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A friend was just telling me that he wired his entire home for surround sound with the Echo Dot from Amazon, and so if you're OK with the privacy issues surrounding Alexa, do note there are some great deals to be had — for example, you can get both the Echo Dot and LIFX Wi-Fi Smart Bulb for only $35 total.
I ordered this myself about a week ago, and the Smart Bulb does work with my other smart home devices. You can even get a wall mount for the Echo Dot, and you can plug it into other sources, such as as computer speakers and so on. Note that Echo Dots can be paired, so you can have your music in two, three, or four rooms — or more.
This is a great last-minute gift idea, because it looks like you can still get the heather-gray version delivered by Christmas, depending on location. (Note that the two items may ship separately.) Echo Dot (3rd Generation) + LIFX Wi-Fi Smart Bulb
Sales of note for 9.16.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – Extra 30% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off sale
- J.Crew – 30% off wear-now styles
- J.Crew Factory – (ends 9/16 PM): 40% off everything + extra 70% off sale with code
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Extra 25% off all tops + markdowns
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- White House Black Market – 40% off select styles
Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
Gift downgrade
Level with me here. I’m a mid/senior associate at a NYC firm. I have a terrible secretary. This year I’ve made a point of asking her to correct her errors rather than fix them myself. I gave an honest review pointing to her lack of attention to detail and failure to prioritize my work, both of which lead me not to rely on her.
She’s been a little abrasive to me the past 2 months, likely because of the review.
Historically I’ve give her $100 at Christmas (this is generous by my office standards and more than the old guys she works for give her, even though she actually does her work). I was set to give her $100 again but got another snotty response to my follow up on a request that I already had corrected twice and that had not gone out in time.
I want to downgrade her gift to $75. Petty? Warranted? Passive aggressive? Better not to give anything at all? It just seems so false to be irritated with her today for a pattern of mistakes and then paste on a big smile while I hand over money tomorrow.
Anonymous
I’d do $100. I completely get being irritated, but I’m not sure the holiday gift is the best place to assert that. Deal with her work product the way you deal with her work product, but I’d keep the holiday gift the same.
Anon
It’s petty. I get it, I had a terrible secretary in Bog Law too, but it’s a holiday gift not a bonus for good work. And downgrading it will just cause her to be more p1ssed off and blow off your work even more.
Anon
Big Law not Bog Law lol. Autocorrect. Also take solace in the fact that at least you could give her a negative review! At my office it was Just Not Done for associates to give paralegals/secretaries negative feedback, so I had to give her excellent evaluations every year while she blew off my work and turned in terrible work product. And then hundreds of dollars at the holidays on top of that.
Anonymous
Maybe your practice specifically dealt with cranberry bogs?
Gift downgrade
Good point on the effect it will have on future work…and I’ll give her the full amount this year. thanks for your input!
Ellen
It’s terrible in the city, at big law firms, I am told. Fortunately, I have Lynn, who is pretty good, but I do all of my own typing so all she has to do is schedule my meetings, upload my breifs into the courts, and arrange for the firm’s parties. She does an OK job, but she dote’s on the manageing partner, not me, even tho I am a partner now also. I supose that when the manageing partner retires and I become the manageing partner I will get better treatment.
But all of this is world’s better then at the big firms, where you simply can NOT get good help. Most of the assistants there are flunkies who bareley have a high school diploma, and they are very much know-it-alls, and they resent us b/c we are women profesionals while they are NOT. Lynn is OK, but she started dating Mason, and we had to counsel her NOT to have sex with him (or anyone else) on the conference room table any more. Where did they think they were? We had to get rid of Mason, b/c we could NOT afford to pay an attorney who was NOT admitted to the Bar, and was very unlikeley to ever get admitted to the Bar, even tho his dad was a big cleint. FOOEY!
Anonymous
Favorite inexpensive camisoles? I used to have a ton of the old Target Merona ones but looking to replace/update.
Anonymous
I’m cold all the time, so during the winter I wear a Uniqlo heat tech cami underneath everything. Love them!
Katie
Nordstrom Rack has some Shimera ones that I really like. They’re not SUPER cheap, but they’ve held up beautifully and don’t ride up on me.
AttiredAttorney
Costco has some that I love. I think the brand is Felina and they come in a two pack.
secretary gift
I have a terrible secretary. This year I’ve made a point of calling out her errors and asking her to fix them, rather than do it myself. I gave her an okay “average” review but also pointed out her lack of attention to detail and the fact that she blatantly does not prioritize my work, leading me not to rely on her.
She’s been frosty to me for the last 2 months, likely because of this.
Historically I’ve given her $100 for the holidays. That’s a lot by my firm’s standards, and is more than the old men whose work she DOES do give her.
I was set to give her $100 today, but can’t. A simple request has now been revised three times to fix errors caused by her going too fast and not taking my asks seriously. I had to follow up to ensure it would go out today, as I specified yesterday. I got a snotty response from her that just raised my hackles.
I need a reality check because I am mad. How terrible would it be not to give her $100 this year? What’s worse – giving nothing or giving less than before?
(Sorry if another version of this posts too, but it’s been a while and has not shown up.)
Anonymous
Don’t make the decision based on raised hackles.
Cool down, then decide, based on the kind of boss you want to be. (I’d go with fair, clear, and kind.)
Make a decision that you can be proud of 10 years from now, when she’s no longer your secretary, and a mentee is asking you for advice with a secretary.
Worry about yourself
This is good advice in general.
Falstaff
I get why it feels awkward, but I come down on the side of petty. It’s not a performance bonus, it’s a customary holiday bonus. Give her the full amount and continue to address her performance issues through the proper avenues.
anon
+1
Housecounsel
Agree with Falstaff.
Anonymous
I agree with this. And the petty knock-down on the bonus will just turn this into a back and forth of small slights traded between you, which will serve no one. Also, the older guys you work for are awful — just like the ones I’ve worked with for my entire career.
anon
Just give her the money. It’s not right, but why make your life worse over $25? It’s false, but also the path of least resistance here.
Owl Lover
I agree with the above. Especially if you’ve been giving her the same bonus for more than a couple years. Either way, she probably won’t associate her bonus with her performance. And the standard bonus might help her frosty attitude. Especially if you gave it to her with the “I know this year has been rocky, but lets work toward a better 2019” or something.
Winning bees with honey.
secretary gift
Okay, fine, you’ve all convinced me to (begrudgingly) do the right thing :)
Anonymous
Why do you have to give her anything? You work with her. She’s not a friend or family and she is paid for her work. Your only interaction is forced and from what I can tell, if you had the choice–you would replace her. Nothing in this scenario warrants a gift. Now, I am going to prepare for my visit from three ghosts…
Anonymous
I imagine at some point someone figured out that holiday bonuses engender more goodwill than just paying more without holiday bonuses so now it’s a tradition? I’m from the Midwest, so I have many memories of holidays sponsored seemingly personally by my dad’s higher ups (whom we were instructed to regard with the utmost respect). It’s all kind of awkward (as is tipping culture), but no one of us is going to change it.
LAnon
Oh yes – it feels weirdly quaint but I also remember my parents talking about my father’s Christmas bonus and me thinking that my father’s boss must be the most generous person in the world! They didn’t go into great detail, but basically, there was a day when my father would have his end of year review and get his bonus, and my mother would always make us wish him luck and I could tell that it was a really big deal. And then they’d always be happy when he got home. And sometimes my mother would make comments about vacations or summer camp being paid for from the bonus, and I would think “Wow, I can’t believe Dad’s Boss is so nice to pay for this!!!”
secretary gift
i actually agree with you. I wish I had never given a gift in the first place – not just to her but just out of principle. but now if I stop, it’ll be impossible not to take it personally.
Anony234
I have been working on a report that was to be handed in tomorrow, Friday. It’s a team effort and there has been a lot of back and forth with edits etc. The last set of edits have been coming in within the last 24-36 hours. They include changes to figures etc, including text that will take a while to finish. I emailed my boss today and asked if we could compromise on some changes–we are supposed to send something in December and the final report in January–so that we could meet the deadline we have to send this report to an external partner we work with. However he insisted it cannot be sent out without some changes he wants. Fair enough, so right now there are changes I am making. However, my contact at the external partner emailed me this evening asking if I have any results for her, this report is based on some tests done in October. I am considering asking my boss if I can ask her for more time, or taking the initiative and just explaining that the report is being worked on but will take longer to deliver, which could mean waiting till January. I have been working on this while on vacation–this was something I agreed on since my understanding was that it would be complete and sent out by tomorrow, and afterwards I would be able to spend time with my family since next week is the holidays. However, with these recent developments it seems I may have to work over the holidays. In one of the emails my boss said it could be sent out early next week–however I have a funeral this weekend, one I cannot skip, which only leaves Sunday. I know plenty of people work on Christmas and other holidays but I am reluctant to spend the little time I am home with my family working. We live on different continents, so I can only see them once a year at most. Please advice, since this situation has me feeling very stressed. TIA.
Anonymous
“Boss, I can’t work on this past Friday. Either someone else needs to make these changes or I’m getting an extension.@
Ellen
Ask for more time b/c you are depending on others who are NOT reliable and must wait for their input. FOOEY on this but DO NOT sweat this. I am sure he is aware of the general incompetence that is around everywhere, so the fact is you are pulling the laboring oar, not him, so just tell him to cool his jets, Dad says, if he gets uppity on you. It is the end of the year and we must all do our billing, so that should be enough. Good luck to you, as we feel your stress. You will get through it, and who knows, you could meet a guy on New Year’s Eve and with any luck, you will get MARRIED next year and won’t have to put up with this kind of stuff if he is worthwhile. Good LUCK! YAY!!
Anon
This year I’m not spending Christmas with my dearest family member, and hers is shaping up to be terrible (stuck caregiving for abusive family, no time off from toxic office, etc). I thought about posting here for advice, but realized I pretty much know what support I can offer in my specific situation. So instead, I thought I might start a thread in case it might inspire you to reach out to the people you know who might be stuck on similar sh!t.
A) Listen- the holidays may not be the major thing happening for them- especially if the holidays aren’t a source of joy this year. Let them talk about the things that do matter to them right now.
B)Respect their decisions. Yes, I wish she weren’t choosing to spend it with him. But that’s not my choice to make. And especially since I’ve listened (see above) to the complex motivations, I do kinda get it.
C)Try to remind them the have options. I was able to offer an openended invitation, even if she decides to come for Christmas at the last minute. Maybe you can’t, but reminding someone they are loved and people literally, “wish you were here” can help alleviate the feelings of trapped loneliness a little.
There are so many people trapped by work or caregiving right now, not to mention plenty of other situations that aren’t personally affecting my family right now. Let’s try to treat them with extra respect and compassion?
anonymous
At least one internet stranger thanks you for this. I’m pretty busy at work, live in a city with no family around, was planning on spend Christmas with my sister but she just canceled because she is sick, overwhelmed, and wants to spend Christmas with her husband’s family. (Or rather, said she isn’t up for having me as a visitor for Christmas but wondered if I could come thus Saturday and leave Sunday—she hopes she won’t be contagious by then—-so she can rest up and be ready for husband’s family on Christmas day….). I’m not mad, I get it, but it just hurts and I’m crying in my office.
Anonymous
Hugs from another internet stranger. I’m sorry you are dealing with this.
JuniorMinion
Sending you good wishes and thoughts. Might be time to have champagne and cheese for all meals on christmas and watch all the guilty pleasures on netflix.
Beat buys 2018
What are the best things you’ve bought this year that have either brought a little luxury or convenience into your life, or you are getting a ton of use out of? I love these posts and always pick up some great ideas!
Anonymous
Best: Aquitalia boots. I have thin lower legs and it so nice to have boots that don’t bag. I got them in January on sale and they look brand new despite being suede and living in a wet part of the US.
Also: Rothys. Just one pair (so far) but they are great when I have to be on my feet all day (feet are triangular shaped and swell/become painful in shoes with less give).
Anonymous
DVF on eBay. I can’t wear her wraps but I know what sizes and cuts fit and have gotten some lovely NWT dresses for $100 or so each.
Worry about yourself
A really good vacuum: refurbished Dyson V6 off Groupon, to replace the bulky of piece of junk I inherited from an old roommate, and oh my gosh, cordless stick vacuums really are the cat’s pajamas!
Also, two plush storage ottomans for the living room off Wayfair (they were 40ish each). Finally, a place to put all the blankets that were stacked in a corner, AND we can put our feet up on something soft when watching a movie, plus they offer additional seating for guests.
Gail the Goldfish
Which one exactly did you get? This is next on my furniture to buy list.
New Zealand Trip
Reposting here since I posted late in the morning thread: DH and I are heading to New Zealand for the holidays. We will be in the South Island for ~10 days (Queenstown/Glenorchy, Milford Sound, Nelson/Malborough) and Auckland for 4 days. Any suggestions for things to do/restaurants/wineries? We are already doing the Milford Sound cruise and doing day hikes around Queenstown/Glenorchy and in Abel Tasman.
Anon
Sounds lovely! You can catch some glow worms in Te Anau before you hit Milford Sound, if you have time. When you’re in Auckland, I highly recommend spending a night or two on Waiheke Island, which is a short ferry ride away. It’s beautiful and has great wine if you’re tired of sauvignon blanc. Mudbrick and Te Motu were my favorites for wine and food. I haven’t done it, but I think you can do wine tours by bike in Malborough which seems like loads of fun. Also, it’s not really on your agenda, but on the north island if you do want t get out of Auckland, cathedral cove and hot water beach are worth a trip.
OP
These are great recommendations! We will definitely try to explore Te Anau since we are staying a night there before the cruise. And Waiheke Island sounds doable as well. I wish we had more time to explore the north island. We are doing a wine tour by bike as well. It will be much needed after all of the hiking.
LAnon
Just came to recommend Waiheke Island – it was my favorite day on my entire NZ trip. I took the ferry over in the morning and spent the day hiking and visiting vineyards. I found the whole island so beautiful and charming that I was actually teary-eyed when I got on the ferry to leave. (Had drunk several glasses of wine at that point.)
christineispink
I honeymooned in NZ last year and we did the opposite trip (4 days in North Island, then 10 days in South Island). We started in Queenstown and went counterclockwise. We saw glowworms in both Te Anau and in Waitomo. I think the Waitomo experience is more impressive. But if you’re short on time, the Te Anau trip is a quick way to spend the night before your Milford Sound cruise. If you are on the Real Journeys boat, I would brownbag a lunch (from the Sandfly Cafe!). We were one of the only people onboard who brought our own lunch and it’s slim pickings on the boat (chips and snacks IIRC). Another fun evening activity in Te Anau, our hotel proprietress recommended the little movie theatre in town. It was playing a really lovely film about the nature/scenery in that area – plus they had the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted. We were only in Queenstown for 12 hours but definitely try Fergburgers (you can place an online/mobile order, which totally beats the insane line) and Pedro’s House of Lamb is a staple if you like lamb. We actually bought it with their fresh bread and used that to brownbag our Milford Sound lunch. I think Glenorchy has the original Glowing Sky merino wool shop (we bought gifts for all family members in the Wanaka shop). Our ship captain on an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound said that’s his favorite merino wool and (the only?) store where the wool is all spun and the clothing is made in NZ. Apparently other shops send their wool to China and the quality of the work is not as good.
On the North Island, Waitomo is where the glowworm caves are and also pretty close to Hobbiton. It is extremely touristy but since LotR is the reason why I wanted to go to NZ, we went. If you decide to go, book the earliest tour time you can – it definitely gets crowded and backed up. It was so much prettier all empty in the morning. We stayed in Taupo to hike Mt. Tongariro and that was quite the adventure. If you’re not quite up to the hike, we enjoyed Huka Falls and the hot springs at Wairakei Terraces. It’s called a spa, but basically the amenities are a glorified locker room. Bring your own towels and keep your flip flops close. We went a few hours before it closed but it seemed pretty quiet and very enjoyable/relaxing. I also enjoyed the redwood forest in Rotorua. Really regret not being able to do a longer hike there as it was just so pretty. If you’d like more info you can email me – christine is internet at g-mail (no spaces, you know the deal).
Reusable Ziploc alternatives?
I know this was a comment recently but I can’t find it for the life of me.
I’m looking for recommendations of a specific brand of reusable bags to replace Ziplocs. Ideally one that is dishwasher safe, comes in several sizes, and can be used in the freezer.
TIA!
Anonymous
Here you go:
https://corporette.com/the-hailey-dress/
HMUA in DC?
Anyone have any recommendations for a hair and makeup artist in DC? Looking for someone to help with occasional events and appearances.