Started at Microsoft - Day 1

My entrepreneurial and blogging efforts are almost over since today was was first day as an employee at Microsoft. I say "almost" bcause I won't consider myself to be a "real" and "official" employee until I have a badge (SmartCard cardkey with picture), an email address, direct-deposit is set up for my paycheck, and I have attended my first meeting (other than the formal new employee orientation). Then I'll consider that all of my entrepreneurial bridges have been burned.

Tuesday is the second day of NEO (New Employee Orientation) and then I wander off to find my team.

I'll be a Software Design Engineer in Test (SDE/T), developing tests and software tools for testing in the Cellular Core team of the Mobile and Embedded Devices Product Group (MEDPG) in Redmond. That includes the low-level software that goes into smartphones and other gadgets based on Windows CE.

I'm in temp housing, a nice apartment in a complex named The Trails of Redmond, for three weeks or so until I get my first paycheck so that I can afford to pay the first month of rent and the deposit. I've checked out a dozen apartments and found a cheap studio in downtown Bellevue that is good enough for my needs and is only a 20-minute bus ride, but I remain undecided and cannot commit to a lease until that first paycheck is in the bank (May 31 or June 1).

I may eventually resume some amount of blogging in some form, but probably not for some time since I expect it will take 250% of my effort just to come up to speed and get at least slightly ahead of the curve over the next six months.

Oh, and since I'll be joining "The Evil Empire", please... pray for my soul! The world may no longer be safe with me on Microsoft's side.

-- Jack Krupansky