Beware the Office Holiday Party

I hope I'm not too late.

I say this every year, and every year, I read about someone who got a little too loose and had way too much fun at the office party.

I'll keep this short and sweet.

• If you think your outfit is inappropriate, it probably is
• If you think you've had too many, you have - switch to water
• Keep your hands to yourself
• To err is human - to get snookered at your holiday party is just plain dumb
• Don't be the first one to arrive
• Don't be the last one to leave
• Have fun - but not too much fun

Book Review: "The Better Sister" by Alafair Burke

The name itself spells trouble.  "The Better Sister."

Alafair Burke's newest novel covers 'the good, the bad and the deadly.'

If you have sisters (raise your hand), you know that a certain amount of sibling rivalry is unavoidable.  Not that it doesn't happen with brothers, it's just I don't have brothers so I can only speak for myself.

Whether there is a "better" sister or not, in our heads, we can't help but feel that Mom and Dad favored you over me. 

This thriller, and it is a thriller, takes that sibling rivalry to a whole new level.  I'm afraid to tell you much for fear of spoiling the ending, but trust me when I tell you it's well worth your time and will give you an adrenaline rush that you didn't even know you needed.

I'm going to read it a second time.

Description from cover:

The murder of a prominent Manhattan lawyer spurs the reunion of two estranged sisters—one the dead man’s widow, the other his ex. To save the teenage boy accused of murdering him, they must confront a history of long-buried secrets and betrayal. But can sisters ever escape the shadows of their past?

The "Eyes" Have It - Lancome Grandiose Mascara

I'm back!

Long time, no blog.  I've been in a bit of a writing slump.

I didn't forget about you.  I've just been working really hard.

So hard that I need a beauty overhaul.  

If I look better, maybe I'll feel better - even if beauty is only skin deep.  

We get so busy commuting, working, running a household and taking care of our families that we forget to take care of ourselves.

That said, I hope you won't mind if I pop on here from time to time to share a few "lifestyle" tips, including great beauty finds.

My most recent discovery is Lancome Grandiose Mascara.

I'm a minimalist when it comes to makeup most days.  Mainly because I'm always getting dressed in a hurry and have little time to put on a decent face.

But I always wear mascara.  

I wanted to tell you about the Lancome Grandiose Mascara.  

Just like everything else, lashes seem to go with age, and the fewer lashes I have, the better mascara I need.  

I also have very sensitive skin and irritate easily but this one so far has been great.

I hope you'll like it as much as I do.

*(Not endorsed by Oprah - the magazine is a prop) :)

Does Your Digital Imprint Define You? Leaving Facebook

I'm often left wondering if I should get back on Facebook.  I've been on hiatus for about seven years now.

I must say it feels pretty liberating not to keep checking to see if someone has "liked" or commented on something that I've posted.  

How important is it what other people think about your activities, your job, your family, your dog, your avocado toast?

I once read that social media often leads to depression.  I honestly don't doubt it.  I remember that awful feeling the first time someone "unfriended" me.  It felt so personal.  So hurtful.

These days, I keep my social media limited pretty much to an anonymous instagram account (mainly because I am adding photography to my bucket list of things to do before I kick it) and LinkedIn.  Somehow LinkedIn feels a lot more adult.  People, for the most part, are a lot more respectful.

When I haven't heard about a family or social event, I often get "Well, it was on Facebook!"  

Nothing against Facebook.  Or social media overall.  

I just prefer to keep my relationships personal and meaningful to me and a select few, rather than 4,522 "friends."

Is AOL O-U-T? Asking for a Friend

I read a lot of "tips and tricks" for the, shall we say, mature worker. 

Among the many resume suggestions, the one that remains a constant is the "don't use an old email address like AOL as it signals to a potential employer that you're a dinosaur.

I gave my email to a millennial and he chuckled and said "Old school, huh?"  Not only was I offended, I let him know that I had multiple email accounts including gmail, hotmail and yahoo, but that my AOL account was the one that I used as a "file cabinet," so to speak.

While I appreciate and embrace new connections, I certainly don't want to lose the old ones.  Let's face it, they all get hacked from time to time.  And unless you have your own personal server, you're still at the mercy of the people who own your email domain.

Anyway, it started me thinking that "if it's not broken, why fix it?"  Is it really important to a potential employer if you're using AOL or gmail or whatever?  

If I were applying for jobs, I would err on the side of caution and use gmail on my resume.

However, does it really make a difference?  Most employers know what they're looking for and it's either experience (which means they're willing to pay) or a younger person for less money.  And besides, if you do land the interview, they're going to see your face at some point.

Sometimes I think we buy into these "myths" and "stereotypes" that don't always play out in reality.