Pug’s Place

Two weeks ago I was in Melbourne, FL interviewing with Harris corporation. Last weekend I was in Statesboro, GA participating in that Programming Contest. I am writing now from Scottsdale, AZ (a wealthy suburb of Phoenix) after having interviewed yesterday with General Dynamics C4 Systems (formerly a part of Motorola). Next weekend I’ll be in Boston, MA interviewing with Microsoft via their new acquisition, Groove Networks. My parents think all of this means I’m terribly busy.
So I’m in the Valley again, though my eldest brother is overseas so I can’t hang out with him. Instead I’m on my own until my flight out tomorrow morning, just me, my rented red 2007 Mustang and the lush desert that is Phoenix. Actually, that’s not entirely true: I have a company event this morning which will last into the very early afternoon, but after that my time is my own.

I’ve been toying with the idea of living here in Phoenix for years, ever since I first came out here the weekend of my 13th birthday and got to wander through the Desert Botanical Gardens. It still seems like a good idea, living out here, but I am keeping my enthusiasm curbed for now. I want to talk to more people about this company with whom I just interviewed before I solidify my opinions.

Interviews yesterday with GD were remarkably laid-back (I hesitate to call my interviews ‘Interviews’, they were more like fun, geeky conversations, but I digress). When I arrived I was greeted by my recruiters with the question, “How did you get a Mustang?” I do not think I answered that question, as others quickly popped up to take its place, but they were confused and amused since Mustangs aren’t on the rental list for which the company was paying. Notably, at the end of the day I was with the last trio of interviewees walking from the building to the visitor parking lot. The two guys with whom I was walking asked me if I needed a ride back to the hotel - I said I had that covered. The visitor parking lot was nearly deserted, just a Taurus and a red Mustang in the immediate area that we were walking toward. As that became increasingly apparent, one of those guys asked again if I was sure I didn’t need a ride (as it didn’t appear that any rental cars were over there, just the Mustang). About this time I unlocked the Mustang and its doors did the Corvette-thing with the windows falling down a little ways to allow the doors to be opened. Immediately came the indignant cry, “How did you get a Mustang!?”

There are many advantages to being a Hertz #1 Club member - you get Mustangs for the rental price of Tauruses, and Porsches for the rental price of Mustang GTs. I had the other guys take a couple of pictures of me with the Mustang for posterity, but I can’t pull them from the camera until I get back to Gainesville.

To close the topic of me and this Mustang, I don’t much care for it. The car has a great, powerful-sounding engine with lots of medium-end acceleration but it feels too heavy to be nimble and too wide to be comfortable (for me). I think small sporty Japanese cars are now my top choices.
Now I depart for this company event, then I intend to wander around (possibly the Desert Botanical Gardens again, woo!) and finally meet Chris’s girlfriend Amy for dinner.