...began at noon. Why? Well, when there is about a foot of snow in the driveway a quarter of a mile long plus two cars and a small John Deere stuck in it - you know how that can be. But, thankfully, work is just around the corner. So once I could get out, I had no trouble. I think a snowmobile might be a nice addition to the top of my birthday list, though. Then I'd never have to worry about getting to work!
The next five hours went by very quickly. Had a meeting with my boss to go over all that paperwork that comes with a new job. Will get it filled out shortly. Then I just followed Carmen around. Got a tour of the office. I was quite impressed. Nothing lacking there - paper, pens, pencils, staples...anything an office could desire and no problem getting more if I want it. Now, that's something I'm not use to.
Carmen showed me a few odd things that her job consists of. She doesn't think so, but she is a very good teacher. I got to put in registrations for the four family camps they have every summer (two weekends, Memorial and Labor, and two week long in July and August). The database is familiar, for it is based on Access just as the one at the hospice was. So, I didn't have much trouble catching on. I thought I was going terribly slow for I was being very careful how I got everyone's personal info, correct registration and cost in rightly. But at the end, Carmen told me I caught on very quickly and training was going to go faster than she thought.
I'm not so sure. The database and all that will be easy enough. The terminology will take a while. And thanks to the snowstorm, the girl that stayed at our house last night, showed me in all her chatter how much I have forgotten how camp is a world in and of itself. That will be an adjustment, especially in the summer. But it will also make for some great laughs. They don't know it, but college students are very amusing.
But I will say this: after my last job, this one will be a vacation. Carmen would tell me something about overnighters and then say, "But you don't have to do that. Pete takes care of it." Or she'd say something about all the quilting retreats and then add, "But it's not really your concern. Lisa does all that." Everyone's job descriptions include exactly what they are responsible for - every scope of it. And so there is so much I don't have to know right away. I can do my job and wait to learn where I fit into everyone else's.
Tomorrow's goal? I get to answer two phone calls. As usual, the phones make me more nervous than anything. But two is a good, steady start. And I'll listen closely to Carmen when she answers so I learn what the answers are to the questions that get asked most often. And I have my first staff meeting. I'll probably be half lost, but I'll listen and learn. And that will be enough for now.
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