Feb 15 2008
Engineering Coffee
My first week at my new job has been quite the whirlwind!
I’ve had to get used to getting up early again. Yow! I also have to get used to … commuting.
I haven’t had to commute in a very long time. Well, what I had to do was hop on a plane on Sunday so I guess you could say I did a week’s worth of commuting in one go.
I’m now the newbie of the group. Fresh start!
Everyone has been very welcoming, lots of smiling and joking around and offers of help.
My manager wanted me to be near the rest of the team but there isn’t any space near them. My office building is “almost at capacity” meaning that they couldn’t find a regular office to put me so they assigned me to a temporary space.
Yes, we get offices instead of cubicles. Managers get windows; regular folks like me get interior offices.
Right now I’m in a corner so I have windows on 2 sides. I have a large space. I have a large OPEN space. My teammates aren’t too keen on my space since it’s set up for administrative assistants.
They say, “You don’t want an ADMIN space.”
One teammate asked, “Will you get me coffee?”
They obviously like me - they are already giving me a hard time.
Speaking of coffee, my building is so large we have several kitchens. One kitchen had tall air pots for coffee. The first couple of days I was getting coffee from that. It was tasty but not as strong as I would like.
I then noticed a different kitchen with regular coffee pots.
There were Post It Notes stuck to the pots with the day of the week and “2 cups” which puzzled me. I wasn’t sure if this meant 2 cups were left or what. I looked around and saw the posted instructions on how to make the coffee. The instructions said to use 1.5 cups of coffee.
Aaaaah! These pots were made using 2 cups of coffee. I poured myself a cup. STRONG.
I was getting my coffee from the Admin Kitchen.
Now I get my coffee from the Engineering Kitchen. Software engineers, Web Developers, Integration Analysts, Infrastructure Support…they like their coffee STRONG.
It’s good to be back.
………………………………………….
Well that’s exciting! Good to see that you’re enjoying the new job thus far.
I’m curious about your company. Can you say more about it? (It’s not like I have access to personnel files so I still wouldn’t be able to know who you are. Just in case that’s why you wouldn’t say anything about it.)
Derek: I won’t be saying too much about it for 2 reasons: my anonymity as well as keeping my company out of it. Just easier that way!
My company is very large. It has a massive IT department. It has excellent benefits. It has very good coffee. At least in this facility. It has multiple facilities, what with it being a very large company.
OOooh. Congrats! I love strong coffee too. Maybe I’m destined to be an engineer? Or maybe cleaners and photographers like it strong? I’m not sure. Two years ago I hated coffee. Can you believe it?
I am so happy for you - especially about the coffee! Do you get to travel with this job too or is this strictly an office job - and will you go crazy in an office? I am not good at offices - except the one at my house…
So, how long is your daily commute now?
Oh I was thinking the new job must be keeping you busy! What’s the deal with the airplane???????? How lucky about the coffee! Mine at work is kind’a watery, but it’s worth it I guess not to take the time to make it myself in the morning…I just barely get out of the house as it is.
I’m glad the people you work with seem so nice! I hope it turns out to be a good job for a long time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jill
Sue: I started drinking coffee when I went back to school to study computer science. Before that - never drank much of it! The further I got into the program, the stronger the coffee! I know I like strong coffee and I’ve noticed that wherever I’ve worked, the engineers liked stronger coffee than everyone else.
I dunno about cleaners and photographers - you’ll have to ask around and tell us it they like strong coffee, too!
Beth: I am very happy with my new job and the coffee is very nice. I may get to travel a little for my job but nothing even close to what I did before. I liked traveling but I needed to stop. I’ve worked in an office since 1996 and I don’t think I’ll go crazy with working in one! This will be new in that I will see people regularly - as a consultant I met new people all the time. I’m looking forward to developing more of a relationship with my coworkers.
HTMKSteve: My commute is about 80 minutes each way. It’s an hour via public transportation with about 20 minutes walking from stop to desk and back! The commute home seems longer!
Jill: Yeah, the new job is keeping me very busy. I’m beat by the end of the day - not in a bad way, just brain overload! I am not sure what you mean by the airplane? Yeah, the people are really great at work! I’m very fortunate.
Ms. Q,
I gave up blogging. I closed the blog because I do not intend to update it any longer. I could invite you, but nothing new will be added. I’ve decided to pursue other interests with my time. However, I do still intend to visit the blogs I adore and leave comments.
Well … MsQ.
I mean…. “MsQ!!!!!”
This new start sounds wonderful. The commute will take some time to get used to, but … there is ALWAYS a but, it can be a time to listen to music, informational tapes (I know, nobody has tapes anymore BUT me) and have a nice cup of coffee. ( a 2 cup)
Having a friendy and open hearted reception at the beginning of a new job is nice. My experience in that area has been not quite is “cheery”. “Who is that new bearded guy?”, is about the most positive in my working memories. I think you found a nice place to hang your hat. No matter how much you enjoy what you do for a living, the people that surround you are very important to happiness at any company.
Ever since you had written about being unemployed, I have been eagerly awaiting the final outcome to this chapter in your life. I think because my own life was so impacted by the same situation in the recent past, your predicament touched my heart, so to speak. I could feel the same feelings you were having all over again. Way to go my friend. I never had a doubt in my mind that you would succeed in the search for the next career. A wink, a smile, a hug, and a GREAT BIG CONGRATULATIONS to my talented singer / writer / philosopher / positive thinking blogging pal MsQ.
I had just got home after a 14 hour work day, and had no idea where to start when I sat down to the computer tonight …. I’m soooo behind with all “blogging stuff”. You showed up at my page, and HERE I AM!
Happy weekend … do you work a 9 to 5 ~ Mon. - Fri? See U later
SpeedyCat
I was concerned as you hadn’t blogged in a while, a week (I know it isn’t a long time, I missed you).
Glad to see that your new job and fresh start is on a great track. So glad your co-workers like you. Often times, things can be different. That wonderful personality of yours is going a long way and they see the good in you.
Strong coffee is the best. It goes fast in our office. The sales people and developers love it.
Once again, congratulations! Glad to see things working out for the best.
Keep on Keeping On!
Speaking of strong coffee and developers brings back memories. We used to have those premeasured bags of coffee. After a bit, the bag and a half was just too much bother since we all measured by eye. So, we went to two bags.
That was the period when no one around the QA & Dev staff wanted decaf, so I didn’t even allow decaf up there. (didn’t want to get poisoned.) i lost track of how many facillities folks i trained on the “no decaf” rule.
Then, we had to move into the new building, and the coffee area didn’t have enough room for all the cofee that folks wanted to brew. So, we dragged over another coffee machine, and I had my own. The saying was that if it wasn’t labeled, it was double strength french. (refering to french roast)
We used to have an electronic meeting for letting folks know about coffee. (like, when there was fresh stuff brewing, or if it had been made, etc.)
Of course, this was all before Starbucks and Peet’s became as big as they are.
Now, the coffee we have in the office (two acquisitions later) is sketchy, so we step out for a coffee break most days.
Sue: Awww..too bad! Thanks for telling me what is going on! Blogging does take time - being back at a your basic 9-5 job is leaving me with little time (or energy) to write. Sigh! I don’t know how other people do it but hopefully I will find out by managing my time. I have a lot going on these days and I’ll have even less time when my boyfriend shows up.
Yep, positive thinking! I think he’s supposed to show up sometime next month. For some reason, “March” keeps coming up when I think of a boyfriend. Could meet him online, could meet him at work, could meet him on the train…hmmm.
Speedy!! I can’t drink coffee on the way to work or even BEFORE work! No place to “go” so I arrive at work parched!
I’m surprised your “new guy” experience hasn’t been that cheery - I mean, it’s obvious that the New Bearded Guy is Chock Full O’ Bearded Goodness!
Yeah, I’m pretty happy with my new job and my boss even let me out early on Friday! We get Presidents’ Day off. On a conference around 2:30pm he said, “You can go home now.” and I said, “Oh? Really? I mean, don’t you want me to get started on..” and my teammates said, “If you’re manager says you can leave…LEAVE!” So I left early and called up Younger Dude and he said he had just cancelled some after-work get together at a favorite hangout. I said, “Dang! I could make that if it were on!” so he called backed the guys from work and it was on again and I had a nice time with him and one of the guys from his job. It was a nice mellow end to my first week of work!
Thanks for such a heartfelt congratulations and for sharing a bit of your story. Further evidence of your Bearded Goodness (I like the phrase, what can I say..).
Yes, it’s a M-F 9-5 type of job. But you know how that goes - 8-6 or 9-6…I figure that sometimes I can leave early, sometimes I have to work on the weekends to meet a deadline…my team looks pretty happy so I’m not thinking that 15 hour days are a regular thing like some of my stressed-out friends have told me.
UT: Awww, thanks for being concerned! I wanted to write but knew I had to stay healthy by getting sleep and watching my energy. I was dragging by the end of the week because I kept going to bed later. I need at least 7 hours of sleep!
Thanks for giving me such a wonderful compliment about my personality!
I love strong coffee. I believe in making a new pot if I see that there isn’t much left. I was making a new pot and a coworker walked in and teased me about being a rookie and making a good impression. I don’t like taking the last cup and not making a new pot!
ack: My office has the gourmet coffee - vacuum packed bags and not those coffee service things. It’s quite good, especially when made with “2 cup” hahaha! I have to watch it though - I can’t drink coffee after 2pm as it might affect my sleep! I did make some decaf when I felt like a cup.
I was talking about this part -
I haven’t had to commute in a very long time. Well, what I had to do was hop on a plane on Sunday so I guess you could say I did a week’s worth of commuting in one go.
Did you have to fly somewhere for the new job? Or am I just confused? Well, either way I’m confused but…
Jill: OHHH. In my former job as a software consultant, I traveled all over the US. So I’d usually be flying out on Sundays, returning home on Friday. Once on site, I usually chose a hotel close by so I’d have maybe a 15-20 minute drive. Or in the case of my last project in Seattle, I could walk!
Now my commute is about 3 hours total a day. No flying.
So 3 hours times 5 days equals 15 hours a week. Which is about how much time (actually maybe less since I had to allow for time to go through airport security) I’d spend flying back and forth.
Hope that clarifies things!
Take it from a guy who has a commute that can be up to 1-2 hours going to and coming from…it sucks.
I hope yours is not as bad.
I have to go easy on the coffee. Anxiety!
Oh! Y’know, I knew you traveled for your old job. I just hadn’t realized it had been so frequently!
It takes me close to an hour to get to and from work, because I have to take the kids to school. But I can walk to my job in about ten minutes, a little less maybe even if I hurry. There’s not a traffic light between me and work, so not even a whole city block.
On being the new person - We just had someone new start at my job. I had heard a few negative rumors about her before finding out that I would be working with her directly one afternoon a week. It was SO hard to keep a positive outlook that first day with her because of what I had heard! It was as if any little negative thing was so much easier to see because I had already heard negative things. I just had to keep reminding myself that I always eventually like everybody even if it takes me awhile to warm up to them.
I don’t know what the heck that has to do with bearded goodness, but I do like your phrase too! And Speedy, hope they’ve warmed up to you quickly! That WAS a really sweet congratulations.
Ricardo: I’m still getting used to the commute! But it’s just one long train ride so…not that bad. Save on gas and traffic!
Jill: Does that mean you can go home for lunch since you live so close to work?
It’s great you’re focusing on the positive! It can be hard to ignore the rumors! They did some study where they had a subsitute teacher and 2 groups were told different stories - one group was told that the sub was nice, the other, not nice. Both agreed with what they were told because they were looking for what the were told!
I have known people who had the bad rep and then got a bad reception! I try to make my own opinion and overall, expect to like ‘em!
I am sure YOU’RE likeable!!
Bearded goodness … makes me think of Teddy Bears or something. Speedy is Chock Full o’ Good Shtuff (2 of my favorite phrases squished together: “chock full o” and “Good Shtuff” - as in that “Good Shtuff, Maynard” commercial from days of yore).
Sue is not the only one cutting back on blogging. I’m in the process of selling off some of my sites right now. I’m a bit stuck though because one of my sites has become so big it requires me to have a dedicated server but it does not bring in enough income to pay for it!!!
I’m still doing HMTK every few days but some of my others are clearly suffering.
How does one ’sell off’ a site?
A boyfriend, eh? I hope he arrives soon too!
You sell off sites by listing them on sites that sell sites. Depending on how well traffic or monetized a site is will affect how much money you can get for it.
I have one site that I could easily sell for $5K and another for $10K. Thing is that those two sites are the last two sites I want to sell! I want to get rid of all the dead-weight sites first.