Random Rants ΠΕ': You're standing on my neck.

[Manfred Belheim]

Oh right, I thought you were having a live conversation (for some reason).

 

[hobbsyoyo]

We had a live conversation on the phone first and she sounded completely legit. Then before I had a follow up skype interview with her boss, she made that request. I really don't think she really meant any harm but like I said, I was already deeply ambivalent about this and was willing to go along mostly in hopes it would lead to other things. I basically was looking for any excuse to bail and she gave it to me.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Just send her a stock picture of an old doorknob or set of screwdrivers, if you don't think she's legit. That's a weird thing to ask a prospective contestant to share.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Not really that weird given the context. As suspicious as I am of her, I'm sure she has some obligation to verify the people she is interviewing beyond what she can find on their LinkedIn pages. I also guess that potential contestants are judged and voted on by the internal production team, and I assume this means someone is putting together power point slides on the contestants to flip through and this is where photos would be useful. Either way, I am not interested anymore.

But I did tell her I worked at SpaceX on the Falcon, so she could have gotten photos of that herself. So that is odd.

Maybe your refusal is the right answer. After all, would they want anyone who would spill insider secrets just to get on TV? That's a massive lawsuit in the making if they knowingly did that.

If they wanted contestant-related photos, why not a photo of you? After all, it's you the audience would see, not some random bit of hardware, right?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

She never asked for anything secret, or anything specific beyond 'pictures of rockets'. She was also very concerned with verifying my handiwork skills - the engineers on the show are paired with non-engineers to do a project and they need people who can actually use tools and build stuff. So it makes sense that she'd want verification of hands-on ability; not all engineers work with their hands. In fact, I don't work with my hands all that much and while I do know most basic shop tools, I can't weld or do any real cool stuff.

Honestly I think I'm being paranoid but really what's going on is that I just don't want to do it and was looking for any excuse to walk away. It was fun to think about for a few minutes but it doesn't sound like something I'd really enjoy doing and I don't regret walking away.

Edit:
Also, the ask for pictures was actually a back-up question. Originally she only wanted to know who I currently work for, which I can't disclose. Then she said 'ok, we can just say ex-spacex but can you at least show me some pictures of rockets you worked on'. So yeah, not really that suspicious but still crossing a red line even if completely innocuous in intent.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Ah, Engineering With the Stars!

 

[hobbsyoyo]

No not that! Lol

 

[Manfred Belheim]

"Pictures of rockets you've worked on" sounds a lot less suspicious than what I'd imagined she'd asked (i.e., "show me pictures inside your facility" or something).

 

[hobbsyoyo]

"Pictures of rockets you've worked on" sounds a lot less suspicious than what I'd imagined she'd asked (i.e., "show me pictures inside your facility" or something).

Honestly I think I'm being paranoid

lol

 

[Manfred Belheim]

And if she only said "pictures" not "photographs" then you could just sketch them

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I imagine a lot of would-be contestants lie to increase their chances of getting on the show as well, which also explains why she would want verification of some kind.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

No not that! Lol

You're not a star rocket scientist?

I was thinking of Dancing With the Stars, or the Canadian show Battle of the Blades, which meshes hockey players and figure skaters.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I was saying the show was not dancing with the stars. I am also a pretty average rocket scientist all told and I don't have that long of a track record either. Almost everyone I work with knows more and has more experience than me. I am probably one of the nerdiest, most hardcore space fans of all my coworkers though.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Do you think there actually is a show at all? Maybe it's a corporate spy trying to steal your rocket designs!

 

[civvver]

Why does apple have to review all your apps just to make them available for testing?!?! So annoying. Everything about their distribution process is jumping through hoops and takes forever.

 

[Synobun]

I was saying the show was not dancing with the stars. I am also a pretty average rocket scientist all told and I don't have that long of a track record either. Almost everyone I work with knows more and has more experience than me. I am probably one of the nerdiest, most hardcore space fans of all my coworkers though.

You always try so hard to make yourself sound mediocre but I have to admit I find it a little amusing. Rocket engineers who contribute directly to launches and even pilot launches are part of an elite grouping of the industry, and the industry itself is already an elite grouping of society at large. How many rocket engineers are there in the entire world? How many who have seen their work go into space? How many who have piloted their work into space?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I hate Parkinsons disease my stupid hands they shake and shake. Why do I even take my medication if it doesn't even help. I hate it all. And I have a headache too.

WHY THE fudge CANT I JUST BE HEALTHY

I HATE IT ALL

 

[MaryKB]

I'm so sorry @aimeeandbeatles

 

[dusters]

I'm getting married next month and the benefits I'm getting in Latvia are so few. Is it better where you live?

 

[rah]

Does marriage involve sex in Latvia? If not, then yeah it's better here in the US.