I love all things relating to organization. One of my favorite things has always been my planner - it's so much more than a calendar. On the calendar itself I keep track of appointments, things I've done on particular days, outfits I've worn, notes and other random bits of information. I keep passwords, budgets, quotations, and lists.
Oh the lists.
Lists of things to blog about, things to do, things to learn. After awhile, my planner gets so heavy and so big that I hate to carry it around. I like to use big planners, because at work I can write meeting notes on the daily calendar. Some people leave their planners at work - but then my numbers, notes, and lists don't come home with me. If I bring my big planner home, I either need a bigger purse (which inevitably leads to me throwing loads of crap I don't need into said purse) or bringing another bag entirely, just to carry my planner.
When Palm Pilots came out, I was ecstatic. Here was a way to carry all of my information in one tiny little package. Alas, it didn't work out. I had my phone, my Palm Pilot, plus lots of post-its and other lists I'd write at work. I couldn't stick random things in my Palm Pilot like pay stubs and prescriptions, so those ended up clogging up my purse.
I ended up switching back to a paper planning system. I took a Franklin Covey class and fell in love with the Covey system. Then, I got a Smartphone. Talk about love. A phone, internet, email, calendar, and notepad all in one? Beautiful.
But, there were issues. I missed handwriting things; you can only type so fast on those little keyboards. Plus, I was still writing things on post-its and having to transfer them to the Smartphone. I couldn't jot little notes or thoughts on the calendar of a Smartphone. I liked having email at hand, and my calendar; however, at work you HAVE to use your Outlook calendar, because that's how people schedule meetings with you. Using two calendars is not efficient, and I began forgetting things.
For awhile I had a Blackberry through work - this was a great system. I could use one calendar for all things work and personal, and take it all home with me in one little package. I could type notes and lists quickly on my computer with a regular-sized keyboard, and they synced automatically with my Blackberry.
Then I changed jobs and lost the Blackberry. Bummer. Ever since I lost my Blackberry, I've had a hard time finding a system that works for me. I feel like I'm always using two calendars, which is really just twice the work.
Plus, I truly like hand-writing things. I love office supplies, pens, paper (more on this subject in a future post) - I was still writing things down and transferring them to my Blackberry. I started feeling guilty using a paper planner...couldn't I be so much more efficient using a Smartphone? Multiple functions in one little package? I was saving trees by not using so much paper.
I'm back to using a paper planner now (I found one that's not so bulky and fits in my purse). I miss having alerts automatically pop up, but I can deal with it. I also now have an iPhone. At first, I tried really hard to use the notes and the calendar functions. However, as I find more apps to download, I feel less guilty not using the calendar. The iPhone does so many other things, and combines so many other functions into one tiny little package, that I don't feel like I'm not using it to it's fullest by not using the calendar.
(On a side note, hello, boss, how about my own Blackberry? That would solve all my problems.)
I've started a new job recently, and it's a job where I don't have as many meetings, so it's not a big deal that I'm using two calendars. However, one thing I'm still struggling with is finding a system for notes. When I used a Franklin planner at my old job, I used Daily Pages so that I could put my appointments on the monthly tabs, and then I could record voicemail messages and/or notes from meetings on each daily page. All my notes stayed together, and I wasn't using multiple tablets and losing things all over my desk.
Now that I'm using a smaller paper planner that can fit in my purse, I'm not recording v/m's and meeting notes in my planner. Using the Franklin Planner would be duplicative, so that's out. Lately I find myself using multiple tablets and an awful lot of post-its at work. I feel so unorganized - things are in multiple places and get moved all over my desk. I need a system!
What do you all do at work to keep things organized? I know many of you work in different industries - writers, teachers, insurance folks. Each industry is different, but you still need paper, you still must make notes. How do you keep everything organized?
Please - help!! Leave me a comment, send me an email, take a picture of your desk (seriously, I'd love to see a picture of your desks...).
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
To feel or not to feel...guilty
Guilt:
• remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense
• a cognitive or emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes – whether justified or not – that he or she has violated a moral standard, and is responsible for that violation
• closely related to the concept of remorse
• responsibility for wrongdoing
Why do people feel guilt? Why do some people feel guilt more than others? Why do some people, myself included, feel guilt over stupid things that the other person has probably already forgotten about but that I stew about and think about and replay over and over in my mind?
Let me back up.
My brother and I often talk about the fact that we have two kinds of guilt. First, we have Catholic guilt, which all other Catholics can relate to and tell you non-Catholics about. Okay, we’re not exactly attend-church-every-Sunday-practicing Catholics, but still, the guilt is always there. Second, we have our own family guilt; we actually call it “(insert last name here) guilt” (sorry, I’m not quite ready to reveal my full name and identity to everyone in Blog Land). We’re hit with a double-whammy of guilt. I don’t know why, but it’s always there, even when I probably have nothing to feel guilty about.
Take last night. I was a bitch. Well, not so much a bitch, but a sullen and withdrawn person who wasn’t bubbly and friendly like she usually is (no really, I usually am). I’ve been working, getting used to a new schedule where I get up at the butt-crack of dawn (excuse the vulgar language, but that’s really what time it is), starting school again, battling with my weight, and preparing for a wedding (not my own, but one I’m in). After awhile, it starts to take a toll on you.
Last night, apparently, I was done. I couldn’t hold it in any longer, I couldn’t put on a happy face, and so…I didn’t.
Later, I felt really bad about it. Now for most people, you might feel bad about, resolve to change, and be done with it. But not me. I felt bad about it, resolved to change, and then moped around thinking about it for the rest of the night. I feel better this morning, but I still have that guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why?
Here’s a little something about me. I am a pretty easygoing person. I am anal and organized, but I’m a true procrastinator. I’m a hard worker and set high standards for myself, but I’m lazy. I don’t get stressed out or anxious, but guilt and regret often sit like stones in the pit of my stomach. I’m getting very good at not caring about what other people think of me, but I often retrace my actions in my mind to analyze them for myself.
I am an oxymoron on so many levels.
The problem is that I don’t know how to stop dwelling on things. Take last night – I wasn’t flat out rude, I was just (as previously mentioned) a bit sullen and withdrawn (add to that the fact that I was PMS’ing, and you can imagine my mood). I resolved to turn my attitude around, and that should be that.
But it’s not.
I’m still thinking about it today. It’s there, in the back of my mind and the pit of my stomach, affecting my overall mood. How do I let it go? Why can’t I let it go? Why do I keep replaying it over and over in my mind?
Why do I feel this darn guilt?
Ugh.
• remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offense
• a cognitive or emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes – whether justified or not – that he or she has violated a moral standard, and is responsible for that violation
• closely related to the concept of remorse
• responsibility for wrongdoing
Why do people feel guilt? Why do some people feel guilt more than others? Why do some people, myself included, feel guilt over stupid things that the other person has probably already forgotten about but that I stew about and think about and replay over and over in my mind?
Let me back up.
My brother and I often talk about the fact that we have two kinds of guilt. First, we have Catholic guilt, which all other Catholics can relate to and tell you non-Catholics about. Okay, we’re not exactly attend-church-every-Sunday-practicing Catholics, but still, the guilt is always there. Second, we have our own family guilt; we actually call it “(insert last name here) guilt” (sorry, I’m not quite ready to reveal my full name and identity to everyone in Blog Land). We’re hit with a double-whammy of guilt. I don’t know why, but it’s always there, even when I probably have nothing to feel guilty about.
Take last night. I was a bitch. Well, not so much a bitch, but a sullen and withdrawn person who wasn’t bubbly and friendly like she usually is (no really, I usually am). I’ve been working, getting used to a new schedule where I get up at the butt-crack of dawn (excuse the vulgar language, but that’s really what time it is), starting school again, battling with my weight, and preparing for a wedding (not my own, but one I’m in). After awhile, it starts to take a toll on you.
Last night, apparently, I was done. I couldn’t hold it in any longer, I couldn’t put on a happy face, and so…I didn’t.
Later, I felt really bad about it. Now for most people, you might feel bad about, resolve to change, and be done with it. But not me. I felt bad about it, resolved to change, and then moped around thinking about it for the rest of the night. I feel better this morning, but I still have that guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why?
Here’s a little something about me. I am a pretty easygoing person. I am anal and organized, but I’m a true procrastinator. I’m a hard worker and set high standards for myself, but I’m lazy. I don’t get stressed out or anxious, but guilt and regret often sit like stones in the pit of my stomach. I’m getting very good at not caring about what other people think of me, but I often retrace my actions in my mind to analyze them for myself.
I am an oxymoron on so many levels.
The problem is that I don’t know how to stop dwelling on things. Take last night – I wasn’t flat out rude, I was just (as previously mentioned) a bit sullen and withdrawn (add to that the fact that I was PMS’ing, and you can imagine my mood). I resolved to turn my attitude around, and that should be that.
But it’s not.
I’m still thinking about it today. It’s there, in the back of my mind and the pit of my stomach, affecting my overall mood. How do I let it go? Why can’t I let it go? Why do I keep replaying it over and over in my mind?
Why do I feel this darn guilt?
Ugh.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Oh my God
shoe store I thought, "Oh those are sort of cute." I saw a pair of
simple, sleek black pumps in a store window where there usually sit
gangster shoes and FMPs.
They were simple and sleek from the front, at least. Then I noticed
the heel...can you see the heel?
It's a gun.
That's right, a gun.
Now, I'm not opposed to guns. My husband owns guns, my friends hunt,
and I myself enjoy going to the shooting range. However, the store
with these in the window markets to teens. Who wants their teen
walking around in shoes with guns as heels?
No surprise that these were in in the ghetto mall.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Addendum to today's shopping post
I decided to visit Oprah's website after reading this morning's article on CNN.com, and was reading some financial tips from Suzy Orman. I love Suzy Orman - she gives real life advice that is practical, and often easy to apply in your life.
One of the tips from Suzy corroborated my feelings on shopping that I discussed in today's earlier post, and so I thought I'd post Suzy's advice today as well. You can read all of Suzy's tips here (I think there were only three).
"Adjust your attitude toward spending. The only way you will ever permanently take control of your financial life is to dig deep and fix the root problem. For example, if you have credit card debt, there's a very good chance that what needs to change is your spending. There's a reason so many people who declare bankruptcy once end up back in bankruptcy court again: They continue to live beyond their means. I guarantee that if you make the commitment to changing your behavior so you can live without financial stress, you will have a vastly richer life."
Sing it Suzy...
One of the tips from Suzy corroborated my feelings on shopping that I discussed in today's earlier post, and so I thought I'd post Suzy's advice today as well. You can read all of Suzy's tips here (I think there were only three).
"Adjust your attitude toward spending. The only way you will ever permanently take control of your financial life is to dig deep and fix the root problem. For example, if you have credit card debt, there's a very good chance that what needs to change is your spending. There's a reason so many people who declare bankruptcy once end up back in bankruptcy court again: They continue to live beyond their means. I guarantee that if you make the commitment to changing your behavior so you can live without financial stress, you will have a vastly richer life."
Sing it Suzy...
Six Common Shopping Traps...aka some of the reasons I shop
I got to work early this morning (I know, a shocker, but I ride the bus now so I’m always here early) so I decided to read the news before actually beginning my day. After all, I like to be informed about the happenings in the world.
While perusing CNN.com, I was quickly drawn to a headline that read, “6 Common Shopping Traps – How to Avoid Them.” Okay, so this isn’t world news, but as both a fan of shopping and someone who has had her income slashed three times this year (thank you again, Governator), I thought this might contain pertinent information. I enjoy reading about tips from people in many areas – money, fashion, organizing, etc.
I clicked on the article and found it was from Oprah’s magazine. It started off by describing compulsive shopping; did you know that according to a Stanford study, 1 in 20 adults is a compulsive shopper, buying things they “…don’t want, use, or even need?” I didn’t know that, so I read on.
(I should tell you that just this morning I was talking to my friend on the bus about shopping. I used to love to roam the aisles at Target; I’d go to the store with a list of five things, but I’d walk up and down every aisle, lest I see something I hadn’t thought of, or find something new. I am in need of a few toiletries at home right now, mostly toilet paper itself, but I am reluctant to make the trip to Target to buy it, because I can’t seem to leave the store without spending at least $75, mostly on stuff that I don’t need and probably won’t use too often. I don’t want to go shopping because I’m afraid I won’t be able to go in, get toilet paper, and leave. And I refuse to go to WalGreens or Rite Aid to get it because it’s so much more expensive. OMG I’m a compulsive shopper!)
The article then talked a little about the difference between shopping 100 years ago, versus shopping today. I hadn’t thought about this – think about women in pioneer days. They “went into town” and went to the general store, which had everything from food, to household goods, to fabric. Women didn’t shop for pleasure, they shopped to buy necessities.
Today I find myself shopping for pleasure and actually putting off shopping for necessities (remember the toilet paper comment from above?). And I don’t go to one store, like my great-great-great grandmother may have done. I don’t even stick to one store for groceries - I go to three or four!
How has shopping evolved from purchasing necessities to shopping for fun, for therapy, for a solution to boredom? For me, it was money.
I had some of it.
Thanks to the downtown in the economy I have less of it now, so I can see how reckless I used to be concerning spending. My problem is that I truly enjoy shopping; it really is a hobby for me. I enjoy the hunt for the perfect purse, or shoes, or whatever (it could be a pencil, a set of sheets, it doesn’t matter). I enjoy the thrill of deciding which items I want to purchase from my loaded cart, then going to the cash register and knowing I can afford them. The thrill of swiping my card (debit only, I don’t use credit cards anymore), and seeing “Approved” flash across the screen.
However, lately I’ve been looking at ways to pare down, in case another cut to our income comes down the pipes (which is rumored to happen this fall). I know I need to stop shopping purely for pleasure, and I’m getting better. Now I go to the register, and instead of feeling the thrill of knowing I can afford this, I feel guilt. Instead of getting home excited, I get home and know I’m going to return it tomorrow. I’m trying now to focus on other less expensive hobbies that will occupy my time without emptying my wallet (although I do love shopping for a good wallet!). I realized that shopping and the things I buy don’t define me; I’m still the same person without a $200 bag, or without a house full of stuff (speaking of the $200 bag, you can read about the downfall of my purse obsession here).
Anyway, back to the article. Oprah’s magazine gives us six common shopping traps.
1. You’d better shop around.
Apparently when you’re purchasing multiple items in one store, you are already spending a lot of money, so you’re less likely to care about throwing a few more things in. The article gives the example of already spending $200, and therefore not caring about adding a $20 T-shirt. They advise you to make purchases at several different stores instead.
This is Target for me – the more I put in my cart, the less I care about adding a few more things. Sam Walton must have understood this concept perfectly, hence the creation of Wal-Mart and Super Wal-Mart. At Wal-Mart you can buy clothing, cleaning products, toys, fabric, toiletries, even tires! Add the full grocery store of the Super Wal-Mart, and it gets worse. You’re spending $200 on groceries, $50 or so on toiletries, you throw in a bathmat and a DVD or two, and it’s not that big a deal. Or so you think.
2. Don’t buy into bargains.
Huh? Aren’t you supposed to shop for bargains? No, no, no! Our brain apparently registers the bargain and gets excited about the discount, so we purchase the item, even if it’s something we don’t need. However, if I’m at the grocery store, and black beans are on sale, I’m going to stock up, because I know that’s something I eat all the time and I’ll be back to buy again. I do, though, fall victim to the bargain scam on items I don’t need; I know I have (and will probably continue to) buy things I liked, but really didn’t need, simply because it was a great deal.
3. Cash and carry.
Everyone has heard that if you are a shopper who tends to overspend, you should only pay for things with cash. You think more about whether you really need the item if you’re paying for it with cash than with a credit card. The Stanford study even goes so far as to say that there is evidence the enjoyment of purchasing things is paired with the touch of plastic. I actually believe that; as mentioned, I don’t use credit cards, but I never carry cash (because if I have cash, I will spend it…I’m the opposite of the “cash and carry” person). Instead I use my debit card, but because I’m using a card, I get the same feeling that someone using a credit card gets. The amount I’m spending is more abstract, because I’m not counting out and handing over cash. However, I don’t excuse that by thinking that I already have a credit balance, so adding to it is not going to hurt, since I’m actually withdrawing funds directly from my bank account. I know deep down that I’m spending cash (especially when I look at my bank statement), but at the same time, I understand the feeling of using a card and not really thinking about the amount you’re spending.
4. A bad mood can cost you.
According to the article, sadness can devalue one’s sense of self, so we shop to evaluate one’s sense of worth. However this doesn’t explain why the urge to spend may come on when you’re mad, bored, busy, happy…or maybe it does. Maybe all those times are to evaluate one’s sense of worth.
5. The fall of the mall.
I hate malls – the parking, the crowds, the fact that I always seem to need to go to only two places, which are on exact opposite ends of the mall. However I understand that many people love the mall; here they can socialize, de-stress, and shop to their heart’s content. But there is a problem – apparently the ‘ole mall isn’t doing so good. A research firm in New York estimates that 3,000 malls will close in 2009.
I’m not sure how this “common trap” is explaining to us why we spend; let’s just assume they’re saying malls are bad because there are so many stores and move on.
6. Ration your willpower.
They say your ability to fight temptation weakens as you get tired. I think the article loses it here, though (thank goodness it’s the end). They say to practice building self-control in small doses by sitting up straight, using your non-dominant hand, or not swearing for a week. I’m sorry but not swearing for a week is not going to help me stop myself from shopping. Not swearing for a week is going to make me so f$%*ing frustrated that I’m going to shop to make myself feel better. Perhaps I’ll re-evaluate my sense of worth.
I myself am the opposite of what the article says – I don’t lose the ability to fight temptation as I get tired, say at the end of a shopping trip. When I go out for a day of shopping, I spend way more up front; I’m pumped, I’m excited, I’m all about the great deals! As the day wears on, I get grumpy; I don’t really want to go to any more stores, I don’t really care if I buy anything else. Seriously, ask my mom and my aunt – they used to take me “antiquing” or “yard saleing” with them, but they had one rule for me: No whining. What can I say, I got grumpy towards the end of the day!
So what do you think? Does the article have merit? Why do you think you shop? Or, how do you discipline yourself to not shop? Maybe you just don’t like to shop. I’d really, really like to know why…since I’m trying not to like it so much.
While perusing CNN.com, I was quickly drawn to a headline that read, “6 Common Shopping Traps – How to Avoid Them.” Okay, so this isn’t world news, but as both a fan of shopping and someone who has had her income slashed three times this year (thank you again, Governator), I thought this might contain pertinent information. I enjoy reading about tips from people in many areas – money, fashion, organizing, etc.
I clicked on the article and found it was from Oprah’s magazine. It started off by describing compulsive shopping; did you know that according to a Stanford study, 1 in 20 adults is a compulsive shopper, buying things they “…don’t want, use, or even need?” I didn’t know that, so I read on.
(I should tell you that just this morning I was talking to my friend on the bus about shopping. I used to love to roam the aisles at Target; I’d go to the store with a list of five things, but I’d walk up and down every aisle, lest I see something I hadn’t thought of, or find something new. I am in need of a few toiletries at home right now, mostly toilet paper itself, but I am reluctant to make the trip to Target to buy it, because I can’t seem to leave the store without spending at least $75, mostly on stuff that I don’t need and probably won’t use too often. I don’t want to go shopping because I’m afraid I won’t be able to go in, get toilet paper, and leave. And I refuse to go to WalGreens or Rite Aid to get it because it’s so much more expensive. OMG I’m a compulsive shopper!)
The article then talked a little about the difference between shopping 100 years ago, versus shopping today. I hadn’t thought about this – think about women in pioneer days. They “went into town” and went to the general store, which had everything from food, to household goods, to fabric. Women didn’t shop for pleasure, they shopped to buy necessities.
Today I find myself shopping for pleasure and actually putting off shopping for necessities (remember the toilet paper comment from above?). And I don’t go to one store, like my great-great-great grandmother may have done. I don’t even stick to one store for groceries - I go to three or four!
How has shopping evolved from purchasing necessities to shopping for fun, for therapy, for a solution to boredom? For me, it was money.
I had some of it.
Thanks to the downtown in the economy I have less of it now, so I can see how reckless I used to be concerning spending. My problem is that I truly enjoy shopping; it really is a hobby for me. I enjoy the hunt for the perfect purse, or shoes, or whatever (it could be a pencil, a set of sheets, it doesn’t matter). I enjoy the thrill of deciding which items I want to purchase from my loaded cart, then going to the cash register and knowing I can afford them. The thrill of swiping my card (debit only, I don’t use credit cards anymore), and seeing “Approved” flash across the screen.
However, lately I’ve been looking at ways to pare down, in case another cut to our income comes down the pipes (which is rumored to happen this fall). I know I need to stop shopping purely for pleasure, and I’m getting better. Now I go to the register, and instead of feeling the thrill of knowing I can afford this, I feel guilt. Instead of getting home excited, I get home and know I’m going to return it tomorrow. I’m trying now to focus on other less expensive hobbies that will occupy my time without emptying my wallet (although I do love shopping for a good wallet!). I realized that shopping and the things I buy don’t define me; I’m still the same person without a $200 bag, or without a house full of stuff (speaking of the $200 bag, you can read about the downfall of my purse obsession here).
Anyway, back to the article. Oprah’s magazine gives us six common shopping traps.
1. You’d better shop around.
Apparently when you’re purchasing multiple items in one store, you are already spending a lot of money, so you’re less likely to care about throwing a few more things in. The article gives the example of already spending $200, and therefore not caring about adding a $20 T-shirt. They advise you to make purchases at several different stores instead.
This is Target for me – the more I put in my cart, the less I care about adding a few more things. Sam Walton must have understood this concept perfectly, hence the creation of Wal-Mart and Super Wal-Mart. At Wal-Mart you can buy clothing, cleaning products, toys, fabric, toiletries, even tires! Add the full grocery store of the Super Wal-Mart, and it gets worse. You’re spending $200 on groceries, $50 or so on toiletries, you throw in a bathmat and a DVD or two, and it’s not that big a deal. Or so you think.
2. Don’t buy into bargains.
Huh? Aren’t you supposed to shop for bargains? No, no, no! Our brain apparently registers the bargain and gets excited about the discount, so we purchase the item, even if it’s something we don’t need. However, if I’m at the grocery store, and black beans are on sale, I’m going to stock up, because I know that’s something I eat all the time and I’ll be back to buy again. I do, though, fall victim to the bargain scam on items I don’t need; I know I have (and will probably continue to) buy things I liked, but really didn’t need, simply because it was a great deal.
3. Cash and carry.
Everyone has heard that if you are a shopper who tends to overspend, you should only pay for things with cash. You think more about whether you really need the item if you’re paying for it with cash than with a credit card. The Stanford study even goes so far as to say that there is evidence the enjoyment of purchasing things is paired with the touch of plastic. I actually believe that; as mentioned, I don’t use credit cards, but I never carry cash (because if I have cash, I will spend it…I’m the opposite of the “cash and carry” person). Instead I use my debit card, but because I’m using a card, I get the same feeling that someone using a credit card gets. The amount I’m spending is more abstract, because I’m not counting out and handing over cash. However, I don’t excuse that by thinking that I already have a credit balance, so adding to it is not going to hurt, since I’m actually withdrawing funds directly from my bank account. I know deep down that I’m spending cash (especially when I look at my bank statement), but at the same time, I understand the feeling of using a card and not really thinking about the amount you’re spending.
4. A bad mood can cost you.
According to the article, sadness can devalue one’s sense of self, so we shop to evaluate one’s sense of worth. However this doesn’t explain why the urge to spend may come on when you’re mad, bored, busy, happy…or maybe it does. Maybe all those times are to evaluate one’s sense of worth.
5. The fall of the mall.
I hate malls – the parking, the crowds, the fact that I always seem to need to go to only two places, which are on exact opposite ends of the mall. However I understand that many people love the mall; here they can socialize, de-stress, and shop to their heart’s content. But there is a problem – apparently the ‘ole mall isn’t doing so good. A research firm in New York estimates that 3,000 malls will close in 2009.
I’m not sure how this “common trap” is explaining to us why we spend; let’s just assume they’re saying malls are bad because there are so many stores and move on.
6. Ration your willpower.
They say your ability to fight temptation weakens as you get tired. I think the article loses it here, though (thank goodness it’s the end). They say to practice building self-control in small doses by sitting up straight, using your non-dominant hand, or not swearing for a week. I’m sorry but not swearing for a week is not going to help me stop myself from shopping. Not swearing for a week is going to make me so f$%*ing frustrated that I’m going to shop to make myself feel better. Perhaps I’ll re-evaluate my sense of worth.
I myself am the opposite of what the article says – I don’t lose the ability to fight temptation as I get tired, say at the end of a shopping trip. When I go out for a day of shopping, I spend way more up front; I’m pumped, I’m excited, I’m all about the great deals! As the day wears on, I get grumpy; I don’t really want to go to any more stores, I don’t really care if I buy anything else. Seriously, ask my mom and my aunt – they used to take me “antiquing” or “yard saleing” with them, but they had one rule for me: No whining. What can I say, I got grumpy towards the end of the day!
So what do you think? Does the article have merit? Why do you think you shop? Or, how do you discipline yourself to not shop? Maybe you just don’t like to shop. I’d really, really like to know why…since I’m trying not to like it so much.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Techie Toy
My coworker was just talking about how it’s kind of stuffy in the office today, and I agreed. I was sitting here, wishing I’d remembered to bring my fan in, when another coworker reminded the first one she already had a fan, which coworker #1 then let me borrow.
Check this thing out (sorry the pictures suck, my iPhone has one flaw in that there’s no camera flash). It’s a USB Mini-Fan – a bendable rod that has a fan at one end and a USB port at the other. I can plug it right into my monitor, which has two USB ports, and I’m instantly cool and refreshed. Yay!!
Check this thing out (sorry the pictures suck, my iPhone has one flaw in that there’s no camera flash). It’s a USB Mini-Fan – a bendable rod that has a fan at one end and a USB port at the other. I can plug it right into my monitor, which has two USB ports, and I’m instantly cool and refreshed. Yay!!
Yes, I really am that person
I like to think that I’m a fairly organized person. Some people will tell you I’m an incredibly organized person, but the truth is, I have great organizational ideas, but not all of them make it in to production, so to speak.
I keep a TON of lists, and I’m very good at seeing something and knowing how to clean it up, keep it neat, etc. Again, it doesn’t always happen, but I spend a lot of time thinking about organization.
One of the things I’ve been thinking about is how I never know if I’m getting a good deal at the grocery store. I can’t remember what a good price is for a can of diced tomatoes, or a bag of pasta, or even a pound of ground beef. I’ve been thinking about making some sort of chart, so I can enter the prices that I’ve paid at different stores for different grocery items, and then compare them so that I know what is actually a good price.
Some of you may just go to the same grocery store all the time, but I shop at many different stores. There are some things I get only from Trader Joe’s, then there’s the “big shopping” at Winco or, if I’m willing to drive, the Super Wal-Mart. Then there’s the “quick stops” on the way home at Bel-Air or Safeway, which are right across the street from each other and on my way home. I also go to Costco, but I don’t really think its right to compare prices from Costco, because there really is no comparison.
Lately, I’ll buy something on sale at Bel-Air, but then realize it’s not really a great price. Or, even at Winco, I’ll think, ‘Wow I could get this so much cheaper at Wal-Mart.” I used to spend a lot of time in the grocery store, writing down the price of each item on my list. Of course, that was when I was buying for one and I didn’t have as many items on my list. Now, I write a list, but I never use it…I just roam up and down each aisle of the store, grabbing what I need (which is why I always seem to buy so much – I can’t stick to a list).
So, yesterday, I started my chart. Yes, I actually created a spreadsheet of how much I’m paying for items at the store, whether it’s a regular price or a sale price, and then figuring out where the best place is to buy that item.
I really am that person.
Look, here’s a little sample. Don’t think I’m too weird…although if you do, I’m okay with it.
I keep a TON of lists, and I’m very good at seeing something and knowing how to clean it up, keep it neat, etc. Again, it doesn’t always happen, but I spend a lot of time thinking about organization.
One of the things I’ve been thinking about is how I never know if I’m getting a good deal at the grocery store. I can’t remember what a good price is for a can of diced tomatoes, or a bag of pasta, or even a pound of ground beef. I’ve been thinking about making some sort of chart, so I can enter the prices that I’ve paid at different stores for different grocery items, and then compare them so that I know what is actually a good price.
Some of you may just go to the same grocery store all the time, but I shop at many different stores. There are some things I get only from Trader Joe’s, then there’s the “big shopping” at Winco or, if I’m willing to drive, the Super Wal-Mart. Then there’s the “quick stops” on the way home at Bel-Air or Safeway, which are right across the street from each other and on my way home. I also go to Costco, but I don’t really think its right to compare prices from Costco, because there really is no comparison.
Lately, I’ll buy something on sale at Bel-Air, but then realize it’s not really a great price. Or, even at Winco, I’ll think, ‘Wow I could get this so much cheaper at Wal-Mart.” I used to spend a lot of time in the grocery store, writing down the price of each item on my list. Of course, that was when I was buying for one and I didn’t have as many items on my list. Now, I write a list, but I never use it…I just roam up and down each aisle of the store, grabbing what I need (which is why I always seem to buy so much – I can’t stick to a list).
So, yesterday, I started my chart. Yes, I actually created a spreadsheet of how much I’m paying for items at the store, whether it’s a regular price or a sale price, and then figuring out where the best place is to buy that item.
I really am that person.
Look, here’s a little sample. Don’t think I’m too weird…although if you do, I’m okay with it.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Loose interpretation of a guard dog
house, something caught my eye...a dinosaur in the window.
Really. Look.
I was worried he was going to get left behind. Although maybe the new
people could have used a good guard dinosaur.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Open sesame...or not
I’m a big goober.
Or at least, I feel like one. Let me start out by telling you about my first week at my new job. I started a job this week with a new department, and so far it is amazing. The people are nice, my manager is wonderful, the building is gorgeous, and my work is interesting. Don’t laugh, though, when I tell you my favorite part so far.
The break room.
Wait, now hear me out. I’ve been working as a government drone for 9 years now. For the first four years, I worked for one department, and their building was pretty nice. It was about ten years old when I started there, and each floor had two break rooms that were probably 12’ x 12’ rooms. They each had a refrigerator, sink, microwave, and some cabinets. Some of the break rooms had a table, but not all. That was it – basic, but nice to have around.
Each department that I moved to after that was in an older building that was built when they apparently thought people didn’t need break rooms. Maybe everyone bought their lunches back then at the cafeteria (although none of the buildings had one of those, either) like in one of my favorite movies, Nine to Five, and the employees didn’t need a sink in which to wash their Tupperware or their coffee mug. Anyway, I’ve spent the last five years washing my dishes in the bathroom, or often not washing my dishes because I was avoiding the bathroom (you know how I feel about public restrooms) and then throwing away perfectly good Tupperware because it was uber gross.
In this building, each floor has multiple break rooms. The one closest to me is better than anything I’ve ever seen. Not only is it big enough to have several (probably ten) tables, it also has a soda vending machine and a snack vending machine. There is also a sink, WITH a separate hot water spigot, as well as six, count ‘em, SIX microwaves. No more waiting in line to heat up my food!
But the best is yet to come. There is a machine that has two spouts – one delivers ice, in nicely shaped small round pieces, and the other delivers…FILTERED WATER! For free!! This may not sound too exciting to some of you, but let me explain how amazing free water is for us government folks. First, the water straight out of the tap downtown is often brown and tastes like metallic dirt (and I am very picky about the taste of water). Because of the awful downtown water, you cannot fill your water bottle at the drinking fountain, and God forbid the government provide anything to their employees (I buy my own post its for crying out loud). For these reasons, employees start “Water Clubs” and pay into a fund every month to have Alhambra or another bottled water dispenser delivered to the office. The price is sometimes set at $5 a month, but can vary depending on how many people are in the club, how much water they drink, and how many people sneak in and take a cup of water without paying (at one department I worked for, there was also a coffee club, and the coffee people would fill the pot with water from the Alhambra cooler, even though they weren’t water club members!); at one time I was paying almost $10 a month for water. And that was back when I didn’t drink more than a glass a day, if that.
So, you can see why free filtered water is the best thing about my new job so far. Plus, I’ve started making iced lattes at home, and now I can bring that in my thermos and then fill my cup up with ice for free, instead of paying $.25 for a cup of ice every day.
Now that I’ve told you the best thing about this place, let me describe to you the worst thing. Apparently, this is a very secure building, which is nice. So often I see departments paying security guards who don’t do anything when people walk in off the street without showing a badge, only to get upstairs and try to sell people stuff (really, I almost got a movie package deal once before my boss shooed the guy away). However, this building is almost too secure. Each day this week I’ve made some sort of faux pa in the morning, which leads me to think the security guys are watching me on camera and messing with me for entertainment purposes.
On Monday, my first day, I drove to work and paid to park in the garage downstairs. There is access into the building from the garage, but I didn’t know how to get in. I had to call my relative who works in the building and ask how the heck I was supposed to get inside (and let me tell you my work hours are 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., so my first day I was here at 6:30). Before 7:00 a.m., you need keycard access to enter the building. I found out I had to push an intercom button, let the guard know I was a new employee, and a guard would be down to escort me inside.
Apparently, the guard I reached was tired.
When she came on the intercom, I identified myself as a new employee, and was told I’d have to wait until 7:00 a.m. when the doors opened. That was it – no offer to let me in, nothing. Luckily, there were some workmen in the garage going in and out of the freight elevator, and they let me ride up with them. Success.
Day two. I rode the bus to work that day, so I attempted to enter the building though the front main entrance. Here there is a set of glass doors (sliding and one with a handle), then a vestibule area (affectionately called the “man trap”), another set of glass doors (sliding and with a handle), and then the main lobby with the elevators. I was here before 7:00 a.m. again, and when I walked up to the front door, a man was badging in the first set of doors, so I slipped in behind him (I know badging isn’t a word, but go with me). Mistake number one; apparently you are not allowed to follow someone in. In the man trap/vestibule area, we were stuck. I attempted to “badge in” at what I thought was another keycard pad; it wasn’t, it was just a black box on the wall for an intercom…not a keycard. Mistake number two. Finally, an alarm sounds, a green light comes on, and the second set of doors open; I again follow behind the gentleman. Mistake number three; again, I’m apparently not supposed to follow him in.
Wednesday, I again drive to work; I have lots of stuff that I’m bringing from home to set up my desk, and I figure instead of bringing one binder a day on the bus, I’ll load it all into my car and be done with it. I again park in the garage under the building, and this time, I’m all prepared to badge myself in; forget the lazy security lady. I walk up to the first door, badge myself in, and walk into the vestibule. I can see a man getting into the elevator through the second set of glass doors; he sees me and holds the elevator. I walk up to the second set of doors (in the garage there is only a sliding set of doors, no door with a handle), expect them to slide open in front of me, and…nothing.
The man gestures towards the wall, where I see a black box. I attempt to badge myself in with my keycard; again, this is a misleading intercom box, not a keypad, so I look like a goober in front of this guy. I’m standing there, in front of a set of glass doors that won’t open, just waiting. Finally, they open, and I make it into the elevator, just as the alarm sounds and the doors begin to close because they’ve been held open too long.
Today, I felt confident. I took the bus to work again, and I had my badge out, ready to go, as I walked towards the main front entrance. I badged my way in the first set of doors, and, because my parents raised me to be polite, I held the door open for a woman entering behind me. She said thanks but we were supposed to go one at a time, so, feeling a little foolish for trying to be nice, I walked in alone. (It was jus today that I found out we aren’t supposed to follow each other in.) I hear the alarm sound, so I walk forward and again, confidently, reach to open the door to enter the lobby, right as the alarm stops. Mistake number two today – apparently you have to rush forward and open the second door while the alarm is still going off. I stand there, waiting, thinking the woman behind me will go in the first door and then I can open the second door (and this time didn’t try to badge in at the non-existent keypad). I guess she takes the one person at a time rule seriously, because she doesn’t come in. Finally, I hear her on the intercom with the guards, letting them know I’m stuck in the man trap. The alarm sounds and I rush inside without thanking her, lest my humiliation and embarrassment at not being able to open a door show on my face (no mistake number three today, since I was the only person stuck in the vestibule and couldn’t follow anyone in if I tried; perhaps I’m actually improving).
As I walk in, I can see across the lobby to the set of entrance doors on the other side of the building. I can faintly hear the alarm going off over there, and see a woman entering through the second set of glass doors. Then I notice two men, lined up outside, patiently waiting for the woman to enter before each one tries to enter the first glass door.
Why has no one told me about these entrance protocols?!
I rush onto the elevator, and just know that the security folks are watching me, waiting to see what floor I get off on, so they can follow me around with their cameras and laugh.
Maybe week two will be my week to master entering the building. Although, I’ve already screwed it up so many times, I’m a little nervous to do it again!
Or at least, I feel like one. Let me start out by telling you about my first week at my new job. I started a job this week with a new department, and so far it is amazing. The people are nice, my manager is wonderful, the building is gorgeous, and my work is interesting. Don’t laugh, though, when I tell you my favorite part so far.
The break room.
Wait, now hear me out. I’ve been working as a government drone for 9 years now. For the first four years, I worked for one department, and their building was pretty nice. It was about ten years old when I started there, and each floor had two break rooms that were probably 12’ x 12’ rooms. They each had a refrigerator, sink, microwave, and some cabinets. Some of the break rooms had a table, but not all. That was it – basic, but nice to have around.
Each department that I moved to after that was in an older building that was built when they apparently thought people didn’t need break rooms. Maybe everyone bought their lunches back then at the cafeteria (although none of the buildings had one of those, either) like in one of my favorite movies, Nine to Five, and the employees didn’t need a sink in which to wash their Tupperware or their coffee mug. Anyway, I’ve spent the last five years washing my dishes in the bathroom, or often not washing my dishes because I was avoiding the bathroom (you know how I feel about public restrooms) and then throwing away perfectly good Tupperware because it was uber gross.
In this building, each floor has multiple break rooms. The one closest to me is better than anything I’ve ever seen. Not only is it big enough to have several (probably ten) tables, it also has a soda vending machine and a snack vending machine. There is also a sink, WITH a separate hot water spigot, as well as six, count ‘em, SIX microwaves. No more waiting in line to heat up my food!
But the best is yet to come. There is a machine that has two spouts – one delivers ice, in nicely shaped small round pieces, and the other delivers…FILTERED WATER! For free!! This may not sound too exciting to some of you, but let me explain how amazing free water is for us government folks. First, the water straight out of the tap downtown is often brown and tastes like metallic dirt (and I am very picky about the taste of water). Because of the awful downtown water, you cannot fill your water bottle at the drinking fountain, and God forbid the government provide anything to their employees (I buy my own post its for crying out loud). For these reasons, employees start “Water Clubs” and pay into a fund every month to have Alhambra or another bottled water dispenser delivered to the office. The price is sometimes set at $5 a month, but can vary depending on how many people are in the club, how much water they drink, and how many people sneak in and take a cup of water without paying (at one department I worked for, there was also a coffee club, and the coffee people would fill the pot with water from the Alhambra cooler, even though they weren’t water club members!); at one time I was paying almost $10 a month for water. And that was back when I didn’t drink more than a glass a day, if that.
So, you can see why free filtered water is the best thing about my new job so far. Plus, I’ve started making iced lattes at home, and now I can bring that in my thermos and then fill my cup up with ice for free, instead of paying $.25 for a cup of ice every day.
Now that I’ve told you the best thing about this place, let me describe to you the worst thing. Apparently, this is a very secure building, which is nice. So often I see departments paying security guards who don’t do anything when people walk in off the street without showing a badge, only to get upstairs and try to sell people stuff (really, I almost got a movie package deal once before my boss shooed the guy away). However, this building is almost too secure. Each day this week I’ve made some sort of faux pa in the morning, which leads me to think the security guys are watching me on camera and messing with me for entertainment purposes.
On Monday, my first day, I drove to work and paid to park in the garage downstairs. There is access into the building from the garage, but I didn’t know how to get in. I had to call my relative who works in the building and ask how the heck I was supposed to get inside (and let me tell you my work hours are 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., so my first day I was here at 6:30). Before 7:00 a.m., you need keycard access to enter the building. I found out I had to push an intercom button, let the guard know I was a new employee, and a guard would be down to escort me inside.
Apparently, the guard I reached was tired.
When she came on the intercom, I identified myself as a new employee, and was told I’d have to wait until 7:00 a.m. when the doors opened. That was it – no offer to let me in, nothing. Luckily, there were some workmen in the garage going in and out of the freight elevator, and they let me ride up with them. Success.
Day two. I rode the bus to work that day, so I attempted to enter the building though the front main entrance. Here there is a set of glass doors (sliding and one with a handle), then a vestibule area (affectionately called the “man trap”), another set of glass doors (sliding and with a handle), and then the main lobby with the elevators. I was here before 7:00 a.m. again, and when I walked up to the front door, a man was badging in the first set of doors, so I slipped in behind him (I know badging isn’t a word, but go with me). Mistake number one; apparently you are not allowed to follow someone in. In the man trap/vestibule area, we were stuck. I attempted to “badge in” at what I thought was another keycard pad; it wasn’t, it was just a black box on the wall for an intercom…not a keycard. Mistake number two. Finally, an alarm sounds, a green light comes on, and the second set of doors open; I again follow behind the gentleman. Mistake number three; again, I’m apparently not supposed to follow him in.
Wednesday, I again drive to work; I have lots of stuff that I’m bringing from home to set up my desk, and I figure instead of bringing one binder a day on the bus, I’ll load it all into my car and be done with it. I again park in the garage under the building, and this time, I’m all prepared to badge myself in; forget the lazy security lady. I walk up to the first door, badge myself in, and walk into the vestibule. I can see a man getting into the elevator through the second set of glass doors; he sees me and holds the elevator. I walk up to the second set of doors (in the garage there is only a sliding set of doors, no door with a handle), expect them to slide open in front of me, and…nothing.
The man gestures towards the wall, where I see a black box. I attempt to badge myself in with my keycard; again, this is a misleading intercom box, not a keypad, so I look like a goober in front of this guy. I’m standing there, in front of a set of glass doors that won’t open, just waiting. Finally, they open, and I make it into the elevator, just as the alarm sounds and the doors begin to close because they’ve been held open too long.
Today, I felt confident. I took the bus to work again, and I had my badge out, ready to go, as I walked towards the main front entrance. I badged my way in the first set of doors, and, because my parents raised me to be polite, I held the door open for a woman entering behind me. She said thanks but we were supposed to go one at a time, so, feeling a little foolish for trying to be nice, I walked in alone. (It was jus today that I found out we aren’t supposed to follow each other in.) I hear the alarm sound, so I walk forward and again, confidently, reach to open the door to enter the lobby, right as the alarm stops. Mistake number two today – apparently you have to rush forward and open the second door while the alarm is still going off. I stand there, waiting, thinking the woman behind me will go in the first door and then I can open the second door (and this time didn’t try to badge in at the non-existent keypad). I guess she takes the one person at a time rule seriously, because she doesn’t come in. Finally, I hear her on the intercom with the guards, letting them know I’m stuck in the man trap. The alarm sounds and I rush inside without thanking her, lest my humiliation and embarrassment at not being able to open a door show on my face (no mistake number three today, since I was the only person stuck in the vestibule and couldn’t follow anyone in if I tried; perhaps I’m actually improving).
As I walk in, I can see across the lobby to the set of entrance doors on the other side of the building. I can faintly hear the alarm going off over there, and see a woman entering through the second set of glass doors. Then I notice two men, lined up outside, patiently waiting for the woman to enter before each one tries to enter the first glass door.
Why has no one told me about these entrance protocols?!
I rush onto the elevator, and just know that the security folks are watching me, waiting to see what floor I get off on, so they can follow me around with their cameras and laugh.
Maybe week two will be my week to master entering the building. Although, I’ve already screwed it up so many times, I’m a little nervous to do it again!
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