Ok. Things ended weirdly with Julio last night. Weird enough that I asked him to leave. I was explaining that I didn’t do as planned, which was going onto Bill’s Mac’s or even Julio’s Mac. I felt confident enough not to, despite my nagging doubts. Julio said I was going to be sorry that I didn’t touch a Mac. I took that as Julio saying that I was going to fail miserably. That’s not what I needed to hear, or to think I heard, to have my paranoia fed to me. It was time for him to go home anyhow, I just sped up the process.

This was a few hours after I wrote last night’s blog. I was feeling full of self-doubt I didn’t need to hear that from him. I know it was in good fun but I was trying to psych myself up somewhat for the next day’s work. It didn’t help. Bill was surprised that I rushed Julio out and asked why. All I could say was read the blog and you will see.

I am doing better. My dear sister, Annemarie (who is so great) told me about her situation when she had started a new job. Pretty much similar to mine. A positive spin on things helped her out and I plan on trying to do the same. It’s not so much that I’m missing the old job, more like missing my friends that I worked with. And not just them but people I interacted with in the area of the office.

The Egyptian hot dog guy who’s kids I was putting through ivy league colleges, the Korean girl I would buy cookies from, Tony the West Indian dude who would make my egg sandwich once a week, and Rose the sweet old lady that I spoke to a few times a week and ordered milk for the office from her (No, she wasn’t lactating) and the building security staff that out of a few thousand people they watched over, I seemed to be the only one that treated them with respect. I hope to see them again, but who knows?

I know I can’t go back to Wanker Banker again, that much is for sure.

My problem is a fear of the unknown. I was comfortable yet uncomfortable in that cocoon that I was in for 3 and a half years. I was my own boss, and I was the smartest in the office in matters that weren’t financial, and also the office hipster. Now, I’m with creative people, no longer the lone hipster. I am the new guy that no one knows anything about.

They did hire me, they like me. They didn’t ask about computer programs which probably would have hamstringed me somewhat. It was my personality and my resume that got me there. I didn’t lie on the resume, so there’s no panicking on that front. Just that I am so eager to please, and trying hard at it. It’s only my fourth day, I have to adapt to this situation.

I must stop acting like such a pussy and be myself. I am surrounded by family and friends that love me, Julio included, giving me support, albeit sometimes offhandedly. It’s a good job, nothing I haven’t done before. I just hope they don’t expect me to hit the ground running and I don’t think they do. I’m wasting energy trying to read their minds, I just have to go and do my job to the best of my ability.

Tonight was a session with Phillip Beansprout, which went well. Bill and I told him that we were getting along great, communicating a lot and spending a lot more time together. We told him about the trip to Washington DC and how that went. We also told him that this might be our last session, to which he seemed dismayed.

We will continue the sessions after the insurance runs out though we don’t know how long we will continue. We both like old Phillip.

Oh yes, one more thing. Got a letter from the New York State Department of Labor, asking where their money is. This time I am making a photocopy of the judge’s ruling and sending it to them instead of the usual faxing, in their postage paid envelope. That should explain it all to them.

I’m sleeping better and feeling good and still showing up crazy early for work. Day two and still I can’t figure out how I could get there with less than a half hour to kill. I do have the key card to get in now so I could just start earlier than usual. Fine with me.

The only problem I could see at work presently, besides not wearing a suit and tie, is using a Mac program. I’ve been fairly proficient on pc’s and not having to use a Mac for so many years I am a little bit more than rusty. I keep double clicking which achieves nothing on a Mac.

Today I had to add names to the emergency contact list and it wasn’t an easy cut and paste job. Spent a little too much time on it and still it was incomplete. I promised tomorrow I will put it in an excel program which make it a little bit easier. There are other systems I have to figure out, and I hope they are understanding enough to let me learn them.

They are a nice group of people, a few Brits sprinkled in the office. Met one of them, Roger who is really nice and suggested that I take a refresher course in Mac programs. I agreed saying that it would be beneficial for all concerned. The best part about that is that the company would pay for it. Hence it being beneficial.

They do things a lot differently at McMann and Tate. Different type of clientele. Different set ups for conference rooms. David, the temp who I’m replacing told me that these people think in visual terms so it’s all about the presentation when setting up for a lunch meeting. Have to keep that in mind.

There’s a new system also for booking the conference rooms, different colors and names for each room. I also have to remember to answer the phone with ‘Good Morning, McMann and Tate’ instead of mentioning Wanker Banker. Just a beat in my speech pattern for a second that makes me think, ‘where am I?’

It is a nice office, all white with big windows and the sun pouring in. I am really trying to do a good job and I remember how I felt when I was at Wanker Banker in my early days there. I wasn’t so sure about fitting in there either but eventually I did. Then I didn’t after a few years. But that was then, this is now.

Luckily for me, Julio is good with Mac programs and so is Bill, in fact Bill might be ahead of the game with his power book and his super Mac at home. Julio offered tonight as we were walking tonight to show me some short cuts on the Mac, but I was fried. We have the weekend to do that. Plus Bill said I could use his super Mac so looks like I’ll be in front of another computer most of the weekend.

Which is fine since they’re predicting rain on Saturday anyway.

And no I don’t have a car.