A Little Flirting Goes a Long Way

Christmas is around the corner, and departments are shuffling to host their annual Christmas parties... Our company is no different! We've had Ugly Sweater parties, Charlie Brown Christmas parties, Secret Santa parties. You name it, we've had it.

Nonetheless, these events consists of a bunch of jolly people spending hours in the kitchen the night before preparing potluck dishes. Now I'm no fan of potlucks due to an issue at my last company's holiday party, but I participated again this year. Hey, it's free food!

Anywho, apparently the IT department at our company had a rather large party yesterday, the same time as our Secret Santa party. They were baking cookies in the dining kitchen, heating up platters. Mind you, a business is ran through this kitchen- it's our cafeteria! They were definitely violating... Well, we ran into the kitchen culprit on our way to warm my delicious mac and cheese when she stopped us to say "are you warming up food? Be careful because the chef is being a real asshole. He's been biting my head off left and right. He is NOT in a good mood today". I wasn't worried, Keith (the chef) lovesssss me...

Sure enough, as the violator watched from the hallway, I pranced into the kitchen, gave Keith my prettiest smile and prolonged the pronunciation of his name "Heyyy, Keeiiiiittttttttthhhhhhhhh! Do you think you could warm this up for me?"

"Of course! Anything for you". Kitchen culprit stormed off, and our party went off without a hitch!

Girls, you better learn how to friendly flirt at work ;-)

Love,

GAB
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Creeper Update

Well guess what... the creeper has left the building. Our company has now moved to a new location and within a week of us moving, he had put in his 2 weeks notice. I was overly excited about this until I learned that he lives in my neighborhood, and it is very possible that I may run into him outside of the work setting that may warrant even more awkwardness!

On a joyful note, GAB will be back in full effect after this week is over. I have a ton of things to do, including a major project, 2 final exams, my grandmothers retirement party, sorority initiation, dinners and game nights. Needless to say, there isn't much time in between to blog so I won't even commit to doing that for at least another week. Good news is, I'll be off of work from Christmas Eve through the Monday after New Years, so I'll have plenty of time to catch everyone up on my life, share some awesome stories, introduce new GAB features, and much, much more!

I Won 2 Blog Awards!

How shitty is it that I won a blog award wayyyyyyyy back in August and September, and I'm just now acknowledging them??? But better late than never right!

So here goes... I was awarded by It's All Random, who by the way has a bomb blog! Love it... and thank you!

I'm supposed to thank the person who awarded me, sum up my blog in 5 words, and nominate 10 other wonderful bloggers...

5 words to sum up my blog: SPORATIC, exciting, truthful, beneficial, inspirational!

10 other wonderful bloggers... (I'll get back with this, since I've been absent from the blogosphere)... I promise!

I was also awarded by my good friend Thoughts of a Randomista- love this chick! She gave me the BFF Award:

Excerpt about me for this award:

"The BFF award goes to my good friend Girl About Business. Gab is a really a great friend all around. If you need someone to rant to about work, relationships or just someone to kick the shit with, she's your girl! I love her blog because since her and I are in the same professional field, Gab gives good advice about what to do when you are in a weird position. Her stories are witty and hilarious. Plus, she was the first person who actually encouraged me to blog! Gab, thank you so much! I appreciate you!"

Thank you Boober!

Work Creeper

I must admit, I've never encountered a creeper in the workplace until now. I've known them to exist, but luckily never had to deal with one. You know, the person that makes you feel extremely awkward, that's undressing you with their eyes, making random conversation with you, being overly friendly to you opposed to other employees... Yea, that person!

Well, at my job we have a big finance team that consists of several small department, like payroll, accounts receivable, billing, etc. The departments obviously sit together, and the company has recently gone through some changes- merging with another company, integrating the two companies, bringing in new employees from the other location... Blah, blah, blah. Well, a lot of individuals on the finance team at the other location were offered positions within the new company and turned them down, with the exception of one person. THE CREEPER!

I got a weird vibe from him the very first time we had a finance team meeting, and he's been weird ever since. Let's start with the first encounter... "The waist side hello"- you know, when someone tries to get your attention by gently touching your waist. Usually done by someone that you know, or are close with. That wasn't the case. Instance #2... "The shoe compliment"- yes, he complimented me on my shoes and instantly my brain tracked back to that moment in Legally Blonde when Elle tapped her foot at the gay witness at the water fountain. Same thing went off in my head, until I overheard him talking about his children. Instance #3... "The i-don't-have-anything-else-to-say conversation" so he'll always make a point to ask me about my weekend. On top of that he pulled the race card on more than one occassion...

In so many words, he tells me that we're almost matching one day (when clearly, we weren't even remotely matching). Then he starts up this weird convo about how he's wearing the colors of his "homeland" (New Orleans clearly is a hometown, not a homeland!). He goes on to say that he shuld have been black; black men have it easier when it comes to going bald. If you didn't know by now, GAB is black, African American. Why would you make a comment like that?

Icing on the cake, this douche lord puts his arm up next to mine, starts talking about how he was upset that it rained this past weekend cause he couldn't lay in the sun... Followed by "I have some competition. I'm almost there", in reference to my complexion! OMG!

So now I'm to the point when I want to report him, at least to my manager. I'm sure she'll direct me to HR, but how- being the only black person on the finance team- can you "anonymously" file a complaint? Of course their going to use whatever I tell them in their case against him, and it will no longer be "anonymous"...

GAB needs major help! Anyone ever had to deal with this? How did you handle it?
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Inspiration: Operation Beautiful

'm a big magazine reader, simply because I'm into fashion (although I'm not a trendsetter, and would rather blend in than stand out). That's definitely something that you guys didn't know about GAB. Anywho, I'm perusing through the September issue of Glamour Magazine when I come across an article that has inspired me. It is called Operation Beautiful, and it was started by Caitlin Boyle who battled with her weight and depression. Basically, she wrote a note to herself and to anyone else who might read it that said "You are beautiful"... simple and sweet :-) It helped her get through her roughest moments, and it serves as a spotlight for women and/or men who may be struggling with their appearance, have low self-esteem, or are simply having a bad day.

You can see below some of the notes that people are leaving across the world. I encourage everyone to join in on the movement. Grab a pad of Post-It notes and a sharpie marker, and start to grace everyone with your encouraging words!

Do it for you, for your coworker or boss, for your mother or sister, do it for your best friend or your worst enemy, do it for the young girl in school who "doesn't fit in", do it for the battered woman who can't leave an abusive relationship, do it for a stranger or a homeless person. The point is to do something that could be life changing, and join in on a positive revolution to encourage and inspire.

Here is the one I left in the women's bathroom at my job this morning!

Can We Get a Manicurist Over Here???

I don't know what it is about some men and their lack of awareness concerning their appearance. Allow me to elaborate... nice slacks, dusty folded up tennis shoes, and a wrinkled polo shirt. Were you going for a casual look or just an "I don't give 2 shits" look???

But my absolute pet peeve is a man in the office with dirty nails. Key words: in the office! We don't work at a construction site, or as carpenters or landscapers. We use calculators, pencils, paper and computers all day. The dirtiest one can get in an office setting is accidentally pooping their pants, or not washing their hands after a finger-looking-good lunch! So I don't understand how a guy can have such filthy nails!

Are you collecting ear wax? Digging for gold in your nose? A chronic butt scratcher? Really, what is the cause of such evil in the workplace? Another peeve of mine is people who run out of the bathroom after only RINSING their hands.

We have got to be more mindful of the things that we do regarding our personal hygiene. It's takes a lot to get a rise out of me, and those two things definitely put me on edge.

Winners from 100th Post, $100 Post Giveaway

I would like to thank everyone for entering the giveaway... moreso for loving GAB. As stated before, winners were chosen using a random generator. The wait and anticipation is over, so here are the results:

1st Place: 1 Year Subscription to Cosmo Magazine

Pretty Unfamous

2nd Place: "On My Own Two Feet" book by Manisha Thakor

Jess

3rd Place: $20 Panera Bread Giftcard

Nicole

4th Place: $15 Walmart Giftcard

Jessalyn

All of these chicks have pretty sweet blogs, so it wouldn't hurt to congratulate them AND make a slight detour to some new awesomeness in the blogosphere!

 To claim/receive your gift, please email your:

Full name and Full mailing address to

gab.life@yahoo.com

I hope you all enjoy :-)

Bloggerstock: 1 Postcard, 1 Person

Hi ya'll! My name is EmDottie. I'm being featured on GAB's blog today because of this thing called Bloggerstock. It's basically where bloggers pick a topic and do an orchestrated guest blog web ring thingamajing. Engineer in Heels is guest posting over on my blog. This months topic is about writing a person (dead or alive) a postcard. There are too many interesting people that have come and gone that I'd like to communicate with. I mean, Malcolm X,Marilyn Monroe, MLKJ, Cleopatra, Moses, Obama, Bill Gates, Spike Lee...

I wrecked my brain for a quick second to figure out who I wanted to write. In middle school I did a book report on Hatshepshut (one of the very few successful female pharaohs of Egypt) and I've been obsessed with becoming the ruler of the world ever since. (Probably doesn't help that my ancestors are from Egypt anyway. I could've been related to King Tut or something, haha.) She ruled for about twenty two years. One of the more interesting parts of the story is when her step-son Thutmose ends up killing her. Nobody knows for sure, there wasn't enough evidence to prove that he killed her, then there are stories that said he poisoned her. (Sounds like some soap opera type stuff if ya ask me)...

ANYWAY, so if I could write a postcard to her, this is what I would write:

Dearest Hatshepsut,

How ya doin?! So I wanted to pick your brain about ruling the country. (I plan on running the planet one day and I need some advice.) How did you deal with your son trying to kill you? (Well- obviously not that well...) What tips would you give a young girl hell bent on ruling the world? If you could go back in time, what would you have done differently? Who should I keep as my right hand man or should I have one? Have I missed anything? Do inform.

Thanks Hatsy!

-Emdottie.

Ok I probably won't call her Hatsy but that's a long ass name to include on a 3x5 postcard mmkay?
So sound off. Who would you try to contact if you could? What would you ask?

Thanks EmDottie for such a hilarious post, and do check out her blog. It is very interesting, cool layout, some of THEE best topics!!! To see who I'd write, check out The Ginge... like NOW :-)

GAB Rant: Nasty Mess

So the other day, I'm being nosey over in my coworker's cube... I mean, I was really looking for a pair of scissors.

See, she's been out of the office for 2 weeks... 1 week on vacation, 1 week at another one of our locations. However, in between her 1 week vacation and 1 week of work, she stopped by the office to "check up on some things".

Y

 Yes, that is what we call here in America mold

So you mean to tell me that she didn't see this shit sitting next to her keyboard like I did? Or she just didn't care to clean it up? I'm still trying to figure out how you leave a half cup of coffee on your desk pre-vacation. I like order and cleanliness, and my coffee cup is of importance to me. I like a clean coffee cup when I walk into work, I hate disgusting ass coffee rings in my cup, and I despise people who have the mentality that there-was-coffee-in-it-before-so-I-can-just-add-more-coffee-on-top-of-the-gross-rings-and-yesterdays-last-bit-of-coffee!

I mean, to each it's own... but there is a such thing as cubicle etiquette, even when it's your own cubicle. Don't believe me? Check out the forum I started about cubicle etiquette at 20somethingbloggers. If you're not a member already, you probably should be. I'm just saying :-)

100th Post = Amazing Giveaways

***Extension***

See bottom of post...

So, remember back in March when I posted the 100 Random Factoids about GAB? Well, if you scroll allll the way down to #101 you'll see that I mentioned a giveaway to celebrate my 100th post, so here it is!

To show my appreciation for all of my readers, all of the comments that you make, all of the insight that you give, all of your friends that you send over to my blog to follow me... I'm giving away $100 worth of prizes today. That's right... $100 big smackaroos!

Now, why would I have such a huge giveaway? Well, first off my blog gives me an immense amount of inspiration. It is usually an email that I receive or a comment that someone left that fuels my new topics. Secondly, this isn't a giveaway blog... so a once-in-a-while giveaway is perfectly fine with me. I'm not in the business of luring people by giving things away, otherwise I'd be doing this all the time. I'm not looking for additional clicks, because I don't advertise on my blog (except for my own personal ads, hehe). I love to be associated with, even if it is through my blog, with relatable people that appreciate my content. 100 posts is a definite milestone for me, and I appreciate all of you who have followed me on my journey and will continue to read what I have to say!

Enough with the gibberish... here's what I'm giving away:

 ♥ 1 Year Subscription to my fav magazine, COSMO ♥

 (I love LC, hence the cover of her and not Britney Spears)

♥ One of my favorite books, one that I live by- On My Own Two Feet by Manisha Thakor... def must read ♥

♥ $20 gift card to Panera Bread ♥

♥ $15 gift card to Walmart ♥

Here's how you can win one of these awesome prizes... simply comment on this post. It could be anything about GAB, something you love about my blog... something you dislike about it... what you'd like to see more of... topics that interest you that you'd like featured... Just comment, and you'll be entered into the drawing (random generator). Tell your friends about it, link to this giveaway through your blog, post it on your FB page, or twitter... whatever!

Giveaway ends Friday, July 23rd 30th, 2010 at 11:59 EST.

There's Nothing Like a Challenge

It's hard being at the bottom of the totem pole... bottom of the barrel... bottom of the food chain... being the intern, that is. Being the ONLY intern. But I guess I'm better off than the temps since I'm actually on the company's payroll.

Speaking of temps, there's one in our department who has been there since January. He's kinda like the permanent temporary employee, so to speak. Bad thing is, well bad for him... good for me- I'm taking all of his work, which means that sooner than later he'll be getting the boot. On top of that, there were 5 positions open in our department; 4 of which have been filled by newcomers. The 5th by me... so, where does that leave permanent temp??? Hitchhiking on the side of Corporate Dr. It's definitely an awkward feeling knowing that everything that you are learning once belonged to someone else, and that person is slowing watching their responsibilities and duties being taken away from them. Soon, they'll be taking his laptop and stapler away from him. Poor permanent temp :-(

Well, I get an invite to a meeting about 3 days ago informing me that I'd be taking over some account reconciliations, and will be responsible for them this month forward. There are 6 accounts to be exact; I guess they believe in my capabilities enough to give me such a significant amount of work to do. So I get into the meeting today, and it played out just as I thought it would. Everything was basically laid out for me.. the basic format, what to look for, the file paths, etc. I won't lie, I was excited. This is the first real accounting duty that I've had. The past 4 weeks that I've been at MC, it's basically been file maintenance, scanning, disposing of and transferring fixed assets. But now, I have a true responsibility each month- my 6 reconciliations are kinda like my babies. I have to look over them and maintain what happens to them, nurture them... feed them with journal entries, and clean up after their mistakes.

It wasn't until about 1.5 hrs into the 2 hour meeting that my adrenaline rush was stabbed in the neck with a sharp, unidentifiable object. Remember being a kid and after misbehaving, you have your game taken from you or you're told that you can't go play outside. Yea, that's how I felt when I was told that 4 of my babies were cake walks... simply plug and chug recon's, copy and pasting formulas. No real investigative work going on there. So I'm sitting there with 4 super easy recon's and 2 that will kick my ass come Monday.

It almost felt like they were taking my job back from me. Weird, I know... one cool thing though is that one of my accounts is an accrued litigation account ~aka~ a pending lawsuit that I'll be monitoring!

Hmmm... I'm definitely looking forward to that, and the return of my boss who I'm sure will have plenty for me to do since she's been out of the office for the past 4 days!

TOAR: Crash Course to Corporate TAKEOVER!!!

For all of my readers who are wondering who the hell TOAR is, she's one of my good friends from college. We both have interesting blogs/lives, at least that's what we like to think hehe! Sporadically, we're going to tag each other's blogs with stories guest posts. So, everyone raise your champagne glasses to TOAR's first post on GAB!

Hey Everybody!

I just want to thank GAB for letting me use her blog for my random writing chaos that you will read in a few seconds (or minutes depending on how slow you are lol jk) My name is Lynn and my "webhome" is Thoughts of a Randomista. I am a 21 year old college student studying Financial Accounting/Reporting and Accounting Information Systems... (we have fights frequently because crap doesn't like to balance, URGH!) Anyway, I like to blog about Twilight ♥TEAM EDWARD ♥, Movies and Entertainment, Relationships, and Random-Disgusting-Raunchy-EMO-Hilarious things that may come across my path while living in a big city like Detroit, Michigan - which happens frequently. In a nut shell: I talk shit. GAB and I have been friends for about 3 years and have taken countless accounting classes together. I don't know what I would have done without her. Now she is off making ARAB MONEY without me. (No racial pun intended, it's just that yall are ballin').

Now, back to what's important: CORPORATE FRICKIN' TAKEOVER!?

I have been interning at a HUGE not-for-profit company in Southfield, MI as a Business Process Analyst. There are 4 other interns in the department with me: Gina, Karen, Bill, and James. Gina, Karen, and James are GREAT to work with but Bill, yeah – I'll talk about him in a few. Gina and I are like best fricking friends now! You know when you are around someone so much you get annoyed? Not with her – It's easy as Sunday morning, especially considering we share a cube.

The company had a tornado drill in the first week to "protect its employees in case of an emergency." It was great not only because "it was for safety precautions," but because we were all stuck in a stairwell for about 15 mins and I got meet a lot of new people within the first day! You know- the average 'BIG WIGS' lol. We also had a lot of reading to do to get caught up on current business processes. BORING. We recently finished the planning phase for a big project mandate by getting locked in a room for days to "tie up loose ends."

When you are stuck in a room…..

With the same people…

For 5 days…

You start to notice things.

HUGE, BALL BUSTING, IRRITATING, RETARDED THINGS!

For example, a contractor named Nick has to disagree with everything – kinda like Bill who I will cut a new hole into in a short while. Nick and I had a tiny conflict because as you know I am an intern, bottom of the barrel, and apparently with a "TREAT ME LIKE SHIT" sign stuck on my frickin' forehead. I'd been talking to Nick and it seemed as if he isn't paying attention – which was cool with me; at this point, I didn't care. Then he just blurted out "I am paying attention to you." I said, "Ok….." and continued with my thought. Then this dumbass states "I act like an ass when I don't care about what people are saying to me." In a very assertive-I'm-gonna-kill-you-bitch-firm voice while looking him dead in the eyes, I said: "Ok, well you might want to listen to what I have to say." He looked terrified and shocked because I am an intern and I shouldn't have said anything. HAHAHA – HOW MUCH RESPECT DID I EARN THIS DAY!?

So I do not like Nick already and since he has to disagree with EVERYTHING, it didn't make it better that he obviously hates interns. In this room, he disagrees with the new ideas or old ideas that needed to be validated, he would look around the room as if he is looking for someone's approval or to see if anyone is agreeing with him. But OMG, DON'T LET THE NUMBERS BE WRONG! Another contractor Greg– his subordinate, made a table and some of the numbers were off by a little. He asks Greg "Did Bill come up with these numbers?" WDF, just because he is an intern doesn't mean that they are wrong because he did it! Everyone wanted to continue viewing the table to get the basic understanding of it and Nick would not let Greg hear the end of the wrong numbers. Every five seconds – "those numbers are wrong so we can't make a clear decision." "Since the numbers are wrong…" "the numbers are wrong…"

OK BITCH, WE GET IT! THE NUMBERS ARE WRONG! CAN WE JUST MOVE ON?!

Anywho, Bill and I attend the same school. Thankfully, I never had a class with him because he would get on my damn nerves there too. Bill is the guy that is so analytical, he can't have fun. He asks questions about everything. "Why did you do that?" "Why can't you do it this way?" "Why do you laugh at ridiculously long-words-that-no-normal-human being-can-physically-pronounce-and-you-don't-know-the-meaning-to?" – Because bitch, it's funny.

It's what, why, how with him all the time – it pisses me off. Bill asked me "Why is your facebook private?" I told him that in all honesty (this is a true statement) I have hater's and stalkers that like to do mean things to me on facebook. Then He asks "why? Do you have something on there you don't want anyone to see?" My response to this was, no! It's nothing like that – I just like to be in control over who see's what and who adds me as a friend. This is the obvious answer, right?

WRONG! This dude said "You must be insecure."

WDF am I supposed to do with that?! Bill almost died that day.

What I learned about the Corporate world is - - Everyone is an Asshole. There are BIG assholes and little ones. But the real challenge is:

Are you going to let someone RAPE YOURS? Hahaha.
 

Thanks for reading. Follow/ Comment... It makes us horny!

Life on My Own...

Who ever thought that I'd spend majority of my day, aside from being at work, browsing websites and apartment shopping instead of actually shopping for myself... i.e. like clothes... I have a huge walk-in closet, enough space for 4 of my wardrobes, which makes me want to cry everyday since I can't fill it with fun, fabulous clothes right now.

Instead, I'm covering my dry erase fridge calendar with bill due dates, and huge green $$ notes to encourage me to keep going. There isn't much I love about living alone, aside from coming and going as I please. But I did that anyway... I LOVE grocery shopping and cleaning up. Basically, I love being domesticated. I've been here almost 2 weeks and the only things I've cooked on my stove are eggs, bacon, and boiled Ramen noodles. I finally used the oven today to warm up last nights pizza. Whhooooooooo! Making progress.

And it is a little scary being alone, 100% of the time. Sometimes I catch myself watching the clock, wondering how I could possibly be so lonely out here. Granted I love the fact that this is all mine, it is super damn boring. There are no clubs, no scenes to join, no cliques, not even a decent mall for miles. Even with my best friend here, it's still kinda lame since she's studying 90% of the time.

I spent the first 11 nights here with the living room light on and the ironing board pushed up against my door. That only put me more on edge, so I exerted my freedom and ability to live alone by removing the ironing board and finally turning off the light.

Value City pissed me off yesterday by only delivering one piece of my sectional... what kind of mess is that? They better have a free lamp, or table vase for the inconvenience. On a lighter note, I just love my job! I definitely couldn't have asked for anything more. And the fact that I can come home on my lunch break, eat a sandwich, take a 45 minute nap and still return to my desk on time is the best thing in the world.

PS- Central air is the ish :-)

Love, GAB!

From Mommy to Me...

Have you ever considered the morals and guidance that helped to mold you into the person you are today? I'm sure most of us don't think beyond our actions, but those very actions happen because at some point in our lives we were taught or conditioned to be/act in a certain manner. A lot of the things that I do are shaped by the things that my parents taught me, particularly my mother. In this post, I'm going to highlight for you all of the significant things that I was told by my mom along with things that I learned from her...

There is more than one way to make money... Nothing irks me more than a person that doesn't try, or dishes out an excuse for everything. Things are not going to fall into your lap, and frankly I don't want them to. I love knowing that everything that I have, I worked hard for it. No one can take that away from me. If a full-time job was not in line for me, 2 part-time jobs would have to suffice. If no one was hiring in my area, I'd use my skills and knowledge to tutor people.

Sell yourself... You have lots of things to be proud of like high school graduation, completion of your college degree, promotion at work, successfully completing a marathon, etc. It's only boasting when you're not asked... but if someone wants to hear about your accomplishments, don't be afraid to tell them.
-Respect yourself and others will follow suit... If you present yourself in an ugly fashion, don't be surprised when you get the short end of the stick. Snooty attitudes and I'm-better-than-you vibes are a sure way to lose respect in almost every situation. Take a step back, look in the mirror, and decide whether you would like yourself. It will serve you justice!

Never have too much pride... Please do not mix pride with proud. They are spelled differently for a reason. I had to learn this on my own, with a little guidance from mommy. At one point in my life, I refused to ask for help. I relied heavily on my mother to make it happen, and when she couldn't do it or I couldn't help myself I'd just go without. Although there has always been people in my life who want to help me, I failed to accept their help and go the long route. Simply because I like to earn what I get, and by taking from others even at their own will, I feel like I am selling myself short or that I'll owe them something in return. I never want to be indebted to someone else. EVER! Mommy's lesson was to never be afraid to receive, but I taught her something too...

... Nothing in life is better than giving! My mom is astonished at how much I donate to charity, how many hours I volunteer in the community, or how often I participate in outreach services or seek the opportunity to help others on my own terms. All of the work that I've done for free was self-sought. No one forced me, but I'm always felt obligated to give back.

What are some ways of life that your mother (or father) instilled in you? I'd love to know!

Friends vs. Wallet

Today, I stumbled across The Blog Carnival at 20something bloggers which is terrific because I always miss them. The topic of this carnival touched home, and it runs along the lines of living up to others lifestyle. Now my situation can be looked at a few different ways, but I'll let you decide.

Before college, I did not care what I wore or what type of purse I carried. I frequently shopped at Payless for shoes and Claire's for jewelry and purses. Once I joined a sorority in 2005 and was introduced to the lifestyle of some of the women, it easily rubbed off on me in a way that I was not conscious of. No longer did I shop at lower end retail stores, I began shopping at Coach, Guess, MetroPark, ALDO, etc. Anything that was out of my means was fair game. I tossed away my cheap bags, and bought my first Coach purse. I carried the same Coach purse for over 2 years, simply because of its name and the fact that it looked better than anything that had ever adorned my shoulder before. It became apparent that appearance is/was everything, as most of them drive the best cars and buy the most elaborate/expensive clothing.Which leads me to my next point...

...there are some things that women cannot sacrifice, and each of us has our own guilty pleasure that we can't live without. Mine is hair, nail and eyebrow maintenance. I shriek at my desk just imagining not having a perfect manicure, or an overgrown hair in my eyebrows. Chipped nail polish is a no-no, especially if wearing sandals. So yes, if I was down to my last $20, a $13 manicure and $7 eyebrow waxing is in order. May not be the most frugal way of living, but it is definitely something I've grown accustomed to and can't live without.

However, after becoming more responsible for myself and my expenses, I realize that that lifestyle is not for me. I've severely cut back on mani/pedi days, and although it takes 3 more hours than my stylist I've been perfecting my hair at home.

My pockets have thanked me! So to anyone attempting to fit in, or living a lifestyle according to the means of others, you should really consider reevaluating who you are and what truly makes you happy, and seek personal fulfillment from there. Making those changes for myself led to a Financial Fitness Score of 73, meaning I'm on the right track for being in great financial shape!

Love GAB :-)

Disclaimer: This post is part of the 20SB Blog Carnival: Friends & Money, sponsored by Charles Schwab. Prizes may be awarded to selected posts. The information and opinions expressed in this post do not reflect the views or opinions of Charles Schwab. Details on the event, eligibility, and a complete list of participating bloggers can be found here.

I Have to Grow Up Sometime

GAB made the biggest transition of her life today... She packed her belongings, moved away from her family and boyfriend, and is now sulking in her misery. Watching my family go back home, 70 miles away was one thing. But to watch my boyfriend leave was absolutely devastating... As a matter of fact, he's been gone for about 10 minutes and I'm still crying.

How could something so wonderful in your life be the root of so much loneliness? I really had to grow up today... I've had to make real grown up decisions, and I've traveled to a place unfamiliar to me- where I know absolutely no one. I wasn't told that it would be easy, but I definitely didn't think it would be so hard. That's when you realize that you are your own being, but people help to make you who you are. I try not to bicker with them so much, and assert my adulthood... But maybe I'm one of the selected few who should have waited to leave home. Granted I'm responsible enough to handle this lifestyle, but am I ready?

Well, I guess at this point I have no choice but to be. I have to make my apartment my home, and enjoy it because this is what I asked for. So excuse me in advance if my next few posts seem a little sorrowful, I'm going through a phase that hopefully will subdue very soon :-)

Wish GAB luck in her new life!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

GAB Life Updates

Good evening to all, live from my Blackberry :-)

I forgot what it felt like to start a new job... To be the "newbie", the need to be shown where the bathroom is or where to hang your coat, how to log into various programs (the most difficult for me) and getting acquainted with so many people!

To make matters worse, I had lunch today with 3 coworkers; two of which I couldn't tell you their names! On the flipside, I've been given a great amount of responsibility these past 2 days and am so excited to learn and do more.

A little about this place... It is the epitome of Corporate America... Cubicles are taller than me, closed in and very secluded. The company actually blocks access to all outside email providers, Facebook, Pandora... This is nothing like my old job at CC. I'm sure there is some kind of firewall or cell phone blockage in the building since my phone literally dies after 3 hours of being at work and not using it for more than a minute. So far, I have 6 different passwords for various programs and software work-related. But those sound like complaints to me, so... Let's reflect on some cool things likeeeeee...

... The bathroom... THE nicest work facility restroom ever- fully equipped with an unlimited supply of pads and tampons, even Lysol disinfectant spray in every stall :-) A plush leather couch and a cabinet full of hair products and tools!
... The kitchen... State-of-the-art Paula Dean kitchen straight out of a magazine- patio deck attached!
... Raffle prizes... Some sweet things are being raffled off this month alone... XBOX 360, Wii, Dell laptop mini, vacations, etc!
... Jean and Popcorn day... Every single Friday is basically free dress day. Let's see, I wore jeans and some really cute sandals today :-)
... Laptops for permanent employees- access your work from anywhere as long as you have your laptop!
... There are 4 baby bunnies living and growing in a hole right outside of our kitchen window.
... My coworkers are pretty sweet! They're so nice and welcoming, always checking on lil' ole me :-)
... There is something for everyone at my new job! Any interests you may have can definitely be suited at MC.
... In 3 months, we're moving to a new location. Nice college town, with many opportunities for growth. More collaborative work style floorplan. Lower cubicle walls, more open space, onsite fitness center, and more conference room space! Can't wait to be apart of such a dynamic change within a well cultured organization!

Wish GAB much luck!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Really Big Lifestyle Change!

So as most of you know, if you've been following along... I went apartment hunting on Friday, and literally found a place in less than an hour. I know that may sound weird, but I did my research before I actually went out. I had been calling places for about a week, getting quotes on apartments, distance from work, perks, amenities, etc. I found the perfect place, and since I'm going to be the only one living there I didn't have to worry about compromising for anyone else's needs :-) My boyfriend could be a tad bit picky somethings... I'm just saying!

Anywho, it has central air, a dishwasher, plenty of closet space... I have wayyyy too many clothes and shoes, and the bathroom isn't in the bedroom (which BTW has a nice sized walk-in closet :-) What girl doesn't love that?! Of course with me only being there for 3 months and then on the move again, I had to figure out what things I would be taking with me while being as minimal as possible yet making my first place feel like home. Therefore a little shopping was done to complete "the look"... an aerial rug for the living room, a nice coffee table, shower curtain and bathroom rug set, bedroom vanity, trash can, dishes, towels and general household items. I've spent so much money in Walmart this past week, it is absolutely ridiculous!

Needless to say, I am extremely excited about this new chapter in my life. Sad that I'm leaving things behind for a while, including my family, my wonderful boyfriend and my friends. Good thing I have Skype, a Blackberry and a car for those lonely nights :-) It will definitely be hard adjusting to making my own meals, being 100% responsible for myself, making sure my ENTIRE home is clean, getting to work on time, buying groceries, paying rent, car note, car insurance, cable/internet, electricity and gas bill, gas for my car... Ugh, that lists looks even uglier than I thought. Well, I'll be rolling with the punches that life throws at me and will be sure to keep you guys posted on the goings-ons in my renovated life :-)

But until I move in, I have a to-do list like none other... jury duty tomorrow, final exam coming up, first day of work on Thursday, Father's Day on Sunday, Going Away Dinner, andddddd actually packing <------ I do not look forward to this!

On the bright side, tomorrow is a new day for new opportunities and new lessons. 

A New Life Begins in Just a Few Days...

After impatiently waiting on a call back on Friday, I began to freak out about the job I had interviewed for. Monday rolled around and still no call from the Talent Manager, which didn't seem normal of her since she's always prompt. Well, I took it upon myself to give a follow-up call just to see where things stood as other employers began calling and emailing me about other opportunities. In a few short words, I NAILED IT! I got the internship and couldn't be any happier.

This didn't come with issues though. As soon as I got the news, I had to crack down on apartment hunting. I definitely have to find something this week that will be ready for move-in by the end of the month. Believe me though, I am scared as shit. And it doesn't help that I just read an article in Cosmo about a man stalking a woman at her apartment :-/ I've never lived on my own and I'm almost 23 years old. I guess that's my fault though... I should have went away to school as planned. But I am so eager to get away from the city life and live something a little less fast-pace. I'm moving to a little country town in Michigan, close to the border of Ohio. Nothing but farms and cornfields for miles, with a corporate building standing tall in the middle of it all. It's a quaint little college town that to my surprise offers a lot of advantages. Utilities, as well as internet is included in most of the places I've searched and I am excited to check them out on Friday!

Not to mention I had to sit in a medical center today for more than an hour for a drug test... UGH! I've also been contacted by FedEx who apparently attempted to deliver a package to my home from my new job, but had the wrong address. Actually, they had the right address, wrong zip code. So they were literally on the other side of the state with my package... funny stuff! I'm still trying to figure out what it is though! I start next Thursday, and soooo not looking forward to the hour and a half commute 3 days out of the week for the next 3 weeks. My apartment will be my best friend....

Have you ever had to move for your job or for an awesome opportunity? What was the hardest part of moving for you?

GAB Update

You'd think that by me being unemployed for almost a month now that I'd devote more time to my blog, and keep you guys in the loop with my everyday living...

I won't lie, it has been devastatingly hard to wake up before 8am on only 2 days out of the week to attend class... it is weird wearing jeans and t-shirts pretty much everyday, having more than enough time to study, over cleaning the house and doing yardwork when most people are out making a living... it is hard to watch my business casual attire collect dust in my closet, and wash a bunch of socks, leggings and tank tops... to wake up late and go to bed even later, to not nap in fear of missing a call from a prospective employer... texting non-stop all throughout the day to my jobless friend in Laredo, TX.

I had to face it; I took having a job for granted. I felt like I deserved it more than others, that I would never be at the bottom trying to find my way to the top again. I spent money on material items that I should have saved for a rainy day, or a rainy few months in my case. Yet, a mere 3 weeks ago I inquired about unemployment compensation. But I didn't settle, I couldn't settle. Since then, I've been on the hunt for a job like no other. What people don't realize is that you have to actively look for a job as if it was already your full-time job. That means for at least 7 hours a day, you should be flooding companies with your cover letter and resume.

During this daunting process, I've had a few successes. Nothing worthwhile came around until recently. I've been given the opportunity to interview for a multi billion dollar company, one with a very reputable name and a wonderful brand gracing the households of millions of individuals across the world. What makes me appreciate the opportunity more is the fact that I sought it on my own. It wasn't handed to me via a network, colleague or referral. I took the time to apply to companies that I could see myself contributing to, not just any old place on Career Builder... I also learned that CareerBuilder.com doesn't build careers. Out of the 80 or so resumes that I sent out, all of my responses came from my hands-on actions. Physically taking my resume to places, or using CareerBuilder as a tool- not as my only resource.

Here's how I do it... I search on CareerBuilder.com for companies that are hiring, and usually the names are given. Instead of clicking the "Email your Resume" button, I visit the actual website of the company and apply there. This has proved to be more beneficial for myself, but to each its own.

But to sum it all up, I had a wonderful interview yesterday... 70 miles from home, but definitely worth every mile or the rent money that I will dish out instead of gas money (haven't made up my mind yet, but leaning more towards moving than commuting)... 6 month internship turn full-time position with excellent benefits upon successful completion of internship and excellent evaluations from managers and staff members. OVERLY EXCITED AND AWAITING THE FINAL CALL :-)

Keep me in your prayers, and feel free to email me with any questions about job hunting... I'm sure I have some useful tips that you can use!

There's a Reason for Everything!

Not that it bothered me or anything, but I always wondered why men and women had separate restrooms. I understand that it may be more comfortable for both genders, as it is for me. But what prompted institutions, restaurants, schools and all the other places with separate restrooms to segregate?

From what I've read online and my general working knowledge being a woman, I'm assuming it is because our society holds steady on the idea that nudity, sex, doing the 'duty', or whatever are personal affairs, and should be handled as personably as possible. Same goes for the idea that boys and girls shouldn't share beds, or there is no such thing as boy/girl slumber parties. Honestly, I have never been to one or known any person to have a slumber party for their child with boys and girls sleeping over. That was a sideline comment...Conglomerating women together in restrooms allows for less discomfort. At one point I was always afraid to open sanitary napkins or tampons while other women were in the same restroom as me, afraid that they'd hear me and know what I was up to. Now, I have no issues with that. I understand that everyone coming into that restroom has either 'been there, done that' or will soon 'be there and do that'. As the same for men!

Imagine walking into a public restroom and seeing a man standing at a urinal with a woman squatting on the toilet right next to him. Or what about those times when you're on a date and you need to go powder your nose? Wouldn't it be awkward for your date to walk in the restroom while you're getting pretty?

But recently I've come to appreciate separate restrooms even more. At my job there is a staff lounge, outside of our office right down the hall. In that lounge are two single restrooms, no gender designation. After drinking an 18oz cup of sweet tea, I immediately needed a potty break. Well, as I'm walking into one of the singles, the director of our office (male) is walking out. Surprisingly, the other restroom was occupied. So I was forced to use the bathroom that our director had just exited. I immediately wanted to barf after seeing the way that he left the restroom for the next person. Soapy sink knobs, toilet seat raised with drops of urine all over the toilet! I guess he thought that by him smiling and speaking before leaving that I'd forgive him. And I did... it wasn't until he repeated the action two days later, when my best friend walked into the same bathroom that he just left out of. She too noticed the same exact thing that I did, making him a habitual toilet-seat-leaver-upper-pee-stained-toilet-wetter!

And he's married... now this may not be the case for all men, but he is one nasty guy for that. His wife has to be crazy to accept that.

Starbucks Update

I don't personally get paid for advertising appealing information about Starbucks on my blog, but I enjoy a nice frappucino every now and again. I'm sure some of my lovely readers do as well... some more indulgent than others. I ran across this ad on my Facebook page; you can visit any participating Starbucks during Happy Hour (3-5pm) Friday, May 7th- Sunday, May 16th and create your own frappucino or purchase one of the menu fraps for half the price... YES, HALF-OFF FRAPPUCINOS! For most, that's about $1.75 a pop! Can't beat it :-)

Feeling Inspired!

Today I was able to witness history, or whatever you want to call it. For the first time ever, I was present for a speech by President Barack Obama. Now for some of you, this may not be monumental if you've heard him speak publicly. But I was definitely grounded for about 20 minutes or so.

At 8:13a, I walked into the Big House or the University of Michigan graduation ceremony to watch my best friend in the entire world graduate. I must say, she chose the perfect time to graduate and the ceremony was so inspirational and moving. It was surreal.

Imagine sitting in a stadium filled with 80,000+ people, most there celebrating a treacherous yet joyous journey for their children/family/friends... others there for the love of Obama. There are helicopters flying overhead. Secret Service employees on the roof. State police at every entrance. 8,000+ graduates from every avenue of learning. This was surreal. I almost felt like I was in a movie. But it wasn't the size of the crowd, or the fact that the President was there. It was his words that moved me, his charisma and charm, his demeanor, his knowledge and understanding of a functioning society.

He spoke of civility, being open to opposing views and gaining news from resources aside from our norm. In particular, he told the graduates (I'd like to include myself since I graduate in less than 24 hours) to understand the naysayers... to put yourself in their shoes. Only then are we able to view the full picture. Knowledge is the best defense. He spoke of the political quarrels that are circling our media, and how we can not allow them to cloud our perception of how things are.

Obviously we didn't have the best seats, but it was perfect!

I've been compelled to do great things, I've always had the mindset that I can do anything. But seeing Obama, listening to him and knowing that he's a man that has been through so many obstacles and hoops to be where he is... that speaks volumes to the people. That shows us graduates, as cliche as it may be, that YES WE CAN!

Word of wisdom... You can do anything that you want to do, but you can not do everything!

Back in a Flash

GAB will be back to her regularly scheduled program on Wednesday, April 28th, 2010... Again, I repeat:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28TH, 2010... news, gossip, life, love, laughter are all coming your way!

100 Random Factoids about GAB

A few months ago these random lists were floating all over Facebook and I'm sure Myspace (not a user), but I don't think I've ever seen a completely random list of 100 items. That's tough, so bear with me as I attempt to get through this in one posting...

1. I've lived at more than 20 different places in the city of Detroit... obviously I'm not a military baby.
2. Most people believe that I'm mean before they even know my name. Once they get to know me, I'm one of the nicest people that one could meet. It's true that you can't judge a book by it's cover.
3. I used to be a daddy's girl until my dad got married to my stepmom and had 2 other kids. Now I just roll with mommy.
4. I just recently paid off all of my credit card debt that accumulated from small purchases + a boatload of interest! Did I mention this all happened in 2006?!
5. My first job was a summer internship at KPMG when I was 15, which changed my life and my career goals. Since then I've worked non-stop.
6. I'm a very independent person although I still live at home with my mom. I think that can be attributed to OCS (only child syndrome) and the fear of leaving my mom alone. I think I'll have a baby and let her have it (just kidding!)
7. When I don't see people for a long time, it makes it that much harder for me to call or go to see them. Weird I know.
8. I couldn't imagine sitting at home doing absolutely nothing. The first thing I'd do if I was unemployed or didn't attend college would be to begin writing my book (underway as I blog!)
9. I don't understand cheaters, and I know that I never will. Like my mom says "looking at the menu is normal, as long as you don't order".
10. I usually run into guys that I have to take care of, with the exception of my current boyfriend- it amazes me every day how independent we both are but how dependent we are on each others love and companionship. Love that dude!
11. Ultimately, I would love to be a combination of wife/mother/CEO/event planner extraordinaire/best-selling author! I'm going to do it too!
12. My closet consists of randomly placed articles of clothing, with the floor decorated with different colors of shoes that are almost identical!
13. I slowly feel like I'm turning into my mother, needing my daily fix of coffee along with my sudden need to dispose of all of my tennis shoes. (I've never seen my mom wear a pair of sneakers in my life! She even wore dress shoes to Cedar Point once!)
14. It has taken me 5 1/2 years to finish my undergrad degree and I don't really don't care what anyone has to say about it. Every works at their own pace!
15. I'm a very creative thinker and love to share my ideas of planning activities/events with others. Ask me anything!
16. I spend majority of my days trying to figure out exactly what I'm going to blog about next, considering I man 2 blogs.
17. I'm slowing falling off of the Facebook bandwagon, and I think that's a great accomplishment!
18. I reallllyyyyy want a Yorkie Poo. Like real bad :-) If you know any cheap breeders, holla at me!
19. My first dream job was to be a stripper (too many X-rated movies) lmao! I can't believe that I just admitted to that.
20. I hate when people use to/two/too, your/you're, hear/here, their/they're interchangeably. They're spelled differently for a reason.
21. I always tell people that I'm broke even when I'm really not. I guess that's from being broke all of the time. I'm just used to it!
22. I hate friends that use you for their benefit. If you can't call on a regular day, don't call when you need something.
23. I love hard, sometimes too hard.
24. I bottle up my emotions because I feel like few people can relate. Eventually I cry and am not ashamed of that.
25. Before I started college, I could lock my bedroom door and read a 500-page novel in one sitting. Hence my passion to write a series of books. I haven't read any novels since 2005!
26. When I was younger, I was a mall rat! Now I hate to shop at the mall and would rather window shop and buy online.
27. I am a cupcake connoisseur. Ask me to bake you some!
28. I have a love/hate relationship with the seasons. They know why.
29. I desperately want to go on a cruise... to like, anywhere!
30. It amazes me when my out-of-state family comes to visit and I show them where Canada is located, right across the Detroit River and they get super excited.
31. I love Detroit. Period.
32. I took a creative writing course a year ago, and realized that most of my writing was filled with anger and pain. Go figure...
33. I still write checks, probably only because I can order cute checks!
34. Certified lipgloss fanatic! At any given moment, you can find 5 in my purse.
35. I love to laugh and smile :-)
36. Volunteering makes me happy, but I haven't been able to do so in a long while.
37. I visited a prison for the first time in my life this past Sunday. I was petrified!
38. I have a mild intolerance to cheese and milk, but I continue to eat/drink them. Watch out!
39. I could eat breakfast foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
40. I love my black hair. I wish it was naturally black.
41. I hate chipped nail polish with a passion. Take it off or repolish it please!
42. I used to keep a daily journal. That's when I actually felt like the things I was going through was significant. I laugh at them now.
43. I love being in the water, but I can't swim to save my life!
44. Nothing makes me feel as good as a girls day with my chickees! Movies, gossip and virgin daquiris :-)
45. Life without my Blackberry... what would that be like?
46. I'm somewhat of a pack rat, I usually have a ton of stuff that I don't/won't use. Eventually I'll do a random cleaning, but it's definitely consuming my life.
47. When I'm home alone, I turn my TV up extra loud because I get scared sometimes.
48. I watch Taking the Stage, The Hills, 16 & Pregnant, Teen Mom, and Bad Girls Club religiously... shame on me!
49. I've been actively looking for a non-denominational church to attend, but have been unsuccessful in my search. If you know of any in the Metro Detroit area, please let me know.
50. I've never been skiing or snowboarding, but would really love to go.
51. I'm beginning the 'character development' process of my book next week... wish me luck!
52. I took Calculus 3 times during college... sad story. Don't ask!
53. I just bought an Ice Tea Maker from Walmart... I'm in love :-)
54. I love to go fishing, and have picnics.
55. In 2000, I had 2 'female' hamsters given to me by my moms coworker. When I came home from a week long vacation, I had 4 hamsters. I wonder how that happened!
56. I'm allergic to citric acid... yes, that includes lemons, oranges, orange juice, lemonade, grapefruit... My lips explode if any of the aforementioned come into contact with my lips.
57. I'd really love to live in the heart of Chicago one day... anything outside of downtown would be just like living in Detroit.
58. I'm a certified shopaholic, but I bargain shop. So it really doesn't count.
59. I would love to teach the basic principles of accounting to college students. I think those are the most beneficial courses a person could take.
60. I want to become a tax professional so that I can rape Uncle Sam... just kidding!
61. 39 more to go...... Whoa!
62. I have the hardest time sticking to a budget, only because I believe in rewarding myself with unnecessary purchases.
63. I've carried the same Coach handbag for over 2 years now. No joke, it's time for an upgrade.
64. I struggle to move past the shooting death of my uncle 4 years ago. I'm assuming since no one has been arrested yet or ever will. That story will come soon...
65. I recently cut naps out of my diet, and am struggling with sleep deprivation. At least I don't have a problem falling asleep at night anymore.
66. I have a low tolerance for bullshit. Don't feed it to me.
67. Most free days, you can find me in a nail or hair salon... followed by me dancing in the mirror in my unmentionables with remote in hand to feel good music.
68. I'm a huge fan of computer games, particularly Wedding Dash and Diner Dash. Can't get enough...
69. I'm convinced that when I was younger (8th grade), in an attempt to grow boobies I ate an entire pot of spaghetti which caused me to develop this puggy little belly that I now have. I'm sick of people believing that I have a 'bun in the oven'!
70. I wish this whole Credit CARD ordeal would have existed 4 years ago before I got myself in CC debt.
71. I used to run a kids magazine- all white paper, scribbled with tidbits of how to be a better kid and crossword puzzles for the little ones. I believe I was 10.
72. I am an Avon Sales Rep... purchase your goodies from me!
73. I bought an iPod Touch last year and used it for everything but music!
74. I've had 3 cars since I was 17, which I guess is a good thing. 2 of which were lemons!
75. The farther down this list I go, the more I realize how random life can be!
76. I miss the days when my mommy and daddy would bring me lunch to school and make all the other kids jealous!
77. I'm most content when I'm asleep, believe it or not. It's the best place to be... however, we all have lives to live- hence the elimination of naps.
78. I make a new to-do-list almost everyday. It's always something popping up!
79. My rainy day fund consists of nothing but coins... A LOT of coins! But hey, we gotta start somewhere!
80. I want to have a Platinum wedding, but I don't want to be a Bridezilla!
81. I have a mild case of road rage...
82. My favorite color is pink.. pink bed set, pink trash can, pink bookbag, pencil case, folders and binders. Everything pink is a must have. It's not just a color, it's an attitude!
83. I think my hair is falling out in the front :-(
84. I hate when things sit on my desk unfinished due to another person's incompetence.
85. Sometimes I don't know where to properly place apostrophe's in my words... sad, I know.
86. I loved dancing so much that I joined our school's dance team the same year that I was President of our sorority. Needless to say, I had to leave the dance team due to a lack of time. To make up for that though, I'm signing up for an Adult Hip Hop class at a local school. Hope it's fun!
87. When I was 14, my grandfather passed away. Since then, I haven't had a stable relationship with my fraternal grandmother.
88. I love opening up mail... even if it's a bill... The excitement that I feel when I see a balance slowly dwindling down to $0. Whew!
89. I don't plan to stop going to school anytime soon. Next up Masters, Doctorate... then we'll see!
90. I'm pretty much blind and cannot function AT ALL without my glasses or contacts.
91. I enjoy cuddling up with one of the following... little sissy (2 years old), boyfriend, mommy or bestfriend.
92. I love fried food... my favorite meal is fried whiting filets with white rice.
93. I will only buy my books online... bookstores will rape your pockets!
94. Spring is almost here!
95. I'm a certified photographer... ok, not really. But that's another one of my dreams!
96. I went through a phase when I thought I wanted to be a model. Keyword: phase.
97. I live by this quote: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!"
98. I'm in love.
99. Unethical people make my insides itch. Please stay away from me!
100. I'm a firm believer in 'you get out what you put in'. I refrain from taking the easy way out!
101. 101 Just for my readers!!! I love you all, and am so appreciative for the fact that you actually read what I have to say on a somewhat daily basis and leave comments. I LOVE COMMENTS, they're the best thing that could ever happen to a blogger! And for all of you who actually made it down here... my 100th post will feature an amazing giveaway. I know some of you hate giveaways and think they are super cheesy, but it's free and all you have to do is love the GAB Life to win! Of course, you should send all of your blogosphere friends over here and have them follow me too! 100 posts is a definite milestone for me.. so look out for it!

Coworker Confessions: Mrs. Did You Just Say Something?

Introducing Mrs. Did You Just Say Something?

Where do I start with this woman? When I started at this particular job, she wasn't a member of our team although she had been before. Soon after, she switched positions with someone else and became my new coworker. Everyone in the office was very ecstatic about her return. She was always the "sweetest person to work with", and not saying that she isn't... but for goodness sake. This woman has more brain farts than any other person that I've ever encountered! If she turns her head and you are looking toward her, out her mouth comes the infamous question "did you just say something?" HELL NO! I didn't say anything the last time you asked that question. The number of times I hear the words "oh" and "um" come out of her mouth are countless. It's like she has a small person in her head telling her to ask another dumb question! It's simply pathetic... She is a very nice person I must say, but her ditzyness outweighs her ability to WOW me. I had to learn to turn her volume all the way down.

Am I the only person whose had to deal with a coworker that acts clueless or ditzy?

Coworker Confessions: The Lunch Hour Bandit

Welcome to my new series of laugh-your-ass-off stories about people that I've come across in professional environments, be it school or work. Every so often I'll post my personal synopsis of a selected individual, attempt to give you a visual and a few chuckles here and there. Please note that some of these people have multiple personalities, so there may be more than one post per person. Introducing... The Lunch Hour Bandit!

Upon starting my internship at CC, the rules and office protocol wasn't really explained to me. I spent much of my first 2 weeks figuring out how things worked around here. I never knew that something as simple as a lunch schedule would cause so much commotion.

The Lunch Hour Bandit apparently felt (and still does) that her lunch hour should be 1p every single day. Regardless of whether she came in at 8a or 10a. Regardless of whether someone else came in before her that hasn't taken their lunch yet. The LHB whines when others leave for lunch and she's left to tame these wild students alone, but closes her window at 12:59:59, long line, short line... doesn't matter. She'll even go as far as to come to your workstation to remind you that you should go to lunch at a certain time because she HAS to go at 1p. One time while our other intern was helping out a student, she walked up to her window, flipped over her 'closed' sign and walked back to her cubicle. If you can imagine, the clock struck 12:01p and the LHB was furious that she had to go to lunch 1 minute late. I always wondered what the big deal was, and then I figured it out. She takes her lunch break with her friend who works in our back office every single day, and since her friend has a set work schedule, she has to go at 1p. How childish??? Seriously, you can't always have your way. Unfortunately, if your supervisor baby's you because she feels sorry for you, then I guess you can manipulate others.

Well, let me tell you... one day she didn't take her lunch break until 1:30p because of me. I'm sorry, but if I work from 9a-5:30p, I should not be forced to take my lunch break at 11 or 11:30a and starve for the remainder of the day. I'm not even that hungry at that time. So when she asked me what time I was going to lunch... I told her my regular time- 12:30p. She repeated 12:30p several times while lingering around my workstation before she finally returned to her desk to mumble rude shit under her breath. Before the day was over, another coworker approached me about the situation. The next morning, our supervisor sent out a mass email stating that we should stick to our scheduled lunch times. That works for me considering I was never given one... oh well. And since my adorable intern friend works in the back now, I'd like to have lunch with her from time to time.

Have you ever dealt with a coworker that thought they ran everything, but was only really running their mouth?

GAB Update

For those of you missing the GAB life... I'm taking a leave of absence until next week- maybe Sunday. I'm in the process of studying for a kick-ass biology exam and moving. Wish me luck at both :-)

GAB Defined...

What is a GAB? How can you distinguish a GAB from just an ordinary chick? These are some of the common questions that are associated with the name of my blog. Let me explain...

In my opinion, I'm special. We all think very highly of ourselves, or at least try to. At one point or another in my life, I struggled with self-esteem, anger issues, stress, depression, anxiety. All of the above! What distinguished my problems from others' were the fact that all of these feelings were stemming from situations that were/are out of my control. So I had to come to the realization that I can't change other people, or circumstances that I didn't create. Knowing this, my entire mindset changed. I began to care more about myself and things that directly impact my life. I gained more control over my destiny, and all of my goals began to line up for me. Everything became very clear, and the steps needed to reach those goals are now in ink.

So why GAB? With everything that us women have to deal with on a regular basis, why not be all about your business? The name doesn't exclusively mean business, as in work. But school, relationships, finances, any element that directly affects your well-being. We have to be in control of things, we have to handle each situation in a unique manner, and a GAB knows how to do just that. She knows how to work the cards in her favor. She knows how and when to get things done. She pays the bills on time, and if she can't- she doesn't make excuses for it. She goes to work eager to learn and to help. She volunteers her time. She helps others who are in need. She wakes up early and goes to bed late... you can sleep when you die. If she needs to catch the bus, she does it. If she needs to ask for a ride, she does that too.

When her car is running funny, she knows to check the oil. She knows of alternatives to making money. This GAB tutors as a means of making some extra dough. Even if it's just $20, it counts. I'm in a committed relationship, so that means helping the person that I love. If you want to be a part of someone elses life, you have to create the necessity for yourself to be in that persons life. I'm am one support-giving, loving machine. I enjoy every minute of it, knowing that when he calls- I am there and vice versa!

Simply put, a GAB is a girl who knows the path that she wants to take in life, and has a GPS to help her get to her destination. This can apply to guys as well- Guy About Business. We don't discriminate. If you're making moves for the betterment of your life, more power to you!

I want to know what makes you fabulous... what makes you a driven woman or man... what inspires you... what makes you a true GAB?

It's 70 Degrees, and It's Snowing

Don't you hate it when a supervisor comes down on you for nonsense? I know I do, so let me tell you what has been bothering me....

This term, our supervisor hired a new intern (Intern A) that seemed a little incompetent when he first started. Remember the know it all that didn't know too much of anything? Yea, him. Anywho, Intern B left our office to work for the back office in January, leaving me with Intern A and a pile of work. It was so much easier when Intern B worked with me; we helped each other out and were both very fast learners. We knew this office inside-and-out within a week and a half of being here. Needless to say, I miss her dearly. We keep in touch through weekly lunch dates and frequent emailing, but it just isn't the same without her (insert tear drop).

Since I've had little to no help these past 5 weeks from Intern A, I've been busting my ass around here. Doing hundreds of manual adjustments, helping at the window, answering phone calls, the list goes on and on. Running from one end of the office to the other to help people. Not to mention we have a new full-time lady, who's taking someone elses job here and that someone else is actually training her! How is it that 2 weeks ago, there was no funding to accomodate a new full-time employee but all of a sudden there is? From my knowledge, budgets don't work that way (insert thumbs down)! To sum up that mess, there's a lot of drama going on around here and too much whispering for my liking. I work in an office full of women who aren't satisfied with their job or their weight, and wants everyone else to feel the pain. I'm sorry, but DO NOT RAIN ON MY PARADE... EVERYDAY! It's so pathetic to be subjected to moaning and groaning every single day that you come to work. And you wonder why I'm on the first thing smoking when my shift is over. Please don't ask me to stay late, because chances are I won't! Period.

I may sound like a bitchy GAB right now, but trust me- my complaints are VERY valid.

Well, yesterday at 6:15p (office closed at 6:30p) I was attempting to close out my browser when my supervisor walked behind my desk. Now this is the same supervisor that told me it was OK to get online during our downtime. Everyone else does it, so I saw no harm. It's not like I'm some crazed internet-junky that can't help but to be online all day. Most of the time I'm reading my textbooks online, or just listening to music. Helloooooooooooo! I am an intern, which means I am in school. Sometimes I need to see what the hell is going on in my classes, since most of my day is eaten up in this POS office! She suggests to my coworker (who doesn't do anything herself, since I do all of her work. No joke) that I might need some work to do. My response, "No, I don't". Plain and simple. Some people don't know how to appreciate anyone or anything. If I wasn't here, this office would be in complete shambles. But I continue to get the short end of the stick. Not on my time sweetie! I'm going to continue to do what I do, until my very last day here. If they want a different response from me, then I should be getting a different response from them.

For any other interns out there, don't let employers give you their ass to kiss. It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to the organization in which they 'manage'... better term, micro-manage! Also, if your job description consists of them pawning off their work onto you, then the job probably isn't worth it. So I wouldn't suggest asking for a full-time stint after the internship is over. Granted they pay me well, I'd rather be somewhere where my work is appreciated and my boss isn't a flaky as a box of Kellogg's Cornflakes.

Who else is going through this? Let's have a bitch-fest!

Back Down Memory Lane...

Remember my post about giving my job the boot? Well, if not let me recap for you! Last June I accepted an internship with AH, and in July I interviewed for an internship through my college at CC. I got the internship, accepted it and have been there since August 30, 2009. Before my departure from AH, my supervisor told me that if I ever needed a job or recommendation for a job or anything else that would land me a great position postgrad, to give him a call. Well, it's about that time as my 8-month stint at CC is coming to a close at the end of April.

So I emailed my supervisor at AH, and was informed (to my surprise) that they are in the process of developing a new position and that I would be the *ideal candidate* for this position. I took that comment wholeheartedly, and told him to keep me in line with the happenings. That was almost 2 weeks ago, and although I have yet to hear anything back from him I'm sure that he has me in mind and is lining up interviews and such cause he's the man!

Am I excited to go into property management accounting? Not exactly, but it's a start. That's how we find out what it is that we truly love to do in life. I don't believe that anyone walks into a job and falls completely in love with every aspect of their job description. It takes time, it takes growth, and perseverance. There are some things that I absolutely couldn't stand about AH, and there are some things that I hate about CC, but those dislikes I've learned to deal with and found a way to get around it.

On the flipside, I am fortunate enough to be one of the few college students who can actually graduate on Sunday and start working a salaried job on Monday. It may not be the best start, to work backwards, but in my opinion this place can open a lot of doors for me. It's all about networking people, so yes- I will carry around a planner and business cards with me EVERYWHERE that I go :-)

Getting Wild on Friday

Let me tell you- when my work day is dragging, like today unfortunately, I turn on Pandora and jam out... literally :-)

If you don't know about Pandora, and weren't interested I'm going to tell you anyway. It's a customizable music site. You create an account, find your favorite artists, create a station or get down to a QuickMix of all of your stations. It's like iTunes on crack, and very addicting. My only issue with this site is that you can only listen to 40 hours of music for free per month. Once I hit that mark, I head over to CBS Radio and listen to live streaming radio stations.

I work in a fish bowl. You know, the office that's encased in glass so that every moron that walks pass has a bird's eye view of your desk. I hate it, ABSOLUTELY HATE IT. Why??? Because those morons that I just mentioned, both male and female, will gawk, point, smile, wink, signal me to exchange numbers and the like... enough said. So when I crank on my music, I'm in an entirely different environment. Also as if I'm in an office by myself, with the door locked and closed. You may catch me snapping my fingers to Taylor Swift or bobbing my head side-to-side to Alicia Keys or Trey Songs. That's just what I do... and I love it :-)

P.S. If you own a Blackberry, you can download Pandora and enjoy it with no stipulations- unlimited access!

If you have a hard time getting through your workday and music is allowed in your office, try out this site. It'll make you smile, and before you know it the day will be gone. What are some things that you do to get through a rough workday or week?

The Thanks I Get...

If you haven't had a laugh today, I'm sure this will do it for you. It did it for me. After waking up at 7am to find out that both work and school were closed AGAIN (snow day #2), I took it upon myself to finish up start this 500 word essay that's due tomorrow. I had it all planned out yesterday before leaving campus. Here's that incredible plan:

Being a little pessimistic, I assumed that our school would be open since they rarely declare inclement weather as a snow day. At the same time, I work next door and figured they'd close the school that I work at since they don't have as much manpower/equipment to plow through all of that snow. So I planned to have the day off to head to the schools library and check out a few books and read a few journal articles. After reviewing this material, I was going to write a slamming paper about membrane structures (ick). I would listen to my recorded lectures, and get ahead in my reading for class.

Yeah, about that plan... turns out both school and work were closed, meaning no access to the library. This left me perusing the web for HOURS to find credible primary sources for this essay. Man, that was hard! Luckily our school has access to tons, literally they spend millions a year, of online journals. What was supposed to take roughly 3-4 hours, turned into a 7-hour-long process. Needless to say, I needed one of those naps that I planned to cut out.

This is usually the time when my boyfriend feels the need to make fun of me, or take random pictures of my sleeping and send them to my phone. Here is the result of my nap today...

Yea, GAB had a down moment. I don't normally look like this, I promise... Come on now, it was a snow day!

If you're wondering what that sign says above my head...

 

Lmao, I think it's hilarious that he considers my naps to be "bummy"... 

Am I the only one dealing with a guy who loves to catch my off moments? If only you could see the picture he took of me about an hour ago! What does your boyfriend/girlfriend do to you when you're not looking?