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Here's a great gift idea for the holidays — or a little treat for yourself as we move into 2024…
If you want to get back into journaling, or you want to finally start the habit, here's a method that's low-pressure and low-effort, but totally worthwhile. This small book holds five years of journal entries, but each day only has room for a few sentences or so — just the right amount of space for quick-and-dirty summaries of what happened on that day.
Each page has a space for the same day of the year for each of the five years you'll use it, though everything is undated so that you can start it anytime. The journal also has three blank pages at the end that are labeled “Dates to Remember,” and I use them to list major things that happened in each of the five years.
I've gone through two of these over the years, and while there are big gaps here and there (VERY big gaps in my second one), I'm really grateful even to have little tidbits of both notable days and more run-of-the-mill ones.
If a journal full of big empty pages seems intimidating to you, this is the perfect way to ease into a regular journaling habit.
The One Line a Day journal from Chronicle Books is available at Amazon. The company also makes other cover designs, as well as special editions for newlyweds, moms (not dads, apparently), and families, plus a gratitude journal format.
P.S. If you're looking for a kids' gift idea along these lines, I recommend this “Letters to Me, When I Grow Up” time-capsule kit!
Sales of note for 11.5.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Extra 40% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 25% off with your GAP Inc. credit card
- Bloomingdales is offering gift cards ($20-$1200) when you spend between $100-$4000+. The promotion ends 11/10, and the gift cards expire 12/24.
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Fall clearance event, up to 85% off
- J.Crew – 40% off fall favorites; prices as marked
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – New sale, up to 50% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Buy one, get one – 50% off everything!
- White House Black Market – Holiday style event, take 25% off your entire purchase
LizzieBennet
Can we do a podcast roundup? I imagine I’m not the only one trying to fill some travel time.
Recently I’ve liked Maintenance Phase and If Books Could Kill. I also really enjoy Detours, the podcast for Antiques Roadshow.
Cb
I have a very long commute and travel a lot, so in addition to my news, parenting, culture, podcasts, I like series podcasts, especially when I’m travelling solo. Next Year in Moscow, the Shamima Begum story, Deja News, Love Commandos, Classy.
Anon
Not a podcast, but checked out from my local library on my Libby app (and I listen through the app as well)
Ann Patchett “These Precious Days” – a book of essays so it’s easy to just listen to one if you can’t sit for the entire 11 hours. I’ve been trying to take forced breaks from screentime and work and this has been great one essay at a time – I knit while listening to help me focus.
anon
I really enjoyed City of the Rails. It’s about a woman whose daughter runs away to join hobos (the actual term they use for themselves) riding the trains. Super interesting.
Anonymous
Gastropod! My absolute fave indie podcast.
Anonymous
Murder on Sex Island is funny
Anon
Murder on Sex Island is funny
Anon
The Retrievals
Milk Street
and I still enjoy…
Story Collider
Fake Doctors, Real Friends
The Moth
Moose
Articles of Interest is perfect for this crowd – fashion history/culture, really well done.
Anon
+1, and the same presenter did another podcast about utopias, which I enjoyed.
Explorette
Tim Ferriss. Almost every episode I learn something I can apply and he interviews really interesting people.
Anon
Handsome (pod) – I legitimately laugh out loud multiple times an episode and have relistened to eps. It is so so funny.
Celebrity Memoir Book Club
The Jordan Harbinger Show
Out of the Pods (for LIB fans)
Parks and recollection
Beautiful Anonymous
anon
Two specific gift links needed:
1. an at-home water distiller
2. an at-home karaoke machine
For both, I’m looking to spend sub $200 but get something that will last and is easy to use. Watchu got?
Anon
I’d check Wirecutter to see if they have recommendations.
Anon
High stakes question and a thank you. Question : what’s your recipe for your best creamy Mac-n-cheese? Emphasis on creamy.
And thank you to the person who recommended the Char-broil turkey air fryer. We did a test run and it made a spectacular chicken, can’t wait for actual turkey this year (which will be a first, I’m not usually a fan.)
Anonymous
I cook the noodles and make a cheese sauce (roux of flour and butter, milk and cheese until thick-ish). Mix them together, pour into a casserole and top with more chesse, then bake until the cheese on top is bubbly.
Sometimes I crush chips and put them on top, and sometimes I add meat and seasoning (chicken and bacon is a favorite).
KS IT Chick
This is my basic recipe as well. I also often add Thai red curry paste to the roux to add some extra flavor.
Anne-on
Do you want creamy baked mac and cheese casserole or like a homemade version of kraft? If it’s the second one your best bet is to make a roux, stabilize it with evaporated milk, and then stir in heavy cream with your cheeses (a little at a time) to make a cheese sauce, adding in the cooked pasta at the very end.
Anne-on
It’s basically this, but skip the baking step and make sure the pasta is fully cooked, not slightly al dente. I skip the creole seasoning and cayenne as we’ve got small kids who hate spice eating it but do use either mustard powder or dijon and smoked paprika (and dust extra paprika over the top before it goes into the oven).
https://www.africanbites.com/baked-mac-cheese/#How-to-Make-It
Anon
This is basically how I made mac & cheese. It’s fine out of the pot, can be baked but if you’re planning to bake it just make it wetter. I like to sprinkle paprika on the top for baking, but for stovetop my spices are salt, pepper, dried mustard, sometimes onion powder, sometimes garlic powder, sometimes both. You can bake it with a spicier topping like the creole seasoning in that recipe, but my honest preference is to serve it with tabasco sauce available. I love either red or green tabasco with it.
Anon
Oh I should have specified, baked please – extra side for thanksgiving and the stovetop is otherwise occupied.
Anon
Start w/Martha Stewart for creamy mac & cheese. I don’t use a recipe anymore but I’m definitely grating cheese that I’m blending into some heavy cream, and I’m using a mix of hard (e.g. cheddar) and aged (e.g. Parmesan) cheeses. My household doesn’t like it if I use cream cheese but I’ve found it’s not necessary.
Anon
Martha Stewart’s ‘crack n cheese’ recipe is the best. I’ve made it for Thanksgiving several times and have quite a few fans. I do not put the bread cubes on top as my family does not like bread crumb top.
Anon
Serious Eats if you wanna get really science-y about it.
Anon
I didn’t realize we were baking this, so I’d second Serious Eats or Cooks Illustrated if we want it to stay creamy and not separate in the oven! They’ll have done all the troubleshooting to ensure the desired outcome.
Anonymous
Carnie Wilson’s recipe: https://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Carnie-Wilson%27s-Fall-to-Your-Knees-Mac-and-Cheese-from-~To-Serve-With-Love~/29195/
(Shout out to any Jeff Lewis listeners who discovered it during their bake off!)
Anon
Thanks everyone!!
Anon
Help. What kind of shirt is the man in this sweater ad wearing underneath? I know it’s a button down shirt, but is it one of the crisp ones or like a flannel type one? What would look best under this type of sweater? I’m giving my brother a makeover before Thanksgiving (he wants me to).
https://www.kohls.com/product/prd-6117507/mens-sonoma-goods-for-life-quarter-zip-sweater.jsp
Anon
I’d say it’s a classic oxford cloth button-down collar shirt. I’d do the same with your bro. These shirts come in plaids and stripes too so it’s fine to add pattern there, but flannel would be too heavy, and would stick to the sweater.
Anon
I’d say it’s a classic oxford cloth button-down c0 l l a r shirt. I’d do the same with your bro. These shirts come in plaids and stripes too so it’s fine to add pattern there, but flannel would be too heavy, and would stick to the sweater.
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/34442?page=wrinkle-resistant-classic-oxford-cloth-shirt-traditional-fit&bc=12-26-589&feat=589-GN1&csp=f&attrValue_0=French%20Blue&pos=15
Anon
This one is pinpoint oxford so a little thinner/dressier
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/65015?page=wrinkle-resistant-pinpoint-oxford-cloth-shirt-traditional-fit-tattersall&csp=a&feat=82372-recsbottom.pdp&ri=rbpGDMLT2&pos=4&attrValue_0=Crystal%20Blue
Anon
Thank you!
Anon
I always knew my high school & college part-time job in the menswear department would come in handy!
bellatrix
That looks like a dress shirt to me, so crisp. In general (and this has not been means-tested, just a theory), I think you need some contrasting textures when layering — flannel is too soft to go under a knit.
Anonymous
I agree – dress shirt with short and wide collar, not button down.
Cotton, cream, woven fabric, non-shiny.
Anon
The amount of times I’ve started one of these journals and abandoned it after a few weeks is so high. I really wish I could be a person who keeps a diary, though.
Anony
I just started my 2nd one of these journals and my secret to making myself write something every day is to do it at bedtime (it lives in my nightstand with a fancy pen) and record how many steps I took and what the weather was like that day. Usually the act of pulling out the journal to write down those 2 things, also makes me write a couple sentences about the day or what TV show we watched, or some other trivial detail like what we had for dinner. It’s fun to look back on past years, especially the before-times when I was business traveling like crazy.
Senior Attorney
Great idea to do the steps and the weather! I just bought two copies — one for me and one for my daughter. I feel like keeping a record of the first five years of retirement could be interesting.
Anon
Right there with you, bought and abandoned this exact one.
Anon
I do bullet journals, but not fancy. I use it as a daily log of appointments, a to-do list, and notes.
So my day looks like this today.
1120 Monday 9:00 staff meeting
To Do:
Project A step 4
Project B step 1
Email so and so about subject
Return box to post office
Notes from staff meeting. One more to-do.
Notes on Project A step 4.
Last week I had to look at my Bullet Journal from 2018 to remember the name of a person I met with. I looked through every page and found the name, but I also saw the dates I traveled for work, dates I traveled to Paris and the name of the restaurants where I ate, notes of work meetings I took when I was there – a good reminder that I left that job for good reasons!, concerts I attended, lunches and dinners with colleagues and friends (one of whom is no longer here), sports games my daughter played, halftime shows my son played, a medical emergency I had, follow up appointments to that – good to know! i may need that someday – and just generally a reminder of how life was before the shut down, the good and the bad.
I am so glad I have this. I wouldn’t have any use for the featured calendar, but I love that I have my old journal books. They keep me organized in the present & give me reminders about the past. Highly recommend.
Peggy Olson
I’m thinking about buying this bag from Mansur Gavriel (https://www.mansurgavriel.com/products/movimento-bucket-camel-1), which I’ve been peeking at for a while, and finally went on sale. If I do, should I get the brown or the black?
anon
Okay, I don’t mean to burst your bubble but if you want feedback, I have that purse and the top stays way too open for my liking. The leather tie is hard to tie and impossible to tie all the way, so you just get a straight view into the purse all the time. Just wanted to throw that out there. But it is a beautiful purse, and I would get the brown if I were you.
Peggy Olson
You’re not bursting my bubble — this is the feedback that I’m looking for! I appreciate this community and your comment, lol. I have another MG bucket bag that has a zip at the top that’s basically my daily driver, and always stays closed. I’ll have to give it some more thought — it’s a really pretty bag, but I don’t love random openings, and I tend to over stuff my bags.
Mantra Magic
I’d go with brown. I wear a lot of black and feel like that brown is nice and rich and would be a good contrast to black. A black bag can read kind of harsh. That is a delicious looking bag!
Anonymous
Anyone else legitimately concerned for the future of Argentina? I’m so sad for the people
Anon
Yeah, in the same way I’m legitimately concerned for the future of the United States.
Anon
Yep.
Senior Attorney
+1
No way is this going to end well.
anonymous
The historic leftwing, anti-American government has brought the country 143% inflation, out of control crime, and poverty. MORE COWBELL!
Anon
Not at all.
Anon
I’m concerned. I’d have been concerned about other things if the election went the other way though.
Not looking forward to major elections in USA.
Anon
What wines do you keep in the house on a regular basis (type and exact label, if possible)?
Anon for this
Looking at the wine rack right now and the wines we regularly buy: Noble Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, Mulderbosch Rose (great for Thanksgiving), Bread + Butter Chardonnay, and then my go-to for a totally inoffensive, acceptable to everyone white wine is Ecco Domini Pinot Grigio. Is it going to blow your mind? No. But it’s got broad appeal.
If you want to try an interesting New York Riesling, Ravines is nice. Not too sweet.
Gail the Goldfish
Chateau Ste. Michelle sweet reisling, 19 Crimes the Banished, and the Prisoner (this one is expensive by my “regularly keep in the house” standards, buy at costco). The last two are red blends.
Anon
I love The Prisoner, and I especially love that it makes ordering a bottle at a restaurant easy. Everyone likes it. One colleague who tasted at a work dinner after I ordered it went out and bought cases of it!
anon
Prisoners’ cab sauv
flood swick natural orange (I get a case whenever I see it)
Ridge Red blend
anonshmanon
I’m very basic. Trader Joe’s two buck chuck Red Blend, or Pinot Noir. Kirkland brand Sauvignon Blanc (which I learned from the hive is Kim Crawford). I use these for cooking, drinking and serving to guests. For gifting, any 19 Crimes red would be my go to.
Anonymous
Spendy: Amici cab, Veuve Cliquot champagne
Mid-range: Catena cab or blend, Courtney Benham cab, anything by Josh Cellars, Cakebread sauv blanc (much cheaper than the Chardonnay)
Cheap: Edmundo reds, Caliveda Pinot noir, La Vostra or Borrasca cava
Anon
Some sort of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – whatever is on sale at the grocery store, I am not brand loyal
A bottle of La Marca Prosecco, always cold
A bottle of Perrier Jouet real champagne in the cupboard
A bottle of Collins rosé sparkling wine (French but not Champagne region) in the cupboard. Honestly, multiples. I love this one and everyone I’ve served it to has loved it as well.
Other than that, we belong to a wine club at a local store and pretty much drink or gift random bottles all the time. These are mostly reds. My favorite reds are southern Rhônes from France and Zinfandels (not pink) from California, but there are no mass market versions I’ve really liked.
We vacation semi annually in the Russian River and always bring home several bottles of Wild Hog Pinot, but you can pretty much only get it there.
Anon
I keep either Freixenet Brut Cava Cordon Negro or Korbel Brut on the door of the fridge. Les Heretique is the red I pick up just to have it on hand. I’ve often had a Ripasso or an Amarone around that I’m saving for an occasion.
My “run to the grocery store” regular basis red is 14 Hands Hot To Trot or something from 19 Crimes as someone else mentioned.
I have sometimes gone on kicks like the summer of Vino Verde, or the spring of Txakoli, or the autumn of cider and mead.
Anon
Oh the summer of Vihno Verde was such a good summer! Up there with the Gruner Veltliner summer (those come in 1L bottles, so 1/3 more fun)
Anon
I’ll see if I can pick up some Gruner Veltliner this year!
Anon
I LOVE vinho verde.
Anon
Cannonball cabernet for the twist-off on the go. A split of La Marca prosecco to mix with Campari. Otherwise I use the very scientific approach of picking something from the liquor store (not the grocery store) between $14 and $20 with the most interesting looking label. I avoid big names that you see in ads or at chain restaurants- no Josh, Kim Crawford, Apothic, etc. Wines catered to a mass audience are often too sweet or flat for me.
Anon
I wish I knew a way to tell whether a wine will be “too sweet for me.” I would branch out more! But I never want to end up with a whole bottle of something too sweet.
Anon
I heard this at a wine tasting, and may be misremembering, but you can look at the ABV for a quick check! The sugar during fermentation is what is converted to alcohol so higher ABVs are your best bet for less sweet tasting wines. It corresponds to less residual sugar apparently. I was told to shoot for at least 12.5% ABV for white wines (up to 14.5%) and 13.5%-15.5% ABV for red. It’s served me pretty well, so it might be worth a shot!
anon
teen age son needs a tuxedo. Found one on black friday sale at macys that is cheaper than renting. problem is if i rented someone would be there to tell me what we need. if he doesn’t want to wear a vest or cumberbund (he wants to wear a black regular tie) should he have belt or suspenders? I recognize that it doesn’t really matter, but what is proper?
Anon
Time was when you went to Macy’s (or any other legitimate store) a salesperson talked you through all this. Welcome to late capitalism.
anon
do not get me started. the total dearth of customer service in retail is very irksome to me.
BeenThatGuy
As a fellow mom to a teenage son, proper is out the window and kiddo’s opinion is center stage. I fully believe your son has an idea of how he wants to look. Just got with it; he will tell you.
Senior Attorney
Notwithstanding what I posted below, I think this is great advice.
anon
OP here. you’re surely right. I did tell him to talk to the girl who invited him to make sure that she doesn’t have strong opinions but other than that i think he can do what he wants…
Senior Attorney
Obviously he can do what he wants, but the “proper” way to wear a tuxedo is with a bow tie and waistcoat or cummerbund. If he wants to wear a long tie no vest/cummerbund, perhaps he would be better off with a regular black suit.
anon
i debated it. honestly the tux is cheaper than anything i would otherwise have bought him.
Anonymous
This. Tuxedo pants don’t even have belt loops. You wear suspenders to hold them up, and cover the waistband with a waistcoat or cummerbund. If he doesn’t want to wear a waistcoat or cummerbund he needs to wear a regular suit.
Anon
If you go to Macy’s to the menswear department, they should be able to tell you.
Having had an ex husband who owned two tuxedoes (one of the only good things about him), usually the pants dictate whether you use suspenders or a belt but it’s suspenders in really traditional tuxes. No one needs a cummerbund but some people wear them to match a color theme like at prom or a wedding. You can just get a black one if he likes the look. It’s just meant to cover the waistband of the pants because I guess seeing the fly was SO offensive at some point.
Anon
Here they don’t show a waistcoat or a cummerbund with the standard black tie tuxedo, which is not a morning coat and is not tails.
https://www.jacobbrian.com/blog-suits-morning-coats-and-tailcoats/
Anon
The black tie images on that site both have cumberbunds. In the first, it’s kind of hard to see but peaks out of the button on the coat. In the second picture, it’s pretty clear by the black horizontal lines at the waistline.
Anonymous
I’m very late— but I just asked my husband. He says he’s worn a tux without a cumberbund or waistcoat and wore suspenders. He wore a bow tie not a long tie, and he wore a plain white dress shirt (not pleated). I’ll note that we’ve been together for 25 years and I don’t remember, but…
Elle
I don’t think you’re supposed to wear a long tie with a tux, especially if he’s wearing a tuxedo shirt. To the belt vs suspenders question, tux pants generally don’t have belt loops so you would need to do suspenders. If the pants have belt loops you would do a belt instead.
Anon
My understanding is that they’re traditionally worn with suspenders. Even though he doesn’t want one for this occasion, I’d probably buy the matching cummerbund or vest now so that you have it for other occasions too! Let him wear whatever he wants to this event (UNLESS its a debutante / charity ball – it is that time of year (at least in my city), but get the cummerbund / vest now (so you can ensure it matches and is in stock) so he can wear to prom or whatever later on.
Caveat: if this is for a charity ball he should be as traditional as possible and opt for a cummerbund, bow tie, and suspenders.
I think that tuxedos for teenagers are oddly a good investment: he’ll likely need it for at least two proms (his own junior and senior, plus he may be invited to another school’s prom) and that alone covers the cost of a rental. Since this isn’t prom season, sounds like he’ll get at least a third wear out of it!
My brother and a few of their friends are (annoyingly to me!) the same size as they were in high school so now the tuxes bought for proms are getting worn again for weddings!
Anon
I gave advice above but I think if you want to know how tuxedoes are worn in modern times, just google images for George Clooney in a tuxedo (which is a worthwhile endeavor whether you’re tuxedo shopping or not.)
He doesn’t appear to generally wear a waistcoat unless it’s white tie & he’s wearing a tail coat. Otherwise it’s a suit style tux, no belt, no cummerbund, generally a bow tie, but he has done a long tie in the past.
Anon
“(which is a worthwhile endeavor whether you’re tuxedo shopping or not.)”
Yes, yes it is and thank you for the suggestion
Anonymous
There seems to be a new tuxedo-ish look with a jacket with satin lapels, long black tie, and no cummerbund. These “tuxedos” are cut slimmer than a traditional tux. Just buy a “tux” that is pictured with a long tie instead of a bow tie and make sure the pants have belt loops.
Anon
Yeah, I like the new look, and also that you can get a very dark blue one and not be always in black. And it’s not actually all that new at this point!
anon
right this i swhat he is going for i think, i and i think it involves just a regular white shirt, not a tux shirt but again, that’s the kind of thing it would be helpful to have knowledgeable sales person for!
Anon
Since it’s not prom season – a little more context as to what event your teenager needs a tux for would be helpful! My advice for a school dance will be different than my advice for a gala .
anon
his girlfriend is on some kind of junior committee for a charity and they have an event. i have asked for more information but have not been provided and i can’t find anything sleuthing online! but you raise a good point. this is an event with adults, not a kid’s party.
Anon
My understanding is that tuxedo pants don’t have belt loops, hence the suspenders + cummerbund + bow tie (suspenders to hold up the pants, cummerbund to cover the suspenders clipping on to the pants, bow tie because a full length tie would cover the cummerbund).
If the event is black tie or otherwise calling for a tuxedo, he should wear the tuxedo as it’s intended to be worn. If it’s black tie optional or otherwise encourages but does not require a tuxedo, he should either wear the tuxedo as it’s intended to be worn or he should wear a black suit if he wants to wear a long tie.
At the risk of sounding like Emily Post (I’m only 28! And I’m wearing joggers and a hoodie right now while WFH), there’s a reason tuxedos are worn this way and if he’s going to wear on it should be worn the right way! And, there’s a reason certain events call for tuxedos instead of suits and he should respect that!
Anon
Why? Serious question.
Elle
Do you text your boss outside of work? My boss will text me maybe once every month- two months with either a meme or a personal friendly thing (last one was his dog in it’s Halloween costume). I don’t text my subordinates and I’ve not had a boss text me before but I worked at a SUPER buttoned up firm for my career up to working for him so I’m not sure what is actually normal.
CK
I’ve definitely had the kind of relationship where my boss will text me outside of work with funny things that fit my sense of humor. I’ve done this with direct reports too but not everyone. It’s a know your audience kind of situation.
Me
My boss will text me or vice versa outside of work hours sparingly – the kind of text like what you described. I should say we are 100% remote with flexible work schedules and I also 100% know she does not expect a response during non-work hours. I’ve never felt like she stepped over a line.
nuqotw
Sparingly and about work adjacent stuff, e.g., “I’m in the ER with my kid and won’t be in tomorrow” or “I randomly met this person who knows you from years ago and he said to say hello!” Memes would be weird.
Anon
Not currently, but in the past I had these kinds of sporadic, friendly text exchanges with bosses.
I would happily receive a text of a dog in a costume from …. anyone.
anon
I’ve moved from a SUPER buttoned up firm to in house. My current boss (the CEO) and I only text about logistics of meetings or calls, or exchange pleasantries at birthdays and holidays. I would find it strange to get memes from her. If she sent a photo of her dog in its Halloween costume, it would probably be by email, to the entire team, and conveying a Happy Halloween message.
My peers and I have an ongoing Teams chat full of personal messages and memes. But my boss is not part of the Teams chat.
Anon
Totally depends on my boss. I have had a few bosses who became legitimate friends after I stopped working for them, so we did text (a few times a week) after hours to chat about both work and non-work things. Other bosses were very much the typical boss relationship and we didn’t text on personal phones outside of work hours unless there was something out of the norm going on (work phone is dead and I’m letting you know, I’m really sick and not coming in tomorrow but I can’t crawl out of bed to get my work phone). Most bosses have fallen somewhere in between.
Anon
Yes, but it’s not usually for humor. Just quick info, like if you’re in a meeting and sending a quick message.
Anon
My boss texted me a couple times when I had Covid to make sure I was ok (which I appreciated!) but otherwise no.
Anonymous
I text with my paralegal all the time. Everyone else at work is pretty sporadic but it wouldn’t be totally weird to get random texts like pet Halloween costumes.
Anne-on
Yes, but it’s very infrequent and typically cute kid/pet stuff, happy birthday/holiday messages, or updates if they’ll be unavailable for some reason.
NY CPA
Only when one or the other of us isnt online and we need a quick response. Never about personal stuff, just work related.
Anon
In relevant channels on Slack or Basecamp, yes. To my phone? No. But maybe if there were no Slack nor Basecamp or equivalent?
OOO
When I’m not at work I don’t want to be contacted by my boss or coworkers about anything, work-related or not. I barely wanted to answer my coworkers who asked for baby pictures while I was on mat leave. Sounds like your boss is trying hard to be your friend, which can be a slippery slope.
Anon
I hate working with people like you who think their coworkers should be automatons and not humans. A meme every two months is not a slippery slope.
OOO
Your employees are not your friends and no one thinks your memes are funny.
Anon
You truly sound insufferable. I bet your coworkers hate you.
anonshmanon
A boss texting me a funny pic a couple of times a year, absent any indication that they wanted me to engage in back-and-forth, does not mean ‘trying hard to be your friend’. That’s an overreaction. But when it comes to socializing, I also think it’s fair to apply different rules of coworkers vs people in a supervisory relationship.
s in chicago
It’s too bad you feel that way. Some of my best friends are former colleagues. And former bosses have given me invaluable advice both professionally and personally through the years. With so much of the world remote now, I honestly would feel lost if I weren’t still connected to them with the occasional text or Instagram DM sharing happy and sad milestones. It’s not only made me happier personally but it has paid off professionally as well. I wouldn’t be a VP at my current job were it not for one of my former colleagues (now good friend) recommending me to several folks there and also having a wide positive (and current) network of friends at an old job I had working at an association that serves my industry. The older I get, the more I realize that the work you do is just a small part of the professional mark you make–the company you keep along the way is just as, if not more, powerful.
Anon
So much this. A thousand million +1s
Cora
I would slack them things like this during the work day. I have their phone numbers but have only used that for logistics when we’re on a work trip.
Anon
Work phone or personal phone?
Anon
Occasionally, yes and my boss is a fairly straight arrow (I love her but I am a way more loosey gosey bring my whole self to work gal). I text her when I think of her e.g., the beautiful tiles in Portugal and she does the same, e.g. a pic of her daughter horseback riding. It’s not frequent, but I really enjoy it.
Anonymous
My mom created one of these when she was ages 9-14. It is precious.