You Really Have a Way With Words

Posted on August 19, 2006 by Girl Friday

I haven’t made a list of things I love in a long time. So here I go…

  1. Neutrogena Lip Moisturizer with SPF 15: I bought it on the way out of Nordstrom Rack a few weekends ago. One of those impulse buys, just tossed it into the basket, didn’t even check the price. I love it. I’m seriously attached. It’s not waxy like Burt’s Bees (duh, I know), and it doesn’t cake up or make me want to reapply like All Natural Chapstick. Supple lips are a must. I know several of you out there have a lip balm fetish like I do. Don’t be afraid to admit it!
  2. Jane Austen on the Internet: I found Pemberly.com when I was reading Persuasion with my book club at work. It has all of her works available as e-texts. So you can read at work and you won’t rouse suspicion. There are lots of dorky quotes and jokes on the site if you heart Jane. I think it’s time for me to start my twice-yearly read of Pride and Prejudice. I know I should reread Sense and Sensibility or Emma since they’re my least favorites (I still adore them though!). I’ve read Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey multiple times and I thoroughly enjoy both. Persuasion with its quiet pace simply amazed me. Anne Elliott is my second favorite Austen heroine. I think she was kind of the original girl Friday.
  3. Coffee: Coffee breaks are still one of the best times of the day. It’s rejuvenating and tasty! If you’re not into actual coffee, try Häagen Dazs Lite 1/2 the fat Coffee ice cream or their coffee ice cream bars covered in chocolate with almond crunch. My parents brought back Donkey Balls from Hawaii. The combination of coffee and chocolate is spectacular. You don’t have to travel all the way there to enjoy the Aloha Spirit. Shop at their online store!
  4. Seeing people passionate about life: I know, I know, strange thing for my list, right? Just the other day our student staff put on a karaoke night for the foreign students that are staying at our complexes this summer. They had so much fun, and I’ve never seen so many people gush about the success of an event. I’m used to working in the private sector where there is much ado about nothing. People buzz around in their self-importance, wearing their smug attitudes like Armani suits, accomplishing things only for the good of the bottom line. Working with students means seeing people make new discoveries everyday and helping them find their own best solutions. Sometimes it means I have to deal with cranky, self-entitled a-holes, but generally the good outweighs the bad.
  5. Brain games: My three favorite sites right now are Theseuarus.com, Wikipedia.org, and Wordsmith.org. I hate using the same word twice, so to avoid that I utilize theseuarus.com and it provides me with long lists of alternate words. I spent Friday afternoon on Google Talk with Luck 10-Key coming up with insults for a boy that shall go unnamed. (Favorite combination: sodding wanker.) I use Wikipedia as my official guide on almost all matters. I’m sure some of you smarty-pants out there think that’s probably not a good thing—but where else can you find the latest slang definitions and find out what kind of dahlia is sitting in your vase? It’s one stop shopping for nerds like me! If you’re bored, which I often am during “work,” go find anagrams of your name at Wordsmith.org.

–RAD IF GIRLY

Posted in Goodies, Listmaking, Office Stories, Random | Leave a comment

She Gets Her Slings and Arrows from the Dumpster

Posted on August 18, 2006 by Girl Friday

Remember how I mentioned I joined a professional association? Well, I just discovered that the worst boss I ever had in my entire life is also a member. She was the ultimate psychotic manager, and I shall dub her Mrs. Nasty. Unfortunately, when I worked with Mrs. Nasty I didn’t have my trusty tool kit of wit and my skin was so not thick. (It was basically translucent.) To give you an idea of how awful this woman was to me, you should probably know that when I quit I ran out of the office and locked myself in a bathroom stall. I sobbed uncontrollably. A woman who I shared an office with, but was from another department, came in to check on me. I asked her to get my backpack. I never went back to that office. I vowed I would never work in another office again. I thought all office managers were like this horrid being. (Sometimes I regret not trusting my initial instinct.)

From the start I could do nothing right. I wasn’t cheery enough on the phone. I forgot to say good morning from 8 until 11:59 AM. I forgot to switch to good afternoon at 1 PM (we closed the office strictly at 12 to 12:59 PM). I stapled on the horizontal, not the diagonal. I couldn’t read her mind when she handed me stacks of paper and told me to “deal with them.” Was I supposed to file them? Mail them? Fax them? Alphabetize them? Eat them? I guess I’ll never know. I wish I could say the insanity stopped there, but it didn’t. Twice she cornered me in an elevator and accused me of being an evildoer. (The answer is yes, yes I am. I do Lucifer’s bidding.) My breaking point occurred when she called me into the director’s office when he was out of town. She maligned me again. When I tried to stand up to her she silenced me and called me horrible names. I ran past her with tears in my eyes and didn’t look back.

There. That’s my saga with this woman. I feel better.

I contemplated dropping out of the association, but one of my current bosses encouraged me to stick with it. She told me to show Mrs. Nasty that I’m a grown woman and won’t be bullied anymore. I don’t know if I’ll follow through, but I think my boss is right. I’ve grown up in the six years since I was in Mrs. Nasy’ts employ. As much as I’ve complained about wretched bosses here and there, none compare to Mrs. Nasty. I found my personal limit for unhappiness during those three months. I learned that I have a voice, and I have to use it.

Posted in Office Stories | 2 Comments

Shoot Me From My Good Side

Posted on August 17, 2006 by Girl Friday

How do you measure success?  Can you judge it by the money in your bank account, the car you drive, or the number of friends on your speed dial?  I hope not, because I guess that would make me a big failure.  At times we compare ourselves to others; it’s human nature, but it’s certainly not healthy or very productive.  Lately, I’ve been judging myself on the number of hits I get on this little ol’ diary.  I get a rush every day at 6 o’clock when I see the number go up.

I had my best stats in June, with 191 unique visitors.  I dipped in July to 115, and that nearly crushed my ego, but it made me get up and do something about it.  I decided that with the anniversary just around the corner, I should recommit myself to the writing.  It’s easy to say I don’t have time, but it’s not true.  It’s about finding balance in all things and knowing your priorities.  I made it my week’s goal to post something every day, and so far I’m sticking to it.  I think that we have to rejoice in our triumphs, even if they’re small.  Every great work of literature was written one word at time, and while I know this blog isn’t a “classic,” at least I’m practicing.

This post is about to take a turn for the emo… 

I’m trying really hard here to not beat myself up.  You see, there’s a “reunion” this weekend, and at this point I’m not participating.  I speak to the people who are important to me, so I don’t really see the point of reconnecting with a bunch of people who’ll say, “Let’s keep in touch,” but won’t really mean it.  I’m not hurt about that, because I’m just as guilty of it.  The other (insecure) side of me doesn’t want to go because I can’t resist the pitfall of comparing myself to others.  I know if I go to this “reunion” I’ll feel wretched about who I am and where I’m at.  Logically, I know this is ludicrous. 

Pride, greed, and envy make a great cocktail.  I knock them back every time.  Bottoms up.

Posted in Life | 3 Comments