Work stuff

So I haven't blogged about work for awhile. So I guess that means it is going well. Really too, it has.

Update on PPM... I have an appointment to talk to him tomorrow for a half hour. I will review my task, tell him where we are headed, what we are doing and counter to everything I want to do, ask for more money to complete it by year end FY05. I have $19K left of my $55K and we have everything set up and ready to go to start experiments. Testing comes next and $19K is about 4 weeks of time for one full time person. This sounds reasonable, kind of. But more than one person will be working on it and I just know I underestimate. Beyond that we will probably talk about my quitting work on his main project. I have my mentors complete support and his words that "it is time to cut the umbilical cord and no one in the world can fault you for that". I *needed* to hear that.

Today was teleconference day. Due to vacations and such, it was just me, a project coworker and the project manager on the phone with the client. My 32 page presentation went well and was received well. I handled CCE with "finesse", lol. After the telecon we stayed to chat about the project. Coworker commented at how well I handle CCE and that he thinks I have earned his respect and that everyone just needs to shut up at the review the end of July and let me handle him lest they all start a brawl.

So yeah, the review is July 26th and so crunch time is on. And so of course wouldn't you know it? My SEM analyst is on vacation until July 12th. Greeeeaaat. Project manager contacted another group manager who knows how to run the SEM and asked for his assistance. LOL. I am cracking up at the thought of me directing a TGM on my task. But it is a huge project ($$-wise) and will be big when the collaboration goes public at the end of the year. It would look SOO bad if at our review we failed to wow them because a technician took two weeks vacation. But that is the reality of it.

So speaking of wow'ing the client. project manager basically put it to me that my project is the golden egg in the nest. It is essentially the reason the client is packing up, bringing the big bosses and treking up here. To meet me and see, in person, what I have done for their company. So these next 4 weeks are crucial to not only my task, but to the future of this project in whole. The results on the other tasks are minimal at best. One guy is working his ass off, but not getting the right results. One woman has a great task, but isn't working her ass off, never has data, never comes to meetings. Ball has dropped and it makes not only her, but us look like shit. Thought is that they are going to cut her and maybe, but not necessarily, her project. Likely both will be cut for this year and $$ funneled to me to complete my project. Then project manager is hoping to give me her project next year to lead if client "doesn't have other plans for [me]".

Ok, so things are going well on the work front. They would be even better if I get my proposal funded. Word on the streets is that it is very likely to be funded because I am:
a. leveraging technology created by other groups under this same heading of funding.
b. Asking for a "small" amount of money ($1.8 million over 4 years doesn't seem small to me, but in comparison to other projects, I see it.)
and
c. Have a high likelihood for success, with large payoff IF it does work like I am claiming it will.

Here's hoping I am not talking out my ass.