Serene of the Oakland Serenes

The Governing Board at the new job meets on Wednesdays to approve new hires, so I started on Thursday. World's easiest first week: spent Thursday observing the others doing the job; spent Friday at all-day staff-development meetings, with free breakfast/lunch; and now there's a three-day weekend.

I can't get complacent, though, because I work in the admissions and records office, and this Wednesday is the first day of classes, so shit's about to get real.

Anyway, some good stuff about the new gig:

* It's at the community college I went to, and I loved the school when I was there, so that's really cool.

* The hours work for me, though they're odd (10-6:45 M-Th; 7-3:45 or something like that on Fridays; I have to look in my book) and it's ten minutes down the street (almost exactly four miles, no freeway required).

* I got to run into one of my two fave teachers on Friday, and it was SO nice to see he's still there and super-successful in his field. I got to tell him how much his example meant to me and how it really did change my life (no exaggeration), so that was cool.

* The co-workers have been super-sweet and welcoming to me:



* There's a nice breakroom with an outdoor patio under a jacaranda tree. I think I found my new writing spot.

Flew to San Diego today. Tested for a 911 dispatch job. Did very well. Need to call on Monday and set up the interview. Next, went to surprise mom with a visit. Had a nice couple of hours with her, got some real Mexican food, flew home. Other than the headache that plagued me most of the day, I'd say it was a really good one.