I'm still enjoying the new job

As you all know I started a new job as a product manager at the beginning of the year, it's been so much fun, yes, lots of hard work and sweat equity, as well as some frustrations and exhilarating moments.. I've learn so much, I just can't say how rewarding it's been. Most of you know how much I used to hate my job, this is really great.

So of the highlights of the last few months:

Published an article in our WebSphere Commerce Newsletter, you can read it here:
http://www-306.ibm.com/software/genservers/commerce/newsletter/2008Q2/article2.html
If you can't tell from the article, I love my area of expertise, it's fun, hip and really interesting.

Shipped a new version of my product, WebSphere Remote Server, you can read about here: http://www-306.ibm.com/software/webservers/remoteserver/

I've had to travel for work a few times, we've been able to survive at home while I've been gone, but I had to tell the event of the last trip, it was too crazy!
So I got up at 4:40AM to catch a flight to Toronto, Canada at 7AM from Logan Airport. I made it to the airport at 5:50AM, parked the car and made my way to the gate. I didn't have to check my luggage since it was a day trip. We got on the plane on time and I thought I'd make my 10AM meeting without a problem. About halfway through the flight, the pilot tells us that there is a warning light that's turned on and they can't tell what the issue is, to make sure they are safe we are returning to Boston because we are still a little closer than going to Toronto. So we land back in Boston and he proceeds to tell us to wait, in case it's a 5 minute fix (YA, RIGHT!) 5 minutes go buy and of course, we have to deplane. He tells us not to worry, the gate agents have rebooked us and we are all set. We get out to find no one at the gate! 5 minutes later, gate agents come back to tell us not to stand in line just yet, they are not quite sure what they will do. At this point, it is clear to me I'm not making my 10AM meeting.

Since I've traveled a lot in past jobs, I know that there is nothing worse than waiting for an airline to help you. I call our travel agency and ask for another flight to Toronto, at that point, it's 8:10AM and she tells me there's a 8:55AM available on Air Canada for a mere $950.. I hesitate a little, ask when the next American flight is (it's at 10:15AM) and decide to go on Air Canada, oh surprise, the flight price went down to $750 while I was hesitating.. She tells me to head to the AC desk, I'll be all booked in 5 minutes. I get there, try to check in with the electronic kiosk, that doesn't work, so I go up to the agent who gives me major attitude about having just booked the flight as it is overbooked. I'm sure she ended up seeing how much I paid for it because once she pulled up my name, she said it was fine and gave me a boarding pass..

With all the security at airports these days, you get the special treatment if you book at flight last minute, I got the full body pat down and they checked every part of my carry on. But I got on the flight and made it to Toronto at 10:30AM.. Woo hoo!

I got in my rental car (A HUGE Chrystler 300 with only 11 kilometers on it.. It was very new!) and then Bam! MAJOR traffic on the highway.. From the airport to Markham, it's usually about 25 minutes. It took me 1.5 hours!!!! So I made it at 12:15AM in the office... Wow! Thank goodness, the rest of the day went well, customer enjoyed my presentation and the flight back was as uneventful as you ever wanted. Moral of the story? ALWAYS fly Air Canada to Canada!!! If only that was in my control, our system dictates which flight I take.. :-( (Flying the unfriendly skies has been challenging this year, it took me 14 hours to gt back from Austin, TX in February.. )
This flight ordeal to Toronto was the culmination to a bad week, the day before, Windows died on my laptop, just as I was trying to finish my presentation for the next day, after 3 trips to the office I had a working laptop with no work data on it.. I managed and I'm back in business now..
I hope the black cloud has moved on!!

Steph