I'm feeling lucky...

Googling....officially.

2007-05-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

We had the official opening of our new office in Ann Arbor this morning, and for once in my life…I am speechless.

This morning, we listened to people like Governor Jennifer Granholm and David Fisher, the Vice President of Online Sales and Operations here at Google, speak about Google coming to Ann Arbor. We watched a video highlighting where the Ann Arbor office has been and where it is now, and I then realized that nothing that I can put into words could really describe life at Google.

The new office has everything that anyone could want in a workplace, and more. The Wii, a massage room, and every snack you can imagine…

Beyond the physical perks, my co-workers are welcoming, funny and smart people that are a pleasure to be around all day. I feel like I can be my loud, outgoing, jokester self around my co-workers without feeling silly, and that makes me comfortable and happy, ultimately making it easier do my job to the best of my ability. A memorable quote from today’s presentations was that Googlers are able to take their job seriously while not taking themselves too seriously – and I love that.

When it comes down to it, I really could not be any happier with my current situation. The opportunities as an Ann Arbor Googler are seemingly endless – and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be a part of the growth of the office. It has been pleasure writing about my experiences to date, from the hiring process to the office outings. I encourage everyone that I’ve had the ability to reach through this blog to check out the current job openings in the Ann Arbor office as well as other information about Google and working as a Googler. And, as always, please feel free to email me anytime in the future at sjduchaine.blog@gmail.com with any questions or thoughts that you have.

Again, it’s been a pleasure…and thanks for reading!

Go Team!

2007-05-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

It’s softball season ... and the Ann Arbor Googlers (or A2ooglers) have assembled a softball team set to take on other companies around the area. It’s to everyone’s benefit that I don’t play, but I’ve been known to talk loud and often, which makes me the perfect cheerleader. I stocked up on the necessities: sunflower seeds, peanut M&Ms (shocking), and bubble gum -- and I was ready for opening day at the softball diamond. Thankfully, it was a nice day; and I spent the day hoping it stayed that way.

It did stay that way, and after work I set out with one of my co-workers to cheer our team onto victory.

The umpire was a little crabby, and the other team may or may not have been considerably better than we were, but it was a great time. Cheers were tailored to the individual player ("train that ball like you train the phone team!") and the pictures are priceless. We may not have gotten the 'W,' but we're prepared to step it up next time.

It’s been easy for me to bridge the gap between my social and professional life at Google. I’ve found that it can be a bit difficult to meet new people when you enter the working world, so it’s nice that I can relate to my co-workers. It also makes it easier that we're a rapidly growing office, and there are continuous new people starting - so there is never a shortage of people to meet.

Even if, say, you're not the greatest athlete, activities around the office are fun, lighthearted, and easy to participate in while bringing whatever you want to bring to the table (i.e. my screaming-for-the-team voice instead of my cleats).

Directions to...anywhere!

2007-05-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

This will be my first summer that Monday through Friday still constitutes a work week, and laying by the pool every day in a spoiled fashion is no longer an option.

Either way, I’ll still be trying to do some traveling – and what better companion to have than…you guessed it…Google Maps?

My favorite thing about Google products is the combination of functionality and personality. Check out these directions from New York to Dublin, provided by Google Maps. Notice anything (hint: check out number 24)?

Google Maps is now also available for your mobile device, which is great for people like me who need a little bit of extra help with driving directions. I’m getting better, but sometimes it’s still a little pathetic.

Potato Bug Confusion

2007-04-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

As the weather is (gradually) getting nicer (knock on wood), I've made the decision to try to get in shape. Our fabulous HR specialist has put together something that we're calling the 'Fitness Challenge,' which is striving to motivate our office to start exercising and eating healthy. The office is wearing pedometers to help measure which of our teams is getting up and out the most.

I have to admit, I've really been slacking. So, because the gym is not really my thing, and because my team is probably starting to get a little bit irritated, I've decided to try and play more tennis. The eating healthy thing? I'm still working on it.

So far, I'm not so bad when the rules are as follows:

*2 bounces are acceptable
*Anything that would be 'in' when playing doubles counts
*Real serves are unnecessary

I bet my parents, both of whom are amazing at tennis, would be really proud of me.

On a completely different note, I just found out that the type of bug that I have called a 'potato bug' my entire life is actually something completely different than an actual potato bug. A 'rollie pollie' is not a potato bug, but rather a sow bug or 'pill bug,' and the real potato bug looks more like a giant, disgusting fire ant. There are three things that I am terrified of – bugs, ET (the extra-terrestrial) and seaweed. I can deal with fake potato bugs, but the real thing looks like a monster.

Wii Love the Wii

2007-04-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

I just called a car place to make an appointment to get a tune up. I felt like it was a simple enough task – until the guy asked me why I thought my car need a tune up…I wonder what gave him the idea that I wouldn’t know. Imagine how smart I felt when my answer came out, ‘uh…it sounds funny?’

I’m going to need to bring one of my guy friends with me to that appointment.

Another thing that I’m not too good with? Video games. Halo? Madden? Forget about it. My nine year old brother puts me to shame in video game competitions. Except Mario Kart – I race a mean Peach.

In the Google office, Wii have a great time with video games.

Ha-ha, get it? Wii have a great time? Yeah, I’m original.

It’s true, we have a new toy to play with should we need a break from our work – a Nintendo Wii. It’s really entertaining, both to play and to watch. Bowling seems to be the office favorite…we keep track of scores on a nearby whiteboard. I was extremely proud of myself when I broke 200, given the fact that I legitimately bowled a 22 once in high school.

I’ve made myself sound like a real winner in this post. So I don’t bowl. Or know anything about cars. But I AM amazing at Mario Kart. Try me.

Google = Life

2007-04-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Can I just say…I love these new themes for my personalized Google homepage. I have the ‘Tea House’ theme, featuring the cutest little dog/fox thing as he goes about his day with his friends. The ‘Tea House’ theme changes in accordance with your time zone. Love it. And the little fox thing is almost as cute as Fifi.

Sure, sure, I may be a little biased, but I love all of Google’s ‘extras.’ Along with homepage themes, a limited test of ‘GOOG-411 ’ was just announced. Lost? Need a phone number or address? You can now call 1-800-GOOG-411 for free local business information from Google Maps. Or, if you’re like me and text more than you call, you can use Google SMS.

Call it laziness, but I’m telling you – it was a great decision for me to get unlimited texts per month instead of paying per message. With Google SMS, you can text search queries to 466453, and you’ll receive a text back from Google with the best information we could find – from airline times to foreign language translations. Interested? Click here for more information and sample queries.

My cubemate brought her dog in yesterday – adorable. The longer that I work at Google, the more my life feels almost surreal. I worked hard to get where I am, but I feel like I was given an opportunity that can’t be matched. Dogs hanging around the office, free food, massage chairs, and the best office atmosphere of all time…

Brrr!

2007-04-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought that the worst was over…

I’ve lived in the lovely state of Michigan for almost five years now. So am I surprised when half of the week is 70 degrees and beautiful, and the other half is 20 degrees and snowing? Not so much.

I always find it humorous when Midwesterners hear that I am from Seattle, and make fun of the Northwest's weather. ‘Doesn’t it rain, like, everyday there?’ Yeah, yeah, we get a lot of rain (even though this Friday, the Seattle area is supposed to be 78 degrees!!). But at least we know what to expect.

I couldn’t even offer a similar statement to a native Michigander. ‘Hey, don’t you guys get snow/sleet/rain/sun/fog/ice storms a lot? Like, in June?’

I was so NOT used to this kind of weather for the first two years that I lived here. I wore flip flops in February and I don't think I owned a real winter coat until junior year in college. I almost wore flip flops today, actually, but it was 25 degrees this morning. I've learned. I'm wearing my Uggs.

Even if you're not a cold weather person at heart, after you finally get the hint and buy a jacket, scarves, gloves, a face mask, snow boots, a hat with the little ball on top, an ice scraper, fleece blankets, and so on, you begin to realize that the Michigan weather isn't so bad. Now, I've just got to convince the Californians in the office of that. Don't worry, friends! April (snow) showers bring May (still icy and dead) flowers!

And, Google has just come out with themes that you can add to your Google homepage - that actually change based on the time of day and the weather in your zip code. Follow the weather, sun, rain, or whatever - anywhere you are.
The point of my post this week's bitter post is to address the fact that #1) it’s snowing outside, and it’s April and #2) I am writing this post watching the snow from a massage chair in the Google office.

I may not love the weather, but I sure do love my job.

An Apple/Pickle a Day...

2007-03-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch.’

So not true.

There is such thing as a free lunch -- and it’s delicious. I’ve blogged about Google’s food before, and it's high time to mention it again. Mainly because I love eating. And, I am eating right now.

Recently I realized that I'm addicted to a 'menu' of dried cranberries, red radishes and deli style pickles. (The weirdest of the three is apparently radishes -- I have yet to find someone who enjoys a good radish as much as I do. Not counting my immediate family. Naturally, I had to get my weird snack cravings somewhere.)

Meanwhile, I’ve had to cut back on a few of the other treats that are readily available to me, such as Peanut M&Ms. I’ve also eaten so many Raisinettes since I started working here, if I don’t stop I might turn into one.

a seriously good time

2007-03-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

To motivate Googlers, the company takes a less than traditional route – which I found out at the sales conference that I attended over the weekend.

We began the day with a gorgeous breakfast, and were then able to hear some of the most influential Google execs speak. After squeezing in a phone shift and having a delicious lunch, I heard about our future plans, products and services.

And then, later that evening, came the karaoke.

We hyped each other up, had a drink, squeezed into our spandex and had one final practice. Decked out in 80s gear, we waited for our grand entrance between a Google rendition of 'I got you babe ('I got YouTube')' and 'YMCA (APLA – done by the Asia Pacific and Latin America team).' It was, in fact, a show to remember. We had four singers and four dancers, each of us in total 80s character as we belted and danced to 'Tainted Love' to the best of our ability.

I mean, I don't want to brag or anything...but the Ann Arbor crew can really break it down.

Gotta Sleep it Off...

2007-03-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Well, even though I haven't been sick for a while, I couldn’t avoid getting sick this week. I’d forgotten how much it sucks. Maybe I should pay more attention to what the Google doctor says...

I hope that I recover by the sales conference -- and my karaoke debut! We’ve had a couple of practices so far, and they’ve been hilariously entertaining. It’s awesome to get to know your coworkers in a lighthearted environment where we’re together just for the fun of it. It should be even more interesting when we’re all crimping our hair and putting on our 80s gear.

I’ve recently been able to spend more and more time outside of work with my coworkers. It’s a young office, and everyone is upbeat and eager to not only work hard and get the office to the "next level," but also to have fun. It’s nice to have the professional and social parts of life blended just enough so that you think of your coworkers as friends. Because of this, we can not only enjoy each other’s company outside of work, but also work more productively together while in the office.

I <3 the Internet

2007-03-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

I don’t know what it is about my computer, but I am straight up addicted to it. Regardless of the fact that I am on it all day, the first thing that I do when I get home from work is turn it back on.

I’m sure it’s the same with a lot of people who work at Google, which makes a lot of sense. I can’t see being happy at a company like Google if I hated computers and/or the Internet. On top of that, my colleagues and I take our jobs and our relationships with advertisers very seriously – so it’s a job that goes beyond the standard ‘9 to 5’ hours.

Of course, my computer addiction is not completely work-related. I can’t say that I don’t love chatting and emailing with friends, and I really can’t say that I never drool over/shop online for my other major addiction – shoes. Online shoe shopping may very well be the death of me (and my paycheck). Even when I have nothing to shop for, or I am chatted out for the day, I can always occupy myself online by checking the weather or reading up on the newest celebrity gossip.

I knew that I had an attachment to my laptop, but I realized the severity of the issue on Monday, when I was in the middle of my day off, and my internet died. I panicked. I tried everything to reconnect, with no luck. I finally tried closing the laptop and taking a break from the restarts and internet setup troubleshooting – but I just kept staring at it. And opening it back up every 10 minutes to see if anything had changed. It hadn’t.

Not only did I realize the severity of the addiction, but I also grew to appreciate our technical team at Google even more than I already do. Internet goes down? Computer problems? They’re on it. I am relatively computer savvy, however for some things, like the ambiguous death of an internet connection, you may as well give the computer to my cat Fiona and ask her to handle it.

Addicted to Red Bull

2007-02-28T14:05:00.000-08:00

My sister sent me a package the other day, just because. She’s a freshman in college, going to school on the west coast. She, like the rest of my family, are much too far away...it’s weird to be done with college, in a new routine, and all of the sudden realize that you have this life somewhere completely different than the place you grew up and swore you’d stay forever.

This week, I started dedicated optimization training. Essentially what this means is that soon, I will be qualified to optimize AdWords accounts to help them reach their full potential. Depending on what the advertiser's goals are, this could mean anything from improving the client's ROI to simply driving more people to their website. The training that we're in now is to help ensure that my training class will be ready, starting Monday, to take on a more dedicated role working with developing one-on-one relationships with clients. To prepare, we’re in training from 9 to 6 every day this week. We're the first class to go through this training program in Ann Arbor, so it's exciting and new. So much to learn, so little time...

This year is going so incredibly fast--my start date in early October seems like it was last week, and already I've experienced so much. The AdWords program, the Mountain View office, the company ski trip...and in two weeks, we’re going back to San Francisco for a sales conference. To be honest, I really don’t know what the schedule is or what will be happening there, but I do know one thing: I am going to be performing an 80s song (which is being kept a secret until the date of the show) with 7 of my coworkers in front of potentially thousands of Googlers. What was I thinking when I decided to head up the performance planning, you ask? No one knows. But we’ve begun the choreography, and it’s looking like it may be a show to remember.

Soon after we get back, we'll be moving into...our new office! It’s in the same general downtown area that we're located now, but it will be bigger and have even more of the Google perks that we’ve come to know, love, and appreciate. And we're getting a gym AKA now I have absolutely no excuse for being lazy and ditching the gym.

OOC in A2

2007-02-21T13:56:00.000-08:00

Omg.

I’ve become one of "those" people. You know the ones – the people who abbreviate everything, sometimes incomprehensibly.

At Google, we use an internal version of Google Talk to quickly reach each other across the company. Because we many times have to get in touch with someone quickly and concisely (for example, when an advertiser is on hold), I’ve learned to love abbreviations.

It started out innocently enough, using well-known AdWords abbreviations such as CID (customer identification number) or CPC (cost-per-click) in everyday language at the office. Pretty standard, especially since those around me were doing the same thing.

And then it got a bit more complicated. I soon learned that "you there?" was "yt?" and "no problem" became "np." Before I knew it, entire chat sessions were in abbrevs...er, abbreviations. What you're about to read is a dramatization, though shockingly close to reality.

me: hey BH, yt
(hi bryan, are you by your computer?)

bryan: y w/u
(yeah, i am. what’s up?)

me: #1, went 2 the mall ystrdy & tots spent too much $$$
(nothing really, i went to the mall yesterday, and now i can’t pay my rent)

bryan: omg me 2. got amaz stuff
(i did that too. what’d you get?)

bryan: btw, i am dehydes, prob b/c of 5 cups of coffee/day
(by the way, i think that i am severely dehydrated from all of the coffee that i’ve been drinking today)

me: ya it was ridic. and obvi coffee = amaz
(hmm, let’s see - i got this great pair of boots that i adore. and yes, thank goodness for coffee!)

me: #2 can u ping the CID from the adv. with the Qs on his CPC/DB?
(do you have a minute to send me (via IM) that customer ID number from the advertiser we both spoke with earlier? the one who had questions about his daily budget and cost-per-click?)

bryan: def, i can grab it immeds. brb k
(sure. let me go ahead and grab that now, one second)

me: k, asap would be gr8, thx
(that would be wonderful)

bryan: 123-456-789
(987-654-321)

me: perf, thx. ugh, this day is OOC*
(perfect, thanks so much! ugh, i am so tired today. this day is crazy.)

bryan: i know. tots OOC. but, abbrevs = awes/perf for us
(i know, so busy. good thing we use these abbreviations in chat to cut down on chat time!)

me: obvi. gtg herz, ttys. thx again
(so true. all right, i am going to call this advertiser back. thanks again for the info!)

bryan: np, ttyl
(no problem at all, anytime. talk to you later!)

*OOC = out of control

See? I tots have a prob. Okay, I suppose that it's not a death wish, and it gets the job done in a fast-paced office. That being said, I have no excuse for using abbrevs IRL.

(Side note: I know there are a lot of questions that people may have about Google moving to Ann Arbor, the Ann Arbor office, or Google in general. If there is something specific that you'd like me to blog about, I am always open to ideas! Please feel free to email me at sjduchaine.blog@gmail.com anytime.)

Squaw Valley!

2007-02-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! As promised, I am absolutely exhausted from last week's festivities, which included wandering around San Francisco, working in our Mountain View office, and finally trying my hand at downhill skiing.

We got to the Resort at Squaw Creek around 1:30 in the afternoon. Because Google had rented out the entire resort, we were surrounded by people from all different Google offices, from Phoenix to The Dalles (Oregon). I was a little nauseous my entire cable car ride up the mountain, thinking about the upcoming situation that could potentially involve me breaking my face/leg/body. Sure, I’d been on skis before, but only on flat ground, or hills with groomed tracks.

After skiing numerous beginner hills with some VERY patient coworkers, I was convinced to try the 3.2 mile intermediate run. I was extremely proud of my ability to handle myself until about halfway through my first intermediate skiing experience.

And then it turned ugly.

I persuaded my coworkers to go ahead down the ridiculous ‘hill’ that lay before us, promising them that I’d be fine and would soon join them at the small landing at the bottom. Twenty minutes later, still at the top and starting to get stressed, I knew that something needed to be done. So, amongst the veteran snowboarders and skiers flying by me on either side, I did the only thing that I could do: laid down and embraced the fact that I was fully clothed in nylon, lifted my skis off of the ground, and slid the 80 yards down to where my coworkers were waiting.

After my little 80 yard sliding adventure, I somehow made it down the rest of the mountain alive. How, I’m not quite sure. I’m glad I did, though, because that night was definitely memorable.

There was a party for everyone that had come to the ski trip, with themed rooms, food, drinks and photo booths. In one room, the 80s cover band Tainted Love played, and they were amazing. It made the party even more fun to be able to be surrounded by everyone from the managers to the newest employees, everyone enjoying the atmosphere, the music, and the company of those around them.

I didn't know what to expect when I entered the work force, but I know that working at Google has far exceeded any expectations that I had.

By the way, this snow is out of control. Snow angels, anyone?

I've been to the 'mothership.'

2007-02-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

I slept with the window open last night, and I left my jacket in my hotel room on my way to work today. Impossible in Ann Arbor (I hear it was -25 degrees with the wind chill this week…brrr!), but not an issue in Mountain View, California -- the home of the Googleplex.

I spent the day today working in Google’s headquarters, which was both eventful and intriguing. I started the day with an amazing breakfast of French toast, eggs and bacon, which made me feel a little better about my 7AM phone shift. Part of my current responsibilities as an AdWords Coordinator include spending two to four hours a day, five days a week on a phone shift. While on the phones, I speak with advertisers to give them information about the AdWords program or help troubleshoot any issues they may be experiencing.

After the phone shift ended, I had the opportunity to shadow numerous teams within the AdWords department, from the account optimizers (who work to enhance the performance of AdWords accounts) to the dedicated sales reps. It was interesting being in Mountain View, because there are actually separate teams for chat support, phone support, account optimization, etc. In Ann Arbor, we're kind of smushing all of the teams together, which I love. I am really enjoying learning about the different aspects of the AdWords program, ranging from communication with the advertiser (via chat, phone and email) to things such as Google Analytics, which is a program that allows anyone, for free, to track a user's behavior in relationship to their website.

In Mountain View, I had sushi for lunch, which I chose from one of the eleven cafes on campus. Rough life, huh? Decisions, decisions…

We leave for Squaw Valley tomorrow morning for the annual Google ski trip. I have no idea what to expect, but I am so excited! Given the fact that I have never been downhill skiing, I am a little nervous to try - but I grew up cross country skiing with my family, so I am hoping that will give me at least a little bit of courage. Not to mention the fact that the skiing/everything are free of charge for us Googlers at one of the most beautiful ski resorts in the nation (that once hosted the Olympics).

Regardless of if I ever make the slopes, I am having a great time with my coworkers. I think a lot of us are in the same boat, not really knowing what to expect but loving every minute of it. That in itself brings us all closer together, and I've found myself making some really great friends here. I know after the week that we're all having, we are going to return to Ann Arbor on Friday absolutely exhausted.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Googleplex. The perks are amazing and the atmosphere is fun and exciting, but I really love the intimacy and the opportunity of the Ann Arbor office. The benefits are amazing wherever you're located, however being a part of a start-up office for the #1 company to work for in America is an environment, at least for me, that can’t be beat. And when it comes to the perks, we may not have the size of the Mountain View office, but we’re taken care of in every way possible. Breakfast (I eat way too many bagels, plain + plain cream cheese, please!) and lunch are provided each day (one of my personal favorite perks), along with any snack you could possibly want. To balance it all out, we are able to expense our gym membership. The office is full of colorful balls and rugs, and I love cuddling up with one of our fleece blankets should I ever get cold. Tired in the AM? Grab a cup of coffee. Need to destress in the afternoon? How about some chamomile tea?

Stay turned for the details of the ski trip...I have a feeling they will be pretty crazy.

I'm a Wolverine...and a Googler....does that make me a Woogler?

2007-02-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

Halfway through your college years, you may begin to notice that you’re somewhat used to a certain routine. Whether it’s the study habits you’ve acquired, the friends you’ve made, or the familiarity you’ve developed with your environment, it starts to feel normal to return to your routine after every break or vacation. And then…you graduate.

The day I finished my last class, I was in tears. I was happy, sad, confused, and overwhelmed. I had successfully completed 17 years of schooling, something I had grown to accept (and do I dare to say it…love) as a huge part of my life. And then, there I was, with no more classes, no more exams, no more essays to write…and no job. I'd chosen a Psychology major because I loved working with people, and I loved learning about the 'what, why, and how' of human thought, behavior, and interaction...but it was hard to make a decision in regards to what field I would be the happiest working in. I'd thought about advertising, but I didn't know where to start, and I didn't take many business classes while at UM. I'd thought about therapy or counseling, which overwhelmed me. Honestly, I think I thought of everything and seemed to come up with nothing.

For a good couple of months, I tried to figure out what it was that I wanted to do with my life--where I wanted to go, what I wanted to be. My heart sank a little deeper in my chest each time that I thought about each of my friends who were still living life as undergrads, already employed, or working away as a grad school/future grad school student. I went home to visit my family and friends in Seattle for a while and took on a couple of small jobs. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with the people that I loved, but I had never felt more lost. I knew that I wanted to work with people to solve problems and make their lives easier. I knew that I wanted to be part of a hard working team, and the whole ‘office job’ intrigued me since I’ve been known to be connected at the hip/USB drive with my computer.

When my mom told me that she’d heard Google would be setting up shop in Ann Arbor, I went a little crazy. I hightailed it to the computer, submitted my resume, and proceeded to learn everything that I could about Google AdWords (the product team Google was hiring for in Ann Arbor). To my surprise, shortly after I submitted my resume, I got a voicemail from a recruiter in California. This call was the beginning of a lengthy application process.

My interview days began with a series of phone screens, intermingled with worksheets and writing samples. Over the next month, I completed one step and was forced to patiently wait to see if I had made it to the next. Finally, almost two months after I had initially sent in my resume, I had an actual face-to-face interview. Well, face to face times five. Essentially how the process went for me was that for a period of a couple hours, you have an interview room designated as your own. The Googlers then rotate every 30 minutes, with new questions, new personalities, new atmospheres. It's exhausting and challenging, but also insightful and entertaining. I walked out of the building feeling as though somehow, the last four hours had given me a great lesson in dealing with any future professional situations that I was faced with.

Some time later, I got a conclusion to the longest five months of my life--a job offer from Google to be an AdWords Coordinator. I was thrilled--I was going to be able to work in advertising, on a hard working team, in communication with people from all over the world through email, chat, and telephone. Somehow, even though I couldn't even describe the position that would fit me perfectly, I'd found it. I could barely believe that a company that I admired and respected (and used to search everything, 24/7) was giving me the opportunity to become a part of their team. I took a breath and was reassured that my hard work at Michigan paid off.

I’m still in that adjustment phase--relatively new to the full-time job world and trying to find my niche--but I’m getting there. More than ever, I love my computer, and I love my coffee. (Black, no sugar.) Above all else, I love my job. I feel so thankful to have gotten a job here at all, especially right out of college. There is never a dull moment, and the days are flying by…especially yesterday, which was 'wear your school colors' day. As if I will EVER object to wearing a sweatshirt to work? I don't think so. Yes, I was that girl who wore sweatpants to class everyday. One of my favorite of Google's philosophies is, naturally, "you can be serious without a suit."
I'm really excited to start blogging and about the opportunity to give a little bit of an inside view on the daily life of a 'Googler.'

More to come...