Maddex and I had a bit of an adventure today. We drove to Ikea for more shelves, then Microsoft to have lunch with some new hires. It’s Tuesday which is one of my weekend days. I work Wednesday through Saturday on a swing shift. When work on my off days during normal working hours I like to bring a kiddo with me so we can take the car pool lane. The new hire lunch was at noon on main campus requiring a kid / carpool pass. Bringing the Kids is an excellent opportunity for one on one time and it saves an hour and change in commute time; everybody wins.

Our book for the drive was the classing Around the world in 80 days. At triple speed we made it about 2/3 of the way through the book on the round trip, Maddex slept part of the way home so he might have missed a bit.

Ikea for more Shelves

A week or so ago we went to Ikea and picked up about 9 Besta shelves to add to our storage collection. Turns out we were a few doors and shelves short. Momma took off early for a doctors visit, so Maddex and I took off early for work and fit in some Ikea things. Maddex found one of the kids carts and we did not need much, so the kid cart is all we shopped with. He sure was proud of himself doing all of the cart work driving sideways and all over the place like a crazed kiddo.

After momma inspected our purchases it turns out we bought the wrong doors; mutter. I guess I’ll need to stop back in one day this week and exchange them for the correct doors. Then we should be done buying storage for a bit; I hope. Maddex was super excited for the scratch and dent section. He hoped to find a treasure or two. We did find some good ones, but we drove the insight, which has next to no room at all. Hate finding something we “need” on “sale” and not being able to spend more money! how very un-American.

Maddex tells me tonight While I’m tucking him into bed he really wants to go back and pickup the clock shelve thing in scratch and dent. Apparently he is in love with it – his words.

Ikea shopping Narrative stream – http://nrv.io/1QHDcfw

Disclaimer || Did not wear the clip correctly so most of the pictures ended up being of the ceiling and I deleted them; still learning.

Microsoft and NEO

The first day of almost every week Microsoft hosts New Employee Orientation (NEO) for 5-100+ people. Monday was a company holiday, presidents day, pushing NEO out to Tuesday. My old boss Ashwin, recently moved to Dublin to directly interact with the team over there. He still manages to the night team here remotely. Last month he hired two new people to his nights team who officially started today. Part of the NEO process at Microsoft is a lunch with your manager after half a day with your new hire class going over the company benefits and such.

The Boss lunch is to help give you an idea of what you’re going to be doing and who you are working for. It’s also to help answer any questions you come up with between getting an offer and NEO. Ashwin being in Dublin I got the honor of the lunch. Interviewing, and hiring people is part of work I immensely enjoy. The new hire lunch is a huge day in the lives of a new employee, and I consider it an honor to be a part of it. Both Jose and Mike, the new hires, have had FTE at Microsoft on their list of goals for a long time. Sharing day with them was special.

Maddex and I had some time to kill before HR released out sleepy new hires. Killing time we took a walk through the Xbox building then played some games in the museum thing in building 92. Right on time at noon we picked up the boys, shook their hands, told them congratulations, then took them to Lunchbox Laboratory in the commons. They are not fully new hires because they’ve both been venders for a while, but still a huge day. Mike works nights and was hardly awake, and Jose spent his weekend in Canada and is about to move to nights so he was not all that awake either. After lunch I’m pretty sure they picked up their badges and headed home looking for naps.

Maddex downed some Mac and Cheese and an Oreo milkshake while I chatted with the new hires for a bit. Maddex brought his badge with him to work. He scanned it every door and I scanned mine at the same time to help his work. His being only a take you kid to work badge it does not work. While tucking him into bed tonight he told me “Dad I know my badge did not work, it was cute that you tried to trick me” totally love that kid.

Neo Lunch Narrative stream – http://nrv.io/1TpUXWO

Some new toons

We made it home before 1500, and it was not raining out. Maddex and I took the dry weather opportunity and installed some new speakers and an amp in the insight. He unscrewed half of the dash, and ran some wires for me. After about an hour he lost interest and went to work on his dam. The new toons sound great. I upgraded some Polk 2-way 6.5” speakers in the doors to Polk 6.5” in the door and 2” tweeter separates mounted on at head level. The enhanced highs should make listening to audio books a better experience. I’m looking forward to listening to my book tomorrow