May 04, 2009

6:11 p.m.

Lots about My Job

I enjoyed my first day at work.

It started off a little shakily, because in a bizarre example of poor nutritional choices, I ended up eating way too much fiber at breakfast. At least I think that's what the problem was. Too much fiber and perhaps not enough liquid. By the time I was on my way to work, I was having some pretty serious upper GI cramping. Marc was the only one there when I arrived, thank goodness. I came in and helped him set up a workstation for me, and he started explaining something to me and suddenly I grabbed his arm and said, "Excuse me -- I have to use the bathroom." I'd gotten queasy and was pretty certain in that moment that I was going to barf. Right in the first hour of my first day of work. I scurried to the ladies' room to see what would befall me, but I didn't hurl. It was touch and go for the first hour or so. Gradually I began to feel better, kept sipping water, and working away on the board he'd started me with. By lunch I was hungry and mostly feeling all right.

I even wondered for a few minutes if I was coming down with something. Carol had been sick last week. I seem to have mended, though.

I have moments of being confused about my identity, because Melinda, the other assembler, knows of my band but also knows that Marc has a sister in law who is a musician. Melinda is not one of the two employees who knows that we're related, so I had to dodge a few questions about my touring activities and music, so that she wouldn't put two and two together. She did say I looked familiar. Have you ever worked at such and such corporation? No. Hm, I wonder where I've seen you...

Tomorrow I'll bring my iPod to listen to, because Melinda listens to Rush Limbaugh all day long. Him and another guy who talked about how wrong everything is that Obama is doing, and I thought he was going to have a heart attack right there in the radio studio. How can anyone live with that many hours of vocalized stress per day? She keeps it very low but we're pretty much next to each other, so I can hear it and I find my brain following along. I don't wanta. Hence the earbuds tomorrow.

I liked my board; I'm doing eight of them right now, part of a larger order I think. It's very big and has about a gazillion components. I got to page 6 of the schematic today and there are several more pages. I ask an occasional question and Marc comes by every hour or so to ask if I'm still having fun. Other than that I just work away at it.

So far, so good.

I did confirm that I'm getting the wage I asked for. When Deb in Accounting asked how many days I was working I said I wasn't sure, except that I knew it would vary with the workload. I said I was thinking four days a week would be optimal, though if I was needed for five... and she looked at me like I had two heads and said, "Five?! Don't you want a long weekend? It sounds like you're in the driver's seat here. If I were you I'd take Fridays off and go to the beach!" So that kind of decided it for me. Fridays off. I have a Friday gig this month anyway, and this week I have to pick up something at my doctor's before they close. Perfect.

I also realized that I'm making more than twice what I made last time I did this work, in 2001. AND I get to solder.

So I've eaten, massaged my sore hand, band-aided the fingers that got stuck by clipped metal resistor wires, and pretty much heaved a big sigh. I hope soon I'll have trained myself to go to bed earlier.

All this time I think of Cocobean (hi, Beanie!) because she has been such an inspiration to me, talking about her job. Beanie, you always have a great attitude and an enviable work ethic, and you remind me to be grateful. I am very, very grateful.