week 1 of gao

Well, adaptations are being made.

It’s actually turning out really well. It is sucking away my time like nobody’s business. I was given an excel assignment which could be done the easy but tedious way. I took it as a challenge to automate. I used visual basic for the first time. It is now far less tedious. I suspect I’ll also be finished with it faster than they expected. *pat self on back* But my skeptical wariness of the whole situation is fading. No, I don’t like the cube farm aspect, but it’s tolerable. It helps that the cube farm here involves smaller, more separated clusters, rather than the giant open prairie at motorola. It also helps that I’m not working and living in suburban hell. And, as much as I can tell from a day and a half of work distinctly unlike most of the work I’ll be doing, the works not too bad. My coworkers are reasonable and strike me as unlikely to vote for someone “because the other guy sounds boring.”

But it’s definitely not just a different job situation. I’ve changed significantly in the past 4 years. A little older, a little wiser, a little more worn. I’m more patient and less allergic to small talk. *shrug*

My poverty is on its way towards alleviation. Yay for mom mailing a check. Yay for living in a town where the mail gets to quickly. Yay for an atm that takes deposits for my bank within easy walking distance. Also, I have cash. Albeit, the cash is intended to cover my food and transportation monday, tuesday, and wednesday. Well, okay.

Oh yeah. I’m at le chateau d’ in DC for training that starts on monday. I have plans to check out the native american museum with my sister & brother-in-law tomorrow, visit pangea and size myself for vegan dress shoes that I’ll probably have to mail order. I think the training largely relates to writing standards at the gao, and an opportunity to meet my fellow interns as well as some headquarters staff.

ETA: It’s also the first time in a looong time that I’ve shaved for 4 consecutive days.

11 thoughts on “week 1 of gao”

  1. I’m glad to hear that you’re pleased with your work situation. When it goes through a boring/annoying spell– which I’m sure that it will– try really hard to stay invested and some good things will come down the pipe. Or go looking for them. In the end, it’s only three months. 🙂

    shaving++

    1. Yeah, this was only week one, and it wasn’t even a full five days, but I realize that there are many more weeks of this to come. I just wanted to note that, at the get-go, it isn’t sucking. And, as such, is going far better than motorola did.

  2. I’m curious as to your reaction to the Museum of the American Indian. At the firm last summer the man behind the scenes of that museum, Rick West (who formerly was a partner at the firm), came to chitchat with summer associates and we got a sneak preview tour of the museum before it really opened. Everyone seems to really love the museum or really hate it. I’ve never been in it after opening so I’m not sure what I’d think.

      1. Hmmm, if I voted that way, I’d definately have gone for Dean.

        For some reason, the candidates I feel I’d be comfortable grabbing a beer with have been democrats.

  3. so I noticed you added me. I’m not sure who you are, but you do have the last name of one of my friends from kansas city. let me know, I’ll add you back, looks to be interesting.

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