Not that there was any doubt as to whether or not I would survive, of course, but I still feel a certain twinge of accomplishment below the surface. A sort-of good feeling that is just barely visible over the huge amounts of nervousness and exhaustion stocked up inside my head. I have no idea if I have been productive enough all week, and I certainly don't have a good grasp on everyone's name yet. I don't know what project I'll be on yet, nor do I know when (or if) my orientation stuff will end. I do know, however, that I am starting to get the hang of things. I know when to go eat lunch in order to be social. I know that Wednesdays I don't have to bring a lunch, and I know that casual Friday implies something considerably more casual than what I have experienced in the past.
I've been splitting my time at work, dividing it up between reading orientation stuff, getting trained on different tools, and working through a set of embedded labs. The labs have been the most enjoyable and the most frustrating part of the process. I am simultaneously intrigued by the problems and learning a whole new microcontroller and frustrated by the lack of quality (or even helpful) documentation. It is an adventure to be sure.
I can't say I have done much on the social front. Between adjusting to getting up early again (6am) and adjusting to early being a full hour earlier than it used to be (Still not used to EST), I have been downing coffee all day and coming home exhausted from sitting in my desk chair all day. I am hoping to adjust soon. Soon.
On Thursday of this week, I got a chance to tour the model shop at work, another building that houses a great many tools used to build prototypes. In this visit I was given the chance to toy with a plasma cutter, a tool which, upon first inspection, appears to use electricity, air, and magic to produce a green-coloured stream of sparks that cuts through metal as though it were butter. So, dolled up in the gloves, vest, and welding mask, I took up said plasma cutter and, with less effort than I would use to sign my name, cut chunks out of a slice of sheet metal. It was quite an experience and one which I hope to repeat if for no reason other than effortlessly cutting metal with green fire.
I am learning to cope with working for a small piece of a big company. So many of my favourite passive internet fixes are blocked, including the semi-vital Last.fm. This means no streaming radio (sad) but also no scrobbling (even sadder). I wish my Zune counted plays. This may be the thing that motivates me to get a great big uSD card for my phone, which does scrobble.
But beyond that, things are beginning to settle down. I brought some things to my cube to leave them there, just to see what it's like to really move in. I'm sure I will get to be more comfortable over the next few weeks and months. Once I get used to the project I will be assigned to, work will level out and become more predictable and exciting. For now, I will keep working to reset my internal clock and to see if I can't rustle up some friends.
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