Yesterday was in many ways a wasted day. Useless to me in some respects. I spent $10 on something I was told I needed just to not need it and probably will never use it. One of those kind of days. Allow me to elaborate...
Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head. Found my way downstairs and drank a cup, looking up, I noticed I was late.
No wait, that's not me. That's the Beatles. Hold on...
I get up and while I am getting ready there is an email from the partner. "You need to have these files downloaded before class today for those in the technical track." It's a couple of ruby installer files and the source code for the API. Ugh. I was already dreading the day because I am not, nor do I want to be, a programmer in the traditional sense of the word. To many people they think what I do is programming, but the reality is, I am a BI Developer/Architect/Consultant/Trainer. I do write code, but it's more SQL and product specific code than Ruby/Perl/Python type code. I replied back to the email saying that I was on a mac and did I need to install anything. The developer leading the training (NEVER let hard core developers with heavy accents lead training for the record, but that's a different part of the day) replied back saying I didn't need a compiler, but I should download CodeRunner for compiling and it's just a $10 app. Sigh. Fine. I dl'd it was able to open and compile the Ruby code. Test complete. Checked out of the hotel and lugged myself and my luggage on the bike to their office.
Headed into the office and the first part of the day was spent discussing product vision. That was useful to some degree. And of course they had just fed us wonderfully again. Will NOT complain about how well they fed and treated us. Then the developer took over and proceeded to walk us through the API for two hours. YAWN. No demo, no hands-on, never once needed CodeRunner. Seriously lame. Not to mention, he provided no hard copies of the documentation, etc. Really poor session especially for a non-programmer like myself. Will I be able to make this thing work? Yes, but it won't be easy. I will have to write a real curriculum against this and that part will be a challenge.
Fed us lunch which rocked. Mediterranean food. Then after lunch we split into teams and had a 'build' contest. We were first done, but when they did the 'awards' part we didn't win because we didn't have the applause. That in part was my fault because I really did keep to myself the last few days. I talked more with the partner's employees than any of the other companies. I figured why talk to competitors? I want to procure favor with the parent company.
Side note - I wish I hadn't just sold my soul to my company because this company is sorely needing a director of training and I could have so slid into that role. I spent time talking to the CEO at the dinner Tuesday night and could have had a job if I wanted. Sigh.
Wrapped up about 3:30 and I headed north to the next hotel. Made it their in a little over an hour which surprised me. I expected it to take longer but traffic was okay. One nice thing. Checked in, had dinner at the bar, found out a friend works in a building right across the street. Hopefully I am going to have drinks with him and some other friends tonight. Timing should work out. Talked to B and went to bed by 9:30.
Today I train from the room. This better work out or I am screwed. I am a bit nervous about connections, but I am hoping all will work. Tonight like I said, having drinks with some friends if everything works out. Then tomorrow more training and back to Disneyland where I belong.
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