My First 2 Days of Work

Yesterday (Monday) was my first day at the new job. So far, it's gone pretty smooth. I will probably have to get used to the traffic times so I don't keep showing up 10-20 minutes early, but oh well. I think the drive is gonna be around 45-50 minutes each way, which isn't as bad as I originally thought.

All I've been doing the past couple days is "getting used to the computer and environment" and filling out forms. The most important form is the application for my security clearance. I have to complete this long thing that lists all I've been doing the past 7 years and asks for references to verify the details. I already asked a bunch of people if I could list them, but I think I might need a couple more, so if you don't want to diss me, just block my IM name (Dudo509) and don't pick up when my name shows up on your caller ID. It's not a big deal though, I think some lady is just gonna contact you and ask if I lived in Darien from 1995-2002 and went to U of I the past 4 years or something like that.

The point of all this is so I can eventually be cleared by the US Department of Defense (DoD, as the cool ones call it) to deal with "Secret" matters. I didn't know this before, but "Secret" is exactly one level under "Top Secret," and one higher than "Confidential." When I used to watch movies or TV shows and hear the words "this is strictly confidential," I used to think it was so cool. But maybe soon I will find myself scoffing at such a low rating. Someone will give me an envelope stamped "Confidential" and I'll be like "psshhhhh.... give this unimportant shiznit to one of the peons."

Other than this, there isn't much I can say about the first couple days. Everyone that I've met at this place seems really nice, my supervisor included. He's been working there for 35 years and I can tell he's liked all 35. Most of the people in my department are older, at least in their 30's I think, but there are a few that are maybe only a year or two older than me. In other departments, I met a lot more people who are in their early 20's, and I am guessing eventually I will get to work with most all of them at some point or another.

Oh yeah, if anyone is gonna be near the area and wants to have lunch with me, give me a call or email. I can pretty much go whenever I want, so definitely let me know. It's basically like 5 minutes north of Woodfield, and there are plenty of restaurants around the area that I want to explore one by one. Today I checked out this place called "Taco Bell." It was pretty cool, but I don't know if I can handle such authentic Mexican food every day, I might need some variety.

An Unrelated Story

On my car stereo, there is this button labeled "PTY." I remember the guy at the dealer telling me what it was, but I forgot exactly what he said. Anyways, I think I might just be a little sleep deprived, but you know how in computer programs (like Microsoft Word), you can move the mouse over a button, and if you leave it for a second or two without clicking, a little yellow box will pop-up with a short explanation about what that button does? For example, move it over the symbol of a floppy disk in Word's Toolbar, and it will say "Save." Well, today on my way back from work I briefly moved my finger over the "PTY" button in my car but didn't press it, half expecting a yellow box to pop up and tell me what that button was for. Oh, I came to my senses soon enough, but I still think I deserve to be slapped or beaten up for doing that. I was being too nerdy for such an action to go unpunished.

Wouldn't it be cool if that's how the world worked though? Life imitates art, or computer design in this case. Like in NFL football, they have been using Madden 2002 to simulate what the result would be, and they have that yellow line that shows where the first down is. And after playing Mario Kart for years, my dream has always been to drive a car that has 3 rotating balls (or balloons) around it, and to be able to fire red homing shells at other cars or use a star to bully my way through traffic. When I have a conversation on the phone, I want to hear that Instant Messenger noise (imrcv.wav) every time the other person finishes his/her sentence. "Hey Joe, how's it going? [de-ringgg]" "I'm doin alright, how bout you? [dada-dung]"

Oh yeah, PTY is used to help you program new stations. Supposedly in the future, all radio stations will broadcast information about their content, kind of like Digital Cable TV if you have it. So, say I drive to California, and along the way I want to listen to only the local "Adult Contemporary" stations. In that case, the PTY button will be my best friend. It will allow me to enjoy hours and hours of Celine Dion no matter what area I go through.

Unrelated Story #2

This isn't really a story, but I just ran out of contact lens solution. Normally, I procrastinate as long as I can to go out and get stuff like this, until I am out of everything else. Then, I go to Wal-Mart like twice a year and buy all of the contact solution, shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, etc. that I can all at once.

Not this time though. This time, I reminded myself to "pick it up after work." For some nerdy reason, that just seems cool to me. I've always wanted to say "I'll just pick it up after work," and now I can. Someday, my wife will ask me if I can get some eggs, and I'll be so ready to say "sure, I'll pick some up after work!" I can't wait... It's probably gonna one of the best parts about having a job, right up there with the "learning experience," "benefits," and "money."

Related Story

Did you know that Alcon now makes Opti-Free Express No-Rub Multi-Purpose Solution with Long Lasting Comfort? The "Long Lasting Comfort" thing is the newest feature that I just noticed today. There once was a time when it was just Opti-Free Multi-Purpose Solution. Not only did you have to rub your contacts, but you had to soak them overnight, not the Express-style 15 minutes. Then, every week you had to use a special "enzymatic cleaner" where you drop a little tablet into these little clear plastic vials and they would bubble up and clean your contacts where the daily solution couldn't. Worst of all, the "comfort" that this treatment provided was not "lasting."

Before that, I used an even more inconvenient system where I had to buy 3 bottles just for everyday use. One was a little bottle of "Starting Solution," a highly concentrated cleaner that you had to use to rub your contacts with, before soaking it overnight in "Finishing Solution." Before putting your contacts in, you then had to rinse with saline solution. Of course, you still had to do the weekly enzyme cleaning too.

Kids these days don't know how good they've got it. One bottle's got your ticket to long-lasting comfort, you don't even gotta rub.

After all this, I didn't even end up buying that stuff. It's freaking 8 bucks a bottle... For that kind of money, I ended up getting 2 of the Ciba-Vision Solo Care Plus. It takes 6 hours and doesn't specifically offer "Lasting Comfort", but I still don't have to rub, and it came with a free lens case. I guess I'll deal with it.