started my new job today. oh, you didn't know that i had a new job? i didn't say anything about it? sorry about that. i had to keep mum so my old job didn't catch wind prematurely. well, that and i didn't want to jinx it. you see, this new job is pretty great.

i'm working for a usability consulting firm that's been around for over 20 years. they're based out of Iowa (i know, weird, huh?) but have offices all over the world including here in San Francisco. they're small but very sophisticated and successful.

pluses:

• doing what i love in a consulting environment.
• working from home at least half of the time.
• the office is in a great old gothic building with lots of character located right downtown in the financial district.
• the office is one quick bus ride away so no more changing buses, which really isn't all that bad but it's nice not to have to do it.
• traveling about 30% of the time.
• possibly teaching some courses.
• working on really interesting projects on web, desktop, mobile and alternative (read: like medical devices) platforms.
• so far, a great group of people.

minuses:

• ummm...
• oh, yeah, no more free lunch.

of course, i'm a little bit starry-eyed about the whole thing but it certainly has the makings of a great place to work.

which is more than can be said about my old job. to think, i had a twinge of indecision about taking this new job. silly.

my last two days there really nailed that coffin shut. i got screwed by the completely upside-down process that runs the place and someone told (more like yelled at) my boss that i had been slacking off (so far from true it's not even funny), that i was a useless waste of the company's money, and that i should have been fired a long time ago. this was said after i had put in a shitload of work on a very big project, and even worked some weekends, to get it done even after i knew i had a new job. kiss! my! ass!

but along with helping me to realize that that was not the place for me, it also helped me appreciate the people i worked most closely with as friends and damn good coworkers. i had a good boss and good teammates. had other circumstances been better, i might have stayed.

then again, i probably wouldn't have. this new job is ... well, let's not jinx it. it's good. i'm happy. leave it at that.