Email me with your email address to request weBLOG access.

"Some of you left CRA before we moved over to One Alewife. You knew the world where everyone had their own office, some even with spiral staircases and decks outside their office. Once we moved the Open Sesame team was put into cubes except for our dynamic leadership consisting of Alper, Russell and Gerry. The rest of us were not worthy of offices.

"We of the cube, decided that some communication would be best delivered in our own private mailing list. That way people could express ideas and support co workers without being called in to Russell's office for punishment. Nicole deemed it to be and the cubers list was born. We also used the list for lunch, going out for drinks, jokes and other newsworthy items that might have received scorn from those who were not of the cube.

"So a true cuber is someone who was of the cube at Open Sesame. But we since opened our door to any non-management people of CRA that worked on Open Sesame the web site."

- Rifka

"An interesting and important part of this history is that the new division of the staff into office-haves and -have-nots materially affected the level of mutual respect and modes of teamwork. It was disappointing to say the least to take part in such an experiment in social engineering and together to meet all our lowered expectations."

"Now we open our door to any and all cubicle dwellers, those who feel treated like one, remember being one, or simply want useful tips on where to get a good sandwich in the Boston area (Cheddars).

"Interesting trivia about CUBERS: a search for 'cubers' on the Net mostly returns ice-machine manufacturers."

-John VP


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Friday, August 17, 2001

IN MEMORIAM
MAGIC 1997 - 2001

Jack, our thoughts are with you.
posted by John Van Pelt 5:05 PM

Thursday, August 09, 2001

Since I am posting a little tidbit since I know all of you loved Office Space. My sister went to her High School reunion. It turns out that a friend of hers is married to guy Gary Cole the guy who played the bad boss. So all of you are only a few degrees of seperation from him.
posted by Rifka Buchheim 8:59 AM

Remember these guys
Divorced
CMGI has cut off funding to Engage. When your parent company loses faith in you, you know you're fucked. Of course... if your parent company is CMGI... you should have known that long ago.
When: 8/9/2001
Company: Engage
Severity: 95
Points: 193
11 comments in the Happy Fun Slander Corner!
posted by Rifka Buchheim 8:57 AM

Monday, June 25, 2001

More News about iVillage
from my favorite site fcompany
iVillage
iVillage is slashing 50% of their workers. Meanwhile, take a look at their filings and you'll see that several of their executives make almost $500,000 a year. That's a lot of money to pay somebody who's running a BUSINESS THAT DOESN'T MAKE MONEY.
When: 6/25/2001

posted by Rifka Buchheim 1:53 PM

Thursday, June 14, 2001

Update


Crystal's story has inspired me to let you all know what's up in my life since I left Boston. John and I have a wonderful old Victorian home that is under constant repair. We totally re-modeled the kitchen and had the floors done last year, this year we had to replace part of the roof and repair a porch where our best pine tree fell on it. :-( The roof leaked last winter and with all the rain we're having the ceiling is being patched. I still want to put in another bathroom (we've got 4 bedrooms but only one shower), and make a wine cellar in the basement. As part of all this work, I've been inspired to take up some furniture refinishing projects. When I finish my first table (which I started weeks ago), I'll post a picture.


John and I are both working full-time now. After almost 9 months of freelancing and playing around (I went to Russia.) we took "real" jobs. We were very lucky to be able to take that time off, but I don't think it helped me figure out what I want to be when I grow up, so I'm still doing what I was. In fact, I'm very disappointed with my current job because it's less responsibility than I had. I'm trying to look at it as a platform for growth, but with the economy doing what it's doing I'm frustrated by the lack of new challenges. John was laid off from his first job back here. He had been working for a cool educational software startup. He felt he was doing something for the social good and the work was cool, too (gave him a formal environment for learning Java). When that fell apart he found another cool company - a wireless shop. The work isn't as cool, but he's going to get to develop stuff for the Palm soon, and then he'll be happy.


We miss you guys in Boston.

posted by Niki Wagner 11:24 AM

Thursday, May 17, 2001

the crystal story

many of you already know a lot of my story, but I'll blurt it all out here again just cos I'm temping today at a local hospital's outpatient psych ward and I'm bored. :-)

Divorce is final final as of July (Judge okayed back in March...thanks again Paulette for going with me for the five minute decree) and I've just been in a waiting period. I'll be taking my name back and so my email address will be changing as well. I'll send that new addy out to cubers so you guys have it.

Joe is going to move in at the end of July. Been together nearly 9 months now, which seems so wild. It is like I met him yesterday, but then again, like I've known him forever. Funny though, how nearly 7 years of marriage prepared me so well to have this relationship, and to know what I really want and what is good for me and how to be good for someone else. He's a keeper, I know that. He's been the sane part of things while I've been dealing with my unemployment. Plus he's an excellent cook (Joanie can attest to this) AND he does dishes. Amazing, huh? If anyone wants to go to a baseball game with me this summer, I'll need company...he has several.

Still looking for a job, but had two interviews this week with an enterprise management software company (like SAP, Microstrategy, etc). Same guy who ran Common Places...Jack and Jenna know him. We'll see. I have my fingers crossed. The application that they have is pretty cool and easily marketable. We'll see. Bit nervewracking to go with yet another startup, but well, right now I'm looking for the incoming paycheck.

We should plan margs soon. We need a new watering hole though. I didn't like that last place so much. Anyone have any ideas? A great place could be the B-Side between Inman and Kendall. Quieter, cozier with great food and drinks. Niki and Jack it sucks that you are so far away...

I'll get an album together on saved memories soon...maybe dig up old pics of all of us boozing it up. :)

crystal

posted by crystal lyn 10:54 AM

Testing
The site host changed the FTP settings (and DNS directory info) so I am checking it out.
While I am at it: www.savedmemories.com is AWESOME! Kudos to the team of professionals at Birdhouse Software. That is an impressive client list! And where is Birdhouse's Open Positions page? I would like to submit my resume.....
Meanwhile, I will have some albums soon to invite you all to view. I think this could spread by word of mouth. Note to Jack: I will write up some observations about the interface.
posted by John Van Pelt 8:21 AM

Thursday, May 10, 2001

hey -- SavedMemories.com is officially launched. Please use it to publish your photo albums. It is fun and easy to use.
posted by jack aaronson 12:48 AM

Tuesday, May 08, 2001

test
posted by Niki Wagner 5:58 PM