New kid on the block

It's hard to be the new kid on the block. You don't know the people, you don't know the routine. You stick out in the crowd and yet, feel invisible at the same time.

Now, I'm not a naturally gregarious type of person, so it takes awhile for me to be part of the group. So it has been at this first week of the new job. Each company has a routine for new employees. Often, there's a lunch, a meeting, an email announcement. Because of a big deadline at the new place, none of these things have taken place. On my first day, I was walked around the room, introduced, and then left in my cube. I've had a meeting or two, asked a question or two, but mostly, I've been reading. Trying to learn the product, the new technology, and so forth. And reading. And wishing I could have taken vacation time, the way I originally had hoped.

Next week will be different. The work for the big deadline will be done. I will get my new employee lunch, there will be an introduction email (so my new manager says), and I'll start attending the weekly status meetings. I think I'm going to like the new company, but I sure wish I wasn't the new kid on the block.