The last few weeks (months for that matter) seem to have flown by. My working day is very full and challenging. This week I was on point to put the Statement of Work (the contract) for Cisco together for TechProse. I wasn't completely alone of course! It was a new thing to learn and my first exposure to how this all works in the US. Fortunately I get on well with my boss (and her boss) so I didn't have to try and "guess" a number to work to. It was a good experience as one of the things that was really challenging about immigrating was letting go of all of my industry knowledge; I knew how rates worked in NZ, I had networks of people (even if I didn't know it!), I understood the work ethic of it all, how the media and design agencies worked etc etc. I am having to re.establish and understand all those things in a country that is, surprisingly, more culturally distant from New Zealand than I might have expected.
I have also been having some fun. Two weeks back I met the new landlords and, over a vino and some great converstation, signed a year lease on my new home. Very exciting, I am looking forward to moving on Aug 1; it feels like my next "grown up" moment.
I have been scouting bikes and I am heading out later this morning to San Jose to another bike shop. Someone has suggested that I should also try getting a quote online as often you get a slightly better deal as the sales people on line are less concerned with the bottomline number than their sales quota. Worth a try as I know what I want and the accessories.....given I am going for a new bike the risks are the same as buying it off the shop floor...maybe.
Marcia (a friend of Michelle's who I have been getting to know) is coming along to check out bikes with me too (K&B have been giving great advice on bike gear as well). Marcia has a Yamaha VStar 1100 (a bike I've thought about too.....although not the 1100). When I get some time up on my bike the two of us are planning a road trip to LA to visit Michelle. It's that type of adventuring that buying the bike is all about for me.
Last weekend (as well as bike shopping) I headed to Oakland to visit a friend from work (my old boss). We have kept in touch and I had a really pleasant afternoon eating lunch and chatting with her. As I drove back I was chuckling about how I didn't think twice about driving an hour and a half each way for lunch - did I ever do that in NZ?
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