Dear Diary,I just got my first job as an IT professional. It’s at a big box electronics retailer. I quit the music store and started work with an earning potential at nearly twice the minimum wage. True they make me wear a skin tight blue shirt and tan pants, but that is a small price to pay for finally earning my first paycheck from my computing skills. Who knew all those hours of playing video games would finally pay off. I’m so excited!Dear Diary,I had yet another bad day. An old man brought his computer in. He screamed at me and told me that I was stupid. The other techs said not to worry and that it happens all the time. The old man had the computer because his son didn’t want to write letters anymore. He wanted his dad to get on-line so he could send emails instead. The old man could fly a fighter jet in the war but couldn't find the 'On' button for the computer. We showed him the ‘On’ button. Everyone left happy. He apologized to me for being such a bitter old codger. It was great to see him leave happy.Dear Diary,I hate retail. I’ve learned to hate all the customers, my boss, and my attire. The other techs said this was a milestone. They called it my new retail skin and assured me this was how everyone in the store felt. I fixed twelve computers today and my manager was so happy he asked me to cover Johns shift on Saturday. I can't imagine doing this for much longer.Dear Diary;I just got a new job at a medical device manufacturer. I’m one of three techs for all the two thousand employees. Its great. The CEO and gardener both know my first name. I'm just beginning to learn the ropes of corporate life, it is quite different. The goal in corporate IT seems to be control. The objective is to give the users as little access and few rights as possible. It’s a delicate balance and lot of people call and complain. My boss says “As long as they call and complain we all have jobs.”Dear Diary,I just had my first paid coffee break. I’m never going back. I can’t imagine stopping work for ten minutes in retail and getting away with it. I have also noticed that the secretaries have an unusual amount of power. Whatever they say goes. I find when I do what they want my life is much easier. I don’t have time to fix everyones computer. I need another coffee break.Dear Diary,I just got a job at a startup. It came with something call ‘stock options.’ I don’t know what they are, but everyone wants them so, I do too! I work long hours for less pay, and I haven't shaved in a week. I'm never at home and I've slept a my desk a couple of times. My boss is a jerk and even the coffee here tastes bitter. I met the lead Engineer. He’s very smart. I think. He mumbles a lot and is terribly anti-social. I can see I’m going to need to decline my communication skills if I want to get ahead in this company.Dear Diary,I just got laid-off. I feel like this is just another leg of the journey in my path of IT professional. I always felt left out at the water cooler when the other guys would talk about all their hard times. I'm not bitter, it's just part of the business. I have a map to the CEO's home, a sackful of Molotov Cocktails and good pair of running shoes.Dear Diary,I am now the lead Engineer. Yes it’s working fine. No I didn’t change anything. Your wrong, and it isn’t my problem.