The Brook

Well it's been 6 days since I started this new job. Here are some observations:

1. I have never worked for the public sector before and MAN, it's exactly how people describe it. My friend Karen who has worked for the liberry for 17 years (yes, that's how we like to pronounce it) warned me...but I didn't think it would be like this. She told me that for half of the day you pretend to work - that you make personal to-do lists, surf the internet and try to look busy.. I actually listened to one co-worker talk about her cat to another co-worker for an hour. AN HOUR. The worst part is that no one seemed to notice. Very, very odd.

2. I have had trouble sleeping this week. I think I have had a total of 10 hours of sleep in 5 nights. I guess my last boss did a number on me. I keep feeling like someone is going to come around the corner of my cubicle and say "you're fired!" I know this is ridiculous, and who knows..maybe I need counseling. If I was actually doing some work this wouldn't be an issue.

3. I find it kind of funny that I work in a hospital. As a kid if there was one place in the world that I DIDN'T want to go to, it was ANY hospital. I hated the smell. I hated barf. I couldn't stand blood. I hated sick things and sick people. I pretty much hated everything about hospitals. I have become MUCH better about it lately. Maybe it has to do with the fact that between my sister and my dad, I have spent much more time in them. As well, my stomach is still weak but not half as bad as it was when I was a kid.

I was sitting having a tea at Tim Hortons with the chick that got me this job (sister's friend). It was my first day and I told her that I had a weak stomach. She said not to worry, because in the 7 years she has worked here, she's only seen something gross a few times (that she had to look away from). We were chatting and seconds later, we looked over at the line of people waiting to order coffee. A dude was standing in line and half of his face is newly burnt off. We both looked away, quickly. I giggled inside, while stifling my stomach heaves.

Day one - check
Red, wet, burned face - check.

4. When I leave a half hour earlier, it's amazing the difference it makes as far as shaving tons of time off my commute, as well as the volume of people. So although I am not a morning person, I am working the 8-4 shift.

5. I work on the research floor, with scientists and research interns. Think of your grade 10 chemistry class (beakers, Bunsen burners, lab coats, safety goggles, microscopes, etc) with some cubicles thrown into the middle. That's me. I work around people that are insanely smart. It makes me think...at what point in your life do you choose to become a scientist? How smart does one have to be? Some of them fit the stereotype of a scientist, with the crazy hair and piles and piles of shit on their desk. Yet some of them look like regular joes with outside hobbies like volleyball and skiing. Only a few seem to have a sense of humour though. I guess when you jam that much knowledge into your head, there is only so much room and humour unfortunately misses that boat.

Overall though, I am happy to be free from my other workplace.

Life is good again.