Saturday, May 20, 2006

GROWN UP

Well, my first week at my new job and as a Nashville resident has come and gone and I LOVE IT!

I was starting to feel a little sad last week as I realized that I was leaving a city that I was finally beginning to enjoy a little bit. I have been attending a church and singing on the praise team and made a few new friends, so I had begun carving my niche in Birmingham. Just as I was beginning to enjoy home, I finally had an excuse to leave it. But I am sure that Nashville is where I am supposed to be right now.

I left Birmingham on Sunday and drove to a friend's house where I stayed last week and will stay the half of this week that I am in Nashville (taking 2 days off on my second week to come home and be a bridesmaid). Since it was about 10 p.m. when I got to my friend's house, we unloaded just a few things and went to sleep. Nervous and not sleepy, I tossed and turned on her futon for a while before finally getting some sleep, even though I woke up several times in the night.
So I was a little tired when I woke up on Monday, but tried to cure it with the remaining balance on my Starbucks card. I'm pretty sure there's nothing a Marble Mocha Macchiatto won't get me fired up for.

When I got to work, my supervisor came out to meet me and showed me to my office. THAT'S RIGHT, OFFICE. I was sad that all I was allowed to do right then was put my purse in my desk drawer. But I was very pleased with what I was leaving behind: a big desk, 4 real walls, a computer, and shelves shelves shelves. I guess I will have to do real work to get those shelves filled up with binders and books and stuff: people might not like it if I just fill them with picture frames.


I spent the day meeting people, learning about my job, going to lunch with my team and filling out paperwork and all of that good stuff. Tuesday, I did more of the same but attended a few meetings and started digging up supplies for my desk.

Wednesday was a great day. First of all, by Wednesday, I had figured out exactly how long I could sleep in and still make it to work on time, so I slept in until 7:30, which
feels like late afternoon after waking up at 6 a.m. everyday for my internship last summer. It is worth noting, however, that Saved By The Bell reruns come on from 6 to 8 a.m. and getting up earlier than I have to, just to watch those, is not entirely out of the question yet. When I move to a place that has cable, I'll make that decision. Anyway, Wednesday was also good because I wore jeans! I had been eyeing my co-workers' outfits each day. My supervisor was one of many wearing jeans on both Monday and Tuesday, so on Wednesday I decided to jump on that bandwagon. I won't lie; I felt like I had won the lottery as I left the house on Wednesday in jeans. I walk into the office and a man comes up to me to tell me that at the monthly staff meeting that day, the new hires have to make a "presentation." What he means is that the owner of the company calls us up to the front and asks us to do something: sing, tell a joke, do a magic trick, dance, ask us to recite the company's mission statement, etc. I think the initial beauty of doing this is that it embarrasses the new hires. Knowing about it ahead of time gave me and the other girl time to prepare though, and I guess that isn't normally the case. So I strut into the meeting and after the other new girl does her quick "magic" trick, I go up to the front of the room and bust out Auburn's alma mater, understanding that if I have to perform something, I'm not going to embarrass myself any further by performing something I'm lousy at (magic tricks, stand-up comedy, etc). Well, after the meeting I find out that I was the first person to actually ever do something seriously, having been warned and all, rather than just giggle and flounder about, so I ended up being embarrassed anyway for being the girl who took it too seriously and turning the staff meeting into a talent show. Or at least thinking that's what my coworkers thought of me.

But I didn't care for long because just after the meeting, a nice little woman from accounting came down to ask if I'd like to receive a massage. The company brings in a masseuse once a week to massage a few people in the company (everyone takes turns), and someone on the schedule couldn't make his appointment so it was offered to me. LUCKY DAY!

Thursday was another good day, I got speakers for my computer so now I can listen to my iTunes while I "work."

Friday really set the bar high. When I got to my office, there was a Koozie on the desk promoting the agency's third annual Barbecue/Kickoff to Summer Party. At 1 p.m., the agency closed down and everyone went upstairs to the patio for barbecue, adult beverages, and a steel drum player. I enjoyed getting to chat with more of my coworkers about non-work topics: the Will and Grace season finale, Miller v. Budweiser, where I was from, children/grandchildren, etc.

I haven't had time to do anything Nashvillian yet, unless you count accidentally missing my exit off of the interstate and taking a detour down lower Broadway on the way to work one morning. Seeing all of the landmarks, like Tootsie's and the Stage and Robert's and the GEC made me so excited that I'm not just there for a night, or a summer, but for as long as I want to be. Years, at least. Unless anyone woos me back to Birmingham.

Everyone come visit, and stay tuned for more updates!

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