last day at Intel + future plans

It's a bittersweet day as I was laid off from Intel due to the pandemic. However, things are OK otherwise as I already have a job offer.

End of a chapter

As mentioned earlier, our group took a major hit due to coronavirus-related cancellations. For example, the 2020 Summer Olympics have been postponed for at least a year. To cut costs, upper management had to let people go. It's quite unfortunate because I've been an Intel fan a long time.

Despite recent events, my experience at Intel has been overwhelmingly positive. One memorable moment was going to Oregon last year. It was my first time flying on a private jet and also my first business trip. Oregon is also a beautiful state. Even though I wasn't there for leisure and didn't have time to visit any attractions, the trip certainly felt like a vacation to me.

We also had a Diversity Day event last April. It was cool to meet people from different cultures. I also enjoyed trying different foods and watching the performances. Imagine my disappointment when this year's event got canceled due to the pandemic.

I'm definitely a bit sad to leave this job. But what really sucks is not being able to properly say goodbye to my co-workers. Sending a farewell email or message on Slack just isn't the same. However, my manager said she'd love to put together a team reunion once the pandemic is over. It's certainly something I'm looking forward to for sure.

A cross-country move?

The good news is that I already have a verbal offer from Silicon Labs. I'm still in the interview process, but the formal offer should come very soon. Everything certainly looks good so far.

But there are also challenges: the team is based all the way in Boston. Although this position is currently remote, I may have to relocate when the pandemic ends. On the bright side, Boston is a pretty nice place. At least that was the case when we went there 15 year ago. I'm excited to see what the future has to offer.

October 16 update: Silicon Labs has sent me a formal offer. I accepted it as this is a company I want to work for. Here's to looking forward to the next chapter.

Currently listening to: Final Fantasy VII soundtrack - "Cid's Theme" by Uematsu Nobuo

challenging times ahead

It looks like the COVID-19 pandemic is now having a bigger effect on my life. I've been told by my manager that I'm affected by a layoff and will be let go in mid-October unless I can secure an internal transfer.

I've mentioned before that I'm in the Intel Sports Group. Our organization provides a platform that allows users to experience sporting events in virtual reality. But due to the pandemic, several of our projects have been shelved indefinitely due to the cancelation of such events. As a result of these delays and an uncertain future, the company has announced that people will be let go.

This is unfortunate because Intel has always been one of my favorite companies. To make matters worse, chances are we won't get to properly say goodbye to our co-workers due to social distancing rules. One thing for sure is that job hunting is going to be much harder during a pandemic. However, the good news is that my boss has told me I don't actually need to work between now and my employment end date. I really appreciate that I can use this transition period to prepare for interviews. *crosses fingers*

first time volunteering in 16 years!

One great thing about Intel is that the company encourages people to do community service. Although this is something I've wanted to do for a while, there was never much of an opportunity due to time constraints. It's great to know that Intel not only allows, but actually encourages people to take time out to volunteer.

So my boss organized a volunteer event at a local church. I was pretty busy due to a work deadline but figured it wouldn't hurt to give up a few hours. Good thing I did because everyone else in my team showed up. Even my second-level manager joined us!

We arrived at the Cathedral of Faith in San José around 9 a.m. The pastor gave a brief speech before we went to our assigned areas. Our team performed two main tasks: filling the carts with food and loading them onto vehicles that will deliver them to families in need. It was physically exerting but certainly beats sitting in the office. :-)

Our plan was to have coffee at the church's café afterwards, but we decided to head back to the office after finding out the café was closed. On the whole, this was a wholesome experience. I think we definitely need to do this again in the future!

Currently listening to: "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel

Intel Sports family picnic

I just got back from the Intel Sports family picnic. Considering that we didn't have one at my last job, this was my first time attending such an event in over two years. All of us definitely had a great time!

The event took place at Saratoga Springs. It's apparently a popular venue because Amazon Lab126 had events here too. Even my college friends Danny and Caitlin got married at Saratoga Springs last year.

Although we're a fairly small group, many people from my team showed up. I was afraid my parents would feel awkward as the event was geared towards families with kids, but they enjoyed meeting my boss and co-workers. It definitely helps that Dad's first job was at Intel. Of note is that a few other people were also ex-Intel employees. Dad says it felt like a company reunion.

Like at similar events, there were games for both kids and adults. It was fun to watch the water balloon toss and the water relay race. Afterwards, there was a big water fight with squirt guns and more water balloons. I think I was wise to stay out of the crossfire!

On the whole, the picnic was quite enjoyable. It's certainly one of the best company picnics to date. I'm looking forward to next year's event for sure.


Currently reading: The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

the closest thing to spring break

Like most people with a job, I don't get a spring break anymore. However, there were so many great things going on lately that the last few weeks felt like spring break to me. It also helps that our team at Intel managed to release our latest app on time. That means we won't have to work late hours for a while. :-)

So there was an event at the San Jose Museum of Art on the 21st called Exotopia where people can explore exoplanets via a virtual reality installation. Because I've always been interested in astronomy - and my current job involves testing VR apps - this seemed like the perfect event for me. I also got to meet the Exotopia project's creator — Scott Kildall — which was a cool experience. Also worth mentioning is that my friend Claire works at the museum. It was definitely great to see her again after five and a half years.

You may recall that our family friend Eileen passed away about a year and a half ago. Because she was a highly respected community member, some people decided to dedicate a bench to her. Therefore, my family headed to Berkeley on the 24th to attend the ceremony before enjoying a potluck lunch. There was some free time, during which we went on a walk with some family friends. This was no doubt a wonderful experience.

Last week was great too, starting with a company happy hour on the 27th. Our team went to The Halford for drinks and appetizers. Everything was delicious, especially the deviled eggs and fish and chips.

We also went to a local restaurant called Pedro's on the 29th to celebrate the app launch. Although my parents say we've been there before, I honestly can't remember. In any case, the food there was delicious. I definitely need to go back there with my parents!

This week had a good start as we went to the Los Altos History Museum at my suggestion. The funny thing is that we had never thought to check out the museum despite having lived in the area for almost 25 years. I had no idea Los Altos had such a rich history. It happened that there was a closing reception at the museum, and there were food and drinks. Overall, we had a great time.

Last but not least, my boss took us to lunch at an Indian restaurant yesterday to celebrate a co-worker's promotion. I also saw several movies over the weekend with my parents, with Solo: A Star Wars Story being my favorite. So yeah, just because I don't have spring break doesn't mean I can't have fun. :D

Currently watching: Solo: A Star Wars Story

my first business trip!

I went to Oregon today to meet with a team we've been working with. This was my first business trip ever, first time flying on a private jet and also first time flying alone without my parents. It was definitely a new experience for me!

It was a little exhausting as I had to get up pretty early to catch the 7:45 a.m. shuttle to the Intel Air Shuttle terminal for the 8:30 a.m. flight to Hillsboro. I was actually supposed to arrive even earlier, but the 7:30 a.m. flight was fully booked. At any rate, check-in was very fast as we only had to show our ID and Intel badge. Not having to go through TSA was pretty nice. :-)

The plane was very small and not unlike the one we took to Sacramento during our second trip to Yellowstone. I was a little nervous about flying alone withouytmy parents, but that wasn't a problem as the other passengers were all co-workers. There was Wi-Fi access, although it was very slow most of the time. I tried to get some work done but decided to get some rest instead after not being able to receive any emails. No wonder people say Gogo Inflight Internet sucks.

I took the shuttle to the meeting location after we landed. The campus was located in a quiet area away from the city center. Our office was a nice place and had a startup vibe. I really enjoyed meeting the other team and wish we had more opportunities to work together. Even though I had to leave early to catch the shuttle, I don't think I missed much as the final meeting was almost over.

The flight back to San Jose was pretty smooth. The shuttle took me back to the Santa Clara office, where my parents picked me up. On the whole, this was an interesting experience. It's too bad there was no time for sightseeing as this was a business trip and I had a tight schedule. This reminds me - our last visit to the Pacific Northwest was over 11 years ago. Looks like we're overdue for another trip there. :-)

an exciting new career at Intel

I'm thrilled to say that I started my new job today at Intel. It's definitely great to be back in action after being laid off in October. For those curious, I'll be doing quality assurance for the Intel Sports team.

The morning consisted of the new employee orientation. The speaker went over Intel's history and benefits before an IT guy showed us how to set up our work computers. Our badges were then delivered to us. Breakfast and lunch were both served during the orientation!

After everything was said and done, someone led us to the building with my actual office. I met up with my boss before spending the afternoon setting up accounts and completing the online training required for new employees. It's easy to get lost here as the building is huge, but I'm sure I'll know my way around soon enough. It's actually a nice place to work as the building contains cafeterias and lounges with TVs and games. I'm definitely loving my new job so far.

Of note is that Dad used to work at Intel many years ago. I'm sure he can give me advice about the company's culture. Like father, like son.

Currently listening to: "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC