Posts Categorized: Non-Tech Articles
We have several MySQL DBA openings, one in each of our offices in Ottawa, Boston, or Hyderabad,
Welcome to the 75th edition (a.k.a. the Diamond Edition) of Log Buffer, the weekly review of database blogs.
The Pythian family got a new song last Monday — “Sheeri” means “my song” in Hebrew. I’ve been working at Pythian for over a week now, and I really like the work model, environment and culture.The Pythian model of training is “jump right in, and ask questions when you don’t understand something.” The teams are very good technically, and people routinely help each other out. My teammates have been known to work on something I’ve been meaning to get to, and nobody utters a word of complaint. It’s a great workplace. There is a link to a post on my own blog explaining how I got the job.
Going stir-crazy from sitting in with all the rain, I was looking for something to do. Paul (from the Pythian Group Australia office) suggested either shopping in Chatswood or going to Crows Nest. Crows Nest is a lovely area of town with lots and lots of shops and restaurants. They have a natural food store that serves organic coffee. Have I mentioned how big coffee is in Australia? You have to go to McDonald’s to get regular drip coffee like I am used to from Tim Horton’s. A few other things I have noticed since arriving here.
I have arrived in Sydney!! I have been in Sydney for a few days now. I was staying at Robert Menzies College. I was staying there because I needed to be at MacQuarrie yesterday morning for my LSAT exam. No matter how much you prepare for the LSAT, it is a tough exam. So my day consisted of writing a tough exam and then being escorted around town by two complete strangers. It reminds me of the famous quote (from the movie A Streetcar Named Desire, which I have never seen, but remember the quote). . . I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. Well that certainly was my case yesterday!!
I decided to do Rottsnest Island after all. I stood beside the captain on the cruise over there, so I could both see on both sides of the ship AND hear his “little bit of commentary”. I “hired a bike” once I got to Rottsnest as the island is really too big to do by foot. Decided I would head to one of the stops and have lunch. It was quite hilly. By the time I got to the look-out, I was too hot and exhausted to eat!! Three hours of biking and my legs were like rubber!
I’m going to present couple sessions at the Australian Oracle User Group Conference in Melbourne next week. It’s the first time I’m presenting Down Under and I’m looking forward to it, although I’m still not sure if I should start from the last slide and proceed backward. It seems like I will never finish this blog post so I will be brief now and simply hint you what you can find in the next one. Nuno Souto, aka Noons, was very kind to invite me to his place for a dinner, and I can tell you it was fantastic evening. But this is a topic for the next photo-blog. Stay tuned!
This was the presentation I gave at Open World 2007. It went pretty well, judging by how full the room was. I estimate more than 300 people attended. Although the title may sound a bit like a sales pitch, the content is more substantial. Read more here.
Man you can tell I’m a geek when my first inclination is to title this “Site Seeing”!When I left Ottawa it was snowing. Today was my first “off” day where I could spend time dong the tourist thing. I was going to go to Rottsnest Island, but did not get up and get going early enough. Instead I took the “Blue CATS” to “Woolys”. “Woolys” is the nickname for Woolworths, where you get groceries for the same price as in the suburbs. They also have a liquor store in them, so you can get all your essentials at one place. About 10 minutes from the Pier is the Perth Zoo, where I spent the day. I’m not sure what I will be doing tomorrow . . . because at this point, my feet are “knackered.”
Today was a much better day than yesterday. I managed to get more than eight hours sleep and felt very rested when I woke up. Plus, my bags finally arrived at the hotel while I was sleeping, which was especially fortuitous as my “EASY buttons” were in the suitcase. Last year I asked Connor McDonald if they had Staples in Australia. His reply was “Yes, and we have paper clips too!” So I brought him the famous (at least in our office) “EASY button” from Staples.
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