First day of my new job!

I had a hard time sleeping early last night as I've been getting used to going to bed late and sleeping in :P Like starting any job, I didn't have any idea what I was doing, lol but after about an hour or so on training I learned the basics of the data entry system. So the first day of work went by kind of slowly I have to say. The computers at work are Windows and the keyboard for mac is lightly different so I'm having a hard time adjusting back and forth (even as I'm typing right now). My work is mostly verify and copy/paste if there is a discrepancy, not the most exciting job or diversified. I have to commend there databases and data keeping programs are far more sophisticated than the ones we used at CBSA. There is hardly any paper filing, it is all done electronically. I think this system is a system that was envisioned last year for CBSA when I was there, one that was supposed to be my main task for the summer, but that never happened when the launch date kept on getting pushed back and then the guy in HQ responsible quit after I left...so the project crashed and burned. The office is fairly small compared to CBSA, about 30 employees (I know like four or five by their names), and it has a pleasing appearance. The lunch room has everything! On top of a toaster oven, microwave, and fridge, it has a dishwasher, TV, and a coffee machine (yes, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are free) with really nice leather couches and modern dining tables. It could pass for a design firm! I no longer bus, I drive, because parking is free and busing would require one transfer and a fairly long walk and would double the duration of the trip. I hate bus connections in Winnipeg, they are never timed properly.

However! I like that there aren't those "cubicals" but there are partitions that are waist level and I like that and it SHOULD encourage interaction, but EVERYONE IS SO SERIOUS. NOBODY TALKS or "hangs-out", you know what I mean, you work at a government office too so it should be similar to CBSA, lol. Here, hardly anyone gets off their seat! Afternoons at CBSA were usually relaxed and mornings went by in a daze, lol, we're slackers. Despite the fully equipped lunch room, I had lunch at 12 (noon) and people just popped by to heat their lunch and go! I assume to eat back to their desks or something. And coffee breaks? Nobody really takes their full 15 minutes, people may grab a drink at the caf but go have it back to their stations. At CBSA, we went 'out' for coffee breaks and more often than not, we went over our time limit. Speaking of time limits, I have this tag that I'm supposed to use to keep me on time and use to time my breaks. AT CBSA, as long as the work was done, nobody really cared, plus the cubicals provided a sense of privacy though I don't like them, but sometimes you want to have some privacy right? Nothing is really personal here, we don't have 'personal email accounts', it is all generic so that everything can be accessed by everyone who needs it (sorry that is why I couldn't send you anything this morning). Here we work as a team to meet our DAILY deadlines, we have to get the job done each day no matter what because we never know what to expect the next day. Sounds kind of challenging but also everything is so STRICT and it's serious business. Our work load depends on what the banks are sending us, how many mortgages come through. I'm still not completely sure what exactly it is that we do, but it is somewhere along the lines of 'insuring the banks' when a homeowner gets a mortgage. Also cellphone calls and texting are discouraged at your work station and should be only used in emergency. I've snuck a few calls in the halls at CBSA and of course EMAILS! (Muahaha...) Also there isn't any internet surfing what so ever, not only is it connected to the programs so that it access specific info on the net. I can't even check the weather, lol. It was storming so hard today, three storms rolled through the city today (last night, morning at work, and in the evening), but we got sunny breaks in between.

Despite the difference in pay (higher at CBSA ;)), I would prefer CBSA more than this FIRST CANADIAN TITLE aka Level 4 Management company. I felt more accomplished there and there was a sense of fullfillment at the end of the term. But if I compared today to my first day CBSA, I guess this was better because I spent the first two weeks filing at CBSA...Here I sit bored staring at the computer screen...I do expect a little more variety in the coming days as they are trying to take it one step at a time :)