Sunday, September 17, 2006

My new job included a new laptop with wireless capabilities. Dude. I'm at home with my work laptop, watching Animal Planet and surfing the 'Net. Sure, I should be doing homework, but I'm being lazy. I actually brought the laptop home to see if I could get into my work network (I can't, and I don't know why), but since I can work on my homework on it too, I might as well, right?

Speaking of school, only 35 days to go until I get my degree! Woo hoo!

I haven't done any hiking in the last month. I was falling behind in school because I was hiking instead of studying and doing homework, and besides, the weather is changing nastily and now the best areas all seem to be on fire anyway. Maybe I'll do some more hikes if the weather is good on upcoming weekends. We'll see.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

But...

I left my old job last week and began my new job yesterday. No window here, but I don't have to share an office, either. I have a brick wall behind me that is over 100 years old, but the rest of the building interior is new. The floors creak when you walk, but I like that. The work load is more even over the course of the month, so I won't have down time, but it will never be as hectic here as it was there. Uwajimaya is further away now, but the exercise won't kill me. This company pays for parking and the train, so I can do either at will and lose nothing out of pocket. The walk through Pioneer Square might be a bit harrowing in the upcoming months when it is dark during the commute, but I have police-issue pepper spray that I can use if someone seriously threatens me. We get bagels on Tuesday and lunch on Friday. I miss the security of  familiarity, but I like everyone I've met here and I am training with an old friend to take over part of his work. They didn't have me set up with a computer or a phone on day 1, but I now have a new wireless-enabled Dell laptop of the type without the exploding battery. I still do not have access to all of the software and websites I'll need to do my job, but that will come in time. There's no convinient Starbucks in the lobby of this building, but the company coffee is good and it is free. My ex-officemate has the office to herself until Thursday so that she can work distraction-free through the final steps of the month-end close, but after that she has to share her office with Katherine from purchasing, who drives everyone nuts with her bizarre behavior and her endless chatter about her kids. I feel bad for my ex-officemate, but I have a better job and better pay, and like everyone else in the world, I'm in it for myself.