Well, my friends, it has come time for me to say goodbye. I will be leaving WebTV at the end of this week. I've accepted a job at an environmental engineering firm, which happens to be a little closer to my professional calling (I studied civil/environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin). It's incredible to think of how fast the time went by since I started here at the beginning of last September. I must thank you all for such a great time, and an amazing experience. I had so much fun reading all of your insightful posts, jokes, comments, and quick wit. It was definitely my pleasure to moderate this newsgroup, and it is a greater pleasure that I got to know many of you users. I continue to be amazed by the experience, creativity, time, and energy put forth by the users in this group.

So, farewell all my friends. I wish nothing but the best for all of you. Please take it easy on cv (at least for a day or so) since they haven't hired a replacement moderator, yet, and I'm not sure when they plan to do so. He may need a bit of a boost next week (hopefully, not much longer than that) since he'll be managing the controls by himself and may become weary, discombobulated, and resort to speaking in tongues. *g* Thank you all, once again, for being you.

Never fry bacon in the nude,
Chris (aka "ck")
webtv.users moderator
webtv networks

It is I, cv (the last man standing). I will inject my theory as to why ck (I call him "crazy c") is abandoning us. I remember a conversation I had with him when we first started here at WebTV. He told me that as soon as he get some cash gathered up, he's going to buy himself a camel and journey the Sahara. I told him that he was out of his mind, but he insisted that it was a lifelong dream. After trying to talk him out of it, I decide to give him some advice on his journey.

Tips for traveling the Sahara on a camel:

1. bring lots of "moist towlettes", it gets pretty dry.
2. bring a bottle of Jack Daniels for those cold nights.
3. scorpions only taste good cooked. raw ones will kill you.
4. mirages are exactly what they are, bring lots of water.
5. when surrounded by sand pirates, run!! your camel will be too slow.
6. and the most important part, bring clean undies. mom always says, "you never what you will happen, so be prepared".

Well, I leave ck with my last farewell, "Adios my friend, may your journey be a pleasant one."

Your other half,

-cv
webtv.users moderator

How did you land at WebTV?

Excellent question, and one that deserves a bit of a long-winded response from yours truly. This job as a moderator for the webtv.users newsgroup is actually my second stint with WebTV. I moved out to San Francisco from Wisconsin about 16 months ago with nothing more than a dance belt and a tube of chap stick (some random movie references never hurt an interview, did they?).

The first job I was offered was answering emails in the customer service department at WebTV. I worked at WebTV for about three months until I found an Environmental Engineering job, which is the field I studied at the University of Wisconsin. While I was here I shared an office with Andy, and actually taught Rob the tricks of the trade for e-mailing. I worked at an engineering firm for about eight months until the firm suddenly closed (this was no fault of mine...honest *g*).

Conveniently at this time I found out that WebTV was in need of a moderator since Andy left to attend law school and Rob decided to take a different job in San Francisco. I jumped at the chance to come back to WebTV and it was a fairly easy hiring process since I had worked here in the past. I guess it came full circle (at least for Rob) when he trained me to moderate right before he left WebTV. So, I've been working as a moderator for a little over 5 months, which in all honesty is longer than I expected. I enjoy the work, though, so that's definitely what has kept me here.

How have things changed in webtv.users since you have come on board?

Wow, very good question. I guess the overall format of the newsgroup hasn't changed too much since I started here. I think it's still used as a great forum for information about everything WebTV (and, of course, the humor is always there). When I first started, Chinh and I were taking the reigns from the previous moderators so there was a bit of a learning curve. Things probably moved a bit slower in the newsgroup during our first couple of weeks. I know that I took the time to check every link in every signature, not only to make sure the links were appropriate for the newsgroup, but to gain a little insight into the minds of our users as well. Luckily, it was quite easy to catch on to the regular "faces" in the group so the speed of reading through posts definitely increased.

Other than a few technical additions by us moderators (most were suggestions by users, so we can't take all the credit), our daily posting routine has remained fairly constant. I think maybe the biggest change since I've been here has been with the users themselves. Although many of the regulars are still posting, others post less frequently or have even dropped out of the group. A new set of regulars has appeared, though, so it's a bit like the changing of the guard. Those darn newbies always seem to pop-up out of nowhere, too. Where in the world do they come from? The audacity. *g*

Who could do your job better and why?

My initial reaction to this question was, "nobody, duh." After thinking about it for a while, though, I've decided on a better response since I don't want to come off like an egotistical jerk whose thirst for power cannot be quenched. *g* May I mis-quote Al Pacino in Scarface by saying, "first you moderate the newsgroup, then you get the power, then you get the women."

But, I digress. I asked myself, "Hmmmm, what qualities would the ultimate moderator possess?" This unique individual would need great patience, an eagle eye for detail, quick wit, the willingness to admit when they're wrong, perhaps an odd sense of humor, the ability to sniff out trouble and act at a moment's notice, and thick skin to brush off the occasional WebTV/moderator complaint. Ironically, in selecting the person for the answer to your question, I decided to go with a man who has none of these traits. Andy Williams.

I can't wait for him to read this. No offense, Rob.

Chris, tell me about Chinh.

Okay, I waited 'till he was gone from work so now I can talk behind his back. *g* Chinh is absolutely great. He was a bit quiet when I first met him, but after about the first week we started getting to know each other. Now we're pretty much inseparable (little does he know that it's because I always want to bum a ride when we go out for lunch, hee hee).

I think the only time we've not been together at work (or a work related event) was during the WebTV Christmas party, but I think he was boozing that night so he was more concerned with cuttin' it up on the dance floor and schmoozing with the ladies. *g* He's a laid-back, easy-going guy, and he's very easy to talk to. He's one of the nicest and most thoughtful people I've met, and this shows when I see him interact with others as well (which means he's not just buttering me up for a day off here or there). He's an extremely patient person, even when many people at work continually spell his name wrong. He's always concerned with the well-being of others, and I think that's one of his best traits.

He surprised our old boss and I when he brought in Christmas presents for us. I knew the guy for four months and he's already buying me presents! I was speechless, especially since the only gift I had for him was that he got to _work_ on Christmas. :( Anyway, there's not enough room for me to go on about his good traits, so I'll just say that I not only consider him a great co-worker, but a great friend, as well. (This review of Chinh depends on the nice things he has to say about me, of course.) ;-)

What is your typical work day like?

I usually get into work around 8am. I download all the messages from the night before, grab a Tangerine Odwalla, and pay no attention to any posts until I'm through reading ESPN.com. I then split up the posts so Chinh and I can share (we're very "Sesame Street" around here), and proceed to browse for any potential problems or bad posts.

Finally, it's just a matter of reading through the rest of the posts before sending them to the newsgroup (and laughing hysterically at some of the messages we can't post). This cycle pretty much continues throughout the day, although there's always breaks for meetings, deciding where to go for lunch, Odwalla, lunch, surfing the Internet, afternoon siestas, and more Odwalla (oh, who am I kidding, we don't go to meetings *g*).

What was your Worst work day?

The day it took me two and a half hours to get to work in the morning because Highway 101 was closed due to an overturned semi and chemical spill.

What was your Favorite work day?

My best (and most productive) day at work was when I was doing customer emails during my first stint with WebTV. My third day on the job, WebTV took our whole department on a San Francisco Bay cruise. A beautiful sunny day, free food, an open bar, and we got paid for 8 hours.

Tell me about the posters in webtv.users

A tough question, which is why I've chosen to answer in song.

You see,
Some users just use email,
Others search until no end.
But I know what they all desire,
It's a place to find some friends...
See our guests! See our guests!
Yes, this newsgroup is the best.
Can't you see the place to be?
We've got real diversity.
Posts from who?, both old and new
Give advice and use some, too.
If it's help that you are seeking,
Just drop by and take a-peeking.
Time to spare?, all is fair,
Bring some humor if you dare.
Want to lurk, there's a perk, and that's no jest.
Come to bring your point of views,
And discuss the latest news...
See our guests, See our guests, See our guests!
Like to complain, don't be vain,
Come inside and vent your strain,
And get those ugly feelings off your chest.
When you'd like some friendly cheer,
Browse through posts and grab a beer.
See our guests!
See our guests!
Oh, please won't you see our guests!

Chris (I take no responsibility for copyright infringement, hee hee)

What advice did Andy and Rob (the previous moderators) offer you? What advice will you offer to Moderator-Next?

Rob was here for a total of about 1 hour when I started moderating (Andy had already skipped town to begin socializing with those lawyer types), so I had quite the crash-course in Moderating 101. Rob took me through the guidelines and standards for posting to the group, mentioned something about patience and a sense of humor, and then I was basically on my own. He said if I (or Chinh) ever needed any help that we could call or email him, and then he left work to go surfing. I actually talked with Andy the day after I started and his advice was short and sweet. He said, "Don't worry, if you make a mistake, the users in the group will notice and correct you right away. They'll help you along and keep your boat afloat." Little did he know that there was a hole in my rubber raft.

My advice to the next moderator is to take everything in stride. There will always be users complaining about some aspect of WebTV, so don't take any of their remarks personally. If you have patience and a good sense of humor, then you should get along just fine.

What would make your job easier?

More money! And a new computer. This thing is terrible. I don't know how Rob ever put up with it.

Chris, why are you leaving?

I decided to leave WebTV because I wanted to pursue a career in environmental engineering. I really enjoy that field, and I'm excited to learn much more with this new job I've accepted. I got a small taste of life as an enginerd while working for a small firm for about eight months last year, right before I came to WebTV. Even though it wasn't my dream job, I certainly learned a lot and gained experience working on several different projects (including a cool stint at San Quentin prison analyzing roofs).

I like the idea of working out in the field and interacting with people while on the job. Although I won't be doing this all the time at my new job (I guess one has to write reports in the office sometime), I hope to have my fair share of time in the sun. And now my mom can get off my case about finding a job in my field of study. Hee hee. I certainly enjoyed my time here at WebTV, and I even had a couple of chances to advance in other departments, but I decided against it. There's something about me that doesn't enjoy sitting in front of a computer all day every day, even though many people make a swell living doing so.

What does the future hold for you?

The future holds a frozen pizza for dinner. Then maybe I'll rent a movie. *g* Other than that I can't be sure of too much (other than that Chinh's story about the Sahara may not be true). When I moved out to San Francisco from Wisconsin, I had always told myself that it would probably be for a few years and then I'd move back. I still have that same mind-set (don't tell my new employer), since I don't know how long I can live away from my family. I'm really close to them, and it sucks that I only see them a few times a year. I can't theorize on much more. Oh, my crystal ball shows a beautiful woman whom I could love and cater to as long as she put up with a Marx Brothers movie once every fortnight or so. Swordfish!

I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I'm 24 years old and the oldest of three boys in a loving family of 5...well, 6 if you count our hyper dog who makes on the floor every time I visit because she's so excited. My wisdom, leadership, and guidance has led my two younger brothers to seek better sources of wisdom, leadership, and guidance.

I attended college at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where I graduated with a degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering. I worked my way through college with a great job playing the role of the canary in a coal mine. Seriously, though, my parents helped a great deal with funds for college so when my jobs as a painter, janitor, conference services staff person thingee, and intern engineer didn't bring in enough money they were always there to support me. They were also very supportive when I fled the coup after college and headed westward with some friends to try my luck in San Francisco.  

So far it's been extremely fun and interesting, everything and nothing I thought it would be. I have too many interests for my own good. I love camping, skiing, reading, watching movies, music, playing guitar, visiting friends and family, and drinking a pint or two. I'm a huge baseball fan, and will always support the Brewers even though their consistent dwelling tends to be near the cellar. Luckily, the A's and Giants are nearby to support my constant craving of $3 hot dogs and $6 beers.

• Favorite snack: Handi-snack (cheese and bread stick), Sour Patch Kids, and popcorn (buttered, of course)
• Favorite beverage: Huber beer, although I mostly drink Guinness out here since west coast distributors haven't taken a liking to Huber's cheap deliciousness. Mountain Dew and Tangerine Odwalla during the day.
• Opinion of Okra: I have no problem eating okra, but don't get around to it too often. In fact, I probably haven't had okra in a couple years.
• Favorite city: Madison, Wisconsin
• Favorite past time: Anything baseball, doesn't matter whether I'm playing, watching, listening, or keeping track of fantasy teams.
• Favorite sport: Hmmm, let me think...ummmm...I'd guess I'd have to say...Baseball!
• Ticklish: Yes, but only certain spots which will remain nameless.
• Identifying marks: I have a small birth mark on my left bicep that looks like the mirror-image of the continental United States, but with a very large Florida. I have freckles on my shoulders, elbows, knees, and most joints (I used to have much more on my face). I have an off-center nose and deviated septum from having it broken twice. Skid marks in my drawers (I really debated whether to write that, but it's too damn funny not to include).
• Smoke?: Not anymore. I smoked a little during college. My mom once found a pack of cigarettes in my winter jacket while I was home during a winter break. She kindly took them out of my jacket and placed them in the middle of my bedroom floor so I'd see them when I woke up. Yes, I was a bit startled when I opened my eyes.
• Favorite haunts: In San Francisco I like hanging out at the Crow Bar, Trader Sam's, the Divisadero Ale House, and going to movies. Elsewhere, too many to name, but throughout my life it's been Governor Dodge State Park in Wisconsin.
• Vices: In the words of Homer Simpson, "Beer. My only weakness. My achilles heel as it were."
• Pet peeves: Being late to anything. Lack of communication.
• Ever arrested: No, but my dad put handcuffs on me when I was little so I could see how they'd feel. He's a cop, not a magician.
• Boxers or briefs: Boxers. I go umbros before I go tighty-whities. I'd maybe go _commando_ before I go tighty-whities.
• Dog: Not here in San Francisco. I have three roommates, so we'd all have to agree on a pet. I don't think I could give it enough attention right now, so it wouldn't be fair to the dog or my roommates. My family has a hyper Springer spaniel back home. Her name is Casey. She once ate a tub of butter.
• If you had a dog, what would you name it: Shickadance Teasedale ("Rufus" for short)
• Status: Single and available (does that sound desperate?...crap)

with love from,
Beth Candy

Andy & Rob's Modsquad Interview