Monday - New Ant In The Farm
Jun. 22nd, 2007 02:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ninanevermoreToday on my drive into work I was thinking about how long it’s been since I wrote the words “Today on my drive into work.” It’s been over 4 months.
The drive is almost identical to my old drive, just a few miles more. The Corporation is the largest organization I’ve ever worked for. When I worked as a temp after my college graduation I worked at a few large companies, but never for them. It’s official, though: I have now a badge and everything.
Large companies do things different. I remember all the security features and the guard in the lobby from visiting my father at his office. He worked for a large international chemical company for 25 years, and they did things the same way. Small companies are more casual: since everyone knows everyone, they know at a glance if you don’t belong where you are. This is a bigger ant farm, though, and procedures have to be in place to see that the only ants allowed inside are the ants that work there. I am a shiny new ant in this maze.
Being the new girl is always a surreal feeling. The floor I’m working on has been recently renovated, so it smells as new as I feel. The faint scent of paint and sawdust still wash over my senses when I step off of the elevator. The carpet outside out side of the break room is not yet stained with coffee. The walls have no scrapes on the paint, no holes, and no residue from old adhesive tape. I am the first person ever to clutter the interior of my cubical. The keys are still hanging in the keyholes to the overhead bin and the drawers. I don’t have anything in them yet. Nothing hangs on my walls.
I am waking up from my 4 month sleep, and I suppose I needed the break since I haven’t had a vacation in years. When you know the company you are working for will close its doors any day now you tend to horde your vacation time. In fact, I considered the first two weeks I was at home to be a sort of vacation. After that, I started to get anxious. I would like to say that I got a lot accomplished around the house while I was stuck there, but I would be lying. Without a job to structure my time around, I couldn’t focus. The house – with all of its half-finished and need-to-start projects – is just as bad as ever. Most days I spent all my time at the library on the computers, both to take advantage of the high-speed access I don't have at home and to avoid having to be at home all together.
I'm still finding my way around. I've determined the best route to get to the lady's room and the break room. I know which door in the lady's room actually locks (the restrooms were not renovated with the rest of the floor). I’ve figured out that as long as I keep walking in the hallways no matter where I turn I will eventually wind up at the elevator, meaning I will never have to spend the night here because I got lost in the maze of my new environment. I know which administrative assistant keeps a dish of miniature Snicker bars on her desk, which is good since I have no idea where to find a vending machine. Rumor has it that there is one on the 5th floor, but someone said that that one only has sodas in it. Someone else said that they are certain that there is a snack machine elsewhere in the building, but this could not be verified. Even if I can't find them, I know I won't starve because in the basement there is a deli run by one of the legion of Korean immigrants who own and operate delis in every office building in the Houston metropolitan area. Many of the local Koreans have learned how to cook decent Mexican food, meaning that their financial success is guaranteed.
In a few hours I will start my first weekend in 4 months, and I can't wait. When you don’t have a job, Saturday and Sunday are just like any other day. They are now special again and something to look forward to. Maybe I will get something done around the house. What can I say? Things have piled up for the last few months while I avoided the place. Now that I’ll be too tired of driving to want to go out, there is hope for progress on the home front.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * # * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The drive is almost identical to my old drive, just a few miles more. The Corporation is the largest organization I’ve ever worked for. When I worked as a temp after my college graduation I worked at a few large companies, but never for them. It’s official, though: I have now a badge and everything.
Large companies do things different. I remember all the security features and the guard in the lobby from visiting my father at his office. He worked for a large international chemical company for 25 years, and they did things the same way. Small companies are more casual: since everyone knows everyone, they know at a glance if you don’t belong where you are. This is a bigger ant farm, though, and procedures have to be in place to see that the only ants allowed inside are the ants that work there. I am a shiny new ant in this maze.
Being the new girl is always a surreal feeling. The floor I’m working on has been recently renovated, so it smells as new as I feel. The faint scent of paint and sawdust still wash over my senses when I step off of the elevator. The carpet outside out side of the break room is not yet stained with coffee. The walls have no scrapes on the paint, no holes, and no residue from old adhesive tape. I am the first person ever to clutter the interior of my cubical. The keys are still hanging in the keyholes to the overhead bin and the drawers. I don’t have anything in them yet. Nothing hangs on my walls.
I am waking up from my 4 month sleep, and I suppose I needed the break since I haven’t had a vacation in years. When you know the company you are working for will close its doors any day now you tend to horde your vacation time. In fact, I considered the first two weeks I was at home to be a sort of vacation. After that, I started to get anxious. I would like to say that I got a lot accomplished around the house while I was stuck there, but I would be lying. Without a job to structure my time around, I couldn’t focus. The house – with all of its half-finished and need-to-start projects – is just as bad as ever. Most days I spent all my time at the library on the computers, both to take advantage of the high-speed access I don't have at home and to avoid having to be at home all together.
I'm still finding my way around. I've determined the best route to get to the lady's room and the break room. I know which door in the lady's room actually locks (the restrooms were not renovated with the rest of the floor). I’ve figured out that as long as I keep walking in the hallways no matter where I turn I will eventually wind up at the elevator, meaning I will never have to spend the night here because I got lost in the maze of my new environment. I know which administrative assistant keeps a dish of miniature Snicker bars on her desk, which is good since I have no idea where to find a vending machine. Rumor has it that there is one on the 5th floor, but someone said that that one only has sodas in it. Someone else said that they are certain that there is a snack machine elsewhere in the building, but this could not be verified. Even if I can't find them, I know I won't starve because in the basement there is a deli run by one of the legion of Korean immigrants who own and operate delis in every office building in the Houston metropolitan area. Many of the local Koreans have learned how to cook decent Mexican food, meaning that their financial success is guaranteed.
In a few hours I will start my first weekend in 4 months, and I can't wait. When you don’t have a job, Saturday and Sunday are just like any other day. They are now special again and something to look forward to. Maybe I will get something done around the house. What can I say? Things have piled up for the last few months while I avoided the place. Now that I’ll be too tired of driving to want to go out, there is hope for progress on the home front.
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no subject
Date: 2007-06-24 08:39 pm (UTC)They've now moved the secretary with the candy bars on her desk. I hope I make some friends before I starve to death.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-24 10:30 pm (UTC)