First Day, Round Two

This month marks two years with my company, the longest I have been anywhere doing anything since graduating from Clemson University in May 2009. Gulp. And it is on this day, I witnessed actual growth in my young career. In September (2013), I accepted a new position internally with my company. But because of the nature of my work, I was never given a formal start date (or provided job-related details). So I waited, impatiently, for six l-o-n-g months. The uncertainty of the new position put me on edge and as a result everything in my life felt rocky.

Today though, March 6, 2014, my time came.

So how did it go, you ask?

• For reasons unbeknownst to me, I was up an hour earlier than necessary ready to tackle the day. No longer wanting to waste time, I lifted weights and perfected my abs for an hour. Then I showered, scarfed down a yummy ‘first day’ breakfast, and took off for the city.
• That’s right. The city. My job is accessible by Metro. I crammed right on to the Metro with thousands of other people, grinning from ear to ear. I was the happiest person on the Metro, guaranteed.
• The half-mile walk from Metro, in the continuing sub-arctic temperatures, was not as fun.  Especially since I had only a vague idea where I was going. As I relied on my phone, I nearly missed the building entrance. Oops.
• Upon arrival, with frostbit fingers, I came to the realization that I needed a badge to simply enter the building lobby. Thankfully, after a quick phone call, a co-worker (i.e., an escort) came to my rescue moments later.
• In a way, I’m imprisoned. I have to be escorted everywhere, including the bathroom. This is a place I visit far most frequently than most. And not something I like my entire team knowing on my first day.
• My entire team knows this because I sit in one large cube with seven people, including myself.
• The team I joined is comprised of nine people, much different than my previously solitary gig.
• I was asked to contribute to the purchase of a new Keruig to replace the one that broke before my time. That did not sit well with me.
• My new cube farm is a sauna, without the rocks. I’ll report back soon as to whether I prefer the hot to the frigid, as my prior work space was mighty chilly. And I found the chill to be mighty miserable. For now, these sauna-esque conditions will be great for napping and reading as I wait for my computer…
• Which won't be here for at least THREE weeks. And I thought the waiting period was over.
• There is no cutlery or napkins in the kitchen. So I ate my baked—via microwave—potato and whole cucumber like an animal.
• But, who cares, because I get a lunch break. A lunch break I do not have to feel guilty for taking. Except today, I missed my opportunity. My team left—without my realizing what was happening—and I was without an escort. But, tomorrow, oh tomorrow, I’ll work my way to the National Portrait Museum to dine in the humongous atrium. All will be marvelous then. And going forward.
• There's also no water cooler except...
• In the gym. Yes, there's a gym… with a locker room for showering on the days I bike, run, or walk to work! And the fancy gym is furnished with Life Fitness equipment, my treadmill manufacturer of choice.
• Happy Hour on the first day without warning... after a day of nothingness, not ideal. Note: It wasn’t miserable. But will hanging out with co-workers ever be fun? I'm not convinced. I'm also not convinced I 'fit in' with this crowd (or many crowds). Oh well.

So we'll see, I'm entirely optimistic. I should have my badge in a week and my computer in three. Then the real work begins, I'm told.