today's my first day here

that's the line i used for almost a dozen times today. =) either preceeded or followed by a "feigning embarassment" smile and a firm handshake. it got me through a day of asking questions and directions.

here are my first day adventures:

• woke up on time. i had several alarms to make sure i won't go back to bed. we had 2 alarm clocks, my phone alarm, a phone call from my mama, and a phone call from my cousin lei, who was tasked by my brother to give me a wake-up call. =P
• je almost ate my breakfast. i prepared breakfast before taking a shower so i won't smell of sausage franks. while i was in the shower, je woke up and found a plate of sausages, which he thought were my leftovers. good thing he was more into cereal in the morning, so he snubbed my breakfast. hehe!
• my car won't start! the battery was discharged for some reason. je had to jumpstart it using a charged jumper, or whatever it was called. what a way to start eh?! =P
• i made it just in time to log-in at exactly 8am. i met my supervisor and when we went over to where my PC was supposed to be installed, it wasn't there! there was a misunderstanding with the IT dept, so they had to file another change request something.
• i learned that i'm not the only newbie. well, at least not until next monday. somebody will be starting with the company next monday. he/she would be assigned to another team. but at least i'm not the newest developer. =)
• i learned that there were only 4 Filipinos working in that company, including me! my teammate dropped by my cube and introduced a Filipino guy. we immediately fell into a conversation. he's already 58 years old, working with the SQA team. his name is Fred, and i already called him "Mang Fred". hehehe! he said there was a woman in her 50's (May), and another guy, about my age. he said i'm an authentic Pinoy, unlike the young man who wouldn't speak Tagalog with them. Mang Fred and Ate May have both been working there for a little over a decade now.
• while i was setting my phone's ringer volume, it suddenly rang! it was in full volume, mind you. so i panicked and pressed the button several times until it was only a whisper. i apologized to my "neighbor", and she said she encountered the same thing on her first day. annoying phones! =P
• on my way home, i almost missed a right turn. there was a long line on the rightmost lane. i thought i was still far from the street where i need to turn, so i stayed on the 2nd lane to the left. it turns out, the long line is turning on the street that i am looking for! so i had to squeeze in before i run out of lane and miss my turn. good thing an elderly woman driver was considerate enough. she must've seen me panic when i saw the street sign.

so there you go. i survived the dreadful first day. thank God! =)

i wonder what i'll be doing tomorrow. i have a meeting scheduled at lunch, free lunch daw! whoo-hoo! =)


PS. reeyuh, thanks for the text message, i wasn't able to read it until i had lunch eh. =D