The Book Challenge: Animal Farm

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am setting out to tackle the greatest novels of all time. Certainly, all of the lists I've been researching are arbitrary and subject to the "give and take" that must come with compiling a list of that nature, but with all of this free time and my itch for some brain exercise, I decided I would find a list of books that I seem to agree with and read!

First book on the agenda? George Orwell's Animal Farm. Already a huge fan of 1984, it seemed only natural that I should start with Orwell. Plus, with the novel being under 100 pages, it would get the ball rolling on my personal challenge. I finished the book last night and I found that I actually really enjoyed it. The ending killed me -- I won't spoil it, just generally reference it -- because I had so much hope for Animal Farm despite all of their struggles the whole time and I know that the animals did too.

I think that one of the things I liked most about Animal Farm was the fact that it was an allegory tackling such an ominous, yet politically important topic: Joseph Stalin and the pre-WWII era. I felt as though I could essentially watch Russia's struggle articulated by a very non-threatening group of adorable animals, which, because of animals and their already innocent nature, only further emphasized the injustices and oppression they were experiencing. I couldn't help but come to adore Boxer the horse and his unwavering devotion to Animal Farm, just as much as I loathed Napoleon and his puppet, Squealer.

The simplicity of the story paints a very vivid and alarming picture of Orwell's views on Stalin and Russa at the time, but that sense of clarity of the farm's potential fate only made me wonder why I was the only one that could see it -- and why the animals weren't doing anything to stop it from happening. Of course, I assume that this is exactly the kind of reaction that Orwell attempted to provoke in his readers as well as a sense of awareness of the dangers of that sort of oppression and its ability to blind a population. Animal Farm is a great read for anyone, but especially for those who are intrigued by the WWII era, political philosophy, or who just want to read a fantastic book that just happens to fit into your back pocket.

If you read the book and love it, you can wear the classic on your sleeve -- literally.
Check out Out of Print Clothing.com for some of your favorite books turned cute apparel.

Recent Happenings

Luckily, I chose to wear a dress; therefore, I didn't have to worry about pants.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from a staffing company in Boston regarding a position I found online and applied for through their agency. I didn't expect to hear anything from it (because I never really expect to hear anything from the places I apply unfortunately) and honestly, forgot about it until I was on the phone and chatting with someone from the agency. We set up a meeting and presto-changeo, I had an interview at 12:30PM today to discuss employment options and my job search.

I was hesitant at first -- I've temped before and wasn't sure if working with a big agency was for me. However, since my job search has yielded minimal results up until now, I figured it was important to utilize all available resources and not dismiss any potential opportunities.

I headed into Boston today, leaving my house an hour prior to the interview despite living only 20-30 minutes outside of the city. Part of me thought this was a tad bit overkill while the neurotic part of me thought this wasn't enough. And I almost had a state of panic when my GPS seemed to keep telling me to turn the wrong way down a one way street and I couldn't find a parking garage, but I managed both to find a place to park and find my way (thanks to a push in the right direction from a kind doorman) with ten minutes to spare.

The interview itself wasn't what I expected when I had made the appointment but at the same time was what I expected from a staffing company. They asked me about my past jobs and experience, what I liked and disliked about them, what kind of jobs I was looking for and how my job search was going. Unfortunately, I didn't leave with any potential job options and wasn't able to meet with anyone other than my preliminary interviewer, but I was at least more hopeful. At the very least, I had one more set of eyes and ears to help with my job search, alerting me of potential opportunities and doing a lot of the same work I've been doing at home, except with more resources.

At this point, I am trying to stay open-minded about tackling my search and adopting different strategies to make my job hunt more successful. At least I know that I can accomplish one thing that the above cat couldn't -- remembering to attend my interviews fully dressed and prepared!

Lady in Red

Vest, Dress, Clutch: Loft; Shoes: Steve Madden; Bracelets: Target, J.Crew

I know, I know -- finally, another fashion post just as my blog description promises. For once, I finally had somewhere to go aside from the gym and decided to rise to the occasion with something a little more fun than my usual jeans/t-shirt combination. I went to Showcase Live in Foxboro at Patriot Place to see two cover bands with a friend. We joke because many of our favorite classic rock bands are, at this point, on their way to the retirement home, but a fun (and cheaper) alternative to seeing our favorite geriatric musicians is to check out their cover bands. I saw a Queen cover band and ACDC cover band. Both were fantastic and I had a ton of fun listening to some of my favorite classic rock tunes live -- a rare treat considering the aforementioned ages of the bands, the premature death of the one and only Freddie, and the exorbitant ticket prices (Van Halen's concert tickets are just too out of reach.)

It was a fun event and I made sure to stand out in a sea of primarily black ensembles with a red dress and a faux fur vest that was both PETA-friendly and a little bit rock-n-roll. I kept accessories minimal as that much red can generally do all the talking and pulled my hair into a messy bun for that "I want to look like I'm not trying, but I sort of am" kind of look.

Back with a Vengeance

I'll admit, this whole "unemployment" thing definitely takes a toll on your self-esteem. This past week has been particularly difficult, probably because all of my stress just keeps accumulating and I have been repeatedly rejected from different potential positions. For someone who is used to working hard and seeing that hardwork yield results, this job hunt has certainly been a learning experience as my hard work has not necessarily been "paying off" yet.

However, after a slight mental breakdown in the middle of the week, I rallied and decided to pursue my job hunt with a renewed optimism. Since my midweek bout of anxiety, I have done a few things to keep my spirits up and my determination steady.

I recently registered for a local blogging conference called "Blog Better Boston," which will be taking place on Saturday, March 24th and includes various panels and workshops and the chance to network with fellow bloggers. I'm really excited about it actually because, as a new start-up blog, I'm constantly trying to think of ways to make my blog more interesting and engaging for you, my lovely readers, and this conference is the perfect opportunity to find out what makes a successful blog from people with successful blogs.

I also ordered myself some business cards. I know, I know -- but I don't have a job, so why do I need business cards? Well, I figured that when I actually do attend the blogging conference, it would be nice to have business cards with some of my contact information on them so that when I have the chance to network, I'm not leaving my phone number on a napkin as if I'm picking up a date at a bar. Instead, I want to look professional and put-together, so I included my name, my career goals, contact info and blog info on my business card, ready to hand-out and network.

Oh, and of course, no "rally" of optimism and determination is complete without a dose of encouragement and retail therapy. My parents have been trying to keep my spirits up with a few pep talks and reaffirmations about how I will get a job eventually, which does help, but I think most of the reaffirmations have to come from myself because I have always been self-motivated, and this time should be no different. I need to make this happen for myself...and it doesn't hurt that I will be doing it with a new pair of shoes and maxi dress :)

The Book Challenge

One of my two bookshelves in my room... because I love books

If you've read my About Me page, then you'll know that I have my degree in English Literature and Italian Studies. It's something that I'm very proud of as I pursued a major that I was truly passionate about and thus, was always excited to go to class to learn and discuss. Since being out of school, I've obviously been dealing with the transition from campus life to home life outside of what I like to call "the college bubble," but one of the things that I miss the most (surprisingly or unsurprisingly if you know me well) is going to class.

I'm sure that if you're reading this right now and you're still in school (especially high school), you're probably groaning and thinking "you wouldn't miss it if you were still on campus and assigned tons of work." The truth is, though, when I was interested in class, I loved going and sometimes the papers weren't so bad because I could actually argue about something I believed in. Now that I spend my days job hunting without much intellectual stimulation, I am looking for something that will challenge me and force me to utilize those parts of my brain that have now been rendered inactive by too much reality TV or bouts of boredom.

In an attempt to battle this lack of brain activity throughout the day, I decided to put my literature degree to the test and challenge myself to some reading -- but not just any reading, of course. While at the library the other day looking for something to read, I stumbled across a brochure listening the Modern Library's rankings of the top 100 English language novels and wondered how many of those I had actually read. After checking off a dismal eight, I decided I would attempt to read all 100 books, though not necessarily the exact 100 as listed by the Modern Library. After recently finishing Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, I think I might find a list containing the top 100 novels of all time in general, since books like Tolstoy's would be left out due to the fact that they're translations.

So what do you think? Am I setting a lofty goal or is it an exciting challenge? Are there any books or lists you think I should consider when tackling this challenge? As of right now, the next few books my agenda are Animal Farm by George Orwell, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolfe (not on the Modern Library's list) and Ulysses by James Joyce. There are so many books that are considered classics or must-reads that I haven't even picked up in my over sixteen years of being in school, but I figured it would be the perfect way to exercise my brain and do what I do best --learn.

I have three weeks before I have to return these books... A seemingly formidable task.

Identity Crisis

As I've mentioned in a previous post about the pros and cons of the unemployed life, one of my biggest daily struggles is coming up with an adequate answer to the question of "how is the job hunt going?" A seemingly innocent and harmless question usually asked with the best of intentions or at least to make conversation. At the same time, I usually cringe a bit on the inside when faced with that question, and even worse, the question of what exactly I want to do.

So much hinges on your career and what it is you want to do -- more so than I guess it would seem. While in college, the biggest question I was asked was "what is your major?" I feel as though now that I'm out in the real world, I now have to define who I am and my interests by what career path I choose and the job that comes along with it. But right now, my prospective career and job are elusive concepts to me. With two months of unemployment under my belt, I am constantly re-evaluating what it is that I am looking for out of a career. My "About Me" page begins to touch upon some of what I want out of a job: a "love of writing, reading, meeting new people/being part of a team and engaging in something that has the ability to be creative and challenge/influence people" that can be merged with the some of the "things I love" in some way -- if at all possible. But trying to sift through job searches and LinkedIn pages for a job that encompasses all of that is a tall order and generally overwhelming.

I wouldn't say that the title of this post is implying that I, myself, am having an "identity crisis," but I think more of what I meant by it is that I feel as though I could end up being defined by the job I choose or the career path I take. I know that when I told people my majors (English Literature and Italian studies) that, inevitably, they would mentally place me into this certain niche with what they assume English Lit. and language majors to be. I have been placing a lot of pressure on myself to find an entry level position that will serve as a stepping stone towards my ultimate career goal of hopefully getting into media -- whether print or digital -- because I fear what will happen if I don't. I have accomplished a lot up until this point: a stellar GPA, great skills through past work experience and a successful overseas internship, but it's daunting to think that I could end up settling for something that doesn't utilize or demonstrate any of that, and even worse, inhibits my future goals.

Throughout this period of unemployment, boredom and job hunting, I have definitely experienced quite a range of emotions. I think the most important thing I have learned thus far is to try to stay focused on what my end goal is and what I need to do to get there. Even though, at this point, I know I'm probably going to have to get a job that might not be exactly what I want to do and might not even be full-time, I need to remember that it does not need to necessarily define me or negate my previous accomplishments, but instead, hope that it will enable me to gain more confidence and a greater sense of independence that will hopefully translate into a re-energized job search and better results.
I appreciate all of you who read my blog and continue to stick with me while I continue my job search and go through the ups-and-downs of post-graduate life. I know it's a process and transition that every one faces at one point or another and it's nice to know that I have a little fan-base supporting me as I go through all of this.

Thank you!

Snickerdoodles

Every Sunday, my family and I always have "Sunday dinner." For those of you who are avid Jersey Shore fans, it is not quite unlike what that crew does: everyone is present, contributing to and eating dinner at the same time. Though over the years my family always made it a point to have dinner together during the week as well, both my brother and I being at school in recent years meant that we weren't always around to eat dinner together as a family. However, with the convenience of our college's location in close proximity to our home, it became a bit of a tradition that we would come home for Sunday dinner. Yes, sometimes that meant every week for me, while other times, I hadn't been home for a good home-cooked meal in a while, but regardless, Sunday was reserved for the one day when we could be sure we were all present and together for one meal and to reflect on what was new with our lives.

This past Sunday, my brother was finally coming home for dinner for the first time since school was back in session for the spring semester. Since these days, I seem to have a less than active social life and even more free time than usual, I decided that I would contribute to Sunday dinner with my famous chicken cutlets and also a new recipe: Snickerdoodles. My brother was bringing home an indefinite amount of friends, so I had to fry up over twenty cutlets for the chicken parm that we'd be throwing in the oven on Sunday. It took almost three hours for me to prepare and then fry the cutlets. However, the Snickerdoodles were a much easier task.

I actually rarely eat Snickerdoodles. I think the first time I tried them was in high school when another student brought in some that his mom had baked. Don't get me wrong, they were delicious -- basically a sugar cookie covered in cinnamon sugar -- but it was never a recipe that my mom regularly baked in the kitchen. For some reason though, my brother requested Snickerdoodles one time out of the blue. At the time, my mom just grabbed him some store bought ones, but this time, in the spirit of Sunday dinner, I figured I'd surprise him with some homemade Snickerdoodles.

The cookies were really easy to bake, as I've been discovering many of the cookies recipes I've tried are. The only difference with this recipe than some of the others was that after making the dough and before putting it on the cookie sheet, I needed to roll the dough into little balls and then cover them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. When putting the cookies onto the cookie sheet, I then had to flatten them into little disks. I wasn't sure as to why I needed to flatten them out, but the resulting cookies were just the right amount of crispy and fluffy all at the same time, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Sometimes I wish I could post a sort of "scent" photo to help describe what the cookies smelled like. When I put the first batch of cookies in the oven, the kitchen smelled like heaven -- if cinnamon sugar is what heaven smells like. Sure, other cookies have caused the kitchen to take on a delicious smell, but the snickerdoodles seriously made the place smell amazing. It was almost as good as actually eating the cookie -- almost.

The recipe said that it would make about twenty cookies, but I found that it made well over two dozen for me. It was the perfect amount for a Sunday dinner filled with family and friends with a penchant for something sugary.

A Pick-Me Up

This week has definitely (and unfortunately) been one of my most unproductive of late. Most of that unproductivity had to do with the fact that I was coming down with a cold, but I think some of it also had to do with a deflated ego over the fact that I'm now onto my second month and still job searching. Everyone I have talked to has been really supportive and insisting that "times are tough" and that it will happen eventually, but for someone like me who went from working two jobs on campus and maintaining a 3.9 GPA, I am desperate for a schedule filled with tasks, assignments and a sense of purpose.

However, today, I woke up feeling especially lazy and wondering how I was going to fill yet another day of too much free time. I did what any other unemployed soul would do: I woke up, made myself an egg, made my dog an egg, and then checked my email. Only this time, my heart dropped -- inside my inbox was an email from one of the graduate schools I applied to with a decision about my application.

This was it. If I didn't get in, I would feel as though there would be no hope for the other three schools I applied to. Why would they want to accept me if this other one didn't? I figured this would set the tone for drawn out disappointment as I waited for other acceptance/rejection letters to arrive. If I did get in, well, this meant I could go to grad school. Even if I didn't get in anywhere else, I was in and I did it.

I clicked the link that would reveal the decision and I breathed a sigh of relief: I got in! All of the countless hours and stress spent applying and wondering about my application had paid off and I had an acceptance from a graduate school to show for it. It was a much needed pick-me-up in a week full of sniffles, laziness and that constant nagging voice asking myself "What am I going to do with my life?" I can head into the weekend with a renewed sense of faith in myself and hopefully a reinvigorated look at the job hunt and the future ahead.

This kid is clearly impressed by me.

Awkward Situation

Yesterday definitely could have been dubbed an "awkward turtle" moment.

Yesterday was a busy day for me, which is unusual considering the minimal job activity I have been experiencing. On the agenda was a second interview for a retail sales position and a lunch meeting with an HR representative, set up by a family member, to help give me some insight into job hunting and offer me a bit of advice and perspective. The lunch meeting went really well -- it was fun and informative, and I got a lot out of it that made me feel a little better about my job hunting situation. However, my interview earlier in the day got off to a bad start, which leads me to this question: what do you do when you know the person interviewing you is wrong and their mistake makes you look bad?

My second interview had been set up on Thursday, almost immediately following the first one. I got a phone call from the person who interviewed me saying that she'd like me to come in for a second interview, suggested Monday and then offered a choice of time: "10:00AM? 10:30AM?" I had agreed on the second one saying that "10:30 would be great", as overheard by my mother eavesdropping in the kitchen, and upon hanging up the phone, proceeded to plug the appointment into my phone and write it down on two different notepads so as not to forget.

Come Monday morning, I wasn't feeling great. It first started with my dad getting sick, then my mother, and the bug had worked its way to me. I had skipped my morning workout to insure some extra morning shut-eye, but finally pulled myself out of bed because if there's one adjective that would describe me: it's punctual. In elementary school, I used to wake up about an hour before I needed to get ready for school, and then wake up both my mom and brother so as not to be late. In college, no matter what I was up to the night before (late night of duty, too much fun), I would be in class ten minutes early getting my notebook out. Even at the movies, if I'm not there with time to spare before the previews, I feel like I'm sneaking in to class late and deserve detention.

So you can imagine that I took all the precautions to make sure that I'd be at my second interview on time. However, at 10:15AM, as I was getting ready to leave the house, I get a phone call from the woman interviewing me asking me if I was still coming to the interview. My stomach dropped -- was she serious? I then explained that I thought we had agreed on 10:30 as opposed to 10:00 and that I was sorry for the miscommunication and would be there in fifteen minutes. I was embarrassed and angry. I was never late and especially not for something like this. I don't think it's respectful to keep someone waiting when they are taking time out of their schedule to meet with you (whether it's for class, an interview, or even just a lunch date.) Certainly, things happen, but you need to do whatever you can to be prompt.

I arrived at the interview a few minutes earlier than what I thought had been our agreed-upon-time and again, apologized incessantly, explaining how I had been sure we agreed on 10:30 and how I had written the appointment down in a million places. My interviewer was obviously irritated, insisting that we had said 10:00AM and that she had written it down as such, and that was the time.

Now, I knew I had to bite my tongue, but I also knew that she was wrong. I had repeated the time out loud while on the phone with her when we had previously talked and my mom, later, had said that she heard me say 10:30AM (and my mom would tell me if I was in the wrong.) I am someone who prides herself on being extremely organized and on schedule. I have time management down pat and in however many years I've had a job and been in school, there has only been one time when I was mistaken about a date and time -- and that wasn't even important. So then I was faced with the question: what do you do when you know someone is wrong and the mistake makes you look bad?

You really can't do anything. I wasn't trying to make an excuse when I told her that I thought our appointment was at 10:30AM and that we must have had a miscommunication. I was being sincere, but that was all I could do. Apart from that, I had to suck up my pride and know when to stop defending myself because it was a losing battle. I did what I could to insist on my "innocence" in the situation, but if she was persistent in her own views and that was what she believed, neither of us had the evidence to back our point up (well, other than my mom's eavesdropping) so I had to just take her aggravation and salvage what was left of my interview.

The rest of the interview went okay. I think the woman was clearly irritated with me, which I could understand to a certain extent, but it only frustrated me. I kept a smile on my face, gave my best answers and rose to the tasks she assigned of me, but I couldn't help thinking the whole time that she would hold our scheduling mishap against me. I wasn't left with a good feeling post-interview, but I'm hoping that my answers and performance were enough to prove that I am a good candidate.

It certainly was an interesting interview experience, and hopefully, a lesson learned.

Tea Time

Ever since I was young, my mom and I would regularly go to tea. We used to seek out tea houses across Massachusetts and have afternoon tea together or with friends and family. However, as I started getting older and as some of our favorite tea houses closed down, my mom decided that she would try hosting her own tea. This year, for my cousin's birthday, my mom and I set out to put together another one of her famous tea parties, and this time, I would be helping with the baking.

Since the tea was on Sunday, I spent most of Saturday afternoon feverishly baking. On the agenda: baking Shirley Temple cupcakes and pizzellis. I have been making pizzellis (a very tasty Italian cookie) for a few years now, so I'm pretty well-versed in how to make them -- although I am still mastering getting them to look just so. The cupcakes, on the other hand, were a new recipe that I found on Pinterest and figured the tea would be the perfect opportunity to try them out.

I started off by making the Shirley Temple cupcakes first. This recipe called for some different ingredients than I was used to such as 7Up (I used Diet Sierra Mist as it was all that I had), maraschino cherry juice and gluten-free flour. Since my family is not gluten-free, I stuck to regular flour for the recipe. Mixing and making the cupcakes was pretty easy though -- just like any other cake or cupcake I've made before. The only difference though was that the recipe called for splitting up the batter to make the cupcakes "two-toned" in color.

The cupcakes had a pink/red bottom and a vanilla top, so to do that, the recipe called for taking about one cup of the batter and transferring it to another bowl. From there, I added cherry juice and food coloring to get the cherry taste and color. I then poured the pink/red batter first, and then rest of the remaining batter on top -- being careful so as not to let the two mix and form distinct separate layers.

I was excited to try something new with these cupcakes, and I especially enjoyed the fact that they were going to be partially pink, which is perfect considering that Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. It was a nice departure from the standard plain vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, which, while they are classics for a reason, are usually found littering the baked goods section of the grocery store. Shirley Temples were always my favorite treat to order when out at a restaurant and even though I'm now old enough to order an adult beverage, I still find myself craving a Shirley Temple from time to time.

The recipe only baked a dozen, so it didn't take too long once they were in the oven for the cupcakes to be finished. They looked and smelled so good, and the different colors made the cupcakes special for the tea.

After baking the cupcakes, I was heading on to making the pizzellis. Of course (and as usual) I made a big mess, and had to clean up before moving on to something else. I had to warn my mom before coming into the kitchen so that she wouldn't have a heart attack upon realizing that I destroyed the kitchen.

My mom found it amusing that I managed to get flour all over me, and while this picture is slightly embarrassing, it does emphasize my ability to make a complete mess while baking or cooking. By the end of the afternoon, I had flour and batter all over me -- front, back, on my shirt and on my pants -- and it was if a bakery exploded all over me.

While waiting for the cupcakes to cool off so that I could make the frosting, I set forth on the pizzellis. My mom had helped me out by making the pizzelli batter -- something I have done before and usually do -- so as to cut down on my prep time. Unlike the previous recipes I've used, the pizzelli recipe is one that has stayed in the family and was originally my grandfather's. Though I never met my grandfather, every time I make pizzellis I use his recipe and they are always delicious.

The pizzellis are really easy to make. Although, unlike cookies that you just put in the oven and wait to be cooked, you use a pizzelli maker to press and bake the cookies. It is similar to making homemade waffles, only pizzellis are much thinner and much sweeter. You can add anis flavoring if you want and even top with confectionary sugar to make them look extra tasty.

The pizzelli maker that I'm using (above) is a recent addition to our supply of baking and cooking appliances. We used to have a really old one, but one time when I was making pizzellis, the handle came off and one of the metal plates became detached from the machine and I was left with oven mitts on attempting to put the burning hot appliance back together. Needless to say, my mom and I decided it was time to upgrade to a newer one and found one at Macy's that has a little light that changes colors when the cookies are done.

I am still trying to master finding the right amount of batter to make the perfect pizzelli. One of my great-aunts is by far the best pizzelli maker in the family and hers always come out so perfectly. Mine, on the other hand, are usually hit or miss. I figure, given another thirty years, maybe mine will come out perfectly too.

Pizzellis remind me of doilies in cookie form. They're really pretty and especially tasty. The recipe ends up making a lot and they really don't take very long to bake. And if I have been making them for years now then pretty much anyone can make them.

Once finished with the pizzellis, it was back to the cupcakes -- only now it was time to make the frosting. After my first frosting attempt when making my mom's birthday cake, this time was a lot easier because I had a better idea of what to expect. I also didn't make the mistake of adding too much vanilla so the frosting was sugary and not too overwhelming in flavor. Like last time, making the frosting was really quick, so I was frosting the cupcakes in no time.

I frosted the cupcakes on Saturday, but didn't add the cherry on top until Sunday right before serving. I wasn't sure if the cherries would still taste good if left out over night, so I figured it was better safe than sorry. I have seen so many pictures of cupcakes with cherries on top, but I have never actually eaten or seen a cupcake in real life that has had one -- not with this recipe though. A Shirley Temple is not complete without the cherry, so to finish off the already cute cupcakes, all I needed was a maraschino cherry for each.

I'll admit... Prior to our Sunday afternoon tea, I had to try one of my cupcakes -- but mostly, I just wanted to try it so I could see how the food coloring turned out. It looked really cute having the pink bottom. All I did was add some pink neon food coloring until it was really bright and saturated in color. It definitely added a fun, whimsy touch to a very cute cupcake.

I proudly served my cupcakes and my pizzellis at the tea. It was the main attraction and everyone seemed to enjoy them (or lied through their teeth.) They did taste really good and they were surprisingly easy considering some of the ingredients and extra steps involved. I made sure to add fun heart cupcake cups to keep with the Valentine's Day theme.

The tea was a lot of fun. Of course, we didn't only have dessert. Our tea started off with a fruit cup, then scones and clotted cream, then tea sandwiches and only after that did we finally have dessert. I knew what was coming though, so I made sure to save room in order to fully appreciate my favorite part of any meal: the dessert. Having a tea is a fun party idea and an easy departure from the usual dinner party. The sandwiches are simply regular sandwiches cut into triangles with the crust cut off, and if you don't feel like making scones from scratch, you can pick some up at any grocery store bakery and the clotted cream is very simple to make. Even if you don't like tea, you can replace it with hot chocolate or even add mimosas to your beverage menu. It was a lovely afternoon for a group of very classy ladies (present company included.)

Wisdom from Sex and the City?

One of my favorite TV shows of all time is, without a doubt, Sex and the City. The fashion, the strong women, the insight into relationships, the fashion... All of it definitely strikes a chord and, owning all of the seasons, I find myself watching each episode over and over again with my love for it never tiring.

With this obsession also comes a pocket of SATC knowledge, tucked away in my mind, always popping up at random times and offering its wisdom to me. The other day I had been thinking about my job search and how I haven't had much activity regarding interviews or callbacks, and then it took me back to one episode (can't remember which one) where Carrie makes the insight that "all you need to get a date is another one." Just as she got one date, she was suddenly presented with another male suitor and another option. In my own dating experience, I do find this to be true -- that you'll have a period without any dates, and then suddenly, not only do you get asked out by one guy, but then there's another one that's showing interest and making moves. In an instant, you go from zero options to multiple ones.

I think that this is a possibility for the job hunt as well. I've been applying pretty much anywhere and everywhere -- full-time jobs and part-time jobs in a variety of fields -- and sooner or later, someone is going to call back or request an interview. Recently, I applied for a retail position and was called in not just for an initial interview, but for a second one as well this Monday, which just so happens to be the same day I have a lunch meeting with someone from another company I applied to. For a while, I thought my biggest problem would be finding somewhere to hire me, and now I'm realizing that I might have to consider what to do if I receive offers for employment at more than one company or if I take a job at one place, and then get offered a better position somewhere else.

It always seems to work that way, though. That you go through a discouraging period of zero dates or bad dates or dates you think are dates, but end up not being dates...And then all of a sudden, you're juggling a few dating options. A degree of patience is key, obviously, but I think it also has to do with a state of mind: trying not to let discouragement get the best of you, staying hopeful, and most importantly, staying confident. I think it works the same way with the job hunt, you go through that discouraging period of zero interviews, bad interviews or interviews that you think went well, but end up without a job offer, and then suddenly, all of those applications you submitted earlier are yielding results and you now have to decide what direction you want to head in.

At least, I'm hoping that this bit of Sex and the City wisdom might ring true for my job hunt. I guess after my Monday full of meetings and interviews I will at least have a reason to be hopeful or to continue to persevere. 

Lessons Learned: What Past Jobs Taught Me

In an earlier post, I promised to post what I have learned from past jobs. I think it's important to reflect on previous employment experiences and skills learned because it's crucial to understanding what you can bring to a new job. I'd like to think I have pretty diverse past job experiences, as I have worked in a variety of different fields, and have been working since high school, for better or for worse. I'll share with you the good, the bad, and the ugly that I've encountered in my eight years of working.

Retirement Home:
In high school, I worked for a small retired living facility as their "pantry worker." Essentially, I was responsible for serving the residents drinks, assisting with the preparation and serving of meals, and maintaining general cleanliness at the home. Most of the time, I felt like I was just doing chores at someone else's house with the only difference being the entire house was filled with old people. It was an easy job, but I heard a lot of interesting stories from the residents and even befriended one 96-year-old woman in particular, hearing about all of her adventures when she was younger. Aside from teaching me to maintain a particular level of neatness, patience and politeness, working at the retirement home taught me a lot about people in general. Here was a community of eldery senior citizens who still had gusto for learning new things and going out and having their own little adventures. Talking to the residents taught me to seize the day. Being able to have that thirst for life and learning is something important to have no matter what age, and it is certainly something I consider important in my own life as I am always looking to learn something new, explore a new place or try a new activity.

Nothing better than a good book. Except maybe when you don't get to read it and have to give it away to someone else.

Books:
Another high school job I had during the week when I wasn't working at the retirement home was at a small online book company. As someone with a degree in English, I loved being surrounded by new books, holding pages filled with stories in my hands and sending them off to some lucky person. The premise of the company was that you could order book packages online as a gift and have them sent over a chosen amount of weeks/months for that person, so I was in charge of receiving the books, packaging them and sending all of them out. On top of that, I updated the bestsellers pamphlets that were included in each package. My job duties were pretty straightforward, but this job was unique because I was always alone. When I said that it was a small business -- I meant it. Essentially, I had to figure things out by myself as I went. Sure, I got trained by someone, but then I was left to work on my own every day I went in for several months. I learned how to troubleshoot by myself and manage my time so that everything was done so that the packages were sent out for the day. Working by myself regularly definitely forced me to motivate myself, even without a boss hovering, and to find ways to be efficient when working solo so that I wasn't stressed out by the end of the day.

Life at the mall:
During college breaks, I gravitated towards the mall to make some extra cash. I worked at two separate stores in a span of a few years and managed to work both the Christmas season and summer season. Working in retail requires a huge amount of patience because of the variety of people that come into the store and inevitably manage to make a mess out of it. I did your standard retail duties: working at the cashier, folding and hanging clothes, maintaining store neatness, watching over the fitting rooms, and, my personal favorite, greeting people at the front of the store. As someone who loves fashion, I definitely enjoyed being able to see what new styles were being offered, giving people advice on what to pair items with and the generous discounts. However, it could definitely defeat me at times. The yummy-mummies who would take their toddlers to the mall, try on 18 items only ten minutes before the store closed and then leave all of the items on the floor? Yeah, that happened more than once. However, working at the mall taught me the value of good customer service and how rewarding it can be to make someone's shopping experience that much easier. Even when I was annoyed because someone knocked down an entire rack of clothes (yes, that really happened), I told them not to worry about it, cleaned it up by myself, and kept a smile on my face the whole time. I realized that you have to go with the flow sometimes -- and if you keep a smile on your face, you'll probably end up feeling better about a bad situation than if you let the irritation consume you.

Ah yes, the mall. I have spent countless hours here, both making money and spending it.

The Temp:
For a brief few weeks while looking for a full-time job over the summer, I temped as a "Director of First Impressions" (aka receptionist) for a up-and-coming company. I had one day to train with the person who was off on vacation and then left to figure out the rest on my own. I was vaguely familiar with the usual administrative tasks required of receptionists, but the whole desk seemed foreign to me. I had to fax, print, and manage the visitors/guests coming into the office, and could only rely on the memory of my brief training to do so correctly. I did it though. The first day was definitely the hardest, but I got the hang of it. I also was responsible for answering the phones and directing customers to customer services and helping them solve their problems -- and for someone who knew very little about the company (about 24 hours worth of knowledge), I had to be their voice of reason. I quickly had to learn how to provide excellent customer service over the phone, mitigate the angry complaints of callers,  and ultimately, help them get what they needed. Again, I had to learn a degree of patience on the job, but I also realized that I was able to learn and adapt quickly to a new environment and new things. After my brief temping period concluded, they actually called me back a few times to see if I could fill in again.

Meet my former BFF: The telephone. Always ringing, always with someone needing something from me on the other end.

Office Slave 101:
After temping, I became a full on administrative assistant for the rest of the summer and into the winter, pending my class schedule. With the help of my aunt, I got a job at a real estate attorney's office and was suddenly responsible for requesting municipal lien certificates and insurance binders, setting up appointments, putting together bank packages and sending them back to the bank and then doing other things around the office as needed. I was thrust into an office where I knew nothing about real estate or buying, selling and refinancing and had to learn to be quick and efficient while also getting things done right the first time. I had to learn to manage my time and prioritize so that I could get the appropriate documents at the time they were needed and make sure that I helped my bosses instead of hinder them and make them do more work. Ultimately, I learned, that at the end of the day, you want to be helping your team and making everyone's jobs easier as opposed to slowing them down. I proved that not only could I keep up, but I was able to take on more responsibility and be a go-to person for certain tasks.

One of my many excellent bulletin boards that I made as an RA.
This one was especially great because I was simultaneously able to use glitter while embarrassing my residents. 

The RA Years:

Just another night on duty.

From sophomore year of college up until graduation, I was a Resident Advisor. Now I know the stigma associated with RAs and maybe you personally had a bad experience with an RA, but I assure you -- we are not the bad guys. Being an RA was by far my favorite job to date and not only taught me a lot of important skills, but also taught me a lot about myself. I learned how to be assertive, diplomatic and professional, even in the midst of a crisis or when dealing with someone I might not have liked. I had to learn how to juggle my professional life as an RA with not just my academic life but with my social life as well. As you can imagine, I became extremely good at time management and prioritizing -- not only becoming a successful RA with great residents and a great community, but also managed to achieve a high GPA and still find time to have fun with my friends. That's not to say that I don't have my fair share of RA horror stories. Anyone who has worked in Residence Life has a plethora of stories to share: good, bad and hilarious, but all of those moments really made my college experience that much better. I got promoted to Senior Resident Advisor and was in charge of my own staff and residence area. I had to prove myself as a leader and motivate the others on my staff, and as challenging as it was at times, it was really rewarding to watch my staff grow and succeed. As an RA, I made so many friends and met so many people and it really was a great experience. I sometimes feel like having it on my resume doesn't really do it justice because I can't sum up my experience in a paragraph like this or even in a few lines on a resume, but I'm always up for sharing some stories!

This is my excited face after winning "Spiritual Program of the Year" for my "Stump the Priest" program. Jeopardy for priests!

Working Abroad:

I took this picture while walking to the tube station
at Kings Cross. I took the tube to work every day.

This past summer, I interned in London at a small magazine. This has also been one of my favorite experiences, but for obvious reasons (you can read my other blog if you want to gain a more extensive view of my experience). Not only did I have to figure out how to live in a foreign country on my own, but I also had to work a full-time job. I had to be completely self-sufficient, budgeting my money throughout the entire summer (my internship was unpaid) while still being able to do everything I wanted and learning how to get around in an unfamiliar city. I was completely new to the job too -- I didn't have any editorial experience prior to my internship, but I learned and learned quickly at that. I worked as part of a small team and was becoming familiar with the lingo as well as gaining more experience with interviewing, research, copy-editing and coming up with ideas for headlines. I was doing a lot of writing and loving it. On top of all of that, I was in an amazing city and meeting amazing new people. By the end of the summer, I felt like I was able to call the city "home," at least for a little while, and mean it. This job definitely taught me so much about the media industry, but living in the city taught me about being flexible, open-minded and the importance of taking risks (even when you're really afraid!)

Enjoying a sunny day on the River Thames... when I wasn't working, of course

Job Hunting: Mr. Right Turned to Mr. Rejection

If you read my earlier post comparing the job hunt to the search for "Mr. Right," then you'd know that job hunting is eerily similar to meeting a new guy/gal and going on a first date with them. Since my job hunt of about two months has yielded minimal results (very minimal), I have also come to realize that finding the right job is not without constant rejection, which again -- is eerily similar to the ups and downs of dating.

It seems as though I am constantly applying to jobs that seem to fit me and my qualifications: entry level, room for growth, hard-worker, attention to detail, excellent communication skills. However, despite the appropriate cover letter and well-groomed resume, I receive rejection emails littering my inbox claiming that while the company was "impressed with [my] qualifications, [they] have decided to pursue other candidates who appear to be a closer match for the position." I think back to the job description and requirements, and try to wonder what exactly it was that didn't qualify me as a "closer match," and unfortunately, can only think that, despite a considerable amount of experience and academic success, it still wasn't enough.

This, of course, makes me think of that horrible feeling of date rejection. You meet a guy/girl who seems to pretty much encompass what you're looking for in a significant other. The two of you flirt -- much akin to perhaps the back and forth of setting up an interview -- and then set up a date, which you assume will be successful since you meet their "qualifications" for the date. As you sit across the table from your date at dinner or next to them at a movie, inevitably, there is a period of  "sizing the other person up." You both try to see if this -- this date, this pairing -- is a good fit, just as you and the company you might be interviewing for are trying to determine not only if you have what they're looking for , but if you two could be in it for the long haul.

Then the date ends -- and this is where things get tricky. At the end of the interview, you get the handshake, the smile, the nod, all of the signs that you did a great job and that they like what they see. Similarly, at the end of the date, maybe there was a kiss and the promise that they'll call you soon to set up a second date. But somewhere, in the midst of the end-of-interview/date commotion, you have the great feeling that this is going to work out, while apparently, the person on the other end thinks otherwise.

You wait. And wait. And wait. In both instances (for a job and for another date), you're probably patiently waiting by the phone or incessantly checking your email. Days go by, and you're wondering what you did wrong and why they haven't called yet. You used all of your best date moves -- the coy smile, laughing at the appropriate times, staying interested and actively listening -- and yet, here you are, without a phone call, an email, or even a text message with a hint of hope.

Finally, you get something, but it's a rejection. Maybe it's in the form of an email or a brief phone call -- but whatever the medium, you didn't get the job and you didn't get the second date. While the company might say that they were impressed and you had excellent credentials, what it boils down to is not the very cliche "it's not you, it's me," but instead, it's reverse: it's not us, it's definitely you -- YOU don't have what we're looking for and YOU aren't what we need.

Then you head to the nearest grocery store, pick up a tub of Ben & Jerry's, preferably in their most decadent chocolate flavor, and sit in front of your TV watching reality shows that make everything look so easy while you're still jobless and now in need of a very long work-out.

I guess these past two months of job searching have made me a teensy bit cynical in the way that a bad break-up can. I suppose I've gone through so many different emotions--denial, anger, hope, then hopelessness again-- that I'm wondering when this bad break-up period is going to end and when I'm finally going to get a date, and a good date at that.

So many sad princesses without their Mr. Right.

Insider to Outsider

This past Friday night, I returned to my alma mater, Merrimack College, for a night filled with fun and friends. Not only was there a lot going on throughout campus -- a hockey game, a concert -- but there were a bunch of people I had promised to visit and reunite with, even if only briefly. It was a strange experience, though. Just a mere two months ago I was both a full-time student and living in the residence halls alongside fellow students. Now, I am living at home with my parents and have my Bachelor's degree under my belt. I realized I had made the transition from "insider" to "outsider" in the blink of an eye.

That may seem like a drastic thing to say considering, as I just mentioned, I haven't been out of school for more than two months. However, as I went to all of the events on campus last night, I kept thinking about how different I was than some of the students who surrounded me, especially the underclassmen. I am in a completely different state of mind and stage of my life. I'm in the process of making preparations to become completely independent and starting my career, whereas as I looked around me, everyone else is still trying to figure out what they wanted and who they were. Now, I'm certainly not saying that I have myself 100% figured out, but when I walked into my freshman dorm room three and a half years ago, I didn't have much sense of self. While I feel as though learning who you are is an on-going process throughout your life, I can certainly say -- and with conviction -- that I am more sure of myself and who I am now than I was when I began college. And that's how it's supposed to be.

So going back to visit old friends was a great experience, but I felt as though there was somewhat of a divide. I am now on the outside looking in. I'm the same age as many of the students and in fact, I am even younger than many of them as well, but I am transitioning to a completely new life. They're just not there yet and it's hard for me to find where I fit in with my friends who have yet to face the post-grad woes and those friends who are already well past that stage. When I visit Merrimack, I laugh and can relate to everything that is currently going on in my friends' lives obviously, but I don't feel as connected any more. Sure, these are my friends, but I'm not "in it" with them like I used to be and I guess it's difficult to figure out how to keep parts of that past present.

Though I am merely reflecting on my experience from undergrad to post-grad life, I think it can be applicable to any transitional stage of someone's life -- from childhood to young adulthood, single life to married life, old job to new job -- so I suppose that learning how to deal with it and make sense of these changes is something that will be useful throughout my entire life.

A slightly (and by slightly, I mean very) embarrassing picture of me cooking at home
as a bright-eyed freshman in college back in the fall of 08

Three years later, ringing in the new year and a new life as a post-grad at the end of 2011 into 2012