In case I haven’t made it abundantly (AKA annoyingly) clear by now, I started a new job today. Yay for me!
I think I’m going to love it, based on how today went. For the first time in my career, I have a corner office where no one’s walking past me; also for the first time ever, I have a huge window behind me that looks directly out onto the Rachel Carson Bridge. If I look over my shoulder and crane my neck ever so slightly, I can see directly into PNC Park. Baller.
Not only is there free coffee and abundant bathrooms (amenities lacking at some other places… ::ahem::); there’s also free pop, free slushies (whoa), and… free beer on Fridays! I knew about Beer Fridays before I started, but to see the refrigerators and to see it all coming true? Amazeballs.
With our proximity to Market Square, I have a bajillion options available to me for lunch – today a friend and I went to DiBella’s (I’m cheating and skipping the primal eating thing this week so I can settle in and not alienate myself right off the bat at lunch), but I envision future trips to Franktuary (just a block or two away!!), Istanbul Grille, and maybe even my first-ever visit to Moe’s. So many possibilities. So many calories to ingest. I love it.
I have the lightest laptop and largest second monitor in my group, which is awesome. They gave me a computer case and a sweet backpack today, so I won’t have to worry about my laptop being jacked if I take it home. All in all, it’s pretty great.
The only downside to the whole thing was the bus/commuting situation. The bus itself was fine – truthfully, I’d forgotten how fast they fly on the East Busway… I went from my stop to 6th & Smithfield in about 20 minutes! – but the parking situation at the Park & Ride was crap. I got there at 8:07 and all the spots were taken. Like, ALL of the spots. Nothing was open, not even a teeny one that Winnie Cooper could fit into. I ended up parking on the street, a block away from a sign that said “No Parking 1st Wednesday of Every Month” – a sign that I saw after the fact. Count ‘no parking ticket’ under things I’m grateful for tonight. If I can force myself out of bed early enough, I’m thinking I’d like to see what the parking is like about an hour earlier tomorrow – that way I can leave work while it’s still daylight (but if I don’t, I can still see daylight from my chair – huzzah!). Either way, I’m set on bus fare – I got my Connect Card today, so Zone 1 is my oyster. 
Hope everyone else had as nice of a transition back to work after the holidays as I did!
Oh, Street Cleaning Sign! You’re safe until March.
That’s what I was hoping for – but it said something like Year-Round or At All Times. Something that made me question it. Seems like I’m good for a couple months, though.