Friday

So for most of this week, I've been at work at or before 7:45 AM, and I've been leaving fairly late- partially to avoid the big crunch of traffic on my way to and from there, but also because I'm really enjoying the challenge of buckling down and being productive as soon as possible.  My brain is brimming with new tools and information, and I'm excited about getting back to work Monday!

I made kind of a faux pas today, though, by assuming that because of the lenient policy that was described to me about my work schedule that flex time was in effect.  This afternoon, then, when my 40 hours was complete- around 1:30 PM- I talked to my manager and asked if it was okay to take off early to go workout.  He said that that was fine, and I did.  Later in the day I got an email letting me know that the company didn't really have a flex time policy, and that taking off early (as long as the hours were made up and it was done in a responsible way) every once in a while was okay, but that it should be the exception rather than the rule.  I had been doing so well assimilating up until that point, I felt chagrined and a little bit disappointed with myself for making assumptions.  It's all part of the learning curve, and I view it as a learning opportunity.  I will do better in the future.

In another piece of work-related fun, a group of us at work have formed a book club, going through the Effective Java book a couple of chapters a week.  I just got my paws on it today.  Thanks to my coworker James Elliot's Amazon Prime account, it was here 2 days after he ordered it.  James was one of the first of my new coworkers I met, he's an author and so far my impressions are that he's a socially active, interesting, nice guy...and he drives a really shiny car.