Sorry I haven’t been around much lately. I started a new job, with a new commute, and new adjustments. I won’t tell you who I’m working for, other than to say it’s someone you definitely have heard of. I’ll get to work with some new technology (SANs, most notably) and lots of old, familiar technology.
There’s no Linux and no Unix to speak of, but it pays the bills and keeps a roof over our head, and I’m working with good people.I will say that I’m working in Illinois now. I don’t know if the nickname "East Side Dave" will stick or not. Those of you who are from St. Louis or have lived in St. Louis will know that’s probably not the best nickname to have.
Note to potential St. Louis job seekers: If you live in South County and have easy access to I-255, don’t rule out jobs in Illinois. The Metro East is far, far more spread out than the Missouri side, but the commute is much nicer. The traffic is sparse and it flows, there are far fewer Dale Earnhart wannabes, and the roads are in better condition. And my commute time is predictable now. Driving to Town & Country could take me anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour when I worked there. It’s odd now if my commute time varies by five minutes.
The hours will require some adjustment. I worked three different places in 2005, and each starting time was 30-60 minutes earlier than the last. I’m not a morning person and never have been. But when you like the people and you like the commute and you like the work you’re doing, it’s easier to get up early. It wasn’t that long ago that the commute was my favorite thing about my job, and they were planning to move me someplace with a much worse commute.
So I don’t know what this next year will bring, but hopefully I’ll settle into a routine in the next few weeks.
David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.
The only time I made a huge adjustment in my morning schedule, I forced myself to get out of bed at 5 a.m. and get into bed before 9 p.m. The first day or two is rough, but after getting up that early a few days straight, going to bed early is easy. And like you said, having great co-workers and enjoying your work makes getting up early for work a lot easier. Good luck in the new position!!