Ian Learns to Walk and To Fall

This is Ian trying to walk - succeeding and failing too. Ah why is learning always such a painful process...

You may not hear much from me in the next few weeks - I am entering the end of semester crunch time. That time of the year that when I am sure that I will not survive the semester. I have a bunch of work to do and lots of studying too. I really can't wait until this semester is over. I think then I will be over the last hump. Next semester I only have three classes and then I am FINISHED!! Why did I ever think that it would be a good idea to do a PhD?? Yuck. I am fighting a little 'senior itis' as it were. I think it's actually a good thing. I kinda figure now I just need to learn the material and pass the class. The grade isn't so important. After all I pretty much have a job already... so who cares... I have found that my new found slacker attitude is much easier to maintain than the overachieving perfectionist.

Ok, that last part is a complete lie! I wouldn't know how to be a slacker anymore if I tried...

More Job Hunting

This is the latest installment in the job hunt. I spoke to KPFF today as planned and they were very understanding. She said that they haven't interviewed anyone else as of yet so I have as some time. With the understanding that when I am ready to make a decision that I call them and I may or may not get an offer from them. They might have found someone else in the mean time. I'm ok with that. I also heard from another company in Seattle (MKA) as was turned down which I am also ok with. I heard from Terry in Chicago as well - busy day!

He would like to get an offer together for me so that when I go to Toronto in January it is really just about dotting i's & crossing t's. That was great news! He had said that he was interested in hiring me but saying that and saying he wants to make me an offer are two different things.

Aaron and I have decided that a solid offer from Chicago would sell us. It just seems like a better choice for us and for Ian. I want him to be able to take the train to Grandmas, go sledding in the winter and spend holidays with the family. Granted we would have to give up any sorta country living - Chicago is big city! But we will make do and Ian will just have to do his running in the woods when he visits Grandma.

So that is probably the last you will hear about job stuff until January when I will have time to go to Toronto. Now my attention has to turn to ramping up for finals. Three more weeks!

Oh and Tim & Deb, my spring break is the last week in February. So if the offer is still good, can we tentatively plan on visiting so we can maybe look for a place to live and a job for Aaron? If everything goes as plans...

Ian's First Steps

On November 19th, 2007 - the Monday before Thanksgiving - Ian took his first steps. He had taken single steps on his own but this was the first time we could say that he had definitely walked on his own. He continues to perfect his method in between growing teeth which he seems to do mostly at night. He is a busy guy what with getting his molars in and learning to walk.

We had Thanksgiving dinner down here on Thursday. That was a lot of fun. Alan and Barb and the kids came down as well as Granny Janny and Papa Fred and Grandma Mary too! Aaron cooked and did an awesome job. Next time we just have to remember to send leftovers home with everyone!!

Chicago or Seattle?

The latest on the job dilemma. I talked to the guy from Halcrow Yolles and he did a very good job of convincing me that I would get what I was looking for working for his company plus some. Basically this big British civil engineering firm (Halcrow) acquired a just as big Canadian structural engineering firm (Yolles) in 2004. Part of the purpose of doing this was to have a good entering point for the US market. They have since opened a New York office which acts as the US headquarters, they are now in the process of opening a Chicago office. This office is being headed by an acquaintance of mine who I had contacted about a position in his old office when I had started looking for work, only to find that he had changed jobs. Quited possible to my benefit. All of this looks great. He wants to hire me, I need a job, etc... The only thing I am concerned about is the level of mentoring available to me in a new, and still small office. But I have been reassured that I would be sent to the main office in Toronto for any training that I might need and that there are many benefits which balance this. Not the least of which is more $$ in the future. The idea is that if I get in on the ground floor of a new office that there is much better potential for upward movement.

Aaron and I like the idea of being in Chicago. Not so far from family - Alan's family and ours can go on those camping trips we have talked about, people can visit us easily, we could host holidays at our house, friends and family can just shoot down for weekend shopping trips and lots of weekends at Grandma's.

I'm just nervous. I don't have an offer in hand from them, although Terry says they want to hire me - I will still have to interview in Toronto and settle all the details. Right now I have an offer of an offer from KPFF. They have told me that they would like to give me an offer but not until I am ready to accept. Once they give me an offer they would like to hear back in about a week. She is calling me on Monday to give me this offer. I have decided that I am going to ask for an extension to the middle of January, which I am willing to bet I won't get. But I can't get to Toronto before then - I have finals coming up and then the holidays. So essentially I will be turning down KPFF without having anything definite on the table from another company. I am just having faith that even if Halcrow Yolles doesn't work out there are still lots of other firms out there I can work for. ARUP (another British firm, I interviewed with in Seattle) says they won't be making any decisions until January either. I think that this is the more typical time frame for companies. In many ways I feel rushed by KPFF.

I don't know if I am doing the right thing but I am not 100% sure I want to work for KPFF so I am going to take the risk. I guess I didn't marry the first guy I ever dated and everything worked out so I don't have to take the first job offer I get either - and I will probably still get a good job.

I am really not good with all of this not knowing. I want to have everything settled so that we can begin to get on with our lives. Will we be spending spring break in Seattle or Chicago looking for a place to live?

Tim, Deb - I hope we get to see you.

Fear of Change

The view from the Space Needle, Seattle, WA.

Ok, so you will need some back story here, as I haven't been diligent with the blogging again...

November 1st, I was flown out to Seattle to interview with a company there. Aaron and Ian went along so we could make it a long weekend and check out the city. While I was there I interviewed with two other companies, making me a job whore. I figured I needed some competition! So we all loved Seattle and think that it has all that we are looking for in a city. The schools are good, the city is not too small and not too big, there's water and camping too. These were all things we were looking for and then with Seattle we get the added bonus of mountains and ocean. Couldn't really ask for more! So the interviews went well and today I got my first (maybe only) job offer. Well sorta...

I just got off the phone with KPFF, which is the company that flew me out there, and Sara (who is the hiring principal engineer), said she would like to make me an offer. She added that when she makes an offer, she generally would like to hear back in a week or so. This is when my heart stopped beating. It seems that before that point this was all just an exercise. Ok, so I got really nervous and she said she doesn't need to make me an offer today. We have agreed to talk again on November 26th at which time I have about a week to accept or decline! I mainly needed the time to hopefully hear back from the other companies and also to meet with a company on Friday.

The Friday interview is with a British firm that is opening an office in Chicago. This is really my back up - just in case I can't stand the idea of being across the continent from my family! The hiring principal is a UM alum and so will be coming into town for the Ohio State game (GO BLUE!). I guess I'll have more to say soon.

So anyway I did title this the fear of change... that is where I am at and not at the same time. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but I am really excited about this next phase of our lives and then at the same time I am terrified. What if I am a complete failure as an engineer? What if building collapses and it is all my fault? What if I hate my job? What if I don't want to grow up?