First Impressions

I have cable, internet, I'm trying out the gym tomorrow on a guest pass (I'll probably like it), and I found a church. I've found a favorite grocery store, a Trader Joes, and a Target. The basics have been met!

My current job is split between two hospitals. I've already pissed off the boss at one by not being aware of an appointment and throwing the entire afternoon schedule off. I've resurrected my palm pilot and plan to pop in all the appointments starting tomorrow.

I've oriented to 2 separate hospitals in their outpatient, inpatient, and radiology areas. I picked up my caseload on the second day (pretty average for me) and I've asked relative questions. My co-workers are nice, but assume that I remember all my outpatient medicare/medicaid guidelines and I feel a little lousy reminding them that it's been 2 years since I had to keep up with all that. In Macon I had 3 outpatients to follow, and no outpatient evals due to the idea that they didn't want to build a caseload for a temporary person. I've eval'd and picked up 4 people this week alone and I'm not sure what they will do with the caseload I'm building- when I suggested limiting the evals I was told that that's what I'm there for. I'm not sure they've thought this out, but they are paying good money for me so I hear and obey. I'll do right by the patients I pick up and set 3 month goals so that there's measurable progress.

Beverly is a smallish town. I did find the water (finally) and have a great little walkway by a beach to explore. I drove by today- it was very windy and I did not dress appropriately for "blustery" weather. I'll be working for the next 12 days (1/2 day for both fridays and the weekend-- stupid paycheck cut off stuff prevents me from just taking a full day off). I plan on hitting the gym, doing some town exploring, and planning my roadtrip for March 22 (my next free weekend).

First impression? It's going to be a long 13 weeks. There's not a "group" at work. One girl is only there 2 days and we'll only overlap one half a day. The other girl is young, but nice, but has her own group I'm sure. We'll see what gym provides, but it's usually hard to find friends there too. There's some small colleges in the area, so the population of young folk runs about early 20s- and I'm a decade older. The neighbors are old and retired or young with kids. I think this will be my last trip to the north-- I think it's time to head west next. Baltimore was something special with such good friends-- and my friends down south from school are something special as well. How lucky I am to have found two such good groups of friends in one life. How lucky I am that they put up with my homesick phone calls! :-) I'll find friends here too- or strain a muscle trying!

Pictures will come. There's a graveyard across the way that is begging for some pictures to be take (though I was rather hoping for a nice dusting of snow before going for that one). There's the water. I'll find other stuff. Wish me luck!