Nicholas Pike

I’ve been here in Southern California for two weeks now.  Two weeks! I don’t know if I will ever believe that I live here..

I spent the first week getting familiar with the area, and waiting for my personal belongings to finish their cross country journey.

My apartment is roughly two blocks from the beach.  The beach is incredible!

A few blocks down the street from me is the Santa Monica Promenade.  Something I have never experience before, but is basically a massive out door mall.  Complete with food, an apple store, and street performers. (belly dancers? yes!)

I started my new job this week, working for Northrop Grumman in the Aerospace Systems division.  I spent Monday and Tuesday at the HQ in El Segundo doing orientation/indoc stuff, then was promptly shipped off to the desert town of Palmdale to meet my actual team.

It’s pretty crazy so far.  I get to work on two airforce bases, including Edwards Airforce Base (massive).  I have seen some incredible, incredible things.  The urge to take pictures while on base is incredible… but as you may understand, is not allowed.

Edwards AB does have an old airplane meuseam that allows photograph though, so here’s a picture of an A1 Warthog:

Tonight I return back to the desert to check in to my (paid by NGC) hotel, and start a very long week of work.  Last week was 6 days, for a total of 59 hours.  This week will be considerably higher (60+?) – but thats great, because its overtime pay! (straight pay, not time and a half.. but still, thats a lot of money to pay off my student and jeep loans ;-)  )

I am going to hold off on saying if I like California, my new job, or my new life.  I’ll let everything simmer for a little longer before sayin if I truely like it or not… but it’s really looking good ;-)