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Sith's MCSE Update Page
In the past, this section was to keep friends and family updated as
to where the MCSE saga was. Now, it's more than that. Tune in for
ALL details about the saga...
- 30January04 Well,
that was quick! I've broken the once a year update curse! W00T! Well, I'm no longer as Six Flags.
Yeah, I know...what changes. Well, we had a disagreement over something, and so I'm not there anymore.
On the flip side, I needed the time off to help with some health issues at home (family stuff). More later...
- 01January04 Damn, what is
it with me and yearly updates, huh?! I made it through my first year at Six Flags
New Orleans. I'd heard of steep learning curves before, but this one
nearly killed me. Forget "lions and tigers and bears, oh
my!"...I think those would've been preferable to "budgets and schedules and
meetings, oh frag!". I mentioned on the Home Page that my first
year survival was a minor miracle. Well, it was. Not that I'm
incompetent...far from it! Rather, my competence is what made it
possible...and an overall touch by Almighty G_d! You see, before me,
there were FOUR previous MIS department heads...over a span of only 3.5
years. I was the fifth, and the newest to the field. Of the
previous four, not a one lasted even a single year. Well, not only was
I the fifth, but I'm the first to last over a year, with the highest
departmental efficiency, including a few decisions that is going to save us
over $40,000 USD over the next 36 months. Bosses muy happy...MUY
happy. If the drive wasn't so fraggin' long (72 miles, one way) it
would be the perfect job for where I am in life. Now, if I could only
get a bigger raise or a Christmas bonus...
- 03January03
*Laughs* When I did this page I never knew it would be a year between job
updates. Again, I can repeat what I said 366 days ago: Wow, what a
long strange trip last year was! Following some personal surgery at
the end of 2001, I rounded the New Year still working for myself in name
only. I'd just come off of that, with some good months teaching, and
it just did a disappearing act. Gone. Nada. Zip.
So, what was I to do? Well, get a job! A friend of mine got my
foot in the door at Jazzland Theme Park in New Orleans, Louisiana as an IT
Field and Networking Tech. That was in April, April 4. The park
was going through a rough time, as the owning company was going through
bankruptcy and no one even knew if it was going to stay open. Well, it
did. Six Flags took up ownership, and at the end of the 2002 season,
much to my shock, horror, and amazement, they "restructured" several
departments...mine included. As it turns out, this wasn't a bad thing,
but being called into the Finance Director's office (IT is part of Finance,
go figure...) and told to remove my bosses network access was a shock and a
half! They not only laid off my boss and did away entirely with his
position, they made ME the head of the department, promoted me to full time
Supervisor status, and now I'm running the show. Needless to say, I
had NO time to keep up my MCT status and teach classes, so I had to let that
lapse. Well, it wasn't a money maker anyway, and at $400 a YEAR to
recertify, it was sheer stupidity to keep it. So, there you have it.
I'm the IS Supervisor for
Six Flags New Orleans, the newest member
of the Six Flags family, and soon to be a world class theme park.
I'll keep you posted.
- 02January02
Wow, what a long strange trip 2001 was! In the wake of September
11, the already sagging IT industry in Louisiana suddenly became even worse.
Permanent employ became a thing of hearsay and the good 'ole boy network.
Either you had beaucoup years experience, or you knew somebody it seemed.
Being the ever resourceful man that I am, I decided to take a different
tack. I went to work for myself! I'm doing contract training for
several south Louisiana training firms, such as
The Bierman Group and
LANtec and enjoying myself quite
well, thank you very much! My bills are being paid, and my schedule is
pleasing, and I enjoy my work. What more could I ask for?
Hm...well, if you're a training company rep, you COULD contact me
for some training work! You can see my skills and history on my resume. Drop me a line at
and let's talk [Editor: No longer a trainer...email me at
for an
updated resume].
- 26July01 Well, the
search is still on for permanent employment. I interviewed today with some great people and it looks
promising for long term, although it's only expected to be contract for now.
We shall see what happens, neh? They're much more laid back than my
last place...not a single tie to be seen, except on the Account Executives.
I can live with that!
- 24June01 Ok, due to
some disagreements over what exams I'm taking to recertify in, the timetable to take them in, and the resulting
failure to pass those exams due to the lack of readiness ensuing from being
forced to take exams I was unprepared for, I've left the Bierman Group and
have moved onto better things....like a company that listens when I say,
"I'm not ready for this test", then doesn't schedule it. Imagine that.
- 22November01 New to
Sithspit's repertoire is his MCT certification...woo hoo, a certified
trainer, don't you know...! I'm working at The
Bierman Group in Baton Rouge, with offices in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette,
and Oklahoma City...and lovin' every minute of it!
- 01April00 By now you've
probably figured out that I'm no longer a medic. March 31st has come and gone, and I'm officially an
MCSE/MCP+I. I'm considering getting my Paramedic cert renewed, but I just can't see why. I have "ZERO"
desire to do that kind of thing again, so why bother?
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