salience
October 8, 2005
On my way home last night, a homeless-ish looking, scruffy YMCA staffer (or so his badge said) guy sat down enthusiastically next to me and started a conversation on the packed E train.
HSYMCAguy: Ma'am, can I see that book you're holding?
(Making sure to take my LIRR ticket out first)
Me: Sure, here you go.
HSYMCAguy: Thanks. (Doesn't read either cover.) So is it a spiritual journey in the US?
Me: It mainly takes place in India and England.
HSYMCAguy: But the title is "God of Small Things." Wouldn't that mean it was an uplifitng work taking place in the US?
Me: Maybe. But it's actually a tragedy, although the US is mentioned.
HSYMCAguy: Tragedy. There's a word I did NOT want to hear while on the subway today.
Me: (laughing) Oh I couldn't agree more. But at least we're talking books and not bomb scares.
He handed me back my book just in time for me to get off at 34th street. I had to smile after this conversation for many reasons.
Work is going well. I've now been working for a month on East 55th. I'm happy to say I get to use my licenses on a daily basis, and there is still so much to learn. Our Controller is coming to the city this week, so she'll be able to fill in some gaps for me. The office in New York is only about 16 people, so the dynamics are very personal and relaxed in such a proper environment. The office is usually very busy and quite loud, but still very, very different from C1.
The layout itself is very expansive. And the furniture is very high end, from the cherry tables and wingbacked chairs in the front, to the highly polished 20 person cherry tables in the conference rooms, to our own cherry U shaped desks. Our office is most of the 29th floor, a small European brokerage house is to our right at the very end. But we have a huge kitchen, along with three conference rooms, each with two glass walls for amazing views of the city, and two huge rooms to the very right for servers and files/supplies space. Then there are six separate offices, each with a glass wall facing the city, for the CEO and our three Managing Directors, aka the Dad and his sons, plus one for the CEO in SF for when she comes to visit, and one for anyone else who visits. There is even a formal sitting room just around the corner from the main reception area for when all other spaces are full. And you'd think with all of that space we wouldn't be cramped, but they're already looking for a bigger office for a move in 2008.
There are two sets of cubes in the back half of the office. They are half sheetrock, half glass, for the analysts. Out of six analysts, four are women. Definitely a contrast to other offices in which I've worked. Being in New York means fashion is everywhere: from hairstyles to popular colors, going to work is part fashion show, part gossip catch up, and part holiday planning. Even with all of the laughing and joking around, there is an understood dedication to the work that must be done well. Hours are 8/8:30-5:30/6, and people leave for a staggered 10 minute walk around midtown around 2 or so. Lunch is primarily brought and eaten at the desk, time passes very quickly.
The office is being expanded, another conference room along with a new office for the Dad and a separate space for his EA, so I will move to a desk by one of the main windows in about two weeks (the space the Dad's EA is in now, so excited!), but until then, I am in an analyst desk. In each group of analysts, the middle pieces of glass are removed so you can lean over the wall part and talk to your whole group. Everyone is hilarious, and we trade music and movie ideas around all day. At the far right of the analyst space is the Bloomberg area, and also a lone mac for personal email and the like.
All in all, I couldn’t ask for a better first job out of college. It is kind of scary, realizing that I don’t even look up anymore at the amazing city in the mornings. I am very much a part of the commuter crowd, carrying 2.5 meals and a pair of dress shoes in my briefcase each day. But through all of the stress and drama of going to classes, testing, getting my licenses and then deciding to leave C1 this summer, it’s nice to finally be in a place where I can just focus on working and learning.
HSYMCAguy: Ma'am, can I see that book you're holding?
(Making sure to take my LIRR ticket out first)
Me: Sure, here you go.
HSYMCAguy: Thanks. (Doesn't read either cover.) So is it a spiritual journey in the US?
Me: It mainly takes place in India and England.
HSYMCAguy: But the title is "God of Small Things." Wouldn't that mean it was an uplifitng work taking place in the US?
Me: Maybe. But it's actually a tragedy, although the US is mentioned.
HSYMCAguy: Tragedy. There's a word I did NOT want to hear while on the subway today.
Me: (laughing) Oh I couldn't agree more. But at least we're talking books and not bomb scares.
He handed me back my book just in time for me to get off at 34th street. I had to smile after this conversation for many reasons.
Work is going well. I've now been working for a month on East 55th. I'm happy to say I get to use my licenses on a daily basis, and there is still so much to learn. Our Controller is coming to the city this week, so she'll be able to fill in some gaps for me. The office in New York is only about 16 people, so the dynamics are very personal and relaxed in such a proper environment. The office is usually very busy and quite loud, but still very, very different from C1.
The layout itself is very expansive. And the furniture is very high end, from the cherry tables and wingbacked chairs in the front, to the highly polished 20 person cherry tables in the conference rooms, to our own cherry U shaped desks. Our office is most of the 29th floor, a small European brokerage house is to our right at the very end. But we have a huge kitchen, along with three conference rooms, each with two glass walls for amazing views of the city, and two huge rooms to the very right for servers and files/supplies space. Then there are six separate offices, each with a glass wall facing the city, for the CEO and our three Managing Directors, aka the Dad and his sons, plus one for the CEO in SF for when she comes to visit, and one for anyone else who visits. There is even a formal sitting room just around the corner from the main reception area for when all other spaces are full. And you'd think with all of that space we wouldn't be cramped, but they're already looking for a bigger office for a move in 2008.
There are two sets of cubes in the back half of the office. They are half sheetrock, half glass, for the analysts. Out of six analysts, four are women. Definitely a contrast to other offices in which I've worked. Being in New York means fashion is everywhere: from hairstyles to popular colors, going to work is part fashion show, part gossip catch up, and part holiday planning. Even with all of the laughing and joking around, there is an understood dedication to the work that must be done well. Hours are 8/8:30-5:30/6, and people leave for a staggered 10 minute walk around midtown around 2 or so. Lunch is primarily brought and eaten at the desk, time passes very quickly.
The office is being expanded, another conference room along with a new office for the Dad and a separate space for his EA, so I will move to a desk by one of the main windows in about two weeks (the space the Dad's EA is in now, so excited!), but until then, I am in an analyst desk. In each group of analysts, the middle pieces of glass are removed so you can lean over the wall part and talk to your whole group. Everyone is hilarious, and we trade music and movie ideas around all day. At the far right of the analyst space is the Bloomberg area, and also a lone mac for personal email and the like.
All in all, I couldn’t ask for a better first job out of college. It is kind of scary, realizing that I don’t even look up anymore at the amazing city in the mornings. I am very much a part of the commuter crowd, carrying 2.5 meals and a pair of dress shoes in my briefcase each day. But through all of the stress and drama of going to classes, testing, getting my licenses and then deciding to leave C1 this summer, it’s nice to finally be in a place where I can just focus on working and learning.
lasaliente, 22:19
