[rescue] cheap gps for time reference

[Dave McGuire]

On July 5, Joshua D Boyd wrote:
> >   What?  Hell no.  I don't do that kind of work...I'm a technical guy.
> > Tech stuff is *all* I do.  If I do something else, it's likely that
> > I'm wasting my time...or worse yet, someone else's.
> 
> It is entirely possible to be a principle owner and still be the
> technical guy.  Look at ID Software.  The managers there answer to one
> programmer and two artists.  I suppose that even MS is this way now
> that Bill Gates is just a visioneer instead of a manager (though he
> still is on the board).

  It's definitely the exception rather than the rule.

> >   Besides, if I were, I'd be making even less.  The LAST person to make
> > money in an entreprenurial situation is the owner.
> 
> Well, true.  I figured that the $3k a month might have been what you
> had budgeted to live on until you took off.

  Heh.  Fuck no.  Do you think I'd WILLINGLY put myself in a situation
where I'm having to keep a list of excuses sitting by the phone for
when the collection agents call?  The boss-dude went to extreme
lengths to get me the money he's paying me now; I am quite sure it's
the best he can do...so I'm doing my best to make do.

> How did it work out that you and other employees work in your house
> with you being a principle owner?  It would take more than just stock
> options to make me do that.

  Well "other employees" was Sridhar...he was crashing on my couch
long before he got involved in this project.  As for me, I PREFER to
work in my house.  I have better equipment, better facilities, and a
better work environment here than (frankly) all but the very
best-funded companies could offer me.  And I can work in my underwear,
on MY schedule.

  There was the time that another tech guy spent about two weeks here
before a big trade show back in March.  I put him up in my spare room
as a favor to the boss.  It also facilitated our working together
quite nicely, and now the boss knows I'm willing to bust my ass for
company concerns.  When the money (if any) comes, he'll either take
good care of me for that or he won't...I know him well enough to give
him the benefit of the doubt on that.  Besides, it's no skin off my
nose, I had a spare room anyway and it was cool to hang out with
another geek.

  To sum things up...If this company takes off and builds some huge
palatial glass building somewhere, I will STILL work in my house.

> And yet, per hour I make significanly more than the majority of my
> not-in-school friends (which is to say the vast majority of my
> friends). And per month I also make more (except for the 8 months out
> of the year that I spend working only part time) than most of these
> said friends.  So many smart people making less than $3k per month is
> obviously not that unusual, at least around here.

  Not sure what to tell you about that.  This is less than one third of
my last regular salary.  The worst mistake I made was having gotten
very much used to it.  I don't come from a well-monied family, so I
was quite eager to make those lifestyle changes.

> Well, unfortunately, according the agreement, my current something
> will be running out in 6 months.  And even if I did go to grad school,
> there would be over 9 months after graduation till that started.

  PLEASE don't go to grad school.  We want you out here with us.
I'm sure everyone here will help you beat the bushes when it's time to
find new work.

> $GF's father seemed rather worried over my lack of definate plans for
> after graduation the last I talked to him.  But I don't expect his
> worrying to cause any problems.

  Ahh, overprotective and judgemental parents.  What fun. ;)

     -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire                  "Needing a calculator indicates that
St. Petersburg, FL              your .emacs file is incomplete." -Joshua Boyd