So I got lazy...

Blame it on the post busy-season slump, the cold weather or my still hectic schedule but I haven't written or read anything in weeks. I've been busy getting cultured in other ways. I saw three shows last week: Tale of Two Cities, Hairspray and Spamalot. I took my first photography lesson (without my camera) yesterday. I figured out where I am going for Halloween and who as. And, I actually blogged this morning, but to add insult to injury, the post didn't save, oh well, it probably wasn't good anyway.

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A million by 35...

As October 15 neared the calls/emails/invitations on LinkedIn tripled. They all sound great, but how do you choose? I'm not in the market for a job, per se, but some offers sound quiet tempting. Of course there are the mass emails that everyone in our group gets, but then there are the private messages that say, "we want you." They [recruiters] are ego boosters that make you feel confident, but somewhere in the back of your mind you know that if you get hired, they are making a hefty commission.

There's one recruiter, that's a bit friendly that I've been speaking to for about a year now. He's charismatic and has Big 4 experience, so that makes him a bit more trustworthy. He always gives me a big head, but today he told me not one, but two interesting things: (1) a competitor firm is looking for tax people and offering 20% more (I interviewed with them when I was doing my MST and didn't get hired) (2) "stick with me and you'll be making a million at 35, and you can
quote me on that."

So, I'm quoting him, if nothing else...I can reread my blog in 10 years. The offer does sound extremely tempting though, but am I ready to switch? Should I switch? I am getting offers when people are getting laid off, am I being greedy? Am I that good or is the economy really not that bad? There's a guy standing next to me reading a book called, Millionaire...me, a millionaire by 35...hmmm...I can also be partner by 35 (if I don't make anymore enemies with my managers).

When is a good time to leave? Is it smart to jump one Big 4 to the next? Does anyone have any unbiased advice? What about being my own boss? Having a social life? Family life? Grrrr...decisions don't get easier with time, they get harder.

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This is cool.

I got an invite to contribute to a blog community of Twenty-Somethings. It's flattering to know that strangers are reading my blog and are interested in what I have to say. They even followed up, because I don't remember reading the email last week. Well, like with anything, before I sign up, I have to do some due diligence and find out what's there to read on the site. I was surprised to find some very interesting reading. For example:

Crystal Ball
30 Books
Is there really such a thing as soulmates? Really?
One line stood out from this post, "...You can only get hurt by people who mean a great deal to you." My own definition of love and soulmates changes through the years. I used to be on the debate team, I can argue any side of the argument, but that line just hit home. To be continued . . .

Because I'm too lazy for overheardnyc.com

And this is a real waker-upper, "If I got my girl pregnant, I wanna have at least like 5Gs."

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What's easier?

While walking through the paths of Mohonk, Robert Frost's poem kept coming to mind:

"Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by"

But do we really take the less traveled road or do we often take the eas(ier) way out? It's easier to give up then to fight for something. Yet, it may not be easier to live with that choice. Whether we are dealing with fighting for life, for love or for Madonna tickets, should we fight till the end or does there come a point where it's
better to let go-to pull the plug, to move on, to go out drinking instead? Do we really let go? It depends how we define letting go. Is giving up the same as letting go? Is moving on the same? Is giving up really the easy way out? Again, I think it all depends on our definition, and there are many synonyms that don't quiet sound the same...

...What's worth fighting for?

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Mohonk in pictures

from fiords to foreplay

Friday birthday dinner at the Woo was followed by an early mani/pedi, breakfast with Julie and eight hours of searching for Madonna tickets. To my great disappointment, I didn't get tickets to Saturday's concert (f***ing scalpers), but ended up going out with a bunch of friends to (where else?) Anyway. Six, quickly turned to eight, to ten, to fifteen and at this point, I really have no idea who was there. It was a good time. We drank, we talked, we laughed and we woke up at 7:30 am to go to Mohonk. The morning started off with the "wrong" bagels, conversations about the fiords & world's tallest mountains and sleepily arriving at this estate. A day of hiking, picture-taking (photos to follow on fotki) and good company left us exhilarated. It was something different, something fun, something active and something to let me practice with my new camera.

The ride back wasn't terrible either, despite the 4(?) hours of traffic. We played "Dead Man" (a game I swear Dasha invented), argued about Route 17, discussed some people we knew and the difference of foreplay for men and women, amongst other things. We talked about relationships, paying for sex and the reasons people cheat. It was a great time and I'm sure most of you would rather hear about foreplay than fiords, but as with all my good stories, "you just had to be there!"

Gmar Hatima Tova

To everyone I may have hurt of offended in the past year, I am sorry. May everyone have a healthy, happy and prosperous year and be inscribed in the book of life. For those, that are fasting, please have an easy fast.

Happy Fall

The Problem With Politics...blogging on my new berry

...I'm not sure how my bb is relevant, but I decided to share anyway. Okay, so politics. Politics [insert definition here] is supposed to make things run smoothly in order to achieve a common goal - the betterment of a country, a planet, a corporation. Yet, somehow politics is dirty and disgruntles people more than it helps them.

Take politics on a smaller scale - a fairly small tax group in a Big Four accounting firm. The workers are disgruntled, the management is overworked, the process slow. This isn't helping anyone. When employee moral is low, the work product is not up to par. The problem is management. Managing people is a talent. Regardless of whether you are the president, an ambassador, a CEO or a lead on a project, management is half skill, half talent. Appreciation is key. The goal of a good manager is to relate to his people, to acknowledge their strengths and reward them for their accomplishments. This does not mean that there are no bad employees, bad citizens, etc. A manager besides managing people must manage time to yield an effective work product in an efficient manner. Working until 2 am every day for a month is not effective, nor is it effective when people come to work at 11am, chat all day, have dinner, go to the gym and work 10 pm - 2 am.

Dinner time. More to follow, thoughts welcome.

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Seasons

For the first time in my recent memory, we actually have autumn. We didn't go from blistering heat to unbearable cold, we are transitioning. Many people, however are having a hard time transitioning their closets. New York weather has always and will
always be unpredictable, but that's not an excuse to be wearing flip-flops when it's 54 degrees outside. Similarly, when the weather drops from 80 to 70 degrees, it doesn't give you an excuse to dig out your Uggs or Valenki.

New York is a city of contrasts and if you think you haven't seen weird just get on a rush-hour train. For example, there's a man sitting across from me who is perfectly color-coordinated - wearing olive green pants with a buttondown shirt that's just a shade (or two) lighter. Topping his outfit off. is not the rings and bracelets on his
hands and not even his yellow tie, but a matching fedora hat. (I think he felt me blogging about him and got out on the last stop). Within my field of vision are sneakers, loafers, flip-flops, boots and the ever-famous Tory Burch flats (what's up with EVERYONE wearing them? They are not that cute!). There are T-shirts, long sleeves, trench-coats, wool coats, sweatshirts and blazers.

My own closet went through a major overhaul last weekend as I was off and the seasons changed. Now I can wear all my cute jackets and shoes. This is the best weather for shoes as long as it doesn't rain! And even if it does, I have a great pair of boots! I love fall.

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