Suite

The new job is a bit different than I anticipated. I would not classify it as better or worse than I planned, just different.

Overall, I think that the position will be good for me. It should allow me the opportunity to learn a lot, make a significant impact on the agency's efficiency and overall functioning and still allow me to be creative. With that said, at this time, things are a bit chaotic. It seems that the organization I am now working for was a bit further behind than even they realized. It looks like perhaps some people rushed through tasks and made errors, which I am now trying to quickly identify and improve.

I am sure that with a few days of adjustment and a better understanding of the organization, I will be off and running. I am not concerned with my ability to succeed in the position at all. I figure I am fairly intelligent and rather resourceful -- so I will figure things out.

It is strange not being a part of a clinical team. I am very isolated in my position. Since I do not deal with clients, I have no need to interact with them. Yet, my office is housed on a clinical site. The administrative people are housed on a different campus.

My office is located in a suite on the third floor. I have no suitemates. There are no other staff members on the floor at this time either. My current position contrasts significantly when compared to my previous one. In that position, it seemed as if I was always e-mailing someone while talking with another individual on the phone as someone else waited impatiently for me at the door. Or, if I walked down the hall, I was bombarded with multiple people so that I often forgot what I set out to do before I even reached my destination. I appreciated (and sometimes craved) the chaos. Today, I only talked to one person (besides my boss) when I went to look for staples.

I am not good with silence. I have enough of it at home when I am alone. It allows me too much time to think. In an effort to pollute my work environment a little, I brought in a radio. I am not sure how long that little trick will last though, as I am already growing tired of local station's play lists. I never thought that I could be lonely while at work. I know others crave an opportunity to work in an environment such as the one I describe. Yes, the silence is beneficial in the sense that no interruptions can allow one to be more productive.

At the same time, however, it is incredibly unsettling as well....