No Mexico

It looks like Mexico is out. Unfortunately, it comes about 2 weeks too late, as I think they already promised the Manchester fire-breathing-robots assignment to the guy who replaced me in Kentucky. Well, hell.

As I see it, there are two factors upon which my happiness in a future assignment depends: location and function. For location, my current ideal (with Mexico and all other international locations eliminated) would be Manchester, as it has a nice balance of cheapness and not-in-the-middle-of-nowhereness. I would refuse an assignment in Towanda and I’m not staying here, which leaves Manchester, Hillsboro, and Exeter in NH, Danvers and Beverly in MA, Central Falls in RI (I don’t think they assign people here), Winchester and Versailles in KY (I doubt they would send me back here), Wellsboro, Warren (both smaller than my current town) and York in PA. Things are not looking good on location. As far as function, there are a few types of generally approved engineering assignments: Production, R&D, Equipment Design, Commercial Engineering, and Business. I’ve done production and am tired of coming back in at 11PM to talk with third shift, tired of crud under my nails, and tired ruining my work clothes. Commercial Engineering and Business both involve living in the Boston area, which I’m not up for financially, even though I would really enjoy the work. R&D and Equipment Design could be basically anywhere and involve great things or very boring things.

I guess I’m willing to take my chances.