I'm in DC!!

After a whirlwind trip back home to NC to visit friends and family, I arrived in the DC area last Sunday, July 26. I'm staying in "corporate housing" (which is basically just an extended stay hotel) for the first month while I still frantically search for somewhere to live. Basically, I want a roommate because it will be cheaper than living alone, and also so I have something to come home to at night (you can see my beloved plants below but unfortunately they don't talk back when I try to engage them in conversation...and believe me, I try!). So, I'm looking for a roommate. I also don't think I want to live in the city itself, again because it'd be cheaper, so I'm constantly scouring Craigslist for roommates. I've gone to look at a couple places, but either the place wasn't right or the roommate wasn't right, or both. In any event, I'm starting to get nervous but trying to be patient!!

So far I like my job. Things are pretty quiet because I'm "on the bench" - which in consulting means you're waiting to get put on a project. Consultants work only project at a time, and it involves a lot of networking to make sure you get on the projects you want. Luckily, at my firm, I have two administrative managers that work to make sure I'm staffed appropriately, so it's not like I have to come into this place brand new and then find work for myself all by myself. My administrative managers basically work in tandem to find me work. My "Frontline Leader" (who is like my immediate manager) has found a project for me he thinks - but it's starting in about three weeks. So, until then, I'm on the bench.

What does one actually do when they're on the bench, you might ask? Good question. Because I'm so new, I have a lot of adminstrative "New Hire" stuff to take care of, and a lot of reading to about past studies and papers people on my team have written. Plus I have some training classes I have to complete. But other than, I'm just supposed to be networking as much as I can, introducing myself to people, etc.

The company I work for is enormous. 22,000 employees and $4.5 Billion in revenue. I'm in the "Organization and Strategy" group, and there are 2,100 employees in that group alone. On my administrative team, there are about 50 people. I've probably met 20 of them so far. They all seem really nice.

I guess the problem right now is just that I'm so dang lonely. DC doesn't seem like a fit yet. Transitions are hard, I know, and Lord knows I'm not the best person at dealing with change, but still.... I can't help feeling like not only do I not belong here, but I'm NEVER going to belong here. I realized that other than my friend Heidi, I don't really know anybody here. There are a couple people from Kelley that moved here after we graduated, and I'm planning to get together with them, but DC is so enormous that it's hard to just "grab a beer" after work with anyone - to actually get together takes a lot of logistical planning. And I never ever thought I would say this, but I miss Bloomington. What a great little city that is - small enough to get around without it taking forever (um, it took me 45 minutes to drive 5 miles last night....miserable!) - with a plethora of restaurants so diverse you are sure to be able to find anything you might want. I just plain miss it!

My manager told me to work from home next week since I'm not really doing anything. Normally I guess this would be AWESOME, but I got sad because, honestly? What am I going to do? Sit in my hotel room all day? I mean, I guess it's not all bad....I'd rather be in a hotel room in my pajamas than have to do my hair and come in and sit in a cubicle I suppose. Plus, this weekend I'm going to start my marathon training! That's right..I'm planning to run the Philadelphia marathon on Sunday, November 22. It will be my first full marathon, which was one of my fitness goals for 2009, so I'm super excited about it. And with 16 weeks between now and then, I better get to cracking on my training! The hotel I'm staying at gives free access to a local Gold's Gym, so I guess I'll spend a lot of time there next week!!! So I shouldn't complain. But dang, I wish I knew some more people around here!!! :)