I Got Punk'd

The Austin office pranksters got me good today. If being the new guy in town was bad enough, I've already gotten a bad reputation not because of who I am, but because of what I have. Here's how the story goes...

For a little background, in Rochester, I had two flat panel monitors. I don't really think much of them because I've had them for nearly 2 years now, but they are nice commodities to have. When I got transferred, they included my flat panels in the shipment along with my workstation. Little did I know, not one single person on my floor in Austin has a flat panel monitor, with the exception of one distinguished engineer who has only one. All employees have these oversized monitors that weigh nearly 100 lbs a piece. The only reason I'm the most (un)popular guy in the building is that I have flat panels, let alone two of them. I was advised last Thursday when I set my system up to lock them up with a cable lock because stuff is known to disappear in these buildings.

Well, come this morning, I turn the corner to my cubicle and see in place of my monitors, two replica cardboard cut outs, heavily detailed in colored markers (some transistors were drawn on their too for full effect...DORKS). Pretty elaborate work, I was very impressed. And along with the cardboard replacements, I get a ransom note in newspaper clippings:

jason
2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS TO the BREAKroom on WEDNESDAY or pay dearly TONIGHT

...tomorrow, I buying my own personal lock with guard dogs. Now I'm the butt of all jokes in the area. Oh well, better to be envied than to envy.

Finally In Austin

Just arrived in Austin, TX today after a 17 hour drive, 1100 miles. I split the drive into two days. Stopped in Kansas City yesterday to visit a friend from my co-op days in Rochester, and tonight I'm chillin' at my friend's apartment. I'm pretty exhausted, but I managed to get all my driving done during the daytime of both days so I wouldn't fall asleep at the wheel. The road conditions were pretty cooperative. The light rain through Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas on Sunday kept the bugs off of my car. Today, I had clear skies through Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The only traffic I ran into was in northern Dallas due to construction.

I do miss Minnesota, but I won't miss the cold weather.

Once I close on my house on Wednesday, the new adventure will officially begin as a first time home owner.