+ and -

On the MINUS side we have:

1) I can't make the elevator card swiping thing work consistently. In fact, it would be most accurate to say that it consistently does NOT work. It's gets kind of embarrassing, riding up and down in the elevator all day long, stopping at main reception on the 10th floor, for the 27th time in an hour. Hey there Julie! Me again!

Today one of the paralegals demonstrated a technique she swears by -- it involves a lot of artistic-looking card swooping, incantations to the Elevator Gods, and deep knee bends. So, clearly, that's a lot less embarrassing than riding up and down until someone else gets the 8th floor button to light up.

2) The construction guys who are currently replacing the ceiling on 8, or the floor on 9, or possibly both, right outside my door. I particularly love how they yell at each other all day long. Because apparently, this particular subcontractor only hires people who are hard of hearing. And super chatty.

3) No progress yet on the DMD situation. My friend offered to buy me a mini-fridge. I was sorely tempted to take her up on her offer. However, maybe that's what I'll buy with my next paycheck. Right after I get a NASCAR sticker for my car and a beer hat.

Today for the first time I left the building to go to Mav during the workday. Of course, it was my long day, so I'd already billed 9.5 hours before I went. And I lost count of how many cans I drank between the Morning DMD and the Afternoon DMD. Thank goodness for Melanie -- she drove to Mav instead of making me. See Number 4.

4) My assigned parking lot is approximately 17 miles away from my office. Which is nice, particularly since I wear heels a lot. I've started bringing flip flops for the "commute." Speaking of commute, it takes me 21 minutes to drive from my house to my parking spot and 12 minutes to walk from my parking spot to my office. That's almost half an hour in lost billing time just in walking. DANG IT!!! "Lost billing time?" I have been assimilated by the Borg.

On the PLUS side we have:

1) I have an east-facing office, so I get to watch the sunrise every morning and I can use the window as mirror to reapply my lipstick after my morning snack. Until noon. After that, the sun is all wrong. Also, I get to watch the ongoing work on the old Hansen Planetarium, one of my favorite buildings in the valley. That is, I get to glance at it as I turn from my computer to my desk. Turn. There it is. Back to work. You know, lost billing time and all.

2) I'm on the 8th floor, so if we have a disaster, I have at least a fighting chance of making it down the stairs before the building collapses. Those suckers up on 20? They're totally dead. I should say, however, that I only have a fighting chance if I can find the stairs. It's like a freaking maze in there. And we're the lab rats.

3) I'm genuinely enjoying the work. At least, I did today. I got to write, which I like, and as of yet, nobody has yelled at me for doing stuff wrong. I keep getting assignments so I guess things are going well. It's hard to say. They asked me to fill out my benefits paperwork, so I suppose that's a pretty good indication that they're planning on me sticking around for at least a little while.

4) Saying things like, "Oh no, I'm not a secretary, I'm a litigator at an intellectual property firm. No, I swear that I am. Let me show you my bar card. Hey, look at it, dang you. Yes, it's real."

There really are more than just four pluses, but it's nearly midnight already. All that caffeine and I still struggle with the 20+ hour days. Lightweight.