Day 1...

Set off nice and early.  Decided to catch the bus and arrive nice and relaxed, in time to pick up a new tie from tie rack.  Great plan batman, except that an old picture house caught fire last week and the main road into town is still closed.  I knew that already and thought I was prepared by taking a bus that didn't use that road.  What did Baldrick not think of here?  If the other road is closed... all of the traffic will be stuck on the road which is open instead.  Genius!  So a huge traffic jam.  Packed bus emptied as everybody got off to walk instead in the sweltering heat.  Luckily for me the driver was impatient and soon decided that red lights were not for him. 

Arrived with just enough time to nip to tie rack.  Foiled again - it had gone!  Instead picked up a new tie from a major department store for a major price.  At least it looked good.

Then the grand moment.  Walking in to the office.  First chat in the corridor with the HR head who was markedly sociable and cheerful.  Good start.  The morning involved a basic induction with the training person, a chat with the partner heading my department - he was especially friendly and seemed open - and then a grand tour to meet everybody.  Lots and lots of people, whose names I'll try to remember, honest.

The big event for the morning was joining in a big training meeting about the funding scheme used.  First hour for newer people, second hour for the pros.  Lots of info, lots of people there, and most of the presentation seemed aimed at... me.  Maybe I imagined it but the partner giving the powerpoint seemed to be looking directly at me through the whole thing.  At least it was interesting, and his dry sense of humour definitely helped.

After lunch was introduced to the firm's impressive and complicated computer system.  Scary!  I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.  Help!

The best part is everybody there is very friendly.  And they're all falling over each other to tell me how nice a place it is to work.