Working Girl One and Intern are Not Friends

When my first boss asked me to her Facebook friend, I kind of freaked out.

As an employee, a young one who remembers a Facebook that was just for select colleges and universities, being virtual friends with a boss or any coworker for that matter is still a tad bit weird. It used to be just your peers. Now, everytime I add a photo or my Dad post's another video of me as a baby (yes, he figured out how to do this) I think so-and-so is going to see this.

I've grown used to that mentality and live my Facebook life accordingly. It doesn't hurt I'm comfortable with all of coworkers, they know the real me and not just the work me. They know that I love karaoke and am a total light-weight (post-college of course, I used to be a champ). I'm comfortable with them seeing my Facebook page.

When one of my new interns asked me to be her Facebook friend I didn't feel so comfortable. For the past year or so most of my interns have been my age or even older than me and it led me to feel like their peer in the workplace. This summer, all of my interns are four years younger than me so I finally feel like I'm a little bit of a boss.

Of course I was very intrigued and wanted to check out her profile but I wasn't about to accept her friendship and see mine. First, I don't think my intern needs to see photos me singing Ace of Base at a dive bar. I'm not comfortable with her getting to know the out-of-office me yet and probably not ever.

Second, I found it so odd that she would ask me to be her Facebook friend to begin with. I almost want to accept her friendship just to see her full profile and see if she puts me on any privacy settings.

Is it just kids these days? Are they so surrounded with all this technology and social networking that it doesn't even phase them that it would be odd to ask your internship supervisor to be Facebook friends?

I haven't accepted her friendship but her request is still sitting there...

Hey Good Lookin'

These past few days at work have been hectic - you know, the kind of hectic where there are so many little things that have to get done that you can't accomplish anything of importance. 

One of those little things that has been going on was a manager meeting being held off-site at a new hotel in downtown Chicago. Since the hotel was a) new, b) had already gotten effed up booking my meeting space and c) was just down the street, I have been making a few trips back and forth during my work day to make sure the managers are all happy, fed, and satisfied. 

This afternoon, one of the tech guys and I took one of those trips down to the hotel to pick up the projector since the meeting was finally over (yippee!). We were kinda rushing because we had another meeting to get to pretty soon so I was pretty much half-running and he was just doing his normal gait (because I'm pretty short it's hard for me to catch up!), but despite my gazelle like walk-run we missed a walk light and had to wait at a red light.

No big deal right? No, because the awkward train decided to mosey on in right at that exact moment. We're standing on the street corner talking about Tech Guy's wife and her iced tea preferences when a homeless man comes near us and practically screams, "You guys make a cute couple" in our ears.

Which would have been laughable had he not screamed it again, "Cuteeeee couple! Yes, a cute couple!" And we just awkwardly stood there neither confirming nor denying that were were a couple. 

Thankfully the light turned green and we walked, but we were super awkward until we reached the hotel and Tech Guy changed the subject from how awk that was to how he rides his bike to work everyday. 

Tech Guy and I are pretty close at work - we chat throughout the day (mostly I think because we're two of the youngest employees and we gots to stick together yo) so I know this was only a teeny blip on the radar of our work relationship - something that down the line we'll be able to laugh at.

And I know he knows that I don't like him like that...oh you know since he has a WIFE and all.

But right this minute, we're still in Awky Town. Thanks homeless dude. Thanks a lot.

Ask Working Girl!

Because we know how smart we are and how much you all depend on our sage wisdom...okay, okay, we know, we aren't career experts or anything but we do like to think we can help another Working Girl out so we're bring back Ask Working Girl.

We fell off the wagon a bit. We couldn't keep track of questions from all of you so we created an email just for Ask Working Girl: askworkinggirl@gmail.com. Creative, no?

Send us an email, comment below or send us a Tweet (WG1, WG2) and check back next week for our words of wisdom.

The Phenomenon of the Celeb Intern

I'm sure many of you have seen the recent headlines of Tallulah Belle Willis "shadowing" in the fashion department of Harper's Bazaar.  Gist if you haven't heard is: Demi Moore and Bruce Willis's daughter (who would like to officially change her name to Lula thankyouverymuch), at the ripe age of 15 is an intern at the prestigious fashion mag. 

This boils my blood for a few reasons. 

1) "Shadow" is just another word for "intern". 

Seriously, stop calling it "shadowing". It's pissing me off. I get that they probably have to do this for legal reasons (because she's only 15 and really shouldn't be working without a permit), but let's call this what it is kids. It's an internship. Hell, she gets to sit in on meetings! She's more than an intern. 

2) She's spawn of celebs (not one, but two). 

And I hate this recent foray of celebs into internships at magazines. When did being an intern at a magazine become a celeb-like thing to do. In recent months, hockey player Sean Avery, football player Stewart Bradley, musician Ryan Adams, celebutante Lydia Hearst, and now "Lula" Willis.

What I find really humorous about this whole situation is how not only do these magazines have quasi-famous interns, but then they write stories about how these supermodels and musicians are out there making copies, and getting coffee, and delivering packages just like real interns. Um, hey, I was a real intern at a magazine. And guess what? They never wrote about how I was forced to pretend to need a waitressing job in order to sneak my way into a soon-to-open resto in the East Village and was then sent on a mission to my boss's dentist to get her insurance papers signed (true story). 

Do you know why they didn't write articles about me? Because no one cares about real intern! Sorry all you interns out there, it's true. 

3) She's 15. 

At fifteen, no girl (even one who is half Demi Moore), should be allowed to intern at Harper's Bazaar. It's just insanity. You're gonna peak at 15 and have nowhere to go at 16. Pace yourself kid.

If you want to learn about fashion, "Lula", I suggest starting where the rest of us did...in retail. Or if you're like me and aspired to be a writer at the age of 15, hit up the public library. I'm sure they could use a hand. 

4) Sorry, but it's just plain unfair. 

I think this also falls under the category of jealous. Who me? Never. (Ugh, ok, definitely jealous). 

So in my opinion, Tallulah Belle Willis should not be a "shadow" at Harper's Bazaar because she's spawn of celebs, 15-years-young, and for the sheer fact that it's not fair. 

Done, done, and done.

Take Me Out Tonight?

These days, there are some weekends that I don't even go out one night. In college, I'd go out four nights a week. Now, sometimes it's rare that I go out once. It's not that I don't like people anymore or that I don't like spending time with my friends. It's that going out almost always involves drinking and my body has officially raised a white flag when it comes to recovering from a night of drinking.

Tonight, I found myself torn. I went to the Mets game with some friends and enjoyed a hot dog and a few beers. I stopped myself there. My friends wanted to go out once we got back to Manhattan. Usually, I'm all about it. I like to go with the flow and have fun with my friends. But, although tomorrow is Friday and it's usually a slower and more quiet day in the office, I still have a lot to get done and I'd like to be at 100% for that. Thankfully, my body is still processing three beers for me. (I did go to the bar, nursed a beer and enjoyed the company of my friends.)

There have been several times in the past that I haven't controlled myself so well and a couple of drinks turned to many and that turned into a hangover. A little part of me, two years later, is still in college mode. That part is saying "have another drink, have fun; you'll be fine tomorrow." Sometimes I give in because it is fun. But when I wake up the next morning and have to go to work or get up on a weekend and be productive (whether it's running errands or visiting family), it's not so fun.

I've turned into more of a homebody because of this internal dilemma and while I love a quiet and relaxing night in, a few to many of those can cause me to feel lonely. I need to find a way to make my socializing work for me. I want to have fun, keep a nice social calendar and not have it hold me back in any aspect of my life.

It's What It Is On the Inside That Counts

I was about ten-years old the first time I heard someone call a name behind my back. I was at a popular girl from grade school's birthday party and while we were all undressing in the locker room to head out and go stuff our faces with birthday cake, I heard the birthday girl tell all her bff's that I was certainly gaining some weight. And I distinctly remember being called 'fat' and sobbing to my friend Nicole that girls were so mean.

And I think that's the probably the moment I realized that looks matter more than I had ever thought they could.

Our parents raise us to think that it's what is on the inside that counts, but unfortunately that isn't always the case. For Working Girls, this is certainly true when we go out on job interviews.

I recently read an article about a new study that the University of Florida that found people with intelligence earn more in their lifetimes than those who are attractive or self-confident. "While beauty matters to career success, brains matter most," said Timothy Judge, the University of Florida management professor, who conducted the study.

The study goes on to say that intelligent people do better in their jobs because they are not only more educated, but more confident in their abilites because of this education. He also hypothesized that "smart people make better career choices, learn more on the job, negotiate pay more effectively, and adapt better to changes in the workplace."

The results were based on a study of 191 men and women who varied in age from 25-75. The researched established tests and exercises that measured the participants intelligence and self-confidence. Their attractiveness was based on personal photographs they sent in and then rated on a scale of one to seven.

While beauty did not come in first, it did come in third. Which means that it still plays a large part in getting hired. While beauty rarely has anything to do with the job that you are performing, it still plays a large role in getting hired and therefore what income you receive.

And the 'fat' 10-year-old in me hates that.

While I do agree that we have to put our best foot forward while interviewing (which means applying your make-up just right or making sure your shirt is ironed perfectly), I despise the idea that a girl who is a little bit skinnier or is more proportinate or has whiter teeth could get a job over someone more qualified.

I believe it is a big step forward that we can say those who are intelligent earn more in their lifetimes, but I hope in the future we judge each other less on how we look and more on qualifications and background experience. (And charisma - cause I got lots o' that).

And I have to say a big suck it to the girl who called me 'fat' in grade school bc according to these stats I'm gonna be making bank before you).

Women in the Working World are Emotional, Grudge-Holding, Bitches...Say What?

I have no idea where my career will take me in 10 months or 10 years but I like to think that one day, I'll be the boss and I'll be a good one. Paul Thompson at AskMen.com Canada doesn't think I can be a boss, let alone a good one. Oh and not just me, all women. Nice Paul, nice.

Thompson begins his editorial explaining the obstacles women have overcome or tried to overcome for equality and fairness; suffrage, sexual harassment, workplace equality, etc. "Anyone who says [women] are [equal] is either grossly misinformed or a woman -- or probably both," he says. Yes, I am a woman but I'm not misinformed. I believe women are equal to men. However, I think that anyone who believes in or strives for complete fairness among men and women is grossly misinformed. More on that shortly.

"Women are ill-equipped to be successful," he says and give several reasons.

First, women cannot control their emotions. What a sweeping generalization there, Paul. Sure some women cannot control their emotions. But there are plenty who can. There are also a great deal of men who cannot control their emotions. I've heard of women yelling in the workplace and I've heard of men yell. Same goes for crying. Now Thompson believes that women bosses treat their employees as if they are in a relationship. Um, they should. When you work with someone, you have a working relationship. Regardless of being a man or a woman, any working relationship needs to be nurtured and developed so that both parties are getting the most of the experience.

His next point is that all women have Queen Bee syndrome. When they reach positions of power, they turn on one another because they feel the need to defend the positions they've obtained. Oh, and they aren't qualified or competent. I know several women who have Queen Bee syndrome and I know, they are not exactly the most enjoyable people I've ever known. But they don't make up the entire female work force. Yes, women can become competitive with one another and get caught up in the race to the top. But bottom line, there are women who are qualified to be there and competent enough to excel.

"Business was built by men, for men," Thompson says. In this argument Thompson discusses dark lounges and pant suits. Not sure exactly how that related to the origins of business but what he's trying to say is that in order to be successful women must adopt masculine qualities. I'd prefer not to wear a pants suit, mostly only because I went shopping for my first suit with my 80-year-old grandma and it was a tramatizing experience, but I don't think putting one on and shaking someones hand in a dark lounge to close a deal would make me masculine.

Finally, women hold grudges. I'll be the first to admit that I've held several grudges in my life and that maybe I'm still holding on to a couple. None of them are work related and all of them are legitimate. But, according to Thompson, grudges are "completely irrational and completely inappropriate." I agree that it is inappropriate in the work place to hold a personal grudge. But again, Thompson believes that because some women go too far with their grudges, women as a whole, cannot be bosses.

"Women are better than men at some things, but being the boss sure ain’t one of 'em," Thompson closes his piece. This brings me back to fairness among men and women. I believe men and women are equal and that in all areas of life they should have equal opportunities. However, as our friend Paul so nicely points out, women excel at some things and men at others. In some industries a female boss may be a more successful boss than a male boss and vice versa.

I have a male boss and a female boss and they are both great bosses. I have a different working relationship with each of them, just like I have a different working relationship with each of my co-workers. Clearly, women can be bosses. Thompson was likely just trying to be satircal but what bothers me is that his points stem from somewhere - stereotypes.

[AskMen.com via Jezebel]

I Can't Get No Satisfaction

If there is one thing all Working Girls have in common it's that at one point in our careers we become frustrated and we start to outgrow our current jobs/companies.

In this current economic state, a lot of women (myself included) begin to feel guilty that we even feel this way. We should appreciate what we have! Not hope for what we don't! Right? Yea, I know. Saying it is one thing, but believing is another.

Then I came across this article about a new book that came out in May called, "Make Every Day a Friday! The Joy of Connecting Who You Are With What You Do" by Marina Spence, CEO of The Pink Edge.

In the book, Spence confronts the problem of women wanting to make career changes during these turblent times, and how to make the recession a career opportunity for you. It's for women who feel stuck - and they want to make a change (big or small).

The book also focuses on Spences's steps to make every day a Friday (like the title - duh!). And I mean, who doesn't want everyday to be a Friday? Because I sure do.

Her top 3 tips include:

1. Pinpoint exactly what you don't like about your current job. Sometimes we say we hate everything about it, when there might just be two or three things. Knowing exactly what you don't like can lead to informed change.

2. Start small. Congratualte yourself for your baby steps, if that's how you begin. Always, move at your own pace.

3. Find your "guiding star". Locate the woman who's leading the life you'd like to live, and who inspires you to say, "if she can do it, I can do it."

While I probably won't purchase the book (I'm poor!), doing a little revamp of my attitude and how I view work might be just what the doc ordered.

The Summer Job Files

In honor of the summer, we have rolled out a new weekly feature. Each week we will take turns to recount a summer job we had back in the day. [Editor's Note: Back in the day refers to when we were in school...sigh...college].

My first ever summer job was as a librarian.

Yes, you heard right. A librarian. And I wasn't a sexy one.

This job started as a after school job in the winter (or spring I can't remember) so I could earn some extra cash - let's just say I had a very expensive obsession with music of the pop persuasion - cough Hanson cough - and this was during the time when buying tapes/CD's and singles was still heard of.
I remember seeing that my local library needed some part-time help and my mom really pushed me to apply for the job because to my parent's dismay I didn't continue playing basketball in high school so during the winter/spring months I didn't have much to do after school except homework and watch Boy Meets World.

I don't think I even had to interview, they just hired me right off the bat. Another girl from the public school was also hired around the same time as me and let's just say she didn't care what she looked like (to the point where I don't think she showered). Add in a bunch of older women and kooky older man who wore some sick nasty sweater vests, and you have my co-workers.

To say that I was miserable is putting it lightly. At first the job was fine - I would come after school and work for two hours in my school uniform (sexy...or not). They would have me put books away on all 3 floors and then I would come back downstairs and they would have me work on various projects. But unfortunately since I grew up in a small town with a small library, there wasn't much for me to do - especially because there were two of us girls working there everyday after school.

Eventually I got tired of these "projects" (and for the life of me can't remember what any of these duties included - making flyers I guess?). So I would just take longer and longerrrrr to put away all the books that had come back from being checked out.

And towards the end of my career as a librarian, I would go upstairs and put away books for about a half hour and then just stay up there and read until I could leave. I got through Priscilla Presley's entire memoir before my co-workers figured out that I wasn't doing much work anymore.

One day, I overheard them talking about how they didn't understand what I was doing upstairs the whole time I was at work - 'was I just slow?' And then they said that they wished I was more like the other girl who I worked with (and I threw up in my mouth that I was considered a worse employee than someone who didn't shower).

I realized that my sweet $6.50 an hour job was coming to an end. Meaning: they were probably going to fire me. So I quit and told them I might be able to come back after volleyball camp was over mid-summer. Not that they missed me.

And I scratched librarian off my "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up" list and no longer did my after-school/summer jobs involve being inside the whole day.

Love to Hear the WGs go Tweet Tweet Tweet

We know you've been sitting at your desk everyday thinking "When are those fabulous ladies at Working Girl ever going to join Twitter!?"

No? You haven't? You've been doing your job and being completely productive? Oh. Well, get excited because we're finally tweeting. And guess what? It's work related. Kind of.

You can follow me (Working Girl One) here and Working Girl Two here (or follow the links to the right).

We're new to Twitter so we're just a eager as you are to see how we'll be using it. Any suggestions of what you'd like to see from us are more than welcome!

(Editor's Note: I apologize for getting "Rockin' Robin" stuck in your head.)

Pump Up the Jams, Pump It Up: Vol 2

Last July, I told you all about some of my favorite pump up songs that I play on my way to work. And let's face it, if you've been reading this blog since last July you could have probably guessed that just the thought of stepping foot in my office made me jumpy/stressed out. So a good mix was muy importante to getting me out of bed in the morning.

I find myself needing music less and less to pump me up (which is awesome! and means I must like my job), however there is one week every two months out of the year that makes me want to stay in bed forever. That would be this week when the new hires descend upon our corporate headquarters. And lucky me gets to feed them breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as print out all their handouts, binders, make their hotel reservations and generally be their maid. Which requires me to get to work early and sometimes stay late. 

Enter my new WG pump me up mix. 

1. "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts

This song has the ability to automatically put a smile on my face because it reminds me of road trips and great country concerts and summer and Coronas. Yum. 

2. "Don't Stop Believing" by the cast of Glee 

You cannot believe my disappointment when WG1 told me that this wasn't a summer show, and that the pilot they showed us was a teaser for the fall. This song will get me through the summer by reminding me of Jersey and just keep believing. 

3. "I'll Make a Man Out of You" by Donny Osmond (from the Mulan soundtrack)

And you think I'm kidding. Mulan kicked some major ass. Talk about a role model! 

4. "What Would Jay-Z Do?" by Ben Lee

Jay-Z would hire a personal assistant to do all this crap work for him. 

5. "Rockstar" by Prima J

Ever since this song was featured on Gossip Girl it makes me feel like I'm Blair Waldorf whenever I listen to it. Is it sad that I idolize Blair Waldorf who is a 17-year-old beotch on TV? I can't help it - she takes names. 

6. "Shine" by Anna Nalick 

She had that hit single "Breathe", which I loved and this song is empowering like whoa. 

7. "Do Somethin" by Britney Spears

This song reminds me of WG1 and I rocking out the summer after sophomore year in college while driving around campus in her car (probably when we should have been at work). Oh how chaotic. 

8. "Fight Like a Girl" by Bomshel

I just downloaded this song and it is sheer feminism in a song. Right up my alley. 

9. "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus

And I'm not even doing a #10 because I just realized that a) I look like a huge teenybopper and b) that's creepy since I'm 24.

But for serious, all these songs make me feel like I could take on the world (or at least that 4PM status meeting). Woohoo!

Head Case

Back during the summer of '04, I began getting migraines. Horrible, painful, paralyzing migraines. I had a prescription for a migraine medication that did nothing. Thankfully, I quickly discovered Excedrin and had never had to deal with a full-fledged migraine again. Pop two Excedrin and my headache would be done in less than 20 minutes. 

This was all true until last week. Once afternoon last week I had to leave work early because of a migraine. It was after a morning excursion with our entire staff that I began to feel a headache coming on. When I got back to the office, I immediately took two pills and chugged a diet coke. Usually the prefect recipe.

Fifteen minutes later I only felt worse. My head was pounding and the slice of pizza I ate for lunch was not sitting well. I needed to lie down. I went down to the nurse (yes, we have a nurse) to lay down in the resting room. After twenty minutes I got kicked out because someone had booked the resting room (seriously?!) and still didn't feel any better. 

I got back to my desk and my coworkers said I should just go home. But I couldn't, I thought. I'd done the same thing as everyone else that morning, everyone else was tired, everyone else just wanted to go home. I could suck it up. I tried and tired and tried to focus and get some work done but the headache only got worse. 

It wasn't until I was gchatting with WG2, telling her how awful I felt, and said to me sternly "You should really go home right now" that I caved and asked my boss if I could leave. Usually I'm the one telling WG2 how to take care of herself so what the roles are reversed, I listen.

On my way home, I was shaking in the cab and trying not to get sick. It was that bad. I barely made into my apartment before getting sick. I dove into my bed and all I could feel, apart from my head throbbing, was guilt about not being at work. 

In my short career I've barely called in sick or left work early. But whenever I do, all I feel is guilt. I've always been legitimately sick, I haven't lied about it but I always feel like I am. Maybe it's just my Catholic guilt kicking in but I shouldn't feel bad about going home or not going in at all when I'm literally about to vomit, right?

I finally fell asleep but still woke up with the migraine. Two more Excedrin and another nap later I finally felt back to normal. 

A New Addition

The first installment of the newer, bigger, and better things to come from Working Girl. 

Drumroll please! 

A blog roll! (Oh wait, you're not over the moon excited about this like we are?!). Ok, ok. We know we're a little late in the game. But it's better than never right WG's? 

On the right side of our blog, you will see that Working Girl has added a blog roll where you can enjoy our favorite Working Girl reads. Need to know what to wear to work? We recommend WorkChic.com. Need to know if those shoes are green? Click on over to EcoStiletto. Just have to know what's going on with the cast of The Office? Check out this jem of a blog.

And to think this is only installment #1!  

Working Girl Wardrobe: The Interview

You have finally gotten a call back after sending out about 40 resumes a week. You've impressed them with your background and your degrees (and all those stellar extra circulars that you just knew would eventually pay off - and no I'm not talking about how fast you can shotgun a beer). Now it's time to impress them with your wardrobe. 

It's the age-old question. What is appropriate to wear to a work interview? 

According to this New York Times' article, when thinking about your interview wardrobe you should "err on the side of conservatism". And I definitely concur. If you do not know much about the company you are interviewing at (aka if it's conservative or if it's casual), then you should always wear the most formal outfit in your closet. 

Formal for us Working Girls means a suit - this can be a pants suit or a skirt suit. I personally favor the skirt suit - there's something about a pants suit that makes me feel like a linebacker. The pros suggest wearing low heels and hosiery. 

There is always an exception to the rule however. The creative world is always a little less dressy. I have a friend who works at an ad agency and she could wear sweats to work if she really wanted to. At a company like this, it's definitely acceptable to show up in a more relaxed version of a suit. For example, when I interviewed at a luxury magazine when I wanted to be an intern in NYC, I wore bermuda shorts, a nice sweater, and low heels. And I scored the job. Later I found out that it was down to me and another girl who showed up in a full on pants suit and she seemed just too conservative for the job. They wanted someone more fun who liked clothes (and could therefore write about them).

It's important to know who is going to be judging you. But if you're unsure, always stick with the suit. Looking more professional is never a bad thing! 

Business on the Top... by Becky41086 featuring Monsoon

This outfit combination would be perfect for a more casual interview - perfect if you're in the creative world! (Or in magazines!). And always remember to bring a notebook - coming prepared will look kindly on you in the long run.

Pearl Tones by ♡•SimplyMoi•♡♥Coffee♥ on Polyvore.com

These pearl tones are more conservative and perfect for a job interview where you don't know your audience as well as you might like. The only thing I would change would probably be a more sensible heel. At most job interviews (if they like you), they will have you meet with multiple people and walking around the office like you're drunk because you didn't think those heels could hurt this bad, can look unkindly on you. 

Untitled by anebe (away) featuring Bottega Veneta clutches

I also think a nice (and conservative) dress is appropriate for us Working Girls to wear to an interview. Keep in mind though that you should not be showing off too much boobage or too much leg. We don't want the boss to get the wrong idea and therefore slash you from the competition completely. 

And don't forget to wear panty hose! 

Crisis Mode!

Lately, it feels like everyone I speak to is going through a quarterlife crisis.  Although, I'm not sure they know it. They are sick of their jobs or deciding whether or not to go to graduate school or just feeling lost. 

I joke almost every other week that I'm going through one. After reading this article from Canada's Eye Weekly, it seems that I, along with all of my friends and our entire generation, am going through a quarterlife crisis. 

The article points out that when our parents were our age they were married, buying homes and having children. They did this because it was what they were supposed to do. They then brought up our generation to believe that we can be anything we want to be, that we can have careers that are lucrative, stimulating and keep us happy in and outside of the office.  

 

Now, we've grown up and the things we were told aren't exactly happening the way we want them to. Only, we don't really know how we want them to happen. Our generation was brought up to be anything we wanted to be; it's left us with too many options which makes it harder for us to make life decisions and ergo the quarterlife crisis.

Have I lost you yet?

I highly recommend heading over to Eye Weekly and getting some insight into the quarterlife for some coping mechanisms and some anecdotes from other twenty/thirty-somethings going through it. There's also a quiz (I love quizzes) which says I'm not having a quarterlife crisis. But that could all change in a week or two. 

Summer Friday Envy

Summer Fridays. Have you all heard of this glorious invention? It's when a company lets their employees leave early on Friday afternoons during the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day typically). Some companies even let their employees pick a number of Fridays that they can just take off. And these are in addition to the other days you get off throughout the year.

When I moved to Chicago this past year, I had no idea this was an East Coast idea. Yep, my company doesn't support the Summer Friday cause. Apparently I will be chained to my desk until 5PM every summer Friday evening.

Granted, even when I lived in NYC I didn't have Summer Fridays. But sometimes I could ditch my desk a little earlier (say 3:30 or 4PM) to catch a train out to the Shore. Sidenote: can I just say I already have Shore envy?! I miss my house like crazy.

And now that I live in the Midwest, I can kiss the idea of ever having the luxury of getting out at 2PM or 3PM the weekend before a holiday or just taking a Friday off for no other reason than that it's summer and I want to get to Manasquan before nightfall.

Not that I have anywhere to go. Some people go to Michigan or Wisconsin. But I will probably spend most of my summer at my dad's pool. I can't decide if I love that idea or loathe it. I also realized fairly quickly that people who live in Chicago stay in Chicago during the summer - because I mean when else do you get this nice weather? Never. That's when.

So as my friends pack up their desks early and retreat to the Shore, or the Hamptons, or the Cape - I'll be here.

I have a case of hardcore Summer Friday envy.

Working Girl Wants

My most recent Working Girl want? If you're in the giving mood and you just so happen to want to buy me a present, I would love it if you could send me over the Working Girl series of everyday wines (special thanks to reader Jennifer who let us on this fab women owned and operated winery).

Let's start with their backstory - Olympic Cellars is one of the first original 15 wineres in Washington state and is the first woman-owned and woman-operated winery on the North Sound. Since 2001, the owners Kathy Charlton, Molly Rivard, and Libby Sweetser, have taken the winery to an all together different level than most wineries.

Not only do they make the Working Girl wine series, but they also use proceeds from the sale of Working Girl wines (and other branded products) to support the Gynocare Program at the Family Planning Clinic in Clallam County, which is a program that provides financial assistance to women in need for clinical services not covered by state funding.

So not only do I want to guzzle down this delicious looking wine on a daily basis, but I also admire these women whole-heartedly.

There are three wines in the series and each one represents a different owner - Working Girl White is Charlton (who loves a nice glass of white wine after work), Rivard is Go Girl Red (enviormentalist), and Sweetser is Rose the Riverter (a self-made woman with a can-do attitude). [Wines & Vines]

According to a Wines & Vines article on the Working Girl wines, the WG's didn't consciously make a decision to brand their wine to a niche market of just women, but instead, "they simply wanted to create a fun, distinctive and affordable blend with 'no industry speak'".

So in short I have a tiny girl crush on these women (and am also loving the fact that they're from Port Angeles, WA because that makes my obsessed with Twilight/Edward Cullen heart beat like a drum).

Click here to order wine from the Working Girls!

Can I Keep It?

The summer before our senior year, WG1 and I were interns in NYC at magazines. Mine may have been a tad bit smaller than hers (and by that I mean we had about 6 employees including myself and we worked out of the owner's apartment).

That summer I wrote lots and lots of articles, did tons of research, and also did way too many personal tasks for the owner (not fun lemme tell ya). But because I did so much extra work for them (and because the magazine was teeny tiny), they often let me take home free stuff they had received from companies asking them to write about their products.

I once got my hair cut for free at the Butterfly Studio (which was super out of my price range). I took home a lot of this stuff. And got offered a lot of free dinners at places like this for writing about their restaurant.

And then I went back to school and took some journalism courses and realized that accepting these gifts might not have been such an honest and upstanding thing to do as a journalist.

At work recently I had to take a small online course about what is considered proper and improper acceptance of gifts. It's such a fine line!

In the video they made us watch, a guy received golf clubs (very expensive ones) from a client who wanted his business. And of course he sent them back because it wasn't ethical to accept them even though he was going to do business with him before he received the gift.

In my new position, I've received some gifts but mostly they are after we have done business and I view these as "thank you" gifts. And when I say gifts I don't mean golf clubs. I usually mean champagne, or candy, and one time someone sent me a cooler. And in those instances I don't think it is improper to accept the gift.

I have become a recent fan of the show Parks and Recreation and in one of the most recent episodes, Amy Poehler's character Leslie Knope accepts a wine basket and then feels super guilty about it and turns herself in to her boss. Clip is below and it's hilarious. Please watch.

What do you think is okay to accept and not accept? What does your company's ethics guidelines say about accepting gifts ?

An Ode to the Giant Golf Umbrella

Last week it rained cats and dogs in Chicago. (Btw, I've always wondered where that saying came from...imagine cats and dogs falling out the sky...weird.)

Anyway, since it was raining like a mofo, everyone had out their trusty rain shields. I myself had to purchase a $7 umbrella from CVS. I even passed over the $5 umbrellas thinking, "Splurge - I bet those $2 will make a difference and this umbrella will last you a lifetime." Apparently I was delusional. The thing is already broken and to make it work I have to hold it with two hands otherwise I get sprayed with gusts of wind and water.

But that is not the point of the story. The point of this post is my ode to the giant golf umbrella. Oh, how I loathe that giant umbrella that everyone and their mother seems to have. I see their appeal - they provide maximum coverage so you will never get wet (ever) and they also serve as a weapon for when commuting.

Here is what irks me. It's a GOLF umbrella fellow commuters. That thing is meant for golf so that when you're golfing you can golf without getting your clubs wet or your awesome golf outfit wet. It is not meant for commuting to and from the train station.

Last week, I'm pretty sure I almost got my eye poked out twice by those huge golf umbrellas because for some reason when a person wields one of these weapons on the street, they think they have a small, dinky umbrella from CVS when in fact they have an umbrella that could take out two large men just by being swung in their general direction.

If there is one thing I am passionate about, it is banning golf umbrellas from the city. The street is not big enough for all of us. I think we must all be forced to carry around a dinky umbrella from CVS. Or be imprisoned.

But hey that's just me.

A New Job for Spring?

In New York, we’ve finally had a few steady days of nice-ish weather. Spring is here. In honor of the new season, MSN published “10 Great Jobs to have in the Springtime.” It’s all about being outside and enjoying the wonder feeling we all have after a cold, long winter. Now, I love the warm weather and not having wear tights just as much as the next Working Girl but some of these jobs, well, I don’t think they are that great. At least for me.

1. Sportswriter – I really dislike sports. To me, watching a football game is boring and I’ve been known to cry at Shea Stadium. The fact that my boyfriend actually is a sportswriter means I often have to watch sports, which makes me dislike them more. Sorry, babe!

2. Florist – Perfect job for spring. Not perfect for my seasonal allergies.

3. Meteorologist – I enjoy being right and I do not enjoy it when people are mad at me. Meteorologists are often wrong and there are always people mad at them for being wrong.

4. Landscaping worker – One of the greatest things about being on my own and not living with my parents is that I am not forced into the annual springtime landscaping. I did have a great tactic back then though: act like a “piss-ant” for long enough for my dad and siblings to get annoyed and then be told to go inside and help my mother.

5. Construction worker – I’m pretty great at putting things together. I put together several pieces of IKEA furniture while my boyfriend and WG2 watched TV in the living room (thanks guys!). However, I don’t have the stamina for real construction.

6. Fashion Buyer – Sounds cool, but I have a hard enough time buying clothes for myself. Although, if it were someone else’s money I might have an easier time.

7. College Admissions Counselor – I once considered this career path but after three years of being a college tour guide I got sick of bratty high-school students. Although, the average annual salary of over $98,000 doesn’t sound to shabby.

8. Pest Control Worker – About a month ago, there was a water bug in my apartment. It took me three hours to kill it, my dad was on the phone with me the whole time as I screamed and I made my boyfriend drive from New Jersey at 2 o’clock in the morning to make sure it was really dead under the two phone books and three cookbooks I smashed on top of it. I then walked about the apartment in my rainboots for several days. Yeah, so no on the pest control worker.

9. Housekeeper – I would insert a picture of my bedroom right now but I’m too lazy. Just like I’m too lazy to clean my room.

10. [Baseball Stadium] Vendor – see number 1.

The Work Spouse

As I was going through my Google Reader early yesterday morning before the droves of co-workers flooded the office, I read a post on Behind These Hazel Eyes on the concept of a "work spouse". 

According to Hazel's blog post (and Wikipedia aka my Bible), a work spouse is "a co-worker (usually of the opposite sex) with whom one shares a close platonic relationship" and apparently this bond tends to mimic that of a real wife and husband. 

And I instantly thought of my old co-worker Ramon. 

At my first job out of college while I was still working in New York, I sat next to a pushing 45-year-old, jovial, Cuban man who shared my love of reality TV shows (oh, and he is gay so don't go getting any ideas that this story is gonna get all lovey dovey on you). 

And we were most definitely work spouses. We even called each other husband and wife at work, which to be honest I think creeped people out. We also fought frequently, went through some troubled times where we stopped talking, and just recently reunited while he was in Chicago for a meeting and took me out to dinner at Rosebud (can we say yum?). 

So while I was googling "work spouse", I came across an article from CNN Living which listed the top seven signs to tell if you have a work spouse. And it made me laugh because it just solidified that Ramon and I were a couple. 

1. You depend on a particular co-worker for office supplies, snacks or aspirin. 

Um...how about money?? Ramon and I would constantly go back and forth borrowing money. And he would constantly steal my aspirin. And together we were the snack king and queen of the office - we would go on snack runs together. Wow, I'm a tool. 

2. There are inside jokes you and a particular co-worker share. 

This is a no-brainer. Our favorite go-to's were anything about the shows Rock of Love and Kid Nation. He even called me Taylor for a nickname. Yea, figure that inside joke out. 

3. You can be bluntly honest about his or her appearance. 

I constantly made fun of Ramon for not dressing his age. And he would make fun of me whenever I didn't do my hair...which was almost everyday.

4. When something eventful at work happens, this is the person you go to for a de-briefing.

Ok, this one had me stumped. Because as much as I loved Ramon, he was a huge gossip so I did not go to him whenever I heard something juicy. But I know he always told me when he heard something delicious (because I usually already knew). 

5. At breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks, your co-worker could order for you and vice versa.

This is most definitely true. Ramon loved his Italian subs from Subway, his Cuban food from the place next to Subway, and pepperoni pizza from the pizza place next door. 

6. You and your co-worker can finish each other's sentences.

Creepy, but yes. 

7. Your co-worker knows just as much about your personal life as a real spouse or best friend would. 

Fact. Although I don't have a real spouse, Ramon knew a great deal about me. And I knew way too much about him and his boyfriends (multiple). 

Looking over this list, do any of you have a work husband or wife?

Early to Rise

Every morning, I set my alarm for 45-minutes before I actually have to get out of bed. There is nothing I love more than being woken up and then realizing that I still have time to sleep.

Two-weeks ago, instead of hitting snooze for 45-minutes, I got out of bed, got ready for the day and went to work…an hour early! The office was quiet and I could actually get work done without interruptions.

On any given day, it’s nearly impossible for me to focus on one task for more than 10 minutes. Emails are popping up on my computer every two minutes, the phone is ringing and people are walking up right up to my desk with questions. Having quiet time in the office before my co-workers arrive gave me a head start to the day and made me more productive throughout the day.

My early arrivals at work only lasted one week; I just couldn’t get it together to get in early last week. But it’s definitely something I’m going to try to do at least once or twice a week moving forward, especially if I find I'm extremely busy every day, because as much as I love to sleep in, I’d rather get to work early than stay late.

Why So Anxious?

Come Sunday, like clockwork, my stomach begins to turn into knots. I start to worry about my work week - what could I have done better last week, what did I leave to do this week that I should have done last week, what can I do to impress my boss this week. 

I've always been a pretty anxious person. Before interviews, I would turn into a ball of nerves. Before presentations at school, my stomach would become a butterfly exhibit. And before my first day at a new job, omigod it's like I can't breathe. 

And then the day is over and I feel better and life goes on. Eventually I become accustomed to the people, my workspace, my environment, my job, my duties and I calm down. 

Recently though I feel like it's been getting worse. Every Friday, I leave work relieved and happy with the work I've done for the week. I think I worked so hard, I deserve this weekend and these days off. And then all of a sudden it's Sunday and I become a pile of nerves. 

I've only been at my new job now for 6 months...which in some ways seems impossible because I only feel like I've been here two months. But on the other hand, I feel like I've been here forever. Someone at work the other day asked me if it was my year anniversary yet. I replied with a snort. Very ladylike. 

I know my nerves are just nerves. But after two people got let go last week, my nerves went into overdrive. Will they know I looked at Perez Hilton for an hour last week or that I procrastinated and didn't do a project assigned to me until the day before it was due? 

Sometimes on Sundays, I have trouble sleeping. I constantly get that "you look tired" greeting from my co-workers on Mondays (thanks guys! what a compliment!). I know that my worries are just that - worries. I don't think my job is in jeopardy. I know I'm needed. And my boss is always quick to tell me what a great job I have done on projects. 

Sometimes I attribute this worry and anxiousness to the fact that I still don't know the company that well. That even after six months, I'm still learning what our company does. And maybe it makes me anxious that my presentations aren't always perfect the first go around. 

Whatever it is, I hope it goes away soon. 

For My Fellow Chicago WG's

First of all, I just have to say I loathe, loathe, hate, hate RCN!!!!!!!!!!!! I still don't have cable. I still don't have Internet. And now they are sending me bills for $600+ because I haven't sent in my old cable box.

Hence no post yesterday. My apologies chicas.

I'm going to keep this post short and sweet, but my friend Pam just turned me onto this website called Poor Little Rich Girls. And when I saw they posted the words "free" and "Berry Chill" together, they had me hooked.

Essentially, the site caters to the "young woman living in the city earning enough money to support herself, but not quite enough to go spending it on every Jimmy, Marc and Saint Laurent she sees." And as such, they offer discounts and coupons on a ton of different things. My personal favorites so far - one hour free with a personal assistant from Chicago Anytime Assistants, 20% off your bill at Hunt Club, and duh this Berry Chill thing is making me salivate.

And not only do they offer discounts for us hard-working women, but they also have profiles on Chicago working women, find us awesome/healthy deals for lunch around town, and keep us dressed like superstars (without hurting our wallets).

Unfortunately, it looks like they only have a Chicago edition, but I'm hoping they take this national, because it's an awesome tool for us working women on a budget.

To say I'm smitten would be an understatement.

Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes is a weekly feature. Here we will dish on tidbits, news, and important things we think you Working Girls should know. So scroll down to hear what we think you should glean from this work week.

• This past weekend, Bea Arthur, the actress made famous for her roles in Maude and Golden Girls passed away from cancer. Arthur is probably best known for being the first female character on prime time TV that had an abortion. We applaud her for pushing the envelope and know she will be truly missed. 

• Let women rule the world. That is basically what this article from Reuters is saying. OK, I may have exaggerated a teensy bit. But it did say that women have a tendency to take less extreme risks, and creating a more balanced team of managers (aka one woman for every man) then there could be less risk in decision making. 

• Still confused as to why women are getting paid as much as their male counterparts? Yea, me too (shakes raised fist at the sky). This fact sheet from the Center for American Progress is very interesting to read - it gives you a break down of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and talks about why women are earning less even though they went to better schools and received better grades. 

• In a new survey compiled by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, many women between the ages of 18-64 believe that cosmetic surgery gives them a competitive edge in the workforce. Of those surveyed, 73% believe looks play an integral role in getting a promotion or getting hired. 

He's Such a Swine

If there is one thing my company loves, it's memos. I seriously feel like we get at least 3 a week. Recently, it's been about wearing jeans to work, how to use the Internet appropriately, or the 5K that the office is running together next month. 

This week though, it was about the Swine Flu. 

I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about - it's been all anyone is talking about these days - the Swine Flu outbreak that began in Mexico and has recently overtaken oh, how do I put this...ah yes, the WORLD. 

Anyway, today we got an email from our company telling us that to "take the necessary precautions to help prevent you from becoming sick" and that if we did feel ill to stay home. 

Now, I'm glad my company is being proactive about this, but really company?! Really?! I think this is just common sense. If you don't feel well, don't come hacking up a lung to work and spread the disease around to 5 more people. To me, this is a no-brainer. If you get sick, stay home otherwise half the company will be out the next week with your flu-like symptoms. 

The memo also came with ways to prevent from contracting the Swine Flu. Among those included washing your hands frequently, staying away from those infected, and avoiding touching your nose or mouth. To which I can only say wow, thanks for the valuable information.

Be Careful What You Wish For

Since I was an intern, I wanted to work on events. I loved the fast-paced environment and running on adrenaline. As and intern and when I was a sales assistant, I assisted with numerous events. I ran around, did as people asked and solved small problems where I could. I was always assisting someone. I was never working on my event.

Very soon, I have my first event. I'm freaking out (which is causing me to break out, awesome). This isn't just a "hey, let's have a cocktail party for about 40 people" event. It's a "hey, let's fly a bunch a people to a place and do this and then that and oh, we just found out we need go here when we scheduled this" event.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited. But I'm stressed. I said to WG2 this weekend, "Um, why did I want this job?" I've realized that what I love about events, is the actual event. I love event day, even if I'm stressed. And there is nothing like the high I have after an event is finished and gone well.

Pre-event, well, it's a lot different when you're the one planning. I'm learning the ropes of the pre-event and learning to love it. There is much more that goes into than I realized, I've dropped the ball on a few things and, I think, disappointed Mom Boss a bit (another story for another day). Because it's my first event, I wanted everything leading up to it to go smoothly.

With the event only days away, I can only just get everything together, pull it all off on event day and use what I've learn with this event for the next one. Oh, and hope that the post-event feeling is event better because it was my event and it went well.

Things I Could Do Without

Today was one of those days where one second it was 8AM and then next time I looked at the clock it was 11:30AM. Where did my day go?!

Because my brain is mush and my Internet is shotty, I am compiling a list of things that I hate/loathe about working.

1. Commuting. Nuff said. 

2. People who talk on their cell phones the wholeeeeeeeeeee way to work. I mean, really people?! Really?!

3. Nosy co-workers

4. People who hover over your desk. I like my personal space thankyouverymuch.

5. Contracts that need to be signed before I leave for the day and bosses who suddenly go missing (and by missing I mean in meetings for hours and hours) and can't sign said contracts so you have to stay late and then you can't go return your stupid cable box.

6. Blisters from new shoes

7. Lean Cuisine lunches

8. Coming back to work after a long weekend (WG1 visited me this weekend so I took Friday off!!!), and returning to 50 unread emails. No fun. 

9. Co-workers who talk so loudly on the phone that you can't hear yourself think

10. Someone drinking all the water in the water cooler and then not replacing it 

Ok, whew. That was nice to get off my chest. To be honest, today wasn't horrific, but it was really busy. 

And seriously, commuters need to stop talking on their cell phones all the way to and from work. Obnoxious.

Happy Administrative Professionals' Day!

Did you know that the Wednesday of the last full week of April is Administrative Professionals' Day?

Yea, me either.

That was until this morning when my boss presented me with a HUGE (we're talking massive) bouquet of flowers! He thanked me for all the work I'm doing and I blushed because any time someone compliments me I turn into a teenager meeting their teen idol.

To give a little background on my job (because I realize it can be confusing - what does she do??? I can hear you asking...she does events, and emails and now she's an admin assistant - whatttttt?). I am technically the assistant to one of our EVP's, so I handle his calendar mostly, print stuff, file stuff. But I would say that takes up about 10% of my day. The rest of my time at work, I work on special projects which include our two large events a year and most recently an e-mail strategy project.

Right now my flowers are sitting on my desk emitting a heavenly scent and some of the flowers haven't even bloomed - so I'm thinking these suckers are going to last a lot longer than a week!

Man, I love my boss.

! This Message is of the Highest Importance !

There is a sales assistant in an outside office that I have never met. I’ve spoken to her only once or twice on the phone and she seems nice enough. But she commits one of my top office crimes. She flags every single email as “Highest Importance” with a bright red exclamation point.

To be fair, she has sent me some important information that I requested for an upcoming event. It was, however, similar information that I requested from other sales assistants and no one else changed the priority of their emails.

The bright red exclamation point on most to all of a person’s emails is one of my biggest pet peeves because I just don’t understand the logic behind it. If every email you send has a bright red exclamation point, every email is of equal importance.

I received nearly 10 emails from her today and all of them, in her opinion, where of highest importance. In my opinion, maybe two were of high importance and even that’s a stretch.

Technologically Un-savvy

I repel technology. I have broken numerous digital cameras. I believe I have dropped more than one cell phone in water. My computers die on me all. the. time. It all comes down to technology hating me (because obviously this is the conclusion I've come to and not that I'm clumsy or something).

Just like my personal technology, the technology I work with also hates my guts. The printer loathes me - seriously, it jams almost every time I use it and never when Bill, my tech guy, uses it. Unfair, unfair, unfair. Anyway, my Internet is frequently testy (as in I get signed off of Gchat too often daily).

During my second month at my new job, my Internet just stopped working. My e-mails got stuff in my "drafts" folder, my Gmail couldn't connect to the server, and my Internet magically turned off.

So of course I landed on my theory of technology hates me. So I traipsed over to the Tech dungeon and told them of my technology woes (and I probably told them all about how my cell phones just slipped into sink and how my computer from 1999 up and died on me the other day).

My fave tech guy Bill followed me back to my desk and I sat down all flummoxed as to why oh why the Internet wasn't working since our server wasn't down.

Bill took one look at my computer, rolled his eyes and poked his head under my desk.

"WG2," he said in a tone that sounded eerily like my dad's when he is mad at me. "Do you swing or kick your legs under your desk?"

Turns out I had kicked some wires free underneath my desk. And now whenever I ask Bill to do anything tech-related, he makes me check all the wires near or around my desk/computer/printer to make sure I haven't repelled aka kicked the technology out of the wall.

Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes is a weekly feature. Here we will dish on tidbits, news, and important things we think you Working Girls should know. So scroll down to hear what we think you should glean from this work week.

• Bag It! Finding the perfect work bag is tough. You want something cute and a little trendy but easy to organzied and condusive to your busy life. And then you need something good for traveling or that'll fit your laptop for a meeting. CareerBags.com is here is save us from the frustration of bag shopping. Created for women by women, CareerBags have something for every type of Working Girl. Seriously, you can browse by career.

• Working Girl Whitney Makes Moves Our favorite reality TV Working Girl has left DVF and gone back to work for Kelly Cutrone at People's Revolution. I must say, I'm very excited about this move. DVF was boring (reason #32 why I stopped watching The City). Kelly Cutrone is hard core and very New York and that's what you need in a reality show titled The City.

Sorry for the short Meeting Notes this week. It was just too beautiful in Manhattan for me to concentrate and blog!

It's Time to Grow Up

The new me starts on Monday. I could not be more excited. Finally, I will only have to do one job. But I could also not be more annoyed. The new me will be the Marketing Assistant. She will work on projects for Mom Boss, Dad Boss, Promo Girl, me and the rest of our department. We will manage the new me on her projects. So, she should probably take us seriously.

Normally, it's easy to take Promo Girl, myself and other cubicle pod-mate seriously. Sure, we may chat a little bit, make fun of one another and maybe get a little inappropriate. Just a little. But we're hard workers.

That was until the two of them discovered Twilight. Promo girl rented the movie over the weekend (before reading the book, which, for the record, I did not condone) and she is now in love with Edward Cullen. Our other co-worker is half way through the series, has seen the movie and is equally obsessed.

Back in November, when I finished the series, I begged them both to read it. I told them they'd love it. They thought I was a crazy, vampire obsessed teeny-bopper. Now, the two of them are printing out photos of Robert Pattinson, decorating their cubes and saying "oh hello Edward," every time they sit at their desks.

I've been partaking in the Edward love fest and I even have one picture in my cube. I spend a little time censoring NewMoonMovie.org for Promo Girl so that she's doesn't find anything out before she reads the book. I've explained the obsession to Working Girl Two and she put it best. She said that they were in the pre-teen obsessed phase and that we, having finished the series and passed that phase, are in the cool teenager phase.

The three us decided yesterday that when the new me starts, the Twilight talk must stop. I'm not knocking any Twilight fans. I'll be the first to admit I love Edward Cullen but how is a new girl supposed to take us seriously when we're saying things like "I wish I were a vampire with sparkling skin."

Whoa Nelly

For the past two months, I've been in a work slump. One of my friends told me it was spring fever, and I agree. The weather has been drab (seriously, I am so psyched it is gonna be over 50 this weekend in Chi) and my projects were at a low hum.

I've been bored and my brain had turned to mush. That was until this week rolled around.

Today, I had three meetings. And the most I usually have in one day is a big fat zero. I have about four projects on my plate right now and I usually have around one or two.

The one project I'm really proud of is an e-mail marketing campaign my boss had me put together. E-mail marketing was something I told my boss I was interested in learning more about - the process, the copy, the creative. It all intrigues me. I also like learning the analytics of it - how many people opened the e-mail, how many clicks did each link get - that stuff really gets me going. So my boss told me to put together an e-mail strategy for a current promotion we are running.

I went about my business and put together this fab PowerPoint and presented it to him last week under the assumption that he just wanted to see how I would do when presented with a real project. In other words, I thought I was putting together a fake presentation - something that was important but would never see the light of day.

Turns out I was wrong- oh so very wrong. My boss liked my ideas and told me to put together a timeline and get the ideas flowing. Since then I've been pulled into numerous strategy meetings, survey meetings, and my ideas are being circulated into a few of our merchant and member e-mails. Can we say 'whoaaaa'?

I have to say even though the task of putting this all together is really daunting, I'm really excited to be able to call this project a brainchild of mine. And I can't wait to see it through all the way to the end.

And it's an added perk to be excited to go to work in the morning.

Working Girl Does Some Spring Cleaning

Hi Working Girls!

We hope all of you readers had a wonderful weekend/Easter/Passover! 

As most of you have probably noticed by now, Working Girl has gotten a little makeover. A while back, WG1 and I decided to try and take WG to a new level. What that actually means is for us to know and you to find out (soon!). The first step though was a new design - something a little more sleek, a little more professional, and a little less pink (which was hard for me to let go because it's my all-time fave color).

A big thank you to Jess from Delicious Design who did our redesign - this is the second time we have used Jess and we cannot say more good things about her. If you're looking for a designer who won't charge you an arm and a leg for a design, we suggest you shoot her an e-mail. She is fab!   

Let us know what you think! We love it! 

(And don't forget to look out for new things to come from WG!)

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

For the past year, there has been a solid group of assistants at work. There have been four working girls (including myself) and two working boys who have held our office together. The boys are great but the four of us girls have developed a great friendship. One that goes beyond the day to day work conversation.

We've eaten lunch together almost every work day for the past 52-weeks, had dozens of happy hours and celebrated special occasions together. These working girls are the only ones who truly know how bad a bad day is for me or how I feel about certain co-workers and why.

Mom Boss and Promo Girl have both told me that there's nothing like the bond that you have with the people that were assistants with you. Being an assistant is a roller coaster of an experience and many people, in different industries, do it. But they were right, the only people who will really understand the experience are the people at your company who did it with you.

Friday marks the day the first one of our little group of four is leaving. Not only is she leaving the company, she's leaving Manhattan. We begged and bribed our working girl to stay but her home state is calling her back.

A new girl started training today and she's sweet, but she's not the same. She's the first of the next generation. Soon there will be two new assistants; one replacing her and one replacing me.

I've moved to a different position, one working girl is leaving and it's only a matter of time before the other two move on to bigger and better things. I'm used to a lot of change in my life but I don't know if I'm ready for this. We've had a fun and comfortable friendship for the past year and it's all about to change.

A Hairy Dilemma

About every six months I get bored with my hair, which has led me to just randomly go to a hairdresser and tell them to take drastic measures and cut off all my hair. Last winter, I had this little gem of a hairstyle:

And then around this time last year, I cut my hair into this trendy bob (thanks for the inspiration Posh & Katie).

Now my hair is growing out and I'm starting to get lazy. I have no more bangs to speak of, lots of split ends, and most days I put my hair in a bun at the nape of my neck and twist my somewhat existent bangs into this curly q on the side of my head (and sometimes a Lauren Conrad braid works). 

But I'm getting bored again people. And I need some ideas.

I want something obviously that screams "I am a working professional" but can also be hot for the weekend. I also have to mention that I'm trying to grow my hair out to do Locks of Love. 

I have narrowed my options down to the following and I need your help in determing which hairstyle will get to grace my head for the next few months. And is obviously OK'ed for work situations. 

Option 1: Not overdone bangs, subtle layers. 

Option 2: back to a more blunt fringe with no layers

Option 3: something simpler, no bangs, just great long layers

So you tell me Working Girls - which is the best option?

The F Word

I am by no means a delicate flower. But I must give off that vibe in the workplace because my boss sure seems to think I am delicate. 

I surmised this fact the other day while in a meeting with my boss, the CEO, and some other VIP's. A conversation was being had about an annoying client - someone who apparently really grated the nerves of the higher-ups - and someone in the room used some crass language to describe said annoying client. To which my boss responded that that kind of language should not be used in front of a lady. (Just in case you were confused, lady means moi). 

My boss has proven time and time again that he doesn't encourage the use of curse words while in my presence, nor does he like it when other people use them around me. He has once or twice reminded people that I'm in the room if they use the "f word" or "d word". 

What fascinates me is that he isn't the only one - our CEO also is careful with his language when around me or other young women in the office. 

I know this fact should be a pleasant one, but half of me can't help but be a little annoyed by the fact that just because I'm a lady that men can't curse around me. But then there is this other part of me that thinks it's pretty quaint and adorable that they don't want to pollute my delicate flower brain with obscenities. 

And then there's this whole other part of my brain that thinks I'm being pretty narcissistic. I mean, maybe they just want to keep the office clear of curse words in general. 

Which leads me to ask, what do you guys think about cursing in the office? An office to do or no way in hell? 

Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes is a weekly feature. Here we will dish on tidbits, news, and important things we think you Working Girls should know. So scroll down to hear what we think you should glean from this work week.

• A new study recently revealed that women in the American work force are changing their attitudes. According to the study, young women with children are just as ambitious in the workplace than women without children. 3,500 workers were surveyed and the results revealed that 69% of mothers under age 29 say they want to move up the career ladder, while 66% of women without children have the same ambition.


• WG1 recently spoke about her new obsession with Mint.com, a site dedicated to helping you track just exactly where all that money is going (my guess is the bar?). If you're looking for a different way to track your money as well as pay off your credit card and student loan debt, try Fabulously Broke in the City's budgeting sheets on for size. I am so jealous that she is debt free!
  
• Do you think today's thirty-somethings are more focused on their emotional fulfillment than their careers? Lorraine Candy, editor of UK Elle magazine, does. In a recent article, the editor talked about her most recent online survey where she asked women about to turn 30 what their priorities in life were. She was surprised to find that 70% prioritize relationships over promotions at work.
  
• This fact peaked my interest - women really do shop to cheer themselves up! A new study of 443 women (aged 18-50) showed that women spent more money within the 10 days leading up to their "visit from Aunt Flo".

Working Girl Wears: Help!

Now is that time of year in New York where one day it's 66 degrees and sunny and the next it's 38 degrees and raining. In addition to putting my sinuses through a roller coaster ride it's making getting dressed incredibly difficult.

If I have to wear tights one more time I might hurt someone but I'm too lazy to pull my summer clothes from out of closet and from under my bed. I need a little early spring wardrobe inspiration. I'm hoping you can help me.

Send me your favorite early spring outfit ideas. Pictures of you in them or something from Polyvore. Let me know if it's okay to post them next week.

Things You Probably Shouldn't Do at Work

For the past month I have been having problems with my cable provider. 

It all started right after I got back from Key West. I turned on my TV after a long hard vacation/work trip ready to watch Grey's and Private Practice to find my DVR had been erased - everything that I had pre-recorded and all the shows I still hadn't watched from the week before poof gone. Of course I was irate since I'm one of those people that love TV (as I have mentioned over and over). 

I called RCN, my cable provider, and they informed me that I had low signal and that I would probably need a new cable box. So the next week they sent out a technician who gave me a new cable box and then proceeded to tell me that he didn't know why but my signal was low (you think genius?) and that he would need to send a proper technician out to fix it the next day. Of course that guy never showed up.

So I called the next week, fuming, and told them my plight. They opened a work order and told me to wait for dispatch to give me a call to set up an appointment. Three days pass, nada. So I call back and this time they set up an appointment -- catch being that it is an all day appointment where someone needs to be home from 8-5PM to let in the technician.

Since I have a 8-5 job, my little sister who was home on her Spring Break from college, offered to sit in my apartment and wait for the cable guy. 5PM rolls around and I am about to get on my plane to NYC (to see WG1 for her bday of course), and my sister tells me no one has showed up and no one has called all day long. I call RCN in an irate state and start bitching and they drop the bomb on me that an all day appointment isn't 8-5...it's actually 8-8PM so there is nothing they can do until 8PM. So my sister waits till 8PM. Guess who still doesn't show up? Yea, so predictable.

Last week, during work, I call RCN and scream until I barely have a voice. I talk to managers and supervisors and no one will do anything but put in another work order and offer me a free month of HBO (which is useless when you don't have signal BTW). So I let them put in another work order and waited 8 days for someone to call me. Nothing. I have not heard one peep. 

Today, in my last ditch attempt, I called RCN again and I got the same song and dance about work orders and dispatch will call me. This time I cried BS and cancelled my subscription. So doing this in the workplace probably isn't the best idea, especially when you are so fuming angry that veins are popping out of your neck as berate the customer service reps who can barely mutter two sentences and offer up "condolences all all your frustrations". A co-worker kindly offered to transfer the call into an empty office so I could bitch in peace. 

After I finally cancelled and went back to my desk, a co-worker of mine who sits in the office behind me (aka my one of my only friends who also happens to be over 50) offered up this sage advice, "WG2," she said, "Cable providers are like boyfriends. You dump them and you move on." 

Nicely put co-worker, nicely put. 

I'm a Big Girl Now

Now that I'm the Special Projects Manager, I feel like I need to mature three to five years. Changing from coordinator to manager is a huge step at my magazine. Typically, they'd give someone with two years of working experience an Associate Manager title.

I feel that because I'm a full-on manager I need to act older. Turning 24 helped my mentality a bit. But now, I can't just be a young working girl finding her way. I need to know my way.

While I have a lot of great experience for the position, I know that people who have held the position before more have had more. I know some things and am learning others. I've never worked on a hotel contract before and I've never been in charge of an event budget. But I need to act like I know what I'm doing.

And, is it weird that I feel like I need to improve my appearance? I look pretty put together everyday at work but all of a sudden I want to cut my long hair into a more stylish, easy to manage haircut. I want a better wardrobe. I feel like my nails should be polished everyday.

Too bad I don't have the budget for a great haircut, new wardrobe and weekly manicures.