Tomorrow is Monday and while some people vehemently dislike the beginning of the work week, I don’t mind Mondays at all.

I tell you what I do mind — Sunday night. As I sit here during my daughter’s nap (yes, I know I am lucky that we get an hour break on weekends, but I’m pretty sure we’re on the last leg of it) and write out my to-do list for tonight, I really dread it. My plan is to get three hours of work in, make two entrees and lunch for tomorrow, clean up the basement, pay some bills, and make some progress on the photo book I’ve been “working on” for the last six months. I’d much rather veg out in front of the TV and eat takeout, but it’s not in the cards. Read the rest of this entry »

Casual Friday with Mir—because some days are made for wearing your jeans and surfing the blogs.

Gooooood morning! It’s Friday, and… well, amen. That’s all I have to say about that.

There is a right way to get healthy and a wrong way. It’s always nice when the wrong way comes with pictures.

I always knew there was a reason I don’t play tennis.

Farting is not funny. Except when it is. Also, head wounds are not funny. Except when they are.

Furthermore, Mac users aren’t smugly superior, they’re smugly superior and hilarious.

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If you’re shopping today, could you find me something to wear? No? Fine; be that way. You’ll be sorry when I show up at BlogHer Business naked. Hmph.

It wouldn’t be Casual Friday without the Amazon Friday Sale.

There’s plenty of bargains in the Coldwater Creek Outlet, and coupon code WXP1482 will take an additional 40% off your order total. They’ve got nice clothes but there’s also a ton of holiday items in the Home section, if you want to get a jump on next year’s shopping.

Have you seen all of the choices in the Lands’ End Overstocks lately? I swear I hardly ever visit the main site, anymore. Through April 4th, 2008, get free shipping on any size order with source code GOLF and PIN 530353035.

The big Spring Sale is on at Old Navy. I do love their clothes for the kids, even if their jeans do make me cry every now and then. (They’re called hips, Old Navy. Hips.)

Enjoy your Friday and have a great weekend!

Many times when I mention to someone my guilt about not spending enough time with my daughter they say to focus on the quality of time I spend with her vs. quantity. I always nod not just to be polite but because I believe that quality does matter and kids don’t sit there with clocks keeping track of how many hours a day we spend with them.

I also think back to my childhood, when my mom worked nights and we’d see each other for just a few minutes at night during the work week. What I remember is my excitement of jumping around and recounting my day to her (as she tried to grab something to eat and take off her heels), the way her face was glowing when she listened to me, the sweetness of her kiss when she and my dad tucked me in. I also remember the weekends which the three of us would usually spend together and I cringe with guilt thinking back to becoming a teenager and telling my parents that I don’t want to hang out with them so much any more. My mom worked and worked a lot, but I never felt a lack of closeness between us from that. Read the rest of this entry »

A friend of mine recently got a pathetically low raise at work after having a spectacular year there. Sure, the economy is in bad shape, but her company did great and she contributed to the performance. She’s been there a few years and she knows for a fact that two of her colleagues — both men — received higher raises for similar performance. When she told me, I immediately said that she has to talk to her boss and negotiate for a better package. “Be confident in your work and your abilities, and go in there knowing that what you’re asking for is right,” I said, in my most convincing voice.

I stand behind my advice, but I’d be lying if I pretended that I’ve always followed it in my career. In truth, when I read articles about things women do at work that make it more difficult for them to earn more money or attain leadership roles, I nod not only because I’ve seen this type of behavior but also because I’ve been guilty of it. And I thought this would be as good a time as any to come clean about (at least) three stereotypes about women at work that I helped prove right: Read the rest of this entry »

I am always really interested in the idea of happiness. There is something so desirable about being happy and yet happiness is so subjective and so not black-and-white that it fascinates me. I know I am not alone because the number of studies that try to determine what makes us happy and books written about this subject seems to grow every year. (I recently posted here about new job satisfaction and happinness research.)

So here’s another one: According to an article in Time magazine, several new studies suggest that our genes (and our age) have a lot more to do with our happiness level than our efforts to be happy:

In one study, researchers at the University of Edinburgh suggest that genes account for about 50% of the variation in people’s levels of happiness — the underlying determinant being genetically determined personality traits, like “being sociable, active, stable, hardworking and conscientious.” Read the rest of this entry »

Casual Friday with Mir—because some days are made for wearing your jeans and surfing the blogs.

Goooood morning and happy Spring! What? You say it doesn’t feel like Spring where you are? Too bad! It’s Spring! The pollen on my car says so! And so—for many of us—bitter cold will soon be left behind for unrelenting heat waves. Nature rocks, no?

Here’s a little light reading to help your Friday go a little faster:

My new favorite site this week: Photoshop Disasters. And how.

Political humor: Glennia Campbell sums up the 5 stages of campaign denials, while Amy Davis’ three-year-old sees Obama everywhere.

And a feel-good moment: Busy Mom witnessed proof that angels still walk amongst us.

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I don’t want to alarm anyone, but Easter is this weekend. Here’s a few quick shopping links for other stuff, before I go scour the town for chocolate bunnies. (The Easter Bunny is running behind this year.)

You have until March 23rd to spend $50 at Garnet Hill on selected kids’ home items and receive a $50 savings card to use later.

Also through March 23rd, you can use coupon code SAVE20 to get free shipping and 20% off your order at Crazy 8. (We pink puffy heart Crazy 8 round here for kids’ clothes.)

Through March 31st, buy 1, get 1 half off at Petite Sophisticate. And don’t forget you can use coupon code 776569006 for free shipping on $25+ or 776569105 for 25% off $75+.

And don’t forget (really, how could you?) everyone’s favorite—the Amazon Friday Sale. Check out this Philips digital picture frame for 60% off—Mother’s Day is coming!

Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend, everyone!

I had a completely different post planned for today, but after glancing through the Elle/MSNBC Reader Survey about money I couldn’t resist this topic. (I should also use this opportunity to brag about my awesome husband, who bought me a copy of Elle, my guilty pleasure magazine to which I’ve forgotten to renew my subscription but which does a great job of putting my stress on the back burner for a few minutes.)

Anyway, back to the money survey. There are some fun bits on there — like the fact that 1 in 3 women said that they feel less pressure to have sex with the guy if they pay for their share of the date (which implies that 2 out of 3 do?) — but what caught my eye were the stats about women who make more than their partners. Here are a few:

• 1 out of 3 breadwinners resent paying for shared expenses

• 16% of breadwinners think that men should always be primary earners

• Breadwinners are more likely than other women to think that the primary earner should have more power in the relationship

• 1 in 4 female breadwinners keep strictly separate bank accounts Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Tuesday, which for some reason feels like Monday, which in my book calls for a little bit of fun distraction. Here are some fun links from our friends in the blogosphere — go ahead, take five minutes for yourself and check them out: Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s guest blog is by Anna Barcelos, a full-time marketer, mom and owner of ALB MarCom that helps small businesses with limited budgets leverage marketing efforts to get the exposure of larger organizations. Anna blogs at lifeinmarketing.blogspot.com.

Having been in the business to business (B2B) world all my career and now starting to slowly enter the consumer market in my current responsibilities, I’m finding that marketing of any size or in any market has similarities. I believe everyone (Yes, you!) has something they are good at and should always take it as far as they can. Whether or not you want to get paid (at least initially) for being good at something there are some small steps you can take to help you get there, and they may not happen in this order, but make them happen!

1. Start a blog right now!
It’s free and a perfect forum for you to talk about what you love to do and get the word out. Despite working full time as I currently do, one of my goals was to make time to start a blog, and I did it! Of course, I would love to have daily posts, but know that’s not realistic so I try for once or twice a month. I get to talk about things that may help people with their businesses, other marketers, or people who are on the edge of the pool but are not quite ready to dive in and start something new, whether business or personal. One thing I’ve learned is dive in that pool now! A blog is a nice jump to get you started. Read the rest of this entry »

You know how kids sometimes say things so perceptive that it makes you realize something very true?

Earlier today I was playing with my daughter when apparently I zoned out a bit (I know, it’s tough to do that when you’re a patient at her doctor’s clinic and you’ve been told to lie still on the floor, but it happened.) All of a sudden she got this very concerned adult look on her face, came up to me, touched my arm and said “Mommy, don’t worry, it’s OK.” Now, there is a slight chance that she was still in her doctor role and she was saying OK to me as a patient whose heart rate was quiet (a legitimate diagnosis she has given me before many times) — but there was this look in her eyes that made think differently.

She saw that I was zoning out and she knew that I do that when I worry.

Earlier we asked a question here on WIM about whether you bring your job stress home or leave it at work. Read the rest of this entry »