My parents have kidnapped my daughter and I don't know what to do with myself. I am unfamiliar with this concept of baby-free free time.

Please skip this post if you don't like reading about my job that gives me money.

Good news: I got a raise! And a bonus! And more stock options and restricted stock!

Bad news: Even though I was here for nine months out of 2006, I was only officially an employee for one quarter out of the year, which makes the raise and bonus significantly lower than I expected and deserved, given my performance review. But my boss, who also started in the last quarter, is in the same boat. The reasoning is sound but annoying.

Amusingly enough, the bonus is just about the size of my tax refund, which, together, pay off my loan. So I guess I shouldn't actually pretend I have extra money lying around.

(Next year, however, my raise/bonus should be awesome. )

P-C, I've read some of your stuff, and you deserve every penny and stock option. And more.

Still, those of us who have debt can't help shaking a collective fist at your fiscal fitness.

P-C, I've read some of your stuff, and you deserve every penny and stock option. And more.

Heh. I don't really get to flex my creative muscle around here. But what really helps (and my boss is truly awesome, as he pinpointed exactly why I'm good at what I do) is I'm ridiculously detail-oriented and a horrendous perfectionist. And I work hard when I actually work. I've basically had to learn my job on the fly, so it's a wonder I managed to get anything accomplished.

We're working this year on getting me a job description. So that should be exciting.

Waaaait a sec, what stuff have you read? Our network is supposed to be secure!

I need to know what happened at the end of Slings & Arrows. How did it end? Please, please, PLEASE let the whitefont begin.

I want to type: PC is FIT!

I think I'm having Bronze flashbacks.

P-C, that's great news. Good for you! I'm sorry about the "official employee" thing. When Scott started to work for his present employer, he gave our old employer a substantial notice. The only problem? He missed being vested in the year he was hired, by something like one week. I think it was then a year or 18 months until he was vested.

Guess who suggested the extra weeks as a show of goodwill? Guess whose boss didn't use him for the extra weeks he was there.

I need to know what happened at the end of Slings & Arrows. How did it end? Please, please, PLEASE let the whitefont begin.

It was so fucking awesome! It was dark and bittersweet and beautiful and I cried during the Lear bits.

I should probably just call you up on the phone and tell you what happened.

You mean S3, right?

HEC!

Suggest to me a long-ish (for a pixie) pixie that would work with my face and hair. Please!

Waaaait a sec, what stuff have you read? Our network is supposed to be secure!

Yeah, that's me -- I'm an ace network hacker....

Nah, I just remember stuff that you had written either for grad school, or between grad school and this job -- and it was technical, scientific writing. And damned good. I wish all my authors wrote like you do.

ION, let me just rave about the dish I just made:

Bulgur wheat, cooked -- either warm, right off the stove, or cold, after being refrigerated; take a can of corn (frozen would work, as would fresh, I reckon) and a can of black beans (I drain and rinse mine) and throw them in with the bulgur; chop up some tomatoes and throw them in; a sploosh of olive oil; a generous sploosh or two of balsamic vinegar; perhaps a dash of salt -- and you got yourself some good eating, right there.

OMG. Seriously, people. It KICKS ASS. And the thing is, the proportions of the main ingredients don't really matter. Not a bean fan? Leave them out! Love tomatoes, not crazy about corn? Go for it! Want to try other veggies? Maybe some feta on top? Have at it!

And the olive oil and balsamic vinegar are really just according to your preferences (I happen to like a good strong balsamic vinegar, and lots of it).

God, YUM. I'm full and happy.

The only problem? He missed being vested in the year he was hired, by something like one week. I think it was then a year or 18 months until he was vested.

Ack, that's annoying.

Ooh, one bright spot, though! I discovered that for 2007, they reduced the number of stock options given to new hires because they found out that they were giving too many per the market average. But I got in before that. Woo!

I'm still trying to figure out how all this stock and vesting stuff works. It sounds like it's all good and full of lots of money when I need to make large expenses. But taxes are confusing.

Nah, I just remember stuff that you had written either for grad school, or between grad school and this job -- and it was technical, scientific writing. And damned good. I wish all my authors wrote like you do.

Ooh, my articles. Yeah, that's nothing like what I write now. But thank you.