Working From Home

All three WTD contributors work from home in some capacity. One of us is a freelance writer, one of us is continuing on with Academic work by pursuing her PhD in the fall and one of us just got a remote position. You may remember my downtrodden post As a New Grad am I Simply an Expendable Commodity? about my struggle to find meaningful work in a challenging market. I’m happy to announce my patience, perseverance and determination paid off and I got a dream job! 

WeHeartIt

A huge contributing factor in my job hunt was the search for a remote work from home position. It didn’t dictate my search but it was the dream.  Not living in a bustling, happening metropolis centre of the country meant that it was harder to find a position that would be engaging and interesting and in my field. I knew that working remotely was my best chance to get what I wanted. Also, I love that I will now be home with my dog everyday!

I am not writing this from a place of experience. Working from home will be a new adventure for me. Instead, I’m writing this from a place of planning, speculation, excitement and anticipation. I put a call out there on Twitter for advice on working from home, telecommuting and remote work. What advice do you have? What has your experience taught you that you can share with me? Tweet me at @jemcolborne or comment below!

I did “work from home” as a University student for five years so the concept isn’t foreign to me. I imagine that being a student is quite different than being an employee, though. There will be more structure but less creativity, more formalities and less work at your own pace. I envision an equal number of due dates and deadlines. I hope for less all nighters and cramming. Since graduating, I have acquired a new office, a new desk and a new computer  so everything about the home office experience will be new and different.

I also worked from home as a content writer and even wrote a blog about organizing my home office a while ago if you're interested: Home Office Organization. Interestingly, even though I wrote that post while organizing my office it was only for part time work and truly I haven't put it to use. One of the biggest problems I had was my wifi which wasn't strong enough. I purchased a wifi booster last night to strengthen the signal in my office!

I asked another WTD writer for some advice and she gave me a list of things to assess in my home office before making any changes:

Seating

A comfortable yet ergonomic desk chair is a must. Sitting on your couch is simply not okay for a professional job and isn't good for your back anyway. Consider a mat underneath the chair for rolling. What about an alternate/healthy sitting option (standing desk or stability ball to get the circulation flowing)?

I personally love  this wicker backed IKEA Gregor desk chair:

IKEA GREGOR

Power Source

Have apower bar for multiple plug-ins, a battery backup for power outages, look up cord organization.

I might try something simply like this idea from Lifehacker! Also, read this super helpful Lifehacker post on 10 Office Decluttering Tips.

Life Hacker

Light

Test natural light on screen for glare. Ensure there is sufficient light (natural & artificial) in the room. I don't have overhead ceiling lights so this is especially important for me!

Privacy

Is there a door that can be closed for privacy and soundproofing 

Meals

Snacking is a major drawback of working from home. Stock the fridge with healthy easy-to-make home lunches and snacks. Baby carrots are great! Have a water bottle and healthy snacks at the desk to eliminate getting up for water breaks.

Pinterest

 Supplies

I went through some office must haves in my last Home Office Organization blog. What about anything special or extra like headphones? Can you make your supplies pretty and organized?

Organization

Do you need a calendar, planner, daytimer…

Pinterest

Other thoughts that came to mind: a dog bed for my dog  so she can settle in and nap without distracting me, some kind of bulletin board in front of me would be nice for organization, in the summer I may want a fan for a cool breeze, what else do I need!

You might want to check out our Organized Chaos Pinterest boar for more inspiration!

Movie? Book? Movie...Book...Bovie Mook?

I came across an intriguing tweet on one of my daily Twitter jaunts last month. An affiliate of the Globe and Mail was tagged in a video where he was talking about the audience hype for the start of the latest Game of Thrones season on HBO. While he admits to following the show actively, he also maintains that those who find themselves utterly infatuated with the Starks, Lannisters & co. would benefit more so by also reading the book series by George R.R Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire. I noticed that his tune played differently than the usual movie vs. book song, mostly because he was not suggesting an either/or at all, but a combination of the two. Whodathunk?

Video link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/globe-now/video-watch-game-of-thrones-you-need-to-read-the-books-too/article17825228/#dashboard/follows/


The Globe and Mail man (whose name I was obviously too distracted to catch) insightfully notes the benefits of both reading the book and watching the book's film adaptation (and here my ambiguous "the" refers not only to Martin's series, but to works of literature in general). Now for an English major like myself, who worships the literary above all else, reading the book is usually a given. Sure, sometimes I see the movie first: at which point my interest in the story is sparked enough to persuade me to pick up the original source. Then there are the movies that I absolutely refuse to watch until I have read the book for which they are named (The Divergent series, The Book Thief, Anna Karenina...the film version of which is potentially doomed never to be seen by me because of the simple fact that Russians tend to write really long, complex novels that a born-again grad student cannot always get through on her "free time").

I am not delusional enough to think that my literary obsession is universal. Rather, I have heard many a high school student say "I'll just rent the movie" in regards to that week's reading assignment. I continue to feel now, as I did then, that those students are doing themselves a real disservice in skipping over the print words of the author for that which is usually a visual, unequal paraphrase of great work. But the Globe and Mail's relatively unique commentary on this seemingly exhausted debate makes me think that even my unquestionable siding with books may not be the best method available to get the most out of a literary idea.

I suppose the first thing to consider in the "movies are second hand" opinion is the amazing developments in technology that have come to pass in the last few decades. Movie makers can create images and scenes, that could only have been imagined many years ago, through the help of CGI and lots of other cool Avatar-esque additions to the world of cinematography. The alien invasions, city destruction and global wars that authors imagine are now capable of being brought to life in a way that closely mirrors our concept of reality: a significant step up from the default gun-goes-pew-pew attempts at action of other technology-deficient eras. These advancements have achieved wonders in making a book's film adaptation highly compatible and competitive with the original work, as what we imagine when reading the words is more likely than ever to appear on the silver screen, just as we imagined it.

The wonderful world of technology is one point the Globe and Mail makes in favour of "watching the movie".  On the flip side of the coin, the G&M video insists that reading the book is what creates the most authentic impression of the settings and the characters, and the best medium by which the audience can truly understand and get a sense of the story. The movie is then the perfect compatriot for allowing one to see the visualization of the words on the page. And no, the silver screen is not always going to get it right, especially since the beauty of reading is that each person is allowed to imagine whatever they want. But seeing the movie in conjunction with reading the book does allow one to formulate that individual "mind movie" before comparing it against Hollywood's version. At the very least, the movie can be a guide on "what not to do", but on the more pleasant occasions, film adaptations of literature can ignite a surprising "hey I never thought of that" that never would have been acknowledged had one only read the book and never seen the movie.

At the same time, those who insist on only seeing the movie and not reading the book are left wanting, especially in the case of first person narratives. Consider Katniss in The Hunger Games, or, for the sake of continuity, any of the main characters in A Song if Ice and Fire. Their first person narratives are limitless, streams of consciousness about their impressions of other characters and the scenes going on around them, that the third person lens of the movie camera simply cannot capture. Reading a character's own account of their circumstances lends to an understanding behind their motives for the actions we see them perform on screen. The novel, in this case, is the "soul" while the movie is the "body", and while Descartes might have argued them to be separate entities, both are vital to the overall make-up of a great work (person...plot...whatever). So I ask you not to consider book vs. movie, movie vs. book but instead allow the two to exist in harmony with equal audienceship: Bovie Mook.

There are certain stories whose film adaptations (I would argue) make an excellent complement to the written work and together, the two embody the completeness of an interior and exterior whole. Here's a short list of some of my favourites:

LOTR

A prime example of how the magic of technology can transform green screens into the vast plains of Middle Earth, and how Andy Cerkis attached to tiny censors becomes the creepy yet beloved Gollum. While Tolkien is an "every blade of grass" kind of writer, the movies make a gallant and magnificent attempt to capture the meticulous details of his mythological realm. But it's pretty much impossible to make sense of every race and family line without reading the series.


One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Jack Nicholson as R.P McMurphy is probably one of the smartest casting choices of all time. He embodies the spirit of everybody's favourite mental case with ease and humour. However, there's a reason why this is Ken Kesey's best (really only) known work. The descriptions of the mental hospital through the eyes of Chief Bromden symbolizes a mechanical society whereby the various cogs and wheels operate in the veil of a fog. Such utter awareness of the helplessness of not only those under Nurse Ratched's watch, but even those outside of the hospital, is an insightful, conscious truth that the movie alone simply does not achieve.

Harry Potter

Like the LOTR series, JK's magical world has been brought to the larger screen in amazing ways with the help of modern cinematology. But her character creations we have all come to know and love embody the Globe and Mail's point that one cannot truly understand characters by viewing them only externally. Rowling's descriptions so lovingly placed on every page form well rounded, substantial and relatable teenagers who are made all the more so by a peek into their reasoning the Harry Potter books provide. Watching them cast spells in the theatre just doesn't produce the same effect.


12 Years a Slave

Admittedly, Steve McQueen does a fantastic job of capturing the spirit and essence of Solomon Northup's experience of tragedy and resilience. And while I found myself sobbing in the theatre upon actually seeing the horrors the book describes come to life in front of me, the movie itself could not compare to Northup's personal and primary expressive recount of his terrible experiences in captivity.

Baz Lurman's Romeo and Juliet

An odd favourite, yes, but I do love all the colours and that Desiree song playing during the fish tank scene is killer. As a loyal Shakespearean I maintain that no, nothing will beat Will's original work (flawed though it may be). But Baz Lurman's film interpretation catapults the age old story into a modern realm for the 20th century teens of now (or then...since it was released in the mid 1990s). From Romeo taking E to Mercutio dressed in drag, Lurman adds trim, tassle and humour to a play studied too seriously when really, there is much absurdity in the storyline that is often overlooked and not embraced. (Hey, even Shakespeare wasn't perfect)

Have suggestions of your own? We would love you to share them with us!

Gotta Book (or should I say Mook?) It,

JEM

Choosing the Perfect Travel Read

A friend of mine recently asked me to help her select books to take with her on her on an upcoming trip she is taking to Bali for a month. I am flattered that she wants me to help her choose the perfect books to bring with her. As a traveller, she won't be able to pack too  many (books are heavy!) so the selections have to be on point. Immediately, her trip reminded me of the wildly popular Eat, Pray, Love which is all about finding oneself through travel. Our Twitter friend Trip Fiction @tripfiction replied to our Twitter query saying "we love to read books set in the location we are visiting :)" which makes me wonder if she should bring along Eat, Pray, Love. Personally, I found “love”(the Bali section) to be the weakest part of the book. Much like Elizabeth Gilbert (but much more emotionally stable), I am envious of my friend’s ability to leave her life behind and commit to self-discovery and travel for an extended period of time. As a literature lover, I truly believe that the books she brings with her will greatly enhance her experience and feel responsible for selecting a great roster for her!

What makes a great travel read?

When I travelled to Cuba over Christmas, I brought a light read and a classic. The “light” read I selected was actually quite lengthy and wasn’t as easy to get through as I originally expected. (You may remember my review of To Whisper Her Name.) There is a reason that beach reads are so popular; they're amazingly accessible to a wide audience of readers and it’s surprisingly satisfying to fly through a page turner! Especially for people who don’t read on a regular basis. Another close friend of mine only reads these types of books  - she coined the genre Grandma Lit - because she likes the predictable and reassuring nature of the love stories and happy endings. As an English major I am bored by them easily but still appreciate their importance and value. After finishing my “light read” I was happy to dive in to my special edition of Pride and Prejudice that I had received for Christmas. This combination worked really well for me and thus I am going to recommend bringing a combination of genres along particularly for a longer trip. My friend has indicated that she’s been reading a lot of classics and historical non-fiction lately and doesn’t want either for her trip. Therefore, classic literature is cut from the list for her however I will include it my recommendation for others who are looking for a well-balanced travel reading list. 

A Classic

If you’re a literature lover, a trip is the perfect time to delve into an old favourite or discover a text you haven’t read yet. As an Austen lover, I recommend Mansfield Park for those who have read a lot of classics and want to expand their repertoire. If you don’t read a lot of classics I would recommend Jane Eyre for your trip because it’s not as dense as some other choices but still gives you a taste of that wonderful female Gothic Victorian literature. 

Source: Google Images

 An Autobiography

For my friend’s trip I have recommended Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling. My friend and I are both die-hard fans of The Office. I gained a deep respect and appreciation for Kaling’s writing talent and creativity when I read Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me. I really enjoy reading recently published and relevant autobios. This book is great for any female twenty somethings out there especially those who have the burning desire to write. 

Source: Shelf Life

A Beach Read
I’m sure many bibliophiles are scoffing and if you find yourself doing so please move on to the next paragraph. However, if you’re a book lover and a beach go-er, I highly recommend throwing a Nicholas Sparks or Jodi Picault into your bag. It’s fun and refreshing to finish a book in a day and interesting to see how these books unfold. Sure, you might get sick of the metaphors and character’s exclamations but you flew threw it in a couple hours so who cares? I like having a light read in between heavier ones. If you simply can't stand these books try reading The Rosie Project which I consider both literary and easy to read (read my review of The Rosie Project here).

Source: Favim

A Freshly Published Novel

There’s nothing better than being on the up-and-up when it comes to newly published literature. Read something on the New and Hot shelf at your local book shop. Or, indulge yourself in a book that may not be brand new you keep hearing about but haven't had the chance to read .. until now. For example, for me that choice would include The Body Book by Cameron Diaz, The Fault in our Stars by John Green or The Orenda by Joesph Boyden.

An Anthology of Short Stories

Short stories are an under appreciated art form. I recently re-discovered the joy of reading short stories and think that they make the perfect literary companion during a busy time in your travels. You can read the entire story in one sitting (or two) and don't have to worry about keeping track of a longer more complex novel but still gain that literary merit of a good book. My personal recommendation is anything by Alice Munro, I cannot wait to get my hands on Dear Life.

Source: NPR

A Book Set in your Destination

Thanks to Trip Fiction (@tripfiction) for this awesome idea! As I've already said, for my friend there is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I haven't read anything else set in Bali however widely recommend on the internet was Inspector Singh Investigates a Bali Conspiracy Most Foul by Shamini Flint and Love and Death in Bali by Vicki Baum. Check out Trip Fiction on Twitter for more ideas!

No matter what she brings, I know she will have a fabulous  time in Bali! What a perfect end to the relentlessly dreary winter we've had!

Source:Excellent Bali Tour

Source: The Perfect Girls Trip

Source: Bali Bike Trips

How do you select your travel reads? What would you recommend? Tweet us @jemcolborne with your thoughts and ideas! We love to hear from you.

Hopping on the HIMYM bandwagon

So the internet exploded earlier this week with people bashing and defending the How I Met Your Mother series finale. You can read just a few of the responses here, here and here. And if you haven't seen it yet (seriously, do you live under a rock?) SPOILERS AHEAD.
It took me days to gather my thoughts and to see if anyone else would share the same opinion as me, but so far, I come across two camps: a few scattered people who enjoyed the ending and defend it well, and a lot of upset folks who dismiss it and illustrate some OK points-- but mostly they're just disappointed emotionally, which doesn't seem like a valid argument to me.
I'd like to tackle the HIMYM ending from a different perspective.

1. It's OK that the mother died and that the story wasn't really about her: This is true to HIMYM form. A lot of Ted's mini lessons to his kids over the seasons were that the conclusion drawn at the end of the story was not the expected outcome. How many times was he looking for X but really wanted Y, etc etc. HIMYM is full of "things aren't always what they seem" morals. So it's perfectly true to form that the entire series "mislead" viewers and that the real purpose of the story, the hidden meaning that Ted only discovers later, wasn't 100% meeting The Mother.
2. That doesn't mean he had to go back to Robin: If there's one big thing HIMYM teaches, it's that timing is everything. Ted and Robin never got the timing right and the show strove to demonstrate that even if things are just a wee but off in your relationship, you probably aren't meant to be. It was subtle and full of character development, but not concluding with Ted and Robin back together could have been the most profound thing the writers ever did. This isn't the cheesy Friends ending where Rachel gets off the plane. We expected more from HIMYM. I would have preferred not to have a pretty bow tied on a too-happy ending. We didn't need things "wrapped up" and it would have shown more character development for Ted to be OK without romantic love in his life at the time of the finale.

3. Downright gross and inappropriate: Was anybody else CREEPED THE FUCK OUT by the way Robin wanted Ted on his wedding day and on subsequent occasions when Tracey was present? That's just sour grapes. And it's kind of a terrible friendship when instead of being happy for someone you've conveniently fallen back in love with them just because you're not OK being alone. That showed an ugly side of Robin I didn't want to see. Let's just say that on my wedding day, I really DON'T want one of my best friends to be secretly in love with me -- because it's not real love anyway. True love isn't some misplaced longing and yearning: it's sitting at a hospital bed at 3 a.m. and changing someone's colonoscopy bag. I'm a staunch believer that thinking you're in love with someone, when that love is unrequited no less, isn't real love. It's wrong. People were right when they asked if Robin and/or Ted murdered Tracey.
And seriously, side note: who would ever spark up a romantic relationship with your friend's ex-wife? Not cool.
4. The hypocrisy: Ted and Robin back together prove that a lot of Ted's exes were right: Robin was a "threat" and they had legitimate reasons for dumping Ted because of her. Ladies, the moral of this story is, if you boyfriend still hangs out with his ex, run. Run far away. Tracey should've bolted.
5. What the story was really about: It's totally fine that Tracey dies-- illustrating that life isn't always neat, tidy, or perfect. Fine. But first, the writers could've executed it (pun) better. As has been said, to Ted and the kids, Tracey has been dead six years. To us, six seconds. That's sloppy writing. But I do love the concept that Ted's daughter brings up "The story isn't really about how you met Mom. What's it's really about is..." NOT ROBIN. What was this story about? IT WAS ABOUT FRIENDSHIP. Plain and simple it was about the ups and downs of friendship as the foundation of you LIFE, as the rock that strengthens you when romantic love fails you. Over and over through nine seasons of failed dates and relationships, Ted's life was made wonderful by his FRIENDS. The story wasn't about JUST Robin. It was about all of them, together. It was about platonic love.

6. The ending I would have written: I would have written something similar; it seems legit that with careers and babies and divorce, friends grow apart. Fine. You know what I would've written? Ted's daughter identifies that the point of the story was the power of friendship and encourages Ted to call up his old gang. Maybe together with Lily, Marshall and Barney, they all go to Robin's apartment and they all collectively persuade her back into the group with a blue french horn. No romance necessary for Ted and Robin. Just friendship. Because friendship is enough. Wouldn't it have been a grand surprise ending that not everyone ends up with a soul-mate? Not everyone needs to be in a relationship? Love doesn't conquer all and at 50 years old, they're OK with that? That would have been a classier ending than the one we were served. But just about anything would have been.

**Also, was anybody else bothered by this? Robin is supposedly a world-travelling journalist and her careerism breaks up her relationship with Barney, and yet she somehow has SEVERAL DOGS??? You can't have dogs and travel the world, you terrible pet owner, Robin. And if the dogs were a "subtle way of showing that she's slowed down and isn't travelling anymore"... then why would she end up with Ted over Barney? The only flaw we ever saw in her and Barney's relationship was her careerism, because Barney vowed always to tell her the truth (the other potential flaw thus eliminated). If the show wants us to suspend disbelief and treat these characters and well-rounded, fully fleshed-out humans, then NO, Barney and Ted aren't INTERCHANGEABLE.

Let us know your thoughts. Am I right? Wrong? Super totally wrong? Could you have written a better ending? Don't forget to Tweet, 'Gram, Tumblr and Pin us!
Gotta book it
xoxo
JEM

As a New Grad am I Simply an Expendable Commodity ?

As new grads we have been very vocal on WTD about our struggle to find meaningful employment in the current market. As you are aware WTD is voiced by three female twenty-something English Masters. One of us is headed back into the Academic Arena in the fall for her PhD, one of us is working full time as an administrative assistant doing freelance work nights and weekends and one of us is fully devoting her time to content writing and freelance work. It hasn’t been a cake walk for any of us and none of us are completely happy or satisfied with our current position (only temporarily for one of us - so happy and excited for our future professor!) being out of school and looking for work has been hard, trying, testing and intimidating for all of us.

Source: We Heart It

Working as a freelancer and trying to carve out a space in the bustling metropolis that is the internet has been extremely difficult for us. Especially after studying English. Who knew I'd be more valuable with a one year marketing college degree than I am with an M.A. after my signature? I’ve been paid dirt for my writing and slighted more than once by big businesses and generally feel like what I have to offer is pretty worthless. Want to discuss theory, anyone? I have some really interesting thoughts on the New Historians! I’d also love nothing more than to write a really engaging piece of SEO content on Austen! Ha-ha, yeah, right. Instead, I’m learning about strategic development and human resources terminology. I'm realizing that I need to understand how the internet works and what makes content go viral.  I'm writing about industries and sectors I'd never even imagined knowing about. But I research these topics, learn and become an expert on them because that is the content the client wants and needs and my job is to deliver.

Most recently, I got slighted by a small company that I started talking to through the recommendation of close family friend. Based on our first conversation the work was mine if I wanted it. It was outside of my field but directly related to writing and we both felt confident that I could do it (and do it well, in my opinion). The following week the CEO of the small business decided it would be best if I sat in on a meeting to observe some of the language and terminology and to get comfortable with their business. I thought this was totally understandable and reasonable and (even better) she would pay me for the training. Following the meeting she decided I better do a “trial run” just to confirm that we would both be happy with the work I produce. Following the trial run I heard nothing from her for a week.  I finally followed up and we’ve been playing telephone tag for a couple days since.

Yesterday, I saw a job posting for the position online. 

I saw the posting and I immediately felt affronted with feelings of hurt, betrayal and embarrassment. I asked myself: why am I an expendable commodity as a new grad? Why did our verbal agreement that I was going to do the work mean nothing? This employer has met me, knows a friend of my family and knows that she had given me the work (I was supposed to start today) yet still doesn’t have the common courtesy to let me know hey, this isn’t going to work, i'm going to find someone else with more experience.

I took time away from my other more lucrative employment to immerse myself in the training for this upcoming gig. The work paid less but I was excited to work with this woman and learn from her. I felt like she would be an amazing future reference.  I will literally do anything to gain experience and add to my resume and portfolio. Even if it means taking half of my regular wage, working irregular hours and giving up my benefits.  I want to write professionally and there is very little I wouldn’t do for my future career. What a double-edged sword this dedication to writing has become! I realized that my obsession and drive is exactly why I am an expendable commodity in the market as a new grad. I, we, will do anything for very little with the glimmering hope of a career that somewhat relates to what we studied in Unversity.

I am exceptionally open to criticism. I would say that an academic’s ability to accept criticism (not unwarranted criticism of course but that from a figure like a professor or employer) is one of the most valuable assets I gained from my degrees and something that I think other non-academics lack in their training. If you don’t like how I’m writing for you I can easily transform what I’ve prepared into something entirely different that suits your needs. Why can I do that? Because I know how to write. I know how to manipulate the English language into something that suits any company’s needs. I know how to argue form a standpoint I don’t believe in. I know how to not only read something but how to interpret and engage with that material. I am a critical thinking ninja.  I can understand information that is outside of my “comfort zone” and make it into something meaningful because if I can understand Chaucer I can understand anything.

So why can’t I do this work? What went so wrong in my trial run that I couldn’t change or improve on? Preferably, this employer would give me a chance to learn and grow and prove myself. I am highly adaptable and enthusiastic beyond measure about my work. I would never submit anything I wasn't proud to call my own.

And if it really wasn’t going to work why couldn’t she have at least told me so?

I won’t get discouraged though. I will move on to the next and continue on my job search because I want to write and that is all I want to do. It won’t be easy to establish a career and I know no one is going to hand it to me. I’ll just have to keep trying and keep going until I can finally prove that I am a valuable commodity.

Source: We Heart It