Yet More Observations About My Job

So I've been at my current job almost three months, what would be considered the "probationary period" at most companies and the point at which your benefits finally kick in. But my benefits kicked in when I started, so I guess I'd better get my ass to a dentist...

I still enjoy my position quite a bit, even if the patently ridiculous nature of some of my tasks (I won't post them here, but they aren't that different from most office busy-work) and office politics have started to rear their ugly heads. My work is writing related and I do have to work my brain muscles on a fairly regular basis. Sure, there are days when my eyes glaze over, but I get paid to play video games and surf the net. Things could be so much worse.

Another thing that helps is my coworkers. They are all genuinely awesome, cool people. Because I work in translation, the majority of my colleagues are educated and not originally from Canada and as a result the cafeteria conversations are free of your standard observations of what Britney Spears did on the weekend. Recent topics include the German education system, the Brazilian economy and French politics. T

While I am a Canadian, I find that I relate to my foreign coworkers very well as I am still an outsider here in a lot of regards. I think they also find it interesting how different things can be on one side of the country versus another. here are also discussions on Quebec language laws, which my coworkers for the most part find unnecessary and bordering on fascist.

While the office itself is very quiet due to our reliance on MSN for office communications, everyone is warm and friendly. My department tends to stick together, but that suits me just fine. We also take turns bringing in baked goods when it is someone's birthday.

A Few More Observations About My Job

So, it's been 4 weeks since I started working in the gaming industry and I have to say I am really enjoying it so far. Despite having the flexibility to choose my start time, most of my team is in the office by 8:30 - 9:00 A.M., so that's usually when I try to get there as well. However, not having a fixed start time means that if it happens to take me an extra 3 minutes to do my hair and 5 minutes to eat my breakfast it's not the end of the world. By not having to rush around like a mad-woman stuffing burnt toast into my face while I power-walk to work I find I arrive at my job focused and ready to work and my body is not taxed by unnecessary stress. I am happier and healthier. Not having to worry about ironing my clothes also helps.

In fact, there are many initiatives at my work that seem designed specifically to make sure the nerds are healthy and happy:

1) There is a social committee. They organize all sorts of things like ski-trips and hiking outings, making sure the nerds are socially and physically active.
2) We have our own cafeteria where hearty soups and sandwiches can be purchased at very reasonable prices (under $5 for soup & sandwich with crudites).
3) The cafeteria also has big baskets of fruit (apples & oranges mostly) which are free for the taking.
4) A one hour lunch is both strongly encouraged and loosely enforced. Apparently they didn't used to and people were burning out.
5) They are actively working on getting us a discount at the gym that just opened in our building.

I am enjoying the novelty of the being "the new girl". I'm sure the fact that I wash my hair only adds to this (seriously people, get out more!) I'm still amused by the guy who tried to "cruise" me while I was eating lunch by myself. He was very charming and not creepy about it and seemed to be more due to the facts that a) I am surrounded by French people & b) most of these French people are nerds. It was more flattering than anything, but my insistence on replying only in broken French must have been a turn-off because he hasn't bothered me since.

Also, there is a guy who wears red elf booties. Every day.

My First Two Days

For the nerds (like me) who actually bothered to watch JPod tonight, no, working for a video game company is nothing like that. Well, it's a little bit like that, but our desks are much smaller and we do a LOT more work. It's also much quieter. And the view is better.

My first two days have gone well so far. I do still feel like I am wearing a sign that says "girl" on it, but I work on the team with the highest percentage of girls so it's not so bad. I don't really even have to talk to the programming nerds. In fact, I don't even have to talk to my co-workers. As a bi-product of the open office concept, everything is very, very quiet and most communication is done by e-mail or MSN. That's right, I'm supposed to use MSN at work.

Highlights include fooseball in the lunch room, the fact that I get to walk to work and the fact that I don't have to answer a phone as part of my job. Ironically, there is no dress code, yet I am treated more like a grown-up than at any of my previous "office" jobs.