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Only 2.5 months left of 70 hr. work weeks! August 31, 2007

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Almost halfway there!

I think the worst part about working during irregular business hours, while everyone else works a 9-5, is that I never know what’s going on. I’m never in the loop. I get post-it notes and vague e-mails about assignments, and I never really get to talk to anyone about the work that needs to get done. It’s very frustrating. Also, we just took on a new (HUGE) client, and I’ve been asked to design a boatload of new posters, flyers and pamphlets for them. Working full time for them just isn’t cutting it right now. The scope of the marketing position has gotten so out of control that they’ve rehired the woman whose maternity leave I’m covering, so that we’re both working the same position. Of course, because of her maternity leave, she is restricted to how many hours she’s able to work, but still.

My boss hinted that they might keep me on as a part-time employee once she comes back to full-time in November. There’s just too much stuff to do for just one person alone, especially with the new client.

Also, I never know who’s gone on vacation. So I submitted my time sheet to the secretary on the same day I always submit it (Tuesdays), but when I checked my bank account this morning, I only got paid for 1 week of work! I called the office, and it turns out she was on vacation, and that she had told everyone in last week’s team meeting to submit their timesheets to payroll themselves. ARGGG!!!

It’s a good thing it’s a 3-paycheque month, and it’s also a good thing that I work two jobs, because if this had happened and I was only working one job, I would be demanding they cut me a manual cheque.

Oh well. Stuff like this happens, I guess. At least my next pay cheque will be extra big.

In other work news, my boss is hiring me to tutor him in Macromedia Dreamweaver. I’m only charging him $30/hour (I should be charging about double that), and it won’t take much time – just a few hours here or there, but work is work, and I’ll take as much as I can right now.


Just when I was about to pat myself on the back August 31, 2007

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Well, you know how I said the only store around my office is an over-priced corner store? Well I forgot to mention that it only sells organic stuff, so it’s even more expensive than a regular over-priced corner store. I went there today to grab a bottle of salad dressing, since I ran out and forgot to bring a new bottle at home – but the only dressing they had was $6.50 a bottle!!! You have got to be kidding me! Well, I bought it anyway, because the bottle was still cheaper than buying a sandwich at the deli, but still … I feel so disgusted with myself. I could have bought 2 ½ bottles of the cheapo Kraft dressing I usually buy, so this new expensive organic dressing better be 2 ½ times better.

Oh, and to top it all off, I’m meeting my co-workers from my part-time job for lunch tomorrow. Since I work evenings and weekends, I never get to see them anymore … but they want to go to deli at the over-priced corner store (they have a patio out behind the store, and it really is quite nice). I don’t mind going tomorrow, since I NEVER get to see them anymore, and we’re going to try to make this lunch a monthly thing, so one day a month to eat out really isn’t that bad. This is the first time I’ll be going out for lunch (where I actually have to pay) since I started this job, and that was 6 weeks ago.

Also, the BF is going fishing on the mainland with his dad for a whole week, starting tomorrow. I’m very jealous. Also, I anticipate myself losing weight while he’s gone. When the only options are 1) eating something super late at night, and 2) just not eating at all, sometimes #2 is the best option. All my friends are also going away for the long weekend, so I fear I’ll be stuck all by my lonesome with nothing to do. Guess it’ll be a good time to get caught up on my work at the part-time job, and have some relaxation time for myself.


J. Crew outerwear sale! August 30, 2007

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Oh my god, my winter coat search is over. I absolutely fell in love with the new J.Crew lineup, and I was head over heals for this coat. Unfortunately, by the time I was ready to buy it (yesterday), they had completely sold out of the red! So I decided to get the black – it’s classic and versatile, and gorgeous. I really wanted to get two winter coats (one dress coat for work, and one casual coat for every day), but there was no way I could afford to buy 2 coats at regular price! I figured maybe I could get a casual coat when they all went on sale in the New Year. Or wait until next season.

During my lunch hour today, I decided to place the order on the black coat. I was going to get it shipped to my cousin in San Francisco. My parents are visiting him in a few weeks, so they could bring it back with them. It was a lot to pay for just one coat, but I’ve had J.Crew coats before when I was in college, and they were wonderfully made. I feel like a classic black coat will be wearable for years and years to come. Plus, if you gamble and wait for them to go on sale, you risk not getting the right colour and size.

BUT THEN, I decided to take a gander and look to see if there was anything good in the sale section of the website … and WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT!?!? They had all of last year’s coats on for 50% off! AND THEY EVEY HAD PETITE SIZES!!! They weren’t there yesterday when I was browsing through the site, so they must have just come out today. Plus, I found a coupon on the internet for free shipping (JCREWU … valid until the end of August). Total score!

So basically for the price of the one coat I was going to buy, I was able to get a more expensive black coat (in wool/cashmere instead of wool/nylon) and a beautiful casual coat, both with the Thinsulate lining (which the original coat didn’t have)!

I am so happy and I feel like I got a really good deal. There were a ton of coats in the sale section (in petite, regular, tall), so if you’re on the lookout for a good winter coat at a great price, you don’t have to wait for this season’s coats go on sale anymore! :)


Have you ever dumped someone because of their name? August 29, 2007

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A co-worker just dumped the guy she was seeing because his name was Wayne Kerr.

bahahahaha!!!


What do you bring for lunch during the work week? August 29, 2007

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One of the things I dread when I come home from work each evening, is having to pack my lunch for the next day. It’s such a chore! But I still do it, because it saves a ton of money on food. Plus, I work out in an office in the countryside, so it’s not like we have a ton of options around here. In fact, the only place you can get food is an organic corner store that has an overpriced deli in it. I’ve been there once, when my boss took me out for lunch.

Anyway, what I’ve been doing for the past 3 weeks is bringing a huge container of salad greens, 1/2 can of tuna or salmon, and some Kraft Signature Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. This is such a cheap and easy lunch to make!!! I literally toss a 1/2 can of tuna into a container, stuff it full with salad, and leave a bottle of dressing in the fridge at work.

The salad costs me $4 (pre-washed organic greens from Costco – the same sized container and brand sells for $8 at the local grocery store, which when you think about it, is still a good deal). The tuna is usually $1/can, and each can lasts me 2 days (I don’t put tuna in my lunch on Fridays so I don’t have to keep a 1/2 can of tuna in my fridge for a weekend) … and the dressing is $2.50 a bottle, which will last me about a month. I usually also buy a bunch of spinach ($0.75 for a huge bundle) to throw in the salad, just to make it last longer.

With the salad, I’ll bring a small container of grapes or whatever fruit is on sale ($5 for 2 weeks), some crackers ($2.50/box), and a granola bar ($5 for 2 boxes) for an afternoon snack.

So my lunch for 2 weeks costs me:
$4 salad greens
$4 for 4 cans of tuna
$1.25 for 1/2 bottle of dressing
$0.75 spinach
$5 fruit
$2.50 crackers
$5 granola bars
= $22.50 ($11.25 per week, or $2.25 per day)

I’ve been lucky because so far, I haven’t gotten sick of my lunches yet. I know I could probably lower the cost of my lunches if I didn’t eat tuna, or made my own granola bars, etc … but I think I’ve been doing pretty good. Also, I’ve been switching up the fruit, granola bars, crackers so I get some variety … and sometimes we splurge on an extra treat to throw in our lunches, like dried mango (YUM!!!) from the bulk bins (which usually ends up costing about $1/week).

What do you usually bring for your lunch?


My Movado watch … August 28, 2007

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A few people have asked me how I was able to get my Movado watch so cheap. After researching the watch endlessly on many different websites, I decided to check and see if any were selling on eBay … and that’s where I found the one that I eventually bought!

The woman who was selling it originally had it listed for $150 US. She had all the original paperwork and the receipt from the store, so I wasn’t worried about her trying to sell me a fake watch. She had almost 200 feedback messages (100% positive), and the rest of the items she was selling were decorative plates, figurines, etc … so it’s not like she was one of those wholesalers on eBay that sell 50 of the same watch. In her eBay profile it said that she was retired and just supplementing her pension with any extra money she can make on the side. The watch was a retirement gift, but it wasn’t really her style … so it just sat in her jewelry drawer for a few months.

So I e-mailed her to ask if it was in 100% pristine condition. Even though she had said that it was brand new, I wanted to make sure there wasn’t so much as a crease in the band of the watch. I didn’t see any reason why she would dupe me. I showed all the info to the BF too, and he thought everything looked fine.

Anyway, I was watching the auction, and at the last minute decided not to bid on it … and it ended WITH NO BIDS! I couldn’t believe nobody would want to bid on a brand new Movado watch. Especially when there were auctions being won for the same watch at a much higher price.

I thought about it for a bit, and then decided to contact the seller and ask her if she would let the watch go for $100 US plus $6 shipping. She e-mailed me back the next day and agreed to it.

I used to use eBay a lot (both to sell and to buy), and have just recently gotten back into it. As long as you don’t get caught up in a crazy bidding war, and you do your research on the product and on the seller, I think you can score some fabulous deals!

Does anyone else use eBay?


I wish I had a seminar recap, but instead here’s a spending recap August 27, 2007

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I’m sorry to report that the BF and I ended up not going to the seminar after all. We were on our way there when I started complaining that we would have to sit through an entire 90 minute presentation before we got to eat … and that the MP3 player they promised was some crappy piece of junk … and wasn’t our time worth more than that?

So we went downtown and ordered take-out food from Noodle Box instead. :) $18.50 for the two of us. I know, I know … we could have gotten a free lunch from the seminar, but I really was not in the mood to sit in some hotel conference room and listen to some loser try and sell us on some lame pyramid scheme. Besides, I still had room in my $50/month dining out budget to justify going out to eat.

In other news, I bought a watch yesterday. I know what you’re thinking – I’ve never mentioned wanting to buy a watch before, but I’ve been looking for a new one for about 2 or 3 years now. I just haven’t found one that I absolutely love. Until now. It’s a Movado, and I’ve been eyeing it for a while now. It retails for $450 US … I got it for $106 US including shipping. I love how clean it looks all in black, and I know it’ll never go out of style. Plus, I’ve never seen it that cheap before, so I had to get it.

Also, yesterday the BF and I started our spring cleaning (about 6 months too late) … and I took a bunch of pictures of clothes and other things that I want to list on eBay. I don’t even care if my profit is only a few dollars on each item … it’s clearing out the clutter in our place! Anything I don’t sell I’m going to give to the women’s transition house. So as soon as eBay has one of those cheap listing days, I’ll be listing all my stuff.


A new opportunity at work? August 25, 2007

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So yesterday, my boss took me out for lunch for my 1-month review. She told me that she was having meetings with the VP of the company about expanding the communications department (currently it’s just me and her). She said she wants to divide it into three sub-departments, where each department would have it’s own manager and coordinator, and they would all report back to her. Then she went onto say that I came on board at a really good time because the VP has approved the expansion, and she’s implementing the changes to the organization within the next year, and I would be able to move up to a management position at that time. Sweet!!

I mean, I’m not counting on it, because everything moves so fast with this company … who knows, that plan could be set aside for another restructuring move down the road. Our company is in it’s 11th year, and the first year, it was just the president doing a one-man show … and now we have 150 full-time employees at the main office, and almost 5000 employees across the country. In just 11 years!!! It’s such an exciting time to be a part of a company like this.