"...and I Know How to Use All of Those Inches"

This past week has been overwhelming. It was my first week working at Google, my first week pretending to be a full-time California resident, and my first week not spending all of my time setting up my place to live... it was my first week living in it. Naturally, there are some things I have yet to accomplish... like forking out some $1200 on a couch, and the cardboard boxes remain in their ever-growing pile on the floor.

I like them being there. It's a visual excuse for any visitors that hopefully shouts, "Don't judge the fact that I haven't gotten my shit together... I just built this furniture!" or "Please pardon my pathetic attempt at interior decorating, I need to rub it in that I'm new here!". Not like I have any visitors anyway, but I'm getting the feeling that this beloved pile of cardboard will remain on my floor for just a little longer than I'd care to admit.

But fuck the cardboard, I know what you're all thinking... because it's reflected in nearly all of my text messages for the past 3 days: how was your first week of work??

The answer?

Staggering. Google is a large company, on a large campus, and it's unlike any employer I've ever joined.

Of course, I had to start my time there with a bitchin' outfit.

But it was a lot of orientation to a unique place with a brilliant company culture. I got to meet a lot of fellow 'Nooglers' (what newbies) are called, I got to meet a lot of my coworkers, and I spent a lot of time getting lost on campus while riding some very silly-looking company-provided bikes.

And much like any well-together company, they made me feel very welcome:

But it was really weird. I kept comparing my current environment to my former one... it's another tech shop, it's another new place, once again I'm working with software folks.  I'm totally terrified of ending up in another situation where I'm constantly terrified that I'm not doing enough, and I get home from work so tense and nervous that it wasn't until Sunday night when my shoulders would finally relax. Because it's another tech shop I had the same fear that because I am not an engineer, I would once again be put in a situation where my work doesn't matter or affect change. But orientation and my first meeting with my manager quickly dispelled those fears. And having successfully survived that first week, I earned a Noogler cap of my very own.

My week left me with some cool new folks to hang out with, and as a small group we spent our first post-work Friday night at the local Imax theater seeing 'It's a Good Day to Die Hard', because explosions. Saturday brought about errands... getting the Mini a checkup before eventually trying to get her through Cali emissions-check... waiting for the cable guy to show up so that I can have TV and internet (I'm blogging from home... it's amazing). Evening was out with some of the same folks, which was kind of informative. The reason why we hang out is because we're all newbies in some sense, either to this state or this company. And I'm learning that means the only thing we all really have in common is that we love technology and we all got through a bear of an interview process. But outside of that, conversation took some work. I had to be extra outgoing, which can be tiring. I like them all. Now that I've gotten to know each of them a little bit, I'm getting to know when and how each of them would fit into my friend circle. Like, this person's very energetic, don't call them if you feel like sitting around and watching movies. This person's a super-geek, call them if you need a partner in video-gaming. This person's very sarcastic, don't call them if you've had a bad day and need some empathy.

It mostly drives me to miss my Cleveland friends.  I got a really lovely surprise on Valentine's Day when John sent me a dozen roses.

John's the guy that I was seeing before I moved. Seeing the box arrive at my door, I was shocked that someone else remembered the holiday, because I, caught up in the details of the move, definitely didn't. I know it's dorky, but it's nice that someone outside of my parents remembered me.

On Sunday morning, I met up with Rachel and her hubby, Dave to do some exploring! The target was the San Jose flea market, following an initial coffee and breakfast break.

This place was rad.

Except the $7 parking... but it's totally worth it.

You enter, and it's a bunch of booths of different vendors selling absolutely everything imaginable, from foods to used tools to clothing to stolen electronics to housewares. 

Of particular note were the big-booty mannequins that displayed $10 pants. I'll have to stop by for a pair of those if I truly gain the Google 20. The mix of Asian and Latino influence made the market a really interesting ethnic atmosphere. The day was gorgeous, kids were running about shouting of 'pina' (Spanish for pineapple), and I was impressed by the wide range of wares available.

Every state needs a baby Jesus mart. 

But the fantastic produce market was really the winner. 

 I purchased some delicious mini-avocados and awesome fresh mango... a lot of fruit... for less than I've seen prices in Ohio.

Each booth put out some samples of their fare sprinkled with cayenne pepper. Spicy food is one of the many perks of having a strong Latino influence in the community. 

This toilet-paper-holding bear made perfect sense. 

That afternoon, I ventured North towards Berkeley to see an old friend that is up there with the Teach For America program. It was great to see her. After awhile, we hit up Jupiter, a really cool brewpub/pizza joint that had the coolest outdoor porch. 

Berkeley's a very hipster-ish town. I saw a lot of wing tips and plaid and stores selling used books and clothing. I also saw a posted earthquake warning, which to me was fantastically novel. 

That night, I was planning on meeting someone I kind-of know and his brother at a bar in downtown San Jose. However, he didn't show, the bro did show, and I was the only one in this situation that didn't know that this was a blind date. He was really awkward and really sarcastic to the point of being rude. I smiled politely and asked nice questions, and he said that with my new job and new salary that I should probably buy a weed farm and give him as much marijuana as possible or that with my new income I could probably just do a lot of cocaine and spend my free time pretending it was the 80's. Obviously, I was set up with a winner. And all throughout our awkward and pathetic conversation, this old Eastern-European guy, dressed in his gold-chained best, kept bugging us about  how to use the juke box, how Ryan (my setup) found such a pretty girl, and where he could find such a pretty girl... because... and I quote, "...<he has> six inches and I know how to use all of those inches".

Oh dear god. Really?

After about 2 awkward and terrible hours, I think he got the feeling that I wasn't really into it, he said (on a Sunday night) that his boss just texted him (from the job he just left) and he had to go ship some stuff... at like 9pm on a Sunday night. Dude, if you're going to lie, at least do it well. But before he left, he was polite enough to offer me some Mary Jane. I declined.

Following that experience, I needed a drink. So I sat at the bar and took the time to appreciate where I was. It was a bar. But not like most of the bars I'd seen here, it was very non-pretentious without being hipster, it was very clean, and it was a pretty great hole-in-the-wall dive. I liked the place, and the juke box was playing a semi-obscure band that I happen to love. I started talking to the bartendress, who was mid-wedding planning, and I met the guy that was controlling the flow of tunes. He saw and heard the whole of my failed blind date and made fun me for it. Then we talked a little bit. He's a well-mannered Texas boy that went to Wharton up in Phillie before getting recruited into a Silicon Valley tech shop. We liked a lot of the same bands and some of the same movies, and he knew the offerings of the city well. It was the first organic friend that I've made in the area - the first person that I wasn't referred to by someone I know or wasn't someone I work with. This is a milestone. We're going to hang out again, and I look forward to having a friend that knows the bay's punk scene. 

But after a busy Sunday, for my President's day off, I needed to do something relaxing and something alone. So after my laundry was done, I drove up to Santa Teresa to go for a run on their trails. I read online that they're not too intense, which was comforting since it's been over a month since I've run more than 4 miles. It was a little overcast, but the grounds were gorgeous, and very well cared for. While I was running, I stopped to take a few photos.

Here's a flock of wild turkeys. 

This was the view from the top of the Eastern ridge. 

From the peak.

 And on the way down. 

Some deer near the entrance to the women's correctional facility.

The place was great, and I remembered how refreshing and relaxing it is to be running in nature. I decided that whenever I don't have plans, provided it isn't raining, I'm going to pick a bunch of parks and run everything. I'll build up to some of the monstrous 22 mile mountain runs.

Tomorrow begins another work week. As my nerves relax, I'm getting more excited to see what it holds. I like knowing people in the area, and I like making plans and having more and more people to do things with. 

Also, as an exciting update, it's been nearly two weeks, and I haven't killed any of my plants.