's in UK. In any case,
the result was unexpected.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

sci.lang.translation

For time to time, it can get as surreal as this NG, but there is much
less traffic. And no abuse now.

About five years ago, we had a real nutter; Spanish and good at
translation (and, incidentally, an expert at retrieving stuff from the
Internet), but he went as far as making threatening phone calls, and
someone with contacts in the Spanish police arranged for him to be shown
the error of his ways.

You had him executed by the Spanish Inquisition, didn't you, Mr. WOOD
of GATE?


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[John Woodgate]

I quickly changed my schedule and started working midnight to 2PM to
avoid the afternoon/evening parties.

I remember sitting in a British Standards meeting while pairs of pigeons
were busy mating on the window sill of the committee room.

 

[John Woodgate]

So ... was "two days" bid as 16 hrs, or 48 hrs?

12 hours.

 

[John Woodgate]

I rarely work fixed-bid,

Same here, but this is a new client, about 64th in the pecking order of
the contract. So I agreed a fixed price, instead of an open estimate and
an introductory discount.

 

[John Woodgate]

Hello John,


Pint 4? Wow, John, take it easy

I KNEW that would happen! It's a rather nice (and inexpensive) red, not
beer, so no pints.

 

[Joerg]

Hello John,

Not sensible. You can get T-shirts with Schroedinger's Equation on them.
They don't make you a physicist.

But you don't wear them to an interview ;-)

You explore the 'inappropriate behaviour' only after you find that the
guy knows what a Gilbert cell is and is used for. If s/he doesn't, you
don't need to explore it.

And if he or she uses one in an RF mixer I get "uncomfy"

 

[Joerg]

So ... was "two days" bid as 16 hrs, or 48 hrs?

Our drill sergeant used to say that the day has 24 hours and when that
ain't sufficient then there is still the night.

 

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Same here, but this is a new client, about 64th in the pecking order of
the contract. So I agreed a fixed price, instead of an open estimate and
an introductory discount.

Funny, I actually prefer fixed bid. Generally causes clients to think
about what they want, rather than giving me a short list of what they
want, asking for an "estimate" of how long that will take, and then
being disappointed when the schedule slips because they keep adding
additional requirements/refinements to the project.

 

[Joerg]

Hello John,

I KNEW that would happen! It's a rather nice (and inexpensive) red, not
beer, so no pints.

If you come to the Western US try Killian's Red. Pretty good but I
prefer stouts and IPA. However, tonight it'll be margaritas.

We also have a local brewpub where they can refill your growlers with
some of these:

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

Not me, it was one of the six other 'John Woodgate's in UK. In any case,
the result was unexpected.

That the police actually *did* something? Yes, that would be
unexpected.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Charlie Edmondson]

I should also note that in nearly 40 years of interviews, I've never
interviewed in a suit. That was casual dress western for 20 years, and
jeans and a tee for the last 15. Both for W-2 work, and as a
consultant. I've closed nearly every job I've interviewed for in
person. Those that I haven't, have nearly always been interviewing for
a less skilled/experienced manager that was late 20's to early 30's and
worried about his job.

I have ran into a few interviewing managers that was a turnoff for ...
and we had a brief talk and parted. One hired me anyway, and was
stressed that I would only dress to visit external customers when they
needed engineering backup for Marketing/Sales.

I tend to respect that sense of someone knowing who they are, and what
they are good at when I inteview canidates as well. Those that are
presenting a "fluffed up image" don't make it far with me.

For my present position, I of course interviewed in a coat and tie, even
though I knew the usual dress was casual. It is part of knowing what
impression you need to leave. When I came back the next day for some
follow up questions (mine, not theirs) I just wore a tie.

Then, for my first day, I came in full three piece suit, mostly as a
joke. I told my co-workers that I would dress a little more causually
each day, so that by Friday I would be in t-shirt and cutoffs...

Also on that first day was the companies annual meeting. Since I was
new, and didn't have any other duties, the boss took me along. As we
walked in, and sat down, several folks were wondering "Who's the new
banker?"

Charlie

 

[John Woodgate]

Our drill sergeant used to say that the day has 24 hours and when that
ain't sufficient then there is still the night.

That's right; it's how consultants get to work 170 hours a week.

 

[John Woodgate]

If you come to the Western US try Killian's Red.

Is that a wine or a beer?

Pretty good but I prefer stouts and IPA. However, tonight it'll be
margaritas.

We also have a local brewpub where they can refill your growlers with
some of these:

H'mmm. Possibly SFO in October for the Audio Engineering Society
Convention. Would one get Placerville beers in SFO?

 

[John Woodgate]

When I came back the next day for some follow up questions (mine, not
theirs) I just wore a tie.

I bet THAT made an impression. Where did you wear it?

[snip]

Also on that first day was the companies annual meeting. Since I was
new, and didn't have any other duties, the boss took me along. As we
walked in, and sat down, several folks were wondering "Who's the new
banker?"

Are you QUITE sure about the 'b' sound? (;-)

 

[Joerg]

Hello Charlie,

Also on that first day was the companies annual meeting. Since I was
new, and didn't have any other duties, the boss took me along. As we
walked in, and sat down, several folks were wondering "Who's the new
banker?"

Sometimes it's good to be prepared at all times. Once I wore a tie, just
for the heck, don't remember why. Then our V.P.Quality came up to me
with a pain-stricken face. Gave me a CD, pointed at me, then at the
board room, a was promptly whisked away to emergency dental surgery. He
had just broken a molar in half. Ouch. I had to do his presentation to
all the guys in the expensive suits. Whew...

 

[Joerg]

Hello John,

Is that a wine or a beer?

Una cerveza. A beer from WA state. That's where the micro brewery trend
started although I am certain Win will disagree.

H'mmm. Possibly SFO in October for the Audio Engineering Society
Convention. Would one get Placerville beers in SFO?

Not really. They have their own good stuff. Try Gordon Biersch, a huge
brewpub right where the Bay Bridge lands at the S.F. side. Give John
Larkin a ring, it should only be a short hop from his biz to there. Plus
he'll certainly know a lot more good places. Anchor Steam is another
good beer in S.F.

 

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Hello John,




That can also happen if you regularly have to switch between languages
several times a day.

Doesn't work for me, but my Dutch grammar isn't quite what it ought to
be - I failed the Dutch as a Second Language exam on my written Dutch
with a score off 499 against a pass mark of 500, after comfortably
passing the tests of mmy capacity to read. hear and speak Dutch.

And I did have one dyslexic symptom when I was learning to read, in
that I'd read "was" as "saw"and vice versa. My parents picked this up
very early and gave me extra training every evening for a bit which
completely sorted the problem. In fact I spent most of my primary
school career bored silly by the reading lessons, where I was couple of
years ahead of the rest of the class.

And I am left-handed, like one of my two brothers. My father would have
written left-handed if he'd had the choice.

 

[Joerg]

Hello Bill,

Doesn't work for me, but my Dutch grammar isn't quite what it ought to
be - I failed the Dutch as a Second Language exam on my written Dutch
with a score off 499 against a pass mark of 500, after comfortably
passing the tests of mmy capacity to read. hear and speak Dutch.

Did they make you do that test for citizenship or something? I lived
there over 6 years and never took any tests. Now about 20 years later
it's mostly gone but my Dutch comes back after 2-3 pintjes of Grolsch.
However, as with you only the read-hear-speak portions of it. Writing is
definitely gone.

It's hard to practice out here in the west. Except for Radio Nederland
Wereldomroep plus one friend who was born in NL there isn't much of a
chance.