hit the ground running... and screaming and waving my arms

So, the new job. Yay, hooray, and...

Holy. Fuck.

I've been here a week, and have already been assigned a huge task in the current project (due end-of-month, no less), and have been asked to lead the next project. Seriously, I wanted to run away screaming on the 3rd day. Back to Nebraska, even. Damn them for not asking me to stay sooner!

So, the folks here are really nice. I'm now working with a guy I've worked with before (he's the reason I got this job, truthfully), and some other genuinely decent folks. I share an office with a nice lady who chews gum. The way our desks are arranged, my choices were to a) have her staring at the back of my head, and my computer monitors, all day, or b) face the windows, with her in my peripheral vision (rather distracting, as it turns out) and my back to the open office door. I chose the back-to-the-door option. I've installed a rear-view mirror so as to have at least some chance of not being scared out of my chair every time someone walks into the office, but that's been about as effective as I thought it would be. Read: not very. I'm sure that once I get used to the glare in the mornings, and learn to tune out my office-mate, things will be rosy.

I think this job will work out, as long as my friend Rob keeps me busy on the side. He's a little pissed at me for taking the full-time position, but I really don't give two shits right about now. If I did what he wants all the time, I'd be traveling all the time, and that's not happening.