gluttony and obesity

After gorging myself for the past few days, I've decided to reflect upon the obesity epidemic -- mostly because I want to gross myself out enough that I stop eating so much and resume working out on a regular schedule.

The week began innocently enough. I stayed with my aunt, like I said before, but she likes to feed me a lot, so we ended up going out a lot and eating froyo. I'm not opposed, but it's not like I was exercising besides my daily walk to and from work.

Then I came home and found...

THESE.

city life

This past few days, I stayed with my aunt in the city, which essentially took an hour off of my commute. It was glorious. I still took a bus to work, however, about which a coworker mocked me because he thought I was afraid of the rail system or something.

I'm not, for the record; the bus is just more convenient.

more reflections on a 2-hr yell fest

At various points throughout the session, I saw myself getting up from my seat, flipping over the table, and storming out. The door slams. I walk back to an all-too-crowded office and grab my belongings, trashing the computer as I do so. Don't think I didn't consider the possibility. It would be very dramatic, and I'm sure I'd leave more than one person in shock.

I should mention that in my youth I had a terrible temper, so restraining myself during this meeting was especially difficult as I felt the rage boil within me. I used to throw tantrums every day. I was quite the difficult child up until...no wait, I'm still difficult at times, but I digress. The point is that I have a temper and I held it in.

See, when DB is away from the office, which is not as often as I would like, things are great. I get some projects from the other two managers, and I don't feel so stressed out. I do my work, get their feedback, and we're good to go. I don't mind being exploited because I'm being treated with respect. DB, however, is known for "pushing people." I think it's more of an aggressive shove, like I'm being bullied on a playground or something. This is emotionally abusive. It's like all of those domestic violence pamphlets you read about how your significant other throws a tantrum and then tries to make it up to you by acting all apologetic and showering you with gifts.

on exploitation

For the past four days, I have been working non-stop at work. I barely even time to eat my lunch. I don't take breaks. I just work at my computer, letting my body get all strained and tense because I'm concentrating so hard. It's painful.

Why? You ask. Because I am being emotionally bullied into working like this because one of my managers is an enormous jerk. I will refer to him again as Douche Bag (DB, for short, and to save my blog from becoming a breeding ground for profanity).

Yesterday, he yelled at me and the other unpaid interns for two hours. Every two seconds he'd drop an f-bomb and then yell at us about how our work wasn't up to par. He wasn't even being constructive. He would just say "this is stupid," "this is bad." And then he'd be inconsistent about everything he was saying, so at various points throughout this yell fest, he'd contradict himself. This whole place is just a disaster in terms of communication. It's not like that many people work here -- get your act together, guys.

quick updates

I hate my internship. Yesterday I got reprimanded for "not managing my time well." A likely story. Like it's my fault that I was given a billion other projects to do, and someone was already working on my deck I had made anyway.

Today I got yelled at for two hours about how I didn't know how to make a deck.

Is this for real? How can I be getting mixed messages from managing partners? If this were my company, I would communicate among ourselves first before scrambling young, impressionable minds.

I seriously considered walking out and quitting right then and there.

stressss

Let me just tell you about my day because it was really stressful, unnecessarily so.

I got in a little later than usual due to a massive traffic jam. What do you want me to do? I can't control the traffic. Ordinarily I get there before most other folks.

Today when I got into the office, it was deserted, which I found a little strange. Apparently, three of the other analysts had just relocated to another room. Gee, I thought, that's a little weird. Now it's just me in this room...all alone...with no one to talk to if I felt the need.

One of the partners, whom I have dubbed douchebag, didn't acknowledge my presence at all. My safety was not one of his concerns. So that made me feel pretty worthless. A great way to start my morning -- full of anxiety and apprehension about my fate.

apple bottom jeans

At long last I have finally spotted the elusive apple bottom jeans!

They may not be so elusive in some circles, but among my friends they were a veritable mystery, a myth sparked by that song that mentions "apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur." What's it called? "Get Low," I believe.

Just about three years ago, I worked at the information desk in my local mall. The stories about that experience about, but this one day in particular, a guy wearing a bandana and a grungy t-shirt moseyed on up to the desk.

"Hello," he said. "Where can I find apple bottom jeans?"

Apple bottom jeans, I thought, those are real?? I thought they were just some made-up kind of clothing. I didn't know people actually wore them! Or actually sought them out!

job search update

In case you were wondering, here are the new metrics for my job search.

That's right, applications now total over 200. Phone interviews have gone up slightly, and on-site interviews haven't exactly changed. I have one internship offer -- the one I'm working at right now. Zero official job offers. 

11/11/11

One more thing. I totally missed 11:11:11 on 11/11/11. Totally.

I was so focused on my work that I completely forgot.

I'm really disappointed in myself and in everyone else in the office for not noticing this momentous occasion.

week 4

So I've just completed four weeks of work at my unpaid internship, and things are looking up. By up, I mean they're looking OK. I haven't heard from any potential employers still.

It's a huge downer, but I keep telling myself that everything will work out.

I'm getting the hang of things in the office, and trying to "own" my work. My expertise in design and writing is coming in handy, just like I knew it would. What I will say is that most of the time, everything is subjective, so when your bosses tell you to fix it, it's not because it's necessarily wrong, but just because they're the ones who are going to present the stuff anyway.

day in the life

As promised, I've returned to charts and graphs and stuff.

cancer sticks

Today I dedicate my post to all the smokers of New York City.

I hate you.

Smoking is the most vile habit I've ever come to know. It's smelly, it stains your teeth, and it gives you CANCER. Please, people on the streets, stop blowing your noxious fumes into my face. I've gone to great lengths to avoid you. I hold my breath when you're in my vicinity, I walk really fast (and I have really short legs so it takes extra effort) to pass you, and I try really hard not to hardcore judge you as you take another long drag, while you slump yourself against a building wall.

networking

I may have posted about the importance of networking before, but I'm about to return to the concept with a fresh perspective.

In the past, I've logically accepted the importance and practicality of networking while maintaining an intense hatred of it. It makes sense in my head. Why would you bother hiring some ruffian off the street when you can hire someone you know personally, who will undoubtedly do a good job? Yet, I still hated doing it because I felt dirty for having such self-interested motives. I'm all about looking at the whole picture and forging mutually beneficial transactions. I'm an economist, what can I say? (I've always wanted to use that line -- "I'm an economist, of course such and such.)

commuting

Commuting is the worst. It is really the worst thing ever. There is nothing more ideal than rolling out of bed, forcing some cereal into your mouth and then getting straight to work. The worst thing is commuting.

Commuting requires you to be simultaneously ahead of schedule and behind schedule. You have to get up extra early in order to arrive at the bus/train stop/station early. Once you board your mass transit vehicle of choice, you quickly scan the vehicle for the best seat. For me, it's the one by the emergency exit because let's face it, if there's an emergency I want to be able to exit immediately. There's also slightly more head room so I can stand up to my full height when I'm getting ready to get off the bus.

power(less)

Having no power for a week sucks. It sucks even more when it's due to a freak snow storm that has left your town crippled. It's even worse when it comes right after a vicious hurricane that already destroyed your town.

Needless to say, last week sucked. I had to wake up and get ready in the darkness, which was a lot worse because it was freezing cold in my house. I would smear some makeup on my face, hoping that it would make me look some semblance of normal, but really just know that I looked like a disheveled ragamuffin.

I'd get to work and do some really boring stuff for the entire day. For some reason, the office was also freezing cold, so I spent my days being really uncomfortable and cold. Then I'd come home and be cold some more and sit in the darkness.