Part of the reason I'm in Northern California is the weather. I'm told it's fall all year around, and after our last winter in NJ I wasn't hesitant to give up having local snow. The other reason is that I'm looking for change. I'm too inexperienced to say that I'm going to stay anywhere forever; if I didn't leave NJ now, having graduated and not settled down, I'd likely be living in NJ for the remainder of my days.
I'm actually not looking to finish my career in a Biotech IT department. In the future, I'd like to be working on research and development for a company developing tools used with Genetics or computing, to really flex my Engineering background. I'd like to be working on nanotechnology, biocomputing, or something similar. NJ is a good place for Pharm/Biotech manufacturing and drug development.
Craig's List is a good tip that I haven't checked previously. In fact, there was... alot of variety in the listings, and I'm a little bit intimidated. There was even a section for job searches...
I have a list of 130 companies that I compiled from Biospace.org and Bio.org that are located relatively nearby and with even remote related interests. Unfortunately, it misses the really small companies that may provide a good opportunity for me. I haven't gotten any replies while submitting my resume electronically from NJ (although they've been more than polite when I call them on the phone the week after), but I'm hoping that once I have an address in California they'll take me more seriously. A book, 'What color's your parachute?' even goes on to suggest knocking on their doors so they can't discard you as easily.
This morning I dropped off my last friend at SFO (S.F. Airport). I took the San Mateo Br. (Rt. 92) to 101. There was a little bit of traffic getting on the bridge, maybe 5 miles of 20mph traffic, and then clear (but certainly dense) sailing the rest of the way. We arrived at SFO at 9:15 A, almost 2 hours earlier than his flight. I have a theory, though. I think people around here drive closer to me. First, I think because there's no snow or whatnot, people are more comfortable tailgating (does the 1-car-length-per-10-mph tailgating law from NJ still apply here? I need a DMV manual...) out here. Second, I saw a HummerH2 on the road today; I think
the lanes are narrower on the highway out here compared to NJ! Having a person up your butt and two squeezing you on either side can give anyone the sensation of 'wild road rage and terrible traffic'. It's just a theory, though.
I especially appreciate the advice about people. I hope to have the opportunity to see just how 'local' the people around here are. So I'm making this list of things to do:
Meet people.
Oil change (3000 mi across the country puts me overdue).
Safeway Club Card.
Southshore Plaza, Alameda, PPQ, Irving, Za Zang Myun, Oakland, Darda, Milpitas Square.
Thanks, everyone.
--Ed
Oh, I have some details about my trip that I wrote along the way. Sorry for the outside link to
http://www.clan216.com/index.php?s=&act=SF&f=2, but I've done enough doubling-up of posts already.