I started my new job today! Yay. So it appears the Bay Area (did) have a job vacancy after all. (Thanks craigslist...)
Better still, I get to work under Linux (had the option between that & Windows), and use Python + wxPython. Sweet.
Used Gnome2 today for the first time. Some of the changes are kinda annoying. (Anyone know what the keyboard short-cuts are to switch/move to a different virtual desktop are now?)