Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
I heart NY
No matter where Brad and I end up moving, I think I'll always be a New Yorker at heart ... there are definitely things that I miss about the old hometown. At the top of that list are scrumptious NY bagels.
I don't know what it is about NY bagels ... the most common theory is that the NY water makes them taste so good, others say its the cooking method (something about boiling the bagels). I don't know what the reason is but what I do know? ... there are NO good bagels in DC.
I was heading in to work early this morning and thought I'd treat myself to some delish Dunkin Donuts coffee and a bagel. S0, I get to work and go to cut the bagel in half with my little plastic knife ... the knife bends and a sawing sound ensues until I finally am able to tear the bagel apart. Gross.
I don't know what it is about NY bagels ... the most common theory is that the NY water makes them taste so good, others say its the cooking method (something about boiling the bagels). I don't know what the reason is but what I do know? ... there are NO good bagels in DC.
I was heading in to work early this morning and thought I'd treat myself to some delish Dunkin Donuts coffee and a bagel. S0, I get to work and go to cut the bagel in half with my little plastic knife ... the knife bends and a sawing sound ensues until I finally am able to tear the bagel apart. Gross.
Monday, October 27, 2008
St. Louie
Brad and I just got back from a weekend in St. Louis. We were in town for my first year b-school roommate’s wedding. It was a fun weekend since Brad and I had not been out to St. Louis before – we did the touristy stuff and walked around the waterfront, saw the big ol’ arch in the middle of downtown and went to the museum which talks all about the western expansion of the US and Lewis and Clark, etc.
The wedding itself was very cool – ceremony was at this gorgeous church downtown and the reception was actually held at Busch Stadium where the Cardinal’s play. It was super fun to be at this fancy reception but in the middle of the baseball stadium – it was a bit cold but you could actually walk outside of the reception hall, right out into the stadium seats overlooking the field. Plus in the reception hall there was all this Cardinal’s championship paraphenalia and Budweiser on tap at the bar (since Bud is brewed in St. Louis). Anyway, another great weekend and a fun chance to explore a new city!
The wedding itself was very cool – ceremony was at this gorgeous church downtown and the reception was actually held at Busch Stadium where the Cardinal’s play. It was super fun to be at this fancy reception but in the middle of the baseball stadium – it was a bit cold but you could actually walk outside of the reception hall, right out into the stadium seats overlooking the field. Plus in the reception hall there was all this Cardinal’s championship paraphenalia and Budweiser on tap at the bar (since Bud is brewed in St. Louis). Anyway, another great weekend and a fun chance to explore a new city!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Hampton here we come
We are the proud owners of 2 tix to Phish opening night. We are also slightly poorer as a result.
But as Brad has been telling me "we work to live, not live to work". An excellent rationale from someone who just bought expensive Phish tix without telling me first! Hampton here we come :)
But as Brad has been telling me "we work to live, not live to work". An excellent rationale from someone who just bought expensive Phish tix without telling me first! Hampton here we come :)
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Testosterone
Just got back from Tampa where I was meeting with a new client for work. I realized as I was sitting in the meeting just how much I work in a man’s world. I looked around the conference room table and noted that it was myself and 7 men. The only other woman that we encountered was on our way into the client’s office when we passed by his secretary’s desk. And not only was I surrounded by men, but they were all older and several were retired or active military. The client himself is an active duty marine who was wearing his uniform and had intentionally rolled his sleeves up to reveal bulging biceps.
Let’s just say that the atmosphere in the room oozed testosterone!
I don’t know why I mention it, just really thought it was interesting, I guess... I’ve always been fascinated by the male/female dynamics at play in situations. A few of the guys and I went out to lunch after the meeting and the conversation focused on baseball and sports the entire time. Everyone but me had their steaks or burgers while I had some fish and veggies. Two of the guys talked about how their wives were pregnant and it was just sort of mentioned in passing – obviously, a big deal in their personal lives but the dynamics of balancing work with a new baby didn't seem to be an overwhelming concern.
Do you know that in the US in 2006 less than a third of the leading 1,500 companies had even a single woman among their top execs? Research shows that the dearth of women in leadership positions has to do with many factors, one of which is the way women present themselves ...
Typically we don't promote or market ourselves as much as men do (and when women do promote themselves, it's perceived as aggressive or bitchy); we're more hesitant to speak up in meetings; don't utilize networks as much to our advantage (for the most part, women tend to form deeper relationships whereas men have shallower, broader networks that they can use to their advantage more often). Fascinating stuff. Obviously, those are all broad generalizations and there are plenty of men and plenty of women who break the norms.
But I have to say that I read some of those studies and am absolutely amazed that I can call myself out on all of those issues. Not actively promoting myself? Check. Reluctance to speak out? Check. Deep but not necessarily broad network? Check.
Other studies show that women are more motivated by the "meaning" in their work. (Um, big check there!) And that women are twice as likely to get depressed, suffer emotional ups and downs more intensely then men and therefore, tend to burn out easier. Yikes.
Ok, a long post simply motivated by a testosterone filled meeting but interesting stuff!
Let’s just say that the atmosphere in the room oozed testosterone!
I don’t know why I mention it, just really thought it was interesting, I guess... I’ve always been fascinated by the male/female dynamics at play in situations. A few of the guys and I went out to lunch after the meeting and the conversation focused on baseball and sports the entire time. Everyone but me had their steaks or burgers while I had some fish and veggies. Two of the guys talked about how their wives were pregnant and it was just sort of mentioned in passing – obviously, a big deal in their personal lives but the dynamics of balancing work with a new baby didn't seem to be an overwhelming concern.
Do you know that in the US in 2006 less than a third of the leading 1,500 companies had even a single woman among their top execs? Research shows that the dearth of women in leadership positions has to do with many factors, one of which is the way women present themselves ...
Typically we don't promote or market ourselves as much as men do (and when women do promote themselves, it's perceived as aggressive or bitchy); we're more hesitant to speak up in meetings; don't utilize networks as much to our advantage (for the most part, women tend to form deeper relationships whereas men have shallower, broader networks that they can use to their advantage more often). Fascinating stuff. Obviously, those are all broad generalizations and there are plenty of men and plenty of women who break the norms.
But I have to say that I read some of those studies and am absolutely amazed that I can call myself out on all of those issues. Not actively promoting myself? Check. Reluctance to speak out? Check. Deep but not necessarily broad network? Check.
Other studies show that women are more motivated by the "meaning" in their work. (Um, big check there!) And that women are twice as likely to get depressed, suffer emotional ups and downs more intensely then men and therefore, tend to burn out easier. Yikes.
Ok, a long post simply motivated by a testosterone filled meeting but interesting stuff!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Phish!
Woo hoo, Phish is back. Hampton Colliseum. March 6, 7, 8, 2009.
Needless to say, we are EXCITED. And already crossing our fingers that we can get tickets for at least one night.
Might be tough though since we are clearly not the only ones that are excited ... this morning, "Phish" and "Hampton Colliseum" were the top 2 searches on Google. Yes, there is a hotly contested election going on and financial markets are on the brink of disaster but when Phish announces a reunion tour, people want to read about it!
Needless to say, we are EXCITED. And already crossing our fingers that we can get tickets for at least one night.
Might be tough though since we are clearly not the only ones that are excited ... this morning, "Phish" and "Hampton Colliseum" were the top 2 searches on Google. Yes, there is a hotly contested election going on and financial markets are on the brink of disaster but when Phish announces a reunion tour, people want to read about it!
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