I posted all that ruckus about the new computer and then promptly forgot to mention again it once it arrived. It's been a few weeks now and I'm still glad I made the purchase. I would go into more detail about my technological glee, but I'm not quite geeky enough for that. (I'm geeky enough to have named it, though: Ghost, since it's sleek and black and runs without a sound.)

It's been eight days so far and the new job is not going very well. I had the misfortune of starting on the day that several major employees walked out, and with the impending departure of my boss next week, my training's been exacerbated by the fact there are so many things up in the air. Due in part to this general chaos I haven't learned the job as well as I or my boss expected, so every day other people have to bear the added pressure of helping me get things done. Even when, or if, I do finally manage to become competent, I still can't help thinking that I would have been a lot happier just returning to the position I had before. I'm glad I went for the challenge of a new opportunity but I can already see that it didn't work in my favor this time. I'm not sure if it's determination, fear, or simple, base pride that keeps me from just quitting and going back to the job I know I'd like more.

I'm encouraged by the fact these complaints echo those I had a year ago when I first started that other position. But I'm not nearly optimistic enough to expect the same cheerful outcome this time around. Things are probably likely to get even worse before they start to improve.