Fitting in by selling out...(could this be a rant? I dunno)

N3ur0n0saurusl2exs0r!!! · Wed May 12, 2004 1:46 am

So I was perusing the Microsoft careers section of their site looking at what the current selection of available jobs they had. As I perused I noticed that they had a employee profile, star employee profile no less, going on to the right whilst you peer at the list of available jobs. And suddenly as I was searching I noticed what appeared to be a very familar face from one of my first jobs in the industry - and not so surprisingly enough he hasn't aged a day since that seems to be the case with so many asians I have noticed.

Good ole Jonathan...you can see him here:

http://www.microsoft.com/careers/epdb/p ... rofileID=6

He is included as part of the "Meet Or People" link on the main page of careers section of the Microsoft website...profileID = 6 out of 33...

Anyway, we worked together at my first job at Manley & Associates which later became Electronic Arts Seattle... He was a Political Science major from Whitman college or something... I don't really remember the name too well but I think that was it... His real name is Jonathan Sposato... here is a more detailed "rap sheet" as it were:

http://www.mobygames.com/developer/shee ... rId,27269/

as compared to the paltry Rick Saenz "rap sheet"

http://www.mobygames.com/developer/shee ... rId=58636/

Where the fuck is Total Annihilation in all of this god damnit!!!! And of course they never mentioned Big Rain...hehe thank god for that one...actually...that Shadow Madness game sucked ass!!! Thank god I quit that place but not after laying the foundation for software development in that company which later became Crave...

Anyway, I am getting a tad bit off of topic...maybe it's the five fucking IPAs I got going on now through my bloodstream...Oh would you look at that I just finished my fifth...luckily I have a sixth!!! hehe

So back to the main topic...which has everything to do with Jonathan Sposato... When I worked with him at Manley and Associates he dazzled me on several occasions with a remarkably well read vocabulary. I mean he really knew a lot of words that I honestly didn't know the meaning of and used them in real time...of course I was only 19 at the time and he had graduated with a four year degree in political science and I would probably guess that his large vocabulary was the result of having taken enough college level English classes to explain his broad vocabulary...but even now with my greatly improved writing skills and supremely superior command of the English language he would probably still be able to surprise me...maybe...but really it's all academic so it doesn't really matter...

Anyway, at Manley & Associates Jonathan was an artist...and not a very bad one at that...I actually really liked his plastic style. Everything he drew looked like it was shiny and made out of glossy plastic and this was back in the day when 3d rendering wasn't used. This was back in the day of Deluxe Paint! Ah yeah...Deluxe paint! Damn Fuckin Right!!!! hehe

But aside from that fact that he was a good artist he was one of the principals of the company. Why? Because he could SCHMOOOOOOZE...He was exceptionally good at it back then and I can only imagine that his skills in this area have dramatically improved... So would having a degree in political science help you in the corporate environment of Microsoft concerning understanding and being able to manipulate the politics of that large company in your favor? I think so... and that would explain why he is an employee that Microsoft is willing to show off...

So what kind of a person is Jonathan?

I guess it is first necessary to explain what I consider "plastic" in terms of people. A "plastic" person is someone who in my view is not genuine, artificial...like a mannequin in a department store. I felt like I never knew Jonathan because he was always...well for lack of a better word, "front'n."

He is a person who says what whatever is necessary to put himself into the most beneficial of situations for any given situation...a manipulator if you will...

And guess what...he is absolutely fucking thriving at Microsoft....

WHY?

I've probably given you a reasonable idea about why he would thrive in an environment such as Microsoft...he can sell out...at the "drop of a hat" so to speak. His success is less based off of ability but more so based in articulate communication....schmooooooozing.... I can't do that...I don't really even know if I wish I could... I mean really what is schmoozing? It's getting someone you don't know very well to like you. It's getting to the point of being able to form some kind of "friendship" with that person which revolves around business...And how do you do that? Well, really it's like going on a date with someone. You want to do everything you can to get that person to like you, and in business it's usually always with another man...so if you know that man is gay you should capitalize on that fact...if not then there are other things you can do but the fact is that the more you get that person to like you the more they are willing to do for you...because you are their percieved friend...it's like sleeping your way to the top without the sleeping part... Brown nosing...ass kissing...etc...

I'm surprised there isn't a book entitled, "Selling out for Success" already... Do you know what kind of person I am talking about? I guess it's really about what would be a very mainstream safe image...A person who is someone who is so very ordinary that everyone can understand his persona... Someone who doesn't ever really just be themself but is constantly concerned with self image or self portrayal in terms of group acceptance and in the case of my previous co-worker Jonathan he would definitely live his life to make sure that he is within what is acceptable in terms of what is expected from a responsible member of society and not someone who is kind of weird or does things that are not in the norm. Do you know what I am talking about here? Everyone must have known someone who is totally plastic like this?

Anyway, I am amazed at some of the job details that I have found on the Microsoft Careers website...Aside from the discriminatory issues such as the fact that some jobs say that they "REQUIRE" you to have degrees in their descriptions but also something like:

"Successful Completion of a Background and Credit check is required for this opportunity. A prior conviction or derogatory credit check will not necessarily disqualify you from employment in this position"

So, if you have bad credit that is just as bad as being a convicted felon? WTF? Come on now is that not some form of fucking discrimination? That is absolutely in-fucking-sane in my opinion - that's far worse than "requiring" a college degree! I mean come on just because you graduated from fucking college does not mean that you are not a stupid fucking un-educated idiot. Not having a degree does not mean that you are not educated...so many people don't get this...you can be educated and not have a degree...maybe they don't know any better...

Anyway...I've been reading through a ton of job details via the Microsoft website and my god...there is absolutely nothing that sounds interesting. And what makes it sad is the wording that some of these jobs have where they talk about the most mundane shit being something that "gets your adrenaline pumping" or "working on some of the most exciting web services that MSN has ever delivered!" ridiculous...I'd totally have to sell out by saying that I think this boring ass shit is exciting...what planet are these fucking people from anyway????? I'm fucking guarnateed to get fired...I'd fucking shock the fuck out of these people...actually...that might be kind of fun! hehe

Post by **enderzero** » Wed May 12, 2004 2:38 am

Cc: jsposat@microsoft.com

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Wed May 12, 2004 9:40 am

... the world works. Get used to it. If you know how to do that, you don't have to do much. If you can say something for any situation, then you can be as lazy as you want. Good or bad, that's how it goes. I find that a balance of having something to say that suits the people around me, and voicing my true opinion works best. Perhaps that's not the way things should be, but that's the way they are. People like that will always get ahead. That's actually why I've taken a slight step back. I used to do that non-stop, which is how I advanced my way through the STLabs, DDI structure to senior positions paying me more than you made developing software. Strange eh? Do you know what happened when I actually started working hard, producing good results, and caring about what I'm doing? I make a little over half of what I used to. Granted there are also other badly timed factors, like the economy and job market, but still, I just shut up and do my job now, and nobody takes notice. When I was just blabbing my way through before, I was advancing so much faster. I need to strike a balance somewhere in there, and start advancing again.

spidermonkey · Post by **spidermonkey** » Wed May 12, 2004 10:44 am

Just don't ever tell them you like Michael Bolton's music.

I pretty much babble incoherrently while at work. It doesn't seem to have any effect, positive or negative.

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Wed May 12, 2004 10:47 am

That's because you're not in a corporate environment. Babbling will effect you in one of those. You have to show off a lot. I used to be able to do that really well, but now I don't like to do that as much. I consider it work. And since I'm already working, the extra work to show off, is rather unwelcome.

spidermonkey · Post by **spidermonkey** » Wed May 12, 2004 11:53 am

Yeah, it's pretty non corporate here... And I usually hide when Microsoft people come over for a meeting.

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Wed May 12, 2004 11:56 am

We pretty much just have a 45 minute meeting once a week here. Not too bad. I've had other postitions where I was in meetings pretty much daily. Bleh...

Bill Drayton Jr. · Post by **Bill Drayton Jr.** » Thu May 13, 2004 1:29 pm

but it doesn't mean that I have to like it - hence the rant... Fortunately in the smaller companies that I have worked at applying techniques like that doesn't really work when your employment is based less on talking and more or producing results. This changes as the company increases in size. That's what was actually really cool at GPG in the begininng is there was no bullshit, no politics, no drama...

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Thu May 13, 2004 2:58 pm

I'll agree with that, but they all eventually either evolve into that silly state, or they die.

Bill Drayton Jr. · Post by **Bill Drayton Jr.** » Thu May 13, 2004 7:20 pm

I see I will have to rant harder now!!!

Basically, peeps be front'n too much - they all should keep that shit on the down low...you know what I'm saying yall?

I think it stems from arrogance or self-percieved caste etc...it's all CRAP I tell you!!!

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Fri May 14, 2004 9:42 am

You are entitled not to like it, and you can not like it all you want. What I'm saying is, that it's pretty inescapable, so you'll have to deal with it in one way or another for most of your life. Sucks, but it's true. I wish that people would just notice how hard I work instead of how much I can talk about it. I used to hardly work at all, and just talk and such. It got me quite a bit ahead. Now I'm quiet, and hard working. Do you know how I'm rewarded for my change for the better? Contract only work at a little over half my old pay. Kinda sucks. I totally agree with you on this one, all I'm saying is that it's not going away so one has to get used to it.

spidermonkey · Post by **spidermonkey** » Fri May 14, 2004 10:40 am

Working hard, or hardly working?

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Fri May 14, 2004 11:02 am

Roger Ramjet · Post by **Roger Ramjet** » Sun May 16, 2004 10:59 pm

Microsoft homey sounds like a crawly bum lick!

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Mon May 17, 2004 10:19 am

... it's more like making it sound like you're doing some extremely important task, while web-browsing. I'd slap someone if they said that in my presence.

Roger Ramjet · Post by **Roger Ramjet** » Mon May 17, 2004 7:55 pm

Go read his cheezy employee of the month profile. Crawly........Bum......lickor.

Really the guy could be mega talented and a top bloke, I am just randomly hurling one of my favourite abusive phrases cause it always makes me laugh. Just fucking around so lighten up J3rk.

Crawly bum lick

..........oh there I go again.

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Mon May 17, 2004 11:14 pm

Sorry... I was in a bad mood this morning.

Don't take me too seriously.

Roger Ramjet · Post by **Roger Ramjet** » Mon May 17, 2004 11:22 pm

No worries lawnmower man

Anyone know is there is a MAME emulator for OSX? I really want to get my twin cobra, 1942 and Raiden vertically-scrolling shoot-em-up on.
Also any good places to get Mame roms?

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Tue May 18, 2004 9:39 am

There should be. Try www.mameworld.net there should be links to most of the different OS ports. The usenet is the best place to get ROMs from. You should be able to find the ROMs you're looking for on the web though as they are fairly common. If not, I can email them or stick them on an FTP or something like that. McNevin also has a fairly up-to-date collection.

teh Forum

teh Forum

Fitting in by selling out...(could this be a rant? I dunno)

Fitting in by selling out...(could this be a rant? I dunno)

That's the way...

I've been used to it...

but what does that have to do with me not liking it!

Crawly bum lickor!

Nope...