(this is) durkin.org

(This time, no one gets hurt.)

I’m not much for talking while getting my hair cut; its one of those situations that I’ve never really felt warranted casual conversation. I just say how I like it cut, and answer any questions as they come. Last week, as my hair cut was coming to an end, the woman who was cutting it asked what I thought.

Me: Looks fine, thanks.
Her: (Combing my hair, looking into the mirror at my bangs) Great. Hey, would you like me to trim your eyebrows?
M: …um, OK. That might make my wife feel better.
H: It would make me feel better, too.

So.  Some time has passed since my last entry.  Interesting.  Well, you know, I have been very busy, what with work and family and work and family and all that.  I mean, there are kids, you know, and they get sick and stuff, and of course the Holidays and allll that, and don’t get me started about work.  I mean.

There.  I think I got it all out - the excuses and complaining.  I’m tinkering again, around here anyway.

Baby steps, though.  Baby steps.

When I started working in the real world, I imediately became aware of several things, not the least of which was that I was not quite as prepared as I thought I was.  And not in some big way so much as in a lot of little things.  A lot of them.

I realized that I was more or less at the mercy of my peers.  They had valuable knowledge about very important things… Would they share it with me?  Or mock my failures?  (Both, as it turned out.)  Anyway, I survived (so far) and its all a journey, right?  We go to work, we learn, we grow, yada, yada, yada.

So I thought it might be helpful to collect a list of some of the little “ah-ha’s” that I have learned or been shown over the years, in lieu of for my high school or college having offered a “basic survivial” kind of course (not that I would have taken it, mind you). 

• Never fill your coffee cup up all the way, even if you drink it black.  Its a good idea to leave a full inch or so at the top; that way, as you are walking back to your desk on the first day of work, you don’t spill the hot, dark liquid all over your nice white shirt.
• Read the paper.  Or better yet, read Google News.  Just read.
• Its ok to be a phantom bomber, but don’t get caught.
• George had it right - it really is a good idea to carry some papers with you at all times, people really do think you are hard at work, even if its just your football / basketball pool paperwork.
• You will be stupid for the first six months or so at your new job.  No matter how old you are, how many jobs you have held, you will still have a learning curve.  Sure, you may be able to negotiate a new contract that saves millions, but you have no idea who to call when the printer is out of toner.

More to come…