Fire me, re-hire me

What would you do if your employer decided to fire everyone and in order to get your job back or another position within the company you had to re-apply?

I know this sounds like a crazy concept but it is what a newspaper owner did the last time he bought some newspapers and there is a thought he may use that method again if he buys some more newspapers.

I actually like the idea. Why? Because people become too complacent in their positions. Especially if they hit a cushy position and are no longer trying to advance. I think it would be an opportunity to get rid of dead weight and to get skilled people in to the right positions.

Every place I have worked at I can think of how I would restructure the department based on the knowledge and skill sets of the people I worked with as well as restructuring positions. Like if a person is good at coding and working with databases they don't need to be a producer dealing with the daily copy. Or if a person has an expertise in video and audio you allow them to specialize in those areas.

I guess I'm down with the method of fire me, re-hire me because I know I'm overqualified for my job so I would no problem being hired back. If anything I could easily get a promotion.

But you have to admit that the fire me, re-hire me concept is innovative and should make people reassess their skills and where they are in terms of their careers.

Birth Control Debate

The last time I reupped my birth control shot the doctor said to me, why are you on birth control if you are not in a relationship and you are not having sex? She had a point.

I haven't regularly had sex or been in a long term relationship in quite some time. But ever since the situation with Hurricane went down I have faithfully been on the shot. Just don't want no man to have the power to fuck me over in that way again.

I do think I have become dependent on my birth control shot. I remember what it was like when I did get a regular period. I didn't have PMS, cramping, bloating and all the other stuff most women have. My only symptom I would become so tired I could sleep for 12 hours straight and still feel like I hadn't slept at all.

I'm partially afraid to make the transition off the shot. Now would be a good time because I'm not dating, I'm not in a relationship and I'm not having sex so there is no risk of pregnancy. But what will the chemical change do to my body, particularly my emotions. I'm far too busy for my body to go through a change where I may feel sleepy all the time. And I don't want coming off the shot to throw me in to a depression. There are enough things going on in my life that could make me depressed without me aiding it by forcing my body to go through a change. Strange as this may sound, the shot has chemically balanced my body out.

As you can see I'm not really sure what to do. I have about another month before I have to get my shot again and I need to make up my mind. Of course this isn't the only thing in my life I need to make up my mind about but I have to start tackling things one by one.

Only in New York City...

I have been blogging a lot lately. Why? I don't know. It's not like anything that great is going on with my life. And it's not like this is apart of my job like it used to be in Atlanta. So I'm going to cut back to 2 or 3 blogs a week. But before I slow my role I'm gonna hit y'all with another entertaining edition of "Only in New York City..."

Only in New York City can you buy a custom weave.
Y'all know I've being going through this transformation. Well part of the transformation was deciding that I wanted a weave and not just any weave. If I'm going to be wearing a weave for awhile I want a quality weave. So my stylist suggested I go to the Adorable hair factory. The hair lasts about a year depending on wear and tear and it NEVER tangles. Now anyone who has worn a weave knows how much weaves tangle so a weave that never tangles is worth any amount of money to me. So for almost $200 (and about an hour of my time to get it) I got eight ounces of 12 inch 60% Spanish wavy, 40% French refined. The color actually matches the color I had died my own hair too. So far I'm loving it. I like the mix of the two different curls. If you are looking for a good weave hit up Adorable.

Only in New York City do random people tell you you should be a model as you are on the subway or even in the library doing research.
I swear y'all it's the hair. I stopped counting after the 5th person asked me if I model or if I have ever considered modeling. No one was asking me about modeling before I put the weave in. One guy even asked to take my picture as I was walking to the subway station. My answer to every person that says this, "Thanks for asking but I'm way too short to be America's Next Top Model."

Only in New York City do you almost get jacked as you are getting out of a cab.
Now this is an old tale I just didn't remember to blog about. But back when I was dating Trinidad Brotha he didn't like when I would walk from work to his house late at night. So one night I finally gave in and took a cab. As I paid the cab driver some guy rolled up on the cabbie to jack him. The cab driver immediately tried to speed off as I was still getting out of the cab. I hopped out of the cab so fast. And luckily I had the key to TB's door in my hand. When it's late at night it might be better to walk than to take a cab.

Only in New York City do you almost get in to a fist fight with one of the security guards at your job.
Again this is an old tale I didn't remember to blog about. But again, back when I was dating TB one of the security guards at my job was giving me a hard time about letting him in. The first night I let it go, the second night the New Jersey Drive in me came out and we seriously almost came to blows. I didn't speak to that security guard for months. He finally said, "Happy Easter," to me last night. I know this story may not sound funny, but looking back on it, how it all went down was hilarious. In NYC security guards take their jobs seriously...way too seriously.

Only in New York City does the car service I use every night not know how to get me home.
My job provides a car service for anyone that works the late shift. I have been using the car service more frequently now that I'm working two jobs. Saves me about 30 minutes and that is 30 more minutes I could be sleeping. There are a ton of ways to drive to my apt but there are about 3 solid routes: West Side Highway, Harlem River Drive or Madison Avenue. Why do the driver's never know how to get to my apt and because I have to give so many directions I might as well be driving myself.

Job Junkie

Being in NYC, the media capital of the world, has turned me in to a job junkie. There are just so many opportunities here for freelance, part-time and full-time work.

As y'all know I'm interning at a magazine during the day and working my regular gig at night. Well a few days ago I interviewed for a potential freelance position with a .com and I have an opportunity to do some freelance fact-checking at another magazine.

I know you are thinking how in the hell can you do all this? Well, it's all about time management. My permanent gig is what it is so the days and hours are set. My current internship ends the middle of June. The freelance fact-checking at another magazine would begin the middle of June. And the freelance position with the .com would be from whenever I started (if chosen) until the beginning of September. So that would be just enough time for me to get in to the groove of grad school, if I get in.

As much as I'm trying to do and there really is a method to my madness. I know I can't do it all but I can do quite a few things if I time things correctly and manage my time wisely.

The problem is that almost every single day I find a new opportunity or get sent an email about an opportunity I might be interested in and I'm interested in them all. But there are only 24 hours in a day...168 hours in a week...as much as I would like to do it all I know realistically I can't do it all but it sure is a nice change from Atlanta to have other professional options.

D&B in NYC

I had a pretty good weekend. I know it's Tuesday so why am I talking about the weekend but you know Tuesday is my Monday.

Saturday I went to the open house at Drexel and I was already intrigued by the program and now I'm 100% sure I want to pursue grad school full throttle.

Sunday I got some much needed sleep, watched a DVD, did some unpacking and started on my grad school application. But the highlight of my day was a trip to the newly opened D&B on 42nd between 7th & 8th. It's right in the middle of Times Square. German Girl and Jersey Boy invited me to go because GG has her godbrother visiting this week and she knew that would be a great place to take him and his friend. I was more excited than anyone to be at D&B.

For the first time in months I truly felt at home in NYC. D&B was my regular spot and you best believe it's going to be my regular spot in NYC. I started getting aquainted with various workers, talking to them, etc. Cause I plan to have my face in the place on the regular. Of course the drinks are more expensive. The same $6/7 drink in Atl is $10/12 here. They have happy hour Monday-Friday from 4:30-7pm...just like Atl...BUT the drink special is only $1 off each drink. Not quite the half priced special I was hoping for. They don't have the Power Combo where if you buy certain entrees you get a $10 power card with it. They don't offer late night happy hour and sadly they don't have any pool tables. A D&B without pool tables? Of course the place is not as big as the one in ATL but this is NYC and space is limited and expensive. And the menu is slightly different but I remember in January they were making some changes to the drink and food menu. It's not quite the Atl D&B but it will do. And if I didn't have a conference call today at 4:30 I would be up in there.

Monday of course I worked at my internship but in the evening I took a dance clinic that was kick ass...or should I say it kicked my ass. My body still hurts from the experience. Latin dancing does not require as much use of all the muscles in your body as the class I went too. But it was good for my ego to see that despite no formal dance training I could still hold my own with some of the best. Cause there were some people in the clinic that have been dancing since they could walk. I was just there for fun, the experience and a good workout and I got all three.

So that was my weekend and you best believe I will be in D&B at least two more times before this week is out.

To Do List for the To Do List

Have you ever noticed that when you make a list of things to do each thing on your list has its own list. And then even some of those things on the to do list for the to do list could have their own to do list. (Try saying that five times fast.) Here's my latest to do list and you'll see what I mean.

Apply to Graduate School by self appointed deadline of May 14
- Fill out online application
- Apply for financial aid
* Fill out Drexel Financial Aid Application
* File a FAFSA
* Search for scholarships
# Register for FinAid site
- Request transcripts
- Request GRE scores
- Write essay
- Get people to write recommendations

Clean and unpack my apartment
- Buy cleaning supplies
* Convince Mother that I am too busy to go shopping and get her to buy cleaning supplies
# If I get Mother to buy cleaning supplies:
+ Clean bathroom
+ Dust
+ Mop hardwood floors
- Take out trash
- Recycle
- Wash clothes
* Sort laundry first
* Try convincing Mother that I am too busy to wash clothes as well
* If Mother doesn't work, try bribing my niece.
- Start unpacking the MISC boxes first and purging
* Be sure to shred EVERYTHING
- Get my nephew to come to apt and put up shelves and blinds

And last but not least and probably the most important, FIND TIME TO DO ALL THIS STUFF!

Grad School Dilemma

I'm seriously considering going to grad school...again.

Back in 2001 when I was a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill I applied to grad school because the job market was so bad at the time I thought if all else fails I could go to grad school. Luckily I got a one year internship that turned in to a full time job three months in to my internship. But I did get in to Northwestern for the New Media Master's program and in to UNC for the Master's in Library and Information Science.

I again considered going to grad school around 2004/2005. But I thought I wanted to pursue a Master's in African-American Studies so I could have a degree in something I'm passionate about as well as be able to teach. I could totally see myself teaching a Blacks in Film class or the portrayal of journalism and journalists through film and TV. But I gave that up because I bought a house and there weren't any good programs near me in Atlanta or quality online programs for a degree of that nature.

So here it is, 2006, and I'm SERIOUSLY, like more seriously than ever before considering grad school. I found a great accredited school that has an online master's program in a degree I want. So on Saturday morning I'm going to drive down to Philadelphia (one of my homes away from home) to go to an open house at Drexel University for the Master's in Library and Information Science online degree program.

When I get out of journalism, notice I said when cause I don't plan on doing this forever, I want a solid plan B. I think this particular master's would give me that solid plan B. I wouldn't totally throw away what I have learned from my bachelor's in multimedia journalism. This degree would allow me to incorporate the multimedia skills I have and hopefully take it to the next level or another, different level.

Ten years from now I could see myself working at a library teaching computer courses on everything from how to use Word to how to build a web page. I could see myself designing, maintaining and updating databases. As more and more newspapers are moving to make their websites the standard archive I could even see myself still working at newspapers just not on this side of the fence.

I took the GRE back in 2002 and I think the scores last 5 years so it feels like now or never for me. Because if I don't pursue a higher degree now I probably won't take the GRE again to do it at some point down the road. Plus now is an ideal time. I'm single, no boyfriend or husband and no kids. So the only demands on my time are the demands I create.

I know several of y'all are in grad school both the classroom version and the online version. What has been your experience? What made you decide to pursue a higher degree? What do you plan on doing with your degree? Any advice for me or someone like me who is considering going back to school?

It's Hard Out Here for a Jersey Chick

Everyone has haters...it's just a fact of life. And most of the time I just ignore the haters but lately it's getting hard to ignore because the hate is coming from all sides, from unexpected persons and for no real reason.

So when all these people are hating do they remember all the things I did for them...the times I was there for them...the little things and the big things I did for them. Of course not...cause they are so absorbed in their hateration they are not seeing the forest from the trees.

I wish someone would have some sense and before they say something wrong, stupid, mean, etc. about me they would stop and think...hmmm...I can't really hate on her cause she did X, Y and Z for me. So if you are mad at me for whatever reason...keep it to yourself or be a man or woman about it and come to me with your beef. But don't start public tirades on me because you really don't want me to say all that I hold within.

And if you are going to hate watch what you say, who you say it to and you best be ready to stand on your word as bond to defend it cause bullshit holds no water. The C.I.A. ain't got shit on me and I have been saying that for years. Anything I really want to know, it's not hard for me to find out. So if you think what you are saying to someone about me is in confidence, think again. People love to talk and they really love to talk when something negative is being said.

If you don't want none, don't bring it, cause I promise you I'm not the one you want to get in to a verbal tirade with. I will cut you so quick and so deep you won't even know what hit you...and that's in the verbal sense not the physical. Although, I don't fight...I don't argue...but I damn sure will clock a bitch in the mouth and beat that bitch with a bottle. Don't let the little size fool you I'm 100% Jersey...all day, every day.... and have 200% Jersey Drive.

To the haters that read my blog...WHY!!??!?! What in the hell is wrong with you? If you don't like me you really have no reason to read my blog. So keep it moving. There are plenty of other spaces on the internet you can park your hate but it won't be here.

To Be an Intern... Again

Remember the good old days of interning at companies we thought we wanted to work at, utilizing skills we had picked up in college and gaining some new ones. Well I am interning...again.

I got an internship at a location I care not to disclose because I haven't exactly told the powers that be that I am in fact interning. I don't want them to think I'm trying to leave...because I'm not. I just want to do something different and get exposure to something else.

What I can tell you about the internship is that it's about 20 hours a week at a magazine and it gives me the opportunity to do research, writing, editing and fact checking. I wanted to do this internship to break up the monotony of my regular job and to get to use and fine tune some skills I already have. This is also giving me exposure to how magazines work. I have always interned at newspapers and their websites so it's nice to see the inner workings of a magazine. Already I noticed that the atmosphere is a lot more laid back except on deadline but deadlines are not every day like they are in newspapers.

My boss is the coolest probably because she is only a few years older than me. They don't treat me like an intern probably because I am a non-traditional intern. I get my own cublicle that is bigger than my desk at the other job. I don't have to share with anyone. They gave me a power book for when I'm out of the office doing research. I have a brand new IMac G5 at my desk. First day they had supplies ready for me and ordered whatever I needed. I have access to a gym that is in the building and my other job does not have a gym nor are they putting a gym in our new building. And best of all I get to spend the majority of my working hours for them at the library. The nerd in me is jumping up and down for joy. It's sad that I like my internship so much more than my regular job but again I think it's largely due to the fact that this is a 180 from what I do day in and day out.

They always taught us in school that the best way to learn and to practice your skills was to intern. So interning is exactly what I'm doing...again.

Dude, I Killed My Car

My car is a 1997 Mazda 626LX and I have had it for seven years. She has almost 186K miles. I think I have finally killed her.

I thought when I left Philly for ATL about three years ago that my car would never see the north again or do another long road trip. Well three years later I drove her back to NYC. But in an effort to maintain my GA residency I drove her back to ATL. Well I think these road trips have finally killed her.

First, on the trip to NYC at some point the engine cap came off and there was oil all over the inside of the car that I still have yet to get cleaned. My mom was able to get me a new cap.

Then on the trip to ATL the cruise control went out during the last two hours of the ride. Do you know how hard it is to drive when you are tired and pay attention to your speed? The person who invented cruise control must have had people like me in mind who are determined to drive without stopping, except for gas, on long distance trips and who drive on little to no sleep.

So I don't know what to do. Should I get the cruise control fixed? Should I get a new car? I'm tempted to buy another vehicle if all the car companies do that employee pricing program this summer. But then again, I really don't want a car payment. I'm seriously considering going to grad school (that's another blog topic for another day) and a car payment is not in the plan. But the car is not worth more than $1500 so should I really invest any money in to it to get it fixed? I'm also tempted to get rid of the car...just sell it for parts.

The car and I have been through so much. The high mileage and years of ownership tells many stories...my stories. Parking her up here is a pain in the butt but she's my get-around car when I'm in NJ. I'm so torn because I also have an emotional attachment to the car. But I think this was the trip that finally killed her :(

A-T-L

I saw the movie ATL and I'm not going to say it's the best cinema I have ever seen but it sure made me home sick and sentimental for Atlanta. I was tearing up from the start because you know most movies start off by setting the scene. So they showed various places in Atlanta and I just wanted to cry.

I won't spoil the movie but I will point out one HUGE inaccuracy. In one scene they are in a Waffle House and their waitress is Monica (the singer). Her hair is two toned, blond on top and red underneath. As I'm watching this scene I'm like you know nobody that looks that good works in a Waffle House. It's like it is almost a requirement to be busted with a few missing teeth in order to qualify for a position at Waffle House...any position at Waffle House. So that was the biggest inaccuracy that I had a nice laugh to myself about because that was the one thing that was not a true portrayal of Atlanta or of any Waffle House I have ever been too. But what I wouldn't do for a waffle right now...hmmmm.

I have moved around a lot but I have to admit, leaving Atlanta had to be the hardest move I have ever made. It's not like I moved to Podunk, Idaho or something...I moved to the Big Apple BUT home is where your heart is and mine is in Atlanta.

I am so homesick and I was born and raised here. If I could come back to Atlanta every weekend I would but I know that is just ridiculous and unreasonable. I wonder if NYC will ever feel to me like ATL does. I know it's going to take some time because trust I was not immediately in love with Atlanta but it also didn't take me long to fall in love with ATL.

So please go support the movie. Don't bootleg it. Whether you are in Atlanta or not it might make you a little sentimental too.