In my new job, I have two primary work places, and they are very different.
This is what I like about workplace A:
My office has white Xmas lights in it -- my dad would be so proud!
My office has a couch in it!
My desk in a large antique wooden table!
There is a full service kitchen there!
Free parking at the Santa Monica Promenade!
Four blocks from the ocean!
Great lunch options!
Nice people!
This is what I don't like about workplace A:
It's in the basement.
I don't get cell service down there.
They block GMail there.
I share an office with someone who reports to me.
The commute.
This is what I like about workplace B:
It has a full kitchen with TWO refrigerators!
It has free parking!
Nice people!
This what I don't like about workplace B:
I don't have my own office, but someone has been nice enough to share with me and typically when I'm there, he's not, so it's like having my own office.
No great lunch options.
The commute.
All in all, I'm pretty happy, even at the end of week one!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
AMAZING
Today was my first day at work.
It was AMAZING, truly amazing.
It was an 8-hour training session on the history of the organization and what it means to work there. While that may sound hideous to some of you, it made me SO HAPPY! I love being a student, understanding the big picture, having a framework and learning where I fit into it.
The training made me realize a few other things as well:
NUMBER 1
I have worked for non-profit organizations for more than 90% of my professional career and I have never seen an orientation like this. It actually feels like I'm waking up from Battered-Employee Syndrome. BES is actually a condition I made up with some friends at one of the many non-profits I worked at in New York City. It is most common among (though not limited to) arts organizations, especially well-known ones, that think working for them is a gift and you should be grateful for the less-than-stellar working conditions and less-than-livable salaries. While these beliefs may not be accurate, there is one thing they can count on: they can replace you in a heartbeat with someone who WILL consider the job a gift. Many non-profits don't pay attention to employee recognition, satisfaction or retention -- and truth be told many non-profits are stretched so thin that these things may seem like luxuries -- however, penny-wise, pound-foolish people, ever heard of it?!
NUMBER 2
There are VERY large expectations awaiting me in my new job. My position has been vacant since JULY at which point it was a manager-level position. It is now a director-level position and there is A LOT to do. My orientation group was made up of 30 people from all over the organization -- one, like me started today, many started in the last 90 days and some had been there almost a year. Without fail, each time we went around the room to introduce ourselves to a current staff member who was presenting a learning module, the person we were introducing ourselves to (including the CEO of the organization!) responded to my introduction by saying "Oh, I've heard about you, we're so excited you're here!" They didn't say this to anyone else in the room...
Now, I love being the center of attention. If you know me at all, you know that much! I have heard of women who don't like to be the center of attention. On more than one occasion I have even thrown showers for some of these women and I have never understood that sentiment. Honestly, I believed them, I just never understood them. . . until today.
Wow! It was pretty embarrassing to have speaker after speaker express their excitement at my arrival. Granted, I'm excited about this job, but I am pretty realistic about it: it is highly unlikely that I will meet every one's expectations and there is bound to be some disappointment. I am not saying this to be self-deprecating or negative. I'm saying this because I think my first order of business is to start reigning in the expectations to something a bit lower than super-human!
NUMBER 3
The last realization was the hardest: I left the building completely overwhelmed (in a good way) and also desperately sad. I am so happy about this job and so proud of myself and so excited to get started, and it just plain sucks that I can't share it with my dad. Ever since he died, anything good has been tainted. Not in a way that makes good things bad, but in a way that makes them really, really sad, especially when I'm least expecting it.
I called my cousin on the way out of work. We share the unfortunate distinction of losing our dads (who were brothers) too soon. She was an amazing comfort and reminded me that we were lucky enough to have relationships with our dads that makes them not being around so difficult. It doesn't make it easier, but it does provide important perspective. She believes they know what we're up to and that they're proud of us. (I'm not sure I believe that and she assured me it was ok if I didn't.) I do believe that the lack of my father's pride/approval is a void I need to find a way to fill on my own. In any event, it is certain that our dads raised us to do what we're doing and we are grateful for that. (It also helped that a ton of my friends called to check in on me last night and today and tell me that they are proud of me! Thanks peeps!)
So it all begins here. After 8 months of lounging around, it's on!
It was AMAZING, truly amazing.
It was an 8-hour training session on the history of the organization and what it means to work there. While that may sound hideous to some of you, it made me SO HAPPY! I love being a student, understanding the big picture, having a framework and learning where I fit into it.
The training made me realize a few other things as well:
NUMBER 1
I have worked for non-profit organizations for more than 90% of my professional career and I have never seen an orientation like this. It actually feels like I'm waking up from Battered-Employee Syndrome. BES is actually a condition I made up with some friends at one of the many non-profits I worked at in New York City. It is most common among (though not limited to) arts organizations, especially well-known ones, that think working for them is a gift and you should be grateful for the less-than-stellar working conditions and less-than-livable salaries. While these beliefs may not be accurate, there is one thing they can count on: they can replace you in a heartbeat with someone who WILL consider the job a gift. Many non-profits don't pay attention to employee recognition, satisfaction or retention -- and truth be told many non-profits are stretched so thin that these things may seem like luxuries -- however, penny-wise, pound-foolish people, ever heard of it?!
NUMBER 2
There are VERY large expectations awaiting me in my new job. My position has been vacant since JULY at which point it was a manager-level position. It is now a director-level position and there is A LOT to do. My orientation group was made up of 30 people from all over the organization -- one, like me started today, many started in the last 90 days and some had been there almost a year. Without fail, each time we went around the room to introduce ourselves to a current staff member who was presenting a learning module, the person we were introducing ourselves to (including the CEO of the organization!) responded to my introduction by saying "Oh, I've heard about you, we're so excited you're here!" They didn't say this to anyone else in the room...
Now, I love being the center of attention. If you know me at all, you know that much! I have heard of women who don't like to be the center of attention. On more than one occasion I have even thrown showers for some of these women and I have never understood that sentiment. Honestly, I believed them, I just never understood them. . . until today.
Wow! It was pretty embarrassing to have speaker after speaker express their excitement at my arrival. Granted, I'm excited about this job, but I am pretty realistic about it: it is highly unlikely that I will meet every one's expectations and there is bound to be some disappointment. I am not saying this to be self-deprecating or negative. I'm saying this because I think my first order of business is to start reigning in the expectations to something a bit lower than super-human!
NUMBER 3
The last realization was the hardest: I left the building completely overwhelmed (in a good way) and also desperately sad. I am so happy about this job and so proud of myself and so excited to get started, and it just plain sucks that I can't share it with my dad. Ever since he died, anything good has been tainted. Not in a way that makes good things bad, but in a way that makes them really, really sad, especially when I'm least expecting it.
I called my cousin on the way out of work. We share the unfortunate distinction of losing our dads (who were brothers) too soon. She was an amazing comfort and reminded me that we were lucky enough to have relationships with our dads that makes them not being around so difficult. It doesn't make it easier, but it does provide important perspective. She believes they know what we're up to and that they're proud of us. (I'm not sure I believe that and she assured me it was ok if I didn't.) I do believe that the lack of my father's pride/approval is a void I need to find a way to fill on my own. In any event, it is certain that our dads raised us to do what we're doing and we are grateful for that. (It also helped that a ton of my friends called to check in on me last night and today and tell me that they are proud of me! Thanks peeps!)
So it all begins here. After 8 months of lounging around, it's on!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
My Last Week of Leisure
This is it.
I have been un- or under-employed for 8 months and today is the last day of my "vacation." I can't say I have enjoyed every moment of it, but I have tried to make the best of it and I certainly came to love it.
This week was a nice one.
I spent Monday with K and baby Ava and then had dinner with SMS and his "mentor" and her husband. Tuesday I went to the beach with D and A (A is visiting from NYC!) and then I took Mae to the vet.
Since Henry's death she has resumed her "outside of the box" behavior, however this time, instead of confining her pee to the carpet square outside of "her" bathroom, she was peeing in places she likes to hang out. This is a HUGE red (smelly!) flag for a cat. I was hoping it was a simple urinary track infection, but no such luck. It turns out that just like when people get stressed they can given themselves stomach ulcers, when cats get stressed they can give themselves "bladder stones," which is exactly what happened to Mae. Cats can get two different kind of stones, one can usually be eliminated with diet, the other requires surgery. Needless to say it was not an easy trip to the vet and I had all sorts of sad, scary and painful memories. We had to go back Wednesday morning for more tests. :(
Wednesday afternoon we met with our new tax-guy who was a total laugh-riot and then we hung out with B for a bit. For dinner I met C, and old friend from college, who happened to go to high school with SMS, in Santa Monica. She was in LA for work and it was nice to catch up and walk around Santa Monica in the evening.
Thursday I did 7 loads of laundry at the spanish laundromat where I have become a regular (I'm going to miss how empty it is during the week!) and while I was there the vet called to say Mae had the kind of stones that can typically be treated with diet. So now Mae the cat, the love of our life, our furry daughter, is on "special" food, an antibiotic, and prozac! She's a special girl.
Thursday evening we had therapy in Santa Monica and then burgers with R, D, B and R. Yum! Therapy was interesting because our therapist asked us to talk about what initially attracted us to each other. It had been a while since we had thought of some of the early moments of our time together (or really, apart, as we were long distance for the first 2 and half years of our relationship!). It was a funny session.
Friday I had to take SMS to the airport very early. He's in NYC for the weekend for a conference. Then I went grocery shopping before heading to the spa with L. We got facials and hung out in the jacuzzi. We had dinner at Hugo's that night and then we cleaned out my closet in an attempt to put together a work-ready wardrobe. Fun stuff!
Saturday morning I took a walk with "new friend" T and then I hung out in Beverly Hills while L had acupuncture. When she was done we went for bra fittings. I got 5 new desperately needed bras and spent more than I care to tell anyone! Saturday night T and I had dinner at Stanley's and then we watched Brigadoon for a much needed Gene Kelly fix.
Today, Sunday, I am doing nothing in hopes that I can use all the energy I am saving today throughout the upcoming week. Fingers crossed!
(I tried to upload some photos, but Blogger/Google is not cooperating. I need a good night's sleep, so I'm out.)
I have been un- or under-employed for 8 months and today is the last day of my "vacation." I can't say I have enjoyed every moment of it, but I have tried to make the best of it and I certainly came to love it.
This week was a nice one.
I spent Monday with K and baby Ava and then had dinner with SMS and his "mentor" and her husband. Tuesday I went to the beach with D and A (A is visiting from NYC!) and then I took Mae to the vet.
Since Henry's death she has resumed her "outside of the box" behavior, however this time, instead of confining her pee to the carpet square outside of "her" bathroom, she was peeing in places she likes to hang out. This is a HUGE red (smelly!) flag for a cat. I was hoping it was a simple urinary track infection, but no such luck. It turns out that just like when people get stressed they can given themselves stomach ulcers, when cats get stressed they can give themselves "bladder stones," which is exactly what happened to Mae. Cats can get two different kind of stones, one can usually be eliminated with diet, the other requires surgery. Needless to say it was not an easy trip to the vet and I had all sorts of sad, scary and painful memories. We had to go back Wednesday morning for more tests. :(
Wednesday afternoon we met with our new tax-guy who was a total laugh-riot and then we hung out with B for a bit. For dinner I met C, and old friend from college, who happened to go to high school with SMS, in Santa Monica. She was in LA for work and it was nice to catch up and walk around Santa Monica in the evening.
Thursday I did 7 loads of laundry at the spanish laundromat where I have become a regular (I'm going to miss how empty it is during the week!) and while I was there the vet called to say Mae had the kind of stones that can typically be treated with diet. So now Mae the cat, the love of our life, our furry daughter, is on "special" food, an antibiotic, and prozac! She's a special girl.
Thursday evening we had therapy in Santa Monica and then burgers with R, D, B and R. Yum! Therapy was interesting because our therapist asked us to talk about what initially attracted us to each other. It had been a while since we had thought of some of the early moments of our time together (or really, apart, as we were long distance for the first 2 and half years of our relationship!). It was a funny session.
Friday I had to take SMS to the airport very early. He's in NYC for the weekend for a conference. Then I went grocery shopping before heading to the spa with L. We got facials and hung out in the jacuzzi. We had dinner at Hugo's that night and then we cleaned out my closet in an attempt to put together a work-ready wardrobe. Fun stuff!
Saturday morning I took a walk with "new friend" T and then I hung out in Beverly Hills while L had acupuncture. When she was done we went for bra fittings. I got 5 new desperately needed bras and spent more than I care to tell anyone! Saturday night T and I had dinner at Stanley's and then we watched Brigadoon for a much needed Gene Kelly fix.
Today, Sunday, I am doing nothing in hopes that I can use all the energy I am saving today throughout the upcoming week. Fingers crossed!
(I tried to upload some photos, but Blogger/Google is not cooperating. I need a good night's sleep, so I'm out.)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Okel Dokel
Does anyone else still watch Saturday Night Live? If you watched this weekend you may have seen Seth Meyers waving his Terrible Towel as they cut to commercial.
Solid.
R.I.P Myron. . . And Lily...
Solid.
R.I.P Myron. . . And Lily...
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