Today marks a full week since my return to Texas and that I have been working in the Austin office. Many people have asked how I am doing, so I thought I would give an update!
Overall, I really like it. It is REALLY hard work that is very mentally taxing and challenging. I still have a TON to learn and it will be at least 6 - 9 months before I am comfortable. Since this was expected by everyone here, I get a lot of support. Psychologically, it is tough. Just when I think I get the hang of something, I find out I didn't do it completely right! However, with every mistake, I learn.
Being "alone" in the Austin office is very strange. Although there are other employees of ShoreTel around, since I am the only one doing what I do, I have little interaction with them. It is very, very quiet in my office. I am on a side of the building that isn't fully staffed yet and it will be a long time before it is. I am not accustomed this at all! I have always worked in places that have a lot of activity and chatter. I worried that this would be an issue for me, however, given my job duties, I think it will be a blessing. What I do is so complex and detail-oriented, I have to focus. I brought a radio and that helps a lot. So, although the atmosphere will be an adjustment, I like it. I work very well independently and really enjoy “calling my own shots” all day.
I am in constant contact with my team in Sunnyvale. We IM all day about happenings over there and I send questions whenever I have them. I have a webcam that sits on top of my monitor that allows us to video chat as well. In fact, on my first day here, I gave my team a video tour of my cube! It was really funny! Several of them crammed into a cube over there so they could see as I picked up my camera and showed them around my cube. Then they asked about people sitting around me. So, I held the camera over my cube walls and showed them!! I had only been here for a few hours, so I hadn’t even introduced myself to people yet. Soon my team was asking, “Who’s that over there?” I would tell them and they would say, “Hey, we’ve talked to him but we don’t know what he looks like! Bring him over!!” So, that is how I met the few people that sit around me. By calling them over to my cube, introducing myself and then introducing my team… on my computer screen! It was actually quite funny and a great way to meet people.
My office is really nice and located in a pretty area of Austin. Our building has 3 floors and we occupy the entire 2nd floor. We started out in one section but have slowly taken over leases in empty areas and when another tenant moved out. There is a lot of construction going on but it will be really nice when it is completed. Everyone is very friendly and the company does small things to support morale. Every Friday we have either bagels or breakfast tacos delivered. Every Wednesday there is fresh fruit. All soft drinks, fruit juice, energy drinks and Gatorade is free. Plus, our vending machines are set up so that everything costs just $0.25. It’s the little things folks!!! I like my cube. I have a coveted window seat so I see the sun every day! Right now I look at the parking garage but I am told that I am moving into a new section of office space that is being finished out. That area overlooks a hilly area with lots of trees. I hope that I get a window view there too!!
Our office building has a small gym on the first floor which is awesome! Not only do I not have to pay for a gym membership but it gives me something to do at lunch. I don’t really have co-workers to eat with so I go workout. It is just enough time for me to get a 30 minute work-out done and a quick shower. Then I heat up my lunch and just eat while I work. This is also a great mental break for me. It gets me away from my desk and allows me to recharge a bit. So, between working really hard every day, hitting the gym and the awesome white noise machine my parents bought me at Christmas… I am getting the best sleep of my entire life!!
Outside of work, I am doing great. I felt like a new person when I got home from California so I am working hard on maintaining my social life… a promise I made to myself. It has been fun to reconnect with friends and not be stuck on the couch all day. I am working hard on paying things off and catching up on my finances. I thought I was going to hug the payroll person in Sunnyvale when she brought me my first check!! And it felt great to finally call those creditors with good news for once and say, “Okay, let’s do this!” Also, Jason and I are getting some money back from the IRS because of the house. We agreed that all of it would go towards paying off some of our joint debt and that felt great too! I look forward to moving into my own place by this summer. I also hope to go on a few trips this year. Lots of good things ahead for 2010!
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