Hobnobbin' with Fancy Folk

Today the other Risk Analysts (hereafter known as RAs) who will be in the California office departed to head back west and complete their training over there**.  As a celebration of being half way done with our program and as a farewell to the California folk, the company took us and all of the people who helped to train us (and important higher-ups who happened to be visiting the office) on a yacht ride around New York Harbor.

**I am still staying in New Jersey for another three weeks. As I think I said in my first post, my job description is different than those who are heading back to Cali now and it makes more sense to finish my training with the Hoboken folk.

The night started out with one drink ticket included in the price of our cruise. The program then bought us another drink...

Another RA, Hailey, and I drinking while waiting to leave the harbor

...then one of the most senior people I've met in the company opened a tab and the rest was on him. For everyone. For the whole night. New life goal is to make money like that. Now, older family members, don't worry, I know how to drink in a professional setting. I wouldn't jeopardize a good first impression with crazy influential people by taking advantage of free booze. I did, however, network like it was my job! Before long I was having conversations about how and where I could/should advance within the company and towards the end of the night I had heard the back story behind the guy buying the drinks directly from the guy buying the drinks. In a 2-on-1 setting. HOW COOL IS THAT! He was the first client and then worked for the company on and off for its entire history. He is really excited about where the whole industry is going and believes the new software/platform we'll be releasing early next year will transform how this insurance pricing game is played. I'm gonna take his word on that, he is obviously doing something right if he can buy drinks all night and not worry. While I was chatting it up with him I saw the other RAs mostly keeping to themselves and a few getting a bit tipsy. Not to toot my own horn, but I championed that opportunity. TOOT TOOT!

In addition to taking life by the horns we had a pretty cool view of Manhattan all evening/night. 

Pinch me. 

yeah what's up Lady Liberty?!

I'm on a boat

New Jersey to the left, Manhattan in the middle, Brooklyn on the right

Brooklyn Bridge. AAAAAAAAHHHHH! (name that movie)

Manhattan Bridge

So this was a panoramic shot and I couldn't lighten it without it getting weird. But that's just the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan. No big deal or anything. 

JUST HANGING OUT WITH MY BFF LADY LIBERTY

When I saw this on my camera I thought it turned out a lot crisper than it actually did. Still awesome picture of the city lights at night. 

The trip was awesome and I obviously had an amazing time. Another fun part of the night: when the boat got close to the Statue of Liberty they started playing all these America themed songs. I am embarrassed to admit it took me a couple of songs to realize they were doing it on purpose. 

Each time we do something cool like this I need to be reality checked. I can't believe I landed such a sweet job as my first out of school. If I ever take this for granted please feel free to slap me. For now, I'll thank my lucky stars I am here. 

On a related note, I had a weird epiphany this past Wednesday. Back at school different organizations or campus things would try to get you to come to an event with the promise of "free food". I would never see the food as "free". I paid up the butt to go to that school and they were more than compensated to give me the occasional meal that I had paid for in one way or another. Similarly, every Wednesday the company buys lunch for the entire office. But what's different is that I am not paying for this meal in some round about way. In fact, they're paying me to be there and eat the food they've provided. I've never had that happen before. Then it dawned on me; yes I am paying them with my time, but it feels different. I don't feel cheated. I actually want to be there and the free food isn't something to placate me until I go home and blow off whatever steam has built up over the course of the day. The free food is just making a happy Hanna even happier. It's a pretty cool feeling. I don't mean to brag, sorry if it comes off that way, but this is just such a weird/good thing I've realized. 

This weekend has been pretty low key. Today I walked around Hoboken a bit and then took the walkway along the river back to my hotel instead of the train. I found a small patch of sandy/gravel area (not butting up against the river, that would be gross) near my hotel so I went back and got my swim suit and laid out in the sun for a bit. Been feeling a bit pale with my new office dweller life. Who knows what I'll be up to tomorrow!