This week we had our first snow in Boston. It was about 2-3 centimeters on the ground, but since it only took one hour to accumulate, it seemed that it was just a preview of what would come in the following months. Our car (as many here in Boston) is an all-wheel drive, and my first drive in the snow was pretty easy. I wonder what snow height will cause the systems to shut down and for people to stay home. I’ll keep you posted.

Removing the ice and snow off the car has turned out to be a challenging task. I didn’t plan ahead, and we had to deal with stubborn ice on the windshield without having a dedicated scraper and brush that everyone else seemed to have. So we used good old warm water that just froze on the windshield after a few seconds 🙄. Long story short, we now have a dedicated scraper and brush, highly recommended by north-eastern reviewers on Amazon.

My shaving brush is also adapting to the cold temperatures 🥶. I left it to dry on the bathroom window, only to find it a few minutes later completely frozen with ice picks sticking out. So I guess that from now on, I should keep it warm and cozy somewhere else. As for the question “do you use a shaving brush?!”, the answer is - yes, I do! Shaving soap and a shaving brush for the last 15 years. 

As for the cold temperatures, I notice them the most when I leave for work in the (very early) morning, usually in my hands: after a few minutes out it’s difficult to move the fingers and they hurt a bit. Whether I will ever be cold enough to wear a hat, scarf, gloves, or boots remains to be seen. In the meantime, it doesn’t bother me much, and a winter coat is all that I need.

Keeping two energetic boys occupied during the winter is quite challenging, so finding energy-consuming activities for them is a never-ending task. Maybe we’ll place a couple of giant hamster wheels in our living room 😃.

In today’s issue, we’ll discuss starting a new job. In the last three years, I found myself starting from scratch at a new place TWICE! Once in Portland and now in Boston. Both times I only knew one person before starting, and even that was very brief. So both times, I was alone, without my family, in a new apartment, and pretty much unfamiliar with anything around me. So what an excellent opportunity to share what I’ve learned!

Number 17, here we go 🏋️‍♀️

Table of contents

1. Main Article - How to Start a New Job

2. OMFS World

3. Stuff (App, Gear)

“What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn’t have any doubt - it is sure to get where it is going, and it doesn’t want to go anywhere else.” - Hal Boyle

Main Article - How to start a new job

😳 Starting a new job can be an intimidating and overwhelming experience, but with the right attitude and actionable steps, it can be a wonderful journey. Knowing what to do in the early days of a new job is key to making a great first impression, but more importantly, establishing mutual respect with your colleagues. In this article, I’ll provide tangible advice on how I put my skills to work when I start working in a new place. 

🤝 First, make relationships a top priority. The interactions that you have with your colleagues during the first few days on the job will dictate your relationships in the long run. You can always change the course of your relationship in the future, but it will become more difficult as time goes by. Generally, I prefer to do more work (and even other people’s work) in the beginning. People tend to respect you more when you do the job instead of delegating it. With time, the same people will want to help you because they will sense the camaraderie between you. Having said that, there will be individuals on the way who will take advantage of you, but that will not last long. Instead, the deep connections you’ll gain will outnumber the less positive ones.

🙋 Second, ask questions without worrying that “they will think I’m stupid”. First, other coworkers probably have the same questions in mind, but never ask them for the same “it’s a stupid question” reason. Second, asking questions at an early time is always better than asking them later on, or worse, after making a mistake that could have been prevented by simply asking. When you start a new job, you’re sometimes caught in the idea that asking questions may make you look not worthy of the job. However, over the years, I realized that people find simple and direct questions refreshing, and many times I got the answer: “hmm, that’s interesting. I never thought about it”. Just be yourself! It will make you feel vulnerable, but soon enough, people will find you accessible and a pleasure to be with.

“I haven’t made all A’s in the art of living, but I give a damn, and I’ll take an experienced C over an ignorant A any day.” - Matthew McConaughey

✋Thirdly, learn from your mistakes and take responsibility for them. When you talk about your mistakes, it shows that you’re willing to accept criticism and are capable of growing through difficult experiences. If you assume a leadership role, make a habit of assuming responsibility for your own mistakes and for the mistakes made by your subordinates. This humble attitude will allow others to feel comfortable around you and build trust since you’re all in the same boat 🚤.

🕰️ Lastly, be the first to arrive and the last to leave. I don’t mean all the time, just during the first few weeks in the new workplace. This will allow you to have one-on-one quality time with your colleagues who arrive early or leave late and do some catching up on all the new tasks that you’re too slow to deal with in the beginning. Don’t get me wrong! I’m not saying that you must work long hours to succeed! I’m a firm believer in less than 8 hours workdays whenever possible. But the added value of the extra time you put in when you start a new job will most certainly pay off in the long run.

So this is how I start a new job. I accumulated many other tips over the years, but the above four provide the best “return for investment”. They will also serve you well in your existing job. Now John Travolta will teach you how to dance:

🕺John Travolta - Teaching you how to dance

‘Pulp Fiction’ Dance Class

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