New Job

I started a new job last Tuesday. I'm a senior SDET (software development engineer in test) at ascentium. While it's a new job title, it's effectively the same kind of work -- software testing (finding bugs and improving product quality before the customer gets the product) with an emphasis on writing and understanding code to test the product.

I never blogged much about my job search though I had some interesting experiences to share. In this technology era, I think many responsible interviewers will look for a candidates personal blog, and blog with lots of posts griping about other interviews could be strike one against me before I get my foot in the door. Likewise while it may be cathartic to vent about your job and many people have blogs full of job gripes, in the tech world you have to realize your boss and your co-workers are reading it, so don't expect much about my job here.

That said, so far so good. I like the people I'm working with, which is key, and so far I've gotten enough guidance to get running and then been left alone to do my own thing. I am jumping in to the fire with both feet as our first ZBR/RC0 goal is this week and I'm the one tester on the project. (Tech people will understand that, non-tech people don't worry about it.)

Oh, one thing of note. I'm trying something different and being a morning person at this job. Monica has been getting up at 5/5:30 for her classes at Boeing and as long as I'm up, I'm trying to be productive (note the time of this post). That said I don't think I'll make it out of the house by 7 today.

Shana Tova

Here's wishing a very happy and sweet 5768 to friends, family, and any other readers out there, especially those of you who are rooting for the Cubs.

Cubs

<sigh>

Baseball Prospectus runs a daily Post Season Odds report. The math and process isn't that important but the end result gives you a good idea of a team's chances of making the playoffs. Since shortly after the all-star break, the Cubs have had a better than 50% chance of making the playoffs even breaking 60% a few times as recently as August 31st. With yesterday's loss and the Brewers win, not only did the Cubs drop out of first place but their post season chances feel to 36%, the lowest it's been since July 1.

Of more concern the Cubs have been playing some pretty bad baseball for a while now. Since peaking on July 30th, they're 17-22 and have been outscored 156-188. The starting pitching has been lousy, especially Zambrano and Hill who are supposed to be the aces of the staff. But they haven't helped themselves by replacing Sean Marshall with Steve Tracshel -- on what universe is that an upgrade -- or penciling in Jason Kendall's no hit, no field name into the top of the lineup. Kendall may be the worst player in major league baseball. Geovany Soto hit .353 with 31 2B and 26 HR in only 385 AB in AAA this year. Even the non-baseball fans reading this blog know that's pretty good. He's not the catcher of the future, he's by far the best catcher the Cubs have now. Play him!

Edited to add: Who says "they" can't hear you through the TV set? I made the post above and turned on the Cub game just as Derrek Lee hit a home run. The Cubs added four more runs and now lead 6-1.

Fall TV

Every fall the networks roll out 40-50 new shows for us (the viewers) to pass judgment on. As a prime time viewer one of the challenges I have is figuring out what's good before you're deep into the season as well as getting hooked on something that's going to die mid year and leave you wanting closure. Sure there some critic reviews, but that's one person's opinion, and I can see promos on TV, but really that's enough to tell me what I won't like (cavemen, really?, uggh) but not what I will. So the critic's season pass on Variety's blog is fantastic.

I stumbled over this from Jon Weisman's Dodgers blog which I read occasionally. They've had eight critics/bloggers watch the previews for the fall season and rate them. This gives a consensus all in one place. Of course most shows are mixed though that's seems dead on as most new shows tend to be "meh" -- not awful, but not must see. The scores for some shows are pretty interesting, for example Private Practice (the Grey's Anatomy spin-off) three critics gave it a thumbs up while four gave it two thumbs down -- like it or hate it.

Best received potential hits -- Chuck (NBC, premiers Monday 8 PM on 9/24), Dirty Sexy Money (ABC, Wednesday 10 PM on 9/26), Gossip Girl (CW, Wednesday 9 PM on 9/19), Pushing Daisies (ABC, Wednesday 8PM on 10/3), The Reaper (CW, Tuesday 9 PM on 9/25), and hey the sit-com may be back Aliens in America (CW, Monday 8:30 on 10/1), Back to You (FOX, Wednesday 8PM), Big Bang Theory (CBS, Monday 8:30 PM on 9/24), Return of Jezebel James (FOX, Wednesday 8:30 in 2008). Of to set my TiVo; setting a season pass on the ones in bold.

Stein

It never ceases to amaze me that people can't pronounce or spell "Stein". I had both happen in the past couple of days. The local grocery store has a policy of thanking customers by name, which I'm OK with, but it's almost insulting when they pronounce it wrong which happens about one in four times. I realize my name isn't as common as Jones, Smith, Johnson, or Suzuki. And it does violate the "i before e..." rule.

However, stein is a word that's been part of the English language for 100 years. And there's a fairly famous scientist named Einstein, spelled and pronounced the same way.

No one pronounces the President's name as if it rhymes with "hush".

Bregel is hard, Aristodemo is pretty tricky, Kline and Klein are both common, Saltalamacchia and Yastrzemski are tongue twisters. But Stein should be easy for anyone old enough to order a beer.