Survived

I survived the week. It is 4pm on Friday and I am most of the way gone already. This week has tried me in all ways. The longest presentation I have ever given in my life, demanding clients, an almost sick child who was only home one day since he decided he wasn't that sick afterall.

We had dinner last night at a local winery. It was nice. The food was good, above average for this region. The wine was wonderful as always. One of the advantages or disadvantages depending on your perspective, of the catered event at a winery is that we didn't walk in, order, chat a little, eat and leave. I had planned on being home by 8:30pm since dinner started at 6:30pm. I made it home at 9:30pm. AB had arrived at 9pm and was greeted by the babysitter and had no money in his pockets. Because I had the cash and plans to beat him home. But I couldn't just leave.

We wrapped things up today and it went well. Last summer I was disheartened when the company told us that the research we were doing was not where the industry was headed because no one had success in this area. This time around he told us that if my project pans out like they expect, that big things will change. (Invest in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, now.) This is also the point in the meeting where things start getting hairy and the nasty, ultracompetitive side of the industry comes out... enter the "new team" hired and designated to make my process into a standard routine on the semiconductor processing floor (think big guys in suits who talk fast and are "driver drivers")... and the little researcher (moi) starts getting cut out of the picture. I keep telling myself I really don't care as long as I get my royalty check. But I do. I think of it as "mine", not theirs. They think of it as theirs, and it is. Let it go I know.

One thing that really aggravated me today is that one guy on our team is emerging and taking control of a lot. He is an outspoken, really nice guy. Close to retirement and this is the only project he works on anymore. (He looks an amazing amount like Sean Connery.) BUT, he does NOT listen to the client. He has in his mind that he wants to use dendrimers, despite the fact that the client keeps saying they aren't interested in that and suggesting work more in my field, suggestioning (IMO) that this new developing project should come my way. But damn him, he has already spent ALL the money for this year (a paltry amount that was seeded by our company to maintain the clients interest) on a post-doc who arrived yesterday specializing in dendrimers.

One of my coworkers (who was my former team lead) sat with me and kept calming me and reminding me that we are interested in pursuing some other things. We came up with an idea, pitched it to the PM, who declined in favor or the stupid ass dendrimers idea and it was funded internally. WITHOUT EVER ASKING THE CLIENT WHAT THEY WANT.

Next December when the client bids us a fond farewell, no one need wonder why. We did not listen to them.

No worries CW and I are proposing this technology for another client. It is time we start pursuing this type of work elsewhere.

So it is the weekend. Whew. I need to finish my book for book club (which I am enjoying). And I don't have many other plans other than enjoying going home to a CLEAN house. I would like to take a trip to Tuesday Mornings to hunt for discounted treasures. We also need to decide what we are doing over President's Day weekend. Leif is off from daycare, so AB and I are taking vacation days since we don't get it off. We will either paint the bathroom or library OR pack up and go somewhere. Which reminds me, in addition to doing our taxes (and wishing on a star for a return) online, I need to book a hotel room for our March trip to Seattle.

Everyone have a great weekend!