Sorry - I can't help it!!

But I have to give you all a big serving of the kool-aid in this post...

I just continue to be amazed at this place. Right now I'm lounging in a cafeteria on a comfy couch with my feet propped up and my free diet coke to my right as I wait for my free transportation to pick me up and take me home. This place is just too cool. I actually drove to work yesterday because I had an appointment after work - and do you know it was the first time I've done so in a month?!? I'm saving so much on gas and wear and tear to my car (even though Clay and I now share a car, we still drive so rarely that my car battery literally died on me when I left my phone plugged in!) and as a kicker I don't have to deal with traffic and I get an extra hour back in my day in which I can work, read, nap, or surf the net.... and I don't even have to go home - you can take any of their buses so I've even taken a different one to another part of the city after work for appointments or dinner or whatever - I just love it! In fact I'm enjoying it so much it is quickly gaining on the FREE medical coverage as my favorite benefit....

So back to the couch I'm sitting on... the culture and work environment never ceases to amaze and amuse me. I'm reminded each day as I walk past (or sit in) cozy little conversation/work areas scattered throughout each building how laid back it is here, what a collaborative and inviting atmosphere they create. Do you know there are literally ping pong tables and fussball tables scattered in most buildings too? And people actually use them! What a great way to step away from the code bug you're stuck on to take a breather before you tackle it again or to run your problem by a coworker. I also love that everyone is welcome in every building on campus - even the high tech research building or the executive center - how cool is that? At shaftrust I couldn't even get into non-HR floors or suites in my very own building!

Ok so my last bit of praise before I lose you all to a sweet tooth toothache is my beloved zune... I know I've raved about it before, but they just made an announcement today that makes it even cooler: not only did they add 2 more free games to download, but they upgraded the "zune pass". The zune pass is a monthly subscription that allows you to download as many songs as you want - the only catch being that once you end your subscription, you lose rights to those songs (so basically you're just renting the songs with the pass). Cool, right? Well now not only do you get to rent as many as you want, but you get 10 songs per month that you can keep now!! Very cool considering the monthly fee is $14 so it's kinda like you pay for one album and get to rent as many as you want for free!! I'm stoked :) I'm not sure if you have to have a zune in order to use the software and the social, but there is a free 14 day trial if you want to check it out - I highly recommend it! You can also look at me and see what I've been listening to, fave songs, most played artists, etc - my tag is erikaleighc.

Ok I guess I'll let you all go now - it's probably time for a cult meeting soon anyways ;)

Love and miss you all,
e :)