Leaving Reston

At about 12:30 on Thursday our instructor advised us that the coming weekend is generally considered a holidy or at the very least a special event for many people. This seems to have come as a surprise to a lot of people - however, he informed us that if we could get a flight "this afternoon", we could go home.

Imagine the scrambling. Phone calls were made to respective airlines and people were wanting to leave quickly. I, too, started the mad dash - made a call to the airline and was able to change my Friday 3:17 departure to Thursday 3:17. Remember, this all started around the 12:30 time period so now it's leave the training site, drive back over to the hotel, get gas for the car, pack, check out, drive to the airport, drop off rental car, take the shuttle over to the airline, check in, go through security and board plane.

When one has pre-planned those events it can generally be done in a nice leisurly pace. You know,, ease over to the hotel.. make sure you've packed everything,,, have a little snack, go get gas for the car..etc..etc. I was able to complete this process and make it to the departure lounge at Dulles airport with about 40 or so minutes to spare. It really wasn't too bad, but everything had to click or I would not have made it. I'm not so sure about other members of the class - but, hey,, I made it so that's what counts.

Another part of the complication was our deployment assignments. We received them Thursday morning as well so it was also a matter of contacting our respective travel professionals and getting hotels / flights / cars set for next week. That too was part of the morning's agenda. People in our class are being scattered like leaves in the wind. I was quite fortunate to be going to Colorado - Ft. Carson near Colorado Springs. Not too far that coming home every other weekend should be too bad.

I understand that Colorado Springs has some mountians and stuff, so once I get there I'll be taking a few pictures to post - look for that in the future.

We're all pretty excited about getting started with real work. While the class room can be a challenge enough - we know going to the real world with our new found knowledge will continue to be an opportunity to learn. See how this really works out in the field.

It will be a fast weekend here. Get a new or updates set of clothes - repack and leave Sunday evening. But that's the job... hopefully, it will be as exciting and fun as promised. Some old hands have been around the class room the last week and they have indicated the job is actully very good. More to come on that.

Until next time.. thanks for checking in. I'll be seein ya.

Joe

//http://photos.yahoo.com/kwh5999>

Finals - Just like College

Well, tests were given, and it appears I've moved on to the next step in this training career. We had 3 tests - or as we prefer to say at this point in time: "Celebration of Knowledge" Apparently this is a politically correct version of 'tests' or 'evaluations'... it's supposed to make you feel like it's not a test - but I notice when reading questions and attempting to provide what is supposed to be a correct answer based on any classroom instructions that had been held in the past --- it sure looks like a test.

We had a written test (celebration of knowledge),, then worked on a 'practical' version of how to do some things using the software, then the last evaluation was a one on one test with the instructor called "over the shoulder". Basically, it's a real life version of what we will be doing in the field when working with our students. It is set up quite well, actually. The instructor asked you to provide some assistance just like a user would when requesting help during OJT. We then will have to provide immediate assistance or guidance in how to navigate through the system to get to the quickest and correct way to resolve the problem. The instructor had the opportunity to watch how you handle the request or question and evaluate how you did it. Scores were given based on correctness, accuracy and communicating how you would do what you did.

It's a lot like doing a help-desk job in person vs. on the phone.

We did hear about upcoming assignments. It appears I'll be heading to Ft. Collins - just outside Colorado Springs. Starting Monday, so it will be a very quick weekend. I leave Reston Friday afternoon, then will be off to Colorado Springs Sunday pm. Schedule to be determined.

Of course, this is today's information, subject to change at a moments notice, but I'm thinking this is pretty much a sure thing. Most of the class is going to San Diego, Colorado Springs and Germany. A couple other sites are thrown in here, but I don't recall where right off hand.

Everyone is happy the testing is over. It's been a very busy week - requiring actual work, homework, study times, and reviewing the material. Maybe we know enough to be dangerous out there now.

I could be going to worse places... for sure. I'm thinking Colorado Springs isn't a bad place to be. I'm not sure how long I'll be there.. but for now, that's where I'm headed. Pictures to follow.

Y'all take care.. thanks for checking in.

Joe...

PS - anyone know good places to visit while in Colorado Springs????

Air and Space

Near the Dulles Airport is an extension of the Smithsonian Museum. More correctly known as the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy center. It is home to some vintage, rare, and exotic airplanes and if you are even mildly interested in avaition this is a nice way to spend an afternoon.

A couple of fellow classmates and myself took Saturday morning off and we went out to visit the site - actually located in Chantilly, Virginia but very near where we are staying. Access to the museum is free - just like all the other Smithsonian buildings, however it's conveniently located on Dulles airport property so parking cost $12 per day.

The building is quite large as you might imagine and it is home to a variety of aircraft from the SR-71 Blackbird, the Enola Gay, an SST and the space Shuttle Enterprise - just to name a few. There is something for everyone there. An IMAX theater provides an exciting adventure to the Air Force 'Red Flag' exercise program and you get to see some exciting flying. We did attend the 'Fighter Pilot' movie - again at a small charge of only $8.00.. less if you qualify as a Senior Citizen. None of us wanted to admit to it and save the $2 bucks. But we did enjoy the movie.

Another $6 bucks cost me a ride in the 'simulator' where you could take "rides" on airplanes or do a simulated space walk. I elected to try the airplane "ride". One tends to learn things when trying events - I learned my $6 bucks wasn't worth the price of admition to the airplane simulation. It's a video of airplanes in flight.. sort of putting you in the pilots seat if you will.. then the machine will bump you around to simulate a bumpy ride. You do have to hang on or you will be in your neighbor's lap. Which may be fine if you know the person, but the fellow I was next to didn't seem all that anxious to have me in his lap. In any case.. you learn.

The day mainly was a slow stroll through the building looking at various aircraft, reading through some of avaition history and seeing some of the very interesting aircraft people dreamed up and actually flew. Sometimes you'd wonder what in the world were they thinking and other times was - "there is no way I'd get into that thing."

All in all, it was a good time. I did take a few pictures. Here is the url http://photos.yahoo.com/kwh5999 so, run out to the album and you can browse some of the photos I took.

I'd also like to know how that works for you.. looking at the album. It seems to work ok - this is my first attempt at posting items to the web. I can get to it.. and I think you will be able to as well - but if for some reason you can't. Let me know.

Ok,, back to the books.

Take care -

Joe

Week 3 - We're Almost Done

Boy.. what a week! We were quite busy this week, lots of additional evening study, getting prepared, practice and making sure we knew this software well. Everyone is quite nervous about the upcoming "Celebration of Knowledge" that we'll be doing next week.

Side bar - "Celebration of Knowledge"... a loose term for "Test"... I guess it's more politically correct at this point. We don't "Test" any longer.. .it's just an "evaluation of what you have learned".. .if anything.

Anyway, it was busy. The instructor told us he'd be turning up the pace a bit.. and sure enough he did. It's just part of getting ready to go out and teach the information. One doesn't want to look like a complete idiot when out teaching others.

Next week won't be much easier - getting ready for the "over the shoulder" evaluations, presentations, and more tests. The "over the shoulder" evals are more like what the real world will be when we're out onsite doing actual training. This job is really some class room and mostly OJT. We'll get to do a bit of all of it - so I understand.

Still no word on the first deployment assignment. Maybe Monday - or so we're told. Everyone is anxious to know where they are going. We know Hawaii is getting ready to start up - but I'm betting many of the experienced folks will draw that assignment. Just as well - I'll go where they send me.. sort of a "Wherever I go.. that's where I'll be!"... Deep thoughts on that one.

I think I will get some relaxing in this weekend. A couple of folks want to go down to the Air and Space museum on Saturday - it's close so we'll go down there for a while. I'm looking forward to that. Get some pictures and again - try to get some posted on my site. First I'll have to get them from the camera to the pc.. that's another event - more to come on that one.

Today my brother and his wife adopted a little boy - so I'm an uncle again. Congradulations to them - Taking on a newborn like that is pretty exciting. He arrived at about 3:30 this morning I'm told and doing well. And when I say arrived - I mean delivered, born .. that soft of thing.. as opposed to "came in on flight 11 from Joplin."

Ok... that's about it for Friday. More to come.

Take care - hope to hear from y'all at some point.

Joe

End of Training Week One

Week one is behind me. Finished and took the quiz and everything. They've said this is the easy week and the real work starts on Monday. So, I'm doing homework. Which is ok. Beats doing nothing.

I did go back out and visited Ted and Jean this weekened. Had a great time - met some of the neighbors. Helped Ted work in the basement - which pretty much involved me holding one end of a tape measure while he was doing some figuring. I can do the 'hold the end of the tape' quite well. As a matter of fact I'm excellent at it. So, if anyone ever needs me to hold one end of the tape - I'm your guy.

They are telling us we might be getting information on our first assignment sometime this week. Everyone is lining up for their 'favorite' or 'preferred' locatation - but we all know its a matter of what is needed where. There are some places that I wouldn't mind going, if I have a choice, but at this point I'm just happy to have a job and be working,, so I really don't care where they send me. Sort of an attitude of: "Where ever they send me - that's where I'll be!"

So it's been a quiet and un exciting week. Maybe it will pick up later. I do remember the traffic in this area. Was always bad. It hasn't changed. Wonder why? More homes, apartments, cars, and two lane roads.... Just don't get in a hurry.

I did snow here last Tuesday - that tends to really get things slow. Just like Oklahoma everytime there is a heavy dew traffic slows to a crawl.

Got the comment on the "Action Figures".. have to work on that... I know everyone is going to want one. I'll let you know when I strike up that deal with Mattel!!!

Until next time.. ya'll take care.
Joe

Class has Started

Latest updates - First, this is the second writing. Due to a misqueue I lost the entire column I just completed - so this is a re-write. You would have loved the first one. HA.

Saturday - I moved to a new hotel. This one is much nicer, a bit larger than the room I had before. This one has a sofa, full kitchen with dishwasher and everything. Like I'm going to cook - but I do have a fridge where I can keep essentials cool. This room also comes complete with daily maid service and indoor plumbing. Life is good.

Once I got settled in I went to Maryland to visit some old friends. Ted and Jean and family, who moved up this way a few years ago from Dallas and I had a great opportunity to catch up with them, get some pictures of their family. They have 5 kids, which in case you didn't know, tend to get larger over the years. The last time I saw them they were in Jr. high and elementary school respectively. The two older girls are in college now. Kids have a way of growing up - funny how that works huh. Had a great visit and hope to see them again before I leave this area.

Monday was pretty slow with more 'orientation'.. we really didn't do anything other than get our new software loaded on the pc's, update expenses, time etc.. .just normal 'office' kind of stuff getting ready for the real work on Tuesday.

Tuesday - already. It's snowing for the first day of class. I drove over to the training site - which is about 5 minutes from here and very easy to get to. This site is about 5 miles or 30 minutes from where I was in the Unisys building. Just a note about traffic in this area.. there is a lot of it.. so, one must plan accordingly. I recall when I lived in this area back in the olden days there was a lot of traffic then too. It didn't get any better over time - go figure. It does reminde me of one of the reasons I wanted to move away from this area. Don't get me wrong - this is a very nice place, lots to do ,,etc.. but you really have to get used to the traffic. Same as any other large metro city I guess. It makes me appreciate the traffic jams in Broken Arrow. I remember having to wait at one of the 4 way stops once.

Ok.. class.. started out fine. The instructor is a very knowlegeable energetic fellow. Really knows the subject and you can tell he enjoys teaching. That is going to make this a good class, I'm sure. Since I've been doing a 'train the trainer' course over the last year I'm tending to 'evaluate' the instructor as he is teaching. Maybe I'll pick up some good tips.

We launched into the subject, had a very busy morning, and remember I mentioned snow? Well, after careful evaluation, consideration, phone calls and some scientific looking out the window, the decision was made to let us out early today. So off we go about noonish for a 'snow day' from school. We have some local folks in our class and one lady said it took over 2 hours for her to get in this morning. Not that the streets were bad, ,just the snow / traffic combination. Brings everything to a halt - ya'll know what I'm talking about.

The software is pretty neat. I'm starting to navigate around, learn the icon's and such. (Homework)... There will be more to come on that score as I learn more about the product. However, from what I've seen so far - there are a lot of features and it's fast. One of the other nice things about the software is that it is customizable to the site vs. the site having to change their processes,, just modify the software to what their process is and away you go. One of the features of this that helps in the user acceptance phase, for sure. Anyone that has tried to install a new software product with the phrase "I'm from Information Technology, and I'm here to help you!", will know what I mean.

Anyway, that's the latest and greatest. Hope to hear from you. If you have questions / comments etc.. give me a yell.. or a note. Send to jhorn0025@msn.com or comment at the bottom of this. Ya'll take care.

First week in Reston

It's been a week now.. well, almost. Finished up most all the orientation .. I loaded the software I'll be learning about so will have an opportunity to get out and play around with it this weekend. From what I've seen it's pretty cool. Cool is relative, of course to the user and experience level.

Since I'm a novice.. this is cool. After a few weeks.. who knows.. .but it really looks like a good product. When one teaches something, one would like it to be something people might really use. What a concept.


Tonight is laundry night - then I'm relocating on Saturday. Headed over to a new hotel that is a) nicer and b) closer to where I'll be taking classes. Where I am now is not a dump, but I've stayed in better places. I guess when I think of a hotel I think of daily cleaning service, provided items like shampoo, bath soap, clean towels each day.. the bed made.. you know .. that kind of thing. This hotel is more like .. well if you want it cleaned, we can do it, but there's an additional charge. Oh,, you mean EVERY DAY??? Ok,, but that will be an ADDITIONAL charge.. I figure I'm paying for that already.. maybe I need to re-adjust my expectations. Who knows?

I was out browsing the team roster .. there are some people already on the project that I know - how cool. I don't know if I'll ever be working with them - I do know some will be showing up in class next week.. at least I'm pretty sure. Have to get back to you on that one.

So.. that's the excitement from Reston. More to come. I'll update my visit with the Pfau's later on... I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Until next time... y'all take care.

Where I'm working

Unisys
Imagine it. Done.

I thought I might just update where I'm working.. at the top you'll see the Logo and tag line. Unisys was formed from multiple companies starting way back in the 1800's when Burroughs invented the adding machine - thus the Burroughs corportation was created a few years later. As you also might recall - they created computers in the '60s.

Over time Sperry Corp was created who merged with Rand ... creating Sperry Rand if you recall.. then later on all of this was put together to create Unisys. There are other histories and if you are really interested I'll pass along stuff later on.

This project I'm on.. CHCS II - is a second wave of a software product that the Military has been using to record information about patients. Medical history and such. This project is the newer version and as you might guess - the transition can be somewhat challenging. Especially when training people to use the 'new' vs. the 'old' and they don't want to.

Everyone likes change - as long as it looks and feels the same!

You can quote me on that one..

Anyway... that's what I'll be doing... more to come regarding training / hotels / travels / flights / locations etc. One of the fellows that is here this week is headed to Alaska next week. He has previous knowledge of this product so away he goes. Alaska - March ?? I'm thinking pretty cool. He said he doesn't mind. .it's just getting there that can be tough. Me, I'm more in tune with maybe a warmer climate that includes things like beaches. I'm guessing Hawaii is out.. but one can always hope.

Until next time.. enjoy the updates.. and I think you can add comments if you so choose..

See ya soon.

Reston Virginia Trip

Hi all,

Well, I've been in "orentation" with Unisys this week - it's been relatively slow since most of the activity has focused around 'in processing' if you will. We get information about company benefits (Benefits..woo hoo), how to post your time, expenses, do travel, do some security background stuff.. you know. all the "normal" processing one does when starting at a new company.

All in all.. it's been easy and fun. I expect the real 'work' starts next week when we begin training.

What's training all about.. well, I guess that will come later once I know more about what we'll be doing. All I know at this point is the subject matter covers how and what we'll be teaching at military installation hospitals and clinics. I guess I should have paid more attention in biology class!!

This is my first 'blog' .. so bear with me regarding things like .. format,, content etc. I'll try to learn to do some things like pictures or whatever to provide information about travels, places etc.

Thanks for checking in.... .

Joe