OK, I managed to get another Mexico diary entry up, but it was painful. The connection at our new accommodation really, really sucks. You'll have to wait to see the photos.

Four more days ... then it's back home, then eventually to work. I've been able to forget about earning a living. It's been nice. I want to give it a little bit of thought before I arrive back in Calgary. We gave ourselves three decompression days which I'm sure that we'll need. I do feel quite relaxed and (apart from the occasional rant) I have let go of the old place. Here's just a bit more catharsis.

Things I Learned At BigCo

My time spent at my previous American company was very educational. I thought I'd share some of these tidbits of wisdom, as the federal government is only one place that is safe from being bought by an American conglomerate.

Quiet is Not Good - You must draw attention to yourself, even if you are doing mediocre things. Constantly be in the face of the person you work for, asking for help, demanding justice, backstabbing coworkers.

Estimate High - when calculating money/effort/time required for a project, always double the amount and move to the next higher unit. Thus, for a project you *think* will take two days, you request four weeks.

Workers are Commodities - no matter how high paid you are, how much company knowledge you possess, how friendly you are, who you kiss up to - when there is a lull in your workload, you will be disposed of.

Get the Best - don't be swayed by company standards - think up a lame justification and order what you need. The standards are arbitrarily chosen, anyways. Besides, they'll change every eighteen months. Guaranteed.