Tulips!

I just got back from the farmer's market, I haven't been in a few weeks so I don't know if this is a new development but the guy who sells flowers has started carrying tulips. In Iowa tulips grow pretty easily but since they need a cold winter to hibernate you hardly ever see them in California. The ones at the farmer's market are small little things, about half the size of the ones back home, but its still good to see them. They remind me of how we would watch for the sprouts and, when they were in full bloom, we would breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate spring.

Of course, I'm avoiding thinking about the carbon footprint of these mini-tulips.

A new business idea

Last weekend I wandered around the mission district, ducking in and out of shops and (mainly) bookstores. I wandered into one shop that was clearly aimed at the high end parent consumer. There were science kits, models of animals with parts labeled, your usual stuff only more expensive. Towards the back I came across a basket of tin foil wrapped-objects slightly larger than an egg. According to the label, they were owl pellets--with real animal parts inside. This isn't the amazing part...the amazing part is that they were priced at $75. Each.
Anyone pondering what I'm pondering?

New blog!

I've started a supplemental blog at
http://nobookstoreleftbehind.blogspot.com/
devoted entirely to short "reviews" of independent bookstores in San Francisco. (This was completely Mom's idea--from several years ago--but I finally got around to it.)

Networking in a recession

Being borderline employed as I currently am, I went to a networking event for green professionals last night. I met some interesting people, made some good connections and all (and yes mom, I stayed sober). Although most people were optimistic about the future for green tech, at least 40% of the people I talked to had been recently laid off and everyone knew someone laid off at their company or organization. It reminds me of this chart:

Note to self:

Idea for new career path: become a personal finance consultant to executives accepting bailout money. Theme: how to live on under 500,000/year.

The View from the Bench

As I mentioned below, I'm currently unstaffed and looking around for new projects (or new jobs, if it comes to that). Since the blog is anonymous, I hope I can talk frankly about a certain unnamed company.
There are a lot of people unstaffed (or "on the bench") right now, and not a lot of projects looking to bring people on. Even the projects out there are pushing back their start dates and slashing their budgets. Its even harder for people in San Francisco and several other cities, because we bill at at higher rate (get paid more too...at least in theory). Apparently they let go a good number of people in SF, NY, Chicago and Boston, and probably will let more go in the coming weeks. I know at least one person, perhaps two people, who were let go last friday. I've been going into the office, but its a little depressing...you can almost sense the grim reaper of layoffs just around the corner.
But, to be honest, I've been set on a career change for a while now. It won't be the end of the world if it happens to me.