Holiday Blogging....

I have been hammered by people about my blog not being updated more often, I didn't realize that so many people actually read my dribble. So all you people without a life, here you go (HAHA Kidding sheesh!)

I was out to a Christmas party with some friends a couple weeks back, up at the Garrison in Edmonton. It was with my good friends the Wilder's and their significant others. I had a blast, and needless to say I git really drunk. But it was a good time.

So I am in the 4th week of employment with TransCanada and I love it! I must say some days I feel extremely overwhelmed, and other days I think it is going to be easy. But when I get home at night(or the hotel) I feel good about what I am doing and the job i have. I have been traveling a lot lately and have been neglectful in updating this and other things. I am getting lotsa airmiles, and hotel points that's for sure.

I also have a very good friend of mine that is working at TransCanada as well, and I didnt even know it! We went to lunch my first week there, and I hope we will have the chance to do a few more.

I can't say much about what we are doing except it is pretty exciting work. I have never been at this level in a project before including all the legalities and nuances that happen behind the scenes. I had a nice chat with my project manager the other day when we were in Burlington Ontario during one of our team building events. It was a great chat as we had not had the chance to do so since i started, and I had struggling with some issues around approvals and direction, also around some communication issues.

I must say I was very relieved after our 2 hour chat. she was worried I was gonna quit and I was worried she wasn't happy with me. At the end we were on the same page, and the go forward for me is a positive outlook.

So I started my holidays technically, I have been working from my parents place. as I do not have enough holidays as I just started. They are great in letting me work from where ever I am. This week I am in Angus Ontario, and next week I will be at home in Edmonton, working from there. This will be good as I have lots of reading to do, 3-4 500 page contracts.

I am also looking forward to getting some rest over the holidays as the New Year will be busy for me. I need to start to prepare the house for sale, and start looking at a property in Ontario to purchase I also need to get all my taxes sorted out from being a contractor and an employee in two companies. I fear I may either owe a lot, or not be able to get it all done on time.

Well I have a million things to do today, starting with a shower, and its 2pm already! I love Christmas holidays, so much to do in so little time and my sense of urgency is slim to none.

I will try and update this again at least once more before New Years, but if I don't cut me some slack, then again, pestering me may work better to continue to update! Oh yeah and My banker brother(I am the good looking one) also has a blog now for those of you kthat know him and I.You can read it here http://williamstell.blogspot.com/2009/12/first-out-of-gate.html

Although he told me of his blog, and I asked him how many entries, he said one. I explained that Blog is something you write on a regular basis. one entry is a statement, not a blog! haha

Anyhoodle, all the best in the upcoming holidays everyone, and I look forward to speaking with you all in teh New Years!

A corner Turned...poster from Friday a little late

WOW, what a first week a new job. I left Regina on Friday, and drove back to Edmonton, spent the weekend unpacking and packing to head off to Calgary Sunday where TransCanada had rented me a furnished apartment. I have just about completed my first week at my new job , and I must say it was definitely an information overload kind of week. I had my orientation on Monday and then 2 days in a project kick off meeting Tuesday and Wednesday, and yesterday more meetings and information sessions. I still have to do all my safety and orientation type stuff over the next month, but it will be good as I don't have a lot of holidays(since I am new) and that will help fill in the time for myself. Ironically I even received my first paycheck on my first day at work, how sweet is that, no line ups , no waiting!

I must say they were very well organized when I arrived. They had my laptop for me, my blackberry ordered and programmed for me, like I said, my pay done. What a contrast to the other place, who took almost 3 weeks just to get me a computer of my own.

Today will be a relatively light day with me working the morning and meetings from 1-2 then off to the airport to fly home around 3:30. Its dress down day so jeans it is, and I feel, even though this week has been so much, that I am going to love this job and working for Transcanada. It is funny even though I feel sometimes I am not qualified for the jobs I apply to, or that I am way over my head, I seem to be able to grasp and learn and work within the scope that people hire me in. I think that the old saying about experience vs education comes into play, and that i can feed on my past experience to help me succeed at my future challenges.

Next week I will be heading off to Michigan to visit the EPC company that was hired to the Engineering, and then the week after I am off to Toronto to meet with the constructor and to be involved in a team building session. That will work out great for me as I can then stay in Toronto the next week for Christmas holidays with the family.