Corporette.com

Updated: Mar 14, 2021 271 Comments · by

Frugal Friday’s Workwear Report: Clip Pintucked Ruffle-Cuff Blouse

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices

This swiss dot fabric is such a pretty way to incorporate some texture into an outfit. I would pair this blue blouse with navy or light gray bottoms — probably a pencil skirt or some slim-fitting pants to balance out the flounciness of the top.

I’d love to see how it looks on an actual human, but I’m seeing more and more websites that seem to be running out of photos taken on real-life models prior to the stay-at-home orders. The mannequin works, but my favorite solution I’ve seen so far was Lou & Grey, where the models appear to be taking selfies at home.

The shirt is $59.50 full price but marked down to $35.70 with the promo code TREAT. It comes in plus sizes 14–26 and regular sizes XXS–XXL. Clip Pintucked Ruffle-Cuff Blouse

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.

Sales of note for 9.16.24

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

RSS Error: WP HTTP Error: cURL error 60: Issuer certificate is invalid.

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a 30-something lawyer living on the East Coast. She spent seven years as a Biglaw associate in NYC, three years as a partner at a medium-sized firm, and is now in-house counsel for a large company. She loves Diet Coke, '90s sitcoms, and dresses with pockets.

Comments

  1. anon

    Someone mentioned a couple of weeks ago doing a dip dinner for the kids, which was an awesome idea. I thought we could have a thread discussing similar things to keep the days exciting for your kids of whatever age. My contribution is a blind taste test, which we are doing this weekend and I know will be a big hit. We saw it on the Disney cooking show, which my kids are loving. They used pork rinds, capers, sour cream, an oyster, and a few other things. I have most of those in my pantry so I’ll use those and then just see what else I have. Anyway, I think it’ll be fun!

    What ideas do y’all have?

    • anon

      Most of my ideas for fun tend to revolve around food, lol. Last weekend we biked to a nearby ice cream shop, which was fun.

    • Tea/Coffee

      Next week, we are going to do hot dogs, wrapped in crescent roll Dough, on sticks over the firepit. Naturally, followed by smores :-)

      Dip dinner sounds fun, and could sneak in some good veggies. My kids will dip red pepper strips in anything.

      We’ve also been making our own hot pockets out of lots of leftovers!

    • Panda Bear

      I love doing blind taste tests with different brands of things or versions of recipes. No kids, but my husband likes being my tester for things like which brand of canned tomatoes tastes best, which chocolate chip cookie recipe is better, etc.

    • Anonymous

      I did a blind taste test of sliced green, red and orange peppers with my kids (pre-k, toddler) to see if they could tell the colors apart without looking. If nothing else, it was hilarious and got them to try a vegetable…

    • Pure Imagination

      No kids myself yet, but I have it on good authority and good memory that if you set up your camping tent in the living room or backyard, your kids will love you forever. Bonus points for marshmallows.

      • Anon

        I will also add as someone who doesn’t have kids, I think this would be a blast as an adult at this point. As long as there’s wine also.

        • Anon

          I just want to give a shout out to my neighbor and friend who helped me through a really rough day yesterday while mostly remaining socially distanced. It was the kind of bad news that you would usually want to hug a friend for and we couldn’t go that far. We have been walking our dogs on a mostly deserted trail behind our neighborhood that goes to a river. Yesterday she packed a bottle of cold wine in an insulated pack and some cups and we took the long route (total of 5 miles) and sat in the cool sand by the river and split a bottle of wine while our dogs played. It was exactly what I needed and I felt her hug through her act of kindness just as much as if she actually hugged me.

          So, to contribute to the kids discussion, picnic in the woods if you have an appropriate spot? Bring bug spray!

          • Cb

            Aww, our neighbour is a counsellor and is doing online sessions without her normal support system in place. She started chatting with my husband and he could tell she was upset so set up the garden so we could sit far apart and drink wine and chat. Not strictly within the rules (we were at a distance but obviously still gathering) but sometimes we just have to be human.

          • pugsnbourbon

            What a good friend you have. I hope you are able to relax and rest this weekend after what sounds like a tough week.

          • Ellen

            I would like a neighbor like that! My neighbor is the manageing partner’s brother and all he wants (if I EVER let him in with a bottle of wine) is to do s-xueal stuff with me, which is NOT on my list of things to do, and CERTAINLY not with him. FOOEY! He constantly has women in his apartement and he constantly makes a lot of noise in his bedroom with them. He claims he is an expert at s-x and the women he has can certify to same. I do not care and could never even think of him huffeing and puffeing on top of me, sweating with his greazey hair all over me! DOUBEL FOOEY!

    • Cb

      We’ve been having meals outside loads, my toddler finds it infinitely fun to sit outside on the picnic blanket and wave at neighbours. It’s only 65F-70F here so sometimes requires a few extra layers but it is nice. In addition, I’m trying to say yes whenever I can. Want to go dig in the dirt, yes, absolutely! Want to build a fort, sure! Bake a cake, let me get the mixer out!

    • SC

      We went on a picnic at the local park earlier this week. The change of scenery was nice. Kiddo ran around more than actually eating though.

      We have a new cookbook with adventurous recipes (which Kiddo can’t read) and beautiful food photography. We let Kiddo pick out a few recipes, based solely on the pictures, and he’s tried–and liked–some cool stuff!

    • Anon

      Order some miracle fruit and see how tastes change after eating them. Lemons will taste sweet I stress of sour. Fun even for adults.

    • Anon

      Backwards day. Put their clothes on backwards, have dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner, call them by their last name, have them play games like backwards tag and backwards hopscotch, etc.

      • Senior Attorney

        I put on my shirt backwards yesterday morning and it wasn’t even backwards day. D’oh!

    • S in Chicago

      Growing up, my Mom would ask me what type of fruit, vegetable or animal I wanted to dress like for the day. There are all kinds of photos of me looking absolutely crazy as a kid–wearing red sweaters with green barrettes (tomato), blue dresses with yellow tights (blue bird), all purple with brown socks (grape) etc. We would also have “vegetable parties” sometimes, where I would dress like this and then she would serve veggies and dip.

    • The Only GenXer in the Office

      FYI, dip dinner is not just for kids! I was so inspired by whoever posted it that I suggested it to my husband and we did it for Saturday night date night. We had a blast … and are doing it again this weekend :)

    • Anon

      Not as exciting as a tent but deconstructed food is fun for kids. Tacos, salads, pastas (especially fun), even soups. Serve everything separately and let them put their own dish together. So for the pasta example, everyone gets a bowl of plain pasta. Then to share, there is a white sauce and a red sauce – you can use both, or just butter – little cut up tomatoes and olives and maybe some cooked veg like zucchini or brococoli That kind of thing.

      It’s also fun for kids to put together their own meals before the cooking, like threading skewers with their own choices before grilling, or of course putting together individual little pizzas.

    • AIMS

      Picnics! In your backyard if you have one, in the park if you don’t. I have a summer bday and if restaurants don’t reopen, which they probably won’t at this point, this is my plan for celebrating – a fancy picnic with champagne and cake pops.

      My kids also love to make food so I think ups could also do fun food projects. We’ve made ice cream in a mason jar, fruit pops, banana bread – all a hit. I think even without kids, cooking something special is fun (hence all the sourdough starters).

      For random fun supper ideas – we’ve been doing very elaborate sheet pan nachos and everyone seems to like those.

    • Anonymous

      A friend of mine has been taking FFCRA paid leave – 4 kiddos under 7 – and her mom is a very hands on grandma. Grandma can’t see the kiddos right now, so they partner every week on the next week’s “lesson plan.” School packets are done so they pick a topic every week like dinosaurs, ocean, space/planets. It’s been so cool to see what she comes up with to keep all ages of her (generally crazy well behaved) kids entertained and learning.

    • Edna Mazur

      Some things we’ve done (kids are 6,5, and 2):
      1. Seth up the tent outside, will probably actually do that again and sleep in it when the overnight lows aren’t quite so low.
      2. Picnics in the yard
      3. Picnics at the open but fairly deserted state parks
      4. Field day in the yard- baseball bat spin and run, carrying the egg in a spoon, three legged race.
      5. Camping inside- putting sleeping bags on the floor of the family room, along with a movie and letting them sleep there (I don’t know why, but the sleeping bags made it way cooler than regular blankets)
      6. the usual sprinkler, wading pool, water table.

  2. Nylon girl

    We are going to do an impromptu drink run to Sonic during the day. Tomorrow evening, we are going to go for a drive & go thru the DQ Drive-thru. We’ve never done either before so it should be a good surprise for the kids.

    • pugsnbourbon

      Aw that sounds fun! Our local diner has gone back to car-hop service – they still have the awning and everything. They’ve been packed every night (we live down the street). Thankfully they aren’t making the staff wear roller skates!

      • Gail the Goldfish

        On the topic of the resurgence of 1950s-style businesses, I’m seriously considering going to the drive-in movie theater that’s about a 45 minute drive from me sometime soon. My options next week are Trolls World Tour or Jumanji Next Level

        • pugsnbourbon

          Do it! The drive-in in my hometown (rural Ohio) opened early for the season and hosted a couple graduation ceremonies for surrounding schools.

        • Anonymous

          All our drive-in theaters have long shut-down, but I wish they were still open! You should totally do it! And I agree, the Jumanji movies are funny!

    • Anonymous

      “Go for a drive and go to the DQ drive-through” was the go-to activity for my parents to take us on when we were driving them crazy and we didn’t have the money to go to the movies. I have many, many very fond memories of sitting in the back of the family minivan in my pajamas eating an ice cream cone and looking at the city lights from a “scenic view” spot above the city, while my parents sang along to the oldies station on the radio trying to teach us lyrics to Beatles songs. Your kids will love it. Have an awesome time.

      • Housecounsel

        My parents would send us to put on our pajamas and get ready for bed, then when they came to tuck us in, they would surprise us by telling us to hop in the car because we were going through the DQ drive-through. I have great memories!

    • Peanut

      I’m absolutely livid that our incompetent governor hasn’t opened drive in theaters yet because “it’s not safe.”

  3. Piper Dreamer

    Non-covid question. What do you do when the person you are taking over for does not leave and is really bad at his job? I am supposed to take over a client after this guy leaves the firm – he has been talking about it for months and is just “waiting for an offer”, which is not happening because of Covid-19. He is senior to me (biglaw so hierarchy matters). I have been slowly given work to transition him off but he would not let go! He still wants to take the first crack and only asks me to look at from a very technical structuring perspective, where I am given sole responsibility for. But his work is so bad (typo, stray reference of another client, only copy pasting and not really addressing comments). From what I can see, I have only two choices – either I fix for him and he takes credit for everything or I leave it but he then sends on to the partner saying I reviewed and that makes me look bad.

    WWYD?

    • Anonymous

      Accept that this isn’t your client and you aren’t taking over. Fix everything you see because that is your job.

      • Piper Dreamer

        Thanks. This is my client though. I am already taking over for a big chunk of the work and the partner called me last month specifically to say he is going to transition work to me…

        • anon

          Until the partner cuts out the senior associate, it’s not your client regardless of what the partner says. And to be honest, even then, it’s not your client, it’s the partners client. It sucks but that’s just how things work at big firms.

      • anon

        +1 million. Is it frustrating that you thought you were taking over this client? Of course. Is there anything you can really do about it? No. If you want, you could try to move yourself off this client by taking on other work but that’s about it. He’s senior to you, he’s allowed to send things to you for you to clean up.

    • Anonymous

      it seems very natural that he ‘won’t let go.” I get that it’s frustrating to you (I’m in the exact same position right now). But, would you want to give away all your work, only to watch someone junior do “your” job while you sat at your desk waiting for a non-existent job offer?

      Your question is really, My superior doesn’t do good work. Should I do it for him and make him look good, or should I let it go and let it appear that I didn’t notice it either? I don’t know how law firms work, so I won’t comment on that one.

      • Piper Dreamer

        Thank you! Appreciate the perspective. And yes, I would not like it either…

      • Ellen

        Ask your manageing partner to take over the case already! I had this issue with Madeline, who had a cleint for years that she was NOT properly servicing, and I was second chairing her for months. I told the manageing partner that the cleint preferred me and it got to the point that the cleint said to me to get rid of her if the firm was to keep the busness, so I told the manageing partner, and POOF! The next thing I know, she was off the case and it was only me from then on in. I have expanded the busness with the cleint, as I now have 10 pending cases with that 1 cleint. YAY!!

    • Anon

      It seems like your firm knows that you do good work, so he can try to take credit for what you’re doing, but that’s not going to fly.

      You could just call him out on it. “Ferris, you have asked me to review these documents exclusively for technical structuring. However, it includes a reference to a different client, numerous typos, and does not address the issues the client asked about. Would you like me to confine my review to technical structuring, or are you sending it for me so that it is presentable to the client?”

    • Lily

      Obviously fix it… he is senior to you, your job is to do the work and do it well. Not everything is a power play.

    • Anonymous

      Put the client interest before yours and fix the work so they get a good product.

      • Anon

        Also, it makes sense for the more junior person with the lower billing rate to clean it up. I think that’s the job.

        • anon

          This. It takes me the same amount of time to clean up a document as a more junior person. There is no reason I should be doing clean up when my rate is nearly double.

    • Piper Dreamer

      Thank you, all! You all make good points. I don’t like that person so it is clouding my judgments a bit. I just fixed the draft and sent it on to him. He can do whatever he pleases with him, but at least I did my part.

      • anon

        You did the right thing! For what it’s worth I had about 4 people like this I worked for when I was junior. I’m now a partner. They no longer work here. It took a long time but I feel like things shook out ok

  4. help me identify these hair tied

    I have cheap hair ties from years ago that don’t slip out of my hair. They seem to be made of silicone or rubber, but I’m having trouble searching for them online. Any idea what they’re called?

    • Anonymous

      Kitsch No Snag Elastics at Ulta were the closest I could come when I went on the same search. Let us know if you find the originals, I couldn’t.

    • anon

      Blax clear Snag-Free Hair Elastics are my favorite type of hair ties that fit this description.

  5. mask shaming

    I am growing tired of the mash shaming on next door, etc. Now it is showing up on news stories in my city. I guess there isn’t much other news?

    These stories are all shaming people for not wearing masks when outside someplace where people aren’t all packed together (so: not waiting to get inside of a store, etc.). Like if you are walking out to your car, you should be masked. If you are walking on a street where you are the only person on the block (often the case), you should be masked.

    I get wearing masks inside and if you can’t be distanced. The recommendation in our city and state is to wear masks then. It isn’t to wear them any time you leave the house. I feel like maybe people are fueled by restlessness and anxiety and being publicly mean to others is a cathartic outlet that they are “doing something,” then I guess it will continue to happen.

      • LaurenB

        I think she’s describing Nextdoor, which isn’t journalism. And is easy to avoid.

        • Anon

          OP said the local news media was writing stories about it. I think that’s what she meant by journalism.

    • Anonymous

      The great thing about next door is that you don’t need to use it! I don’t. It’s lovely! I agree a lot of this is just anxiety but I can also choose to ignore it. I wear a mask when walking outside between 5-7 because my urban sidewalks are busy then but otherwise don’t.

      • Anon

        I stopped using it. My teenage daughter and her friends just found out about it and installed the app to they can laugh their asses off at posts like OP describes. There’s something for everyone!

    • Anon

      Yeah that’s ridiculous. I live in a college town so people are super educated and politically liberal and barely anyone wears masks outside because our streets are wide and not very crowded and it’s so easy to keep 6 feet (or much more) away from anyone. Masks are for entering crowded indoor areas, like the grocery store.

      • blueberries

        Same—there are so few cars on select streets that folks just use the street as a walking path if needed. People are really good at staying at least 6 feet apart when out for exercise.

        I will religiously use a mask if I’m going to a store or similar. When I’m out for exercise, I will religiously give other people plenty of room, as per my local public health officer’s advice.

    • Pure Imagination

      Have you considered trying cognitive reframing? It will help you to be less tired and upset about what’s going on. In this example, you could reframe it as “oh man, this woman is going through so much right now. I can see why she would be so anxious and feel like others are not helping to protect the public.” instead of “she’s restless/shaming and it’s annoyingly.” It’s a proven psychology technique to get less upset about other people’s behavior – the reframe that you come up with doesn’t even have to be true to have a beneficial effect on your own stress levels. In the past, I have used this trick to good effect when dealing with drivers with road rage. “Oh geez, that guy must be freaking out because he’s on his way to the hospital. I hope everything’s ok!”

      • Anonymous

        I live in the SEUS and this nonsense deserves a “Bless your heart.” I do have to remind myself not to say “OK, Karen, but man do I think it often.”

        • LaurenB

          “Oh, those men waving AR-15’s outside the Michigan state capitol and calling for assassinations of governors and waving swastika flags – I can totally see why they are so anxious and really just want their jobs back so they can continue to be productive and helpful members of society. I’m sure they love their mothers. Blessed be the fruit.”

      • Anon

        This is actually helpful. I do wish the people would stop the photo taking and subsequent social media posting of people doing things like running outside (near no one) without a mask (same with the lunatics in NY threatening to throw things at people out the window at people walking without masks). That stuff is too far for me to be charitable, but I get how people are projecting their anxiety onto this issue.

      • Cat

        Honestly, I think people are allowed to feel tired and annoyed about this, especially (as the OP said) when it starts getting picked up by real news outlets and not just neighborhood venting.

        I don’t hear the OP being overwhelmed and stressed to the point of needing to now feel guilty for not bending over backwards to explain over the top behavior.

        • Pure Imagination

          Oh yeah, I think it’s fine to get annoyed and I’m sure the OP can ignore my suggestion if she’s not interested, but I’ve found that if I am annoyed about something to the point where I want to post here about it, sometimes the trick can help. We are all under a lot of stress right now. If the trick helps anyone else here, then I am happy.

          • Abby

            I use that trick too. I just assume strangers who are being rude are having the worst day of their life, and don’t need me to react negatively to make it any worse.

      • anonshmanon

        Hey, I do a similar thing! When that super pushy driver is finally able to take over and speed away, I always half joke “must be driving a woman in labor!”

        • Never too many shoes...

          I am not that good a person. As an insurance defence lawyer, I usually think more along the lines of “I am so going to deny your claim one day”.

        • Edna Mazur

          Similar- I think “man, they really must have to go to the bathroom”. Pretty relatable for most people.

    • Anonymous

      I am in a city perpetually not rising above 6% positive testing rate despite much increased testing and it is the hotspot for our state. And we are good, apparently, at vitriolic mask-shaming for people who are outside (we are a “city” of ~1M but it is a car-driving city, so very spread out; the “urban” neighborhoods are still on at least .2-.3 acre lots; most areas are much less dense than that). The truly urban areas have maybe a 20-story office tower for each 20-story apartment building, but many buildings are older 10-story ones; all office buildings are largely empty now, so those sidewalks are also not crowded.

      I have to make myself remember that the meanies are a very vocal minority and that sensible people aren’t ranting on Next Door or FB all day long. I only check the Next Door updates to see if anyone I know is behaving badly so I know to avoid going forward.

      • Anon

        +1 It’s a vocal minority of people with nothing better to do who gripe on ND/FB. Well-adjusted people with lives aren’t online mask-shaming.

        And I try to use the reframing technique too.

    • Anon

      Yeah, in my condo’s FB group last night, we had a DOCTOR telling people to be wearing masks when running outdoors (in non crowded spaces). I get we’re all worried here, but we need to stop the public shaming and science-less-ness that keeps happening.

      • Anonymous

        I get that science is in a fog of war right now, but I agree that people leap to assuming that something has to be carried to the Nth degree otherwise “you’re killing people.”

        • Walnut

          I believe Inslee (Gov in WA) referenced eating a plate of linguine and not dying in a presser earlier this week.

    • Anon

      I personally view Next Door in the lens of it being kind of hysterical. The insight into how some people think is crazy. I highly suggest following the Instagram account “Best of Nextdoor” that will help reinforce this view (they frequently refer to it as “Twitter for Old People” and it is so true). Makes me get less wound up by the things on there when I realize the majority of people think the worst offenders are as ridiculous as I do. And when I find it starting to creep into my anxiety about my actions, I stop going on and definitely stop looking at past threads I have followed. Luckily Next Door has become super boring over the years so for me it’s not hard to take a break.

      • Anon

        p.s. my recent favorite was someone on my Nextdoor not only shamed people for not wearing masks but for “not even carrying one with them”. Um, I … carry my mask in my pocket or my purse and pull it out if need be, how do you know I don’t have it on me? Luckily a few people called her out on that one. See… crazy.

      • Anon

        Best of Nextdoor is one of my favorite Twitter accounts. It is hilarious.

        I’ve personally never joined Nextdoor because I don’t want to see posts that say “I SAW A SUSPICIOUS LADY!!!!” every time I go for a walk. (I’m Black.)

        • Anon

          I didn’t join because I had to put my actual address in and there are only 5 houses or so on my street. Even if I told it to display street only that was given out way too much of my personal info. If it was just too my neighborhood, fine, but it was set to three towns. I noped out of that real fast.

      • Anonymous

        I nearly broke my wrist grabbing my phone so I could look up “Best of Nextdoor” on Instagram. Totally worth it. This is some quality quarantine entertainment, folks. Maybe don’t start reading if you have a lot of work to do today, is all I’ll say. Thank you, Anon at 10:03!

          • PolyD

            Which one is it? I’m not so skilled at Instagram and there are a few Best of Nextdoor accounts.

          • Anon

            I’m Anon at 10:03. Glad everyone enjoyed it so far! PolyD, the one I follow is when you look in the search of Instagram it is labeled bestofnextdoor_ (note the underscore), and the profile pic is the nextdoor house with the two grumps from the muppets standing in front of it. if you click on it, it says the “chief lurker” is jennatakahashi .

            I wonder if the other ones are just as funny though. Maybe I should follow them all!

      • Thanks, It Has Pockets!

        I joined nextdoor because I thought it would be entertaining. It hasn’t been, for the most part, just people looking for help with this or that, looking to buy or sell secondhand stuff, looking for roommates, but occasionally I get to see people reunited with lost pets, so it’s worth it just for that.

        • Gail the Goldfish

          This time of year, my NextDoor is 75% “what type of snake is this? Should I kill it?!” and the ensuing responses of “clearly it’s a copperhead, kill it immediately,” “No, it’s a totally harmless brown snake, let it live.”

          • AnonATL

            Omg are you my neighhbor?! So many snake posts here lately. If it’s not snakes, it’s coyote sightings..

      • Ms B

        Many thanks to Anon at 10:03 because that Insta is the funniest thing I have seen in days. The post about the cat with the large . . . parts . . .

    • AnonATL

      Drives me nuts because people wearing masks and gloves, (don’t get me started on gloves) don’t always wear them correctly. It’s like they think oh I have a mask and gloves on so I can touch my face or adjust my mask or not wash my hands. They aren’t some magical anti-Covid cure that kill the germs!
      I fully support people wearing protective gear properly and in the necessary setting, like going to the grocery store, but we can’t pretend like it’s an appropriate substitute for other preventative behavior.
      And yeah the shaming has got to go. As long as you aren’t doing intentionally dangerous things, we need to step back and consider what the science is saying about transmission.

      • Anon

        I feel like I’m still waiting for the science to explain how certain people caught it while social distancing 100% (no trips to the store, no outings besides checking the mail, everything by delivery, no visitors, no conversations even from six feet away). I don’t understand it.

        • AnonATL

          For sure but those types of cases seem extremely rare compared to how most people get exposed. I believe there is a reader on here who did get sick while following strict rules, so I don’t deny it’s happening.
          Unfortunately it’s a lot more difficult to study, and therefore prevent, those exceptions instead of how the majority of people are getting sick.

        • Anon

          I haven’t heard of any documented cases like that. In my state the vast majority of cases are tied to a massive outbreak (nursing homes, meatpacking plants) or among essential workers who are still having a lot of contact with the community, especially healthcare workers.
          I also think people are underestimating how many people remain fully asymptomatic (my state did a large scale survey and ~40% of the people with antibodies had never had any symptoms), so unless you live alone the most likely explanation is an asymptomatic family member who acquired it before quarantine and passed it to you.

          • Anon

            Yes, I’m specifically thinking of the people who were living alone and had zero contact with family or any other people because of being high risk (otherwise yes, obviously catching it from family would be the explanation). Maybe the answer is just that being immune suppressed makes it much easier to catch.

          • Anon

            Are those people really catching it though? I’ve not heard of anyone catching it in those circumstances, and the stats my state publishes (large percent of cases in nursing homes, large percentage of cases among essential workers, etc.) suggest getting infected while self-isolating is extraordinarily rare.

          • Pure Imagination

            Someone posted here about catching it under exactly those circumstances and it was really freaky. I hope she’s okay.

          • cbackson

            I’ve seen a lot of posts like that on social media where ultimately the person indicates that they don’t actually have a positive COVID test, just a lot of common symptoms. Which muddies the waters a bit, as there are other things you can get sick with that have similar symptoms but are transmitted differently. Like, fever and digestive symptoms could be COVID, but it could also be food-borne illness, which is way more likely if you’ve been strictly isolating.

            That said, a friend of mine just tested positive after weeks of staying home, with his only outings being walking his dog in his suburban neighborhood, going to the grocery store, and a single trip to his doctor’s office (while masked up as to the store and doctor). He had zero symptoms, but was tested because he was having outpatient surgery and it’s part of routine screening. They think he actually got it pre-lockdown (he remembers having a mild cold) and is one of those people who is just continuing to test positive long after recovering.

        • American Girl

          This sounds awful, but I wonder people who got it who claimed they were social distancing 100% were *really* social distancing 100%. I saw one reporter on Twitter recently who was like, “I got COVID even though I took all the precautions!” And then I scrolled down his feed and saw that his version of “taking all the precautions” means “taking plane flights while wearing a cloth mask and gloves.”

    • Thanks, It Has Pockets!

      I mean, I sometimes feel a little grumpy when I see people walking by our building not wearing masks, or wearing masks down by their chins, because our neighborhood is densely populated and right now we are supposed to wear masks every time we’re in public. But I’m not gonna give someone a hard time about it or complain in social media, nextdoor, etc. because at the end of the day it’s not really my business.

      I’ve always believed that ridiculous and overly judgmental comments on public forums were a result of people being home all day with nothing to do, and unfortunately, a lot more people than usual are in that boat, so you’re gonna get a lot more ridiculousness in public forums.

      What does really steam my beans are people who post photos and videos of crowded spaces and complain about “all these idiots” going there, when they themselves had also decided to go there, probably for the same reason as everyone else. It just seems super hypocritical.

    • NOLA

      There are plumbers in my house and they are not wearing masks. My landlady is here and she is wearing a mask. I am downstairs and they are upstairs. I told her that I was not comfortable with them being in my home not wearing masks and the plumber clomped through my dining room, where I am working, to get a mask out of his truck and wouldn’t speak to me (clearly ticked off). If there weren’t worms crawling out of my bathroom sink drain, I would be completely over this. I might be anyway.

    • Small Law Partner

      Our city used to be like what you describe, but has moved to masks anytime you leave your home. I assume this is because people can’t be trusted to use judgment, which is aggravating. One of my last remaining joys was going on long runs, and wearing a mask continually will really put a damper on that – I was already pulling up a buff anytime someone came in view before, even though not required. This is particularly annoying since I technically live in city limits but in an area that is semi-rural – I live in an area with those deer warning signs on the road, and can go for miles without seeing another human. I feel like this rule was not well-tailored for the nature of our city/county, but I’ll comply. Just feels like some variation on “this is why we can’t have nice things.”

  6. Anonymous

    I was at my last job for 10 years, and left a year ago. There are about 300 people who work there with little turnover and I know almost all of them well, had a lot of very warm collegial relationships over the years. Some I still keep in close touch with now, some are mostly facebook friends.

    At least 20% are sadly being laid off next week, and I will likely learn all the names from my friends and former employees who are still there. Wondering what the etiquette is regarding reaching out to people if they didn’t let me know directly that they’ve been laid off. I’m unlikely to be able to hire anyone because my new company has a hiring freeze, but I could offer to be a reference/networker or just tell them I’m sorry. But I wouldn’t want anyone to feel like they’d been the subject of a rumor mill. Would you just not reach out to anyone who didn’t let you know personally?

    • Anon

      I would. I think it’s always nice to hear from someone who tells you they’re sorry and says nice things. You could explain that you’re not in a position to hire them at this time, but you think highly of them and will keep them in mind for future opportunities (if true).

  7. Anon

    I’m considering buying an espresso machine. Does anyone have any recs for something that’s small (we have almost no counter space), easy to use, and easy to keep clean? I wouldn’t want to spend more than $500 at the absolute most. The Breville Bambino Plus looks intriguing and is priced at $400, which I’m hoping will drop further with Memorial Day coming up. We’d use it mostly for cappuccinos.

    • anon

      Breville is a solid choice, although the handling gets more convenient if you can devote another bit of counter space to one of those containers where you knock out the grinds.

    • Disco Janet

      We have the Smeg Espresso Machine, it has a small footprint and looks great on the side (if you like the retro style!) We absolutely love it, it’s easy to clean and the steam wand makes amazing cappuccinos even with non-dairy milk, which is what I use at home! I’m in the UK though, so not sure how much it costs in the US.

    • Anonymous

      We got a cheaper, kind of no-name brand espresso machine from Amazon because I am cheap and didn’t want to spend $400-$500 on a Breville. The one we got was about $230 and it works – it makes decent espresso – but it’s finicky about operating and sometimes I have to fight with it just to get my two shots of espresso in the morning. Fighting with an espresso maker before you’ve had any caffeine is not a great way to start a morning. I wish we had just spent the extra money and gotten a Breville, so that’s what I would recommend you do.

    • Anon

      You can’t get smaller or simpler than the Bialetti Moka Pot. Instead of a machine, you fill the bottom with water and set it on a stovetop to heat up. As quick as boiling water, and takes up very little space.

      • anonshmanon

        Bialetti is a nice Mokka pot, but completely different from an espresso machine.

        • Anon

          True, but for home use, a Moka pot is close enough. Few people have the time and money to get a true espresso setup and then go through the practice/training to use it correctly. I cringe when people have spent several hundred dollars on their machine and then pull a bag of pre-ground out of the fridge and fill it with tap water. Unless you’re a barista who cares deeply and make it your hobby, you can get a “good enough” pour at home from a $20 Moka.

          • anonshmanon

            I really disagree, these two coffee makers produce fundamentally different kinds of coffee.

    • Anonymous

      I broke down and bought the Breville Bambino after using the same Krups machine for over 20 years. What took me so long??? The Bambino makes solid cups of espresso! Bite the bullet, pay the money — you won’t be sorry!

    • Anon

      Sounds like people like the Breville! Just to confirm, is it good for steaming milk since I want to make cappuccinos?

      • Leatty

        I have the Breville Barista Express (which has the built in grinder), and it is great for steaming milk. I enjoy a delicious homemade latte every morning.

      • anon

        Both of the Brevilles we’ve had (left the first behind in the ‘old country’, but still going strong with its new owners) made lovely foamed milk. Since you were thinking about ease of handling – the milk frother wants immediate cleaning after use, cleaning baked on milk later is just the worst. I believe this is true for any espresso machine though.

    • Senior Attorney

      We have the DeLonghi Magnifica and it’s pricey but fantastic. Here’s the same model we have, on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/i/264692634070?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=264692634070&targetid=885787207871&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9031114&poi=&campaignid=6469750693&mkgroupid=89345420792&rlsatarget=aud-622524042918:pla-885787207871&abcId=1141176&merchantid=6296724&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_j1BRDkARIsAJcfmTF_W3LjoLw6e6T6ays3KK_ENkyCm-FbikWL9FRKDoGc8kJFhgzqeqQaAgwiEALw_wcB

      • Small Law Partner

        We upgraded from a Breville Bambino to the DeLonghi Magnifica. Worth the money, and a bit bigger, but the more automated nature of it is worth it. Descaling it is also easy.
        Cannot comment on the frother or whatever because I only drink espresso from it, but reviews for those features are good.

    • Anon

      Go to coffeegeek for reviews (and prepare to go down the coffee perfectionist rabbit hole.). I bought a reconditioned Gaggia based on their rec and if has been great. What I really love about a real espresso machine is that it can be repaired if anything goes bad, but so far so good with mine.

  8. In the office

    I went into the office yesterday and it was heaven. I could actually work when I wasn’t cooking dinner, getting my kids on and off of zooms, enforcing the bath routine (otherwise, it will take 3 hours and they will have wet hair that was never shampooed), and the million other house hold tasks that fall to the parent with a desk-work job (vs spouse who is always on calls). I could think! I could concentrate! I had a decent printer! And enough horizontal space to work in!

    It is such a life improvement when you get your 6-hour task done in 6 hours.

    • A.

      OMG I feel this so hard. I have my own office at work and went there (for the first time since mid-March) 4 times in the past 2 weeks for a series of quarterly meetings that I have to host on Zoom (better internet/no kids). Even being there for 20 minutes before and after each meeting, I got SO MUCH MORE DONE — emails, organizing to-dos, etc. It was a huge shot in the arm.

    • Anonymous

      Too true! I have been working in a tiny storage area off the garage, and the third spider rappelling down the wall broke me yesterday. I ended up finishing the day’s work in a lawn chair pulled into the master bedroom, while I waited for a bug bomb to work. This morning’s office set up task is not going to be getting coffee from the break room, it is going to be sweeping up carcasses. I want my office back!

      • Panda Bear

        Oh god, the image spiders rappelling down onto you gave me the chills. I had to look up to make sure none are lurking above me. Good luck to you!

    • anon

      I’m so jealous. I feel like I get 6 hours of work done in like 10 hours these days between interruptions and distractions from being home.

    • NOLA

      I was in our building late yesterday evening and ran into a colleague who has young kids (4 and 6). She was there because one of her staff is leaving and she was helping the employee get stuff cleared out, etc. but she was saying how wonderful it was to be in the office away from the kids for just a little while. I’ve been on Zoom meetings with her and some other moms of young kids and I really feel for them. They are doing great and I know it’s stressful!

  9. Wardrobe 911

    Gak. I have got to find some unicorn clothes for WFH, especially tops. Cant deal with button ups b/c they always gap on me (anyone have a brand that does not gap?). Those would be idea as are both comfortable and decent looking. What else is saving the day for you?

  10. Moonstone

    I love today’s pick! I’d sworn off Loft, but I will take a chance for this. If you click through to the Loft site, you do see this on a model, so maybe those photos were added after this post was scheduled. Also, the price comes down to $29.75.

    I think I will be Work From Home for another 3 months, so I just rearranged my closet to pull forward nice tops with some interesting detail in flattering colors — even if they are just T-shirts that I can pair with a cardigan for my 4 hours of videoconferences a day. My place is quite casual, though.

  11. Anon

    What are you reading lately that you recommend? My recent faves: The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel and Jennifer Weiner’s Mrs. Everything (I’m not normally a fan of her books but really enjoyed this one), and I’m eagerly anticipating Curtis Sittenfeld’s Rodham (a novel about what Hillary’s life would have been like if she hadn’t married Bill). You?

    • Pure Imagination

      I just finished Unorthodox and found the story absolutely harrowing, all the more so for how very not-unique it is. The other best books I’ve read so far this year are Bad Blood and King Leopold’s Ghost.

      Thanks for the tip on Rodham – I’ve liked Sittenfeld’s other books.

      • Housecounsel

        Loved Bad Blood. I also have to mention The Testaments, a prequel to Handmaid’s Tail. It was riveting.

      • pugsnbourbon

        I liked Unorthodox too, though the last chapters felt a little rushed. I’m going to save her follow-up book for vacation (if it happens).

    • Housecounsel

      I absolutely cannot wait to read Rodham. I have it pre-ordered. I love everything Curtis Sittenfield has ever written, so pick anything she has published and enjoy while you are waiting. I have also downloaded Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner and Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner, and This is Big by Marissa Meltzer.

        • Nylon girl

          Just finished The Romanov Empress. The perfect blend of history & entertainment. A wonder escape.

      • Maudie Atkinson

        Fleishman is in Trouble was great. I think I enjoyed in more than anything else I’ve read this spring.

        • Anon

          Everyone seems to love or hate this book, but I was very meh on it. It was an entertaining read but I didn’t connect with it deeply the way some people do.

        • Marie

          This is currently in my hold queue at the library. Now my curiosity is especially peaked, hearing that it has been so divisive!

          • Anon

            Light spoilers ahead…
            A lot of women I know love that the book is told from the man’s perspective and you’re supposed to think the woman is so awful but then it flips and you get her perspective and it’s so validating to hear all the stuff the man left out. I didn’t really feel that way – I didn’t hate either Toby or Rachel, I thought they both seemed like decent but flawed people and the perspective shift didn’t really change my mind. I think a lot of women also see aspects of their own relationships in Toby and Rachel’s relationship, which I didn’t. I also found it kind of distracting that the narrator was a third party, and I found the narrator intensely unlikeable (more unlikeable than either Toby or Rachel!) which is apparently an unpopular opinion.

    • A.

      Also pre-ordered Rodham! I just finished Little Fires Everywhere and Normal People (both great, and both also on TV), but the book I have loved the most lately and recommend ad nauseam is Nothing to See Here. It’s mind blowingly good and unlike anything I’ve ever read.

      • OP

        I loved both LFE and Normal People. I still need to watch the Hulu adaptation of the latter. Sounds like we have similar taste so I will check out Nothing to See Here.

    • Vicky Austin

      The Great Believers (recommended here repeatedly; I wept)
      The Haunting of Hill House (I can’t do spooky shows but I was so intrigued by what I saw around the web of the Netflix series that I thought I’d give the book a go. Turns out they are very different. I still enjoyed it.)
      Things You Save in a Fire (super sweet)
      Allllll the cookbooks (comfort reading FTW)
      Tiny Beautiful Things (wept again)
      Tess of the Road (LOVED)

      Currently listening to Angela’s Ashes, but it’s making me so sad.

    • Cb

      Ooh I just finished Exciting Times by Noise Dolan and it has a Normal People vibe but was just so smart and searing and I loved it. I’m also enjoying the Mirror Traveller series, the French YA novel. Apparently the French Harry Potter. YA fantasy isn’t my typical genre but I read the first two in one weekend.

    • Marie

      I really enjoyed The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes. In fact, currently listening to a short story series, Paris for One, by the same author. Much lighter content and fun read (so far).

    • Ribena

      I’ve been rereading the Anna and the French Kiss books by Stephanie Perkins. Fluffy YA romance. And a new YA romance from Maggie Harcourt, The Pieces of Ourselves, which was gorgeous.

    • NY CPA

      The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Highly recommended! Absolutely gripping.

    • Anon

      The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. Actually I listened to the audiobook which was fantastic, because Erik Larson is fantastic story teller. I should listen to more audio versions of his book.

      I also can’t wait to read Rodham.

      • anon

        I liked The Splendid and the Vile, but for someone interested in Churchill, I recommend reading Franklin and Winston by Jon Meacham instead. Like I would give Franklin and Winston 5 stars and The Splendid and the Vile 4 stars.

      • Sloan Sabbith

        I tried to listen to the audiobook but got lost pretty quickly (I was trying to walk 2 dogs who may have doggy ADHD, so it was hard to focus). I’ve loved Larson’s other books on audio!

    • ollie

      Such a Fun Age and Long Bright River are my two favorite books I’ve read in quarantine. Both set in Philadelphia, but with very different vibes.

    • Sloan Sabbith

      I cannot WAIT to read Rodham. I also have The Glass Hotel up next. I just finished listening to The Good House on audio, which I loved. The narrator is probably a love her or hate her narrator, but I thought it was perfect. I also preordered the Hunger Games prequel and the new Chanel Cleeton.

      I recently liked What Alice Forgot (an old Liane Moriarty), My Dear Hamilton (it’s much longer than I expected), The Giver of Stars, and This Tender Land (I have recommended this to EVERYONE), and The River (read this in one sitting!).

      In terms of fun books, I recently liked The Bromance Book Club, The Unhoneymooners, Modern Love, Hour of the Assassin, Red Sparrow, The Flatshare and The Mother in Law.

  12. Snow birds

    Are any of you snowbirds? If you are, where do you go for the winter and how long do you stay? Do you own a place or are long term rentals available where you go? Complex or individual home?

    I grew up in a sunny HCOL and happily transitioned to the LCOL more than a decade ago. I hate the winter and barely make it through each year though. If things are shut down, I definitely won’t make it. I want to start researching how to go somewhere warm for a big chunk of the winter. This is mostly fantasy, but help me dream!

    Married couple with two little kids for reference.

    • anon

      How would that work with your kids though? Are they homeschooled? It may make more sense to have your permanent home be in a warm area (Florida?) and then spend the hot, miserable summers in a cooler area when your kids are off school (New England?) where they could also possibly go to camp.

      • Snow birds

        I have a baby and a preschooler. I don’t really care if my preschooler misses a couple of months, as I went straight to kindergarten at 5 without a hitch. My area’s approach to COVID-19 is “let’s not test anyone and just open up anyway” so I don’t think the preschool is going to say open the whole year anyway.

        We are very much settled in our city and don’t want to move. Hot summers don’t bother me (90+ degrees with 90+ humidity is normal here in the summer). The winter is what I want to get away from!

    • Anonymous

      How are you going to do this with children? Interrupt school every year ? Take them out if activities?

      • Anon

        I think she was just talking about doing it this winter because of COVID and related school closures.

    • Anon

      Not weather-related, but if my preschooler’s daycare remains closed in the fall, DH and I are seriously considering fleeing the country since our jobs are remote at least through the end of 2020. I’m guessing that many European countries will have the outbreak much more under control than the US will, so if their borders are open (which seems possible – Iceland is opening June 15 with mandatory testing at the airport) relocating abroad for a few months could be very appealing. Our first choice would definitely be to have our kid in the school she knows and loves, but if that’s not an option (and it seems increasingly likely it won’t be), I think travel and living abroad would be a lot better developmentally than just sitting at home playing with legos.

      • Anonome

        Despite working remotely, my company still has rules about where you can log in from. Some states and countries are prohibited. I’d check if you’re allowed to do this.

      • Anon

        Not to harsh your vibe here, but have you lived abroad before? If you’re overseas for long enough, you’ll run into potential immigration issues and tax issues for your employer, not to mention will need healthcare coverage/travel insurance. But also, even with borders open, travel abroad may not look anything like what you expect this summer and be prepared that many people wherever you go may be significantly less welcoming to you than they would ordinarily given the risk that you’ll be bringing asymptomatic pandemic fun with you.

        • Anon

          I agree. And why would other countries want to take someone in from the US, the hardest-hit country? I wouldn’t blame them if they were really cautious about who they let in.

          • Anon

            All good points. We’d go for less than 90 days to avoid visa issues so perhaps long vacation is more accurate than relocation. I’m aware this might not be possible depending on travel restrictions here and abroad, but it does seem like some European countries are eager to get their tourism re-started and are doing what they have to in order to make that safely happen (eg., free tests for everyone arriving at the airport). I don’t think any of us can predict what things will be like in August, and my hope is certainly that things will be much better in the US and that schools will be able to open here. But I also think it’s not crazy to consider the possibility that that might not happen and to think about possible alternatives so my kid doesn’t just continue being bored at home when things don’t reopen in the fall.

          • Anonymous

            The US is not the hardest hit country. Death per 1000 infections is higher in Belgium, France, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Canada, and Switzerland, per Euronews. So I’d not be running off to Europe.

          • Anon

            Less than 90 days doesn’t necessarily avoid visa issues if you’re planning to work while you’re there.

      • anon

        Don’t you think there are going to be restrictions on non-essential international travel that will prevent you from doing this? Personally I think there will be.

    • Anonymous

      You could buy a cheap place in A-Z or FL and go during all school breaks and random long weekends…until your kids get into sports and other weekend activities.

      Pick somewhere easy to get to by plane.

    • In House Lobbyist

      We homeschool precisely for this reason. We have a place on the Florida panhandle that we rent out for several months at a time. Pick a place and more than likely they do long term rentals. For reference, our winter months is priced for a month at what our highest summer week is. Usually we are booked for winter by mid-late summer so you might want to start thinking about it if you are serious.

      • Anonymous

        I have been thinking about this and looking into the panhandle- would you mind sharing where you are and whether you think it would be a good place to spend January and February? Looking into spending part of my maternity leave somewhere warmer than the northeast and trying to figure out where. Thanks!

  13. Recommendation for a cell phone armband

    Anyone have a recommendation for a cell phone armband that they like? My old tech finally died, and now I have to use my phone for podcasts and radio while out walking. I’m currently stuffing it in the top pocket of my backpack, but would like another option. TIA!

    • Anon

      I just got a Spi Belt from a running store and love it. It lays flat and doesn’t bounce at all. It is very stretchy so it stays as small as possible. Big improvement on the arm band.

  14. anon

    hi! so i am in NYC biglaw and working remotely from my fiance’s apartment in another state at the moment due to the virus. i would like to work remotely as long as possible. Do we think it is worth it to give up my apartment in NYC, and keep my stuff in storage to avoid paying more rent for the months i’m not there? I think the real answer boils down to math and to when we think that NYC biglaw will be compelled to be back in the office. I also 1000% acknowledge my privilege in this question.

    Relevant information: I live alone in NYC and in normal times live and work one week a month in my fiancé’s apartment in another state. I can get out of my NYC lease with 30 days notice, my rent is $3k a month (haven’t been there in over 2 months at this point), I got quotes for moving and storage ($750 to move my stuff into storage, $390/month to keep my stuff in storage, $750 to move my stuff out of storage and into a new apartment). I like my apartment but don’t love the area i’m in, and would be happy to choose a new area and apartment if/when i move back to NYC. If i go back to NYC, i will only be living in NYC through end of June 2021, at which point i will move to another state with my fiance.

    Doing the back of envelope math, i could move out June 20, and assuming I don’t go back to work until after labor day (which i don’t think is out of the realm of possibility), start a new lease September 1, saving roughly $7500 in rent. I would spend roughly $2670 in moving/storage fees during that time, so netting $4830. Of course, every month I don’t move back to NYC this delta goes up. I don’t think it’ll be too much of a struggle to get another similarly priced apartment (my current apartment is $3k a month with no broker’s fee) but note that I will need to get a lease that ends at the end of June 2021, so would need a less than year long lease.

    • Anon

      I think the challenge you have here is the length of the lease, though the fact that you can get out of your lease with 30 days notice is helpful. Personally, the idea of having to move three times (once out, once back in, once to another state) in the span of 12 months would make me just keep the existing place.

      • anon

        I agree with this. The uncertainty of the whole situation would also give me pause. This may vary by firm but so far for my biglaw NYC office the extensions of work from home have come Friday/over the weekend before the current Monday expiration date. It’d stress me out to be in a position where I theoretically would need to back in the office on 2-3 days notice when I didn’t even have an apartment to go back to.

        • anon

          thanks, I agree with you both. It’s huge pain to move so many times.

          My biglaw office has communicated that people will have advance notice before being asked to come back in and it will be a phased in approach based partly on comfort. I think that means I can get some notice and also be one of the last people to come back. Of course, this could change. I’m just hating writing rent checks every month for a place I haven’t been to. I also think it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we are able to WFH through the remainder of the year.

          • Sadie

            Yeah I think if you’re essentially only netting the equivalent of a month and a half of rent payments, it’s not worth the hassle and the risk. If you didn’t need an odd lease term for the potential “new” lease, that would maybe be different. But if you’re sure at some point you need to be back in NYC, and you’re sure that you would need a less than a year lease, I would probably just keep your place. If you were going to save more money I might do it differently.

    • Anon

      Can you move stuff to storage and sublet your NYC apartment to make it a bit less expensive?

      • Ellen

        This is a good idea, but what happens if you decide you no longer want to be with your boyfriend? If you sublet, you will not be abel to get rid of your tenant so fast, so you will not have an apartement right away. If you are SURE you can live with your boyfriend, then fine. Otherwise, you should preserve a place for yourself, as you have been living the dream with only 1 week in 4 with him. Time will tell if this guy is any good, but you need to have a plan B if it does not work out with the schlub.

    • Anonymous

      I would do it – end the lease, get stuff in storage and live with the fiancé. I’ve been thinking about this as well, albeit with the parents and not a partner.

      I’m in another market, but I think attorneys won’t regularly be required to be in the office for the foreseeable future – beyond Sept. if you would be willing to stay in a hotel or Airbnb if summoned back, then I would bite the bullet now.

    • anon a mouse

      I would probably move out and store stuff, but with a few things to consider. Are you definitely working through June of next year, or is there a chance you would move before then? If you needed to move back on short notice, what is the likelihood that you would be able to find something quickly that works for you? For something so short-term, would you be willing to sublet a room?

      I would also be very careful about how you pack things for storage and get extra insurance for anything you care about. I’ve read too many stories about people going to retrieve belongings from storage and finding mice or theft or other damage.

    • NYCer

      FWIW, my big law firm said no one will be required to come in to the NYC office this summer (I.e., go live wherever you want). I assume this will be fairly common amongst big firms.

  15. WFH continues

    Just heard that my company is extending WFH through the end of the year for anyone who doesn’t want to come in IF we even re-open any of our offices before 2021. And they sent out a survey asking what kinds of measures need to be in place for people to be willing to come in. Our work can be done 100% remote, and many of us effectively work remotely because we have colleagues in other countries with minimal timezone overlap/folks WFH 100% already. So we’re set up for it, but I just want to go to the office :( I’m lucky they’re taking a conservative approach and considering the implications of people not having childcare or living with a high risk person or just generally not feeling confident coming back, but at the point when they start re-opening, I want to be one of the first people back in the office. I feel like that won’t be until the fall… if at all though.

    • anon

      that is frustrating to be sure when you want to go back in. can I ask what industry/area of the country you are in?

      • WFH continues

        I’m in tech, based in SF/Bay Area, but we have offices around the world. Currently all of them are closed at least through June. My company has taken a very measured, conservative approach to all of this, since our work can be done 100% remote. The challenge for most folks is children, since schools are still closed everywhere, so even if they do re-open some offices in the next few months, if there’s no place for kids to go during the day, people will still need to WFH and handle the kids.

    • Pure Imagination

      Twitter is extending WFH forever for those who want it and I saw a good article in the NYT about all the big office spaces in Manhattan undergoing a “reckoning” about whether they want to bother reopening at all. Times are changing…

      • Anon

        And they are going to figure out that a lot of talented people in Tulsa and Columbus will be more than happy to earn NYC salaries, or less than NYC salaries, to do the same job.

    • NY CPA

      I’m 100% with you. I already volunteered to be the first person on my team back on site whenever we’re allowed to go back. I just work so much more effectively at the office.

      • WFH continues

        I am slightly conflicted, based on what they’re hinting at for potential re-opening. Social distancing, PPE, zones, significantly reduced capacity, all meetings still virtual, etc. If I’m just going to sit in an empty office, I guess I might as well just stay home and have breaks in the day with my husband. The thing I’m really craving is the buzz and the energy of the office. I’m in a ton of meetings that are actually useful, but it’s exhausting to be on Zoom all day. If I’m just going to sit in an empty office on Zoom, I don’t actually know if that’s better. But someone has to go in first and I’m willing and able to be one of those people when they do decide to re-open.

        • anon

          “The thing I’m really craving is the buzz and the energy of the office”

          This, all day long. Sitting in my quiet apartment with minimal real-time interaction with my coworkers (lawyer) is slowly putting me to sleep. I’ve found that even going into the office with few people there reminds me of that energy and puts me in a more “work-mode” frame of mind, v. at home where I’ll drift into a “gee, let’s reorganize under the bathroom and order new patio furniture” vibe.

          • Anon

            This is off topic, and has come before, but it’s been so helpful for me to hear (and to keep hearing) that people experience the office this way. It’s exactly the opposite for me; every minute in the office is draining, and I feel exhausted quickly there, despite taking more breaks than I do at home. I have so much more energy at home. I sort of thought that everyone else felt the same way and only went to the office because they were forced to, so why should I do any differently? Now I’m thinking that it’s totally fine that people work better in different spaces, and I am seeking out remote work long term. I have not a domestic bone in my body though, so maybe I don’t experience home as home in quite the same way (definitely not distracted by home improvement tasks, though there are plenty I could be doing).

      • Anonymous

        Please wait until it’s safe. Not just permitted but actually safe by your own standard.

    • Small Law Partner

      I’m in the same boat. But the reason I want to go back is I miss my colleagues. I did not realize how much I liked the brotastic guys I worked with until we didn’t see each other anymore. The feeling seems to be mutual all round, as we’ve been doing weekly happy hours on zoom with spouses etc., one of which went for over 4 hours! I never thought I would feel this way about co-workers, but I guess they have become my friends too. Is this weird, or was I just in toxic work environments before?

      • Sloan Sabbith

        One of my closest friends is my work colleague, who announced a few weeks ago that he’s moving to a different team. I’m heartbroken (note: he’ll still be in the same office, next door to mine…we just won’t be on the same team). I miss him like crazy even though we chat most days by phone or video or on Teams.

    • Anon

      One of the valuable things about keeping people at home (who want to be at home) is to cut transmission. Imagine that someone goes into the office, picks up the virus, gives it to their kids, who spread it all around school; they give it to their parents, who bring it to their offices and spread it around. When you cut some of those chains, the virus spreads much more slowly.

  16. Anonymous

    So I don’t know if this is a good idea or a bad idea, but DH is interviewing at a company and asked about their go-forward plans in light of COVID. They are planning to stay remote for as long as possible and have implemented things like “family meeting fridays” where families can (optionally) all zoom then take the rest of the day off, there is a kids’ zoom with entertainment, and they have a slack channel for kids of employees (I assume older-ish kids). Also, the company HQ is in another country and they are offering free access to language classes for anyone who wants them. Who knows if this is of any value but at least someone is making an effort, you know?

    Thought it was a really interesting approach and SO FAR from what his current employer does–though his current employer is fine. They are remote for the forseeable future, have so far done a “just take a day” where employees can pick a day within a given week for a day off with no PTO penalty. He’s also talked to companies that have instituted a $100/week stipend for childcare to help offset the costs.

    Are your companies doing anything interesting or particularly good for you?

    • Anonymous

      Nothing major, but my firm is doing a “read to kids” program where you record a video of you reading a (pre-approved for copyright reasons because lawyers) children’s book aloud that are put on an internal site that co-workers’ kids can then watch (to entertain them for 15 minutes or whatever). I thought it was a cute idea.

    • anon

      Your DH’s current setup for COVID doesn’t seem bad at all. My company is doing admin leave separate from sick/vacation time, which has been helpful. Honestly, time off and realistic expectations are what I want right now. It’s nice the new company is doing all those extras, but I’d join the zoom only for time off and wouldn’t join anything else. My work life and family life are comingled enough, thank you.

  17. annienomous

    Wanted to share a fun plan my friends and I came up with for tonight. We have a big group chat that we frequently use to catch up with one another. Tonight, the group text becomes a Stay At Home Party, choose your own adventure style. We’re all going to do something fun/relaxing at home and send photos/messages/short videos of fun.

    I’m planning to drink bourbon and do yoga while listening to records. I think there will be some couple playing cards and drinking wine. Others getting take out and watching a movie. One person is almost certainly going to be woodworking and sending us photos of his latest project. I’m pretty excited to have this “party” to look forward to!

  18. Thanks, It Has Pockets!

    Now that it’s getting a little too warm for yoga pants, I have a recommendation for you guys. LL Bean has these summer knit dresses, and they. Are. So. Freaking. Comfortable. And versatile! I wear mine around the house, but they’re also great for errands, casual socializing, even traveling in the summer months. You know, if any of us actually get to travel or socialize this summer. And they’re machine washable and don’t wrinkle.

    • Housecounsel

      My only hesitation is that they seem a little long. How tall are you and where do they hit your legs?

      • Thanks, It Has Pockets!

        I’m a bit short, and these do hit mid-calf for me. It’s a little longer than my ideal length, maybe not something I’d wear in a heat wave.

    • TheElms

      I live in the Lands End version of these I think (bought before the Lands End issues). But now I have a toddler who is into lifting up my dress and I spend most of my day that I’m not working sitting on the floor. So anyone have a recommendation for undershorts (basically bike shorts, but I’d like them to be thin and don’t need strong compression or anything). Oh and I’d prefer shorts, as opposed to the jockey slipshorts, which I have but consider to be underwear.

      • Ribena

        I used to buy these bike shorts from Forever 21 – super cheap but do the job really well. They’ve pulled out of the UK so it’s not economic to do so any longer. I now buy the shorts from Snag Tights but they’re made of tights material rather than jersey.

    • Betsy

      Oooh thank you for the rec. I have some of the lands end ones but I don’t like the colors and prints they are offering this year. The llbean ones are much more my style!

  19. Monday

    Help me think of some ways to comfort someone who’s hospitalized.

    My favorite coworker, a woman in her 60s, is currently inpatient with cancer, not doing well, and awaiting surgery. No visiting is allowed, but we have been in touch by email and text. I have 2 family members who work in the hospital where she is, one of whom is actually a nurse on her wing. Coworker has indicated she would be fine with them stopping by socially–I think anything upbeat would be welcome.

    Any ideas of what I can send, via them, other than flowers and a card? She’s the type who would be open to something a little quirky, but I know she feels terrible and assume food, etc. is out due to that. Our working relationship involves a lot of very heavy stuff, and we tend to share gallows humor about it. Thanks for any ideas–I can implement more than one over time….

    • Senior Attorney

      Can she have something like a superhero action figure in her room? I, for one, would enjoy something like that.

      • Monday

        Come to think of it, I received a Popeye toy, who can be positioned etc., at our office holiday Yankee swap last year. She would totally be up for this, especially if I sharpie her name on his bicep. Thanks for the idea!

    • Jules

      Posters for the wall? When my late MIL was in the ICU and couldn’t have flowers, we took in beautiful posters of flowers (actually, single sheets of fancy wrapping paper from the fancy stationery store) and put them up on the walls.

  20. Asia Anon

    Apologies in advance, but I need to vent:

    In Korea, we were down to <10 daily cases nationally for more than two weeks. After which we relaxed social distancing measures for all of five days… et voila, mass outbreak from packed nightclubs and bars.

    To complicate matters, the nightclubs at the epicenter were LGBT and Korea is … Very Homophobic (to put it mildly). The homophobia is causing possible contacts to not get tested/lie about their jobs and whereabouts for fear of being outed and fired (for being LGBT) at work.

    The numbers look like we're well on our way to a second wave. Courts in Seoul are shut down because an employee at a detention center has tested positive. It's probably a matter of time before our office is shut down again.

    And I can't even with the media coverage – Where do I even start when the local media condemning the LGBT community (not for going to clubs, but for being LGBT). At least the Korean CDC realizes it is Totally Unhelpful and is trying to come up with stop gaps like anonymous testing, but the bigger issue is…unadressed.

    One of the worst aspects of this pandemic – other than the obvious human toll – has been seeing how it affects the weakest parts of society, and how people blame and otherize (the Chinese / Asians / LGBT / whatever group that stands out) in searching for some reassurance that they *themselves* won't be affected. I realize people likely are doing this out of fear, but it also means that LGBT friends in Seoul, as do my Asian friends in Europe, live in fear for their safety. I'm afraid we are in for an even more close minded world even when this thing is over. Ok, rant over.

    • pugsnbourbon

      Thank you for sharing this. The pandemic has absolutely thrown light on existing inequities and I share your fears as we move forward.

    • anon

      Ugh I have this same fear. This is really sad to hear but thank you for sharing.

  21. Vicarious Shopping - Patio table

    I’m looking for a round patio table with four chairs that will survive being outdoors in New England year round. We could tarp it during the winters, but it in all likelihood will stay outside three if not all four seasons. Does such a thing exist? I’d love a teak looking piece, and large enough to squeeze a fifth seat maybe, but really just needing round, four seats, relatively weather proof. Tired of this crappy furniture that falls apart aftter 2-3 seasons. TIA!

  22. Anon

    Does anyone have suggestions for how to look better in glasses on Zoom? I’m being recorded on zoom today and just realized my glasses were a problem last time.

    • Anon

      If you do not need them to see during the actual recording, pop out the lenses.

        • Anon

          Because your customers or coworkers are used to seeing you in glasses. This is actually a common trick people use when getting head shots done. Sorry you’re confused.

          • Anon

            It’s pretty obvious when someone has popped out the lenses and I think the fake glasses look would be far weirder to the people you’re Zooming with than just showing up without glasses. Plenty of people wear glasses sometimes and contacts sometimes, it’s really not that weird.

    • Anon

      I’m guessing you need to move your lighting source around until it looks better? Maybe try changing the angle of your device (put some books under your laptop or under your tablet stand or whatever you’re using). I always check w/my web cam before opening up Zoom (just remember to close your web cam before opening Zoom since they conflict with each other).

    • Carmen Sandiego

      Try tipping your glasses forward (so like raise the arms about an inch over your ears – mine will stay this way as they’re tight enough against my head). I think this helps with the reflection issue.

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions