RE Getting to know the secretaries and the maintenance people.

Folks, that's not a college hint - that is a HINT FOR LIFE. They can either make your day more pleasant, or make your life a horror. Treat them well, get to know them by name, talk to them when you DON'T need somethink - aka treat them like PEOPLE. You'll be thankful you did

When I used to go into the field for business - I always made sure I stopped for a box of doughnuts or a dozen bagels (hey, this IS NYC) and put them out on the table for the "crew". To this day, I can walk into most of the field sites I used to go to, and be welcome with open arms (10+ years later)

BTW if you want the REAL dirt on what's going on, ask those same secretaries and maintenance people - remember, the maintenance folks go everywhere, and see everything