Hoo Ha, Hoo Ha!
It has been almost a month since I last decided to write something to tell the world (wide web). Let’s see, after all I am in kind of a daze today, I might be able to trash out some interesting stuff.Let’s see. Shall we start from the most boring one? My working life. Ok since the last time I've written, things have changed quite a bit here and there. I'm almost running the line alone these days. It is pretty simple actually. Just do the routine stuff which everyone else knows. When the tough nuts come along, call my boss. Ha... well, come on, I'm (for goodness's sake) still fresh. I still have the green strip on my jumpsuit. Oh... ya the green strip is an indicator of new people. Heard I would have to have it on my jumpsuit for 3 months. Initially I was kind of disgusted by having a green strip. It is those 'I hate been a greenhorn' mentality. Now I am learning to appreciate the benefits that comes with being a greenhorn.
I screwed up, I can just laugh it off and say I still have the green strip. And learn from the mistake without being screwed big time. Sometimes I am pretty lucky in the line as well. The other day I was working on this assignment that my boss assigned me. I made all sorts of mistakes. And these mistakes are really key mistakes. So initially it all the process just couldn't work. Then I told my boss and we went through the process together. Presto, we realized that the key mistakes immediately and we both learnt a few new things about the process. We both learn and we solved an issue that had been around for quite some time.
Nope... it wasn't a big issue, but it was quite a good morale booster for a new guy like me. I have some other issues on hand too, haven't finished yet too. We are going to have a meeting on Wednesday to report on our progress in the assignments and projects in hand. I was wondering what to tell my boss on the other stuff that I haven't even started on! Ha... but it is alright for now. One at a time, and he knows that when we are running shift, there are really very little time for us to do something else that is not line issues. So it wasn't that bad, considering I only came back one day to do that stuff. Haha… finding excuses for my incompetence.
Overall I am enjoying the work in my company. The people in my department are mostly friendly and helpful. I am running my counterpart’s shift at the moment and at another fab there is this lady engineer. We were doing something together that day for her fab, but using our co-owned machines. Halfway through, I screwed up and the machine hanged. She didn’t say anything and scold me, but just say be more careful next time. Haha… I remember pointing at my green strip and say ‘don’t worry, we both learn from this mistake. I am green strip so me screwing up is very normal!’ luckily the production lot in the machine and her test wafer wasn’t affected. If not have to spend some extra effort to solve the affected lots.
That is my department. Always friendly and ready to help. Plus I like the work I am doing now. I get to work in an environment where I am all wrapped up, and people won’t be scare off by my appearance! Well, actually not really. I have a colleague who came in somewhat the same time as me. She said she didn’t dare to talk to me in the fab because I look real serious and fierce in there. Sometimes I wonder if that is really the case. So the other day I went in and found this mirror just outside the air shower. So I put up my usual expression when I am in the fab and realized, yesh, I am pretty fierce looking, plus those specs, sure look like some kind of fab discipline master.
But hell no, that’s not the reason why I like my work. It is like the only thing in university I like is about semiconductor and the processes and devices. So now the work I am in is exactly what I like. Well, relatively actually. Ok ok… better give semiconductor technology some credit. I do like semiconductor stuff and I’m always amazed by the devices that people are inventing everyday. Such a small piece of stuff, and having even smaller details in them, having so many capabilities. And it’s something that we can see, not like radio waves or wireless communications, where all the stuff is ‘invisible’. And knowing that I am part of this incredible business is always encouraging and motivating, although we aren’t really in the best of the best technology production, where one can learn a lot more. But not that it is the only factor in my preference of a job. Satisfaction gained when a good job is done in an older technology fab is also good. Anyway, so far I am quite happy with this job and I can see myself enjoying working in this environment for quite some time.
(A week after)
Yes the stuff above was actually written a week ago. I stopped halfway, thought I can actually write about a day later. But nope, now then I managed to spare some time to continue writing.
I had my first day alone in the line. It really exposed fully my weaknesses in certain areas of my department. There are some machines which I am really bad at, and all the issues happening that day were on those machines. I was spending so much time looking at those recipes and sitting in front of machines for hours(not really hours, just an hour plus) to figure out the issues and how to write the recipes. The maintenance fellow for the day has the knack of disappearing for long periods of time, off his hand phone and be uncontactable for most parts of the day.
That’s where all my headaches begin to start.
I was troubleshooting…myself in fact. I was the problem because I don’t know the routine stuff. I was asking whoever I think is able to help me out. Managed to get bits and pieces of information here and there. Eventually I got the final product out… and verified by the maintenance fellow when he finally appeared again.
But the key thing here is I learnt from this experience, and I can function better in my job in later parts of my work.
Enough of my work. I got my gundam sets up already. But I haven’t done any of panel lines yet, they are not really considered completed yet. I have yet to get my hands on those proper super fine marker pens for my gundam sets. Probably I would make a trip down on Wednesday to TBR to see if they sell them. But I am sure they will, since they are model kit hobby shop. But generally they sell a few dollars more expensive then the rest of the really specialized shops, but not that I really mind it. Going to Bencoolen Street, the transport fee and the model kit itself may already cover the few dollars already. I finished my freedom, rx-78-2 and strike rouge. Now I’ve place the order for strike with aile striker and gundam wing zero, endless waltz version. First time buying online, so hope it would be a good and satisfying deal. I should be getting them soon, maybe next week.
Hands itchy, but wallet burning… next month I have to cut down on my expenses already as this month I have gone over budget already. You probably see me on fours, crawling around the field nearby. Eat grass…
Generally that’s about it for now… today another off day… really going to have a superb rest! I simply love this kind of life!
Seeya guys!
posted by luxy @ 7:37 PM
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