OPEN BAR: Tough on bars, tough on the causes of bars

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Nigel, that's fantastic!  Congratulations!

Thank you! Now I just have to nail the interview... I think I will be OK because I already have a prospective advisor. I don't think I'm going to feel like this is real until I get the official offer in the mail, though!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Well, I finally got to see, in full-color IMAX 3D with surround sound, what the Racist As Fuck segment of the Sanders supporters look like.

Thanks, Facebook. Now I know.

It's really quite a jolt when you don't see it coming, isn't it?

[The Wizard Joseph]

Well, I finally got to see, in full-color IMAX 3D with surround sound, what the Racist As Fuck segment of the Sanders supporters look like.

Thanks, Facebook. Now I know.

Can I get a link please? I'd like to see for myself.

[Cain]

As the man said listening to libertarians recounting how America was a revolution away from statism and feudalism:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

No.

I act as a fig leaf for their incompetence, another layer of bureaucracy to shield them from direct involvement in the building.  Apparently they want to make this role "more managerial" than it was previously, whatever the fuck that means, but I suspect I'll just be doing what I do now, only with more cash.

That doesn't sound so bad, really. Getting paid more for the same bullshit.

Yeah, although I don't relish the idea of "monthly informal chats" with my manager and his manager.  I hate them enough as is, without spending time outside work seeing them.

Congrats on your interview.

[Cain]

Well, I finally got to see, in full-color IMAX 3D with surround sound, what the Racist As Fuck segment of the Sanders supporters look like.

Thanks, Facebook. Now I know.

Was this the "if Bernie doesn't win I'm going to vote Trump because fuck everyone who isn't a white man" or the "black people are required to vote Bernie, anything less is treason against the greatest civil rights protestor since MLK" crowd?

[Faust]

Nigel, that's fantastic!  Congratulations!

Thank you! Now I just have to nail the interview... I think I will be OK because I already have a prospective advisor. I don't think I'm going to feel like this is real until I get the official offer in the mail, though!

That sounds like an amazing oppertunity, congratulations, it sounds like they were already interested in you if they are willing to pay for the transport there and you have an advisor.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

As the man said listening to libertarians recounting how America was a revolution away from statism and feudalism:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

No.

I act as a fig leaf for their incompetence, another layer of bureaucracy to shield them from direct involvement in the building.  Apparently they want to make this role "more managerial" than it was previously, whatever the fuck that means, but I suspect I'll just be doing what I do now, only with more cash.

That doesn't sound so bad, really. Getting paid more for the same bullshit.

Yeah, although I don't relish the idea of "monthly informal chats" with my manager and his manager.  I hate them enough as is, without spending time outside work seeing them.

Congrats on your interview.

Thanks!

Monthly informal chats? I hope you get paid for them, because ugh.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Nigel, that's fantastic!  Congratulations!

Thank you! Now I just have to nail the interview... I think I will be OK because I already have a prospective advisor. I don't think I'm going to feel like this is real until I get the official offer in the mail, though!

That sounds like an amazing oppertunity, congratulations, it sounds like they were already interested in you if they are willing to pay for the transport there and you have an advisor.

I think it's fairly standard for physical science PhD programs to pay for everything, which I am having a hard time getting used to. I also think they are only inviting students they are pretty certain they are going to offer to, which is exciting and nerve-wracking all at once because I can tell that I am probably getting an offer but I haven't actually gotten one yet. They did detail the stipend, health insurance, and tuition reimbursement in the interview invitation, and it all looks great and definitely within the ball park of what I expected.

I was quite proactive about finding a prospective advisor, I visited his lab a month or so ago. In my field, the availability of a suitable advisor can be more important in terms of getting into a program than any other factor. He was very encouraging, and hadn't had any other visits from prospective grad students, so I am feeling pretty optimistic.

[Meunster]

Well, for years meunster has been my Mr. Hyde. But Well, can't be an asshole online when I have go go be a productive person at basic and for the next 3-8 years.

So I'll try to spread the word of eris when I can, and see you all later. Don't die without me.

[MMIX]

Well, for years meunster has been my Mr. Hyde. But Well, can't be an asshole online when I have go go be a productive person at basic and for the next 3-8 years.

So I'll try to spread the word of eris when I can, and see you all later. Don't die without me.

Hey, spag. Don't die without us.

[Vanadium Gryllz]

Hope you find what you are looking for Meunster!

Congrats Nigel, Cain.

I have had an interesting couple of days - I went to Gdansk to do a technical audit for one of our customers. The colleague who I was travelling with (much more senior than me) started drinking in the airport, carried on on the flight and then we went out to a sports bar when we landed. At 1am I went back to the hotel with the local sales manager, leaving said colleague to his own devices (fraternising with some Danish handball fans).

The appointed breakfast time rolls around and there's no sign of him. 20cm of snow had fallen overnight. He's not picking up his calls. We go to the customer and complete our business. By now it's 1pm and we still haven't heard from him. At 3pm, just as I am about to say 'fuck it' and start making my way back to the airport said colleague staggers into the hotel. Pale, slurring and dishevelled he says he's been to the hospital. After another couple of hours of recovering it turns out he's a recently diagnosed diabetic and didn't realise you aren't supposed to drink on his medication.

Is it uncharitable of me to think that, medication or no, this was supremely irresponsible/unprofessional? I have a meeting in a minute with my boss (and maybe others) to give them my version of events.

Edit: He was the one that drove us to the airport. Luckily, he has a company car so I was insured to drive us back again.

[The Wizard Joseph]

Well, for years meunster has been my Mr. Hyde. But Well, can't be an asshole online when I have go go be a productive person at basic and for the next 3-8 years.

So I'll try to spread the word of eris when I can, and see you all later. Don't die without me.

Later Meunster! If I do die without you, just know I'll probably be too dead for it to matter much.

[Cain]

Hope you find what you are looking for Meunster!

Congrats Nigel, Cain.

I have had an interesting couple of days - I went to Gdansk to do a technical audit for one of our customers. The colleague who I was travelling with (much more senior than me) started drinking in the airport, carried on on the flight and then we went out to a sports bar when we landed. At 1am I went back to the hotel with the local sales manager, leaving said colleague to his own devices (fraternising with some Danish handball fans).

The appointed breakfast time rolls around and there's no sign of him. 20cm of snow had fallen overnight. He's not picking up his calls. We go to the customer and complete our business. By now it's 1pm and we still haven't heard from him. At 3pm, just as I am about to say 'fuck it' and start making my way back to the airport said colleague staggers into the hotel. Pale, slurring and dishevelled he says he's been to the hospital. After another couple of hours of recovering it turns out he's a recently diagnosed diabetic and didn't realise you aren't supposed to drink on his medication.

Is it uncharitable of me to think that, medication or no, this was supremely irresponsible/unprofessional? I have a meeting in a minute with my boss (and maybe others) to give them my version of events.

Edit: He was the one that drove us to the airport. Luckily, he has a company car so I was insured to drive us back again.

It's pretty irresponsible, yes.  Diabetics do get thirsty, which could explain maybe drinking a little too much...you have a few drinks, don't quite feel satisfied, but you've had a few drinks so your judgement is off.  But what kind of idiot doesn't check his medication, then drinks solidly from (presumably) the early afternoon until past 1am?

[Vanadium Gryllz]

There's a definite heavy drinking culture within the salesforce at my company (and many others I am sure) so I expect that the lifestyle change that he will have to be making is coming as quite the shock.

Also he's not exactly known for his stellar decision making. He appears to have got where he is today through sheer hypnotic verbal diarrhoea and self confidence.

[Cain]

heavy drinking culture....hypnotic verbal diarrhoea and self confidence

Yup, that sounds like most sales departments.