one week in….

I’m one week in at work, and starting to settle in. So far, nobody’s figured out I’m a fraud….

Seriously, what’s to talk about? I spent the week starting to figure out XP (not a huge issue), going over product documentation, meeting and talking to people, and scoping out what makes sense to start getting involved in. I’ve started my first project, which may be the basis of a white paper down the road.

I’m happy to note that the positives that made me choose this position: the challenge, the people, the situation and opportunity, and the people, have all turned out to be what I thought they’d be. I’m also (not so) happy to note that the negatives I expected from the position are about what I expected — and the one that matters is the commute, since I’m now driving from Santa Clara to Redwood City every day instead of up Homestead to Cupertino. 101 is acceptable non-commute, but anyone sneezes and it falls apart, so I’ve pretty much decided to use 280, cut over on the 92, and back down to the Oracle towers (my new place is in the shadow of Oracle in Redwood Shores….); more mileage than direct up 101, but not only consistently faster, but pretty consistent.

The other negative are bay area drivers in the commute. I’ve made the commute six times now, and I’ve had to deal with 12 tons of gravel closing all but one lane, I’ve been in the delay caused by one major accident (three fire trucks, two two trucks and an ambulance when I drove by) — all for an accident in the opposite direction, where everyone else simply slowed down to gawk. Except for the four cars that didn’t; they were in lane 2 waiting for tow trucks.

That was one of two sets of read enders that I’ve seen this last week, each one at least three cars. Let’s add in the person driving at least 85 while weaving through traffic going up the 280 north — and reading the newspaper spread out across his steering wheel WHILE TALKING TO A PHONE HELD TO HIS EAR. The car from North Carolina that magically decided it wanted my lane while I happened to be in it, And I won’t even get into the red light runners and the right turn has the right of way people, and the “no turn on red doesn’t apply to me” folks. And just for fun, today, we had someone who got a bit confused on Marine parkway, and was coming west in the left lane of the eastbound lanes because they evidently didn’t realize the road had a planted center divider. or the person who almost nailed them because they weren’t paying attention.

Defensive driving is one thing, but… it looks like paranoid driving is needed. Or something. Because commutes make people stupid around here — and the worst trick is a really stupid one: when you hit a traffic slowdown, as soon as it breaks free, floor it and try to make up all that lost time. Which is one of the ways those rear-enders I’m constantly seeing happens (the other is not noticing the slowdown of folks waiting in line to look at the accident in the lanes in the opposite direction, probably because they’re too busy talking on the phone, eating, reading the newspaper, shaving, or putting on their makeup. Or maybe playing the flute….)

And we’re just heading into the rainy season where the traffic REALLY gets squirrely. ohboy… I’d slow down and put more space between me and the person in front of me, but I’ve learned that’s merely an invitation for some OTHER idiot to change lanes in front of me and eat the space up….

So far, so good.

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