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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Huh. You know, I've never quite seen anything quite like this striped blazer from ICB. It has familiar elements, to be sure — the stripes, the trim, the single button, the pockets — but altogether like this, with the exaggerated pockets… it looks new. I like. It's $595 at Barneys New York — I could see it being great over sheath dresses or, as here, with flared skirts. ICB Tweed Striped Blazer
Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.
(L-2)
Sales of note for 9.10.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Bergdorf Goodman – Save up to 40% on new markdowns
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- 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 – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- White House Black Market – 30% off new arrivals
Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…
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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…
mintberrycrunch
Argh, there are some gorgeous bags in the Coach Factory sale today, and I am willing myself to be strong and not purchase…. be strong… be strong…
KC
I know what you mean! I typically just delete the email but this morning impulsively clicked through and am now trying to resist the colorblock tote. Ahhhh….
magnolia
how do you get to the sale? do you have to be on their email list?
magnolia
NVM, link to sign up is here: http://www.coachfactory.com/store/
F in SF
If anyone wants to invite me to get the $10 reward, my email is sfrette at mailinator dot com
https://www.coachfactory.com/store/default/invitation/index/send/
Ellen
I love Coach! When I was in LAW school, we all went up to Maryland where the COACH had an outlet. We all FOUGHT for the bag’s when they were on sale! I still have a SACTCHEL, all very good leather, my dad says!
Myrna and I went to the DELI in the BRONX with Roberta. I had POTATOE Pancake’s with APPLE SAUCE! YUMMMMMM!!!!!! The potatoe’s were even better then Grandma Leyehs’ but I will NEVER tell her that! She is in the Bronx also, so it must be the WATER they use up there.
Robert said he can get ticket’s for Saturday’s MET’s Game. I am thinkeing about that, but can NOT get past his fish breathe and filthy mustach. I have to talk to Myrna again, b/c mabye she can talk him into washeing his mustach so that peeeople do NOT have to figure out what he ate for the LAST 3 day’s! FOOEY! And David is texteing my i-phone 3x a day. Is he IN HEAT? I am NOT interested in SEX with him. And no word yet from Ed’s freind. I do want to meet him b/c he would be a good PROVIDER for us, dad say’s.
Dad got a invite (he call’s it an HONORWAREUM) to speak at Duke over the Summer at the MBA class. I have NO idea why he would do this — it is ONLEY $10,000. I will ask him and the manageing partner. Today, the manageing partner is sneezeing alot. He say’s it’s b/c of the POLLEN, but I do NOT see any pollen around. He sneezed all over the muffin’s in the pantry so I have to DUST them off b/f EATEING them! FOOEY!
TCFKAG
When I’m trying not to buy something like that, I (a) delete the e-mail right away and (b) try to think of x number of other things I could get for the cost of that thing (like x dinners out or x movie tickets or y whatevers) and it helps motivate me not to buy the thing. Even if I won’t actually BUY those things it helps put the cost of the thing in perspective.
Does that make sense?
When I was younger I used to think “I’d have to work x hours to afford that thing” but now the number of hours tends to be too low for most things and I can justify too many purchases that way. :-P
Bonnie
FWIW, the quality of Coach factory items has really gone down.
LH
They sell both made-for-factory bags and bags directly from the Coach stores. While I don’t know that I’ve noticed a decline in quality, the made-for-factory bags are definitely lower quality than the real bags.
Anonymous
I like originality, but I think this blazer is weird and a little ugly. I’d also be afraid that the pockets (especially since they stick out the bottom) would add volume to your hips.
Question…I’m preparing to pack for a 7-day cruise in the Mediterranean. I have never been on a cruise, nor to that region, so I have no idea what to expect. I only own one bathing suit, do you think I should get another one for the trip? Anything else I might not think of would be welcome too. TIA!
Cb
I think another suit would be a good idea. There is nothing worse than a slightly damp suit.
Diana Barry
I would bring at least 3 bathing suits, but that’s just me. :)
Anastasia
Ditto In the Pink’s advice to pack light and check the dress code. When I went on a Med cruise, I brought a couple of knee length “travel dresses” and wore them for just about everything but hiking Mt. Vesuvius. Best thing in my suitcase by far! Formal night dress code has some wiggle room for women (although you will definitely feel under-dressed if you’re not at least in a c-tail dress on a formal night), but many lines are strict about the “men must wear a jacket for dinner” rule. Something to be aware of if you have a male traveling companion.
Yes, I’d bring at least two bathing suits, but I adore jacuzzis and spend time in one every day when I cruise… if they’re not your thing, you can get by with one. Along that line, I’d actually buy a cheap bathing suit just for the jacuzzi. Every cruise I’ve been on, the jacuzzi has been chlorinated enough to noticeably fade my suit.
Bonnie
I’ve never been on a cruise but have spent a bit of time traveling in warm destinations and get a lot of use from dresses like this: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=41738&vid=2&pid=387521012
Incidentally, this one is a great value. Even though I’m 5′ 4″ I bought the dress in a tall. The waist hit at a better spot and it was right above the knees.
In the Pink
Been on many cruises … we pack “light” and use the onboard laundry/dry cleaning service. Helps to reduce volume of what to pack. Be sure to check “dress code” for evenings. On formal nights we usually eat in less formal places or room service. However, the feasibility of that depends on what is “included” in your fare. We do all-inclusive lines, so we can eat anywhere and not worry about extra payments.
A windbreaker for on deck.
A hat that stays on in the wind.
Layers.
Extra swimsuit only if you are going to go two days in a row … or need to pack one in your daily excursion bag.
Towellettes etc. for WC trips.
Extra battery cards for camera, electronics, and their chargers!
Humdilly
Any tips for an all-inclusive line that won’t absolutely break the bank? I have been looking but the alcohol passes really add up.
In the Pink
We enjoy Regent. You can cut costs with their 2-for-1 sales and by booking a lower level cabin. Everything is included, even most shore excursions. I think if you select high-end alcohol there are charges, but for typical, none. There are also no instances of gratuities.
lucy stone
Celebrity is not all-inclusive but they have a promotion going right now where you can get a free beverage package. It’s called 123Go! I like the looks of Regent but it is still out of my budget.
Winning
Today I’m wearing a superb sleeveless wool sheath that I got from Ann Taylor back in the early 2000s. I have always felt like a million dollars in this, but usually reserve it for important events (meetings, court, etc.). I needed to be super-focused on some projects today and the mental lift from this outfit is amazing. I need to remind myself of the positive power of clothes more often. Off to go take on the world!
TO Lawyer
yay for feeling like you can take on the world today in your power dress! I need to remember to wear my clothes that make me feel better more often, instead of saving them for some abstract occasion!
a.
Hooray for world-beating dresses!
Anonymous
The dress that will mount the world! (Games of Thrones newbie here).
Blue
I’ve been lusting after a pair of Tory Burch Reva flats for a while but can’t seem to pull the trigger. Does anyone know if these ever go on sale? Are they ever a part of the annual Nordstrom sale or anything?
Cat
They usually go on sale only in more unusual colors (unless I’m too slow to catch them in the neutrals!) but have you tried them on? Flats with elastic around the heel like the Revas absolutely kills my feet — never again.
If you’re one of the lucky ones where they work for you, I’d wait for a friends & family. Bloomie’s just had one, unfortunately, but I’m guessing they’ll be part of the Nordstrom sale too.
Orangerie
+1 for Bloomingdale’s F&F. I’ve never seen the classic colors go on sale at Nordstrom.
I love revas
The classic colors don’t go on sale, ever. Buy from Nordstrom to take advantage of the returns policy in the event that the size is not quite right (the run small I think).
Orangerie
I’ve bought all of mine (in classic colors) for 20% off at Bloomingdale’s.
Leslie
That blazer is fugly. Not that I have the budget to drop almost $600 on a single piece, but if I did, that would be at the bottom of the list.
TJ – what are everyone’s favourite hose for daily office wear? I’ve been forced to just pick up Secret at the drug store and they suck. My toes are through them before the end of the day. I’m looking for a nice relatively-firm control top, high-rise hose.
Stephanie
I like Spanx control top hose. They’re a bit expensive but I can usually wear them for at least a month. Probably longer if I remember to file/clip my toenails.
JMDS
I like the Ann Taylor hose. I’ve tried Spanx before, but find that they don’t last long enough to be worth it.
ITDS
Hanes Silk Reflections. I get the 4 packs from One Hanes Place for cheaper than regular retail. I also size up for comfort so they are not constricting.
TCFKAG
This is also my choice (One Hanes Place is great – though if you sign up for their e-mails you will inevitably get a discount and free shipping if you wait a bit.)
In the Pink
I rely upon Aurora 15 by Filodoro. Althouh not control top, I know they have that style. They are a regular waist and wear like Iron. I get mine from shapings dot com out of Canada. Filodoro is Italian made. I remember the difference with US brands when I fail to replace my “spare” at my office – as it is such a rare occasion…and I have to deal with US brands. I’m really not a shill for this brand and the Canadian vendor, I just find the variety incredible. Filodoros are costing me about $7-8 USD.
Anonymous
to each her own. I think the blazer is lovely.
DAR
I’ve tried Hanes and a few others, but I like Talbots store brand hose best. They hold up to a lot of abuse.
Clearly Speaking
Agree on the blazer. My first thought involved a fright wig, a huge red nose, face paint, a unicycle. The pockets and stripes scream circus clown to me.
onehsancare
Me, too–but I was picturing a tricycle!
TO Lawyer
To Nonny – I was at Yorkdale this weekend and went to the All Saints store which is now open. The actual store itself was amazing (as most All Saints stores are) but I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed by the selection. I had been stalking the website lately (as a distraction) and some of the stuff I really liked online was not in stores but I still think it would be worth a visit the next time you’re in town!
Anonymous
I didn’t know an All Saints opened in TO! Time for a trip across the border.
Nonny
Thanks so much for the update! I’m not surprised by your comment re poor selection. It’s the same with Anthro – for some reason the Canadian stores always get about 30% of the current merchandise – and often not the best 30%, either. I can’t figure out the marketing rationale behind that. I was actually really disappointed with the offerings in the Yorkdale Anthro store.
Having said that, I will take any opportunity to visit an All Saints store, so will definitely go on my next trip to TO! Sadly, I have no plans to go anytime soon….
Tony
Threadjack: there is an article in the Washington Post about opting children out of state testing as a political stand. I have found that the testing in my state narrows the curriculum and that the teachers are under a lot of stress that transfers to the children. Plus, the amount of worksheets for homework is unbelievable. If you have children, is your family impacted? Do you personally see a benefit to testing for your kids? Would you opt out?
Gus
This is one of the reasons that my kids go to private school. Especially as they get older, being in classes where teachers feel that they have to “teach to the test” is really limiting. I want the teacher to feel free (at least to some extent) to follow where the students’ interests lead them – so if the class gets really fired up about some topic, they should have the freedom to spend more time on that or go into more depth, instead of feeling they have to move on to the next subject because that’s what’s on the test. The teachers at my kids’ school would all tell you that this is a major reason why they’ve chosen to teach at a private school, even though the pay is often better in public schools (at least for teachers with a lot of seniority).
Not a teacher
That and, I suspect, behavioral stuff.
Gus
How rude. Was that really necessary?
LR
I took that to mean that teachers might choose private schools over public because students are generally better behaved, not that your children are badly behaved.
Anon
I am not the person who posted above, but I don’t see how that was a rude observation. It is true. Public schools must provide education to every student. Private schools can be highly selective, and if a student has behavioral issues, they do not have to take them. The result can be a classroom without the so-called “problem students” that are present in public schools.
Meg Murry
For Anon at 12:51 – its not always true. Sometimes “problem” students at private schools get away with just about anything, especially if they pay full tuition/their parents make donations to the school. It may be the exception, not the rule, but I know people that have taught at both public and private schools and the problems may not be the same, but there are problem students at both places, none-the-less. Private school A may have less problems than public school B, but that doesn’t mean that any given private school will have less “problem students” than a particular public school.
Gus
My bad, I totally misinterpreted! I had a recent upsetting argument with a “friend” about private schools, and I must still be feeling defensive!
cc
I don’t think that was rude- I think its generally accepted that private schools tend to have better behaved children. Its a product having parents who pay for school, vs mandated by law to attend a public school. I also think that when you have a system like private school where you can just kick the kids out, you are going to get, in general more well behaved kids.
Silvercurls (aka informal Special Education Advocate)
I can’t let this thread go unchallenged–even though I sense that people are speaking out of a lack of awareness rather than a lack of compassion.
Our democratic society is based on having an educated citzenry. Access to education should not be denied because of unintentional or intentional failure to recognize that the definition of “normal” and “deserving” needs to be expanded to include kids with challenges / learning disabilities/neurological differences etc. This is a matter of civil rights. Period.
Background: I’m currently taking a course designed to expand the knowledge & skills of family advocates–offered by the Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health–which reinforces my preexisting inclination to speak out on this issue.
Longer comment:
Seeing as per U.S. Law /the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) all individuals are legally entitled to a free and appropriate public education, I’m posting a quick shout-out in defense of some of the “so-called ‘problem students'” in the public schools. These unhappy kids might be fewer in number if any–better yet, if all–of the following were reliably happening in the public school:
* Schools are NOT legally required to document their annual progress solely in terms of the students’ performance on annually administered standardized tests. The No Child Left Behind Act _might_ have been well-intentioned legislation, but it results in this horrifyingly standardized approach to school education, and “teaching to the test,” and neglecting other subjects that are important but not tested–such as art, music, physical education, daily physical activity, recess, social-emotional development, foreign language learning, and other specialized subjects.
* All school staff (teachers, principals, psychologists, counselors, etc.) actually LISTEN to parents when they express concern re their children have difficulty concentrating, staying calm, understanding the material being taught, getting through a day without being bullied by other students (or sometimes, by other staff)
* All school districts RESPOND CONSTRUCTIVELY instead of ARGUING when parents identify their children as having special needs (learning disabilities, neurological conditions such as autism, ADHD, situationally-induced emotional conditions, etc.) and request accommodations, with or without legally-described arrangements such as 504 plans or Individualized Education Plans
* All parents are actually ABLE TO ADVOCATE for their children–without being hampered by poverty, lack of social awareness or sense of personal empowerment, language barriers, cultural barriers, overall shock due to having recently emigrated to the U.S. to escape horrible conditions (war, persecution, poverty) in country of origin; also without being hampered by school employees who are threatened by new ideas, resistent to new information, or just plain unwilling to go the extra mile for “different” or “difficult” students…
* Ditto for the parents who although free from poverty, language barriers, and/or culture shock still may not have the extra thousands of dollars necessary to hire a lawyer when the school refuses to recognize a child’s disability, grant an IEP or 504 plan, or provide appropriate instruction & support
Meg Murry
@Silvercurls –
I agree with your advocacy for “problem students” that may be students with special needs that the district is not addressing. In my experience working in a very poor district however, I found that a lot of the “problem students” actually had “problem parents” and that the parents either encouraged the bad behavior (“don’t you listen to that teacher – if that Johnny hits you, you hit him back!”) or refused to meet with the teachers to conduct the appropriate testing necessary to qualify for special ed (or, in a few sad cases, didn’t understand English well enough, or were in the country illegally and therefore afraid of all school authorities, or worked many hours and/or odd shifts that made it difficult to get to the school to meet with the teachers).
I feel terrible for these “problem students” who actually have “problem parents” (or the very sad parents situations as mentioned above)- and I wish there was a better answer for the situation than for those of us who can afford it (or make sacrifices for it) to pull our children from public school to a private school. I’ve committed to keep my son in our public schools for as long as possible, but, as a product of the same public school district myself – only so long as the teachers are able to spend enough class time educating and not just disciplining or dealing with inability to discipline (due to class size, administrative support, problem parents or other issues).
As a TJ to the TJ – anyone else here really want to commit to sending their kids to public school but are worried they might have to go private/pariochal in the long run for their kids education sake?
Anon...
@ MegMurry: I don’t have children (or a husband) but I’m with you about being committed to the idea of public education, but depending on where I am, may have to go the private school route.
I attended both public and private in a state where the public schools are said to be “failing” and where we do not have NYC’s Stuy/Bronx Science/Brooklyn Tech. The difference was that in the private schools, the teachers, more often than not, bothered to put together a lesson plan that encouraged learning. When I went to the public high school, your learning really depending on the teacher. Some teachers were superb. Others, taking advantage of tenure, were just getting by, and some were downright sociopaths and pervs. Students who could figure this out and work the system to transfer out of those teachers classes and just bit the bullet to do whatever to sleep through the class and get the A to get into college of choice… but sometimes, there is no wiggle room and a student’s education can really suffer.
Then, I taught in a public school, magnet school, and charter school, all in NYC and have some awesome teachers as colleagues, and some seriously questionable folks.
Beyond the teachers, I would worry about public schools being limited by state/BOE policies like taking away recess, arts, etc.
Anonymous
that may be one positive thing you see in private schools, but I have yet to find a private school that outweighs the benefits of public schooling, and Ive opted for public schools for my children.
I dont think the standardized testing is perfect, by any means, but it is a fact of life, all the way up through college and beyond (LSAT, BAR, etc). So while i do hope my kids’ teachers find a way to both teach for the tests and teach for the kids, I simply do not view this as a problem and dont believe opting my children out of testing would serve any purpose whatsoever.
But take my statements for what they are worth, as I am heavily biased in favor of public schools and wouldnt consider sending my children elsewhere.
Meg Murry
Didn’t read your comment until after I posted above, but my husband and I really want to be committed to our local public schools – but our middle school has a horrible reputation as having a useless administration. But I’m hoping that having a core group of parents in our community that also are committed to our public schools will help the situation, but part of me is worried – because we can’t afford private/pariochal schools anyway, so I’m not really sure what our other options would be, unless our kids could earn scholarships.
NOLA
I don’t have children, but if teachers are teaching for the test, how would it help for you to opt out of the test for your child? They would still be taking the same curriculum, just not taking the test. Or am I missing something?
KLG
The thought is that if enough children are opted out of state testing, then perhaps legislators and administrators will be forced to place less emphasis on standardized testing and things will shift away from “teaching to the test.”
As it stands now, school funding under No Child Left Behind is heavily tied to performance on standardized assessments. I don’t know any teacher who enjoys this aspect of their job and many experience teachers hate they have to give up so much of the curriculum they carefully refined over many years in order to meet state testing goals as opposed to preparing their students for the next grade or to be competent in the workforce, etc.
I have a stepdaughter in middle school and I am torn on the state testing. We live in a rural area and I do think it holds her administrators accountable for a minimum quality for education (I come from a major metropolitan area and do not think she receives the same quality of education as children do there), but she also has some fantastic teachers who are really pushing her to improve in their respective disciplines and I think they are definitely hampered by having to prepare her and her classmates for these tests instead of continuing to focus on their writing, etc.
NOLA
Yeah, I can see your point. It really would have to reach a critical mass, though, to have any impact.
V
This is something I’ve thought about but not come to a conclusion on. In our city, there are some attrocious schools but some are quite good. Also, there are a ton of public magnet schools and charter schools. On the public non-magnet front, I don’t think I need to dig through test scores to figure out which are the good schools. And I’m sure that any public magnet or charter is better than any of the truly bad choices and I really want parents to have options like that. I’m glad that testing is at least purporting to hold truly miserable schools acountable, but in my city, I feel that the charters and public magnets are what is really forcing bad schools to change (if they empty out too much, they get consolidated or closed). I wouldn’t be opposed to a national test that truly told you something, but I doubt we’ll ever see that.
Anonymous
I just saw numbers in my metropolitan area and only about 15% of public charters here outperform public non-charters. Almost half underperform compared to the non-charters in the same system.
L
I will say having gone to public school and being young enough to have some of the NCLB testing apply to me, it wasn’t that big of a deal. I was in an advanced program at the time and you basically would take a day or two to practice each week about a month out from the test. Plus my state tested even before NCLB.
I think standardized testing exacerbates problems where problems already exist. Under-performing schools aren’t going to get better because you administer a test and a better than average school isn’t that way because of a test. The fact that we think we can improve what is wrong with our educational system through a score is insane. I would hope that people who opt-out of the tests actually work on improving what’s wrong in their kids schools as opposed to just making a statement the easy way.
KLG
L raises a great point. I was still in high school when my state first started the current assessments which were in preparating for NCLB. I was also in an advanced program and the tests were, as L described, really no big deal. However, most kids in advanced programs get in by being good test-takers.
My step-daughter is an average student with average to below-average test-taking abilities (she reads right at grade level and is a really slow reader. No big deal on homework assignments, somewhat problematic on timed tests). My sister teaches at a public school with a large immigrant population. Over 75% of her students have parents who do not speak English. These are the students for whom the teachers have to “teach to the test” and L is absolutely right that standardized testing isn’t going to fix these problems.
student
I was in high school after the No Child Left Behind policies were implemented. The tests are pretty basic. It concerns me that teachers think they have to “teach to it” at all. What, too interested in pretty fractals to teach basic geometry? We’re already falling behind other countries in educational standards and outcomes.
The only thing that really makes a difference is parental involvement (and the parents education levels, and whether or not the parents have been incarcerated). So it sounds like your kid(s) are already going to be fine.
In schools where parents are opting out of the tests en masse, it is unlikely that the cause of better outcomes will be the lack of standardized testing, but rather that the students have parents that care enough to consider whether the standardized testing is a bad thing.
Public School Kid
I was glad for standardized testing in school. At the end of high school when I had to take APs/SATs/etc, it was no big deal. When I had to the LSAT, same. Bar exam? Real estate exam? I’ve been taking standardized tests my.entire.life so I was at ease instead of running to the bathroom during the MBEs to hyperventilate. When I become a parent, I hope my children have the same relaxed attitude toward academic testing.
Meg Murry
Yes, I worked at a low income public school for a while that had a history of poor scores on standardized tests, and part of improving the score was just teaching the kids basic bubble test skills – like “check to make sure you are filling in the correct number on the bubble sheet every few questions”. I also thought standardized tests made SATs etc easier – but I had always been an advanced student who had generally did very well on standardized tests in general.
The parents that are opting their students out may be doing their schools more harm than good, because part of the score on the test requires 95% of the population take the test, as mentioned. So, for instance, in the small school district I grew up in with only 100 kids per grade, if just a couple parents in that grade “opted out” their children, and a few more were genuinely sick, that could lower the district’s overall rating, and therefore the money given to the school by the state, or even put the school in jeopardy for state takeover.
Also, because the tests has no real impact on the students, but do on teachers – I have friends who taught middle school who had students tell them – “I’m going to answer “A” for every answer so I can just take a nap for the rest of the test, then YOU will get a bad rating for my failing score”. And this was more than one teacher, at different schools – so anyone that thinks judging teachers by their students test scores – this is what it gets you in some places.
Last, my son in what I consider to be a good public school, and I think they do a good balance of teaching skills necessary for the tests vs teaching everything else. They get “average” overall test scores from our state, and my son seems to be learning and thriving, so that’s good enough for me. I agree that some schools go overboard pushing to get to the “excellent” ratings, at the expense of general student learning, and I would agree with the parent in the WP article where the parent and student were stressed out about homework that seemed only relevant for the standardized tests.
Anonymous
I am opting my child out and part of the point is to deny funding. When the beast stops making money (by taking mine and blackmailing me to get it back) then we might see a dent. My kid actually does very well (85-9 %tile) on tests but there is no art, music, PE, humanities so I feel that I MUST opt him out in protest.
Anon
My sister is a teacher and her students do this ALL the time.
SpaceMountain
Interesting comment. My children are in a decent public school, and I feel sorry for them when there is so much focus on the annual testing. That said, as a parent I do want some hard data to assess how the school is doing and how my children are doing, especially as they near high school. I can’t say that I have a better solution. Some of my favorite classes as a girl included home ec, typing, wood shop, and a class on basic family living where you learned to balance a checkbook, make a budget, change a diaper, perform CPR, etc. Those classes taught me useful life skills, but I guess they have been cut in favor of classes that boost a school’s scores on national testing and the students’ scores on SATs. Do public high schools have any vocational training anymore?
Silvercurls (aka informal Special Education Advocate)
I posted too high in the thread–see my long but clear (IMHO–feel free to disagree ;-) ) comment above.
Suzer
+100 on damned worksheets!
My 1st grader has testing tomorrow and Wednesday – the good part of this is that his teacher assigned no homework this week. Hallelujah! He normally has 30-45 minutes per night (when no special projects are assigned.)
Anon for this
Paris clothing question- regular poster but going anon since my coworkers know my plans :)
I’ll be there for a long weekend in a few weeks. The tricky bit is that it’s at the tail end of a longer trip, so I won’t be able to scope out the weather right before leaving. First time visitor and the plan is to mix in sightseeing with plenty of wandering and cafe-sitting time. Is this packing list a good one?
1. Running around during the day — so, late May, weather could either be full-on gorgeous spring (day dresses or capris) or a rainy chilly mess (jeans, “nice” sneakers, trench)?
2. More casual dinners — dressing up the daytime look slightly (so subbing in nicer flats or maybe heels, perhaps bolder accessories — main question is whether jeans are appropriate for dinner? Hubby would probably be in some sort of button-down and khakis for these as he is not a “jeans” person.)
3. “Nice” but not totally break-the-bank dinner — DvF wrap dress? Does hubby need a blazer?
Dreaming of Paris!
I’ve spent lots of time in Paris so I’ll try to help answer you. I tend to wear lots of casual dresses/casual tops with pencil skirts and ballet flats there because I find the baseline day-to-day look a bit dressier than it is here. Nice jeans and non-athletic-looking shoes will be fine though, especially with a trench and maybe a nice scarf to pull it all together. I walk a lot there so I spend most of my time in comfortable ballet flats and rarely put heels on.
I tended not to wear jeans for dinner unless we were going somewhere really quite casual (a sidewalk cafe or a casual pub)- people tended to be more dressed up even at the moderate places I went. I did use my daytime “casual” dresses a lot and bump them up with accessories. I would basically switch out my bigger daytime purse for a small clutch and add some jewelry and maybe a belt and voila! I bet if you take a comfortable knee-length dress that either has sleeves or that looks nice with a sweater over it you will find that you will feel comfortable wearing it anywhere.
DvF wrap dress will be fine most anywhere you want to take it and would be lovely for the nice dinner. For that dinner I’d recommend a blazer.
I have never felt overdressed in Paris but I have felt underdressed, so I tend to err on the side of stepping it up a little bit. I hope that helps!
Orangerie
I lived in Paris for 6 months and I think by late May you won’t have to worry too much about rain. Maybe bring one cooler weather outfit just in case, but for daytime I would bring a mix of dresses, jeans, and cardigans/light jackets to layer with.
WRT your question about jeans for dinner, I would go with nice black pants (cropped trousers a la Audrey Hepburn) over jeans. My rule of thumb for Paris is when in doubt, wear black.
The DvF wrap dress sounds great for a nice dinner. I’d also recommend your husband bring a blazer or sportcoat. Have fun!!
Former Parisian
Oh, are you at my firm? I’m planning a trip there at the same time as you, for a conference. Having spent two years in Paris, I’d disagree with the other two posters: you’ll be fine for dinner in most places in dark wash skinny jeans with flats. DvF dress should be fine for the nice dinner, and I think your husband would be OK in a dress shirt without a blazer. When in doubt, stick to dark colours and don’t wear anything too short (Parisians don’t really do short skirts; tunics with leggings are OK, though). Nice sneakers are ok for walking around during the day; Parisians are really fond of Converse-type sneakers.
I’d say the odds are that it will be T-shirt/jeans rather than sundress weather, but you never know this time of year. Over 78 degrees would be unlikely. Take a light jacket and/or cardigan, as it cools down considerably in the evening even if it’s warm during the day.
Lady Harriet
Sale PSA: 6pm is having a big sale for the next 3 days. It’s mostly sandals, but there are fantastic deals on some really nice stuff if you’re a lucky size. (Most of the sale items are only available in a few sizes.) They do free shipping, but not free returns. I’ve bought and returned stuff from there in the past without problems.
Anon
TJ: I’m looking for a pair of sandals that I can use on weekends for errands, etc. Does anyone have a pair they would like to recommend? I typically do not wear flip flops, so I have no idea where to start. Thanks in advance!
Lady Harriet
This might not be a popular choice, but I love my Birkenstocks. I have bad feet and can’t stand anything without really good arch support and a soft footbed, so most sandals are out for me, even from comfort brands. I have the Bali sandals, which I think are MUCH cuter than the typical Birkenstocks, and they come with a softer footbed than a lot of the other styles do. A friend of mine also has the Granada, which are pretty cute too. They’re not cheap–a pair will run you $120+ if you get real leather. I waited for a sale and paid $100 for mine, and they’re worth every penny. I probably wear them at least part of the day 4-5 days a week or more. (I live in FL, so you can get by in sandals for most of the year.)
If you’re a heels person, I have a pair of Earthies pumps that I love, and they make a lot of cute sandals (as well as some very ugly ones.) They also have a lot of arch support and are very padded. I think they make a few flat styles as well. I’m waiting for the price to drop before I buy some. They’re also very expensive, but worth it, especially if you can find them on sale.
Apple
+1 I have the Gizeh and it is the most comfortable summer shoe I have ever had by far. http://www.zappos.com/birkenstock-gizeh-birko-flor-black-birko-flor-trade
Equity's Darling
I think I paid like 30 Euro for mine in Germany a couple years ago, so definitely less than $100…I also have the Gizeh and I find them quite comfortable and supportive. Summer, at this rate, will last for 2 months since it’s still snowing, but still, I am looking forward to wearing them.
SJ
I also have the Gizeh and I absolutely love them. I got mine on 6pm.com and it looks like they’re going for $49.99 to $71.99 depending on color and leather.
Lady Harriet
Yes, I should have mentioned that $120 is the full retail price. The price does vary by style (the Bali is more than the Gizeh, for example), and 6pm often has good sales.
Also, the regular width is very wide. This is fantastic for my feet, but if you have narrow-medium feet, you’ll probably want to get them in narrow. The Bali style runs a little long too; I don’t know about the others.
PharmaGirl
I wear Ecco sandals (groove, in gold) all summer and love them. Comfortable enough for a walk into town pushing a stroller and ‘nice’ enough to wear with regular clothes.
PharmaGirl
Here’s a link…
http://www.amazon.com/ECCO-Womens-Groove-Sandal-Metallic/dp/B003Y39K88/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1366041838&sr=8-4&keywords=ecco+sandals
rosie
I love my Chaco sandals. I have had multiple pairs, you can get them with or without a toe strap (I recommend with) and with or without a heel strap (depends on what you want to do with them, I’ve been happy with both). I think they are only in whole sizes, and I am typically an 8/8.5/9 depending on the shoe, and I wear an 8 in Chacos. You can check REI outlet online to see if there’s anything on sale.
AIMS
Kork Ease. I have the Ava and find them very comfortable. They have lower ones, too.
anon
I’m wearing these most days: http://www.6pm.com/merrell-micca-mahogany?zfcTest=mat%3A1
a passion for fashion
I just bought — a week ago — a pair of sam edelman sandals that are super comfortable. it was a style i never would have picked out, or thought would be comfortbale, but i gave em a go anyway and they rock. i think they were on sale a nordstrom for less than $100. ill try to find the link.
a passion for fashion
here is the link
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/sam-edelman-trina-sandal/3211524?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=NATURAL%2F+OFF+WHITE&resultback=4504
Dessert Doctor
TJ: I’m going to be moving to NYC in the next few months, and am struggling with the challenges of real estate there. I’ve lived in NYC before, and have previously worked with a no-fee broker (which was a so-so experience). I’m considering just trying to work through no-fee apartment buildings (i.e, places where you work directly with the building and leasing office). Specifically, I’m looking for a 1-br, doorman, cat-friendly building with on-site laundry, UES or UWS, for $3300 or less. Does anyone have any advice, recommendations, or just general words of hope or encouragement? :) Thanks!
Anon
Apparently, I live under a rock. I knew NYC real estate was “expensive” but I had no idea just HOW expensive it was. $3300 for a 1-br? Hot d*mn.
Anon in NYC
That’s actually pretty affordable for a 1 bdrm – I definitely have friends paying more, and I pay slightly less. DH and I thought about moving to a trendier neighborhood that we spend a lot of time in, and it was over 4k for “luxury” buildings.
Anon in NYC
Meant to add – OP, if you are interested in considering Hell’s Kitchen, there is an Archstone property in the west 50’s that (Archstone Clinton, I believe), that is cat-friendly (no dogs, though).
Silvercurls (just plain me this time)
Ye gods! Such prices! Am clutching my pearls.
AIMS
There is a book that lists all the major no-fee rental buildings and management company numbers. I forget what it’s called but it’s in every B&N in the New York section in the city. I’ll try to stop by there and see if I can write down the title for you and post here.
There was also a book that seems out of print now called Zany’s New York City Apartment Rental and Sales Guide. You can find used copies online and it contained a lot of this same info.
Basically, you want to call management companies directly. Checking Craig’s List can sometimes be fruitfull. I once an apartment that way, direct from management company, no fee. Just be prepared to sift through a lot of b-s listings. You can also check the NY Times (Sunday, but listings come out Sat) and the Village Voice (Tuesday night for Wed. listings), but those can sometimes be frustrating too. Off the top of my head, some management companies are: Glenwood NYC, Bettina Equitties, City & Suburban, and Sky Mgmt.
AIMS
Just found the book online but it also appears out of print – Gabriel’s Apartment Rental Guide. Maybe you can find it used online? There’s also Shecky’s Apartment Guide.
You can also search on Street Easy: http://streeteasy.com/nyc/rentals/nyc/no_fee:1%7Cprice:-3500%7Carea:139,135%7Cbeds:1
AIMS
I should add that if you have any building specific questions, please post here, I’d be happy to answer.
goldribbons
+1 for StreetEasy. Very reliable.
Alanna of Trebond
If you live far upper (i.e. the 90s) in the UES, $2500 for a nice 1-br in a doorman building near the subway will be extremely doable (I used to live in one–the Monterrey). I think it is a bit more for UWS and further down in the UES–but I have a non-doorman 1-bedroom in the UWS for $2000/month.
Kanye East
My old building on the UWS lists available rentals on their website, although I’m not sure how current it is (managing agent is also in-house, so hopefully it’s pretty current). It’s ansoniarealty dot com.
Gail the Goldfish
Are you working in midtown? If so, I recommend checking out Long Island City near the Vernon-Jackson stop if you’re not wedded to the idea of UES or UWS. It’s one stop from Grand Central on the 7, and both TF Cornerstone and Rockrose have some very nice high rises along the river (search East Coast LIC for TF cornerstone’s buildings). There’s also two Avalon highrises that are no-fee, but their management is a tremendous pain. The buildings are all very new (most of the TF Cornerstone ones have opened in the past year or two) and cheaper than their Manhattan equivalents. Downside: you’re in a hurricane evacuation zone, which seems to actually be an issue now.
Dessert Doctor
Thanks so much for the advice thus far! These suggestions are great, and make me feel better about the research I’ve done in the past few weeks. Both my husband and I will be working on the East Side (me in the 60s, him in the 90s). In a perfect world, we’d live in a luxury building with wonderful amenities super close to a great grocery store, like Fairway — and a kitchen big enough to allow us to cook what we purchase. :) But, that generally seems to be out of our budget, so we’re trying to figure out how rescale our wish list into something that we can actually afford. We previously lived on the UWS near the new Whole Foods there — while we liked our neighborhood, we rented before the WF was open and the rents have definitely increased in that area now.
Thanks again for the suggestions!
AIMS
You’re in luck – there’s a Fairway that opened on East 86th. Also, you can find much cheaper rents east of 2nd avenue and there is a wonderful grocery store on 1st and 79th (Agata & Valentina) and in the east 60s and on E 96th, you have Gourmet Garage, which is awesome. Don’t despair!
It sounds like you’ll be working in hospitals based on your locations – I would look into the Glenwood buildings on York. Everyone I know who’s ever lived in one, loved it and even though it’s a bit of a hike to the train, you have a ton of buses and the buildings have shuttles in the morning and during the evening rush that take you to the 86th express subway stop.
JMDS
I would try any of the Related buildings (which are luxury buildings and allow pets), you could also try Normandie Court (which has a reputation for renters right out of college, but I hear it is turning more family friendly).
Dessert Doctor
TJ from a regular reader, occasional poster here: I’m going to be moving to NYC in the next few months, and am struggling with the challenges of real estate there. I’ve lived in NYC before, and have previously worked with a no-fee broker (which was a so-so experience). I’m considering just trying to work through no-fee apartment buildings (i.e, places where you work directly with the building and leasing office). Specifically, I’m looking for a 1-br, doorman, cat-friendly building with on-site laundry, UES or UWS, for $3300 or less. Does anyone have any advice, recommendations, or just general words of hope or encouragement? :) Thanks!
Definitely Anon
I posted a question on the weekend open thread about money and therapy and got great responses. Thank you all for your posts. It’s given me plenty to think about and I’ll be implementing a lot of the ideas.
Jeneja
Need Atlanta advice. My DH and I will have 2-3 hours to kill this coming Friday afternoon. We had tentatively planned to visit the Botanical Garden, but the long-range forecast is for rain so we need an alternative. Can anyone recommend an indoor option? Thanks.
Anon
The Diego & Frida exhibit at the High Art museum.
Suzer
I really enjoyed the aquarium. I thought I would be suffering through it for my kids, but I’d go back by myself!
saacnmama
MLK historic site or Jimmy Carter’s place.
Ex_georgian
How rainy is it? If its not a cold downpour I’d suggest wandering around Virginia Highlands neighborhood or Deacautur and check out the shops, get a cocktail, etc.
If you want to go the more touristy route, I’d suggest stopping Ebenezer Baptist/the MLK historic district for a real dose of history or the giant civil war cyclorama in grant park for some campy historic fun (and then hit 6 feet under for some awesome oysters and beer afterwards.)
Have fun!
Ex_georgian
also go to harold’s bbq for the brunswick stew!
Anon
Is Harold’s still open? They were supposed to go out of business about a year ago.
In any event, I prefer Fat Matt’s over Harolds.
Ex-georgian
Wow, I hadn’t been back to atlanta in two years so i hadn’t heard the harold’s news. that would be so sad if its gone! that place was an institution.
Anon
Also good for BBQ is Fox Bros.
Anon
Harolds is still open. But, agree with Anon belo that Fox Bros. is the best.
mascot
The Cyclorama is a unique place, there just aren’t that many left in the country. How about Fernbank or the Atlanta History Museum?
mascot
Oh, also see if there is a semi-permanent exhibit in the Atlantic Station event space. They usually have at least one (Bodies, Titanic, etc) and it’s in Midtown (if you are trying to stay in that general area)
saacnmama
I loved Fernbank with my son!
Jeneja
Thanks all; with these suggestions we may have to extend our stay :)
Philadelphia recommendations?
My husband and I are headed to Philadelphia in a few weeks to see a concert at the Trocadero on a Sunday night. We’ll probably get into town around 3 pm, and will want to get to the show around 7:30.
I’d love to find us a place to eat beforehand that is not too far, has a good beer selection, and not too expensive. If I could have everything I want – it would have cheese boards, tapas or good appetizers, and vegetarian-friendly selections. I have been searching and found some nice restaurants – tria looks awesome. But I’d really love a bar-type place with a good food/drinks menu. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
FedTaxAtty
Tria has the munchie and veggie friendly entrees you seek.
There is also the Dandelion pub (it’s a Stephen Starr restaurant), which is an English style pub. Not sure if its veggie friendly. I have only eaten there once.
For straight up awesome beer selections, look at Monks and Eulogy.
If you really want cheap, try a BYOB like Audrey Claire. There is a beer shop right across the street. Grab your favorite and then grab a table. For the quality of the food, it’s a deal you can’t beat.
Madyson (Madison?) is also an amazing BYOB, but it is more expensive than Audrey Claire.
Miss A
Second Matyson, but it’s not super veggie-friendly and more restaurant-like than Tria.
Audrey Claire has great food and more vegetarian friendly options than Matyson.
For what you’re looking for, Tria sounds like it would fit the bill.
Miss A
Tria definitely has cheese/tapas/appetizers and is more wine bar than restaurant.
Cat
Monk (beer in particular)
Tria (you mentioned it but seemed to discount it? There’s lots of small plates and cheeses)
More restaurant-y but has the food choices you want:
Garces Trading Co. (in addition to selling wine and beer, there’s an attached liquor store to pick up a bottle of wine (no corkage charge for first bottle))
Parc (perennial favorite for Sunday afternoon outside nibbling and sipping – as with Garces Trading, it’s a restaurant, but they won’t care if you only want drinks and apps at 4:30 pm)
Garces is always the answer
I think Jose Garces trading company is the answer for you. It’s casual-ish italian (pasta, pizza, small plates) that you can either byo or buy booze at.
If I were you, I would arrive and park by rittenhouse sq area. Then wander through the park and stroll down walnut checking out the store (being sure to hit 13th st) and end up at Jose Garces. From there its just a short walk (or like $ cab ride) to the troc. Then it would be like a $10 cab ride back to your car in rittenhouse at night.
January
Note that Garces won’t care if you stop in for drinks and appetizers at 4:30 or so, but if you linger past six or so, they will get antsy (and it would be better to have a reservation, in that case).
definitely Garces
Definitely definitely Garces Trading Company. I’ve mentioned here before that my BF runs their cheese and charcuterie program (yes, he makes the potted duck; yes, I am a lucky woman), so I speak from experience when I say that you will have an incredibly delicious, varied meal of cheese and munchies. (If the cauliflower appetizer is on the menu that day, GET IT. Also the funghi pizza.)
Garces is always the answer
oh my goodness! dream boyfriend.
can we be friends in real life? seriously.
definitely Garces
Ha, I will tell him you said that and he’ll be chuffed. (Although apparently the company is becoming rather unpleasant to work for, so he may not be a Garces man for long . . . )
Yes, we can totally be friends. I am definitely up for being friends with anyone who shares my love of cheese and prepared meat products.
Scully
A lot of the above-mentioned places have a definite restaurant feel (and the beer selection can be so-so). Monks and Eulogy are unparalleled for Belgian beers (and the Belgian Cafe), but if you want an American craft brew selection in a bar setting, try Good Dog Bar, Khyber Pass Pub, or Prohibition Taproom. You might also like Brauhaus Schmidts – it has a fun cheese board and awesome German beer served in one-liter mugs. I would say Standard Tap in Northern Liberties or Barcade in Fishtown, but they’re pretty far. You’ll need a cab for those.
If you’ll be at the Troc, have you thought about Yakitori Boy? It’s a Japanese tapas place with karaoke. Beer selection is poor, though.
Miss Behaved
Yay. It’s a holiday here in MA, although until I worked for the university I never had it off. And by this time tomorrow I’ll be in the Dominican Republic.
Nonny
Anyone else daydreaming about tax refunds? It turns out that I probably have a substantial one coming my way and so far I’ve restructured what I am going to do with it about 10 times in my head. I may not get it for months, but it can’t come fast enough!
Veronique
I just finished my taxes (I know! Bad!), hoping for a decent return and instead I pretty much came out even. Intellectually, I know this is a good thing (not giving the govt an interest free loan), but emotionally, it sucks because I had already planned to use it to treat myself! Must remember that this is a good thing…
NYNY
Me! We did our taxes last night, and when I saw what was coming back, I did one of those “I could have had a V-8!” face smacks. Why didn’t we file in February? Mama needs new shoes!
For some reason, my city and state withholding always seems off. I’m always within 5% of my Federal withholding matching my tax, but NY & NYC is usually off by more – nearly 20% this year! Any HR types know why/how that happens?
Brant
hahhahaha REFUNDS. We owe. We knew it was coming and have been paying estimate taxes all year…but it still annoys me.
When I know a refund is coming, my taxes are filed in early March. This year, I’m submitting them tonight. Tomorrow for my state taxes (woo hoo MA)!
anon atty
this is the first year that my husband and i are both partners at law firms (of course, something we are both proud of), but as a partner, you dont have taxes withheld (and there are things you now pay ofr that the firm used to pay for) and instead pay them quarterly. On April 15, both the extra payment for last years taxes, plus this years 4/15 qtrly payment is due. lets just say i could have bought a small house in many states with what the feds got from us today. Worse problems to be had, sure, but seeing it all at once is quite a shock.
Parfait
Sadly, no, I had to pay. Boo.
Anon in NYC
Ever since DH and I got married, we’ve owed. Last year it was a shock how much we owed. We refused to adjust our withholdings, figuring that we’d rather save our money and collect the pittance of interest that ING provides instead of giving the government an interest free loan. We planned on owing the government the same amount this year and were pleasantly surprised when we owed them less than we had saved! We immediately transferred our extra cash into our vacation account.
Anonymous
#firstworldproblems
NOLA
My tax preparation this year was depressing. I have a small part-time job. They finally put the part-timers on W-2s so at least I don’t have to pay self-employment tax, but they don’t withhold federal taxes – I guess because they wouldn’t know what our total income is and we are all over the map income-wise. So I started doing my taxes on H&R Block online, put in my day job and I would have gotten about $950 back. Added the second job and my refund dropped to $60. Wah wah.
Equity's Darling
I did my tax return like…3 weeks ago? I got a sweet refund, though it’s the end of my tuition tax credits. Boooo. I topped up my RRSP. Not fun, but hopefully responsible? And maybe get me refund next year too? I’m hoping 65 year old me says thanks to 25 year old me, but really, I’ll probably end up using part of it for the Homebuyers Plan? Either way, it’s tucked away, safe from my J.Crew loving hands.
Meg Murry
We are only getting a small federal refund back, which I guess is a good thing compared to owing several thousand last year (which we anticipated due to unique tax circumstances last year, but it still hurt).
What really hurts is the $1500 + in local taxes we owed, in addition to what was taken from our checks. Our state cut income taxes in the past few years in an attempt to be “business friendly” and then cut the funds given to local municipalities and schools, so they are all raising local and property taxes so as not to go bankrupt. I need to do the math to be sure, but I think since our local government taxes purely on income (with no deductions or adjustments for kids, mortgage interest, etc), our family may have paid more taxes to our local municipality and school district than to the feds or state.
We also have a weird tax situation, so today is my day of reading over what my husband prepared and saying “are you sure that’s correct? What about this? Or that?” in fear that we missed something and actually owe way more. I’m sure I’ll have nightmares about that off and on for a few weeks now. Ugh. The only comfort is that an IRS audit can’t be any worse than an the audits I’ve dealt with at work with [Major Automotive Companies who shall not be named] or the EPA, or any of the auditors for ISo-9000, OSHA, QS-[whatever number they are on now, etc].
Wannabe Runner
I know the prevailing wisdom is to “not give the government an interest-free loan” for the year, i.e., it’s better to pay at tax time than to get a refund.
But I would much rather have the government withhold a little more than I owe, and get some back. It’s like a forced savings account. When I get it back, I can do something awesome with it. Let’s be honest, my real savings account is making less interest than the inflation rate anyway.
Batgirl
Semi-dumb question: I often see people reading articles and news items on their ipads while in the subway–how do I load up my ipad in the morning with that sort of content so that I can read it without internet access? Is it a matter of loading a reader app or am I missing something painfully obvious?
Thanks!
Veronique
I use an app called Pocket. It coordinates with phones, tablets, etc (both i and android) and there’s applets for your computer and even twitter. With a click of a button, you can add articles and read them whenever.
Anoooooon
I use an app for this – Pocket (Formerly Read It Later). You add it to your web browser, and can mark articles you want to read later. Then they’re downloaded to your iPad and you can read them when offline. It’s a great anti-procrastination tool, and it is the way I’ve found most convenient to read when offline.
TCFKAG
So – there are versions of the Ipad that come with 3G or 4G internet access so its possible that they simply have internet access, just like on their phones.
But there are also apps that allow you to, say, load the NYTimes or Slate or whatever newspaper you like in the morning before you leave and then access the articles offline later (I believe). Plus once a website is open I think you can generally scroll through it, if there’s a long article or something you wanted to read.
CDA
I use Pocket. Very simple, does exactly what (I think) you are describing.
eek
I also use pocket. And in Flipboard, I e-mail articles to my pocket address.
SEATTLEITE
You don’t need a separate app. Use the “add to reading list” function of your bookmarks. The reading list works w/o wifi. If your news article is more than one page, read it with the “Reader” function in the browser bar.
Hey everyone, I’m alive, and finally starting to feel human again. I appreciate the letters, packages, and good wishes, especially in light of my silence. It’s been a pretty rough go, but it is almost over!
rosie
Great to see you!
TCFKAG
HI HI HI HI HI HI
So glad you’re getting through.
Jules
So glad to hear it, and welcome back!
Batgirl
Thanks, all! I figured there was a simple way to do it!
eek
eek observation: the front of the jacket looks like it has mud flaps/splash guards. :/
Parfait
Talk about mud flaps, my gal’s got ’em.
Anoooooon
I have a question about job hunting – informational interviews. How does one do them? This idea seems even more foreign and awkward to me than networking events.
For background, I am a third-year law student about to graduate in May. I have great credentials (not to toot my own horn too much) and solid pre-law-school work experience, but I currently have no after-graduation employment plans and am getting more worked up by the day about this. I’m trying to work in DC or NoVa, because my husband works in that area and we don’t want to move or be apart. I have alerts set on pretty much every job posting site, so I’m working the job postings already. I think I need to do more.
So, do I just start calling up alumni and asking them out for coffee? For a phone call? Email them questions? I read that I’m supposed to ask questions, but I have no idea what to ask (aside from “Will you hire me?,” which I’ve been told not to ask). This is really out of my comfort zone, so I would really appreciate some guidance.
big dipper
My friends who have had the most success with information interviews approach them as a resource. They locate alumni working in the geographic region or practice area of their choice, set up the interview, and come prepared with questions about (a) the legal market in that area and (b) the practice area, and how to get ahead.
For example, a friend of mine wants to do health law, and has met with a number of health lawyers. At the informational meetings, she’ll ask them questions about their current job, ask about their prior jobs, ask what skills they thought were important to breaking into health law and how they acquired them, ask what classes were most useful, and generally ask for advice on how to develop the skills/experience needed for the practice area. In the second part of the interview, they usually discuss recent developments in the field.
She’s turned those informational interviews into contacts by following up asking for additional advice (examples – I have an interview at X organization that does Y work, what skills should I focus on selling? or I saw this article about the work that Z organization is doing, how will that tie into your project Q?, etc etc). That way the person feels more like a contact/advisor and less like they’re being used for a job.
I’m still a student though, so take this with a grain of salt. I think people who’ve been doing the info interviews are probably better advice givers here.
Sue
I’m also on the job hunt–but not in law, I’ve approached them as big dipper describes it. The follow up part about turning them into contacts by asking for additional advice is a good idea–may try it in future. If you are on Linked In use it to find people in a company or a new field you would like to venture into. You can do a search by company and LinkedIn shows you how far off a specific contact is e.g. 2nd connection etc. You can request an introduction from one of your own contacts to someone and take it from there. Just did this recently. Personally I prefer a conversation, so far I’ve spoken to someone on the phone. Sometimes the conversation can yield another contact. Email can also work but in case you have a number of questions it might mean a lot of back and forth. I’m not sure many people want to do that. IMO meeting for coffee or in an office is the most ideal if the other party is available. YUse Google to find more tips and info on how to craft any emails you send out. That’s how I started and it has been helpful.
kc esq
I did a ton of informational interviews when I was looking for a job several years ago. I never did a true cold call, but I asked people I knew who they thought I could talk to about what they do, etc. I made sure I got permission to use their names when I contacted their referrals. I just found a hook and sent an email with “Jane Doe referral” as the subject and asked if they would have time to meet for coffee and share the benefit of their experience. The responses I got were so very generous. Of course, a few emails went into black holes, but overall it was very worthwhile. Never ask for a job or attach a resume before the contact asks for one. I often asked about recommendations for volunteer work when I actually sat down with people, so that I wasn’t asking for a job straight out — we always ended up talking about where they thought I could get a job, anyway.
Private School
I went to a public high school in a school district that is national recognized for excellence, and where 10-20% of grads go to ivy/ivy equivalent colleges. DH grew up in Dallas, where public schools are NOT great, and he went to one of the top private schools in the area. We ended up at the same (excellent) college.
We are now discussing public vs. private education for our kids as they get closer to school age. DH has been hell-bent on private school because of his great experience. I had a great public school experience and would send my kids to my alma mater in a heartbeat. But we don’t live near it. We live in a town with a very good but not blue-ribbon-of-excellence high school (top 25 in the state).
Yesterday, we got some information from the local Boston area private schools– DH’s jaw dropped when he was that a year of tuition was between $28 and $35k for the couple of schools we had been considering (tuition gets higher as kids get older). We looked up current rates for his old school and saw they were about $10k less.
Our options are: 1. fork over big $$$ for private school 2. move to a town with a better school district (which wrecks one of our commutes) 3. stick with our town’s school and move our kids out if/when they aren’t being challenged 4. let them start in our school district and move them as they get older 5. other?
How did y’all with kids in school make the public vs. private call?
Divaliscious11
We have one in private, one in public, although its looking like we will likely go private for both for high school, and possibly even boarding school.
We picked the right school for the kid. They have different learning styles and different learning support needs.
We decided to live where we felt we would be the most comfortable as a family.
Private School
We’ve thought about boarding school as well- there are a lot of great options at are in line with the costs of day school around here. I wouldn’t board until high school, though, so I have a bit of time.
anon
I would say number 3.
Meg Murry
I commented above, but we are also going with 3, along with getting to know lots of parents with the same ages as ours as well as older, so we can keep an ear to the ground about what is going on with the schools, and try to have a committed group of parents that are advocating for the local schools instead of just pulling our kids out. Plus, we really can’t afford private right now and don’t want to do parochial. However, if our kids expressed interest in private or boarding in the future and take the initiative to do some research on them (and especially scholarships/financial aide) I might be willing to consider it for middle/high school. My public high school education got me to a top ranked undergrad with some great teachers, but I was overwhelmed with being unprepared compared to the other students once I got there, and kicked myself that I had never followed through with applying to boarding schools for high school as I had considered. Its definitely got to be a kid-by-kid and situation by situation decision though – my husband and I did pretty well at our local public schools, but a few great teachers retired and a few “experimental” programs were undertaken and our younger siblings didn’t have nearly the same experience we did.
Bewitched
We chose a home in the best school district in our area. Taxes are high, but they are much less than a year’s worth of private school tuition. That said, I second what Divalicious said above-we sent one child to private school for a year because we felt it was the best place for him. It was an experiment that didn’t work, but that was largely due to the kid and not the school.
I do think that, as long as you have a decent local school, public vs private isn’t all that much of an issue until after 5th grade, but I’m sure that is a controversial topic and other might feel differently.
Seventh Sister
Having gone through the process of choosing a kindergarten for my eldest (where did the time go?), I would encourage you both to tour/go over to/seriously consider your local public school as a starting point. You may be pleasantly surprised. I was, especially since our local school was not considered to be the “best” in our local district.
And speaking of “best,” the school with the best scores may not be the best school for your child. I really like our chosen school’s smaller size, the physical plant, the principal, the kindergarten teachers, and was far more impressed with them than their counterparts at the school that gets all the name recognition in our district.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the district’s reputation may change over time as well. A “weak” high school may be much stronger in 8-10 years. I feel like a lot of professional people my age (mid-to-late Gen Xers) can’t easily afford private school and are willing/able to be very involved public school parents, instead of opting out by choosing private school.
While I was probably way more intimidated by my professors at Fancy Seventh Sister College than my classmates who had gone to prep school, I did pretty well. And I think public school was valuable in terms of exposing me to a certain amount of economic diversity that was simply not present in my college experience.
May
I cannot comprehend how anyone could actually go to work in this, and put in a day’s solid labour, but to each his own.
This community is absolutely the best. Cyberhugs.
Love reading but post rarely since enormous time difference usually has me reading everything late.
Manager by Day, Mom at Night
Not a fan of the pockets on the jacket.
TJ right off the bat – I need some perspective. I have a great job and career that I really do enjoy, which pays well and actually requires me to apply my grad degree, my interpersonal skills, and desire to manage and coach a good-sized team. I like what I do and generally am performing well (not great, but well enough for my manager and me to be happy).
But today is my baby’s first day at daycare and after almost a year spent taken care of by family, she’s having a pretty rough day. I know I should give it time, but I’m really close to throwing it all in and quitting so I can be a SAHM for a year or so, or until she’s ready for preschool. I don’t really want to quit (we could use the $$, and I really do enjoy my job) but I hate, hate, hate being away from my child. I really don’t know what to do. Is it just the first day jitters? Should I really take the plunge and quit? Does it get better?
Anon
Caveat – I’m not a mom. But I think you should give it time. It could be that the right answer for you and your family is for you to take a year or two off to be a SAHM, or it could be that the right answer is to keep working. But you can’t decide that based on one day of your child in daycare. Especially because she could have had a terrible day today at home with you for all you know – teething? growth spurt? random baby gremin mood? You can’t make this decision without all the facts, and you can’t gather all those facts without giving this new situation some time to see where all the chips fall.
Anon in NYC
Ditto to all of this.
NYC
Oh my gosh, it will definitely get better! It is the first day! Of course she’s going to be a little out of sorts, as her schedule and caregivers are switched up. This would probably happen, too, on her first day of pre-school!
Give it a week (ideally, a month) and see how you are all settling in. Maybe take a day off at the end of this week or next week to get some extra time with her.
Other than the personal questions you are asking yourself, I would ask what the impact on your career would be if you took a year off (not to mention the mechanics: would you still have your same job available to you?)?
EB0220
I sympathize. Making the transition to daycare is really hard. I have found that it takes me about a month to get comfortable with a new set of teachers when my child moves to a new classroom. (She is 1, but we have had a couple of transitions so far.) Definitely give it a little time. Especially if your child is around a year old, he/she may be struggling with some separation anxiety, too, which doesn’t help the situation. After a couple of weeks, you will get to know the teachers, they will know your child, and you will get into a rhythm. If you don’t feel comfortable after a month or so, you may want to reassess your daycare choice. My daughter has been in daycare since she was about 8 weeks (she is now about 14 months) and it took me a solid 8 months to feel really ok with being away from her during the day. I still question it some days (like today). I think it’s normal.
mascot
It gets better. How do you know that the day is going poorly? You may have just seen the webcam during a tantrum or called as she was fighting her nap. The adjustment is going to take some time. And it could be any number of things that are bothering her, teeth, her outfit, different lighting for her nap, etc. She’s probably getting different stimulation during the day and still learning her way in a new place. So be prepared that her moods and sleep may be off for a few days or weeks. That doesn’t mean her daycare is inherently bad, it just means that she is going through a transition. Hang in there.
saacnmama
Being away from your kid is hard, especially when they don’t seem to like where they are. It’s especially hard, I think, to know where the balance lies between letting your kid(s) run your life in a way that’s ultimately unhealthy for both of you and doing what they need for their development. Maybe you could find a compromise. Here are some thoughts to get you started.
Any chance the daycare would let you hang out for 15-20 min at the start of her day while she adjusts? I arranged for that and mine pretty much told me to beat it after a couple minutes.
Are you raising her together with your partner, and could you arrange your schedules so that she’s with a nanny for a shorter day, one of you in the morning, and the other in the evening? Full-time nannies are expensive, but someone who’s own kids are in school 9-3 might like to make a little extra money for 5 hr a day.
Would her daycare day start better if she could nurse (if you’re doing that) right before you leave the building?
I wish I could say that this is the one big, tough, monumental decision for parents, but I’ve hit a bunch more that are that hard already, and mine’s only 10. Good luck!
RR
Give it at least 2-4 weeks before even thinking about making a decision. My kids, and all their friends, LOVE daycare. LOVE it. Get sad when they can’t go. In a month, your daughter may love it too, and you will never know if you don’t give it a chance. On the flip side, it won’t hurt her or scar her long term even if she still hates it in a month and you decide to take a different path.
Meg Murry
Yup, this. My kids love daycare too – even the baby. This weekend, my 16 month old shoved his shoes and coat at me and waved byebye then pointed at the door – he WANTED to go to daycare, and was upset when we didn’t leave. It will take some time to adjust, especially if she is going through separation anxiety, schedule changes or adjusting to not being 1 kid: 1 adult, but it will get better.
Do you know any parents with kids in the same class or who had the same teachers previously? I felt much better about daycare when I discussed with others and heard from other parents how great our daycare and teachers were. Plus, they got my kids on a sleep schedule, got them to eat vegetables I never would have even thought to serve and potty trained them! Daycare is the best, IMO, unless you are the type who is really cut out to be an awesome SAHM (and some women are, but I’m not one of them).
Lobbyist
Give it a week or two before you do anything drastic. And if she doesn’t like it after a week or two I’d find a new day care before quitting. Kids have a hard time adjusting to change. I’d bet by the end of the week she will be eager to be there. Hang in! You can do this.
ohc
I’m facing what is surely a no-win family situation, but I’d appreciate some wisdom from the hive.
My mother, with whom I’m relatively close and whom I see fairly often, spent the weekend visiting my younger sister, with whom I’m *incredibly* close. (Sister and I talk every day, multiple times per day.) Mom and sister have a strained relationship–they’re just very different–and don’t see each other often.
Sister tells me that Mother initiated a conversation about how much she likes sister’s boyfriend–and then went on to detail the many reasons why she dislikes *my* boyfriend, with whom I live and whose hospitality my mother has enjoyed several times. (There is absolutely no reason for sister to be lying about any of this, and I trust that she isn’t.)
My mother and my boyfriend are also very different, and I’ve certainly never expected the two of them to be bosom buddies, but I think mutual respect and affection is certainly a reasonable expectation. My mother is definitely judgmental, and she’s also the kind of person who complains just to make conversation–so I’m not sure whether her apparent dislike of my BF is actually deeply felt or just something she said conversationally. I’m not sure it matters.
I want to tell my mother that this is absolutely unacceptable and that she can either be a grown-up and respect the person with whom I choose to spend my life or she can not spend time *in* my life. How bad could this get?
No drama mama
I think the key to interacting with these negative people who complain to make conversation is that you can’t feed into your negativity. I would just refuse to engage with your mom when she is being negative and NOT TELL the person that she was complaining about what was said. I would then immediately change the subject.
It sounds like your sister meant well with passing along with these comments from your mom, but I would just refuse to engage with it. In that scenario, I would just respond to your sister something along the lines of “That’s disappointing she said that. She has not expressed any similar issues to me though so I will assume that this is not a real concern of hers until I hear otherwise from her.” I would also make a deal with your sister that you won’t share with each other what your mom says about the other if its negative. I really don’t see what’s to be gained from doing this, assuming that you still want to have some sort of relationship with your mom.
I think you can’t let yourself be drawn into these webs of negativity.
TO Lawyer
I would agree with this. My mom is very critical and often negative and I have found the best way to deal with her is not to engage. Unfortunately, I’m often very sensitive when it comes to comments she makes so I do get upset, but I try not to show that. I think sometimes when she’s in a bad mood, she tries to drag other people down but I ignore her mean comments and change the subject. Hugs though – this is really hard! (take it from someone who in recent weeks has been called cold, uncaring, unglamorous, my new hair cut was compared to someone who is 65, pathetic and heartless). Just keep on doing your thing and don’t let her get you down.
Anon in NYC
Has your mother told YOU that she doesn’t like your boyfriend? When she stays at your place, is she pleasant to him? Assuming that she has not said anything to you about your BF, and is pleasant to his face, I would just ignore it. This is definitely a no-win situation, and despite your hurt feelings about hearing this (completely understandable), if your mother hasn’t said this to you and is nice to your BF, I actually think she is giving you (and him) respect and affection — loving you, respecting your decision to be with your BF, and trying to like him for your sake.
And, I will say – I think your sister is in the wrong here. There is nothing to be gained from her sharing these things with you, especially if the list of things that your mom doesn’t like about your boyfriend doesn’t veer into actually scary things (physical, mental, verbal abuse).
Something that I’ve learned over time is that families talk about each other beyond each other’s backs. Not always in a bad way, but if we tell my MIL something, I can pretty much expect her to tell my BIL and SIL. Or I can count on her to tell us all of her opinions about BIL and SIL, warranted or unwarranted. And I know she’s talking to them about us. I think this is one of those things that – assuming it’s not really egregious – you just have to let go.
Anonymous
Not to mention – you point out that Mom has enjoyed his hospitality in the past (which sounds like you feel it’s two-faced if she dislikes him) – you probably don’t want the opposite, where she is outwardly rude to him. Sounds like she is polite, but doesn’t necessarily like him. Things are working as they should.
Your sister shouldn’t have told you. In fact, did she break your mom’s trust in telling you?
Anonymous
This. Your sister is stirring up drama.
cc
Actually sorry, but its not unacceptable to not like someone. You say that she needs to treat him with respect, which I agree with, but nothing in that paragraphs says she isn’t treating with him with respect. I would just ignore it. Also, your sister is in the wrong for telling you. She shouldve just said “oh ma, you know I like her bf. lets move on” and not let her go on about it and then turn to you and tell her. It sounds like your mom doesn’t like your bf, which is fine. As long as she is civil and polite, that’s what is important. Obviously in an ideal worldn she would like him but its not the end of the world if she doesn’t. You could mention you were hurt that she was badmouthing him, but be prepared that means you are going to get her and your sister in a tiff probably. I would personally just let it go unless it comes up again, or she is rude to him.
ohc
Hmm. Thanks, ladies, for all the feedback–I hadn’t been thinking about not-engaging as a course of action, but I see what you are all saying. I guess I will bite my tongue for now and assume that good behavior will continue.
Bewitched
I would also consider whether mom “exaggerated” her feelings about your bf-maybe the conversation with your sister about sister’s bf didn’t go well, and sister was mad, so mom started discussing another topic to minimize the drama with your sister. In other words, mom really did say it, but it may have been highlighted more to avoid a major argument with sis. Which would all still point to bite your tongue and ignore.
Em
Yes, or – in light of her strained relationship with sister and relatively close relationship with you – was clumsily trying to bring herself closer to your sister on this point (feeling like she might have come down too far in your favor in the past). And your sister, having a strained relationship with your mom, was probably not inclined to take any of it charitably.
Elle
Your sister is s s h * t stirrer and you sound enmeshed in what is probably a fairly unhealthy family dynamic. Stop getting involved in their drama.
Applying for jobs
I was the person, about a month ago, who was debating whether to apply to a position available at the company where I am currently interning, and whether to bring it up with my supervisor.
I applied for the position and my supervisor said he’d be willing to help in anyway he can, including finding out who the interviewer would be so he could give me some advice to what he/she would be looking for. However, while I received an email confirming that my application went through (I had to apply via the Oracle database thing they use), I haven’t heard anything more. Should I ask my supervisor about this? And if so what would I ask?
IA_Eng
That’s great that your supervisor was supportive. Do you know what the typical time frame and steps ares for the internal interview process at your company? If not, I would just ask your boss what the typical time frame/process is – e.g. will you not hear anything more unless you’ve been selected for an interview? Do you typically hear one or another within a couple weeks? If this case seems to be falling outside the norm, I would then ask your boss if he has any ideas on why this might be or if he can recommend who you should contact (like the HR person who deals with internal recruiting).
Applying for jobs
Thanks! I’ll keep this mind and try and talk to him later this week!
Amy H.
All I can see when I look at this jacket is a Baja hemp hoodie:
http://oldglory.com/lp/Royal-Stripe-Woven-Baja-Hoodie/p/66269?gclid=CNaxp7y_zrYCFQ-CQgodP0sAyA
Danica
Having an expensive brazer like this will it make me happy? No, there are lots of other blazers or clothing available at lower prizes. Which will look similar to this blazer. I rather buy cheaper clothes than buying this expensive blazer.