[Reminder: whenever I talk about the work place, the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Namely, ME!]

Grover, our automation engineer, quit about a month ago. And he left still insisting that our huge automation suite that tested the last version of our software, couldn't be converted for the new version. But I took a look, and I figured it out. I worked at it, and after a week I finally succeeded in converting it. I also fixed up so many sloppy commands in the scripts.

Nobody else knew any better. Everybody took Grover's word for it, "it can't be done." I could have said the same thing, and nobody would have been the wiser. But I did it. Out of moral obligation? Well, yeah, maybe some of that. But if it couldn't have been done, then I know I'd be the one who'd get stuck with re-writing a new one anyway. Better to just revise what's there.

And FINALLY, my hard work at this company was recognized. I got one of those on-the-spot awards, which consisted of $500 (after taxes it was of course much less, but hey, it's still a tangible gift). But that wasn't the really good news. What's happening is...I'm going to fill Grover's position!!

That means I'll be under new management. Yes, NO MORE FUCKING SCHOOL TEACHER!! No more of that fucking manager that treats me like I'm in fucking kindergarten. Bye bye, cunt! I'll still have to do the occasional project for her and her group, just as I'll be doing automation tasks for all the other QA groups. But now I can finally say "so long!" to daily status reports, mandatory "in" times set ridiculously early, book reports on "The 17 Indisputable Laws of blah blah blah", and all those other little signs of unproductive & retarded-level working.

And now, she's holding on to me for dear life. Oh no, now who's going to take over the testing of that huge module? Who's going to do Oracle database administration for us? Well gee, why not ask one of your oh-so-superior senior QAs on the team?

Now as for my new manager, I know the guy is strict. A lot of the other people under him don't like working for him. But since working with him, I get how he operates. He's really big on the whole "gimme a deadline and a percentage of completion" thing. He always needs the numbers. Fine with me. A little bit of a pain to do, but I understand; this is how he does his thing. He may be strict, but at least I feel like I'm being treated like an ADULT -- a professional engineer -- and not a child.

"Hey teacher, whatcha tryin' to do
I'm getting tired livin' in this zoo."
- Alice Cooper, "Give the Radio Back"