September 1

4:29pm, pacific standard time, Oakland, California, USA, airport, Thursday afternoon, September 1, 2022. More meetings and staff reviews today. The office was non-stop from 8am to 3pm. I left for the airport at 3:30, dropped off the rental car and looked for something to eat. There are not many dining options at the airport. I ended up having a protein bar and some water. I will grab dinner when I get to Orange County.

I am going to enjoy working here

7:05pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Dublin, California, Wednesday evening, August 31, 2022. Another day spent at the office. Met a lot of the field staff this morning and spent more time with the office staff this afternoon. All in all a pretty good day. I am going to enjoy working here for the next couple of months.

A practical note

6:06pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Dublin, California, USA, Tuesday evening, August 30, 2022. Spent the day meeting with employees and getting to processes. Overall things should go well. It isn’t perfect but not unmanageable. On a practical note, I was excited to learn the office building has a gym. Everything at the hotel is nice, except the fitness center is terrible.

Dublin, California

5:13pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Dublin, California, USA, Monday evening, August 29, 2022. Took my daughter to school this morning then caught a plane to Oakland, California. After driving to Dublin I checked in to the hotel, mapped a route to the office and got groceries for dinner. Tonight I will do some ironing then go to bed early.

Road warrior

6:35pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Wednesday night, August 24, 2022. Another day of orientation videos, a couple of errands and a run to the grocery store. I got my suitcase out to prepare for travel next week. Time to transition my thinking back to road warrior mode.

Time to relax

6:49pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Rancho Mirage, California, USA, Tuesday night, August 16, 2022. Didn’t leave the office until almost six pm because meetings ran long. Then I stopped to get dinner before heading back to the hotel. Time to relax and prepare for tomorrow.

First day of new job

6:46pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Rancho Mirage, California, Monday evening, August 15, 2022. First day of the new job. Things went amazingly well. So much of the hardware and software are similar to what we used in my past job. That will make getting up and running efficient. I spend the rest of the week here (Palm Desert) then shadow other directors before taking my first assignment the beginning of September.

Nervousness

3:29pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA, Saturday afternoon, August 13, 2022. On the way to Orange County this morning I exited in Palm Desert to find the office I will go to Monday. It is literally within walking distance of the hotel I always stop at between Chandler and Dana Point. I am glad I will be starting this new job in such familiar surroundings. It reduces my pre-job nervousness.

Things will look different

4:26pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Wednesday afternoon, August 3, 2022. More time spent writing today. I also got the oil changed and tires rotated on the car. It is time to plan logistics and prepare for new routines. Chances are I will leave for Orange County a week from tomorrow and start my new job from there. Hard to believe I won’t be spending much time in Arizona any more. I haven’t given notice on my apartment but I also will not be renewing my lease. One way or the other things will look different at the beginning of next year.

Relief

4:25pm, pacific standard time, apartment, Chandler, Arizona, USA, Monday afternoon, August 1, 2022. Completed my in-person CPR training this afternoon and subsequently, all the onboarding tasks for my new position. Next step is to coordinate an orientation schedule with the hiring manager. This gives me a sense of relief. It is starting to feel more real. I look forward to the 15th and getting back to work.