Happy Holidays!

So, being home means having no internet (Note to self: get internet.). And that means no new posts for a while, because, like, posting at work is like, not cool. So until I get internet, have a happy happy holidays, eat cake and pie and ham, drink all the liquor you can handle, and be jolly, jolly, jolly!

I still have to finish Christmas shopping today...which probably includes being pushed by and pushing little kids out of my way at Toys R Us.

Staring at the blank page before you...

Because my summer internship ended up to be more than just a summer internship (which is fantastic because that meant more $$ AND experience), it's been a while since I've done the whole send-out-cover-letters-and-resumes-go-to-interviews-wait-and-cry-and-wait-to-get-a-position thing. But now that I'm graduating...I'm back there again.

It's a crazy mix of scary/exciting/stressful/exhilarating. I mean, I've gone on interviews for retail or office jobs before this, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to get paid. I knew I didn't have a future shelving books or processing patients' paperwork. But when your future rests on meeting someone and getting them to like you in less than an hour, it's intense. INTENSE.

And so, here I go, trying to remember how it was in May when I had sent out more than a dozen resumes and went to interview after interview in less than 2 weeks. God, trying to find a job is like a job in itself. Add that to finals and the website relaunch at work.

But here I go. Goooooooo!

Oh, if you haven't already seen the parody of The Hills with James Franco and Mila Kunis, do so. Seriously.

Back to work.

Goooo!

1. Cut a hole in that box

I have a Things to Do for School List: paper, paper, paper, study, study, study. A Personal Things to Do List: buy lotion, update resume, shower, sleep, eat. A Things to Do After School List: look in to freelance writing, send out resumes, shower, sleep. I need to start a Christmas Gifts List. But its not even a month from now, so pssshhhh.

When I tell people at work that I'm still in school the typical response is, "How do you do it?" (I don't know why people are so in awe of this, there are some creatures out there who work full-time and go to school full-time, some of whom are even parents, or like, you know, do other things. Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing something wrong because these people have magazine jobs and clearly, they didn't do all this interning while in school. Wtf? Can someone tell me what to do? Seriously, just tell me, I'll do it. I'm good at following directions.)

Lists.
Lists. Lists. Lists.

And coffee, food and sleep.

And then I remind myself about this woman I interviewed last year who has a full-time job and runs like a bajillion committees for her local community, who went to law school while she was raising her 4 (or was it 5? or 3? It doesn't matter) kids. And then I feel like a lazy failure again.

And that's the way you dooo it...

Women in the News

The most emailed article from the Times is currently The Feminine Critique, which examines women in the work force-- dress codes, salary, and the characteristics of what is considered a good boss, in comparison to the standard used when judging men.

For women, dressing for work is a lot more complicated than it is for men. How many inches above/below the knee is appropriate? Is it acceptable to show cleavage and how much? How differently would you be viewed if you wore pantsuits as opposed to dresses? Stilettos or flats? Men would never EVER have to even think about this when they dress in the morning. Looks do count. So damn it, if I like to spend hundreds of dollars on shoes and other pretty things, it's only because it will propel my career to the top, and who doesn't want to be successful? These pretty heels will make me editor in chief! Is that taking it too far? Fine.

But still, I'm at work during the week more than I am asleep in bed (sadly) so I should look nice. Does that make me superficial? I don't think so. It'd probably be easier to walk around in a pantsuit than to decide which blouse goes with what, but who the hell wears pantsuits? Ughck. I am not a pantsuit person.

Women also receive criticism for being too assertive, being too "bossy" but are seen as less competent when they show themselves to be all like, motherly and shit. I'd rather be criticized for being the former-- is that not how you succeed? By being assertive? Which is why it pisses me off when people criticize Hillary Clinton for being too ambitious, "ruthless," as one article had it. What's she supposed to do, bake cookies? You do not achieve success, especially not in politics, if you are not ambitious. Woman has balls, and I admire her for it. You're not gonna get what you want if you sit around and act demure and ladylike. Sometimes you have to push and step on people for it. Which is where the nice shoes come in handy. Duh!

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?

I am looking forward to the holidays. The red Starbucks cups with hot mocha lattes (damn you Starbucks), the Christmas decorations, the festive music, the snowflakes, shopping, and oh, not having class! And mmmm food. A holiday is not a holiday without lots of food. And the people you sit with as you all stuff your faces with ham and pasta and cake and more ham...

A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking in the winter wonderland.