Latest from Arcadia!

Saturday, 9/10/2011 - Arcadia, CA

Time I updated all those interested. It's been quite the couple weeks since I landed (well, rolled, really) down here in the Pasadena area. Sorry no photo updates as I write this - I still plan to get myself out as a tourist, and will bring the trusty digital when I do.

For those who read my last post, I'm still at an extended stay hotel in Arcadia (a few miles East of Pasadena, where I'm working). I've spent a lot of my free time in the last couple weeks exploring the local shopping geography while picking up (with a space-and-weight-critical eye) a lot of little things that make this a pretty functional home base. Much of it has to do with kitchen operations, so I don't have to eat out. In fact, I've made myself quite comfortable here. What with the good location (easy transit connections) and my own light living style (I occupied a bedroom at my sister's home for over a year - so I'm good at living small), I like this place so much I'm actually somewhat put off from leaving in any hurry - still want more permanent digs, but I can definitely take my time about it with no stress. The price per month is the same as I'd be paying for any reasonable apartment that met my transit access requirements.

The job is also most excellent (so far, anyway) - even though at this writing, after two weeks on, I have none of: cubicle, computer, phone of my own. I'm sharing a cube (a large one, fortunately) with the guy I'm essentially replacing while automating much of his current workload - he's a former contract worker like me who got hired permanent so he's ready for bigger things, but has a HUGE workload to get off his plate - and that's where I come in, to both assist directly and streamline that work. Challenging, but fun, and I'm happy (aside from being temporarily "homeless" at my job) with the environment and the people.

They are starting up a new program where they intend to have about half their workforce (in this office) telecommute 2 or 3 days a week and switch off office days to share cubes - space is that tight. I'll almost certainly be one of those after a 60 day "get acquainted with the office" wait. If I'm still in the extended stay place when that happens, that's a bit of a wrinkle, as the Internet here (unsurprisingly) isn't likely fast enough to fill that bill - if I stayed here I'd have to con the hotel into letting me get a faster setup in my room - not sure that would fly, but hopefully I can get a better arrangement before then.

Most of my social life so far is through my recovery (and other) connections both up there (aka some of you readers) and those I'm quite purposely making down here. That's going very well also, so I usually have pretty full days, even on weekends, between that and running the business of living in general. It's actually rare that I have the time I'm using now to write, and that, for me, is a good thing. :)

So keep reading, and by all means comment with your thoughts & questions!