Cash Advance = Not a Good Idea :-(

I know everyone has been in a bit of a pickle. Low on cash, bills are due, gas prices are rising, etc. And those paycheck advance places sound quite appealing... you know, "we'll give you money and you can pay us when you get paid"!

I won't lie; I've thought about stopping by one of those places. Here are a few times when it crossed my mind: about 3 months ago I had to deplete my entire savings to pay for a car repair. Another instance is when my employer somehow missed me when doing payroll. Then, I didn't have much in my savings, so I could barely live for those 2 weeks that it took to issue another check :-( So yes, the thought definitely crossed my mind!

An old friend of mine used to go to one of these places, and it didn't seem too bad. Kinda like a very short-term loan. He'd take out $500, and would pay back around $530 when he got paid again.

Being the accountant that I am, and now taking a finance class, it has come up in my textbook. Let me explain to you why I will NEVER go to a cash advance establishment. Hopefully this steers you away as well (I'm not trying to put anyone out of business, but come on!)

First off, you need to understand the 'time value of money'. So let me give you a brief synopsis. A dollar today is not the same as a dollar in the future; you know, inflation and all of that blah! Hence, we need to use the 'time value of money' to value what some future payments are worth today, or what some present amounts of money will be worth in the future. Here's the equation (sorry for getting mathematical with you all, but you'll see where I'm going soon!) for the future value of money:

FV = PV x (1 + r)^t

Now here's the problem: you walk into one of these cash advance places, and you want to take out $150 for incidental expenses; just to hold you over until the next pay period. In exchange for this $150, you write the establishment a check for $180. The agreement is that you'll pay back the $180 in 15 days, and this doesn't seem like a large amount of cash to repay. I mean, it's only $30! But at what rate are you paying for this money? How much interest are you paying? We'll use our equation:

So, the FV is the amount you're repaying which is $180, PV is the amount you're getting today which is $150, t is equal to 1. Let's plug and chug:

$180 = $150 (1 + r)^1 ----> divide both sides by $150
1.20 = 1 + r ----> subtract 1 from both sides
.20 = r or 20%

20% doesn't seem so bad, does it??? But remember this is for borrowing the money for only 15 days! What does this mean??? That the annual percentage rate (APR) is RIDUNCULOUS!!!

APR = .20 x 365/15
APR = 486.66%

Yes, you read right! That measly 20% for 15 days equates to 486.66% a year!

So, let's see: you borrow that same $150 on January 1st, 2010. If you don't make any payment until December 31, 2010, this is what you'll be paying:

PV = FV/(1 + r)^t
$150 = FV/(5.86666)^1
FV = $879.90

Yes, that's right, you'll be paying back nearly $900 just for borrowing $150!!!

That makes me think twice about credit cards too, and no... I won't be stopping by any of their convenient locations. $900 just about covers one class at my university. NO THANKS!

Ponytails are For the Office

Yea, I said it! Ponytails on women are not just sexy for the gym. They are sexy every day of the year, in pretty much any style you can choose.

I prefer myself with a ponytail. My hair is long (almost mid-back), thick and currently jet black. Humidity does NUMBERS on my hair, my curls usually fall, and I'd rather wear my hair bone-straight than curly ANYDAY!

But rumor has it that ponytails should stay at the gym! I found that highly disappointing considering I rarely visit the gym, yet I rock a ponytail pretty much everyday. I don't know what it is, but ponytails definitely do something different to my appearance.

For one, they don't hide your earrings. I'd die without a pair of earrings on (well, maybe not die, but I'd sure go back home for them!). On a boring, I-forgot-to-do-the-laundry day, some women need a nice pair of earrings to spruce up their lacking wardrobe. But who wants to hide those bedazzling earrings under a ton of hair? I KNOW I DON'T!

Ponytails also accentuate the eyes. Depending on how tight you wear/like your ponytails, they could pull the skin on your face a bit causing your eyes to appear more beautifully. It also makes you looks very exotic (not in a sexual way). When I wear a ponytail, my boyfriend compliments my eyes. DON'T FORGET THE MASCARA THOUGH!

You can wear many different styles of ponytails to fit your mood, attitude or even your getup!

Here are some of my recommendations for the office pony:

If you are wearing a suit, are having a conference with your colleagues or meeting with a potential client, I suggest a low ponytail. One that touches the back of your neck- like this one:



For a day when the office is more laidback, say... free dress day! Or with a nice flowy skirt and 3/4 length sleeved blouse- a mid to high ponytail like this one (with or without the bang, however, WOW the office with a tossled bang):



Obviously for an office party, you'd want to look as beautiful as Brittany Snow, so try this one:



HERE IS A GYM PONYTAIL, AND YES THERE IS A DIFFERENCE! A GYM PONY IS LOOSE AND CAREFREE. AN OFFICE PONY SHOULD BE SLEEK AND POLISHED!

Got It!!!!!!!

Wow- so I postdated one of my little stories, but I guess I'll have to go back and edit that post or post it now... Why???

Because I GOT THE JOB! I'm sooooo overly excited and appreciative. I can't wait to start!

I'll be talking to the internship director tonight about the position, so I'll be sure to give you guys all of the juice later today or tomorrow!

Gaining a Bad Case of Anxiety!

I emailed the internship director at my school to tell her about my interview this past Wednesday, and was informed that I should hear something back by the end of this week or early next week.

Talk about anxiety building up! I really want this internship, however, on the flip side- I wouldn't mind staying where I am. That's definitely the power of being a great intern/employee... you'll always have somewhere to go! If I decide not to stay here either, I always have first dibs on the hours at my old job. Obviously that wouldn't be my first preference, but I'd take it because I love(d) my old supervisor!

Barking on new territory is very different though. It definitely takes you out of your comfort zone. But doing this internship has taught me plenty of things that should be done in the office, and things that should not. I've also gained knowledge about property management. So, if I do decide to leave, at least I can take that with me. This summer has definitely padded my resume :-)

Any of you doing internships that you enjoyed? Didn't enjoy? Turned into a full-time position? Tell me about it!

A Night Wasted!

A friend of mine had been promoting an event this past Friday for about a month and a half. So of course she asked all of her friends to come out and show their support. Why not? I really don't do too much partying anyway. Besides, I needed to celebrate my 93% on my Finance exam, and my job interview (that I hope leads to a new internship :-) ). My best friend also came to visit me on Friday, so we decided to go to the party together.

Shopping we went! We went to just about every store for our style at Twelve Oaks Mall, and barely found anything! I have to admit though, I'm usually behind season. I look for summer pieces late in the summer when I should be doing so in the spring! Oh well- a nice pair of jeans and some pumps would have set the night off right! Instead, I settled for a pair of jeans, waist-belt, porcelain flower necklace, cayenne-colored slacks for work, and a pair of cargo capris! Not too much of a shopping experience! I didn't even find what I was looking for...

To make a super long story short: the party was super whack, one of the security guards was a complete jerk, I hate drunk guys and house music, the dance floor was the size of my closet, I reeked of cigarette smoke when I left, the floor was carpeted, ENOUGH SAID!

My friends and I ended up leaving the party after about 45 minutes of sitting down, and we headed to MGM Casino to eat! Yummy- and my first time in MGM. From the looks of it, it won't be my last :-)

Inappropriate Office Attire!

Here is a link to an article that I found very interesting, because I see this just about everyday. Not necessarily at my place of employment, but everywhere.

Check it out here.

Happy Reading!

Finally... A Little Time to Relax

Lately, I've been one busy young lady! Running errands, picking things up, dropping things off, working, going to class, spending time with my boyfriend, interviewing, studying, tutoring, piloting a new website for our sorority, traveling, planning events, wrapping up old ones... YAWN!!! Just thinking about that list makes me tired. I find myself curling up in my boyfriends bed every Sunday, napping for hours.

Sunday is supposed to be the beginning of the week. For me though, it's the end of the week. That's how my body functions. All of the missed sleep from the week... I make up for that on Sunday. I barely have time for myself. But this is the life that I signed up for. Of course I could drop out of school, quit both of my jobs, and leave the sorority behind... but that's the life of a loser in my opinion.

I'm excited for the morning... why, you ask? Well, I don't work on Monday's and Wednesday's. Instead I go to class from 11:30-2:20p. But I can't remember the last time that I had absolutely nothing to do or somewhere to go before class on these days. Tomorrow will be the first morning that I can sleep in, snuggle with the boyfriend, catch up on some reading, eat breakfast... etc.

The rest of the week = I'm not too sure about. But I'll definitely bask in the ambiance of a beautiful morning tomorrow.

Last week (Thursday), I sat in another 3 hours of training for work, about how to run 8 different reports! What does this mean? Well, I'm closer to having to travel to different sites for work now. I'm not sure if I should be excited or not. I'm also not sure whether or not they'll be compensating me for my gas expenses. Oh well, that's the joy of work I guess. BTW, this is for that "Special Project" I'll be working on... hopefully it's really special!

Anywho, the remainder of that story will come with time.

Happy Reading!

"He Said I Was Different"

Ok, so we've heard it all before. Whether you're male or female. However, I'm writing this post specifically for my young female readers, because... well I'm female myself!

Today, I will talk about why girls may hear this, some variations of "you're different", how to avoid feeling bad about being different, and the result of being different.

I'm going to group all of my teen readers together (13-18 y/o), so when I speak of 'you', it's not direct, it's across the board.

Scenario: Jane has known John since middle school, and she's always had a little crush on him. When they entered high school together, Jane knew that things were destined to be perfect. John would be her homecoming date, her prom date, high school sweetheart, partner in marriage... blah, blah, blah! Yes, a lot of girls think this far into the future when considering the next potential. Don't be sucked into the hype!

Anywho, Jane never worked up enough courage during freshman year to actually tell John how she felt. Sophomore year rolls around, John has made the JV basketball team and Jane has been secretly obsessing over this guy, for what 4 years now? You'd think that she'd say something by now, to avoid him being swept away for the captain of the cheer squad.

So, mellow Jane (very pretty and smart, might I add) builds up the courage to tell John how she feels. It's Wednesday evening after dance practice, and John is standing outside the gym with his fellow team members. And then the words just fall out, soooo unexpectedly...

"John, I, I, I... I like you,"

"You what??? But why?"

"Well, it's been a while and I just thought that now was the best time to tell you. Can we discuss this over ice cream Friday after school?"

"Sure Jane, I don't see why not. See you then"

Jane runs home, overly enthused to tell her mother, who by the way has known about this crush for some time. Her mothers only words were, "be careful Jane"...

So Friday rolls around, and Jane is waiting for John at the local ice cream parlor, and sure enough he comes strolling around the corner.

"Ok... lip gloss check!"

They chit chat for what seems like forever, and Jane is reassured that this is the perfect match. They continue to go on these random after-school excursions for about 3 weeks, only to come to a screeching halt when John announces over the phone that he can't date her anymore... get this! Because she's different...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok, so of course I have to give my synopsis of this story (yes, it's made up. I didn't mean to stereotype anyone, just written to create suspense and a storyline to follow)... Anywho, back to my synopsis... I know there are some ladies and/or men who have heard this line far too many times and can relate to Jane. And like most, they probably took it the wrong way or out of context.

Let me be the one to say, there is absolutely, positively, nothing wrong with being different! We all want to be different sometimes, whether we want to stand out on our college application, or if we really want that job we've just interviewed for. WE ALL WANT TO BE DIFFERENT.

However, in Jane's case... being different=being an outcast=BAD!

So, what should Jane do? First, I suggest that Jane talks to her mother. I'm sure her mother can alleviate some of the stress behind those words. But most importantly she's going to have to learn to cope on her own. So... I recommend that Jane evaluates herself, list the things that make her different from other girls and explain to herself why these are 'good' things.. Chances are her list looks like this:

1. I'm on the dance team (result: you're in the new dance production at school)
   
2. Involved in student government (result: you're in line to become the new Student Body President)
   
3. I consider myself very conservative and classy (result: hey, the results are endless)
4. I'm a straight A student (result: you've made the dean's list)
   
5. I have green eyes and strawberry blonde hair (result: you're not a blonde, or a brunette... but who really cares?)
   
6. I'm very tall and lean (result: you may one day become a model, or maybe even a basketball star)
   
7. etc, etc, etc.

DO YOU GET MY DRIFT? The things that make you different aren't always bad things. As a matter of fact, they're almost always good things just portrayed as bad things.

Variations of the line "you are different":

• "It's just something about you"
• "You're not my type"
• "I've never had a girlfriend like you before"

I hope I've alleviated some unnecessary stress in your life...

If you have any other stories like this, or have had to deal with someone labeling you as "different", feel free to drop a comment.

GAB Rant: "Guests of Guests Don't Bring Guests"

GAB Rant is where I'll rant and rave about minor and/or major occurrences that I experience around the office- or near the office, on a somewhat day-to-day basis! Enjoy :-)

I heard that line on a preview of NYC Prep on Bravo! And it holds soooo true. I mean, how awkward is that?

Imagine that it's your big day (wedding day), and one of your guests invites his girlfriend who brings another one of her friends, who you happen to not like??? It definitely stirs up drama, and causes unnecessary problems. However, too often this happens, and the crap hits the fan in no time.

Don't believe me? Check out this video: The Hills, Season 5, Episode 1. This isn't even as severe as it could be; however, Heidi is a guest of a guest! Imagine if she brought Spencer as arm candy (UGH!)

This clearly ruined Lauren's fab birthday bash, caused unnecessary tension, and was completely AWKWARD!

For future reference readers, don't allow your guests to bring friends of their own. Because as you can see, the drama becomes never-ending. If you've watched this season of The Hills, this one event spiraled into so much more!

How dare Stephanie???

About That Interview...

I realized that I never updated my readers on my recent interview, so here goes...

It took place at a local community college in their Financial Services department (cashier's office for some).

Let's start the night before though. So I'm preparing for the interview with my boyfriend. We're browsing racks at Marshalls and TJ Maxx for black blazers, since I'm in no position to purchase a really nice suit for myself. Obviously it isn't blazer season or something, because I saw none! Instead I found a really cute pink & white vertical striped shirt and a black sweatervest. I'm not a fan of trying on shirts while shopping because I can pretty much pinpoint what I can and can't fit. So I didn't bother to try on either, when I admit that I should have.

When we got home, I tried on the sweatervest. OMG!!! It was like a black garbage bag on me! It was poofy in the back, and I looked like a public bus driver in that get-up! It was hideous. That's where the power of networking and having resourceful friends came in. I simply called one of my sorority sisters and asked if her mom could take the vest in a few inches to make it a small, because there was no way that I was making a fool of myself in that mess! Her mom is so sweet; she did it at no charge 40 minutes before my interview. I made this decision after my boyfriend tried to convince me that nothing was wrong with the size, it looked just fine, blah! It wasn't until I had to convince HIM that it was hideous that he actually gave me his honest opinion...

Anywho... I get to the school about 20 minutes early, so I sat around until 10 minutes before my scheduled interview time. There were so many students; I couldn't believe it because our university is usually dead in the summer. I guess that isn't the case for CCs... I walk into the financial aid office and was told that the person I was looking for didn't work in that office. GREAT! I was directed to pick up a phone on the wall and call his extension, and sure enough no one picked up. A lady walks up behind me and asks who I'm looking for, and proceeds to tell me that my interviewor is out of town at a conference! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I went through all of that hassle to reschedule... Not yet. Instead, I sat in a computer room waiting for another qualified person to interview me.

About 3 minutes later, a woman approaches me with golden curly hair and a very nice skirt & blouse on. We walked around the office, and finally started the interview. IT WENT GREAT! She ended up being the mother of one of my high school classmates. How ironic?! She seemed really impressed with my work ethic, experience, and skills. Nothing but compliments and smiles the entire time! I wish all interviews were like that... that would be a treat, instead of a headache!

All-in-all, I think I landed the position. Not to mention, I scheduled the interview on the last day so that I would be fresh in the interviewors mind. Come on now, isn't that wishful thinking???

Got any interesting/not-so-great interview stories? Please do share, please!

Also, check out these cute fits for the office:

Too Hot to Trot...

Casual, yet Classy, although I suggest this one with a nice camisole. I'm sure the cleavage isn't a good idea...

I find this interesting, minus the belt... to dress up a plain white button up with black slacks. I think tan slacks would be pushing it...

I love these, in every single color. I'd buy them all if I wasn't a poor college student...

GAB Rant 07.23.09

GAB Rant is where I'll rant and rave about minor and/or major occurrences that I experience around the office- or near the office, on a day-to-day basis! Enjoy :-)

** Morning breath and wrinkled clothes have no place in the office.

Leave morning breath at home, and wrinkled clothes in the hamper.

Thanks!

Mascara has Power!!!

Why???

Let me explain... In all of my years of attempting to figure out my skin, and what looks good/doesn't look too hot, I've come to the realization that I absolutely, positively cannot do without mascara!

It does for me, and possibly many others, what no other makeup can do- that's my opinion though! I use it daily to boost my lashes, being that they are really short and barely noticeable. My lashes are also very straight, they have very little curl to them. This disgusts me, simply because when I'm not wearing any mascara, my eyes look ridiculously tiny!

I never really noticed how small my eyes looked, until I started wearing mascara. Boy does it make a difference!

It makes you look more polished and alive! When I'm not wearing it, because my eyes are so small, I tend to look sleepy or tired. This obviously isn't a good look for the office; I always need to look my best! Therefore, I can't leave the house without CoverGirl LashExact Mascara in either black or very black!

The trick is to not OVERDO your makeup. You always want a fresh face, whether you're wearing makeup or not. You never, and I repeat NEVER want to look like it took you an hour to put on your face in the morning. Heavy makeup should only be used for nights out or if you absolutely need it. NOT FOR THE OFFICE! Can we say STAY PROFESSIONAL??? The same goes for perfume/cologne... NEVER TOO MUCH!

I'm using this picture because it really shows what mascara can do for you! You can find other interesing beauty tips here!

Interview Anxiety!!!

Last night before bed (I couldn't sleep), it dawned on me that I scheduled my internship interview on the wrong day. I mean, it wouldn't have really been a problem to go into work a few hours late, but I'm all about the money- so I couldn't do that. I went onto the website to try and reschedule the interview for the correct date, but I was locked out of the system! Go figure! I ended up needing to meet with the internship coordinator to fix the issue, which I realized wasn't a big deal. Well, not really- but kinda! The interview that was 3 days away is now less than 2 days away, therefore I need to prepare myself accordingly.

What will I wear? What questions will I ask? How will I wear my hair? Stilettos or no? Perfume or not? Notepad or not? Reference sheet or not? Wowwww, this is my mind right now. Not to mention the millions of other things that are running through my mind. I'm currently thinking ahead to Friday, and this is how my days look:

Tuesday, 8am- Make it to Starbucks for Free Pastry Day- no way I'd miss that with my morning Java Chip Frap-light whip! Although, I was considering an Iced Chai Tea Latte... I don't know, I'll figure it out when I get there.

6p- Arrive at school to tutor someone in a class that I don't remember much of! However, the power of tutoring is learning- so, yea I'm re-learning some things. AMAZING!

8p-10p- Study, read, do some homework problems and teach myself how to use this stupid Financial Calculator! UGH, I hate it... I'd much rather use my TI-83 Plus that I purchased for a whopping $106 bucks 8 years ago!

Wednesday, 6:30a- Wake up to take Grandma to work...

10a- Internship interview... Praying for the best!

11:30a- 2:20p- Finance class

3p-4:30p- Tutoring a Grad Student... thankfully he's adjusting a budget, which is a no-brainer for me.

5p- Head Downtown to the Tigers game. I don't even know who they're playing, but I don't give up freebies. I hope the other intern doesn't embarrass the company!

Well- after this... I can breathe a little. Hopefully! In the midst of all of this, I will be impatiently awaiting my exam grade!

A Previous Life...

For those of you who didn't know (I'm sure none of you did), I used to have a blog directed toward older teens where I'd give advice and tidbits about relationships, employment, scholarships, and other things along that line. However, the school year rolled around and I found myself with less time to dedicate to my blog... so, I stopped blogging as much and very seldomly viewed my comments from this blog. It wasn't until about a week ago that I actually deleted it, so it was still getting comments.

A few days ago, I decided to open up that yahoo account and see what was new. To my surprise, many of my readers enjoyed my relationship advice. So as a gift to my new readers, I' m going to post my old posts on this blog. I'll try to do this once a week, maybe on Sundays. So be sure to watch out for this... The first one will be posted on Sunday, July 26th!

Just when I started thinking...

... about how much I missed drinking Starbucks, I find an interesting link on Facebook... a free invitation or coupon rather, for a free pastry at participating U.S. Starbucks locations on July 21st.

The catch is... you must be there between the locations opening time and 10:30a. Where is the problem? Most of us don't even wake up before 10:30a, so many of us will miss out!

Not me, I'll be headed to work which is conveniently located directly across the street from a very cozy Starbucks.

Drink & Eat up!

Intern Do's & Don'ts

Ok- so my AH internship isn't my first one, and over the years through both regular jobs and other internships, I've learned the do's and don'ts of any employee, but especially interns... Internships aren't just jobs; they're your first footsteps into a company. Therefore, you always want to put your best foot forward, and exude the utmost respect for the company for which you are working for. After all, we ultimately want to receive a full-time offer from the company.

So, here are some of the things I noticed other interns doing while on the job (this is mostly current):

1. If you're scheduled to be at work at 9:00a, please don't show up 9:27a expecting a pat on the back.
2. If your lunch break is supposed to be 30 minutes, please don't take an hour and a half to eat a taco!
3. If the office seems rather busy and you finish your work early, ALWAYS ask if there is more work to be done.
4. When the company gives you gifts i.e. sporting event tickets, please don't ask for more so that you can take your friend for their upcoming birthday!
5. School comes first, no matter what! So don't sit in the office bragging about how much of a slacker you are. Remember, everyone there already has an education, and they're looking for MORE people like them!
6. Remember, you are always representing the company whether you're at work or not. So act like it.
7. Never participate in office gossip... it could be the death of you, and your employment!
8. Just because the receptionist tells you to help yourself to the supply closet, don't take it upon yourself to restock your bookbag for the next two semesters!
9. Employers (most of them) have all been in your shoes, and most of them have done the same work that you are doing. If you're given a task that should ordinarily take about an hour to complete, do not turn that into a full day of work.
10. Don't ask if it's ok to leave work at 3:30p, but still put 5p on your timecard. Why would you even do that if you aren't working for that extra hour and a half??? I mean, that's soooo unethical!!!!
    

Those are just a few of my issues with interns... but I'm sure as the summer progresses, there will definitely be more.

Current Obsessions

Last week, while in a training session I couldn't help but to admire the handbags of the 9 women who accompanied me.

Now, if you're a purse person, you can tell a quality handbag from a mile away. You can also tell if a person is living outside of their means, just by the combination of purse + clothing they're wearing. But no, all of these women were dressed very nicely. Kate Spade, Coach, Louis Vuitton purses filled the room. I can't say so much for shoes, but who cares about shoes anyway? I do... sorry.

It was then that I looked down at my own bag, and realized that it was definitely time for an upgrade. I'm a small bag wearer, not really into the big hobo bags anymore. Nor am I into big hoop earrings or oversized clothing... so here are two bags from Coach that I'm looking at purchasing. Not both though! Come on now, I'm just an intern lol! And the color must be brown... so many pairs of brown shoes, not one decent brown bag! If you happen to stumble across any bags worth looking at, please let me know.

I'm also in love with the Jessica Simpson Collection... shoes, that is. I saw a pair at Marshalls about 2 weeks ago, and they looked EXTRAORDINARY on my feet. I should have taken a pick. But here is the shoe very similar to the one I tried on. I love these too though... I'll be making a few purchases in say... 3 weeks!

Enjoy my tidbit of taste

:-)

Headed to the Windy City

Good morning Readers:

I'm heading to Chicago this morning, so I'll upload some wonderful pics for you all to view upon my return. Happy reading!

My Guilty Pleasure = Event Planning

Over the past 6 or so months, I've realized that I have a niche for event planning. It wasn't until last night that I was able to actually see the results of my wonderful efforts.

I spent the last 4 months planning our sorority's annual Amethyst Ball, which is always a lot of fun. But this event definitely tested my willpower as an emerging Event Planning Specialist. I decided to take on the title of Special Events Coordinator with the chapter during the beginning of the school year, and my duties include planning the Founder's Day Brunch, Talent Show, Semi-Formal, Alumnae Ceremony, Formal and the annual Retreat. Who would have thought that Formal would be so daunting???

I'm going to lay out the steps that I had to go through, and any problems or glitches that occurred. For anyone seeking to go into event planning, this is for you.

Step 1: Come up with a budget. Figure out your assets, what you can afford, etc. Remember to keep a cushion for incidental expenses.

Step 2: Research and visit venues. Guesstimate your guest list. Compose a list of everyone that you plan to invite, and plan for the highest guest #. Therefore, if you're list is about 50 guests, plan for 50 even though you're certain that 50 won't show. Better safe than sorry.

Step 3: Narrow your search down to 2 locations. Decide on dinner details; will there be plated dinners or buffet-style? Will there be a cash bar or open bar? What brands of liquor will be served?

Step 4: Finalize all of the nitty-gritty details of your event: date, time, location, colors, theme, etc. If you are paying for the event, now is a good time to look at your budget. Are there any adjustments that you need to make? Will your budget actually accomodate your expenses? Are you working outside of your means? Will this event put you in the red when it's all said and done? These are all things to consider. Be sure to tell the event coordinator at the venue of your choice. They are usually great with working with budgets, and the last thing that they want is to lose business because they weren't flexible.

During step 4, you should also send out invitations to the people on your guest list. This will give you a better estimate of attendees. Add an RSVP date to the invite, and send out response cards with the invites as well. If you plan on having different dishes available for guests to choose from, you'd like to know this information ahead of time. Request payment and response cards at the same time.

Step 5: Collect funds from attendees (if event is being paid for by guests). Pay any deposits needed, and continuously consult your budget. Make sure you're not overspending for certain items. Have important dates ironed out: final payment due date, meal selection due date, head count due date, last day to add guests, etc. These are all vital to planning any event. Here's why: You're planning an event 3 months away, which requires a $500 non-refundable deposit 60 days prior to the event and the final payment 7 days before the event. However, many of your guest have yet to RSVP, which means that you haven't received their payment. This could cause you to lose your date, and even your deposit of $500. That's $500 down the drain because of improper planning... We definitely don't want that to happen.

Step 6: Make payments on time, and in the correct amounts.

Step 7: After your event, thank your guests and the venue for hosting your event.

At this point, your event should be smooth sailing... Post your event planning glitches here and I'll provide some insight/advice as to how to avoid these problems or ways to fix them!

Indisposable = The WOW Factor

Learning is something that I'm always involved in... whether it's on the job, in the classroom or in my personal time. I've had plenty of jobs, about 8 or 9 to be exact; there is one thing that I've learned from each of the positions that I held. That golden asset is how to be indisposable to a company or organization.

What do I mean by indisposable? I mean, be the asset that the company can't do without. Acquire traits that no one else has. Make yourself stand out. Go above and beyond the call of duty. Come in early and leave late. Be cordial, friendly, humourous, dependable. Go to work and actually do your work. Dress in a way that best represents the company as well as yourself. When you're not busy, offer to help someone who is falling beyond in their work. Offer your opinion when necessary. Always be truthful. Increase productivity, decrease costs. If possible, become the go-to person for something, like designing brochures or flyers, etc. In other words, offer something new to your place of employment.

When you do some of the things mentioned above, you will always stick out like a sore thumb. People will acknowledge and recommend you for bigger and better things. They know that you are more than able to get the job done. They trust your advice and insight. Make them NEED YOU, and when they need you they'll WANT to keep you around.

In all of my years of working and being in organizations, I have learned that I am valued. Hence the reason why I've never been fired, replaced, etc. And I'm always offered the opportunity to return if things don't work out for me in the future. People see the value in my work and they understand that people like that keep the ball rolling!

However, that also means that you should understand the areas in which you excel. You will never become an indisposable asset to a company if you don't even like working there or the people you work with. Why do you ask??? Because you're not putting all of YOU into your work. There are things distracting you from your work... maybe your annoying coworkers voice distracts you. Or you may not like your boss, which may cause you to slack in some areas. Trust me, people will notice!

So work on becoming indisposable, not only in the workplace, but in school, organizations, sports, etc. I know that I'll be working on perfecting the art of WOW!

The Remainder of Today

Ok- so I get to the other location today, to be greeted by 10 new faces. ALL WOMEN! Who wouda thunk??? All executive directors and assistant directors of residential properties, all with designer purses and fancy-schmancy talk tucked up their sleeves. Don't get me wrong, they were all wonderful women to talk with today, ranging from the age of 23-65! I was definitely impressed. Some had been with the company for more than 20 years! Can you say longevity???

Anyway, to the point. So we sit in on a call/live tutorial of a software program that we all will be using to updates sites and whatnot. All very interesting stuff, I must admit! However, it became a bit daunting to sit through once the wireless internet started to act up. I'd say about 70 minutes were wasted trying to connect and reconnect to the internet, which kept closing out our session. It was definitely a nightmare! On top of that, we had to go through about 170 Powerpoint slides to conclude the two tutorial classes that we passed today. WOWWWW! It's a good thing that I got a great nights rest last night.

So.... the juice comes in here. While leaving the office after 5 hours of training, heading back to my regular work site, my supervisor asked me if I wanted to stay another semester with their company?! The company is very impressed with my work ethic, and would eventually like to hire me in I'm assuming. I mean, why else would they ask me to stay longer?

I told him that I'm highly interested because I do enjoy going to work, learning new things and interacting with new people. It's all in the preparation of becoming a better woman! So, why would I pass it up?

Here's why... I received an email once returning to work extending an offer for an interview with a local community college in their accounting department. Full-time work, full-time pay, if you know what I mean! I realized that there may be other internship offers throughout the summer, and that I can't jump on the first one to arise. I have to wait, and weigh my options. This is a first!

I'll see what happens... But basically, I had a wonderful day! Stick around for more of my adventures...

Code Word: Special Projects

This morning was no different than any other. I scrambled to get out of bed, since my alarm clock forgot to go off. Go figure! I showered, attempted to perfect my hair, found clothes to wear, and darted out of the door with one minute left to spare in the parking lot of my job for..... MASCARA!

To my surprise though, the office was pretty much empty. Just my supervisor and one of the executive directors were in the office. So I thought today would be a very bland and boring day. Then I hear footsteps coming toward my office, and knew it was my supervisor coming with the usual 'hey, what's up. how was class?' spill, so I prepared myself. Instead, he tells me of a very special project that he'd like for me to work on for the remainder of the summer. How cool???

I'm thinking... is it another daunting Excel project that'll make my eyes hurt by the end of the day? Nooooooo! It's nothing like that! I'll be working with 3 residential properties, doing who-knows-what! But I'll find out in training today! Yes, TODAY at 9:30a, I'll be heading to our other location for training.

Ecstatic!

Are These Not Killer?

Ok, so I've been to Twelve Oaks mall in Novi, MI quite a few times, and I am absolutely in love with these shoes.

You'll learn that I am a very versatile person, but at the same time I like a shoe that's very diverse. Just like these. I mean, seriously, what can't you wear with these delicious sandals? Even with a not-so-neat pedicure, you could get away with these shoes.

Now though, I must be a little bit more cautious about the things that I buy. Therefore, I stray away from things that aren't really suitable for work, which of course is business attire. Not so much casual. I mean, the men wear slacks, button-up shirts with ties. The women have a little bit more freedom in the professionalism department. So I could definitely do these for the office. Simply to dress up a top and short pants, or with a fitted white button up top with a flowy brown skirt.

The opportunities are endless... Could I take these to a corporate office, with 30 floors of employees? Probably not, but for what I'm doing now, these definitely work.

What do you think???

PS- you can get these from shi By Journeys.

About Me- There's More!

I didn't want to give it all away in the little 'about me' section allotted on the side of the page, so I'll dish out more of who I am and what I do... HERE! I'll also let you ponder as to my identity, just for a minute before I reveal my picture to the blogosphere.

In three words, I'm a student-intern-girlfriend! Therefore my days consist of reading, working, and hanging out with my boyfriend. So, here's some history behind all three of these fascinating facets of my life.

I am a SUPER Senior :-O, yes... I've turned a 4-year degree into a 5-year degree... maybe a 5.5-year degree. I am majoring in Accounting, and I used to question that decision quite often. Don't get me wrong, I love the field and everything it has to offer. I love learning about EVERYTHING accounting related. But I think we all go through that phase where we wonder, "do I really want to do this for the rest of my life?" Well, I went through that phase last year, and to say the least I got over it.

I currently intern at AH (I won't disclose the proper name of the company), in the accounting department. I do a bunch of data entry, posting journal entries, filing, analyzing expenses, and such! It's a desk job, I LOVE DESK JOBS believe it or not. I've been there for a little over a month, and frankly I wouldn't mind if they asked me to stay full-time after the summer. That would make my LIFE! I sit in an office with no window... just a HUGE mirror to look at myself occasionally when I'm bored. I'd love a window though, even if it only looks at the parking lot!

As far as my relationship, I won't divulge too much. I've been with my boyfriend for almost 2 years, and things are going great. End of the story! You'll get the juice down the line... if you keep reading :-)

I've spent the last year of my life thinking of ways to make more money, move out on my own, and be a well-rounded woman that will be productive in society. So, I've started small. As far as my career goes, I've been teaching myself how to use a few programs that will add a little UMPH to my resume. I have also taken on a few volunteer opportunities. I was a part of the inaugural blogging class at my University, therefore I didn't have too much time to embark on my own blog. They also asked me to come back, so KUDOS to that! I have also been given the title of Volunteer Assistant Accountant with Reach One Teach One, and I'll be giving a little of my extra time to Looking For My Sister.

So what will I really be blogging about? A combination of everything that matters to me... issues with school, finding work, relationship drama (or lack thereof), fashion, friendship, fun, beauty... just about EVERYTHING! But mostly, I'll blog about my daily journey to becoming the woman that I want to be.

Stay tuned!

hi

...

Loves Blogger = )

My blogger story is unique- well, to me at least!

Last summer, I felt the urgent need to address many issues regarding preteens/teens/young adults. The easiest and most efficient way to do so was to blog about it. I figured, lots of people will read a blog and they may even find the information useful in some way. I did lots of research about the different blog sites, and Blogger seemed like the most user-friendly place for beginning bloggers.

My love for blogs was established then. I wanted to share as much information as I could with anyone who would read it, and it worked. Unfortunately, my focus wasn't completely there and my blogging skills weren't up-to-par causing me to delete the blog that I worked so hard at establishing. Which leads me to my next point...

In the Fall of 2008, my blog aided me in being selected for the 2008-2009 Inaugural Blogging Team at my University. Although I hadn't visited my blog in several weeks, they enjoyed what I had to say and I was one of the chosen 9 to blog about my campus experience.

My love for blogging has grown tremendously! I'm in love with layouts, the Coffee Shop and everything else that Blogger has to offer. Everyone is so helpful and encouraging. Blogger has a wonderful bunch of users. It's great to be able to share my take on things with the world.

Happy Blogging!