I won't give out the name of my company right now. i really want people attempting to contact me about job offers, etc. to stop unless they can provide a solid deal for something like $2 million without me doing anything. That's my current price tag. No less.
There that should put off people.
But I will talk about the place.
Unlike my last place (which I'm attempting to erase from memory), my new spot has been quite good so far. I'm certain there's a high expectation for output from me, but I've got my own deck of cards that I like to draw from when it seems like people have an Ace-King against me. Right now, I'm being "encouraged" to speak more Japanese. For instance, today's lunch was almost completely Japanese. I figure staying in this environment for a few years will pump up my Japanese level to near fluency. Hopefully, I can get up to at least 2-kyu level in a year.
I've been incredibly motivated as of late. No life draining meetings. No sitting in endless discussions on what we INTEND to do, but rather taking action IMMEDIATELY to remedy a problem. No monstrous hiearchies of incapable people. No stupid vendors mind controlling weak willed, techno-illiterate management. Just solid, hard core work, coding and learning.
Just in terms of sample things I've been working on:
- Extending the Zend Framework and gluing all the loose pieces together.
- Utilizing Phing to automatically generate projects, including checking out and importing newly created projects from and into Subversion
- Setting up my own Subversion repository with Webdav access
- Setting up Samba for Windows access on my local machine
- Expanding my Javascript/AJAX knowledge through implementing JQuery (and perhaps MooTools as well in the near future)
- Learning a new Japanese XML filesystem query tool called Musashi
- Writing PHP wrappers around the Musashi command line, utilizing the Command object and Chain of Responsibility design patterns
- Localizing the front end with Smarty's config files.
Lots of fun stuff. Also, I plan to build tons of in-house tools, stuff I've been dreaming of for years. I have a lot of freedom in terms of technology, so I pretty much get to do whatever I really want. I don't need a 20% type of rule for my work. I'm doing what I want at 100%. Nice, ain't it?
The other thing I'm doing is learning about a "real" Japanese environment. My previous company was becoming one, but in a negative sense. The current place has bits and pieces of the Japanese environment such as saying "Ohayogozaimasu" in the morning and "Otsukaresamadesu" as you're leaving. Also, many people work late. I plan to inject some California corporate culture into this place though. I bought a bunch of Krispy Kreme donuts tonight and will start making my rounds in my "political capital." I will be loved in the morning (and probably hated by late after since everyone will most likely be clutching their stomachs as I did in pain tonight!!!!!)
But this is truly one of the first almost "pure" Japanese environments I've ever worked. Everyone is Japanese here, except me. I'm practically a rock star in some ways. Since I know English and technology, I have a great deal of potential value to add to people, especially considering that most people want to learn more English. I've offered my services as an English teacher for free (and I enjoy doing this just to show that there are people in this world that don't need to make a pretty penny unlike those Nova greedy corporate pigs).
What I'm attempting to do most of all is really get into the minds of a Japanese business. Of course, we do have foreign influence since the company is mostly owned by the parent in America. However, most of that influence feels distant. What's nice though is that you don't have a bunch of foreign idiots in the local office screwing with people with their lack of understanding of the Japanese culture and business methodology. Okay, I am here but I don't attempt to disrupt and overburden people with my bumbling behavior. I try to inject productivity, encouragement and positive feelings as much as I can with my coworkers.
Compare that with my previous company where I saw these foreigners, mostly East coast people, who just couldn't run the damn show. And still can't. It's embarrassing. I couldn't tell if the problem was that of the industry (i.e. insurance) or the fact that these people were just plain dumb. But it was utterly pathetic watching these people get twisted left and right, but having enough power to screw things up because they couldn't properly assess the situation. I truly pity all the workers at the bottom attempting to scrape by in such a company. It didn't feel like a real company at all. More like a drama being staged for a reality show (or a Surreality Show).
Nonetheless, at my current place, I really feel like I'm part of something. Sure, our desks are small and there are notions of appropriate etiquette in the office. And I'm certain that some time down the line I'll be asked to perform in higher levels as a Japanese would. But in those cases, I suppose it's up to me to mature and evolve. That ought to truly increase my value, even though I think most companies in America won't ever whollistically understand my overall intrinsic value (I'm NOT JUST A PROGRAMMER DAMN IT!!!!!)
Overall though, I'm fearful of saying it but I feel like I've found my calling. I hope that this situation last and can improve even more.
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