Life at DEI

Aaagh! Real life!

So far it hasn't been so bad, maybe even fun sometimes? Matt D and I are holding it down in northern VA (Jenna and Lindsey are nearby). Its been super having ChemEs nearby... Jenna was a sweetheart and took me car shopping when mine broke the second day here, and Lindsey's parents fed me an intense amount of food yesterday - thank you guys!!!! Um and I think I would've freaked out hardcore if Matt wasn't here too (he's also great about putting up with me talking at him through the cubicle wall all the time when he's actually being productive.)

So rather than try to coherently describe the first four weeks at Dominion, I've condensed it into top ten format. Anyway,

You know you work for Dominion when....

1. Everyone you work with is named Matt, Mark, or Mike. They probably went to MIT.

2. It seems like everyone you work with has a kid. If they don't, they're probably in France, Tokyo, Alabama or Houston.

3. You know better than to finish the coffee pot out of fear of what Mark will do. You are afraid to make a new pot in case you get the grounds/water ratio wrong. So you have another diet pepsi instead.

4. You've read more about nuclear power plant water chemistry than you did about P.Chem, and remember less. Which is a shame, because you had to raise your caffeine levels to sophomore-year-Heatherington levels to get through it.

5. The things that you work on have no names. Just acronyms and random number combinations. Example (real assignment): "Please write a report updating the IF for TT690 v. MA 600 with respect to PWSCC in SGs. Refer to the SOW or EPRI-1013640 if you need guidance."
Translation: Make up something/copy-paste stuff about the improvement factor for thermally treated high-chromium steel over mill-annealed low chromium steel in nuclear steam generators... specifically how much less likely it is to suffer from primary water stress corrosion cracking. Open and stare mindlessly at the scope-of-work or Electrical Power Research Institute report 1013640 if you have no idea what to do. Not like it will help.

6. Matt D's rage pales next to the hurricane of principle officer Bob flying past your cubicle. You eagerly await one of the promised Mark/Glenn showdowns and are considering inciting one yourself (something involving empty coffee pots and flaming bags of poo.)

7. You still don't know where anything in the lab is, but its okay... Aaron does. Besides it's probably moved 5 times since yesterday and is covered in red dust.

8. You're still eating leftovers from last week's BBQ every day for lunch. It basically fills the lab fridge.

9. You can't think about an Olympic sport without how it relates to training for war.

10. You hear far too much about everyone's personal lives through your cubicle wall. And then at happy hour. Thank goodness there are only 27 people (besides you) in the company to talk about.

Also, concentrated NaOH eats through glass. In case you were curious. Hope everyone's having an awesome time, or at least getting adjusted okay and all. Where are the rest of the updates?? Miss you guys!

Cheers and best regards,

Carly (: