Well, its been a couple weeks now since my erruption and I really don't know where to begin. I guess "Hello" is the best place to start.

I stopped by Project Utopia this morning and have a stack of papers to go through from them. I'm not sure what I'm getting into though. Anyone out there who's been here?

Welcome Instar. My, my, you are quite lovely aren't you? Please, should you need anything by all means ask. We are a rather friendly group around here, give or take a few bad apples.

Thank you. I don't know that I need much beyond maybe answering a question here or there. Are you in Utopia?

No. Sorry. I'm not affiliated with anyone.

Nothing to appologize for.

Of course, I'm supposed to say you should join the Project, me bein' with T2M and all.

I suggest takin' some time to think about everythin'.

Well, that's why I'm here I guess. I really don't know who else to talk to about this. That would understand anyway.

I'm in a unique position.

I was an employee of Project Utopia before I erupted.

Welcome! It's nice to see another new face here.

Why do you think I should consider not coming to Utopia then?



Thanks!

Welcome to the board Instar, hope you like it here. Lot's of cool novas.

Well,I have to say everyone has made me feel a little better about all this.

Tessa, I wouldn't call your position unique. I mean, others have erupted while working for the Project.

Instar, welcome to the forum. I'm currently stationed in Addis Abba finishing out my training. If you want to chat about being in the Project, feel free to drop me a line.

Aura, yes, I would love to talk about it!

Well, then can you come to Addis Abba? My work keeps me onsite pretty much. But I'd love to chat with you!

Er, that may be a problem. I just recently graduated so I'm still doing the 'poor college student' thing. I live in New York. Addis Abba is really far away...

I'm busy until the end of this month, and will ben unable to leave Addis Abba for any length of time. You do have an option: you could ask to tour the Addis Abba campus. Since it's one of the bigger training facilities, that shouldn't be an issue. And if you can't... well, that's the beauty of the OpNet. We can exchange PMs. What do you think?

I've heard that Addis Abba is a very exciting place, especially since I live in New York City. I don't suppose you could put in a good word? I'd love to come see what its like out there and meet some people that have already gone through all this.

But yes, PMs would work if they don't want to give a potential recruit the nickel tour!

Oh, trust me Instar, they'll want to show off the Addis Abba campus. They love to show you the lush surroundings, then show you the vids of what the area looked like before the Terraforming the Project did.

Just tell your recruiter that you want to see Addis Abba, and they should whisk you out here. Let me know when you'll be here, and I'll clear my calendar.

Thank you so much. I'll take this paperwork back to them tommorrow and mention it! I'll let you know what they say.

Instar; Welcome to the boards!

What kind of paperwork is the Project giving you if you aren't a member?

And before signing with someone, what is it that you do? Why does the Project have to be the only choice?

Hello! Its the first round of application paperwork. Gotta love the bureaucracy. Its not my only choice. I still need to talk about this with my friend Douglas Gibbons since he offered me a job when I got my degree.

As for what I do? I have a Ph.D. in Biology, specializing in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior. I have heard so many good things about what Utopia has done. Do you not work for Utopia then?

Aura, I spoke to the Project Utopia recruiter today. She said they had to get permission first since you were training with Team Tommorrow.

Utopia?

Facists.

Project Utopia calls me two or three times a week. I tell them "no thank you" two or three times a week. I wonder how long this is going to continue.

Why are they so persistant if you don't want to join them?

I have no idea. I imagine it has something to do with the limited supply of novas in the world, though. Plus, I came out of the eruption process pretty normal-looking.* Have you noticed that Project Utopia only seems to grab the photogenic novas and not the ones who frighten people with their appearance?

Things that make you go hmm. . .




(* When I'm not powered-up, I mean.)

I dunno, I guess so. I never really thought about it. I mean, its a pretty big organization. I don't think they're trying to recruit me to take pictures of me. They have some much better candidates for that!

I meant "photogenic" to mean "pleasing to the eye" or even "attractive." I don't really mean to say that they only hire novas who they want to photograph. . .

Project Utopia, like the Armed Services, has an aggressive recruitment drive. It's not a bad thing, really, it's just that if they really like you, they will push to find out if you're playing hard to get or really uninterested.

P3, would you like me to mention your real disinterest to the Recruitment Director here at Addis Abba? They'll stop once they realize that they don't have a chance, and they're just annoying you.


I spoke with my instructors. I think that they have agreed to let me have a partial day off. They're going to give you the tour, but I'll be able to sit down with you and tell you about my work afterwards, if they can convince the Admin Department that I can afford to take the time off.

If it will stop the phone calls, yes please. Mom and Dad are getting really tired of it, and I'm starting to catch some of the overflow from that.

Indeed. It is a sad statement on the subjective value that the so-called Utopia assigns to novas. It's ok to be a nova, so long as you still look like a baseline. It is a meaningless and offensive judgment that hurts nova-baseline relations by fostering the idea that "normal-looking" novas are good guys, and the "ugly" ones are all evil.

Very sad, and very troubling.

Oh good, I'm really excited about coming out there now. A free trip is a free trip. You're not too busy though are you? I really appreciate you offering to meet with me but I don't want to get in the way of your training.



Well, if that's the case, then I'm certainly flattered! I think I have a lot more than eye candy to offer to any company or organization I decide to commit to.

FWIW, I am not entirely 'normal-looking' anymore. Its probably the hardest part of all of this. But Utopia still is interested in me.

Consider it done. It's 9:30ish in the evening here, but I've requested a chat with her first thing in the morning. I'll show her this thread, and you may get one more call, as a mixed apology and last chance deal.


Oh, yes, how very troubling that Utopia picks photogenic people for their marketing materials, just like they teach you in Business 101. Oh no!! They're being... strategic!

Despite what my trainers think, a half-day off will not get in the way of my training. I mean, I think that they slave-drivers could use the time off, too.

I look forward to your visit.