Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Does this count as a blog post?

I am Qui-Gon

Training

So my work training has been going well. I don't think I mentioned it to all of you, actually, that I got a job working for the same company that Frik does. I've been training for the past few days now on how to do some of the stuff that my brilliant spouse does every day. He's a smart guy, and the training has been pretty tough so far. I've been able to get everything that we talk about in class. I just hope I'm not holding us up too much asking questions.

I think we're going to get more in to UNIX stuff tomorrow and the next day. I am nervous about that. It's something that is more intimidating to me than any of the other stuff we've looked at so far.

Compared to the roaches project, It's much different (mostly in good ways). First of all, there's the pay and benefits that are hands down better than roaches. Plus, it's a lot more challenging and thought provoking. At roaches, we trained for 9 weeks on how to use 5 or 6 different kinds of blood glucose meters. Shockingly, though, most of them work the same. Here, we're covering tons of different product plans and how to use them... and computers in general are just more temperamental than a blood glucose meter. Plus, with roaches, if we can't fix it, we send out a new one. It only costs probably $1.50 to the company, including shipping.

It's kindof weird that out of the 160ish employees in this office, only 20 something are female. Most of the guys I've met so far have been really cool. I already knew most everyone on Frik's shift. Now I know 3 more who are all pretty nice guys. It's a new feeling, though, being completely dominated by males. It's not bad, b/c most of them are respectful, especially since this is, in general, a male dominated profession and a woman who is smart enough and brave enough to go into it does earn some respect solely based on her gender. I have had a few experiences that are interesting, though. Like people who do and don't hold the door open for me. I don't mean the holding the door open until you get a chance to grab it, but the grabbing the door and stepping aside until you go through. I can't really expect it one way or another. If they always held the door for me, that would be sexist... but if they never do, it's almost disrespectful... As for me, it doesn't bother me either way. I just think it's interesting to observe how they act. Like this one guy who I don't even know... I was standing in the hallway, and there are 2 doors into the break room. Well, he came out of the bathroom and burped and started walking towards the door that i was standing near. I had only seen him out of the corner of my eye, so we didn't make any sort of contact, but I heard his footsteps stop and then he turned around and went to the other door, even though he was already closer to the one I was standing next too. I don't know if he decided to just go in the other way, or if he was trying to avoid contact with anyone, or if he realized that I was a woman and didn't want to be embarrassed for burping, so he was hoping that I hadn't seen him at all... don't know, but like I said, it's interesting.

I have been having a good time though. I was playing with Frik's server today. Not doing anything big, but I think he's proud of me! :)

Woo Hoo!