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Updated: Dec 3, 2020 127 Comments · by

Coffee Break – Rose Gold Huggie Earrings

Coffee Break

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Mens Wire Hoop Earrings or Ear Cartilage Earrings -18K Rose Gold - over 925 Sterling Silver - Wire (no.546A)

We all know I'm a huge fan of huggie earrings for the office (as in, hoops so small they “hug” your ears) and Etsy seller 360 Jewels Elite has a wide selection. It's a mystery to me why the earrings are described as “men's earrings,” but let's put that aside — I'm digging these simple rose gold plated earrings for today's coffee break. They're $19 at Etsy. Mens Wire Hoop Earrings or Ear Cartilage Earrings -18K Rose Gold – over 925 Sterling Silver – Wire (no.546A)

(Hat tip to commenter Kanye East (who has an Etsy shop herself!) for this suggestion!)

Sales of note for 9.10.24

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Comments

  1. Rural Juror

    I have a sister who is pregnant and due very near christmas. She is young and doesn’t have a lot of money. I always try to get her something nice for christmas, as she doesn’t have a lot of money to spend on herself. With the new baby, I know her finances will be even tighter. I am torn between getting her a nice splurge present (like jewellery) and a practical present (like a bunch of gift cards to walmart, drug store, baby store, etc.). I was initially leaning toward splurge, something classic like gold hoops that she can wear all the time and wouldn’t buy for herself (and she doesn’t have anyone special who may “treat” her with something similar), but now I am thinking she might look at the earrings and say well these are nice, but I wish I had more diapers. Or maybe I would get her a practical present and she would end up feeling like she didn’t get anything special, and that the new/unborn baby got all the gifts. Ideally I could do both, but I am on a limited budget myself. I would really love to hear what you all think!

    • Argie

      I would something nice for just here, and then (if feasible because you live nearby) the practical gift of time once the baby is born. If you wanted, you could do the practical side as a coupon book – one meal cooked, 4 hours of babysitting when mom’s home (so she can shower, nap, whatever).

      • b23

        This is a great idea! A coupon book plus a splurge. The only thing is that you have to enforce that she actually use the coupon book when the time comes, but I think she would be really touched by that.

    • KK

      Can you ask her what she wants for Christmas? Without knowing your sister it’s impossible to know what she’d prefer. I am very much a person who’s annoyed by receiving “fun” gifts when I can’t afford things I consider more important, so if I were your sister, I’d much prefer a practical gift.

    • Fiona

      My sister has small children and not a lot of money, and I often get her gift cards to Old Navy / Gap / BR. They offer gift cards that you can use at any of those stores, plus Athleta and Piper Lime. More often than not she uses them to go on a shopping spree at Old Navy, but she always has the option to get something like earrings at BR if she wants that instead.

    • MaggieLizer

      A Christmas gift for your sister should be for your sister, not for her baby, imho. As you’ve recognized, though, there’s a fine line between a nice little splurge and a waste of money. I think of a splurge as something that the person I’m buying for could afford to get herself but would save for a really special occasion. If you still have some room in your budget after getting her gift, then maybe you can use the rest to get something practical.

    • Emily I

      The best presents I received when I was a new mom were 1. Dinners – cooked and delivered to my house and 2. Time for myself (getting out to have a pedicure or even just staying in for a shower and a nap).

    • Bee

      You could ask her what she thinks. There are some baby things that are especially pretty. Something like an extra nice diaper bag is really as much for the parent as for the child.

    • H

      How about a “splurge” baby bag? Many designers make beautiful bags that look just like large purses. That could be a great compromise.

    • eaopm3

      I third the splurge baby bag idea. Some of my close friends had babies recently, and I bought each of them a higher end baby bag. Around my part of the country, Target and Walmart are really the only B&M baby shower registry stores and they don’t carry the higher end bags. It’s kind of like a gift for mom and baby. They were both thrilled with the gift and I’ve seen them carry it many, many times.

    • Research, Not Law

      I agree that you should ask her what she wants.

      My husband and I were both unemployed at the time our first child was born. Money was tight, to say the least, and I would have been a bit annoyed if someone spent a bunch of money on a splurge (even if it were baby-related, like a designer diaper bag) because there was so much that we needed.

      I would have liked: (A) Something special but inexpensive for me and something expensive but practical for the baby (a glider or breast pump, for example). (B) Mad money to buy clothes that fit and are flattering with the new, ever evolving post-partum figure. You need nursing bras, nursing-friendly tops, and find that a lot of your existing clothes just don’t fit right. Or (C) A housekeeping service and/or gift cards to nearby take-out or delivery places. That would have been huge.

      • Pepper

        I completely agree about being annoyed at receiving a splurge when practical items are needed. I think the OP should ask what her sister wants for Christmas – that’s much better than spending hard-earned money on something that won’t be appreciated.

    • E

      I think you can get her something nice for her, but nothing that’s over the top – and the rest should be practical/economical. The earrings above would be a great example of an inexpensive splurge (and that sounds very similar to the hoops you described!).

      • May

        This is the best suggestion I’ve read so far, IMHO.

        Rural Juror, I think your query is really sweet. Wish I had family like this!

  2. Kanye East

    Thank you so much for the shout-out, Kat!

    I haven’t purchased anything from 360 Jewels Elite yet, but I have been eyeing their stuff for a while and hope to remedy that soon! Their pieces are very modern, which might not be everyone’s style, but I think the spare designs also make them very versatile.

    • SF Bay Associate

      I finally visited your shop Kanye, and wow. I absolutely love that you use baroque pearls. I find classic round pearls rather boring in their perfection, though I have several “perfect” strands that I wear often and enjoy very much. However, I love the fascinating and unique shapes that mother nature makes in baroque pearls so much more. I guess that’s what passes for “subversive” in my boring wardrobe: yes, I am wearing a strand of pearls, but! they are in bizarre and varied shapes :)!

      • Anon

        I am wearing a strand of baroque pearls from KE’s shop (in a candy apple green color), and I couldn’t agree with you more, SF Bay Associate. This is the first strand of baroque pearls that I’ve owned, but I will be back for more — I’m in love!

      • MJ

        I have a set of “cornflake” pearls from Kanye and I get compliments ALL.THE.TIME. (and I have a huge pearl collection, so it’s funny that Kanye’s not as spendy pearls get way more compliments). I also get tons of compliments on the two other Kanye necklaces I bought. What I’m trying to say is that I love Kanye for a) her jewelry and b) her witty comments.

        Luv ya!

  3. Anon

    PSA (and hopefully this won’t come across as snarky):

    If you are a regular poster, and you start out a post by saying you are a regular poster but anon-for-this, it is highly likely that regular readers will be able to figure out who you are from information you provide. It makes me feel like a bit of a jack*ss when, halfway through an “anon-for-this” post and without meaning to, I think to myself “Oh! This is Regular Poster!”. It might be better to just use an anon/different name and not say that you are a regular poster (I wonder if people do that thinking that they will get more responses if people know what they are regular contributors?). Anyway…I’m done.

    • Always a NYer

      I totally get what you’re saying (and you didn’t sound snarky). I’ve read certain “anon-for-this” posts and have been able to put two and two together pretty quickly. Whenever I want to stay anon, I use a different name and just ask my question. And I think I know why you posted this ;)

    • Mamma Mia

      I did that earlier today- are you talking about me? (Just curious, not offended.)

      For me, I chose that route just on the very off chance that someone I know reads and knows who my “internet” identity is (I use it on multiple sites and don’t bother to hide it too much, though I don’t think that’s many people). I’m willing to accept the risk, which seems small, that someone I know, who knows my internet identity, may be also a regular enough reader that they would figure out who I was, and also it would be a problem if they knew what I was posting about. (I was posting about baby-making plans, which is something that I’d like to keep from my office and family for now, but I guess I wouldn’t care if some casual facebook friend or something knew.)

      But you make a good point. I guess that I just feel sneaky about the idea that I would be posting as multiple people here without being up front about it. (And if you’re not referring to me, oh, well, still duly noted!)

      • Kay

        I post under different handles or anon all the time and I don’t feel sneaky. *shrugs*

      • Always a NYer

        I’m pretty sure I know your regular name but didn’t want to “out” you, so to speak. Btw, congrats and good luck!!!

        • Mamma Mia

          Now you’re in my head- do I have that distinctive of a writing style, or did I just give personal (demographic) information that you’ve seen before? :) How funny this internet thing can be.

          • Always a NYer

            Now I just feel creepy and want to apologize for even mentioning it. But, since you asked, I’ll give you the dots I connected. # of years married, age, and I’m pretty sure you mentioned something last week about you and DH wanting to start TTC soon. Again, apologies for the creep factor. I’m just the type of person with a memory for details and think I was a private investigator in a former life. That and I have moments when I feel like Monk or Sherlock Holmes and totally freak out my friends and family.

          • Anon from 4:00pm

            I figured it out the same way Always a NYer did. Age, length of marriage, mentioning it recently. I also have a memory for (not always relevant to me and my life) details, so I apologize if I creeped you out!

          • CC

            People, myself included, end up giving away a lot of information about themselves over corporette. I don’t think it really matters because you could never connect it to say, a bank account or home address or anything like that, but I remember when someone told the shayna (dont know if I’m spelling it right) person she posted a lot, she was defensive and said she didn’t talk about herself that much, I remember I knew like, at least 20 facts about her.

            Also I post under two names regularly, one when I am contributing location information. And one tends to be my slightly snarkier alter ego :)

          • KK

            Also your name coincides with your ethnicity (if you’re the person I think you are). I actually know your full name from reading your blog, too, if you are that person (you linked to a blog, like, a year ago). There’s nothing wrong with anything you’ve posted so no reason you should worry!

            I think Corporette ladies are just pretty quick on the uptake, so I change my moniker every few days because I have a job that wouldn’t be cool with an internet presence. If you’re cool with that, I wouldn’t worry and I understand why you’d want to use a different name for a question about TTC even if you don’t fool any of the regular posters.

          • Ann

            Wow. I’m really impressed that you are able to follow each other and recognize each other through different commenting names. It’s all I can do to remember where I put my keys in the morning.

          • Mamma Mia

            Not creepy at all, just interesting! I love Monk. I don’t have as much of a head for tiny details, but the fact that others do is facinating to me.

          • Anonymous

            To CC at 5:15: Shayna decamped to Jezebel, but after losing her star, she comments very infrequently.

            jezebel [dot] com / people / shaynalk/

      • JJ

        I know I did this earlier and I’m probably one of them. It was only paranoia that someone affected might know my internet identity (because, clearly, my usual commenting name must be some sort of high-tech code that no one can crack and my situation is relatively unique). I didn’t mind if regular readers figured it out…just the 1 billionth of one percent that certain other people might.

        • JJ

          Sigh. Pardon the typos and “one billionth of one percent *chance* that certain people might.” I blame the client who gave me one day’s notice of a lawsuit and answer/removal deadline…

      • Nicki G

        haha i put it together too, and i also change my handle, in case people from the real world recognize me. like anon 4pm, my memory tends to creep people out. in the real world, i actually pretend that i forgot/don’t remember stuff alll the time bc people may think i’m too creepy. i probably should have become a spy or something.

        • ARS

          I am so glad to hear someone else pretends to forget details in the real world. I do that ALL the time!!

    • MissJackson

      I’m impressed that you can keep track of these details! I often think that situations sound familiar, but usually not enough so to actually put two-and-two together.

      I sometimes post as a different username when I’m giving out information that might let someone identify me as my “regular persona” here. Basically if I’m talking about the outfit that I’m wearing *today* and it’s unique enough to think that someone might be able to connect the real me to my alter ego, I won’t post under this user name.

    • MM

      This is a really funny post, because I used to post as MM, but felt that one particular piece of my identity that had become obvious through that handle, when put together with other bits of info about me that would eventually leak out in my posts, would make it possible for friends and coworkers to identify me and thus ruin my anonymous presence. So I started posting under two different names, and “segregate” the types of thing I say under each name. I remember at the time thinking I was being ridiculous, because who really remembers all these details anyway, right? I feel more justified now!

      I cherish having a truly anonymous internet presence that allows me to ask for sensitive advice, and the “split personality” was what I came up with. I hope people don’t think it’s sneaky to post under different names, though, because the other option is of course not sharing as much about ourselves, which would not be as fun or helpful.

      And … yes … I always assume that “anon for this” was a hint that they were a regular part of the community in order to get more responses. It definitely makes me more likely to pay attention and reply when I see that.

  4. Anony

    Just landed a phone interview for a great position! I’m a third year associate and the position would be with a small firm. Haven’t done a phone interview in quite some time – any general tips from the hive mind?

    • anon

      1) take it from a landline if at all possible. somehow, somewhere, get thee to a landline.
      2) also, a landline in a quiet, indoor place where you can sit and not be distracted.
      3) bring notes in clear bullets so they’re easy to read from if you need them, and you don’t spend time scanning scribbles during the call.
      4) have a pen and paper ready for notes as well. (duh)
      5) if you have a headset, that’s ideal. hands-free.
      6) smile while you’re talking. seriously.
      7) make sure you know whether you’re calling them, or they’re calling you. have email access handy in case someone is running late.

      Good luck!

    • Anon

      Don’t use the computer. Even if you are legitimately taking notes or whatever, it is distracting and rude (since the impression is that you are surfing the web, etc.) to hear the keyboard and mouse clicking. Just use pen and paper. Obviously don’t chew gum or eat. Others may not agree, but I think that if you need a minute to think about a response you should say something like “hmmm, that is an interesting question, I may need a minute to think about it” because it is awkward to be on the other end of the call and think that the person hung up since it is totally quiet. I also agree with smiling! You can sometimes tell on the phone whether or not someone is smiling!

    • Bunkster

      I agree with the above posters regarding finding a quiet place. While home is ideal, most interviewers want to talk during the work day. So I actually have been going around the corner (from my office!) to a little wine bar, right after my workday ends.

      The people there are very understanding when I appear. I choose a quiet table and order a glass of wine. The wine actually loosens me up and makes it easier for me to talk about myself.

      • S

        I’ve done them in the parking lot at work. And prayed no one’s car alarm goes off. :)

        I’d also add that it helps to have a copy of your resume handy as well as a bullet list or two of key points (and examples) you would like to stress. Even if you don’t need them, it’s reassuring to have around you in case you find your mind going suddenly blank.

        Good luck!

    • Tika55

      Also, put on a nice outfit so you feel more professional. I find that phone interviews go much better when I am sitting at my desk at home and wearing something nice vs. in yoga pants and sitting on my bed!

    • Jas

      I’ve done a fair few. My tactics: use a landline; wear whatever you’d wear to an in-person interview; have print outs of your resume, cover letter, and anything else you might want to reference; keep your computer in front of you in case you need to do any covert Googling for a question you weren’t prepared for; and make sure you have a number to reach them at if something goes wrong (I had an interview through a digital conference call program where they gave me the wrong access code, so I had to call one of the participants’ secretary and get her to sort it out). I get tongue-tied on the phone so I write out little scripts for “tell us about a time you exhibited ____” questions that I can refer to.

      And try to set things up so there are no outside distractions, which is easier said than done. At one point, I arranged to do an interview with my parents’ landline. I put their two dogs outside where they could bother me, had everything set up, and halfway through the coversation looked up to see that one of the dogs had spontaneously figured out how to open the gate and was now running around their unfenced front yard, shaking one of his toys at the joy of freedom.

    • Sydney Bristow

      I’ve found it helpful to stand. It lets me get out the nerves a little bit by walking around a bit.

      Good luck!

    • SarahJ

      I’ve done a lot of phone interviews and these above are all good suggestions. Be ready for the usual questions. A lot of them like to lead with “tell me about yourself.”

      I have also found a difference when there is just one other person on the line, vs. when you have two or more asking questions on the other end. In particular, I found a rapport easier to build 1:1, whereas with 2:1 or more, it was easier for them to go good cop/bad cop (or sometimes all bad cop, showing they were tough/building off each other). I generally feel like interviewers are “tougher” when you’re not sitting in front of them and they don’t have to look you in the eye.

      I never worried about wearing a suit or sitting up straight at my desk with my resume arrayed primly about – walking and gesturing helped me build the enthusiastic image I was trying to project.

      I also keep a list of pre-created questions, to refer to. It can be a good stall too, “let me look at my list…”

      Good luck!

  5. eaopm3

    This isn’t work-related at all, more marriage related, so feel free to skip over if uninterested:

    DH went to quite a bit of time and trouble on a DIY outdoor project in our yard. Long story short, it was a total fail (structurally and aesthetically) and now I am *really* unhappy with how it looks and I want it completely redone. The right way. I’m actually embarrassed for anyone to see it, given that the project is tangential to DH’s line of work and it was his first try at this particular type of thing. Thankfully, it wasn’t very expensive the first time, but now I am willing to put the money into it so that it looks as perfect as I had originally envisioned. He hasn’t touched it for weeks, despite agreeing with me, that something needs to be done about it. I despise nagging but can’t live with this cr@p @ss yard the way it is for the whole winter. The only thing I can think to do is to start demolishing the project on my own and hope that when he comes home and sees me doing it, he will be horrified and take over. Does anyone with a successfully communicating relationship have a tactic that doesn’t involve me using a pickaxe? (To demolish the project, of course.)

    • anon

      I suggest you approach it as a continued shared project, as opposed to “you screwed up, so i’m going to fix it” kind of thing. The way you are framing the situation (he screwed up big time!) is your main problem. Think of it has a joint effort in which the first attempt didn’t go so well, so now you’re making a 2nd.

      “Sweetie, i have some ideas for the back patio, why don’t we talk about it tonight, love to hear what you think.” and then the follow up to *that* conversation is that one of you (probably you) hightails it to HD or calls Joe the landscaper.

    • KK

      It’s pretty common to have to call in a professional when a DIY project fails. He’s understandably embarrassed, especially because the person who fixes it will probably be a future competitor. Why don’t you just lay off your husband, who obviously doesn’t want to think about it anymore, and make arrangements for it to be redone yourself? Use Angie’s List or similar to find a service provider, make the appointment, and tell them what you want. That way it will be done as you want it, and your husband won’t have to feel sheepish about it anymore.

    • Lyssa

      I’ve found my husband to be pretty receptive to the “if I start, he’ll join in” line of thinking. Might help to actually say it, and do it when you know that he has no excuse : While he’s watching TV, say “Honey, I’m going outside to work on that project thing in the yard. Want to help me?” and then go do it.

    • eaopm3

      I wish we could afford to hire someone to do it. When I said I was willing to spend the money, I actually just meant buying better materials than he began with. This is a DIY no matter what, unfortunately. And anon, yes, it totally is a patio. That is crumbling into pieces :(

      • Seattleite

        “I despise nagging but can’t live with this cr@p @ss yard the way it is for the whole winter. The only thing I can think to do is to start demolishing the project on my own and hope that when he comes home and sees me doing it, he will be horrified and take over.”

        I gently suggest that you be prepared to be out there and working alongside him every step of the way. DIY can be hard and discouraging, and it’s not (IMO) really fair for one person to assign the other projects, which is how your post is coming across. A crumbling patio is an annoyance, not an emergency. And if he really really doesn’t want to do the work, as seems possible, maybe it’ll just have to wait until the budget can afford to hire it out.

      • LawyrChk

        I feel your pain. For four years (until we put our house on the market), I had a “wood shed and dog house” that didn’t have a single right angle. It was terrible, but there was no way that thing was coming down without a huge fight (think someone sleeping on the sofa all weekend). So I lived with it and now put in a firm veto every time my husband has a bright idea to use his handyman skills to “improve” our home or yard.

    • eaopm3

      It’s a little bit of a late post, but I think I may have solved the problem. I did end up calling in reinforcements – but just a friend of ours who offered to help with the original project awhile back. I told H that I made the call and asked him when we could start taking the patio apart so that we could get it started again with friend’s help.

      @Seattleite – The project was H’s “baby” to begin with and I offered ideas about the planning and also offered to help (and did help, when he would let me). I’m willing to help with the re-do, which maybe didn’t come across in my OP.

      @LawyrChk – This is the only (of many) DIY project that has gone wrong, and he admits it, but if I tried to tear it all down, say, when he wasn’t home one day, I think it would lead to quite a tiff. I think our friend may have the solution to the problem, though, so hopefully that works out.

      • Seattleite

        I do feel your pain with the DIYs gone wrong. My own particular XH tended to do poor work himself, mostly because he’d get bored with the project. Our compromise was that if he wasn’t finished by a given date, I would hire the work out. I never could convince him that just because he knew (ha!) how to do something didn’t mean he had to.

  6. A Regular Lurker

    Pretty earrings! I have hypersensitive ears – is gold-plated sterling silver going to cause me problems?

    More to the point, I wanted to say thank you to the posters who offered sympathy/advice/commiseration about my frustrating job hunt on the weekend open thread – you all did warm my disappointed little heart. After taking the weekend to feel sad, I’m trying to get back on the horse and move forward. It probably helps that my current job will be keeping me very busy for the next couple of weeks.

    And maybe once that’s over, I’ll take Monday’s advice and give myself a new alias. :)

    • Monday

      I believe I said “power alias.” :) Anyway, if you do, let us know as you make the switch!

      We’re pulling for you.

    • Kanye East

      If you are highly sensitive, I’d suggest you stay away from plated and sterling silver. Plating involves a very thin layer of precious metal, and regular wearing can erode it very quickly.

      Sterling silver is 92.5% silver (as opposed to “fine silver,” which is 100% pure) and the rest is usually base metal (nickle is the worst and most-allergy-inducing offender). People with very sensitive skin will react to those base metals, even if there are only trace amounts.

      More important, good luck on the job hunt.

    • Friday28

      I am allergic to something (an alloy, probably nickel) commonly used in inexpensive / costume jewelry. My workaround is clear nail polish — I apply it to earring posts and the inside of rings. It will wear off after a while, but it’s easy to reapply. I learned this trick from a jeweler when I was in high school.

  7. office debate

    I currently have an amazing office, complete with a window that overlooks our entire parking lot. While it’s smaller than the superiors’ offices, the view (at least in my opinion) is much better. In fact, it’s not unusual for people to come into my office specifically to see if a certain car is in the parking lot before deciding to walk to the other side of the building.
    Anyways, we’ve recently hired an accounting person (I believe a 2010 or 2011 grad, ie: entry-level), who’s currently sitting in a cubicle. Due to the nature of the work (once she’s trained on payroll), management says she needs a private office, and they’re considering giving her my office. I’ve been with the company for over a year, and I have more experience than she does, but I’m in a different practice area.
    They want to move me to a huge office, with windows overlooking our shop floor (think mechanics). I’m in charge of all of our giveaways, shirts, booth, etc., and these items are stored in two separate offices. They say (we’ll see if it happens) they want to put built-in shelves in the new office to accommodate all the stuff.
    So, I’m a little torn about how to approach my bosses on this. I love my current office, and I don’t want to move to the other one, but in theory, it’s “bigger” and it has a “window”, so I shouldn’t complain. But it’s back in a corner, where no one will walk past, and I don’t want to look at the shop floor, and, quite frankly, I don’t want people being able to come into my office and see all the giveaway stuff, as I get asked for freebies enough as it is!
    Long story to ask: what’s the best way to keep my current office?

    • anon

      only you know your office dynamics and your priorities.

      that said, IMO, office space is not worth fighting for, unless you’re getting seriously downgraded (which you are not). you’re a young junior employee (over a year is not that long) and i think learning to pick your battles is a more valuable lesson.

    • KK

      Why don’t you just say that you’re happy in your current office and while you appreciate the offer of a “better” office, moving would be terribly inconvenient. Suggest that the payroll person be moved to the technically “nicer” office, even though she’s more junior.

      Another point is that usually when people move offices, the company has to pay for phone lines to be moved, movers to come for the boxes, etc. By only moving the payroll person and not you, the company would save money.

      • KK

        Oh, also, since people often stop into your office to check the parking lot, that could harm the confidentiality of the payroll person’s work. So it’s better that she goes to a different office! Right?

    • another anon

      If I understand correctly, your current office has a window to the outside, and the other office has a “window”, but it’s not to the outside, i.e., you would not get any natural light in the new office? If so, you could maybe say something about how you tend to get kind of down and aren’t as productive when you don’t have access to natural light all day. I wouldn’t say that you have SAD if you have not actually been diagnosed, but I think that it is true for many people that they are much happier working in spaces with natural light.

      • Amelia Bedelia

        I would be hesitant to give any reason for not moving that might reflect poorly on my work.
        sometimes I say things as explanations and then later realize that by trying to give an “easy out,” I actually made myself look bad.

    • mamabear

      I’m in my ninth office in the building. When I was in my eighth office and I knew they were restacking the building AGAIN, I wrote a big “#8” on a piece of paper and stuck it on my door when I knew the team was coming around with the plans.

      They thought it was funny, but I believe I mentioned in my first sentence that I’m in my ninth office.

      • CB

        Ha, I kept having to move desks and it became a big joke. My business cards were never right because I kept moving extensions. I think the 7 bosses was worse though- it became such a joke amongst my friends, “my boss said…” “wait, who is it this week?”

      • PittsburghAnon

        Is moving offices a huge deal? I have a co-worker who’s moved about 30 times in the last 4 years but it’s never a big event. You put your stuff in a box, someone moves it overnight, they move your whiteboards etc., and your phone extension travels with you.

    • office debate

      Thanks for the suggestions :)
      @KK, that’s a good point about the privacy. Especially when I first started, and people didn’t know if I was “friendly” to a drop-in, they would hover outside my door/office-facing window to try to see out to the parking lot. Once I figured out what they were doing, I just gave the open invitation to come in. But the hovering would definitely be problematic for the accountant :)
      @mamabear, NINE offices!?! Don’t tell me that! :) Well, best of luck to you on your hopefully permanent stay in your current office space :)

        • anon

          If you work in a huge building you may not want to bother making a trip to the other end if somebody isn’t there yet.

    • Ebro fin

      I would consider if it’s really that important. Final approval for who sits where in our building come to me, and it is unprofessional and annoying when people give you a list of reasons of why they should sit in their favorite spot.

      • TechAnon

        I work in disaster relief, and we set up temporary offices for jobs that only last 3-6 weeks. The office space is often in large, empty big-box stores, so you’d think that there really aren’t any primo spaces. I’m constantly amazed at how people will argue for to be in a particular corner/near that door/closer to the printer for a 3 week stint.

        Since I’m in IT, we move all the equipment around, so I hear every excuse and justification. We all know who the chronic “I want a better office” complainers are.

        My advice: Don’t be that person.

        • Pepper

          But she’s not asking TO move, she’s asking not to move, and it’s a one-time thing, not a recurring problem. I think it’s totally reasonable to ask to remain in your current office, especially since the one they’d move her to sounds like it’s supposed to be a “better” office. Moving offices is a giant pain in the neck.

    • Nicki G

      eeek, i’ve been at my current employer about 5 years and unless they wanted me to move somewhere reallllly terrible, I wouldn’t say anything.

      I think you’re best agle would be that location for you would probably result in more freebies getting given away, and thus cost the company money.

  8. found a peanut

    I hate SmartPost. The sole purpose of SmartPost seems to be to delay my package from getting to me and/or to allow the post office to lose my package. I am so annoyed right now at Bloomingdales for my lack of a pair of pants that should have been here on Friday and are still showing as merely “Electronic Shipping Info Received” on the USPS website.

    • BMBG

      I’m right there with you. UPS and FedEx are fine, but somehow the United States Postal Service manages to screw everything up when they come into the equation!

    • Maddie Ross

      Here here! I hate SmartPost. I’ve stopped using the free option from several websites for that very reason (I’m looking at you Gap!). It’s like the package gets to my city and then mysteriously disappears for several days before getting to my front door.

    • MelD

      The USPS is perfectly fine on its own. What happens with SmartPost is that FedEx (or some other service) just dumps everything into some preset post office (sometimes 200 miles away) and it can take days for them to sort through the various packages and dispatch them to your local PO. There is no set arrival time that needs to be met with SmartPost, so they can keep it there for days.

    • R in Boston

      I also hate smartpost, except that its one saving grace is that the postal service will leave things for you. I cannot convince UPS that I want them to leave packages in my building’s foyer, even when I specifically call them to have them put a note on the package.

    • a lawyer

      I’m with you. It must be cheaper, b/c it is what happens with “free shipping.” Big delay in shipments to me.

  9. gref

    Just got my first post- law school offer today! I am so excited about this job…it’s exactly the type of thing I want to be doing!!! So happy to have the looking process over with!

    Sorry, I needed to share with someone other than my parents and husband. I don’t really want to start telling the world until I get a start date nailed down

  10. Anon

    I just got a rejection letter for a dream job position from the hiring person who sought me out to apply for this job. What a crushing blow on a Monday.

    • Westsidebee

      ((hugs)) I’m sorry you got bad news today. It sounds like you were close, and had your hopes up. But you are not alone in hunting for that perfect dream job…

    • Hollis

      Their loss! Seriously, it may seem like a dream job, but in hindsight you will see that it really was not right for you. I’ve been turned down for multiple jobs only to stumble into a so-so job that became a dream job. Good luck to you.

      • Anon

        Ugh I hope so. I am in a so-so job now, and thought this was going to be my golden ticket to a fantastic career. Thanks for the perspective!

    • Always a NYer

      ~*~hugs~* It’s their loss, your dream job is still out there. Sending happy thoughts…

    • A Regular Lurker

      Ugh…. something similar happened to me last Friday, so know that you’re not alone. I hope you bounce back quickly – and I hope the real dream job comes along soon for both of us!

    • Laura #2

      Just wanted to say that it helped me to hear about someone else experiencing this (although I wish neither one of us had a reason to commiserate!). I had the same thing happen a couple weeks ago and was really upset by it–it’s hard when you feel like you should have something in the bag, and then don’t. Something will work out! :)

  11. MissP

    Thumb rings? yay or nay? if yay, when and where?

    BF has gotten it into his head that he should get me a thumb ring. Personally, I’m not a fan I cop to certain negative impressions of thumb rings (and anything more than one ring per hand).

    I’ve told him that I don’t like thumb rings and he thinks I’m being silly. I’m just hoping my very lukewarm to mostly negative reaction when trying some on at his direction will be enough to dissuade him from getting me one…

    Just wondering if I’m being unnecessarily stogy or if other ‘rettes feel the same way!

    • MissP

      Apparently the moderation software agrees with my thoughts on thumb rings, as my first question has been awaiting moderation! Hah.

    • Anonymous

      Thumbrings = cool unless you’re being pressured to wear one.
      Also? Dump him. Seriously.

    • Business&LawStudent

      I think it is a completely personal thing. I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, so I don’t wear thumb rings. However, I know plenty of people who wear them all the time and love them.

      That said, if you can’t convince him of your personal dislike for them being reason enough, I’ve heard from a few places that thumb rings in many cultures are a sign of women being homosexual. (In societies where it was illegal, women would wear the rings to signal to others.) I’m not positive of which societies this was, but I’ve heard it from a few places. I’d say most men wouldn’t want to give their girlfriend a gift suggesting that she prefers women to, you know, them.

    • Seattleite

      So you’re supposed to wear something you don’t like because HE thinks it’s cool? Wow. Would you get implants if he liked that look, too, or dye your hair because he’d rather be with a brunette/blonde/redhead?

      Sigh. Have a little more faith in yourself. If he thinks thumb rings are so *&(^ cool, he can wear one. And you can find a guy who doesn’t feel a need to remake you.

    • MelD

      This is a legitimate issue? Wow. Why not get it into your head that your boyfriend really needs blue hair? After all, you’ve been dying (bad pun intended) to color someone’s hair blue since high school. Clearly you can’t dye your own hair, so his will just have to do.

  12. Hollis

    Totally off topic, but what do you think about matching gold jewelry and silver/platinum jewelry? I wear white gold rings and earrings – should I try to do a gold necklace to avoid being matchy-matchy, or should I stick with silver for consistency?

    • Seattleite

      I like my earrings and necklace to be in the same color family, but don’t worry about my rings. The watch I wear most frequently is two-tone.

  13. Adara

    I’m wondering if anyone knows the name of the alternative to hair elastics that was discussed on Corporette once upon a time? If I remember correctly, they sort of look like an elastic that isn’t connected into a loop, and you wrap it around the hair and hook it onto itself. I think someone said they were popular in Europe but didn’t catch on here. I’ve tried searching and can’t find it…Does anyone know what I’m talking about!?

    • zora

      i remember! they’re called hair bungees. there are a lot of options if you google it. I also recommend watching the videos about how to use them, it does take some getting used to to get them to work right.

    • Research, Not Law

      Sephora Ribbon Hair Ties? They were discussed a short while back, but I’m not sure if there was another product also discussed.

      • Adara

        Thank you all so much, that’s exactly what I was looking for (and going crazy trying to remember)! Thank you!

  14. Govtgrrl

    I have an interview for an adjunct teaching position tomorrow. I have no teaching experience but really really want the job. Anyone in Academia have any suggestions for an experienced lawyer looking for a foot in the door?

    • Aed

      I’m sure you’re totally prepared with this, but… are you ready to discuss your teaching statement/philosophy and give a brief lecture?

    • Pepper

      I was recently offered an adjunct position. My interview ended up being really informal – they’d basically already decided based on resume that they wanted to hire me. Just be prepared to talk in some detail about the courses you plan to teach. I also think it helped that I was flexible and willing to teach any course within my practice area, although I had specific ideas as well. Good luck!

    • kmm

      I’m a lawyer adjunct, work for the government as well for my day job. Like the poster above my interview was super informal. If it is for a specific course, talk a little about how you would like to teach it – are you going to give quizzes, do group work, a big project, etc.?

      Also ask what your certification requirements will be – I have to take something like 15 credits in the next two years to keep my license, which is kind of a burn since I’m working two jobs!

  15. anon

    They’re probably men’s earrings because only men wear huggies, at least in my office. Yes, there is one male with a pierced ear (don’t know how he gets away with it) and he’ll wear a huggie. All the women wear studs, medium sized hoops, or simple small dangly earrings.

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