"Ook!" said the office monkey
Sep. 19th, 2008 09:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ihrketayhl
So.
Having been at the new job for a week now, I feel I am adequately prepared to discuss!
I am nominally an "Office Administrator" at a machinery company in Northbrook, IL; the newest member of a team of about thirteen people who...basically do everything in the company, from sales to foreign relations.
The upsides:
Northbrook is a very nice area--it actually reminds me a lot of Ladue, at least in terms of traffic flow and building structure. What I mean by that is, there's a lot less drivers than there are closer to downtown, the streets are nice and wide and there are a lot of parking lots (you have no idea how much I miss parking lots). Plus, there are tons of shopping places, most of which are quite fun.
How do I know this? Because the company pres has a Starbucks addiction. As well as a Jamba Juice addiction. And a Dunkin' Donuts addiction. And guess who gets to deal with these addictions?
He's awesome, though: I have volunteered to go twice out of the three times I've been asked, for two reasons--firstly, if I go, he'll pay for whatever I want to get for myself (and sometimes he'll pay for the entire office, which is cool :D). Secondly, it's really awesome to get out of the office for twenty, thirty minutes when you've been there all day, and driving in Northbrook (as opposed to driving near the apt) is actually quite relaxing.
And that brings me to another cool part: I am salaried. Which, yeah, means I don't get paid for overtime--but frankly, IMO, the benefits outweigh the costs. I don't have to clock in and out, no one gives me crap if I'm late 'cause of traffic, I'm allowed to leave early if I need to without a dock to my pay. And these little trips for coffee/drinks/such? Don't have to clock out for them, either. And it's taught me a lot about the area already, in terms of where stuff's located and where the shortcuts are. Good times.
The work I do is...VARIED. Incredibly. Right now I'm still learning everything, so I basically spend most of each day figuring out how to do stuff. It's actually really good work for me: they tell me to do something (i.e. COLLECT LITERATURE ABOUT THIS RANDOM THING AND MAKE HANDOUTS) and I, well, I get to figure out how to do it. XD Which can be stressful, but I've learned so much already. IT IS NOT BORING, which is my favorite part. And I get to start doing actual Admin-y stuff next week, PLUS I have officially learned how to use Photoshop (decently if not expertly), and I can do things with Excel and Word that I did not know were actually possible. So basically, whenever I quit (not that I'm planning on it for some time), I'll be even more employable. :DDDD
PLUS I GET TO SPEAKEE TEH NIHONGLISH. By which I mean the pres is making me call a Japanese company next week to try and convince them to become one of our clients and I am terrified out of my skull, w00t. XD
My co-workers are great, particularly Bosslady (obviously not her real name), my direct supervisor, who's only a couple years older than me and streaks her hair red and blue. XDDDD I lof her. She's going to be gone next week and I am sad. :(
Oh! That's another thing. The dresscode is incredibly lax. Environment is serious! We are hard workers! We are busy workers! But we are busy workers in blue jeans and tennis shoes, and we are busy workers who pick on each other all day. &hearts
In short, I fucking love my job.
I've also found a local writing group, so I can meet up with them next month and, like, WORKSHOP and exciting things like that. It is thrilling. I am thrilled. I think I freaked out the group leader with my thrill.
I have been reading lots and lots of stuff, still, though less about the presidential election and more about the extreme conservative points of view--Ann Coulter and other things of that caliber. It, uh, well, I'm trying to teach myself a) to understand it so that I can more effectively deal with it IRL and online, and b) to laugh instead of getting angry, when I really want to get angry, when I want to throw the book across the room. I'm also reading Ken Ham. I am shocked that both he and Coulter have been published--though quite pleased at how hard I had to work to find a copy of Ham's books. They aren't at the public library, YAY. :D
I have finally learned how to parallel park. Beautifully. I didn't even have to practice overmuch; I just was hyper-attentive every time I attempted it. My last parking job was so gorgeous I took pictures, and called my mother to brag.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, BRISINGR COMES OUT TONIGHT. ME AND![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gold_bluepoint ARE GOING TO A MIDNIGHT RELEASE, AND IT WILL BE EPIC.
ps yes i really do love those books, i am well aware of how much they suck, it is part of the reason i love them. like cleolinda with twilight, only i am less funny and more annoying.
seriously half the reason i made this post was to try and stop myself bouncing. XDDDD no it did not work.
Having been at the new job for a week now, I feel I am adequately prepared to discuss!
I am nominally an "Office Administrator" at a machinery company in Northbrook, IL; the newest member of a team of about thirteen people who...basically do everything in the company, from sales to foreign relations.
The upsides:
Northbrook is a very nice area--it actually reminds me a lot of Ladue, at least in terms of traffic flow and building structure. What I mean by that is, there's a lot less drivers than there are closer to downtown, the streets are nice and wide and there are a lot of parking lots (you have no idea how much I miss parking lots). Plus, there are tons of shopping places, most of which are quite fun.
How do I know this? Because the company pres has a Starbucks addiction. As well as a Jamba Juice addiction. And a Dunkin' Donuts addiction. And guess who gets to deal with these addictions?
He's awesome, though: I have volunteered to go twice out of the three times I've been asked, for two reasons--firstly, if I go, he'll pay for whatever I want to get for myself (and sometimes he'll pay for the entire office, which is cool :D). Secondly, it's really awesome to get out of the office for twenty, thirty minutes when you've been there all day, and driving in Northbrook (as opposed to driving near the apt) is actually quite relaxing.
And that brings me to another cool part: I am salaried. Which, yeah, means I don't get paid for overtime--but frankly, IMO, the benefits outweigh the costs. I don't have to clock in and out, no one gives me crap if I'm late 'cause of traffic, I'm allowed to leave early if I need to without a dock to my pay. And these little trips for coffee/drinks/such? Don't have to clock out for them, either. And it's taught me a lot about the area already, in terms of where stuff's located and where the shortcuts are. Good times.
The work I do is...VARIED. Incredibly. Right now I'm still learning everything, so I basically spend most of each day figuring out how to do stuff. It's actually really good work for me: they tell me to do something (i.e. COLLECT LITERATURE ABOUT THIS RANDOM THING AND MAKE HANDOUTS) and I, well, I get to figure out how to do it. XD Which can be stressful, but I've learned so much already. IT IS NOT BORING, which is my favorite part. And I get to start doing actual Admin-y stuff next week, PLUS I have officially learned how to use Photoshop (decently if not expertly), and I can do things with Excel and Word that I did not know were actually possible. So basically, whenever I quit (not that I'm planning on it for some time), I'll be even more employable. :DDDD
PLUS I GET TO SPEAKEE TEH NIHONGLISH. By which I mean the pres is making me call a Japanese company next week to try and convince them to become one of our clients and I am terrified out of my skull, w00t. XD
My co-workers are great, particularly Bosslady (obviously not her real name), my direct supervisor, who's only a couple years older than me and streaks her hair red and blue. XDDDD I lof her. She's going to be gone next week and I am sad. :(
Oh! That's another thing. The dresscode is incredibly lax. Environment is serious! We are hard workers! We are busy workers! But we are busy workers in blue jeans and tennis shoes, and we are busy workers who pick on each other all day. &hearts
In short, I fucking love my job.
I've also found a local writing group, so I can meet up with them next month and, like, WORKSHOP and exciting things like that. It is thrilling. I am thrilled. I think I freaked out the group leader with my thrill.
I have been reading lots and lots of stuff, still, though less about the presidential election and more about the extreme conservative points of view--Ann Coulter and other things of that caliber. It, uh, well, I'm trying to teach myself a) to understand it so that I can more effectively deal with it IRL and online, and b) to laugh instead of getting angry, when I really want to get angry, when I want to throw the book across the room. I'm also reading Ken Ham. I am shocked that both he and Coulter have been published--though quite pleased at how hard I had to work to find a copy of Ham's books. They aren't at the public library, YAY. :D
I have finally learned how to parallel park. Beautifully. I didn't even have to practice overmuch; I just was hyper-attentive every time I attempted it. My last parking job was so gorgeous I took pictures, and called my mother to brag.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, BRISINGR COMES OUT TONIGHT. ME AND
gold_bluepoint ARE GOING TO A MIDNIGHT RELEASE, AND IT WILL BE EPIC.ps yes i really do love those books, i am well aware of how much they suck, it is part of the reason i love them. like cleolinda with twilight, only i am less funny and more annoying.
seriously half the reason i made this post was to try and stop myself bouncing. XDDDD no it did not work.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-20 03:15 am (UTC)2) the first time I successfully parallel parked I, too, called my mother. I would have taken a picture 'cept I didn't have a camera phone at the time.
3) I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU, JOBNESS, YAY!!!!
The thing that scares me the most when/if I graduate is that I won't be able to find a job that will satisfy me temporarily. I'm so afraid that I'm going to be stuck doing the same thing day in/day out and feel like I'm wasting my intelligence. Like HITS or security >_<
And I don't want to be stuck with student loans for the next 10yrs let alone the rest of my life.
Anyways, YAY, <3
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-20 07:26 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-20 06:03 pm (UTC)Much love to all hug everyone for me <3
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-20 07:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-02 12:40 am (UTC)there have got to be less TOTAL WEIRDASS conservatives than ann coulter that you could read about, i think she's one of those people that make conservatives go "WHAT STOP YOU'RE MAKING MY SIDE LOOK BAD" much like liberals are to KATIE COURIC. or maybe that's just ME TO KATIE COURIC. I HATE KATIE COURIC.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-03 05:27 pm (UTC)And SANE conservatives are one thing. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO THINK SHE IS GREAT. :(((((( Also your hatred of Katie Couric makes me laugh. Have you heard the thing about how she looks like the Joker? Because it's so freaking true. Like, the animated Joker, not Heath Ledger. 'Cause Heath Ledger doesn't look like Katie Couric. OR DOES HE.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-10-05 07:46 am (UTC)(hey new friend! i figured this was as good a post as any to comment on xD)