Thursday, August 18, 2005

First day of work!!!

First off, pardon my vanity. I wanted to take pictures, and there was nothing else to picture but myself! Hahahaha.

So last wednesday I started my work as a traffic coordinator. I was supposed to report at 9am, but being the praning person i am, i woke up at 6, left the house at 730, and reached the office at 820ish. i thought i was right on time, because being the newbie, i didn't want to arrive at 9 exactly. but apparently, that's what i should've done, because there were about 5 people when i got there. so one of my bosses showed me around the office, where the CEOs are located, the snackroom, and finally, my workspace. now please forgive me for the tiny little things that make me happy, (or whatever) but i got sooo excited when she showed me where i would be located. i admit, it's not prime location since anyone can see what i'm working on because i'm right in the middle, and in front, but at the same time it's fun because i get to be in the thick of it all. and i also got excited coz i have my own computer and phone as you will see in the picture (and own extension of course! with VM!), and new office materials! like post its, and a stapler, and drawers, and a pad, and pens! the whole deal! hahahahaha. i am so mababaw. i'm sorry, it's just that this is my first office job as in job, and it's all new and exciting for me.

after being in the office for about an hour, my officemate asks me if i want to go out for coffee, so a bunch of us walk to this coffee shop. back home, i was never a coffee drinker. in fact, i hated going to starbucks because i thought it was pretentious and overpriced. but now, i need coffee to wake and warm me up. and starbucks is my favorite since we have one right in our building, and this dude gives me discounts. (but for some reason, my officemates like going to the one a couple of blocks away) and then a few hours later we have lunch together, and before i know it, it's time to go home. most of my friends who start with work say that during the first few days, you don't really do anything because you're new, which is true to some extent, but in my case, i started my training in the afternoon of my first day, and although i'm not doing something all the time, i do enough for me to lose track of time. and that's one of the things i really like about my job. it's fast paced, you're constantly learning and doing something, and even if i'm online the whole day, rarely do i use the net for personal stuff. (hahaha. of course, i gotta check my email from time to time.) and the people are sooo friendly. i mean, i know, maybe because i'm new and all, but i really like everyone i've met so far. they're all being nice and helpful. and the snackroom...! hay. it's the kind of food you'd bring back to manila as pasalubong. (well, for me anyways.) but! i have willpower. and i will not gain any more weight.

one thing that caught my attention though. we use YM to "talk" to people in the office, and nakakatawa lang how even if that person is seated right next to you, YM parin yung ginagamit. hahaha wala lang.

and i soo love the dresscode in the office, or the lack thereof anyway. i wear jeans and sandals to work (but of course for my first day i wanted to look business like.) and i can get even more casual than that on fridays. the only time we have to dress up is if we have clients coming over, which hasn't happened yet so far.

so all in all, after 3 days of being an employed person, i can say that i am totally loving it. i love the independence, and even if i hate waking up early (at least now i wake up at 645 instead), i love the fact that i am slowly inching my way into adulthood. it's scary, with all the things you have to think about like the bills, and insurance, and taxes blah blah blah (zzzz....) BUT it's exciting. i love new things and the thrill that comes with it. i know it won't always be like this, but so far, so good.

however. my day, as exciting as it seemed, didn't end with my work. as i was going home from the BART, it suddenly dawned on me that i forgot how to get back to pacifica. i know, i know, 280. but i dunno, blame it on my work high, blame it on being in front of the computer the whole day, blame it on me for not mapquesting it the night before. but the moment i saw the 280 sign, i immediately followed it, not noticing the fact that it was 280 NORTH. apparently, north is very very different from south because if you go north, you'll end up in San Francisco, and not Pacifica. which is exactly what happened to me. before i knew it, i was back in the city, looking for 280 south. it was a good thing i was able to get my friend on the phone, and he gave me directions that got me on the right street. but for a while i was honest-to-goodness scared to death, because i was on the freeway with no idea whatsoever where i was headed. and it was my first time to drive to the city, and that was sooo scary coz i had to pass this bridge, and the flyovers and all that. and then it was so hard to drive and talk on the phone at the same time (coz of course, my friend was trying to calm me down and give me directions, which ended up making me MORE lost. but all's forgiven because i was able to get home anyhow.). it was much more exciting than my little narration, but it's better if i just tell you in person with matching actions and all. but anyway. bottom line, i was shaking when i got home, and i literally collapsed in my room from relief. to think that i don't even have auto insurance. (thank God i didn't get into an accident!)

check this out. pardon the quality of the pictures, i totally messed with the camera and i forgot to put back the original settings.

eL's thoughts @ 10:00 PM
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