pq'd for summer!

[Marshak2]

hey all,

I just pq’d too! whew, the wait is over. When I get my airline tix, I’ll post the details. It feels surreal!

marsha from texas

[thepooles98]

Hooray
I suppose you all can see why I always tell everyone to start the PQ process the second you get your paperwork.
What dept are you working in?  I just talked to my boss in Supply and I’ll be working the food service warehouse for the next year.
mike

[Marshak2]

hi Mike,

I’m the housing admin, one of 3 people, I believe, in the housing office. I think it’s all new people in that office this time.

marsha

[thepooles98]

Great summer job, Marsha. Are you going at Winfly?
mike

[Marshak2]

no, mainbody.

marsha

[thepooles98]

Ok, See you at Mainbody. Everyones new this year? If Tom H. is still there when you arrive chat with him about hints to make your season enjoyable. It’s always difficult in any department with all new people. There is an “ice” culture that you can go along with or buck if you want. Times change, rules change, policies change and sometimes you have no choice but to implement new policies. On the other hand, listen a little to the old timers before jumping in and and turning everything inside out on your first day. It helps a lot if everyone is trying to help you do a good job.
Example: A few years ago after the winterovers were required to move out of their single rooms and get a roomate at winfly, the new (fingie) housing coordinator came in an gave herself a single room with a view(nomally reserved for the old timers).
Sure she had the power and who could blame her for it,  but I would imagine anyone with an understanding of the anger that actions like that evolve in the community would have picked a different room. In the end I’m sure she did well.
So much for my attempts at housing policy.
see you soon
mike

[Zondra]

Marsha,
 
Got together with an Ice friend last night… Of course the discussion of housing came up (something important to all of us), and the general consensus – you have an important job as housing coordinator, and we hope you do your best to honor our requests and be fair.  Good luck with everything, and I’ll see you on the ice…
Zondra

[Marshak2]

Zondra,

I’m not actually the coordinator (whose name is Stacia & is already on the Ice), but her admin (I’ve been told I’ll be doing correspondence & general clerical-the bottom person in the office). I don’t know if I have the power to assign rooms, as I think I’m going down after they’re already assigned (is this an ongoing thing?)-as you can see, I have no idea. All I can ask is your patience while I’m learning the ropes! Is there usually friction between housing staff & requesters?

marsha

[Marshak2]

Hi Mike,

I’m SO NOT the kind of person who would “buck Ice culture” or “turn everything inside out my first day”…I’m an old, obedient Texas gal! I must say, I’m a bit nervous now, as I certainly don’t want to incite rancor in my positon down there. It sounds like ya’ll have had some not so pleasant experiences with previous housing people. The coordinator, Stacia sounds super nice.
marsha

[thepooles98]

Not to worry you’ll do fine. It’s not as bad as the previous messages make it out to be. The housing coordinator is one of those jobs people love to hate. It’s more that there is no way to make everyone happy. We all want wonderful rooms with views, a roomate that doesn’t snore etc.
mike

[Marshak2]

thanks Mike,

I was seriously reconsidering coming down if I was walking into a hostile work environment. I would hope the resentment towards the previous housing staff would not be projected onto us new folks. One of the main reasons I was coming down was for the comraderie & community I’d heard of-and having to start my position on the defensive feels quite unpleasant to me. I hope this is not the case.

[thepooles98]

Yeah, the current housing staff is fine. You are going to enjoy your time down here. Most everyone is professional and there are lots of activities to do on your time off. good luck
mike

[Zondra]

Marsha,
I didn’t mean to come off badly when I commented on housing requests….  It’s not a hostile environment down there.  We all just hope we get nice rooms, and that was the topic of conversation when I spoke with my friend from the Ice the other day. 
 
We’re gonna have an awesome time down there,
Zondra

[Marshak2]

hey guys,

I think I got a little paranoid-sorry if I came off a little defensive…just found out I deploy to the Ice Oct 6th, leave Austin Oct 2nd!

question: do I really NEED a laptop? I’ll have a computer on my desk & be next to the kiosk.
marsha

[thepooles98]

Marsha, You don’t need a laptop at all unless you have personal things you will be doing. For example, I’m planning on making some short movies. To do so I need an external hard drive with lots of memory. They don’t allow you to hook up unapproved hardware to the net here so I use my laptop. It’s also convenient to keep your photos on your own memory, They give you some storage on the network here but it’s not as much as your laptop probably has. If you use the base compters, you can always buy some disks, and burn all your photos at the end of the season.
 
If you bring a laptop during the summer you will not be able to get online from your room. Those links are reserved mostly for the science staff. To go online with your own computer, you have to bring it to the coffee house (six connections) or the computer kiosk (2 connections).
mike
 
mike

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