So, now I am travelling to the Northeast not next week, but the week after (the 24th to 27th). Unfortunately, I'm still going to Princeton instead of the city. Oh well.

From the sound of things, I may end up doing a lot of back and forth between here and there over the next few months. The Princeton people appear to want / need a lot of help getting the system I developed working. Whee.

In the good news department, word is that the new parent company's IT department is not very good. This could equal substantially improved bargaining position.

Number 1 on my list of demands? It's not bigger salary...just give me my own bloody cubicle! This sharing scheme is thoroughly inhumane!

I've been working out the math...

Had I received my much-anticipated sabbatical, it would have been paid at 90% of my salary for the 3-month period. This works out to 22.5% of my annual salary. Since the sabbatical option comes once every 5 years, this works out to the equivalent of a 5.5% annual bonus.

So, my new philosophy is that when the new job offer from the new parent company lands on my desk next week, I will ask them to add 5.5% to the salary, or else give me a 22.5% bonus up-front. I bloody well earned it, after all.

If they say no, the old parent company is making noise about wanting to hire me, which would probably actually be a downgrade in corporate culture, but I might consider it. I'd also have to live in Princeton.

Did I mention that mergers suck?

As part of the ongoing Chinese fire drill that is our merger, I "get" to visit the outgoing parent company's headquarters in New York next week. Correction: not quite. I'm not going to Manhattan, but Princeton. I really wanted Manhattan.

What do you do in Princeton? I can't think of anything other than "drive to the city and find something to do there". That's the plan I'm going with, assuming I can get approval for a rental car I can take to Manhattan.

Failing that, maybe park at the ferry and take the ferry? Or is there a regular train to/from Princeton?

Whatever. I bloody well intend to make the most of it. My missions include: catch Ida and/or Dan Littleton shows if there are any while I am there, visit Kinokuniya bookshop for cool manga/anime stuff, attempt to hang out with ex-roomie Phil if I can get in touch with him, and maybe attempt to locate and chill with Kyle Fischer, who was in my high school class and is now an indie rock star living in Brooklyn (he's in Rainer Maria).

I probably know other people in the area, so New Yorkers, if you know me and you're reading this, drop me a line and we'll meet up next week.

While I'm gone, site updates may be sparse to non-existent. I'll bring back stories and pictures, though.

Princeton. Did I mention that mergers suck?