Letters to the Power Plant #119 — Dell Me About It

After I left the power plant and went to work for Dell on August 20, 2001, I wrote letters back to my friends at the plant letting them know how things were going.  This is the one hundred and nineteenth letter I wrote.

9/16/05 — Dell me about it

Hello Friends from Sooner and beyond,

Remember me?  Someone reminded me the other day that it has been two whole months since I wrote to you guys.  Gee.  Has it been that long?  I thought it was only early last week.  Boy does time fly when you’re having fun (or whatever I’m having).

Well.  Things have been going well with me.  I’m on a different team now.  I’m in what’s called “Release Management”.  That means that we deploy all the applications into production for our area.  Our area has grown, so that we not only have all the Financial applications at Dell, we also have all the HR and Product Group applications also.

I’m still being asked to write programs real fast that do things that they need right away, and that’s probably the reason I have not had time to write.  I now have three computers on my desk and I’m using all of them most of the time.

It keeps me hopping, but then, that’s what my cube mates like to see.  It keeps them entertained.  —  They ask me why I enjoy working so much, and I tell them.  “This isn’t hard.  You ought to try shoveling coal with my buddies up at the power plant for a while.  That’s hard work.”

They just roll their eyes around and act like I’m crazy.  —  Well.  I might be crazy, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.

So.  Now that I’m on Release Management, I’m expected to be involved on a lot more projects now.  So I’m having to learn a lot of different things.

I’m also called an “Application Administrator” for Oracle Financials.  That’s like the Financial Module of SAP.  —  Yep.  They finally decided that since I could figure out how to access everything anyway, even though Jim Arnold had told the world many years ago that no one needs Internet Access except for him and Summer Goebel, they might as well make me “Application Administrator”.

Note to Reader:  To learn more about trying to access the Internet at the Power Plant read this:  Power Plant Quest for the Internet.

I think it’s a good title to have, since when I pass by, people seem to bow in my presence.  —  Of course, that could be because my deodorant has failed because of all of my nervous energy, and they are trying to keep their lunch down in their stomach.

I have missed you guys terribly, and I have been having some more crazy dreams of the power plant.  I heard you guys were putting up better security around the plant.  It’s about time.

You never know when an old retired Maintenance Supervisor might try to make an appearance when it’s not even “Men’s Club”.  I don’t think they should allow him into the plant, for his own safety.

I remember when he cared so much about my safety that he told Andy to tell me that I couldn’t come out for a visit a couple of years ago because it wouldn’t be safe.  —  At least I was able to get in there in time to wish him well on his retirement.

He was probably thinking about what I said about safety in my PowerPoint presentation when I left.  I was going to make a website and put the presentation out there so that he can go look at it any time he wants just in case he forgets.

I suppose one of the reasons I don’t feel so compelled to write to you guys lately is because I know that things are looking up for most of you.  Before; I thought you might need a little cheering up every now and then.  Now that the dumbily duo have gone, I know you are doing a lot better.

I have heard about Ray Eberle’s wife and about Jimmie Moore, and my family is keeping them both in our prayers every day.  Keep me updated on how they are doing.  I haven’t heard much news coming from your way lately.  Let me know how things are going.

Your friendly Dell Programmer,

Kevin James Anthony Breazile

_____________________

Kevin J. Breazile

GFCS, HR, and PG IT

Dell Inc.

(512) 728-1527