I broke down after watching TiVo at my friends’ house and bought one for myself. I figured that now, perhaps I could actually get the most out of my satellite feed, instead of bitching about not being able to tape Dead Like Me or the other really good cable shows that seem to be the major buzz. I opted for the standalone version, even though they make a TiVo/Satellite Receiver model. I figure if I ever drop Satellite, I’d just have a 35-hour recorder, so I bought the 40-hour standalone model. I’ve had it 24 hours and already I fucking love this thing.
1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be doing at this point in your life? Why or why not?
I’m a Site Operations Lead, though I was a Network Operations Engineer before eBay bought PayPal. My job is basically to manage and drive issues of varying degrees of urgency in order to maintain the maximum possible availability of the site to the world.
Chosen or not, this is what I do. I’m good at it. I would not have chosen this because I hate having to deal with stupidity on a daily basis.
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be?
Novelist or perhaps a Professor of Literature.
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices?
My mother is a retired elementary school teacher with thirty-six years of service to her career. My father is a balls-to-the-wall general contractor, and even at the age of sixty, he’s still building houses.
Out of the pair, my mother had a major influence on my life. I saw how she was able to perpetuate her passion for education through to her students and inspire them. If I ever became an educator, I hope I’m half as good as she is.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family?
No.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why?
I think every job has it’s difficulties. Even retail hell has its up side and down side when compared to the rigors of office work. Every time I think that I’ve found a job that could be easy, it always surprises me as to how much I’ve been fooled. The grass is always greener, I suppose.
