Hodgepodge

Main Entry: hodgepodge
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: mixture
Synonyms: collection, combination, goulash*, hash, jumble, medley, mess, miscellany, mishmash*, mixed
bag, mélange, patchwork, potpourri
>> Taken from Thesaurus.com

In continuing with my companies Employee Appreciation Week I have received the following things:

• Sogeti Frisbee
• Sogeti Mug
• Sogeti Keychain
• Sogeti Monitor-Picture-Frame-Thing
• Sogeti Badge Holder
• Lunch (x2)
• $25 Amazon Gift Card
• CEO talk/webcast w/ information on Sogeti's new employee incentive program starting next year and our YTD fiscals.
• Option to buy/sell PTO - Not going to, but its a nice option. Gotta keep my 21 days for vacations.

:-D All in all, not some bad swag over a few days. Especially the gift card (granted it can't buy you too much, but it buys exactly $25 more than a bag of rocks). The new incentive program is fairly complicated but boils down to a yearly point system where at the end of the year you are ranked against your peers of the same job level and the various top XX% get bonuses. The bonus amounts are pretty reasonable. My only problem would be that I should be promoted in the next few weeks which would mean I would be compared to others who have been in the higher position much longer. But all well, those are the breaks. I have scheduled my meeting with the Promotion Review Board for next week so wish me luck ;-).

One thing I forgot to mention about the NFJS conference from a few weekends ago was that I was lucky enough to win a brand new iPod Nano (new fat video kind). I was hoping for the iPhone but was very happy with the new Nano. It is truly amazing how far they have come in producing these things. My last one was a 2G or 3G 4GB iPod without color or anything and at the time it was amazing. My new on is half as thick (if not more), half the height, holds 4GB of music/video/photos on flash memory and has an exceptional color screen.

This morning I went over to a testing place a took the Sun Certified Enterprise Architect (SCEA) exam. No I didn't pass, nor did I expect to. A corworker found that Sun was beta testing the new exam for free so we signed up. It was interesting to take it without the preasure of passing and without studying. I was happy to find that the areas I hadn't work in I didn't know and the areas I had, I did. I have to wait ~6 weeks for the results but it was a worthwile hour and a half (they give you 4.5!).

On the food related front ... yesterday I had to get 2 fillings from the dentist. Em and I have been making the rounds at the doctors/dentists/optomitrists since we have moved. Getting the novacain from a huge needle wasn't pleasent but wasn't too bad. What was worse was how dry my mouth had to be during the procedure and the 5+ hours half my face was numb afterward.

Also, we were just sent emails about a charity Chili cookoff being held here at Monsanto in a few weeks. $3 for a bottomless bowl and free entry if you want to try and win the prizes. I may just have to make up a batch ;-)

Finally, a few of my college roomates (who also make up >60% of this blog's readers) and I have started up a new blog/website devoted to programming, logic, and math puzzles to keep our brains awake during work. Any and all are encouraged to participate. Check it out here.