Yesterday I started the new job; I’m now an actual paid web designer, working for UC Davis. Today as I was going through some Cold Fusion code and matching everything up with the databases, I found myself marvelling at the fact that I was having a blast doing this and that I am actually getting paid to do it. I feel like I’m fitting in well with the two people that I share my office with — we all seem to have similar tastes in music (which works out well since we all three of us work best with music playing), and it turns out that I’ve worked with one of them before in a cafe in downtown Davis. We’ve had some interesting conversations.

Of course, as with all new jobs, there are a few surprises. One of the bigger surprises for the other in the department, apparently, was that I had been hired at all; official word went to my office mates last Friday that I would be starting this week, which meant that they had to spend a good chunk of time cleaning up enough space in the office for me to work and for my computer. The other web developer has been going a bit frantic trying to set up a multi-user development environment, even though she is glad to have someone on board to help pick up the workload.

Most of the surprises, of course, were for me. I know who my boss is, of course; he’s the project director. On the other hand, I’m not entirely sure to whom I’m supposed to directly report; the project director also manages three or four other units and doesn’t really have time to act as Application Development Director as well. So the other web developer and I are pretty much on our own to make sure that the project we’re working on is completed within the schedule outlined in the project plan. This shouldn’t be a problem, as long as we can get the three new servers up and running in time, and as long as we can get SSL, Kerberos, and SQL*Net installed and functioning before we port the code over to the new servers (making sure we can fix all of the breaks that will inevitably happen when the Access tables are converted to Oracle and the code is ported to the new servers). It will be challenging, but I’m really enjoying what I’m doing so far, and it seems likely that I’m going to enjoy the next few months.

I also hadn’t expected that I would be getting a photo ID badge with the job; I haven’t worked in a job which required a badge since I worked for Lockheed for a summer back in 1985 (don’t be impressed; I got the job because my father works for Lockheed, and it was a summer job for a high school junior). And in addition to the photo ID badge is the pager; I’m now also responsible, partly, for keeping the web servers up and running which means that people are going to have to occasionally get in touch with me, which means that I get a new alpha-numeric pager. This has proven immensely amusing to my best friend, to whom I mistakenly sent the number (he’s the father of my godson, and he’s going to be the best man at my wedding, so I figured he’d probably need to get in touch with me sometimes), and who sent me several brief e-mail pagers reading "Yank!" (because I’d jokingly referred to the pager as "my leash") or "Zark!". The last time I ever had a pager was when I borrowed one from a friend of mine for a couple of days two summers ago, when there was a situation where certain friends of mine needed a way to get in touch of me in a hurry.

One of the other surprises came while my boss was giving me the tour of the division, and introduced me not only as a Cold Fusion programmer, but also as a Java programmer. I have some experience with Java, but I don’t think it’s mentioned on my resume at all; the only thing I can figure is that I briefly mentioned that I had taught myself some Java when I was in for my second interview. That’s just fine with me, though. I spent a few hectic minutes this morning downloading and installing JDK 1.1.8 on my new workstation. I was introduced to many people as "our web developer", and was received universally well. "Thank God!" one person actually said. "Now we’ll be able to get that [project name withheld] site up and running!" By that point, of course, I knew that I was already assigned to one project that was of very high importance to the division, and that other projects would probably be kept on hold for awhile.

All in all, this is actually starting to feel like an actual job; not just something I floated into, but an actual job that I got because I wanted it; and, more importantly, a job where I know that the projects I work on are going to be appreciated, and where I know I have the skills to do the job well. The department has a demonstrated committment to training and education, so I know that I’m going to get some great training here.

If nothing else, this job is a good start for me in my new career. I’m excited; I know that there are more surprises in store, not all of them pleasant for everyone involved, I’m sure, as well as some wonderful opportunities for me.

Yep, it’s a fresh start for me, and things are definitely getting better.