Yesterday was my first day on my new job. Would have updated this last night, but when I got home from work, Jaime had surprised with a dozen cherry-red tulips and a delicious steak dinner with roasted fingerling potatoes and Brussel sprouts. I wasn’t about to be like “oh this is so great! can you hang right there, I need to update my blog.”
We woke at 6 so that Jaime could start work. It’s actually nice being up at that time. Everything is so quiet and the view out the window is dreamy with pretty color lights dancing up the mountainside.
Anyhow. At around 9:15, I headed out to work. It took me 1 minute to get there. Literally. It is across the street! I confess that I still used my GPS. I did. I was walking and I knew it was in between Davis and Everett, but I couldn’t see the numbers. Nancy may have well said “Look up, you dumbass!” because when I turned her on, she was very abrupt with her statement “you are AT your destination!” It echoed and I felt dumb.
I received a tour of the office from a nice girl named Porsche. How cool of a name is that!? Oh, and there’s another girl in the office whose name is “Amber lavender.” LOL. Awesome, no? “Amber Sage lavender you come here NOW!”
Ok, so this office puts JWT to shame. It’s all wooden floors and open. Nice kitchen on each floor. An atrium with a ping-pong table and grand piano. Props (giant popcorn boxes, giant slices of pie) everywhere you look. A conference room encased in sticks to look like a nest. A free coke machine. A giant cafeteria with outside deck, bbq grills and an unobstructed view of Mt Hood and Mt saint Helen. I wept.
I met my team about 30 minutes later and away-we-went! The project is huge and goes live in 5 weeks! This is the largest project I have ever worked on (in terms of exposure). I am PSYCHED about the concept, the execution and how we will track user engagement. It’s a little chaotic as I’m taking a hand off from a guy who just took a hand off, but I know what I need to do. I am really impressed with the people I work with – they are very talented and knowledgeable so I am looking forward to our collaborations.
Funny story, so I got hungry and decided to head out for lunch. To me, nothing is more embarrassing than getting lost in the office on your first day, so – as I was taught in Wilderness Wise, I took a visual inventory of my surroundings – white bike, printer to the left, giant slice of cherry pie to my right. Yes – my marker is a giant slice of cherry pie!
Another funny story. My tech director asked me to help him draft an email last night. In the middle of giving me direction, he stopped, looked at his watch and exclaimed “Ugh – it’s late!” It was 6pm. I wept again. Yes, my friends – these people leave work at 6pm!
Anyhow. The environment fosters creativity and quality of life, so I feel good about it. People work really hard, but they still take time to chit-chat with each other about weekend adventures, child rearing and new foods from Whole Foods. I know I will work hard – mainly cause I want to show my shit – but I know I won’t work to death.
Okay, have to get ready for the day
Happy Birthday, Jaime! You’re 365 days away from 30!
Kate
2mnthsinportlandia 