Stress-free zone

I've got two full weeks under my belt at the new job, most of which has been spent meeting people and learning about the firm's systems and procedures. I got my first deal on Friday, and while it's probably still too early to make any broad generalizations about what working here is going to be like, I think it's fair to say that the pace is going to be a bit less stressful than at my old firm. People tend to get into the office a little bit earlier in the morning, but they leave a LOT earlier. When I asked how to order a car if I worked late at the office (something I had to do all the time in New York and Paris), everyone just looked at me funny and said that they'd never had to do that before and had no idea how to do it.

Since I got back from France, I've been waking up between 6:00 and 6:30 so I can exercise before leaving for the office at 8:00. Waking up early in Paris was always really difficult, since I usually wouldn't get home before 10:00 and then would need to eat dinner and decompress for a while before going to bed. For the last two weeks, however, I've noticed that pretty much everyone leaves before 7:00 at night, which allows me to get home in time to eat dinner, put Sofia to bed and hit the hay before 11:00 p.m. Basically what this means is that I've been sleeping better, exercising more and generally feeling healthier. To prove the point, all of the suits I had tailored in France shortly before I took my leave of absence in December are now dramatically loose around the waist. I have to be the only person in history who actually lost weight in moving from Europe to the US.

I know that this is what normal life is supposed to be like, but it still feels kinda ... weird. It's going to take me a while not to feel like a slacker for leaving every night before it's dark out. Pegs, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying it immensely. As she so eloquently put it the other evening while we were jogging after I got back from work, "Lee, this is what life is supposed to be like. Quit stressing and enjoy it. I mean, wake up and smell the lifestyle." I'm not certain if it's the lifestyle or the fragrant New Jersey air, but it sure smells good to me.