Workers of the world...

Hey everyone! As promised, I decided it was time to give you an update on my work situation. Unfortunately, if you are not my Mom or Dad—well, maybe just my Mom—this will doubtless be a somewhat boring entry. Fortunately, the only person other then my parents who will read this account is a dude in Maine who stumbled across my blog while Googling the movie “Cube”. Sorry man, you’ll just have to endure.

I’m now into my second week of work for a Management and HR consulting firm in San Francisco called Towers Perrin. I’m working in the Executive Compensation and Rewards group, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like—we provide clients with objective third party analyses of how competitive and appropriate their rewards structure is. It’s been a big change, going from the student life in Edmonton to Corporate America in San Francisco, but things are going really well. My co-workers have been very welcoming and very helpful as I gradually ramp up to the busy schedule that consulting invariably seems to demand. Yes, I’m back in a cubicle once more, but now it’s on the 29th floor of an office tower in the heart of the Financial District in downtown SF. So I guess that means I’ve “moved up” in the world ;) My set of windows looks out over the bay to the south-east—the view is definitely something worth going to work for. When it’s foggy, as it has been most mornings, the tops of the sky scrapers disappear into the clouds above, which is both beautiful and a little eerie at the same time. Down towards the marina, you can watch sailboats as they make their way back and forth across the water.

I won’t go into much detail about the work itself—I’m learning lots, beginning to participate in some client files, and will be heading to Atlanta for some training in August. I’ve been trying to adjust to the tired feeling that hits when I get home, usually between 530 and 600—it’s tough to ignore the voice that begs you just to veg and watch some screen and then fall asleep early every night, but I’m trying to be energized and do other things in the evening. Speaking of which, Monday night I went to a free show at the Mezzanine featuring Chromeo and Flostradamus. It was pretty much one big clap-fest accompanied by some crazy dancing—and all this on a Monday night. Have I mentioned how much I love this city?

Anyways, I guess that’s all for now…I had better return to my current dilemma: whether to re-read some previous Harry Potters to pick up momentum, or to just go out and get the final volume. Ahh, decisions, decisions…

peace&progress

It's all good, from Diego to tha Bay...

Well my friends—it’s been too long since I’ve posted a decent update—and so, in the hopes of correcting this problem, I’ve finally put some of the events of the past few weeks onto paper…err, word processor. Where to begin…

First, a big thank you to everyone who good-naturedly participated in my week of “last nights”…especially Chung, whose surprise each day at my continued presence in Edmonton was matched only by his poorly disguised disappointment. I’m reminded of a Ben Folds Five song…”last week it was funny…but now the joke’s wearing thin…’cause everyone knows now, that EVERY night now will be Steeeveen’s….last night in town…” For those who were unaware, my supposedly brief homecoming—the purpose of which was to re-enter the US, at which time I could get my work visa—stretched into a week-long ordeal fraught with delays, which I choose to blame on a cripplingly slow law firm in New York. Anyways, eventually I got the word that my paperwork was coming in, drove to the FedEx depot to intercept the package before it was “delivered” (read: driven around Edmonton wasting another entire day) to my home, and then headed straight to the airport to try and make a two pm flight.

I won’t go into too much detail about my passage through customs where I made the application for the visa—suffice it to say that but for some very fast talking and a little bit of eyelash batting on my part, I would not have been approved for my working visa. It is scary the degree of arbitrariness and the discretion that a Free Trade Officer is allowed in granting or denying these applications. I was definitely sweating while I made my case. Thank goodness, eventually the officers caved and granted my visa, and just like that, I was on my way to working (legally!) in the US of A.

I’ll also spare you the details on moving—however, a building with four flights of stairs and no elevator makes moving an even more special experience. Which leads me to the more important stuff—my new apartment. Nicole and I now live on the top floor of an old, 1920s style building with 12 units, located right by 14th St and between Valencia and Guerrero. For those of you who don’t know the city, this is right in the heart of the Mission district, where much of the scene in SF is taking place. The Mission is incredible—definitely a little questionable in some parts, but totally multicultural, a million restaurants serving good, cheap food from every corner of the world, and of course, most of the city’s interesting and fun bars ;) The street we live on is a quiet little side street, which affords us safe parking and peace and quiet—however, we are seconds away from the heart of things. We literally are 3 or 4 blocks from anything—Mexican, Vietnamese, Pakistani, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Salvadorean, Pizza shops, bars with live music—additionally we are like 4 blocks from a really famous indy movie theatre, a few blocks from any number of bomb-ass produce and grocery spots (3 pounds of plums/peaches for $1 hahaha), 5 blocks from the Mission Dolores Catholic Cathedral, 4 blocks from BART (the train) that gets us anywhere else in the city, 2 blocks from a great gym, 4 from a yoga studio…the list goes on and on. And perhaps best of all, I can get to work in 15 minutes by train, and probably about the same by bike. In other words…our location cannot be beat.

The place itself is, like I said, an old school Victorian style apartment across from one of the original Levi Strauss factories. We’re in a reasonable sized one bedroom, hardwood floors, big kitchen with gas stove, tons of windows and French doors connecting the bedroom and the living room. Because we’re on the top floor, roof access is easy (although probably frowned upon) but we have a cool view of the rooftops of San Francisco. I fully intend on posting some pics of the place really soon—although we have no furniture yet. But a couch, dining table, bed and of course, a flat screen LCD TV are all forthcoming.

What does this mean for you, dear readers? If you’re somewhere OTHER then San Francisco, you need to come visit, that’s what it means! We def have room for guests, and trust, when you see how awesome our place and location is, you won’t regret it ;) Anyways, enough for one day—my next update will hopefully include pictures—also, I will begin telling you about my new job! Anyways, till then I apologize for not being better in touch but just give me a little more time to get settled—to those I owe emails, they’re coming, and to the rest of you, drop me some lines, write on my wall or just give me a phone call! As always, peace and love from the Bay~

PS Transformers = Sweet Mercy.