The World According To Woj

2007-11-07T09:20:00.000-06:00

Check out this write up that includes an interview of our friend and saltwater fish enthusiast, Jason White. The article even includes photos of Jason. Jason runs a small business selling saltwater coral, called YZ Reef.

Pantagraph Newspaper from Bloomington, IL

2007-10-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

I'm LinkedIn...Are You?

LinkedIn is a great business networking site. Since I've joined it, I have built up a personal network of over 200 current and former business associates and friends. My involvement has led to people contacting me for jobs and me recommending friends for jobs as well. I've been able to work through the site to help people with business problems offering my knowledge and expertise in several situation.

Because of LinkedIn, my profile appears in more Google searches improving the ability of people to find me for all kinds of needs and jobs.

Plus, it has helped me stay in touch with many important people in my life who change jobs or move away. LinkedIn is always there to keep my connection to them alive.

Many people I invite into my network don't always know what LinkedIn is all about. There are several great articles in print and on the Web that explain what it is and how to best use it.

Some of those articles are:
LinkedIn: The MySpace for Adults - CNNMoney.com, December 1, 2006
Expanding Your LinkedIn Network - ere.net, June 19, 2007
Making Your LinkedIn Business Network Pay Dividends - LifeHack.org
Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn - How to Change the World, January 04, 2007

2007-09-11T10:53:00.000-05:00

My friend Tami has an online pet supply shop that she runs with her cousin. It's called "Love My Pet Supply".

Love My Pet Supply guarantees you the lowest prices on the Web with 100% Price Protection!

Check them out and get the best pet products for the best prices delivered right to your door.

Thanks,
Woj

2007-01-25T10:32:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I last posted on my Blog and now, I've done two in one day. What's wrong with this picture?

Anyway, I have a LinkedIn profile and I keep it quite up-to-date. It serves as my most up-to-date online resume. You can view it at http://www.linkedin.com/in/kwojdak.

If you use LinkedIn and know me but are not connected to me, drop me a line through it and we'll reconnect.

I found this article today from Guy Kawasaki about improving your LinkedIn profile and thought I'd share it with you.

Thanks,
Woj

2007-01-25T09:47:00.000-06:00

For those big beer drinkers among us who love a beer at a ballgame but hate the gouging we get from the vendors, check out the Beerbelly.

This product has to be one of the coolest inventions I've seen in a long time and the price is actually extremely reasonable. plus, you can use it for wine or any other beverage choices you can think of.

Compare the cost of this product to the cost of a Camelback and you'll understand what a great deal you are getting.

Happy drinking!

Woj

2006-04-25T10:17:00.000-05:00

Spring is coming and it's in the air....except for today. Today, it's rainy and cold. But, yesterday was great and the day before that...and the day before that, etc.

But, while we go to work and do all the things that come with our daily lives, others are soul searching and/or finding out what they're made of. Today's post is all about my new nephew, Todd Powell, age 25, who is, as I write, hiking the Appalachian Trail for six months.

He began his journey on Thursday, March 16, 2006 in Chickamauga, TN and will be hiking 2,174 miles up to Maine before he is done.

So far, according to his travel journal, he's seen every kind of weather from icy teens and snow to 80-degree heat. All of this is being done with a backpack on his back and minimal provisions. I'll give you more updates as time goes on but, for now, I'll leave you with a couple of links.

Todd Powell's (Grinds) Travel Journal

About the Appalachian Trail

2006-03-16T11:32:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone!!!

It's a great day today and everyday. Some of you may know already but, for the rest of you, I got married again on March 4, 2006.

My new wife's name is Amy and with her comes a daughter, Haley, who is 13. So, I become an instant stepdad of a teenage girl. LOL. It's actually been a very enlightening experience.

I created a Wedding website for us which you can find at http://www.wojzworld.com/wedding. On it, you'll find pictures of our new family as well as Wedding and Honeymoon pictures. I've been making updates often so, check back often to see the latest pictures.

What else is new? Well, I'm moving to Elk Grove Village. Amy and I bought a great house to consolidate our families into. It's a sweet place with lots of room to grow and also for us to entertain. We'll be having gatherings as much as we can. :)

On other fronts, I have a new job. I like to cram all of the good things in my life into one big mass. I won't give details here since the name of my new company isn't public knowledge and my current employer has access to this site. Yes, they already know about the change. Apparently, the service that my new company used to do reference checking slipped up and sent a report to my current employer instead of the new employer.

My current employer, Pathfinder Associates, is being very cool and professional about my change. I greatly appreciate that fact and have only good things to say about the organization as a whole.

So, why am I leaving them? The new opportunity was one of those situations where I just couldn't see not taking the chance. The stars all seemed in line for this change. In my past, all of the great changes in my life have come around the same time as other monumental changes. For example, Noah was born the day after I started working for Whittman-Hart (W-H) and W-H was a great job change for me that lasted 7.5 years.

The new job offers me a change in the work I do which gives my mind the variety I need to thrive. Plus, it's better pay, benefits, work environment, and closer to the trains. On top of it all, I was approached for the job by a former co-worker and respected work associate of W-H. After I talked to him, I found out, I will be working with 6 or more former W-H work associates, all of whom I respect. Overall, the change feels good.

Anyway, enough news for now. Please drop me a line with any of the happenings in your lives.

Ciao for now,
Woj

2005-12-08T10:34:00.000-06:00

I'm back working at NORC again. The work is fun and interesting as usual since it's all in Arabic and English. My work family there is happy and healthy but a little stressed out due to the short deadlines. The timing of the holidays on top of the deadlines make it more stressful for everyone.

Today, I'm hanging out in a training class. I'm here this week from Tuesday through Friday learning Serena TeamTrack which is a new partner product for Pathfinder Associates. My NORC project team isn't too happy about my absence but, this class was scheduled for me over a month ago.

The TeamTrack product, quoted from their help files, is "a Web-architected, secure and highly configurable process and issue management solution that gives you control, insight and predictability in your Application Lifecycle and Business Process Management throughout the enterprise. Through creating repeatable, enforceable, auditable, predictable processes, TeamTrack has directly increased profitability for customers worldwide in software development, manufacturing, government, financial services, healthcare, and other industries."

One of the best features of the product is its ability to create a historical record of interaction on a problem. This audit trail helps companies with their SOX, Sarbannes-Oxley, compliance.

It is a product Pathfinder is offering as a new solution to our clients. We will be doing custom implementations of the product and, currently, I'm the guy learning the product. So, if you need a product like this in your organization, contact Pathfinder and tell them you heard about the product from Kevin Wojdak.

In addition to Pathfinder work, I am helping my fiancee Amy's family business, C.B.S. Messenger Service. I'm in the process of fixing a couple of problems on their website and then rebuilding it up to the latest standards such as XHTML compliance and more.

Since 1973, C.B.S. Messenger Service has been offering document and package delivery in the entire Chicago area including Rockford and then the city of Milwaukee. Their claim to fame is one of the lowest delivery prices in the industry with same-day delivery for that low price.

If you need a document or package delivered quickly and for a great price, look them up on the web at http://www.cbsmessenger.com or call them at (847) 348-3460.

Amy and I have set our wedding date for March 4th, 2006. We'll be having a small family only wedding and then, in the summer, we will be planning a bigger party for all of our friends to celebrate with us. I'll let you know when that date comes closer. We'll be moving to a new house in the Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, and Roselle area sometime in April.

I think by now you've had enough of this post so, I'll leave you for awhile.

Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year if I don't write you before then.

Kevin
"Woj"

2005-10-14T16:13:00.000-05:00

I'm Engaged!!!

I asked Amy to marry me this week and she accepted. We will be planning a Spring 2006 wedding.

The proposal was fun and memorable. I wanted this time around to be special and something that I would remember as well as her.

Since we both have kids who are with us just about every day, I arranged to take a day off so I could surprise her during the day. Next, since her family owns a messenger service, I arranged for her to make a "special" lunchtime delivery to a restaurant where a man would be awaiting a package he absolutely needed for a business meeting.

I filled a box with rose petals and the ring and then delivered it to her company for delivery. Yes, I arranged for Amy to bring her own ring to her own proposal.

I put together a few symbolic gestures such as various different colored roses intertwined together in twos. I wrote a note for her explaining all of the symbols of our lunch. And, with the rose and the note, I waited for the delivery.

Amy arrived to a big surprise....me! We had our wonderful moment together and I made my proposal. The rest is history.

It's been a great week for me. More to come later.

Kevin
"Woj"

2005-09-22T12:54:00.000-05:00

Apple iPod Shuffle doesn't really shuffle!

Hi,

Today's post is pretty much just a rant. It's contains my personal opinion about an injustice.

I received a 512MB Apple iPod Shuffle as a birthday gift about a month ago. I spent extra money to upgrade it to a 1 GB model. According to the literature, I can load music on it and play it back randomly.

I use it daily and I thought it was working great. Then, I noticed that each time I turn it on, it starts back at the beginning of some unseen playlist saved within the Shuffle.

I use my Shuffle while walking to work across the city of Chicago every morning and night and I use it in "shuffle" mode. Their name for this device is the "Shuffle" and the idea of "shuffle" mode implies to me that I can listen to my music randomly on the device.

Their site makes the following statements about the device's capabilities on the Shuffle product page:

"Time to mix things up. Meet iPod shuffle, the unpredictable new iPod. What will it play next? Can it read your mind? Can it read your moods? Load it up. Put it on. See where it takes you."
"Random is the New Order"
"As official soundtrack to the random revolution, the iPod Shuffle Songs setting takes you on a unique journey through your music collection � you never know what�s around the next tune."
"iPod shuffle rejects routine by serving up your favorite songs in a different order every time."
"Daily gridlock feels less mundane when you don�t know what song will play next."
"Turn iPod shuffle over, flip the slider to Shuffle and mix on the go."

It's amazing what a corporate giant can get away with in its advertising. The last statement in the list above says it all about their product.

Well, it's just NOT TRUE!!!

I contacted their technical support today and discussed my concerns regarding the Shuffle. It doesn't seem to play music randomly. It seems like it has a playlist inside of it that's shuffled when i download music. Blah, blah, blah.....

The truth of how the Shuffle works was revealed in my support chat. Here's the actual transcript:

Agent:
[ 10:00 AM PST] Hello and thank you for contacting Apple Chat Support. My name is Richard. Please give me just a moment while I update your iPod information in our system.

Agent:
[ 10:00 AM PST] While you are waiting I would like to give you some information about your iPod Shuffle. Your Shuffle comes with one complimentary troubleshooting incident (chat or phone support) within the first 90 days of purchase and 1 year of hardware coverage. You have the opportunity to extend the support and hardware coverage with the AppleCare Protection Plan as well.

Agent:
[ 10:01 AM PST] Ok. And with that all done..How may I assist you today?

Kevin:
Well, I have a 1Gb IPod Shuffle that I've had for about 3 weeks now. I've loaded all my songs on it and reload it weekly with a new set. I listen to the iPod on the way to work in shuffle mode and then turn it off for the day. When I turn it back on, it starts back at the first song I heard in the morning. Is this a malfunction?

Kevin:
It seems to replay all the songs I heard in the morning.

Kevin:
...in the same order as well

Agent:
[ 10:04 AM PST] No. It is actually the way it was designed. Because the iPod Shuffle uses a "soft" Flash type of memory, it does not store the previous location when you turn the iPod off for more than a moment.

Agent:
[ 10:05 AM PST] That is actually one of the new features we have put into our newest iPod. The ability to use Flash memory, but still retain your settings and place in your songs.

Kevin:
But, what I'm saying is that the iPod is saving my previous starting point and replaying from that point.

Kevin:
is there a way to get around that?

Kevin:
I have 250 tunes on the iPod. I'd like to turn it on and get a new song.

Agent:
[ 10:06 AM PST] You stated previously that the iPod started back from the beginning, and replayed the same songs from the morning. Is that correct?

Kevin:
yes.

Kevin:
I've loaded the shuffle using Autofill the last two times to try to avoid this but, it seems to keep track of its own internal playlist in shuffle mode

Agent:
[ 10:08 AM PST] Unfortunately, you would have to simple skip through those songs manually, as I mentioned, the iPod will not remember what you have already listened to, and pick new songs. That is why I recommend our new iPod Nano to alot of folks with Shuffles.

Kevin:
You say "the iPod will not remember what you have already listened to" and what I'm saying is that it does.

Agent:
[ 10:09 AM PST] Autofill can be done randomly, or you can pick a specific playlist for the iPod to Update from, so if you wanted to edit your playlist with different songs, you could control it that way.

Kevin:
You say "the iPod will not remember what you have already listened to" and what I'm saying is that it does.

Kevin:
Recommending a nano does not solve the problem. I just got the shuffle. The Shuffle should "SHUFFLE".

Agent:
[ 10:11 AM PST] If you sync 20 songs onto your iPod int he morning, and listen to 1-10 in the morning on yoru way to work, then turn the iPod off. When you come back to it, it will simply restart its playlist when you turn it back on. It does not record which tracks you played ealier.

Kevin:
These two statements contradict each other. ...

Kevin:
"When you come back to it, it will simply restart its playlist when you turn it back on. It does not record which tracks you played ealier."

Kevin:
So, you are saying that the shuffle creates an internal playlist when I add songs to it. Therefore, it will continually start that playlist from #1 even though I am in the shuffle mode. Is this correct?

Agent:
[ 10:13 AM PST] A standard iPod, when turned off, saves its position in a playlist. So that when you turn it off and come back, you continue at the sam point you left of. The Shuffle does not have the same ability. It restarts from the beginning of its list.

Kevin:
Then, what is shuffle mode as opposed to playing the list in order?

Kevin:
From what you are saying, the shuffle keeps only two playlists and restarts from the beginning each time I turn it on.

Agent:
[ 10:15 AM PST] When you autofill songs onto the iPod, the order they are in within the iTunes list, is the order they will appear on the iPod. Shuffle simpy "shuffles" that list so they appear in random order.

Agent:
[ 10:16 AM PST] It keeps 1 list. And the ability to play that list in Standard "Continuous" order, or Shuffle "Random" order.

Kevin:
But, as you are saying, the shuffled list is only one playlist created when the songs are added to the shuffle. It does not actually randomize the list each time I turn on the shuffle.

Agent:
[ 10:18 AM PST] It does not reorder them, no. It is simply the "randomized" version of the Standard playlist.

Kevin:
okay. Now, what are the consequences of not turning the shuffle off after each use? Does it eat up more power even when not playing songs?

Agent:
[ 10:20 AM PST] It will use power as long as it is turned on, even if not playing a song, so your battery would not last nearly as long. But there are no serious issues that would cause, in terms of the device working.

Kevin:
Your advertising misrepresents the iPod shuffles abilities.

Kevin:
Here is a statement from your advertising literature...

Kevin:
"More roadster than Rolls, iPod shuffle rejects routine by serving up your favorite songs in a different order every time."

Kevin:
This statement contradicts everything you just told me.

Agent:
[ 10:22 AM PST] That is a reference to the Autofill feature, which syncs songs at random from you rlibrary each time you sync.

Kevin:
I guess I can't argue that.

Kevin:
It's a slight rewording that misleads the consumer

Agent:
[ 10:25 AM PST] I wish that I had some way to work around it for you, so that you could reshuffle, etc, but it simply isnt something that the Shuffle can do right now. Perhaps that is something you can send us a feedback email about. Our engineers do actually value feedback and use that to improve our products.

Kevin:
Thanks. I'll do that. But, like I said, it's very misleading. The very name "Shuffle" implies randomness.

Agent:
[ 10:27 AM PST] I can understand your perspective, and I will also send up a feedback as well. Those types of things can cause a negative experience, and that is exactly the type of thing we are looking to resolve. We strive for simplicity with the iPods, and your feedback on this would be very vauleable.

--- END of Transcript ---

So, I have my answer and now you do too. Be careful what the advertising says because it can be very misleading and there's not a thing you can do about it except return the product.

Thanks,
Kevin
"Woj"

2005-05-26T10:01:00.000-05:00

Hi,

Don't know where I left off with things last time so, I'll just trudge ahead.

I finished up a project out at NORC in April and then went out to work at the Sun-Times (ST). I'm actually wrapping up my work there today and my company is continuing some other project work there.

After the ST work is done, I start a new project with another client which I cannot name here. I'm doing the Interface Development work and Project Management as well. Anyway, they are a good client and I'll wrap up their work in 5-6 weeks just in time to start yet another project at NORC.

Life is going along pretty well again. The job market seems to be somewhat settled. And, now that I'm working, all of a sudden recruiters are calling again. Where were these guys when I was out of work? LOL.

My girlfriend is great and we are now moving past 9 months together. She and her daughter and my son and I are all going on a week long vacation together in July. I can't wait. I need a vacation.

That's enough news for now. Drop me a line if you'd like.

Talk to you all later,
Woj

2005-03-07T13:43:00.000-06:00

Hi,

Talk about rusty...it's been 3 months since my last post.

I'm in the final stages of 2 client projects that have had me jumping for the last several months. It's almost a downer right now since we got the last of the projects turned over to testing last Friday. Today has been quite boring to say the least.

News in my life... Well, I've been dating a great girl named Amy for the past 6 months and we are continuing strong. My son is well and gets along great with her daughter.

On the work side of things, I was named Webmaster of Pathfinderassoc.com or pathf.com which is the website of my current company, Pathfinder Associates. It has allowed me to take more ownership in the work I do and give me more of an influence on the continued success of the company.

For a small side project, I utilized a great service called Cafe Press to create a simple Web store for Pathfinder to sell Pathfinder gear. The main use for the site is for Pathfinder employees to acquire company gear and get our name out a bit. The idea blossomed after I wanted to get a coffee mug for showing off while at client sites. So, I took our logo and created a simple design and then produced a mug for myself. Everyone at the company liked the idea so much that several more mugs were purchased for people to use at client sites. Now, I've expanded on the mug idea and we have a whole line of shirts and merchandise besides the mugs.

Cafe Press offers the average person the ability to create a Web storefront to sell unique merchandise with custom designs. You provide the artwork and they provide the custom storefront, raw merchandise, printing, shipping, and payment collection. They provide a base price for each item and you add your markup to that. Then, any item can be purchased in quantities of one or more items. It's a beautiful idea and very effective.

Check out the Pathfinder Store at http://www.cafepress.com/pathf

Thanks,
Kevin

2004-11-15T13:13:00.000-06:00

Wow!

Ramadan is finally over....and I survived. The one thing I missed the most during the month was my ability to drink coffee all day long to stay awake and aware. I am so glad to be able to grab a cup whenever I want again.

Overall though, I really enjoyed my first Ramadan fasting experience. I learned a lot about my own ability to go "without" and I did well doing so. I was a little bad on the weekends as I didn't fast during the weekends. I fasted during the week to support my work associates and that was great.

Ramadan has also helped me trigger some changes in my life. I was stagnating in a few areas and I have started making some changes for the better....diet, finances, etc.

My main project from the last few months has also come to a close. I'm wrapping up small application adjustments today and tomorrow and then, I get to go back to our Pathfinder offices. I will still be on call for the client so they can pull me in anytime they need but, I will be working on other projects in the meantime.

Have a great week!

Woj

2004-11-04T09:17:00.000-06:00

Morning everyone,

Today, we'll talk about the month of Ramadan fasting (...yes, I said a month). During Ramadan, Muslims fast everyday during daylight hours for an entire month.

As I told you before, I am fasting during Ramadan with my work associates and friends in the spirit of team unity and a show of support for them. From the standpoint of myself, an American fasting during Ramadan, I've found it to be very fun and interesting to say the least. It has also been very enlightening and challenging.

I'm sure you've all heard of Atkins, I am calling the Ramadan fasting the "Ramadan Diet" for myself. I have enough excess around my midsection that I could use this month to an advantage. When people ask me how I'm doing with the fasting, I reply, "good...my body is feeding off my excess!" LOL

Ramadan fasting requires you to discipline yourself and not eat, drink, have sex, say bad words, or have unpure thoughts during daylight hours each day during the month. Ramadan goes by a Lunar calendar so, the hours of fasting change with each day. For example, yesterday, my fast started at 4:50 a.m. and I was able to eat dinner starting at 4:44 p.m. But, today, the fasting started at 4:51 a.m. and ends at 4:43 p.m.

Before the fasting started, I feared that I wouldn't be able to hold out the whole month ...or even a whole day. Now that I've been doing it for almost 3 weeks, I'm laughing at my earlier fears. My Muslim friend, Neji, told me at the beginning that if I have enough heart to pedal a bike 30 miles without training, then I should have enough heart to fast for the month. I thank him for his kind words. They meant a lot.

Anyway, I figured if a huge chunk of the world's population can do this every year, then I can manage. So far, I've done great with it. It's all about will power and control over yourself.

The other fun part about Ramadan is the fast breaking celebrations. We had a large one at the office yesterday which the guys called a group Iftar(see the links below for an explanation). We did it like a potluck dinner where everyone brings something to contribute. There were some amazing dishes served and it was very nice.

My friends have also been inviting me to break my fast with them in their homes. I've found a true sense of comaradery from my experience. I've also developed a better understanding of my friends and their different cultural backgrounds.

Enough rambling for now.

Catch you all later.

Woj

P.S. Here are some Ramadan links for more info...
Ramadan - The Month of Fasting
Ramadan Fasting

2004-10-18T09:57:00.000-05:00

Hi,

Long time no hear from me...lol.

Life has moved in positive directions for me since last I posted anything here. Pathfinder Associates finally hired me fulltime in August. I am settling back into a fulltime employment role and I'm very happy about it.

This week though brings me to the subject of fasting for Ramadan. Last year, I worked on a project for one of Pathfinder's clients and the majority of the team's developers fasted for Ramadan. Also, in years past, I have worked with other developers who went through this month-long fast.

As a show of team unity, this year, I am fasting with them. The basics of the fast are that you fast from dawn until sunset abstaining from food, drink, and all sexual activities from October 16 until November 14. I told my friends I was going to fast with them this year and they obtained a Ramadan fasting calendar for me. The calendar gives you starting and stopping times everyday for the fasting down to the minute. So, for example, today I must fast from 5:33 a.m. until 6:07 p.m. Tomorrow, the fast starts at 5:34 a.m. and so on.

I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep up this fasting but, I'm going to try to hang in for the full month. I am not a religious person in any way. I stopped being religious years ago after deciding that many of the religions were all too hypocritical.

The fasting is going to be a drastic change for me and I will have to show much will power and self-control to do it. I am a big coffee drinker during the day and this fast will flush my system of caffeine during daylight hours (I'm waiting for the caffeine headaches to start). I think it will be a good experience for me as a whole though. And, it will also put me on the same wavelength as my fellow developers. I will be working under the same conditions as they are.

So, to end this ramble, I leave you with a poem from Hosam...

Ramadan means alot to me:
It�s the month of worship and the month of victories and dignity and honor
The month that humans can be clean from inside and outside
It�s the filter of errors and bad habits
It�s the cleaner of hate and bad thoughts
And everything wrong between all people
Ramadan is the month of good and beauty
People are happy, Joy is everywhere
Because the doors of paradise are open and those of hell are closed
It�s the month of mercy for me
I prefer this month so much more than anything else
Because I feel that I am close to Allah more and more
And I feel comfortable too in this month becoming closer to all more and more
And every one is in a hurry to obey Allah and get his mercy and acceptance
This is Ramadan and however much I say I will not express its full meaning

Hosam, is 17-years old, and a high school student in Rafah. He is also a prolific poet

That's all for now.

Woj

2004-07-22T15:29:00.000-05:00

Hi,

July has been a great month for me. This will be the last post regarding my job search woes. Why you ask? Because my current contract client Pathfinder Associates offered me a fulltime job yesterday. :)

It's finally happened! I'm back in the fulltime work game. It's not that I haven't enjoyed consulting but, I have my son to think about and a steady income with benefits helps make life more livable and less stressful.

In addition, July has seen me start a new contract with Pathfinder, get satellite installed at home so my son can watch Cartoon Network, buy a new used car, and take a vacation (...the first real vacation I'll have in 4 years). I'm feeling pretty darned good.

The last thing I have to do is get the whole companion/girlfiend thing worked out and life can be happier.

Talk to you all soon as this blog morphs into something new.

Thanks for your support and friendship.

Woj

2004-06-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I've said 'hello' to you all....'HELLO'.

I'm back on a contract for Pathfinder Associates to work on the updated version of the application I helped their client build last Fall.

I've resigned myself to the role of self-employed computer consultant. It pays the bills and I'm starting to get used to the whole up and down of the work. I'm still considering fulltime work but, for now, the contract work is good.

My son is still doing good and we are nearing the one-year point of him living with me fulltime. We have our own apartment and I'm finally no longer a burden on the family.

Gotta run to a meeting...

Bye.

Woj

2004-04-23T09:10:00.000-05:00

Wow a real blog type entry with link. This is an amazing story about technology and how we [Americans] take what we have for granted.

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,63131,00.html?tw=wn_story_mailer

Thanks to Laurika for sending this crazy story to me.

2004-04-21T11:42:00.000-05:00

Well, I've done it! I've moved (...as of April 10). Whew! It feels good except for the fact that I'm packed into my new place like a can of sardines. I've been unpacking for 1.5 weeks and I'm just starting to see daylight. To top it off, I still have stuff in storage and at my parent's place that needs to be moved.

Given that the new place is smaller than my last place, I am on a search and destroy mission to dump excess junk. It's been interesting to see what I've kept all these years and have been junking. For example, yesterday, I dumped my high school track and field cleats (skintight shoes with 1/4" metal spikes for running). I haven't worn them for any real reason in years and my knees make it so that running is a pain anyway. Plus, I seem to have more clothes than most women. I've also collected quite a collection of books that I am going to sort through and remove from my bookcases.

Work has been status quo. I'm still working on this contract and it's several contracts that have been keeping me working for over 8 months now. I'm hanging onto the hope that the work doesn't dry out and I can keep on going. I have now put myself in a precarious position with an apartment and no long-term job.

Woj

2004-03-09T09:50:00.000-06:00

Hi all,

I'm fed up! I'm fed up living with family and everything that goes along with it. So, I'm moving out. I'm taking a shot on surviving long enough as an independent consultant to keep myself and my son out on our own.

I've been on my current contract for about 6 months now and continuing and I have enough saved away to last awhile. Plus, there's been a little talk of them hiring me. So, I'm just going to surf this out and see where life leads me.

I've looked into a daycare situation for my son and we're going to start looking at apartments this weekend. I'm going to shoot for being in a new place by the end of the month of March, probably the 27th or 28th.

I'll need help moving and I'll send a more formal request for help out but, if this all works out for me timing wise and you're going to be free that weekend, I'd really appreciate any help you can give. I will, of course, provide the usual refreshments throughout the day....breakfast snacks, soda, water, lunch, and pizza and beer at the end of the day. Just drop me a line ahead of time and I'll count you in.

Thanks for being there for me through this whole mess.

Woj

2004-02-18T14:03:00.000-06:00

Nothing new to report. Still working with Pathfinder Associates on two projects. We've delivered our first round of work on both projects and now, it's all integration and feature fixes.

2004-02-06T14:45:00.000-06:00

Hi,

Just wrapping up an additional project at my client site. We'll start maintenance on it next week as well as start a new Portal project. I'm plugging along with this contract. There has been no talk of a roll-off date and I have discussed the possibility of hiring on. My client just needs a long-term committment of work from their client and I might have a job. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

The latest project involved me creating JavaScript hooks into a browser-based application to accept input from a barcode reader. I developed quite a few really interesting pieces of code and will be sharing them online once I get a chance to write them up and remove my client specific information from it.

The drawback to this project was that we spent this whole week working til midnight every night to meet unreasonable deadlines. And, the positive side of that is I've been billing hourly at a great rate so, not too many complaints. Of course, the friend I go out with tonight might be mad at me if I run out of juice early in the evening...LOL (I'll get a second wind...).

Ciao friends,
Woj

2004-01-25T16:36:00.000-06:00

Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in updating you. No excuse for it.

It's been an interesting several weeks. I'm still working my contract with Pathfinder Associates which is great. We're currently continuing work into the next phase of the project and it's my project to do.

In the meantime, out of the blue, Olenick & Associates contacted me for a LT job. I had interviewed with them previously due to a Tony Troup referral. I interviewed this time and it all seemed to be going well. There are 5 good friends -- Tony Troup, Carol Cole, Khatija Ali, Reza Iskandar, and Kevin Flynn -- working there who all put in a good word for me. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, I was told I didn't fit any of their current needs.

So, I'm continuing in my search for LT work and doing my best at my current contract in the meantime.

Signing off until next time,
Woj

2003-12-19T10:23:00.000-06:00

As strange as it may seem, my 3 week contract is still going strong 4 1/2 months later. Plus, I've started another contract working with Simon McClenehan. I've done some short work for them already and there are promises of a lot more work in 2004 so, I'm psyched.

In the meantime, I'm still just plugging away and working toward that full-time position. Once it comes, I can move and we'll all have a party.

Talk to you all soon. Thanks for supporting me and checking out this site.

Woj

2003-11-26T11:02:00.000-06:00

Crazy thing happened to me the other day. I'm currently working on the Pathfinder Associates contract. They are a fairly small design firm. They share their office space with two other small companies and a newspaper reporter. So, I was walking through the office and glanced down at some of the samples from one of the other companies and what do you think I find? ...the marchFIRST annual report! LOL. Yes, this small firm designed the m1 annual report. I tell you, it's a really small world.

My contract is still continuing but, I may be finished as early as Dec. 5th or 12th. We integrated and implemented and everything is on its way. The application is getting fairly stable and we're just about done. The only good thing is that the client wants to do some Phase 2 modifications and I might get 1-2 months more work out of it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

In the meantime, I'm still sending out resumes and responding to ads. And, I'm building my website again. I'm starting with a revamp of the look of this blog and then creating an online resume. My homepage is http://www.wojzworld.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Woj