This Day in the Life project came at an awkward time for me. We’ve been living in Northern California after our big move for 3 weeks now. I’ve been at my new [dream] job for one. We’ve been adoring every second, but trying to show you all what my life is like is an interesting challenge when I don’t even know what it’s like yet. While I try to figure that out, I’ll share with you what I did today.
Here is a Tuesday in my brand new life!
6:30 am: Alarm goes off. Ouch. Trying to get used to working full time again after years as a grad student continues to be a shock to my system that early in the morning. Shower, play with dog, check email, snarf a bowl of cereal, and make coffee for the road. Lots and lots of coffee.
8:00 am: Hit the road, armed with caffeine. I spend a good chunk of my day in the car. I live in San Jose and work in San Francisco, which is just over an hour each way. I entertain myself with a combination of phone calls (my family’s spread all over the place but we talk a lot. A lot a lot.), NPR, and audiobooks (just finished The Girl Who Played With Fire). I also made up a new game called Pick Your Favorite Row House on Each Block. Pretty self explanatory, pretty great if you’re easily amused like I am.
(Source)
9:30 am: Park and enjoy the walk to my office. I work in clinical research at a giant healthcare organization. Rhymes with Schmeterans Schmadministration. The campus is in a stunning part of San Francisco, with incredible views all around. Usually it’s shrouded in the infamous SF fog, but today is picture perfect.
9:30-11:30 am: Since it’s my 2nd week on the job, I’m still getting oriented. As part of my training, I check out an actigraph, a plastic watchy thing that I’ll wear on my wrist 24/7 for the next week. It measures my activity levels, and I’m wearing it to see what it’s like for the participants in the research study I’m working on. It helps us look at their sleep/wake patterns, and is also the next big trend in accessories.
11:30 am: I eat a quick lunch, head to my car, and I’m off to a meeting across town. My drive takes me through some of the most scenic parts of San Francisco, including the Presidio, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Ghirardelli Square. Getting to do things like this while I work in SF makes my long commute infinitely worth it. My meeting is right across the street from Fisherman’s Wharf. I’m a bit early, so I lose myself in the throngs of tourists for a while. I’m on a lifelong mission to replicate the Mrs. Fields cookie cake, so I buy a cookie and ponder the frosting.
12:30-5:30 pm: I attend a training on mental health assessments. You may think it sounds boring, but I love this stuff. Can’t get enough of it, really.
5:30-7:00 pm: Stuck in more traffic. This time I get to see views like this, and I pinch myself, thinking about how much I love my new life:
7:00 pm Dinner at my husband Andy’s office. He works at a ridiculously cool company where 3 meals a day are catered (like GOOD catered, not meh catered) and partners are welcome to eat there too. It’s such a luxury, at least for the few nights a week when I don’t have time or energy to think about cooking. I mean, I always have the energy to think about cooking. You know what I mean.
8:00 pm We race home and change into running clothes, and pop back out the door to get in a quick workout before it gets dark. Running is the last thing I want to do at the end of a long day, but my first half marathon is sneaking up on me, and my desire to not pass out in the middle of the Magic Kindgom gets me going. So do the signs on the street that say “No Stopping at Any Time.”
I feel super cool wearing 2 watches.
9:00 I finally sit down with husband, dog, and my beloved Macbook to check my Google Reader and other social media stuff, and here I am writing this post. Pack tomorrow’s lunch, including a red velvet whoopie pie left over from the weekend, and get ready to do it all over again.
Twitter: @LaraCasey
Yay sis in law! Love this peek into your life. So proud of all you are doing! xo
.-= Lara’s most recent blog post: Etiquette with Emily – Maid of Honor Responsibilities =-.
Twitter: @moniquescheelar
Totally jealous of the views Amy!!!
I’m really enjoying these day in the life series. Its incredible to see diffrent perspectives on general everyday life..
.-= Monique’s most recent blog post: Kitchen Table Redo =-.
Twitter: @sillylittle
Love it. I can’t wait to hear more about SF when you’ve gotten all settled!
.-= Linda’s most recent blog post: My I Dont Have Cancer Story =-.
Twitter: @cheesefiend
Completely jealous of (a) your daily scenery, and (b) the dinner perk at your husband’s office! One of the only things I miss about my old firm is the free lunch… and infinite supply of every soda flavor known to man!
.-= Kate’s most recent blog post: planny-mc-plannerton =-.
Twitter: @ladyjuliet23
I miss those views! Got spoiled getting to see them every day when I worked in SF. Enjoy the new life/schedule/job! Sounds crazy-hectic, but good!
So jealous! I love San Francisco. I wish my commute had views like yours!
.-= Amy’s most recent blog post: chick lit =-.
Twitter: @emilyj82
Looks like you’re really settling into your new surroundings! And how nice of the San Francisco fog to lift just for your Day in the Life post :)
.-= Emily’s most recent blog post: Raystown Lake =-.
Twitter: @pjfeinstein
It makes me so happy to read about how much you love your new job. Yay! Also, I am totally jealous that your husband gets 3 catered meals a day – and that you get to benefit from such a sweet perk.
.-= PJ’s most recent blog post: decorating Q- gallery wall =-.
This is fantastic! What a great series.
And I totally feel you on mental health assessments. I love them!
.-= Nicole ‘s most recent blog post: Color Choices =-.
Twitter: @lnrbailey
Amy: We too just moved to SFO CA (though I’m commuting from DC for the time being), I also work for the Schmeterans Schmadministration and am desperately trying to get transfered to the campus you speak of so that la hubs and I are not long distance married for long :) Our lives are creepily similar. But awesome!
Twitter: @duolynoted
Your new San Fran life is so great! I can’t believe your husband’s office as catered meals 3 times a day AND partners can come eat there too! What a luxery! I am glad you are enjoying your new job!
.-= Melissa’s most recent blog post: Book 15- The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger =-.
Twitter: @magmaeA
Pick Your Favorite Row House is SO my kind of game :-). I’m so happy for you that your new life is making you so happy! Now about your use of car instead of transit, says the transit planner… hahaha. ;-)
I’ll be on the lookout for the actigraph trend to hit the East Coast!