More on temping...
On Tuesday, I had a one-day assignment at a PR firm in Greenwich village and it was kind of terrible. I should have googled the place first because it was a firm for fashion and women's products and had I known, I would have wore a cuter outfit. Instead I wore my highwater, old lady pants and a purple sweater. And let me tell you.. I stood out. Not only was I the tallest and fattest girl in the whole office, but my outfit was clearly not up-to-par with everyone else. The office consisted entirely of women, and one transgender (who, by the way, was still cuter than me) and they looked like they all stepped out of a catalog. I'm talking skinny jeans, high heels, cool hair, beautiful jewlery.. The whole office was like a scene from The Devil Wears Prada or the MTV show The City and I was the token ugly girl. Ugly Betty.. that's another one. No one would talk to me. Anyway, I got stuck in the storeroom with all of the samples and I had to put together 120 giftbags of different hair products to send to all of the most popular women's magazine (Vogue, Elle, Seventeen, Lucky, etc.). It was kind of cool for a while, but then it got hot in there (especially in my sweater), and my boss lady was a b-i-t-c-h and at the end of the day, I wanted to go back to the boring money people. At least they talk to me!
Then for two days last week and two days this week, I'm been working in another financial place. I say "financial place" because it's the label I give to all these offices that work with numbers and accounts, and they use business-y jargon like "equity" and "capital investments." I have absolutely no idea what's going on around here. But I do know that I have to smile, kiss ass, take peoples' coats, answer phones, blah blah blah. Even though it's 2011, it's remarkable how many offices I work at where the women are the receptionists and assistants and the men are the ones with the offices with windows. And it's even more hilarious to me how big of babies some of these men can be. One CEO-ish kind of guy (like I know his real title..) called me on the phone and asked me to fetch a glass of water for him. He specified which type of glass and ice. Another incapable partner made me teach him how to use MicrosoftExcel. I looked up his bio, and he went to Harvard for undergrad and grad, yet I had to spend 20 minutes teaching him how to outline boxes on a spreadsheet. I could have just done it myself. And the women all know this. Everywhere I go, these women pull me aside and in a hushed tone say, "He's being rediculous. He can do that himself." or "That can wait for next week. He is just being difficult." So I know it's not just me. I feel like I'm living in the 1950's somedays.
Another observation that I've been noticing is that even though I know so little about what goes on in these offices, I know that they are dealing with a lot, I mean A LOT, of money. At the last place that I worked, I overheard them talking about a meeting with Donald Trump (they were serious). Plus I can tell from the snacks in the kitchenettes, these people are not hurting for the name brand goodies. I'm talking gourmet coffee and espresso, fresh fruit, cookies, fancy cheeses... this place I am at today even has beer! We didn't have anything like this when I worked at the Monastery. Though the Christmas cookies were pretty boss.
Today is my last day at this particular financial place, and I'm actually sort of bummed about it. I've had projects to keep me busy but still time to dink around on the internet. Plus, there is a really cute guy here, and I think we've been flirting... which in reality means he's been nice to me and I've been awkward.. but so close to flirting! On my first day here, he confided in me that he was hungover and I was too dumbfounded by his looks to reveal that I WAS HUNGOVER TOO. And then I found out that his name is Jim! And I'm the receptionist! And his name is Jim! I have been trying to get him to plot with me to trick the other office members, but I only see him when he's going to the bathroom and he kind of looks like he's in a rush. Plus I leave today at 5:30 and will never see him again. Ah well, there are 8 million people in this city. I'm sure I can find someone else who is funny and gets hungover. Right?
On two non-temp but work-related notes, I have an interview tomorrow morning for an ESL teaching position!! And then I might go to the Virgin Islands with a family on Saturday for two weeks as a nanny! I am only briefly mentioning these jobs because.. well, let's get real. But still exciting!
Then for two days last week and two days this week, I'm been working in another financial place. I say "financial place" because it's the label I give to all these offices that work with numbers and accounts, and they use business-y jargon like "equity" and "capital investments." I have absolutely no idea what's going on around here. But I do know that I have to smile, kiss ass, take peoples' coats, answer phones, blah blah blah. Even though it's 2011, it's remarkable how many offices I work at where the women are the receptionists and assistants and the men are the ones with the offices with windows. And it's even more hilarious to me how big of babies some of these men can be. One CEO-ish kind of guy (like I know his real title..) called me on the phone and asked me to fetch a glass of water for him. He specified which type of glass and ice. Another incapable partner made me teach him how to use MicrosoftExcel. I looked up his bio, and he went to Harvard for undergrad and grad, yet I had to spend 20 minutes teaching him how to outline boxes on a spreadsheet. I could have just done it myself. And the women all know this. Everywhere I go, these women pull me aside and in a hushed tone say, "He's being rediculous. He can do that himself." or "That can wait for next week. He is just being difficult." So I know it's not just me. I feel like I'm living in the 1950's somedays.
Another observation that I've been noticing is that even though I know so little about what goes on in these offices, I know that they are dealing with a lot, I mean A LOT, of money. At the last place that I worked, I overheard them talking about a meeting with Donald Trump (they were serious). Plus I can tell from the snacks in the kitchenettes, these people are not hurting for the name brand goodies. I'm talking gourmet coffee and espresso, fresh fruit, cookies, fancy cheeses... this place I am at today even has beer! We didn't have anything like this when I worked at the Monastery. Though the Christmas cookies were pretty boss.
Today is my last day at this particular financial place, and I'm actually sort of bummed about it. I've had projects to keep me busy but still time to dink around on the internet. Plus, there is a really cute guy here, and I think we've been flirting... which in reality means he's been nice to me and I've been awkward.. but so close to flirting! On my first day here, he confided in me that he was hungover and I was too dumbfounded by his looks to reveal that I WAS HUNGOVER TOO. And then I found out that his name is Jim! And I'm the receptionist! And his name is Jim! I have been trying to get him to plot with me to trick the other office members, but I only see him when he's going to the bathroom and he kind of looks like he's in a rush. Plus I leave today at 5:30 and will never see him again. Ah well, there are 8 million people in this city. I'm sure I can find someone else who is funny and gets hungover. Right?
On two non-temp but work-related notes, I have an interview tomorrow morning for an ESL teaching position!! And then I might go to the Virgin Islands with a family on Saturday for two weeks as a nanny! I am only briefly mentioning these jobs because.. well, let's get real. But still exciting!
Love.Just love.
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