Thu 15 Oct 2009 – 18.56
Imagine that one day you’re working at a successful magazine, making $50,000 per year, and living the life in New York City. A twentysomething fantasy for many. But then suddenly you’re laid off. Now, with the market for journalism shrunk to a caricature of its former self, you’re forced to scrape by with freelance gigs and unemployment checks in search of a job that may or may not exist. Stinks, doesn’t it.
This isn’t fiction, it’s the story of Amanda Ernst, a twentysomething former magazine writer and editor of FishbowlNY, a blog about advertising, media, and journalism. Amanda recently went under the microscope and talked about her adventures on NBC’s Today Show, even disclosing figures to help align her struggle with viewers who may be suffering the same drama in their lives. Read the chronicle of events from her point of view on FBNY. (for her efforts, Amanda was blog-slapped, lightly, by Gawker) The result, in this case, is positive: Amanda survived, and is doing alright, although it definitely didn’t happen automatically.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Amanda Ernst discusses losing her job and coping with the financial strain
The thesis is fairly well-known: if your income suddenly drops (especially from getting laid off/fired) you need to restructure your life accordingly. Drop the expensive gym membership, cut back on lattes, quit buying fancy clothes, and of course keep track of all your spending so you know where every penny ends up. I’ve discussed personal finance at length, and even recorded a podcast episode about the cost of living.
But the struggle for employment and the fight against idleness stress more than the wallet, they tug at the very fabric of our existences. At least, they should for most of us twentysomethings, who are trying to establish ourselves in the world, trying to make sense of our careers and relationships, as well as finances. I suppose it’s like Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs — after we satisfy our ability to eat and sleep, we start looking for more, and that usually means we need a satisfying work life.
This is the topic constantly discussed on the Chief Happiness Officer blog, which I highly recommend. For a more academic, but heartily interesting, perspective on work and life, check out the new book from Alain de Botton, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work. And if you’re one of these Internet bloggy people, try this post from Serena Renner, a co-worker of Amanda, no less.
The great sea of the economy may be swollen and unsteady, but it will calm in time. But no matter the condition, twentysomethings will look out onto the horizon and wonder what awaits. Our careers, and our lives, are in constant motion, with waves and tides that will surely shake us loose when we least expect it. But isn’t that part of the fun.
For an amusing diversion from the often-depressing existence of twentysomething unemployment (or perhaps, non-employment), check out this article which outlines in most pityous detail, the plight of the upper class, who are struggle to pay all those private school tuitions, and whatnot, in this sour economy. Lifestyles of the Rich and Needy »
Perhaps a solution to it all is to work a different job literally every day. I know that folks change jobs more frequently in this, our new century, but this is taking things to the extreme.
posted by Scott in careers,coffee,education,health & fitness,life,real estate.
Thu 18 Jun 2009 – 11.54
When it rains, it pours. The old cliché has nothing to do with weather, although this June finds that metaphor especially apt. Things are busy lately.
After many months, if not years, of suffering through the various gradients of employment, I find myself once again working a regular schedule. I hadn’t worked a 40-hour week between mid-January and early June. Add to that two commutes and the general exhaustion that comes from starting a new routine and it’s become predictably exhausting.
In addition, and with timing most strange, I’m getting a lot of clients calling to do some work with me outside of my daytime gig. So I’m doing what designers do from time to time, and going home for a night shift in an effort to fill the creative, if not financial, holes in their day-to-day.
So yes, I’m busy. And while busy-ness is generally a good thing, it has obvious drawbacks.
posted by Scott in careers,coffee,health & fitness,life,relationships.
Living Paycheck to Paycheck on $100k
Thu 25 Sep 2008 – 9.25
Yes, the economy is collapsing, but this is a shocking story at any time during the business cycle. According to a new study from careerbuilder.com, about 21% of those earning more than $100,000 per year are living paycheck to paycheck. So if you’re a broke twentysomething just scraping by, rest assured that it’s not just you.
A couple years ago, the rate was actually negative, meaning consumers were dipping into savings to cover expenses. One-in-ten workers making more than $100,000 say they put no money in a savings account each month…
So while it would seem that a lack of money can be blamed on fuel and food prices, it seems more likely that the lack of discipline of the average person is finally catching up to us — even to those who earn a handsome salary.
This actually doesn’t shock me. I know the people who earn a lot also create for themselves a high-cost lifestyle, often centered around clothing, partying, and cars. Just think of Wall St. — you can’t turn up at Goldman Sachs in a nobby old tweed blazer you bought at Goodwill for $4 (although that’s totally my favourite garment), you’ve gotta look smart in those $1000 suits. And the dry cleaning, don’t forget the dry cleaning!
It’s also very easy to get bitten at home. Buying processed and take-out food is a false economy. As is buying name brand electronics and splurging on vacations.
My solution: save your damn money! Some months I manage to stash 50% of my take-home pay, and I don’t make anywhere near $100k. What’s so important? There are so many ways to save money, just browse this site and you’ll find a few. Start with cutting the number of times you head to Starbucks — try to limit it to $20/month, which is about 1 latte per week.
posted by Scott in careers,coffee,life,personal finance.
Tue 22 Jul 2008 – 12.41
Lately folks are talking about money. Not the usual twentysomething jabber about disposable income in the era between puberty and parenthood, these days folks are talking about the lack of money. The economy is in the toilet, banks are collapsing, jobs are scarce, salaries are down, and here in New York, a new wave of new graduates are learning the true nature of middle-class poverty.
Imagine this: You went to an Ivy League school and now you’re in New York looking to start on the right foot towards a rewarding career. Happens all the time. But it’s a bit of a dirty secret that these are the very people who are often exploited and underpaid, even amid the noise and haste of everyone else. the New York Observer has an article defining and illustrating what they call ‘The Ivy League Slaves of New York”. While low-level workers are often treated like crap, these Ivy Leaguers, moreso than other graduates, are squarely in the sights of certain bosses:
Ms. Marcus explained that her former place of employment had a policy about not hiring anyone who had gone to an Ivy League school, because “they didn’t want people whom they could perceive as a threat.” … Her first job out of college was as an assistant at a major media company she declined to name. “They went through 22- and 23-year-old girls like some people go through glasses of water. They didn’t care that they were hiring a new assistant every six weeks.
Ugh. What to do. And of course, the entry-level position, consisting of fetching coffee and other humiliating and barely-profitable activities, is only a small step away from the internship.
posted by Scott in careers,coffee,education,life,personal finance.
Wed 25 Jun 2008 – 10.13
What’s a coping combo, you might ask? It’s the unique combination of food, sleep, drink, and other habits that we tend towards during times of stress, such as pulling an all-nighter or during a rush period of work. Everyone’s combo is slightly different, as is illustrated in a recent article on MSNBC Health:
For Tiffanie … it’s chips and salsa and sappy movie marathons. For Paul … it’s Chinese food and long weekends in bed. And for Susan … it’s skipped meals and late nights glued to the computer.
We pick our combos to cope with our natural afflictions from stress. Some of us can’t sleep, others eat too much, others get all jittery. So the cure often fits the symptom. Depending on our diet and exercise habits, our bodies are hard-wired to react differently during those late nights and stressful times.
“Everybody’s biology is a bit different,” [an expert] says. “I might respond to stress by getting more acid production in my stomach which will make me want to not eat at all or make me want to eat comfort foods that will absorb the acid.”
But it’s also emotional. The reason we have comfort foods is because they bring us back to a time and place when we were less stressed and generally felt better about ourselves and the world.
It’s interesting; read the article here »
And if you’re a gamer, I already touched on the subject of what to eat when you’re up all night saving the world from aliens, Nazis, The Empire, Orcs, and angry teenager boys from China.
posted by Scott in coffee,education,health & fitness,life.
Daily Caffeine ‘Protects Brain’
Thu 03 Apr 2008 – 11.18
Well, the internet said it, so it must be true.
The BBC is reporting on a new study that says how caffeine has magic brain powers to prevent Alzheimer’s and other diseases.
“Caffeine appears to block several of the disruptive effects of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky,” said Dr Jonathan Geiger, who led the study.
It’s a bit more sciencey than that, so check out the article »
I didn’t need an article to tell me that caffeine is good for the brain, it makes us smarter! Have you ever played Tetris while your riding high on a caff wave? It’s awesome.
posted by Scott in coffee,health & fitness.
Caffeine Content, by the Numbers
Mon 11 Feb 2008 – 11.55
We’ve covered this before, but in case you haven’t bookmarked a similar page, here is a list of various drinks and their caffeine contents:
As you may guess, a Starbucks regular brew (grande) tips the caff-scale at 320mg. Ouch.
via LVHRD
posted by Scott in coffee,health & fitness.
How to Stay Awake at Work or School
Fri 25 Jan 2008 – 10.51
It goes by many names, the “lull”, the “itis”, the “valley of fatigue” to name a few, but by any name we all know the feeling of getting totally exhausted during the day. Whether a student or a worker, the need to sleep can conflict directly with your day’s to-do list. I have often remarked that falling asleep in class is the oldest college tradition; fuck road trips! Of course it can be a problem because most workplaces place sleep as the #1 cardinal sin, right behind porno. Drinking? I have at various points been offered beer, wine and hard liquor during the work day, but I have never been offered a nap. And while sunglasses may hide you in a crowded lecture hall, they rarely work when the boss comes around to your desk.
OK, so how do we stay awake during the day? Aside from the obvious points about getting enough rest the night before, eating breakfast, etc. a few good tips turned up on a post from Dumb Little Man, yet another rediculously named blog about general life. Here’s one that sounds reasonable:
8. Get Help from Colleagues. If you have some buddies at work, confide in them that you need their help with staying awake. See if there are any things you can work on together. Talking with co-workers will help keep your mind engaged and alert.
I’ve been there. I’ve been there. Jessica and I used to throw crumpled up post-its at one another when we’d see the head starting to bob.
The tactic I like to employ at work, school, and on the road (although don’t fuck with falling asleep behind the wheel!) is simply to drink loads of water. Get yourself a gallon, or at least a litre bottle, and start drinking! When was the last time you fell asleep having to pee like mad? Yes, you’ll have to take a trip to the toilet every ten minutes, but the walking will also help to wake you up. And if that fails, get yourself an apple. The effort required to eat an apple is sure to keep you going, to say nothing of the natural sugars, etc. And the odd thing about apples is that you have to eat them in a certain amount of time or else they turn brown, so no dozing off between bites!
Coffee also does the trick. That is, if you don’t use it every half hour.
Check out the article and add your comments about what keeps you awake during that afterlunch dip.
posted by Scott in careers,coffee,health & fitness.
Caffeine Doubles Miscarriage Risk
Tue 22 Jan 2008 – 10.28
Eeek, no more buying coffee for the ladies, turns out caffeine can double the likelihood of miscarrying. A new study out of Chicago has shown that drinking two cups of coffee while pregnant is a terrbile thing to attempt. In fact, caffeine of any type, including soda, tea, etc. can be problematic and should be avoided.
“Women who are pregnant or are actively seeking to become pregnant should stop drinking coffee for three months or hopefully throughout pregnancy,”
—Dr. De-Kun Li, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
So ladies take note, if you’re trying to have a baby, you need to phase out that morning cuppa and take it slow for a year or so. And chances are you’ll need that caffeine once the baby is borne, so best not to have a high tolerance, you know.
It’s a short, but interesting article.
posted by Scott in coffee,health & fitness.
Tue 08 Jan 2008 – 9.00
Whoa, my life just changed. Well, sort of. It seems that a post on DietHack has just tackled 12 Myths about various beverages including coffee, soda, tea and alcohol. Of course, this is the internet so I’m not sure if the ‘science’ behind this site can be trusted. I would feel more comfortable if these entries linked to independently-funded university research projects.
But check this out, did you know:
“café au lait” or coffee with milk is indigestible.
True: Because of the amount of tannins it contains (less than tea though), which precipitate casein and cause it to clot which render its digestion very difficult. Casein is a protein that is found in milk and used independently in many foods as a binding agent.
That explains why a latté goes through me like a hot knife through butter. Too much info, I know. Read the rest of the post if you’re interested.
posted by Scott in coffee,health & fitness.