ByKat Hours Updated
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Coffee Break – Mini-Stripe Socks

The NYT just had an article about how wacky socks are an inside joke among Silicon Valley types — but I've always been a huge fan of fun socks. Particularly when I wore suits on a daily basis, a colorful sock beneath my boots was my one joyful little rebellion. These particular socks are $12 at Madewell. Happy Socks® Mini-stripe Socks (L-2)

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

302 Comments

  1. Sorry for the quick threadjack, but I was wondering if you had any recs for Vegas? I have a conference there coming up and would like to shop, eat, see a show etc. Thanks!

      1. Check and see if Elton John is playing at Ceasar’s while you are there. I saw him there in October, and he was great !

    2. Where are you staying? How long will you be here? There are a ton of good places to eat. Just figure out your price point and what kind of food you want, and you’ll be able to find a good place, likely in your hotel.

      One of the best shows I’ve seen was Le Reve at the Wynn, and I highly recommend it. Also recommend mainstays like Phantom, Jersey Boys, etc.

      Shopping: Forum Shops is great-plan to spend a full day there if you can. You can also do the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Palazzo (which has a Barneys), or the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, which has a little of everything.

      I personally love downtown for a different scene. Lots of good places to eat, including Chart House at Golden Nugget for Seafood, and Oscar’s at the Plaza, named for our former mayor who made his name and his fortune by representing mobsters.

      Other things to do: see the Bellagio fountains, walk through the Bellagio indoor garden, see the lion/dolphin habitat at the Mirage. Most importantly, have fun!

      1. Thanks everyone! We’re staying near the convention center. Lunches probably need to be around there but dinners are where we can branch out.

    3. Beatles Love! Really great show. Also the new Aria hotel is gorgeous for a walk through and it has a lot of high end shopping.

    4. I’ve seen many of the Cirque shows, including “O”, but I have to say Ka (at Treasure Island) was my favorite out of all of them. The performance was energetic and stunning. Some of our friends who live in Vegas said they’ve seen that show multiple times.

    5. Watch the shopping. We were there at Christmas a few years ago, and I waiting to pick up a Coach bag I wanted so I could buy it at the Forum Shops at Cesars. Little did I know the sales tax there is 7%, which meant the bag cost 2% more than it would have at home.

    6. O is absolutely amazing — I’ve seen a lot of shows in Vegas, and this one is my favorite. I also really want to go see Celine. She has limited dates though so you have to check to see if she’ll be performing while you’re there.

      Blue Man Groups is always fun too.

    7. I hated O! I thought it was terribly boring and the clown parts in the middle were corny. If it had been half as long and half the price maybe it would have been okay. On the other hand, my husband and I both LOVED The Jabberwockeez show at the Monte Carlo.

      Our favorite meal was at B&B (Mario Batali’s place) at the Venetian. It was expensive, but it was a great experience and the food was excellent. We also enjoyed the burger place in the Cosmpolitan, they had a great milkshake.

  2. I’m currently in the running for a nonprofit position that I’d really love, but probably can’t afford to take (the salary is low and non-negotiable, and it would require moving to a city with a notoriously high cost of living). I’ve been crunching the numbers since I applied, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that I’m not in a position to take the pay cut and swing the move right now. I really like the organization and the people have been great. They’ll probably be making a decision by the end of the month ~ should I graciously pull myself out of the race now, or wait and see if they make an offer and then tell them about my financial concerns and see if they can offer anything to address them (doubtful as it is)?

    1. I would wait and then seen if you can negotiate for more or see if they can make some sort of accommodation.

    2. If there is something you can reasonably ask for that they may be able to grant. Go for it. If not, my vote would be to take yourself out the the running. They’ll be annoyed if they’ve told you the salary is non-negotiable and you made them think that was okay with you.

    3. I did this once and it triggered them to negotiate with me. Since you don’t think you’ll be able to swing it, might as well tell them and see what happens, right? Even if they don’t go higher now or ever, at least you’re not wasting their time or yours any further. So there are only positives to be gained.

    4. What kind of nonprofit?

      If it’s a large nonprofit, it’s negotiable, no matter what they say. If salary can’t be raised to what you need, then benefits can be negotiated. Also, it likely offers better basic benefits than you might have if you’re at a law firm – including 401K match.

      If a small nonprofit, you’re lucky they can afford to pay you at all. :)

      1. i have been really surprised about what some of my friends at nonprofits make now that we are a little older. one in dc, who does communications for an environment group- no high level degree- $117,000. some of them are pretty cushy and well funded. of course many are under much tighter constraints. and as someone who lived in NYC broke, do not recommend working in pricey city for $30,000 or something like that.

  3. ‘Rettes,
    A while ago, Kat did a post on gold hoop earrings that I cannot find. Any awesome researchers out there want to help me out? In the alternative, does anyone have any recs for some 14k gold hoop earrings in the $100 range? Does anyone have experience with the Duragold earrings on Amazon? I’m looking for something I can wear on an almost-daily basis since my lazy self is unable to coordinate matching jewelry to my outfit. Thanks!

    1. I remember that Kat calls them huggies, not hoops. Try googling site:corporette.com huggie. I found lots of results, but I don’t know which one you were looking for.

  4. Two and a half hour meeting in the office of the co-worker who keeps his thermostat set to “meat locker.” Excuse any typos; fingers still too cold.

    1. Ooohhhh! I feel for you. I had to make them close off all the vents in my office.

  5. Nearly all of my socks are black so my mind immediately went to Chuck Bass and his wacky sock colors when I saw this post =p

    (Bunkster, please tell me you agree)

    1. Hee. Yup. And I just immediately cheered up, remembering that GG and Hart of Dixie are on. My sister-in-law and I watch them and one of us cooks. It’s her turn tonight. She’s making ragu alla bolognese from Cooking Light and I’m bringing a sparkling shiraz. My brother will dine with us and then disappear upstairs. And I’ll get to snuggle with my adorable nephew/godson. Yay.

      It’s been a very long day.

        1. I finally got around to watching the latest episode last night. And shirtless Wade does not make up for extended-adolescence Wade. Ugh.

        2. I KNOW! What a fracking idiot.

          But I guess they can’t have them get together before a dramatic season finale.

          1. Of course not, but maybe the roadblock could have been something other than “Wade is an overgrown twelve-year-old!” Because once they do get together, I’ll be rooting for them to break up. But then again, Zoe was so ME-ME-ME when talking to Lucy, I kindof think she’s secretly twelve, too.

            But I’ll still be watching for Lemon’s clothes.

          2. Seattleite, I do hope you’ve been reading the clothes reviews the f*g girls have been doing on go – f*g – yourself {dot} com. Its hilarious and their take on Lemon’s wardrobe (and of course the formal shorts) are hilarious.

          3. Oooh, sounds like something I have to check out too. I don’t watch Hart of Dixie religiously, but when I do see it, what I care about most is Lemon’s clothes.

      2. That sounds like a great night! I’m still debating whether or not to tune in tonight =/ I need to work on my Master’s thesis, not to mention grandma and I have a standing date with Castle on Mondays.

        Blair’s red dress for this episode looks amazing, I think it’s the same style Julie Bowen wore to the Emmy’s (?) last year. Anyway, I’m looking forward to discussing it with you tomorrow. I’ll probably read the recap once I’m done with my hw.

  6. Just heard today that I got rejected for a job I really wanted. Got to a second round interview, got my hopes up, and now I’m just really sad. Feel like I will be at this temp job forever (I realize that’s an oxymoron…but still).

    1. I’m really sorry. Something similar happened to me in November, and I was crushed. Give yourself a few days to feel sad, and then get back to looking. You never know – the people from this job might be able to put in a good word for you with someone else in their organization (I have now had a couple of interviews where the employer passed my resume along to someone else when I didn’t get the job).

    2. I went through 4 rounds for a job I really wanted. Got all the way down to 2 candidates and I didn’t get it. It sucks. Take a break and then start over. The market is looking better. This happened to me last fall and then there didn’t seem to be any jobs available, but now there are a bunch. I think budgets are opening up.

    3. I am in this same situation! I heard last week, then pouted… Then found out my temp job is ending at the end of Feb. So you are not alone! After having a pity party last week, I realized I needed to snap out of it. Allow yourself some time to mourn, but then pick yourself back up and feel renewed in your job search.

  7. My dear and very well-meaning BF has developed the misguided notion that I ought to be able to do six chin-ups and 20 “real” push-ups. I am now on a “plan”. Just when I thought I was doing so well by taking up running and actually *getting* to the gym on a regular basis (my main goal being regular attendance), now I have to deal with an actual fitness regime. Commiseration please.

      1. No, no, not at all. He really means well and is totally non-controlling. Plus I would never put up with that. But he is one of those people who has gone to the gym practically daily since the age of 18 and thinks that everyone should be able to manipulate their body weight. Rationally, I think he is probably right. But today, my sore arms say he is nuts.

        1. My bf is exactly the same, I hiccup that I wanna up the fitness ante and I am on similar plan with him as my trainer. It’ll be worth it, I actually love the pain of sore muscles… makes me feel accomplished in a weird way.

    2. This makes my arms, chest, and back hurt just thinking about it.

      I recently started seeing a personal trainer who is making me do push ups. I’m up to 8, but it’s really the most torturous 30 seconds of my workout. And if you get to 6 chin ups, you will officially be my hero.

      1. Hey, if I get to 6 chin-ups, I will be my own hero. At this point in time, I don’t think it will *ever* happen.

        1. Pfft, if you get to one pull-up you will be my hero. Wait, can you already do one?

          2. My 2011 new year’s resolution was to do one pull-up. Then I got pregnant. So I guess I have an excuse for my utter failure?

          3. I have never been able to do one pull up. Take the chair away, and I am on the ground.

      2. Your BF is setting goals that make sense for men — whom carry a larger percentage of their weight in their upper body — whereas women carry a larger percentage of their weight in their hips. It is infinitely harder for a woman to do a pull-up than for a man (I could bench press over 120 pounds and could only do 10 when I swam).

        In addition, when doing push-ups, instead of focusing so much on “true” push ups, I would do knee-down push ups that alternate positions so that you’re working different muscle groups (diamond push ups, push ups on a ball, push ups to a twist, google it there are a million kinds) — that will help you build the core strength eventually to do more.

        But, this all assumes you want any of this, as I said below do what you want at the gym. If you’re happy there, you’re more likely to go, which is half the battle!

        1. Thanks, TCFKAG. Your comments are dead on and I appreciate them. It is good for me to try new things and I am fully aware I need to work on upper body strength, so I’ll see what I can do for now. I am totally not intending to go nuts with this. As for the push-ups, at the moment I am squarely in the knee-down camp so I’ll start from there and see where I get to. But it doesn’t help that when I was at the gym on the weekend, a young woman came in and did 2 sets of 16 “real” push-ups with perfect form right in front of me. Crazy fit people. :-)

          1. Try to remember that the gym isn’t a contest!

            Also try to remember that we all have our own skills. I could probably still bang out two sets of 16 real push-ups even though I haven’t worked out regularly in years (I’ve always had natural upper body strength) but I can’t run for more than a quarter mile at a time. So we all have our strengths and our weaknesses.

          2. The gym is not a contest?!?!? Someone needs to tell my husband (and me?).

            He always wants to know how long I’m holding plant, what my trainer has me doing (he goes to the same one), and on and on and on. I hate that it makes me feel so competitive. First of all, it’s stupid to feel competitive about that. Second, he’s my husband, so we should be a team (right?!). Third, men have different bodies, so I will never be able to do as many push ups, etc., as he does. Grrrrr.

        2. EXACTLY. Men and women are just built so, so much differently.
          I’ve been running for years, and my BF decided to start running and just excelled at it immediately. Which was great until…he started complaining that I am running too slow for him. Grrrrrr…….
          Whatever, I have more marathon medals than him, so pa HA!

        3. It makes me really really angry when men complain that women’s standards (PT tests, qualifying times) are so much easier then men’s.

          When I was at my fittest, I could do 2 pull ups. And it was a *big deal* for me.

      3. Try negatives for the pull-ups. (It’s how I met my personal goal of doing 2 pull-ups after a high school career of hanging limply during presidential fitness assements.) Sadly, the ability to do those pull-ups disappeared *very* quickly after I stopped training for them.

    3. Hmm – that would cause me to say “nope, don’t need to do that”. Just on principle, and because I’m stubborn.

      Alternatively, try your pushups against a wall to build up to doing more traditional pushups on the floor.

    4. Ugh. I adore my husband, but he’s a total fitness junkie and used to tell me that I wasn’t doing enough to stay in shape. He was dead right, but he also also works 20 fewer hours per week than me and has time for lengthy daily workouts. I told him to try working my hours for one week and then tell me how much energy he has leftover for working out. He responded my helping me design mini-workouts I can squeeze in a few times a week. I also realized I could learn a little something from him ~ whereas he would carve out workout time no matter what, I would do laundry, dishes, etc., and then complain that I didn’t have any workout time for myself. So, I started doing what he does and letting the dishes pile up. Now my house is a mess but I’m in much better shape. :)

      1. Wait. He has an extra 20 hours a week and doesn’t wash the dishes every day? I am going to look at my man’s love handles with a new appreciation today. He works less than I do, but I don’t come home to a mess.

    5. That’s a fairly ambitious goal for a lot of women, as women’s body mass is differently distributed than many mens (especially the pull-ups). I was a competitive swimmer for years and many of the female members of my team couldn’t do pull-ups, that’s how hard they are for women.

      Instead of focusing on a “test” like that, I would maybe instead focus on developing something that works for you that exercises the core muscles in your upper-body. “Real push ups”, dips, abs, medicine balls, whatever are all good places to start — with a mix being better since you don’t want your body to get too used to one thing.

      Also remember, don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If you think that having this additional “goal” is going to discourage you from going to the gym in the first place, then tell your boyfriend to stuff it. We all get to where we’re going at our own pace and we all have different needs — in fitness and in life.

      1. This 100%. I used to swim in college, and at my fittest moment of most upperbody strength, I could do about 3 pull-ups.

        If your gym offers a core strength class, I recommend going a few times. Not necessarily to become a frequent goer, but because it will show you awesome exercises you can do on your own using minimal equipment if any at all.

    6. What’s your BF making you do to work up to them? Just join a rock climbing gym and bench dumb bells for a couple of weeks and it will be no sweat.

    7. in october, i made it my goal to do a single, legit, deadhang bodyweight pull up (palms facing out) by the end of the year. i did it and have done many, many pull ups and chin ups (palms facing in, and SO MUCH EASIER) in the six or eight weeks since then, including weighted pull ups with 10lbs hanging from a belt around my waist. there is no way i can do six consecutive pull ups OR chin ups right now – my goal is to get up to five deadhangs by the end of june. godspeed to you :)

      also, i have no idea what your general goals are like and if your recent running/gymgoing is in an effort to lose weight, but i have to say that pull ups got a whole lot easier for me once i lost 20lbs or so.

    8. If you want to pursue these goals, some ideas: graduating from knee pushups to straight leg pushups is almost impossible (at least for me). Try straight leg pushups but raising the plane and then lowering it gradually – i.e., start using the wall, move to doing them against the kitchen counter, bench, etc. Worked for me and now I can bang out 25 at a time easily w/straight legs.

      For chinups and pullups, try hanging for as long as you can. You can also try boosting yourself above the bar, and then lowering down. Lat pull downs also work to condition these muscles. Still working on a chinup/pullup… Personally, I think these are great goals!

    9. Jeez, I can’t even stay in the plank position in yoga class for more than 2 seconds… “real” push-ups? Ouch!

    10. LOL, my dear and well-meaning husband thinks that when he’s on a counting calorie spree, I should be too. I take extra large bites out of my pizza with a large smile while telling him that he’s right, I should count the WONDERFUL tasting calories in my WONDERFUL pizza :) The other thing, when he jokingly teases my small muscles, I ask him to join me at boot camp. I then jokingly tease him about his terrible balance, reaction times, and flexibility. I think a goal is healthy, but if you and your BF are at all competitive about these things, a good dose of “woman fitness” might be in order! :) (Oh, and wall sits are also an excellent source for this!)

    11. First, I totally agree that fitness goals are entirely personal. Your SO cannot set those goals for you and vice versa. You need to decide what you want to achieve and why.

      I decided I wanted some definition in my arms and have been working with a trainer to achive that, with good success. I have been able to progress to full push ups (I can do twenty now!!!!) but that was MY goal and not something someone else told me I should achieve. On pull ups, I do them on the gym machine that adds a counter weight to help you. You start with the amount of counterweight that you need and as you get stronger, you add less. I am adding half of what I needed when I started but am a long way from being able to do them on my own. For women, those are very, very hard. Few women can do them so I don’t see that as a goal for me.

      1. Ooh, I’ve been introduced to that machine. That is what I’m starting with. (I believe it’s called a “Gravitron”, which I’m 100% certain was named by a man who watched too much Transformers as a child.)

      2. my problem with that machine is that the bar is huge, so I cannot get a decent grip. it was clearly made for man-hands!

    12. My sweet and well-meaning BF has read a lot of dietary health books and is now convinced that I have a food “allergy” because he thinks I burp more than a normal person should. I suggested that all his previous GFs were simply too shy/polite to burp in his presence. He cannot identify the food I am “allergic” to but if we ever move in together he will totally want to put me on a food “allergy” challenge program.

      1. Pick his favorite food and as long as that’s not also your favorite food, that can be the one that you’re “allergic” to. Watch how long he lasts on this allergy hypothesis.

    13. Stand under the pull up bar on a weight bench/box/sturdy chair, on one foot only. From a dead hang, use your arms to pull yourself up (balancing on the toes of your one foot for balance, and assistance as needed). SLOWLY return to start. Repeat for 10 reps (or however many). Switch feet, and repeat.

      After a few weeks of this, I was doing chin ups and pull ups unassisted. I can now knock out sets of 10, with no bench/box/chair, and no assistance. And I don’t have a naturally strong upper body – i just worked hard at it.

    14. I can do 20 “real” pushups but not a single chinup. I assume some group of muscles is underdeveloped, but I have no idea which.

    15. If you really want to meet this goal, I suggest you take up yoga. A few months of vigorous vinyasa classes, and you’ll be able to do 20 pushups easily. And you’ll have a lot more fun getting there than you will with your boyfriend standing around like a drill sargeant blowing on a whistle!

    16. I think you are doing well by taking up running and actually getting to the gym on a regular basis!!

      Good luck on the push-ups and pull-ups too! I routinely do 2 sets of 25 push-ups after running (so 4-5 times per week), but I haven’t tried to do a chin-up since those Presidential Fitness Award things in gym class…

    18. Um, I played DI college waterpolo, and even in my prime, when I was ALL muscle and very lean, could not do more than five or six chin ups (and I lifted 3x a week year-round). And my arms were jacked then….I think the push-ups are realistic for a woman, but the chin-ups are really, really hard for most women. Also, if you’re long limbed, like me, that makes both exercises that much harder (just think about basic machines and leverage–my lever is way longer!). Always good to have goals.

      Your gym might have the “assisted” chin-up machine too. That could help. But six chin-up on your own…a little aggro.

    19. I can do push-ups, but am hopeless at pull ups and chin ups. I have never been able to do them. I am super fit and very athletic, but I just don’t have the back / arm muscles for it. or the will, for that matter.

      While my BF can do tens of pulls ups, he cannot stretch or balance like me! And he certainly lacks my core and leg strength. There has to be something that you can do better (crunches or lunges maybe?)

      a good idea might be to set a few “goals” or “challenges” for him – so that both of you are working to build some new muscle or aspect of your routine…just an idea.

    20. former d3 shotputter, I used to lift 4x a week and at my peak freshman year of college could bench 165, which was more than I weighed at the time. I could never do more than 2 and those were a struggle.

  8. I hate wearing socks so I always get them in bright colorful prints and colors to make me happy. Last night, I wore two mismatched socks (one black with white cross-hatching and the other black with a maroon floral print) on a date bc, well, I had to save the matching turquoise pair for the office, of course. One day, when I update my pajama wardrobe, maybe, just maaaaayyybe, I’ll update my socks, too.

      1. The date was nice. I met him online and incidentally, he’s a lawyer. Thanks to Corporette, I was able to confidently agree that the law market has been tough for recent grads. What’s hilarious is that we both agreed to meet each other because we are both out of each other’s comfort zones (if that makes any sense). Got a new friend, free dinner and a new neighborhood to explore. Success in mis-matched socks.

        Seriously tho, if it weren’t for all of the dating discussions we’ve been having on Corporette for the past year or so, I would never have agreed to even meet this guy. So, thank you all, for making me less of a persnickety snoot.

        1. Glad to hear! So much of dating is about setting aside preconceived notions and giving things a chance. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but sounds like you had a great evening so that’s awesome :) Socks and all!

        2. Ha! I went on a date recently with a computer programmer who, when I told him that the legal market is tough for recent grads, said “Oh, really?” as though I had just told him that the sky is blue, or the Pope is Catholic, or some other super-obvious thing that only an idiot would comment on. I did agree to a second date with him, but we didn’t see each other again after that.

          And I still wonder if I’m being too picky.

          1. Lol. My problem seems to be that there are plenty of cool guys that I get along with but no chemistry. Bah humbug.

          2. I get that a lot from people – I think what they are thinking is, “A-duh, the job market is bad for everybody,” and then I try to explain that no, lawyers as an industry really got screwed special, and then I eventually give it up because it never seems to come off well for a lawyer to complain about how bad lawyers have it, even if it’s true.

          3. I get that a lot from people – I think what they are thinking is, “A-duh, the job market is bad for everybody,” and then I try to explain that no, lawyers as an industry really got screwed special, and then I eventually give it up because it never seems to come off well for a lawyer to complain about how bad lawyers have it, even if it’s true.

          4. I don’t think anyone who goes on two dates with a computer programmer can be called picky.

  10. I love cute socks! Sockdreams has a ton. I hate plain socks! I love bamboo socks the best, though. Super soft, and keep my feet comfy!

  11. I was wondering this morning (in my freezing house – raised house, 40 degrees outside, no central heat) if everybody else was as obsessed with the shea socks from Bath & Body Works as I am. My new favorites are the hot pink zebra-stripe. And the grippers keep me from sliding down my hardwood steep stairs at 6 a.m. Always a plus.

  12. I like the smartwool socks – great for cold days, plus they have nice stripes (even if the colors are not always snazzy).

    1. Oooh, I love Smartwool socks. They have become a bit of an obsession, which is unfortunate since I generally don’t wear trousers to work so can only wear my Smartwool socks on weekends. I need more weekends to make full use of my sock rotation.

      1. They have cable knit ones in black and brown that are much more discreet than their usual designs. And just as warm.

    2. Was delighted to find that Nordstrom Rack in Chicago is carrying them now. I picked up 2 knee-high pairs to add to my already sizeable collection of Smartwools.

  13. I’m thinking about springing for laser hair removal on my legs. I’ve gotten a (ahem) more sensitive (and much smaller) area of the body treated before, so I’ve got an idea of what I’m in for. My concern is lasting scars/discoloration on skin that I’ll be showing off (I love my legs!) and hair regrowth that will require many more treatments that I anticipate. Anyone have any experience with this?

    1. I have done this on my lower legs and it is the best thing I ever did. I used to get essentially a 5 o’clock shadow on my legs – within hours of shaving, you could see the hair follicles. I have (or had!) very dark, rather coarse hair and very white legs. I haven’t noticed any scarring or discoloration, but then I am a “perfect” candidate because of the high contrast between skin color and hair color – from what I understand, the less contrast there is, the more likely you are to get a burn. I think I have had a couple of minor instances of burning – I’ll get a mark in the shape of a staple, but it’s gone within a week. It does seem to take a long time, I think I’ve been going for 2 years, but only every 10-14 weeks at first, then it’s a bit more frequent. I really have no idea how long you are supposed to go for, I just figure I’ll go until they tell me to stop.

      It has made life so much easier. I noticed a difference within the first 9-12 months of the treatment and now I shave maybe once a week (down from every day). My legs are less itchy, too. And I wear more skirts and dresses in the summer because I don’t have to deal with stubbly razor-burned legs. I got an awesome deal because I bought the package at the depths of the recession (I think I paid maybe $650 for the whole 2-year+ process) but it’s easily worth twice that to me.

      1. Thank you! This is EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. I’m relatively pale and have very dark, very coarse leg hair, too, and I’m back to being prickly by noon on the mornings I shave. I’d shave every day if my husband didn’t yell at me for using up all the hot water (and if my sensitive skin didn’t get razor-burned so quickly). Now I just have to shop around for a good deal….

        1. I’ve just finished my six sessions and I’m kicking mysel I didn’t do my legs earlier. Now, it hasn’t been as effective on my armpits or those annoying chin hairs, but I’m pale with dark hair and the legs worked great!!

        2. Heard a radio add this morning that Ideal Image is running 50% off of their packages if you call by Sunday the 19th. Not sure if there is a location near you, and also know absolutely nothing about their reputation.

    2. I have nothing to offer about the laser on your legs, but good for you for loving your legs!! I don’t think enough women (including this one) love their legs.

      1. I always liked the shape of my legs just fine, but the 5 o’clock shadow bugged. Now I pretty much wear skirts without hose all summer. I don’t even care that my legs don’t really get tan, they’re pale, but a fairly uniform pale, which I am quite happy with!

      2. Aww, thanks! I used to get teased at my last job for never wearing pants. What can I say–these suckers just demand a pencil skirt.

    3. all of you are getting me excited about doing this one day. i am super pale but also in the coarse, dark hair and five o’clock shadow boat. i also love my legs (but for the 5 oclock shadow) and one day will take the plunge!!

  14. Anyone out there with my body type and some good-fittin’ spanx? I am 5’4, 137 lbs, somewhere between hourglass and pear shape, usually a 6-8 in tops and 8-10 in bottoms. I am looking for spanx to wear under my wedding dress (wedding is mid-March, so I have some time, but not a ton). Not sure if I should go with a medium or a large. I don’t need to be made smaller necessarily, just smoother. TIA!

    1. You sound like me, only I am a size smaller – 4-6 on top, and 6 on the bottom. I wear small, so I would think medium should work for you.

    3. Particularly since you’re just focused on smoothing, I would go to Nordstrom (if there’s one near you) and try them on. I bought a pair according to the size guidelines and while they definitely cinched me in good, I found them to be quite suffocating after an hour or so, which is not a feeling I imagine you want on your wedding day! (Congratulations, btw!) Years later, and at a totally different weight, I went to Nordstrom and got a pair that did the job without making me miserable, and the woman in the lingerie department was very sympathetic and supportive.

    4. Try them on! And get a little larger than you think because by hour 8 or so you’re going to want to rip them off and never see them again (or at least, that’s how I felt).

      Also — its not just about size, but about I guess, squeeze factor (there are different level of control) and how high they go on your waist and how far down on your thighs.

      So yeah, I think any department store carries a decent selection and will let you try them on, I got mine at Macy’s I think. Oh, and get them before your fittings so that they alter the dress with you in the stuff you’ll be wearing at the wedding. Congratulations!

    5. I wear 4-6 on bottom and want to kill myself after about an hour in the small. I feel much more comfortable in the medium and can easily wear them all day.

      1. Yup, same here. 4/6 on the bottom and medium is great. I would tell the OP to get the large.

    6. I’m just a tad bigger than you (140some lbs) and I have large. I second going to a nordies and trying them on, but the large were much more comfortable for me to wear for an entire day, but still smooth things out. It’s hard to get ‘too big’ in spanx, they’re all pretty stretchy.

    7. My experience with spanx is to go one size up from what the sizing guide on the package says. That gives me nice smoothing but not horrible squeezing. The one pair I ever bought in the size indicated on the package had to go back to the store.

    8. Are you sold on the Spanx brand? Target makes spanx-like undergarments (I think the brand is called Assets) that in my humble opinion suck you in better than Spanx (not to mention the significantly reduced price tag!)

      1. Assets are actually made by the same company, they are the “lower-end” version and I agree, I like them better!

    9. I’m 5’7″ and 155 lbs. I wear an 8 in tops and bottoms. My spanx are a medium and they’re a perfect fit. You should definitely not get a Large.

  15. Now I can’t stop thinking about taking a vacation!

    I don’t know that it will happen this year because my husband is graduating from grad school and we don’t know when his job will start. I also started my job in August, so I’m not sure if it’s a good idea (though the stealth research I’ve done indicates that no one will care as long as I don’t leave anyone hanging).

    And I don’t know where I want to go — everything looks fun (Canada! Scandinavia! Costa Rica! Germany! Random beach!)

    I guess there’s no real point to this post. Just my random thought for the day. Has anyone been here? Is there a way to stop wishing for a vacation without actually planning a vacation?!

    1. I have vacations planned that I have no idea when I’ll get to go, down to itineraries and what to pack. Then again, I’m a bit OCD and love making lists ;)

    2. Canada is pretty much amazing. Though I may be biased, as a Canadian.

      Other than Canada, I’ve been to all the other places and I liked Germany the best!

      1. Yes, and Western Canada is better than Eastern Canada. Bring it on, Torontonians! :-)

        1. As a person who grew up in Toronto, I say h*ck yes, pick the West.
          The Canadian Rockies are where it’s at (as I sit here, staring at them out of my office window…..).
          Montreal isn’t bad either though, to the credit of the east.

          1. True (and I spent time in Toronto too as a child), but really, to be fair, Montreal is more like a European city than a North American one, so it’s kind of an anomaly.

          2. I’m from Toronto, work in Calgary, and I like the east side of Canada just fine.

        1. 150th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede this year!
          Newfoundland is absolutely incredible.
          North of 60 (in the Arctic) it’s stunning too.

          1. It’s the 100th, not 150th, but I’m so excited!!! (there aren’t enough exclamation points in the world to emphasize my excitement level) My articles finish the week before it starts, so it is going to be a fantastic July. I love Stampede.

            Agreed with the North of 60 though- I really want to do the Nahanni at some point in my life.

        2. It might seem obvious, but I’ll point it out anyway: Canada is REALLY big. It takes days and days to drive across it. Also, there are places in Quebec that proudly speak no English.

          VIA rail has lots of 50% off sales.

          Toronto is a great city, hated by the rest of Canada for whatever reason, and Torontonians don’t realize that and wouldn’t care even if they did.

          For a true cultural experience, go to a hockey game.

          1. Ooh, I would so love to do a cross-Canada trip on VIA Rail sometime. That would be incredible.

    3. Slightly different. But yesterday I went to a thing at a very nice hotel with my parents. This hotel is on the most beautiful beach on the Cape. They were invited because they used to belong to the pool there and now there’s a new membership structure that involves both the pool/fitness area and the beach.

      Long story short I went for the free food and drink and came home with a Beach Club membership. I’m very excited. It wasn’t cheap, but it’s a good value for what I will be getting. It’s the first time I’ve ever really invested in something purely for my enjoyment. Sure, I buy cute clothes, but I rarely spend more than $50 in one go. And I’ll go on vacations, but I go with my family. This one is just for me. I can bring them as guests, but…

    4. If you can afford it, and you can take the time, I’d suggest somewhere it will be hard to get back to later, once you’re juggling 2 work schedules. I love me some Canada, but Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver all make my top 5 long weekend list, ditto beaches.

      Vietnam? India? Morocco? When I get the travel bug (ummm, so most days?) I like to actually plan. Pick a place and price it out, read up on it, borrow guidebooks from the library. Sort of lets you try on a lot of different trips for size.

  16. I’m taking the bar for the first time in 2 weeks (!!) and starting to freak out a little. Sometimes I feel like I’m in good shape and then I’ll realize that I don’t know enough about XYZ and convince myself I’m going to fail. Ugh.

    1. Take a deep breath. The Bar Exam is a test of minimal competence. Its the only thing in your LIFE where getting a 75% is like a huge achievement. You’re going to do great. In the next two weeks, take walks, go to yoga classes, eat healthy, and sleep whenever you’re not cramming. Take practice tests. Write practice essays. And try to relax.

      You’ve got this! You’ll do great. Deep breaths.

      Also this helped me at about the same stage: http://legallynoted.org/blog/2010/02/21/studying-for-the-bar-this-will-make-you-laugh/

    3. I was in your position in July. You are good! Just keep on keepin’ on and try not to psych yourself out too much.

      1. Don’t psych yourself out! I had the exact same reaction to the bar in July and I passed with flying colors. You CAN do it!!

  17. I have two questions. First, I work out at lunch. I use cleansing wipes after, but not on my face because I don’t want to disturb my makeup. But my face is very shiney after. Should I just powder over, or wipe and reapply?

    Second, my mother just gave me a framed portrait of myself when I was seven. It fits perfectly over the fireplace in our bedroom. My daughter thinks that would be unfair for me to hang it there because it would make it seem like it is my room and not our room (me and my husband’s). Is this unfair to my husband?

    1. 1. Remove your makeup before you work out. Sweating opens up the pores and the makeup and gunk gets all up in there. No good. Wipe/wash face after working out and reapply makeup.

      2. No, not unfair to your husband as long as you ask him first and he’s ok with it.

      1. This. Ideally, wash your face before and after, but at a minimum, wash your face afterward. The combination of sweat, makeup, bacteria, etc. is not good for your skin.

    2. You were 7! I cannot believe your husband would take offense. And FWIW, it’s his and your room, not your daughter’s room.

  18. I need help from the hive. We had a 3rd year litigation associate start today. Wearing a striped skirt, sleeveless polka-dot blouse, and ruffled cardigan. Very Kate Spade-ish and I wouldn’t think anything of it IF she wore it on Friday (we’re a very conservative law firm – especially in litigation) or maybe if it wasn’t HER FIRST DAY (I would never think in a million years to not wear a suit on my first day of a new job). To top it off, she has visibly chipped black nail polish. As the only female lit partner, I’ve already gotten calls on whether we should specifically tell her that she’s not dressed appropriately or give her the benefit of the doubt that she immediately recognized it this morning and will dress more conservatively tomorrow. Assuming she already recognizes her gaffe, I don’t want to make her feel even worse by letting her know that everyone noticed. But if she doesn’t recognize her gaffe, I don’t want her to make it worse by not adjusting her style tomorrow. Ugh. Thoughts?

    1. Give her at least a week to get with the program. Then talk to her. But talking to her on her first day will do nothing but cause her to probably have a meltdown!

      Also, can you tell her to send me that dress if she isn’t going to be able to use it?

      1. Agreed! She might realize she’s inappropriately dressed today but not have time to shop until this weekend (maybe her last firm was more casual?).

    2. give her a week to get wtih the program. she’s probably feeling things out. i can totally understand that outfit in general at the office, but it is a little bizzarre for a first day.

    3. Let it go today and see if she caught on. If not- time for a convo tomorrow.

    4. agree to let it rest for today and address tomorrow.
      (what was she wearing to the interview?)

    5. Did she interview on a Friday? She might have taken her cues about the dress code from that, in which case, giving it a day/week makes sense.

    6. Thanks all. I actually hope she isn’t a corporette reader because she’ll probably immediately identify herself and me! She interviewed on a non-Friday and wore a suit that I was already skeptical of (black with exaggerated tan piping, 3-quarter-length sleeves, and gigantic buttons), but I was gave her the benefit of the doubt because I didn’t know how much advance notice we gave her for the interview (i.e., hey-can-you-just-come-by-today-at-lunch kind of thing). So I always mock the articles about what to wear for a law firm interview or what to wear for your first day of work as generally common sense (with the exception of regional quirks regarding skirts vs. pants, pantyhose vs. bare legs, etc.), but now I see why they keep posting articles over and over again about the subject. Again, ugh.

      1. So, what kinds of suits or clothes CAN you wear at your job? If a skirt, shell, and sweater are not “conservative” and you are skeptical of what sounds like a perfectly normal suit (neutral colors, the person is covered up, etc.), I wonder what clothes ARE acceptable? Can you wear colors at all or does everything have to be black or white? Must all your sleeves be long? Do you stand up against the wall each morning and have the partners check your skirt lengths with note cards to make sure no skirt is more than a 1/2 inch above the knee?

        It’s one thing to say that somebody’s style may be a little bolder or brighter or more casual than you feel appropriate for your office, but I fail to see how this person is not “conservative” or how her suit should set off alarm bells. I honestly think it’s sort of sad that people are jumping on this person so much for her outfit. Couldn’t you just nicely let the person know that the office dress code is suits or jacket-based separates without the “THIS IS HORROR” attitude, especially when her suits will probably be treated just as badly for being a little bit more interesting than a typical bland, shapeless black suit?

        It’s not as if this person wore a strapless leopard dress, knit bolero shrug, and red 5-inch platform heels to work one day (true story from my work place). I would call THAT not conservative…

        1. Calm down, angry one.
          Higher ups are saying her outfit is inappropriate, therefore it is inappropriate. The newb is shooting her career in the foot. Clothes matter and poor choices affect your image.
          If only someone would start a blog that revolves around that topic.

          1. “Calm down, angry one.” I had a mouthful of water (nothing else thank god!) when I read this!!! Hilarious.

          2. I really have to agree with Frump on this one. Seriously?! We are criticizing people for dressing in a Kate Spade look? The icon of preppy/conservative? This seems a bit harsh. I get OP’s point that “people are talking,” but maybe she could turn the discussion around a bit & point out that the look is actually fine/people should just calm down a bit. Even in the most conservative of places, I have to think Kate Spade would qualify. I also don’t agree about “always a suit on your first day” unless it’s a business formal workplace (which is different from “very conservative,” in my opinion). I think that you should look nice, but more like you belong in the office now rather than you’re interviewing.

        2. I kind of agree with Frump, other than the chipped nail polish, I am not sure what she wore that was inappropriate, unless yours is a grey worsted shop… And if it is, then I don’t think you have to make her feel bad by saying she is dressed inappropriately or loudly, which it sounds like may be the real problem. If its Mon-Thursday suits, then I’d just tell her that, with no judgement about the outfit she did wear….

          1. Stripes, polka dots and ruffles, all together does not seem appropriate to me for a lawyer. Especially a third-year associate who very likely will be meeting with clients, judges and other lawyers. Its just not. Sorry, but it matters. Especially when you are billing upwards of $250 an hour for your services. Be creative on your own time. When you are a serious professional, dealing with people’s sensitive matters, don’t wear ruffles, stripes and polka dots.

    7. OK, I’ll disagree. She may be clueless. Tell her at the end of the day today, right before she goes home.

      1. I see far too many women wearing anthrpologie-esq outfits to work. I love [some] anthropologie stuff for the weekends, and maybe some blouses will work under a suit/jacket, but there’s so much full skirt/ruffle cardigan/t-strap shoe/chunky jewlery stuff going on that I see (in law firms). I just don’t think it works.

        And, I’m not particularly old-fashioned (or old), but for work, I always wear a jacket and always err on the side of buttoned up, rather than “twee.” I cannot imagine wearing an outfit like that on the first day. Even in my very first job out of college, I wore a skirt and a (non-matching) jacket.

        1. “full skirt/ruffle cardigan/t-strap shoe/chunky jewlery stuff going on that I see (in law firms) I just don’t think it works.
          I think it’s unfortunate you’re so exacting in your preferences of what works. Well, it’s not unfortunate that you yourself are but that anyone is so very specific of what is appropriate for the office. What you described might differ from what you like stylistically, but it certainly sounds professional and like the wearers not only made an effort to look appropriate, but *do* look appropriate. It’s strange that you are so incredibly specific and narrow about exactly what works, at work.

    8. If she doesn’t wear a suit on Tuesday, I would just pull her aside and say “perhaps no one told you, but suits are a required part of the dress code. You should plan to wear one daily.”

      I don’t think you can ding someone for wearing a suit that is colorful or somewhat fashionable and feminine. But if she’s not wearing a suit at all, then yeah, you should let her know about the dress code.

      Having said that, I’d rather be unemployed than work at a firm where I can’t wear polka dots. Sheesh!

      1. This is the best response. If I were the new associate, I’d want to be told immediately rather than go the whole week in inappropriate outfits.

    9. Are suits required? If they are, then yes, please do just tell her. If they aren’t required, then maybe as the only female lit partner you could step it up a bit, stand up for her, and tell people to back off? Shouldn’t they have more important things to do than fuss over someone with a bit of style?

      1. This! I would hope that as a senior person if someone wore something like the above, I’d push back at saying something to her if she was not strictly out of dress code, ie… suits only.

    10. I can’t help but think of “The New Girl,” where Zooey’s character says to the lawyer (paraphrasing) “…and I really wish you would have some ribbon or something on your suits to make them cuter somehow.” Cute suits are still suits!

  19. Just started looking to buy a condo in downtown Chicago. Can anyone recommend a realtor? Preferably someone who is familiar with Lake View or Lincoln Park condos under $500,000?

    1. Can’t help on the realtor, but a friend of mine just moved to NYC and put his gorgeous Lakeview condo on the market…if you’re interested in details let me know.

    2. Yes! Pam Lynch – she’s now with @ properties. We’ve worked with her twice and friends have too. She’s wonderful, very professional and honest.

    3. Roy Hawthorne is fantastic. He’s been working in the Chicago real estate market for a couple of decades and is incredibly knowledgeable and hands-on. He hung out his own shingle about 15 years ago, R Hawthorne Group, Ltd. Seriously, I cannot say enough good things about him.

    4. Jim Murrin at Jameson Sotheby’s. He actually was the listing agent on the condo we bought in Old Town and I thought he was really professional.

    5. Khadija Yahiabey at Jameson Realty on North Avenue–she is great (worked with us for over a year and through three offers before we found our place).

  20. It is my birthday in a few days and I have had a really rotten year…so I am going to treat myself to either a new handbag or an iPad. Help me decide – iPad or one of the following handbags?

      1. For my birthday a few months ago, I chose an iPad over a handbag (the only two things I was really considering). I am glad I did because although I love handbags I’m really lazy with them and end up carrying the same nylon one for weeks on end while all my nice ones gather dust in the closet. I really like the iPad… it’s lightweight, turns on instantaneously, and I didn’t load my work email onto it so I can surf the web guilt free without even the option of checking on work stuff.

        Whatever you choose, you deserve it! Happy birthday!

      2. I got a see by chloe bag two seasons ago, and sadly it didn’t hold up well at all. It was light grey, and faded/discolored unevenly, and scratched up easily. I was suprised b/c it was tumbled leather, not the super soft kind that tends to get scratched.

    3. Great bags, but i would spring for an iPad (which I think is a bit more expensive than either bag) … personally, I’d get more use out of the iPad, it would last longer and have more utility for me. I love bags, but I’d be able to find a less expensive handbag alternative by stalking sales, etc. Plus I like to change up my handbags anyway.

      But hey, can’t go wrong either way. Sorry about the rotten year but Happy Birthday!!

    4. Happy birthday! I’d get the third handbag, but I’m not much of a technophile.

    5. I like the Marc Jacobs one the best, but….yeah, iPad wins in my mind. I got a Playbook for Christmas, and I use it a ton more than I thought I would (i.e. I can’t imagine not having one at thi spoint), and I imagine if I could sync it with my mac and iPhone (like I could with an iPad) I’d use it even more.

    7. I just got myself a new handbag for my birthday but then I don’t think I’d use an ipad much.

    8. My husband and I bought each other iPads for Xmas. I thought they would be cool and we would use them a lot, but I TOTALLY underestimated how much I would love mine and come to depend on it. I have software installed that lets me remote in to my company’s network from anywhere and software that lets me remote in to my home computer from anywhere. Plus reading books (so much better than the first generation Kindle I used once and did not enjoy).

      So I vote for iPad. You can always buy a cute case for it to satisfy the purse craving.

      You might wait until the iPad 3 comes out; I hear it will be within weeks.

    9. I got an iPad for my birthday this year, and I was a little upset (I know this sounds spoiled, but my parents forgot to give me a birthday present, and realized it at dinner, at which point my dad was like, “well, I wanted to buy the ipad 2 anyway” whipped out his ipad, erased it, and handed it to me. It goes with the secondhand netbook that I got for my last birthday for the same reason). I didn’t think I’d ever use it and could think of a ton of much cheaper things that I actually wanted. BUT I actually love it and end up using it far more than I expected. I also can’t imagine not having it now.

      1. uh, that’s all sorts of weird. And not spoiled. “I wanted to buy the ipad2 anyway.”

    10. No advice here, but I’m buying myself a living room rug for my birthday on 2/17. It’s so fun to contemplate the splurge!

  22. I know we sometimes ask embarrassing physical questions here, and while I’ve never had a gross physical question, I have a *mental* question which I am embarrassed to ask my in-person female friends. The question is in the theme of “is this normal, or do I need help?”

    Stats – 30, husband 32, both professionals, happily married, both have good jobs, lots of student loan debt. My husband and I stopped avoiding conceiving about four months ago. We’ve decided to really, super try this month and then not try again for a year if things aren’t successful in that department. (There’s a totally legit reason for the year wait, long story). Here’s the issue – on a near-daily basis, I find myself WILDLY flip-flopping between “I want to start our family, I wish we’d started a year ago, I really really want this” and “Ooh noo! I am so incredibly not ready to have a child and we will immediately go into financial/professional ruin and our marriage will fall apart.” It started with me just sort of freaking out after we’d “try”. I thought it would get better, but every month that goes by this weird flip-flop gets worse and worse until I’m on the verge of having a panic attack. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night in a complete panic with my heard pounding, threw up, and couldn’t get back to bed for about two hours.
    It is really not an exaggeration to say that within any 72 hour period, I oscillate from overwhelming desire and hope to complete sweat- and nausea-inducing terror. None of my friends have ever confessed to any similar feelings (we’re the last in our group of friends who are childless) and I haven’t let on to anyone except husband these feelings.

    I’m just wondering if this is normal, and other people go through this? Or if I am having some sort of issue? I always assumed I’d just make up my mind to have kids one day and that would be the end of that question. I have never felt anxiety of this degree before, and I’m worried that it seems to be getting worse. The closest feeling I’ve ever had, to describe it, is when I took the bar exam on the day they uploaded the results. I guess the issue will be resolved by the end of this month, but I’m not positive if it will.

    1. Seems normal to me in the face of making an irrevocable life altering decision but then I am a reasonably anxious person. My brother said to me once “you will regret having kids and you will regret not having kids.” True I think. I am still anxious now that I have a kid but more about things like his future, what is one of us died, money etc.

      1. Thanks for this. I, too, would describe myself as a “reasonably anxious person” in day-to-day life anyway, and I’m glad I’m not the only one!

    2. I don’t have kids, and that ship has probably sailed, so take this advice for what it’s worth.

      One thing I have seen people consider when thinking about kids is thinking about how you want your life to look 10-15-20 years down the road. Do you see just you and your husband, or do you see yourself surrounded by kids and maybe even grandkids?

      I think how you feel about other people’s children doesn’t necessarily reflect how you would feel about your own. My own mother admits that growing up, she did not like to babysit and wasn’t too fond of children, but she enjoyed raising the 3 of us and did a good job. Other childed friends have told me this, too – having your own is much different than being around other people’s kids.

      Pregnancy does take 9-10 months, so you do have time to get used to it. It’s not like you have sex and then a newborn is dumped in your lap the next day. Babies are also very, very needy when fresh out of the box, but they are also constantly changing and their needs change in different ways.You don’t have a baby forever – you’ll have a toddler, a kindergartener, a teenager…. I was always terrified of having a teenager, but some parents really enjoy that stage!

      Financially, you could look into how much daycare costs, how much you’d like to put away for college and start doing it now, even before you’ve decided whether to go for it or not. This would give you an inkling of an idea of how your finances would work out, and you’d build a nice savings cushion.

      The other question is whether you’d regret having kids more than you’d regret NOT having them. That’s a very tough question.

      So, hopefully this gives you some concrete things to think about. Also, I think almost all my friends who had kids, even ones who went through the wringer trying to get pregnant, had feelings of, Holy cr@p, what have we done???

      2. We definitely want to have kids. I definitely want to have kids – I want to have children, and teenagers, and adult children, and grandchildren. My husband says he feels the same way. That’s what makes it a little odd – I know 100% that I want to have children, and professionally there is no better time than now, but during that period of time where I *might* be pregnant, I completely freak out. It makes me feel much better that I’ve done all the analyses that you’ve listed and know that I solidly come down on genuinely wanting to have children.

    3. yes normal. Also, I have found that high-achieving women (like me, like Corporettes) tend to overthink these things. I did. So, stop thinking so much.

      *hugs*

      Also, if you DO have kids — don’t read any pregnancy literature or mommy blogs. They will scare the crap out of you. Get a hobby instead. BTDT.

      1. Except for the Mormon mommy blogs, with their effortlessly hip style, cute apartments/ houses, hipster husbands, beautifully photographed weekend activities, and mobs of friends who are also effortlessly hip and always up for a fun dessert party with singing. Do I mock or do I envy?

    4. This sounds normal/familiar to me, though definitely something you might want to talk out more with your husband. I went through a similar period of pendulum swings when my then-partner wanted kids. I was uncertain-but-game. The worst was always that stretch of time post afterglow and pre test results that made me swing wildly from happy fantasies of happily-ever-after to full-on panicking.

      In my case: the only thing that really helped was to draft plans. A-through-Z plans, contingency plans, everything from what would happen if one of us got hit by a bus or fell in love with our EA or developed a sudden passion for basket weaving or mountain climbing that sliced our income in half. I like spreadsheets; I am good at spreadsheets. I’m not that great at waiting for Mother Nature, as it were. I wasn’t used to not being able to do something, and it made me feel weird and helpless.

      In retrospect, I wish I had talked it out a little more, and, I don’t know, taken my vitamins with a side of meditation and maybe a little yoga. :)

    5. I think going back and forth and feeling unsure is normal, but what you’re describing sounds like obsessing over it and nearly panicking. This is not normal. You sound like you have severe anxiety. Counseling may help, or just talking about it with your friends. Can you open up to one trusted friend, and see if it relieves some of the stress?

      1. Also, read Taking Control of Your Fertility. Understanding what’s really going on with your body may bring you peace of mind.

        1. just fyi for me, that roller coaster of feelings has only gotten worse since i got pregnant (6 mo now)… so be ready for that not to end. i don’t regret anything, but it is really hard and emotional. that said, i am glad we went for it while we still could.

      2. If you went off hormonal BC to start trying to conceive, the hormone changes may be triggering your panic attacks.

  23. I just want to say that last week, I had a ridiculously busy week (nanny sick with pneumonia, full work schedule, mother with health crisis) that totally ate into my corporette time. It totally sucked and I missed you guys. Thank goodness for my lunch hour noodling on the internet. How would I stay sane?

    1. Welcome back! I had a question that I hope you won’t mind weighing in on. I have keloids on my face from acne. Should I go to a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon to treat them? I’m really confused….I just want the keloids GONE.

      1. Plastic surgeon. But maybe they won’t operate. There are all sorts of treatments for keloids (with only sparse data to support them) that are options instead of operating (the problem with removing a keloid with an operation is that often the scar that’s left behind goes on to keloid — as you probably know). Kenalog injections and silicone sheets are two options to discuss. But if you opt for an operation, you’ll want someone with the technical skills of a plastic surgeon rather than a dermatologist.

        Also, I would chose a plastic surgeon that features reconstruction more heavily than cosmetics. This may require going to a university of big hospital practice. Reconstructive plastic surgeons may be more versed in the science of the issue, and may be more interested in the long term project rather than the short term procedure.

    2. We missed you. Plus there were some weird *ss health concerns that you probably could have been the voice of reason on. And by voice of reason, I mean…go see your doctor and get off the internet!!

      :-)

  24. Why did I buy a box of Cheez-Its and bring them into my office? These things are evil. (I already ate the two servings of fruit and sensible frozen entree I brought in for lunch and snacks, I also had a ridiculously healthy breakfast and only one extra cup of coffee. And drank water.)

    Stupid White Chedder Cheez-Its. Clearly I need to eat them all to avoid this problem later in the week.

    1. Yes, definitely just take care of the rest of that box.

      A friend one brought me an enormous tub of Raisinettes as a gift, and I took them to work. 1 week later, they were gone. I had a stomachache every day. When he offered to bring more, I told him absolutely not because I cannot be trusted.

    2. I don’t blame you. I had to stop buying them because once I start eating them, I can’t stop.

      Impulse control: I do not have it.

    3. Yup, that was me and some cheddar chex mix last week. I saw chipotle cheddar chex mix at the store, and am tempted by that…maybe the spiciness will help with portion control (or at least that will be my rationale in a few days when I’m sitting here asking myself why I bought more chex mix to bring into the office)?

      2. Chex mix is my kryptonite as well. Cannot purchase or be near it, or I will inhale the entire bag, and finish by licking my fingers.

        1. SF Bay Associate — is it possible that you are actually ME? Its kind of creepy. We should become pen pals. :-)

          1. Hee, cute! We should, but it might have a through the looking glass vibe because maybe I am you. Though I’m also pretty sure we’re not the only ladies on here who can mow through a bag of Chex Mix like it’s nothing. Well, I hope we’re not.

            PS, those Gentle Souls shoes I bought? Like butter, but frumptastic. Back they went.

    5. OMG. You are me last Friday. I had a moment of weakness and bought a family size box at lunch, thinking it would be a nice treat with my lunch and then the staff would eat them in the afternoon. No one ate them Friday but me. I was hoping over the weekend the weekend people would eat them, but they were there tempting me all morning, at lunch and all afternoon.

    6. Speaking of things that are impossible to stop eating…Nutella out of the jar, anyone?

      1. totally didn’t see this before I posted. Yes. It took me 3 days to get through the last jar. And that was pretty good for me. Usually it’s 2. I’m firmly convinced there is no better food on the planet.

      3. OMG I can’t keep it in the house– except I DO! Nutella in 1 hand, pb in the other– using my 3rd hand for the spoon! ;-p

    7. oh man, the white cheddar are the best. I can’t go in Duane Reade, the grocery store, or Target hungry, because I always come back with those. Or those little packs of mini blueberry muffins. Or a jar of nutella (and yes, I eat it straight out of the jar. I’m not letting a cracker corrupt my nutella). Mmmm junk food…

      1. And speaking of junk food, I think those 9 boxes of girl scout cookies I ordered should be arriving soon. That’ll really help.

        1. My dog got into one of my boxes of Caramel D’lites and ate almost half of them…and a very small part of me appreciated it. :-P

        2. We initially bought 5 boxes of girl scout cookies. Went through them in about 2 weeks and was forced to buy 4 more. I’m telling myself that I barely ate any- my husband is responsible.

          Slightly off-topic, all of my girl scout cookie buying experiences this year have been like drug deals. The first time I bought them out of a suitcase a girl was dragging along the side of the street, and the second time I met a man long black coat in a parking lot at 11 pm. Girl scout cookies are my drugs.

          1. As a Girl Guide supporter, I find this totally hilarious, especially since I am usually on the other side of it….people know they can get cookies from me, so around “that time of year” I get people sidling up to me asking if I have cookies. It is *so* like a drug deal (not that I would know). Lynnet, I can be your dealer. That is what Ravelry is for. ;-)

    8. Aahhh, Cheez-Its are my kryptonite, too. Now you know.

      Sometime ago, a coworker thanked me for my help on a project by giving me a box of dark chocolate covered almonds. Something like a MONTH later he came by and asked if he could have some. It wasn’t too embarrassing to tell him they were gone already (though somewhat) but I’m sure glad he didn’t ask me the same week he gave them to me, because he would have gotten the same answer.

  25. Sorry, I feel just as oppressed in wacky socks as I do in pantyhose and heels. Colorful polkadots don’t obviate the fact that I’m working for the man.

    1. LOL I know, right? But I get a quick smile when I stare at my feet in the bathroom =).

  26. Any MacBook owners have recommendations for useful and/or fun accessories?

    I am purchasing a 13″ MacBook pro (not the Air) for a relative. Female student in her late 20s, and desperately in need of a new laptop. In addition to the computer itself, I would love to throw in a little something extra.

    Bonus points if I can get it from a brick+mortar store since I’ll be taking it to her in a few days.

    Any ideas?

    1. I am a MacBook user….mine is ancient (well, as computers go) and the best thing I ever did was get a hard shell case for it. I have something similar to the Speck SeeThru Case (link to follow) in lime green and given the number of times I have dropped it, bashed it around, etc., I am immensely grateful for it. Plus I love having a lime green laptop. :-)

    2. This is kind of crazy, but if she uses her laptop in class, I would avoid getting one of those colorful hard-shell cases for it. The semester I used one in law school I got called on 3x more often… they really draw a lot of attention. If she needs a bag, the incase sleeve-bags that are sold at Apple stores are amazing but pricey (~$80).

      Also, you are an awesome relative.

    3. Society6 has some pretty cool skins/decals you can decorate the case with, but that’s online. BuiltNY makes really nice cases and you can buy those in stores. I’d suggest a Built case.

    4. An extra power adapter. They break, they go missing, you want to leave one at home and take one in your bag…

      Also an external hard drive for backup.

      Or, $$$ for iTunes Match.

      AppleCare.

        1. i third AppleCare, I meant to say that. I cannot tell you how many times i have had major bad things happen to my computer, and had it covered by AppleCare. It really pays for itself by the second year. It’s like you get three computers for the extra couple hundred bucks.

        2. Agree. I wouldn’t consider this an extra; it’s a standard and necessary part of buying a Mac!

          And agree with Zora that it’s amazing how much they’ll fix for you, no extra charge.

    5. -a zip-up carrying case, even a really simple one like the ones from incase that they sell at the apple store, because it keeps your computer safe when you stick it in a bag or whatever. (If a loose penny gets into your optical drive/CD drive/ports, etc, it would be bad)

      -i love my keyboard cover, a little silicon sheet that covers your keys and keeps random crap from getting in there

      – a small set of speakers for listening to music/watching movies

      – having an extra power cable was a life-saver for me, and those things cost like $80, so it’s a very nice extra for a student

      – there are also all kinds of fun toys at the apple store, and the young folks working there probably have even more great suggestions for gadgets, etc.

      – also might be nice to get her an itunes gift card, so she could buy music, tv or movies from the itunes store.

    6. Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions. I almost forgot about AppleCare – will definitely be including that, and maybe a cute sleeve and iTunes gift card to make it special.

      It is a major splurge, but will make a HUGE difference to her. She’s a broke student who’s going into a low-paying field, so I’m glad to be able to help her out.

      1. I’m probably too late, but I would also suggest a keyboard protector. If she is a student, I’m sure she will be eating and drinking around the laptop and it could prevent a major spill & meltdown. It also muffles the sound of typing so it’s less disturbing during class. Mine was a lifesaver during school.

  27. So, my goal for 2012 is to lose 85 pounds. I know this may not be feasible but I figure averaging 2 lbs per week, 52 weeks in a year, 104 lbs should be possible without being unhealthy. I don’t have 104 to lose (well, maybe if you take those bloody standardized scales into account) but 85 would be perfect.

    I had a hard time in January, moving and starting a new job a little bit away from my boyfriend, and going from my own house where I lived by myself to a house where I have house mates (at 30!) who are related to my boyfriend, essentially we’re moving in together but he hasn’t moved in yet, long story. Anyway, I have about a year before he moves in and I figure this is the time to do it.

    But…I don’t want to DO anything that could actually help! I mean, I don’t like the gym, I’m too fat to run (ran a marathon in 2009…at 200 lbs! Didn’t lose one lb, but gained 30 when I stopped, grr!), I have a very hard time getting up in the morning to work out or make a healthy lunch to take…I just feel really terrible in my skin and I don’t really know why I don’t seem to be able to motivate myself to JUST FREAKING DO IT! Everyone in my office brings a healthy lunch, nobody ever goes out…except me! I used to love the gym, I was a high-level college athlete and trained, including weights, since I was 10 (very early developer), but I just have suck a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I walk into most gyms, just not comfortable, don’t like the people, don’t like people in general.

    I was thinking about getting a personal trainer, someone to plan my workouts, meet with me once a week, get me oriented and comfortable at the gym…I think part of my animosity for gyms is that I went to the same, family owned, sports oriented gym for a decade and now live too far away, so every one I step into is not my home gym, my home gym is THAT gym, even though I spent 4 years in my college gym after leaving that gym.

    Oh, I don’t know what I think you wonderful ladies can do to help me, I can’t even help myself! I was just reading about the Cheez-its and remembered a box of them I have in the cupboard at home…must resist!!!

    1. My friend lost a VERY large amount of weight (she was heavy, then quit smoking) on a commercial weight loss program. Likely not what you want to hear, but paying in advance really helped the motivation.

      Spark People (Google it) is good too.

      Sincerely, best of luck. You can do it. It will suck, but you can do it.

      1. Yeah, my dad actually did a doctor-maintained rapid weight loss with a liquid diet. It was a pain in the ass at the time (and now he has to eat fish! Ew!) but he lost a good 40 lbs and has kept it off for over a year. I hesitate to do something so radical, and frankly, don’t think I would have the support of my boyfriend who just keeps saying “make small changes in your diet!” I get his logic, but he’s got a metabolism that just won’t quit and has been skinny his entire life.

        I’m hoping that by taking a year to do it, trying to work out (which is actually also good for my dieting motivation) and trying spark people and some of the other suggestions here I won’t have to go that far!

    2. Fresh meal delivery? It takes the guess work out of calorie-counting and helps avoid buying treats at the grocery store. Can be expensive, though.

    3. A lot of people here have had great success with Weight Watchers and the like.

      All that aside – what activity do you enjoy? Dancing, walking, biking, swimming? I hate working out myself, so I empathize with the gym-dread, but if you just find something you inherently like to do – even walking along a treadmill and listening to your favorite music will do – that might help. If it seems like a chore and you’re literally dragging yourself to move every day, I can see why it’s such a battle. Another idea is to exercise while watching your favorite TV show, that sort of thing. The less you hate it, the easier it will be to do it – obvious, I know.

      1. I actually like a lot of exercises, I love straight out lifting weights, enjoy the treadmill, my toes fall asleep on the elliptical, but that’s a common problem. I just googled gyms in my town, thanks to all of your wonderful motivation and suggestions and found one with a master’s swim program. I’m a slow swimmer but I used to love being on swim team. I was a collegiate athlete in Tennis, but I HATE playing now because I’m so fat and slow and old!!! (Which sounds stupid, my grandfather and great grandfather both played until they were in their 80s!)

        They also have a climbing wall, and I used to love to climb, I still have some decent upper body strength so I might be able to do that.

        I don’t dance, but I can get into aerobics classes. but again, right now I just feel so fat I don’t even want to start. I’ve started going to a Yoga class that is put on by my employer once a week and I am grimly sticking it out but I feel terrible about myself when it’s over. It’s basically me and all these 55+ women and they’re all wonderful and beautiful and thin and flexible. (I am the least flexible person I’ve ever met.)

        You’re right though, I need to just get off my arse and DO it! I am actually all excited now thinking of all the things I used to love to do and trying to figure out how to fit at least one in this evening!

    4. Gyms just aren’t for everyone. I really hate them unless I am going to a class. If you like running, why don’t you try a couch to 5k to start and then build up to run another marathon within a set period of time. If you have a specific goal in mind- say a half marathon at the end of this year- then that may help you achieve your goal.

      In terms of a healthy lunch- what about making it the night before? Or just buying something premade that is relatively healthy or has a small amount of calories?

      1. I might try buying something premade that is healthyish. I’m in California’s North, the land of granola crunchers (and weed, but I don’t partake in that one!) so I should be able to find some pretty nutritionally positive meals. There’s an independent grocery on my way home that has been intriguing me, maybe I’ll pop in!

        What can you recommend that is premade and healthy? I know the frozen meals (besides being kind of blah) usually have extremely high sodium, I found these great burritos that I thought were pretty healthy so I got them…only to realize later that they had like 900 calories per! What was I thinking!? I’ve tried like safeway sandwiches and those were actually okay, maybe a neat lunchbox (my first reward?) would convince me that’s worthwile.

        1. In terms of microwave meals, Kashi seems to have the most nutritional options with relatively low sodium. Lots of whole grains/fiber with different flavors than you get in the standard lean cuisine. The independent grocery may also have a good deli. We have a smaller organic chain in my city that has a wonderful deli with $5 lunches. I tend to do a lot of soups, although with those I try my best to stick to the low sodium kind. Your grocery store may have some refrigerated types that are a little heartier, but they may have more sodium than you’d like.

    5. For me, 90% of the battle is what I’m eating–even on days when I have a 10 mile run, if I eat crap, I’ll weigh more the next day. Yummy food has so many calories that you have to do so much exercise to burn them, it’s hard to lose weight via exercise. So go home tonight, take the box of Cheez-its, and put them in the trash can (the trash can outside–not the one where you can retrieve them). They aren’t worth eating.

      If you try to fix it all at one time (adding the gym + improving your diet), it’s probably going to feel overwhelming and you’re more likely to fail. So just decide to attack one thing at a time–and my vote would be to attack your diet first. Read the article “Do you suffer from decision fatigue” on the New York Times’s website–it helped me realize I’m not strong enough to attack all the problems in my life at once. Baby steps.

      I second Anonymous @6:24’s comment about Spark People. I use Spark People to track my food, exercise, and weight and love it. My brother used Myfitnesspal (I think that’s what it’s called) to track his food and lost 80 lbs last year. Using an online tracker helps me stay accountable–I can’t “forget” that I ate a candy bar or purposefully underestimate the calories I consumed so that I can eat more later. The amount of food/number of calories I’ve eaten is staring me in the face and I have to make my plans for the rest of the day accordingly. I still struggle with eating out of boredom–and it’s usually crappy food. Spark People helps me with that because I have to log the food and that usually means my afternoon snacks start eating into my calories allocated for dinner.

      When I was trying to lose weight, I created a list of treats for myself–every three pounds, I got something I wanted (even cheap stuff that I wouldn’t necessarily buy like a new, cute pair of undies that I didn’t need). But I had to keep the three pounds off for one week before I could buy the item. I’m still working down this list–once I reach my goal weight, I’m buying an expensive pair of earings I’ve been lusting after. The earrings are now the background on my computer, which also helps remind me of the larger goal (beyond M&Ms, my weakness).

      Finally, if you slip up and over eat or eat something you didn’t plan to, don’t beat yourself up. Moderate your food for the rest of the day and get back on track. We’re all human, we all fail short-term. But you can succeed long term.

      1. I think the battle for me is food too. Like I said, ran a marathon and didn’t lose a pound, stopped running and gained…didn’t mention my diet at all in there! Sadly, I can’t trash the cheezits, the other 4 people in the house would kill me, but I do feel better with all of everyone’s support. My goal is to start running again, and actually, I just googled gyms in my area and found a fabulous one that I can probably walk to from my work. It looks a bit too expensive, but it might be worth it if I GO. I think I just need to get comfortable at a gym again. I used to LIVE at my gym and for a while when I was training for the marathon I went to the gym almost every day and liked it just fine (except for soccer day, it had the only indoor soccer field in my former, soccer-crazy town and those days SUCKED!). I think I partly just miss the feeling of community and hate hate hate that when I walk into any gym I don’t know the people at the front desk, they don’t know me, and I’m not best friends with the owners and their kids, and we don’t have NYE and Halloween sleepovers for all the kids in the club, and etc etc etc…

        I just googled spark people and it looks like a pretty good community. Also, looking at the water counter reminded me I’ve only had 1.5 glasses of water so far today! I’ll try it.

        And I LOVE your idea of treats. I tried something similar once, but once they came around my treats were usually either food (bad!) or too expensive.

        I feel so much better right now, I really think I can do this. I started out January sososo well, dropped 4 lbs in a week (it WAS after the holidays) and ever since then…each week I’ve crept UP a pound!

        One thing I will not do is WW. I tried that one summer and HATED the meetings. My mom on the other hand lost about 50 lbs and won’t miss a meeting, it’s become her social outlet of choice.

    6. Weight watchers. It’s amazing. And it does not take much effort once you spend 2 weeks getting the hang of it.

    7. Maybe you have the wrong goal. Maybe the goal should not be to lose a specific amount of weight or even any weight. Maybe the goal should be to work exercise into your life and eat better foods. Try it gradually. Start with a little more walking and build from there. Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet and build from there. Seek out friends who share your new lifestyle and build from there. Make it a lifelong goal, not just a short-term goal.

    8. A personal trainer may really help to get you motivated and also show you how/where to start. I love my personal trainer. Love. It is so helpful to have someone tell me what to do once a week, and know what I’m responsible for doing during the rest of the week.

      It sounds like you really miss having a smaller / closer knit gym environment. Perhaps signing up for a gym with yoga classes could help – yoga is a good way to ease back into the fitness world, but the class size will be smaller.

      Also, and this is just speculation, but it sounds like you’re psyching yourself out because you’re afraid to fail at achieving a very lofty goal. Maybe you should identify smaller goals to start. Like, walking around the block after dinner, or get to the gym 2x per week for the next 3 weeks.

      1. Oooh, LOVE this. I read this and then I went back and looked at what my career coach (free session for attending some event or other) had told me about my job search last year and they are identical! I was psyching myself out then by thinking of all the change and moving and what if the people at my new job hated me, I hated my old job but at least I knew I was never going to get laid off and probably wouldn’t get fired, etc etc etc. You’re right that is exactly what I’m doing here.

        “Oh it’s such a big goal and I have a whole year to get it, HELLO Cheez-its!”

        The silly thing is a) I know I do this, but didn’t see it and b) I know that the best goal is a small achievable goal, but didn’t think of it!

        That’s why Corporette is so great! Thanks all!!

        1. I agree with this. I was psyching myself out for years. But this year I decided, I am going to go to one yoga class per week: that is my goal for now. I have fallen off the wagon a few times, but all i have to do is go to one class to get back on. Once i have this habit down, I’m going to add one more yoga class or something else class: dance or pilates or something. But i’m just going one step at a time, and not getting too upset with myself if I miss a step.

      2. Yes, THIS. When I read your post, the very first thing I thought was “she’s afraid of failure.” If you set unrealistic goals and then don’t really try, you don’t risk failure- you guarantee failure and you never really give yourself a chance at success.

        Smaller goals are a good solution. As you achieve them, you will feel better about yourself and it will be motivating. Sparkpeople is fantastic for this. Use goals like number of fruits and veggies per day (real fruits and veggies- not poptart filling and broccoli and cheese soup that is 90% cheese).

        Also, do you have a pedometer? It’s a fantastic way to constantly remind yourself to be more active. I have started wearing mine again recently and I am amazed how sedentary my new job has made me. I think 10,000 steps is a good general health goal and 12,000 for weight maintenance. But you may need to start lower than that depending on what your baseline is. I just read somewhere that studies show that the very act of wearing a pedometer makes you 20% more active on a given day. AND, for super bonus points, I use sparkpeople to track my steps per day, so all my mini goals are in one place.

    9. 80% of weight loss is food. If that’s your number one goal, stop stressing about the gym and focus on what you’re eating. Track calories, eat less.It is actually shocking how easy it is to stay within a reasonable number of calories without feeling starved as long as you’re eating primarily vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein.

      There will come a point when you’ll need to add in activity to get results, but by that time you’ll be more comfortable in your skin, and the gym will be easier (simply because you will weigh less, and it is easier to do cardio and weights when you don’t have so much to carry around). I honestly would not stress about that yet.

      I also agree with Two Questions- you need to make choices that you can actually live with long-term, otherwise you won’t be able to maintain it.

    10. I have never lost 85 pounds, but three years ago I lost 11.5% of my body weight. You probably know what works best for you. (For me it has to be both eating clean (no dairy, no grains) and exercising.)

      My problem is always getting started. One thing that has worked for me is going to a spa for a very relaxing, full day of jacuzzi/sauna/steamroom and body scrub and massage. After that combination, my body feels so clean and pure, that I will do almost anything — including eating properly and exercising — not to mar it.

      1. I do this too. After a massage and an hour of therapy, I’m feeling so good about myself that I don’t want to *not* treat my body well. Sometimes it’s about self esteem, too.

    11. Honestly, WeightWatchers really works. I do online only – no meetings.

      And if you do join, search for the online group called Weight Watchin’ Corporettes. :)

    12. Honestly, WeightWatchers really works. I do online only – no meetings.

      And if you do join, there’s a group for readers of this blog – search for the blog name (sorry but my post goes into moderation if I put it) and you’ll find us.

      1. I’m commenting late, so maybe no one will see this, but I’m going to throw it out there anyway. You need to get a copy of “Eat For Health” by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. His book has completely changed the way I look at food each and every day, even on days when I skip breakfast, eat pasta for lunch and pizza for dinner.

        I’m not going to sugar-coat: his advice is tough to hear, goes against a lot of what the mainstream diet industry advocates, and takes some dedication, especially in the first few weeks as you adjust.

        However, it is not uncommon for people who follow his advice to lose 20 pounds quickly (I’m talking 6-8 weeks with no exercise) and keep it off. Of course, it requires that you not go back to your old eating habits, but you might be pleasantly surprised at how gross a lot of food seems after you’ve eaten per his guidelines for several weeks. Example: after 4 weeks, I was craving Dairy Queen, stopped, got a Blizzard, ate 3 bites, thought it was disgusting, and threw the rest away. Never in my life did I think that I would so easily choose to not eat something like that. This happened repeatedly — almost to the point where I’d want something and then realize I wouldn’t actually like it and then I just would forget about it. Today, I try to mostly follow a modified version with limited dairy and meats.

        Anyway, I could write a novel about how right I think he is about all things related to diet and nutrition. If you have significant weight to lose and want to truly change your life, order a copy. It’ll be the best $20 you ever spent.

        (As a pre-emptive strike, for those of you who will argue that 20 pounds lost in 6 weeks is unhealthy / crazy, please don’t criticize until you read the book. I’m pretty small and lost 15 without even noticing or being hungry. You have to read the book to understand it, which is why I’m suggesting this book for her or anyone else who wants to lose weight.)

        1. Thanks to everyone who commented, I really appreciate it and it definitely dragged me out of my funk. I’m doing well this morning, signed up for Spark People, and may even tour a few gyms later this week (except it’s a short week for me and I’m out of town over the weekend, so maybe next week, but I’ll still be walking!).

          I’ll definitely look up this book too.

        2. Hmm, I’m seeing “Eat for Health Book one” “Eat to Live” “Fasting and Dieting for Health” I’m on his website right now trying to figure out what his most recent information is.

        3. I’m a big Fuhrman fan too! I gained 20 pounds in law school and was able to lose it within a few months after reading Eat to Live and sticking to his plan. Now, I stick to his plan during the work week and allow one or two cheat meals/items on the weekend. But you’re right … I just don’t miss the bad stuff that much anymore and I have tons and tons of energy.

    13. I’ve been tracking on myfitnesspal for a week now. I like it because it balances the ratio of carbs, sugar and protein. What I don’t like about the new WW plan is that you can have unlimited fruit – I was eating so much fruit on the plan that it was negating the weight loss I was having. You have to keep your sugar low/consistent in order to lose weight, and a lot of plans ignore this.

    14. I don’t think the weight is the real problem. You seem conflicted about losing. Can you talk to a counselor about it? I mean this in a very caring way–there seems to be a lot of anger and self-defeat in your post.

    15. We sound very similar. I joined stupidass Weight Watchers a month ago and I’ve lost 10 pounds…I hate to say it, but it works.

    16. This is late, but hopefully helpful. I have lost a similar amount of weight in the past. Don’t bother with exercise, it’s not important for weightloss (it’s incredibly important for health and fitness, but that’s another matter). Focus instead on healthful eating. Try to walk every now and then if you are hard pressed to exercise. But don’t get side tracked thinking that you need to work out to lose weight (you did run a marathon and not lose a pound right?) Besides, working out when you are thin is SOOO much easier.

      As an aside, I’m not recommending you go on a starvation diet. Don’t eat below your BMR (google to get a rough estimate of what that is). But adjusting your diet will get you where you need to be, no exercise required.

    1. Not disagreeing with the sentiment behind the article, but the study has been very poorly interpreted by Forbes in this article. Firstly, the study was based on self-reported behavior, which is already suspect. Secondly, the mothers may also be taking off for both illness and childcare, suggesting that the disparity between those two may not actually mean anything about the behavior of working mothers at all.

      I don’t think that employers should be basing their hiring decisions of women on whether those women will be having children in the future, or whether they currently have children now, but I don’t think this article dispels any assumptions about those women either.

  29. Do I need to/should I contribute to the gift for/attend a baby shower for someone at my office who went on maternity leave before I started (meaning I’ve never met her) and who won’t be back from leave before I end my placement? It’s a relatively small office – 20 people. I think it’s awkward either way, but looking for hive advice.

    1. I don’t think so for either. I recently started a new job (larger than your office but still small) and there was a shower for a woman who works here shortly after I started–I’d met this woman, but I never see her, we don’t work together, and I really don’t know her. The shower was held at lunch one day; I just made other plans and skipped it. No one seemed to care.

    2. You definitely don’t have to contribute to the gift. As to attending the shower, you definitely don’t have to go if you don’t want to — though 20 people is probably enough to absorb one “stranger” if you wanted to go. But if it was me I’d do what the commenter above did and make lunch plans with a friend and sort of jokingly wish everyone else a good time.

  30. Corporettes! How I’ve missed you! I self banned myself from Corporette as an incentive to finish a big project, which I finally turned in this afternoon. Now I just went through weeks of posts that I’ve missed and opened all the interesting sounding topic ones in new tabs so that I can catch up… it’s going to be a long (but fun!) night!

  31. Vent…

    Someone mentioned something the other day about a friend they have who thinks all of her choices were the “only choice” and it got me thinking are there situations where you only have 1 reasonable choice? My husband mentioned something similar this am, that it was my choice to not have yet gone back to school to make a career change. When I hear this I immediately feel bad, like it is my own fault I haven’t gotten the qualifications to make a career change. In a way, yes I see that it is my responsibility but I graduated undergrad $80,000 in debt. I have been working diligently to pay it off – which it will be in 3 months. My husband said if I really wanted to go to graduate school I would have already. I say my hands are tied for the time being – how could I realistically afford more debt in addition to what I already have and who would lend to me? Would that be irresponsible, no matter how badly I want to go? What gives? I thought I was making the responsible choice! Not sure how to respond to DH when he says this.

    1. First of all, congrats on paying off $80K in debt! That is impressive.
      Second – sure, everything is a choice, but there are good decisions and bad decisions and the line between the two varies widely depending on what’s right for each person. There are no absolutes here. If you are averse to significant debt (and who could blame you), then the right choice was probably to lighten the debt load before taking on more. For others, carrying six figure debt is more manageable for whatever reason – maybe they make a higher salary or felt like staying in a job they didn’t like was a far worse choice.

      As to what to say to your husband – what precipitated this? Were you complaining about your job, and this is his response? I personally find that I use that line of argument when I want someone to stop moaning about their situation and just accept it, or do something about it. For example, when I have single friends who whine about how they don’t meet anybody, but then refuse to get set up or go online or do X. That’s a choice they’re making. But they (not surprisingly) disagree, and feel like those are simply not good choices or aren’t reasonable options for them. Who knows why?

      Bottom line, your DH probably wants to stop hearing you vent about your chosen career path.

      1. Ah yes, it probably is because of my moaning. Of course I want to change my situation but I think expensive degree + weak job market + current student debt = recipe for disaster. On a related note, am I just supposed to not care what the economy looks like and pursue that career path I want? That is what my husband was implying (I confirmed) during this conversation and that really makes NO sense to me. At all.

        1. I should add…my husband is much more of a risk-taker than I am. And I will admit it has paid off for him. But at what point have you stopped being prudent and are just making excuses for yourself? I am having a hard time finding that balance.

  32. Hey all – I’m new commenting here on Corporette, but have loved reading all the comments since I discovered the site. I’m going to be starting law school in the fall. So far I’ve been accepted to University of San Diego, Loyola in LA, and a couple of schools in Oregon – all with almost full ride scholarships. I just got wait listed at UCLA. What do you recommend? Go to UCLA if I get off the wait list, even though I’d have to take out 100% loans to fund it? Go to a lower ranked (but still top 100 school), with low loans?

    Thank you!

    1. You should repost this in another thread to get more responses. My take would be to look at the fine print of your scholarship and go with what is most economically feasible. Law school is not a very good investment these days, so you don’t want to go deep in debt for it.

  33. Where do you want to be? If you want to practice in Oregon, go to one of those schools 100%. If you want to practice in CA, don’t. Your other identified options are in SoCal, there’s a big difference between SoCal and Oregon! I’m not super familiar with Loyola, I’ve been there but don’t know much about graduate placement, but if you want to work in SD, go to USD. Period. They have better placement in SD than UCLA grads. If you want to work in LA…you might ultimately be better off at UCLA, but you’ll have many many many more options when you get out with no loans v. $200k in loans.

    So I guess I would recommend overall not going to UCLA.

    One final note, and I know it doesn’t always hold true, but if you’re waitlisted that means your test scores and GPA are going to be fairly low in your class. If that translates to grades then definitely do not go there because you’ll end up around 50% or even lower in your class. You’re far better off going to a lower ranked school and being in the top 10%, having opportunities for moot court and journal than stretching to go to UCLA and not being able to do any of these.

      1. Thanks! I do want to stay in CA, so I’m not really considering the OR schools. At this point it’s really between USD and Loyola (although still waiting to hear back from Hastings and USC), but one of my law school friends was super excited I got wait listed at UCLA. I wanted to get some more varied opinions, since he tends to be very concerned with things like going to the absolutely highest ranked school you’re (possibly) accepted, even if you have to go into enormous debt.

      2. Agree with this–assuming all the financial aid packages are equalish, then go where you want to practice: USD if you want to be in San Diego, Loyola if you want to be in LA, Oregon if you want to practice in Oregon. Those are all pretty regional schools, so it’s more important to be in the market you want to stay in. In general, you want to strike the balance of the school where you can get the best academic record at the lowest out-of-pocket cost (easier said than done, I know, but it sounds like you’re off on the right foot).

  34. love the crazy stripe socks. love them enough to knit my own – very stress reducing after a day of work and keeps the hands busy to cut down on snacking. saw an article the other day that GBush the elder has also become a colorful sock fan.

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