The newbie: Week two

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in every store
But the prettiest sight to see
Is the holly that will be
On your own front door."

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas -- Bing Crosby



I've been doing A1 for two nights.

Not 1A. That's A1. And I have to fill in jump page numbers manually, so you can imagine how many of those I fuck up. Not only that, I have to fill in FOLIOS. Pages and dates. I had Dec. 6 in all mine tonight. What an ass I am.

I used to be so great in Quark. I mean, I knew every quick key and could do a project with my eyes closed. Anyone who knows how anal I am knows this is bugging the shit out of me. I'm expected to edit copy too and just didn't find a moment tonight. Grrrrr.

GRRRRRRR.

I really thought they'd just have me sit with someone, but they threw me right in. Was it a test? Or desperation? Or did no one check my resume??? I'm sure I had "anti-1A control freak" in there somewhere. Who knows, I'm enduring it, and sometimes I amaze myself. What I'm doing is not great, but I'm getting it done.

OK, enough newspaper talk! Work in general is great. It's demanding, but the people are funny and I'm finding that my goofy sense of humor is not lost on people here. And not everyone is from here; the guy next to me tonight was talking about the Redskins. And I didn't want to be the new kid talking about "my old paper," but a lot of people do it.

Zoe is doing great. She wonders why Daddy isn't picking her up to take her to the beach, but otherwise, she's really enjoying it here.

I think both of us feel like it's just a vacation. As if we'll be back in Florida in no time, with our regular friends and our regular routine. I think I'll let that denial get me through the hellish night shift I have to get through for training. Looks like I'm on it for only December, which is good.

I'm really excited about getting Zoe back into school. And we're looking forward to the holidays -- at home. My sister will get to come home, so with my brother and his wife, we're all having Christmas Day together. I talked my dad into getting a real tree ("Them's a fire hazard if you don't red up after 'em en'at!) so we're decorating this weekend. I can't wait!

Photos to come -- I learned how to upload them to the blog the other night. That is, if I can find out where I packed the battery charger for my camera. Grrrr. :)