first week at nsc

I started working at the National Service Center (or NSC; what we call the IV headquarters) this Monday. So far it's been great! People are pretty awesome, except when they scare me about the upcoming winter. I think they get a kick out of frightening a person who has never experienced a snowstorm. The most reassuring thing they told me was, "It's okay, you'll survive. We did." I guess they meant well, but somehow it still doesn't bring me any comfort. Especially when they talk about driving in the snow...but more about that later. Besides that, I feel so welcomed and supported by everyone here. I guess it's sort of expected that we follow God's example of loving others in the office, but it still makes me happy to see that people genuinely care about their co-workers.

My very first cubicle!

I'm still going through a lot of "firsts," some of them being my first work laptop, first personal phone extension, etc. They're small things, but they make me realize how far I've come. I hope I don't take them for granted.

These are some of the things I noticed/learned about Madison this week:

1. They lock up the alcohol aisle after 9pm

I'm not sure if there are a lot of cities in the US that follow this model, but I was surprised when I first heard the announcement while grocery shopping after small group. I dare say that Madison might not be the city to live in for some of you...you know who you are. ;)

2. Madison is a liberal city

I saw this sign on my neighborhood's lawn when I first got here last week, and I must say that a part of me felt some comfort. I saw McCain signs staked on a couple lawns as well, but Madison sure isn't as fond of the Republican candidate as Albuquerque:

3. Madison drivers are, for the most part, not very considerate

They aren't nearly as neurotic and lacking in driving skills as some in SoCal, but they're definitely not like the gracious and laid back drivers in Arizona. Everyone sort of goes at their own pace, which ranges from about 55-80mph on the highway. You end up having to match the pace of whoever's around, so sometimes I feel sort of schizophrenic when I'm driving.
Yesterday I stopped right before an intersection, and a lady honked at me 3 times so that she can make a right turn...even though it was clear that if I went ahead I would've blocked the intersection. Forget safety, obviously her turning 3 seconds faster is more important. I love stopping juuust a bit longer than necessary in front of drivers like that. Patience is a virtue, you know.
It also doesn't help when people tell me that everyone forgets how to drive in the snow in the first few weeks of winter/first snowfall. Jill, the lady that I'm staying with, told me that years ago Rick (her husband) made her practice skidding before her first snowstorm so that she'll know how to recover when it happens. Rick then told me that I "should be fine" since cars these days have fancy gadgets like anti-lock braking systems...so much for reassurance.

4. Madisonians respect the environment

You can tell that it's not just a fad that they jumped on board recently. You can see from the way the people live that it's completely integrated in their lifestyle and culture. For example, it's cool to see that the recycling bin in the garage is double the size of the trash bin....stuff like that makes me happy. :)

That's about it for now. I'll be updating soon on my camping trip coming up this weekend!