MY SECOND DAY AT BOWNE:

Today was better, and tomorrow will be even better than today.

I think I'm starting to acquire the barest understanding of this whole macro-running job. It took lots of practice, and lots of questions, and lots of screw-ups, but I think I'm starting to come around.

"Pete" dropped by today. He's the project manager, and an all-around nice guy. When I told him that working at the techpool was much better than I expected--that I was expecting a dozen techies to be crammed shoulder-to-shoulder, while some guy in a Viking helmet stood above us pounding on a drum--he said, "Phil, you're insane." What a great compliment. I think I'm going to get along with everyone just great.

On the downside, XB asked LD to teach me how to run tool files. I don't know if LD is the infamous "headwound girl" I've been warned about, but clearly, she is a candidate to be headwound girl. She is easily the scariest woman I've ever been in close proximity to. Frazzled hair, wild darting eyes, and an excitable demeanor that makes an over-caffeinetted chinuahua look like a giant sea turtle washed ashore. She seemed more interested in snapping at me whenever I asked a question than in actually explaining how things work. Not that explaining things to me would have helped anyway, but you get the point.