Engage.

As I alluded to in my last post, I've changed my 'regular' job. I say 'regular' job because it is my where the majority of my earnings come from and what I trained for in college. I really have two jobs - the one that I go to during the week and teaching canoe building on the weekend. Basically, I am a mechanical engineer and would be known in the trade as a packaging engineer. For the past 14 years, I was specifying, designing and overseeing the manufacturing of opto-mechanical/electro-optical systems. I must say it was a very interesting job and I am very grateful to my previous employer for the opportunities that I've had to do interesting things. There was never a dull moment. However, I was outgrowing the job that I was doing and it was time for me to move on.

I finished up the period of notice at my previous employer on Tuesday and immediately started my new job on Wednesday.

At my new job, I am still working as a packaging engineer, but I'm not packaging optical systems anymore. I can't really explain it in detail, but suffice it to say that it's a lot more technical than my last job and a lot more intense in some regards. I don't know if you are old enough to recall the old Memorex tape ad at the top of this post, but it is a good analogy to starting a new job like the one I've begun. Suffice it to say that I'm the guy in the chair and the job is coming out of the speaker.

As anyone who starts a new job, I have lots to learn, but believe that I also have lots to offer my new employer. I'm well versed with the tools that I will be using to do my job. (Even though I am still waiting for some of the tools that I need and trying to decide which tools will help me do my job better and faster...) I have actually already started the re-design of an existing product, which amazes me a bit, but the only way to get good at what you are doing is to do it. My greatest satisfaction is that I can actually see my progress in only two days on the new job!