Wednesday, November 11, 2015

My Own Version of Office Space

Okay, folks, I've got a couple of weeks under my belt on the New Job, so it must be about time for a status report. (Yeah, yeah, I know I'm only there Mondays and Wednesdays, but it'll suffice for a First Impression, right?) So, in a nutshell (or, you know...a whole passel of 'em...) here's what I like about working there:

I feel compelled to start with three small but oh-so-significant words: My. Own. Office. Seriously, I'm talking about a room just for me, with a real door, and a nice, big window, and a bookshelf, and a file cabinet, and a desk, and a computer, and...some kind of odd instrument that emits an alarming tone once in a while at random intervals. (Stay tuned for more on that later...) And (squealing excitedly, unable to contain her Geek Girl Glee) all the SUPPLIES one could want! Now, you might find yourself thinking, "Sheesh, could she overreact just a wee bit more, here?" But you must understand that the last time I actually had a work space was waaaaay back in the day when I was a Speech Pathologist...before Derek was born.

Since then, I've been...well....I guess "itinerant" would be a nice way to put it, ("Bag Lady" being the slightly more accurate but far less appealing term.) carrying around my purse, and lunch, and water bottle, and whatever else I need, from room to room and building to building,...all the while hoping I don't forget anything along the way. So believe me when I tell you that I'm fully appreciating the joys of "not schlepping one's life around in a tote". Because not only do I have my choice of spots in which to safely stow my handbag, the suite also boasts a kitchen, with a refrigerator...and a microwave...and a Keurig machine. Evah-so-civilized, I tell ya. And it just goes to show, sometimes it really IS the little things...)

On a related note, remember when I mentioned that strange device? You guessed it, friends: I have my own telephone, with an assigned extension...but (here's the happiest part) I'm not responsible for answering anyone else's. In fact, the whole suite is soooooo quiet that when it rings, I invariably jump like a startled rabbit. (Wait, do rabbits get surprised? Or are they just naturally twitchy all the time? Eh, it's my simile, and I'm just gonna go with it...) Then I stare at it in bafflement for a few seconds while it continues to persistently make that "Pay Attention to Meeeee" noise. Finally I gather my wits about me....and answer it. (Hmmm...somehow my Orientation Training failed to include "How to Respond When the Telephone Rings"...perhaps I should suggest that for the future....or, yeah, it's probably just me...)

So, about that...peaceful silence. You see, we're a verrry small outpost of a larger non-profit located in Maryland. (I know: ironic!) Our entire office contains 6 people...and that's only when we're all present...which seems to be, oh, approximately NEVER. Furthermore, when people are on-site, they tend to spend a large amount of their days on conference calls, behind closed doors. Hence the lack of noise...and sometimes long periods of solitude. (Fortunately, as we all know, I'm someone who does relish her "alone time" when it happens. Although I have to admit, there have been moments when the atmosphere begins to resemble something like a ghost town...and I catch myself combating the eerie stillness by thinking out loud. NOT "talking to myself"....because you know, THAT would be crazy...) Anyway, this makes for a productive environment, free of distractions...and besides, no one minds if I stream music while I'm busy. (Because why? I'm in my own office! And I can shut the door! I swear, this is not getting old any time soon....)

But don't get me wrong, when I do get to cross paths and interact with my co-workers, you couldn't ask for a more personable, intelligent, enjoyable group of women. Which brings me to my final point: I get to use my brain on the job, and can I tell you how much I L-O-V-E that? (What? Shocking! Said no one who's ever met me...) In fact, I've already learned how to do some...stuff...that wasn't in my particular skill set before. And up to this point it seems like my tasks are generally going to be different from one day to the next, depending on what people need. Furthermore, while our local staff is small, as I mentioned, whenever I have a question I can reach out to the parent location, where help is just a quick phone call or email or even video chat away (Ah, the wonders of modern technology).

So, yeah, to sum up: So Far, So Good. Hopefully things will keep sailing smoothly along...I most solemnly promise to do my best not to let the K-Cups run out...and I'm sure my phone and I will eventually reach some sort of mutual understanding. Fingers crossed!

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