I’ve got about an hour left in my very first day as a Mad Scientist, and I am quite pleased.

There’s an unbelievable amount of information I have to learn, but that’s what makes me happy. I’m also frankly delighted to see how much science there is for me to do – my position is a new one for the lab, and everyone is happy to have me here. That’s a nice feeling, and I’m sort of savouring it.

Now for the important stuff:

• The nearest Starbucks is across the street
• I don’t have a window, but if I push my chair back a foot or so and lean a little I have a view of the Burrard Inlet and specifically, the floating Chevron and the sulphur piles
• I left the house at 7:55 and it took me 50 minutes to get here, with a stop at the ATM and for a smoothie because I had time to kill
• $86/m will get me a motorcycle parking pass in our building – tempting, since a bus pass is $99/m
• The dress code (lab coats aside) seems pretty mixed with a good dose of business attire and a lot of denim
• I didn’t get my L – apparently real companies like to set up new hire access well before the start date. Amazing!
• I need to start trucking in some trinkets and photos – it’s been a long time since I’ve last been in a cubicle, and I’ve forgotten how much I dislike this particular shade of green
• Everyone is friendly
• No one laughed at my leg warmers (which did exactly as advertised)

Yay for good first days!