Making More Microsoft

I was back on the Microsoft campus today, and in fact right back to my ol' stompin' grounds on the West Campus. There are hundreds of buildings on the Microsoft campus, which essentially covers the city of Redmond (as well as parts of Bellevue, Seattle and other local cities), so to be doing business at almost the same exact location as where I used to work certainly defies the odds -- especially since I'm now working in a completely different line of business.

Even though I was back to familiar territory, everything looks very different than it did just a year ago. An entirely new complex of buildings went in -- seemingly overnight -- right next door to where I used to work, and now there's massive building going on right on the other side, and cranes occupy the skyline, seemingly as far as the eye can see! (If you look carefully, you can see the beautiful snowcapped Cascade Mountains in the background. )

The white car is a hybrid Microsoft shuttle car. You see them zipping all over Redmond, shuttling workers from meeting to meeting -- and all-day interviewers from manager to manager.

I'm liking my new job. I didn't really have any expectations going in, except that I wondered what it would be like to NOT work in education or media production. But other than learning about an entirely new business of which I previously knew absolutely nothing, I'm settling in quite comfortably. I like both my boss and the people I work with -- and that always makes a job far more enjoyable! I still have a lot to learn about the businesses we're dealing with, but the project management piece of it all feels familiar and comfortable, and I have a feeling the job will exceed my expectations.

Phew, eh?!