The Balance Of The Universe

Damn it's hot in NYC today, I'm glowing buckets. I keep trying to walk extra slowly from the subway station to the office every morning to minimize the perspiration, but it's not working, largely because the naturally impatient New Yorker in me takes over and I find myself speeding up to overtake the slowpokes or make a light at a crossing. By the time I get to work I am a sweaty mess with irritatingly limp hair. This is so not the day I want to have a mandatory photo-shoot for our team brochure. Sssshhhhhh don't tell the bossman, but I think I might oh so conveniently forget to sign up for my appointment with the company photographer.

Too vain do you think???? It's true, I am. I cannot tell you how frequently I've taken a cab to work of late. I pretend to myself that it's so I can get into work early, but it's really to protect my do from going limp!! What can I say, I'm really not a fan of this weather and Tasty Tom's* declarations that it is really so much nicer in San Diego where there is 'no humidity' is completely making me rethink living in New York. I mean imagine all the amazing hair days with no humidity? That would be excellent, however I am stuck in NYC until at least April 2011 so roll on autumn!!!

I'm back in the office this week after spending a few days in New Orleans and then Biloxi, Mississippi with my folks last week. More on that later if I get a chance to post. My return to work was met with good news....a 23% pay rise effective July 15th!!!

Yay!!!

...backdated to July 1st.

Double yay!!!

Finally I am paid market rate. About bloody time too since I should have been earning this salary 12months ago. I'm kind of rethinking the whole OkCupid thing now since not only has it been slow going, but who needs a boyfriend when I can now afford to pay someone to change my light bulbs should that be my want. Seriously I kid you not, who needs the hassle of a relationship if I can afford to live comfortably by myself?? I swear that half the relationships in New York are begun/maintained due to a need to split the rent/bills, such is the cost of living in this damn city.

The additional 2weeks backdated pay hopefully means I'll be able to pay off the hillock of debt I've accumulated for my upcoming trip to Peru. Who knew I would need so many pairs of moisture-wicking, SPF deflecting trousers, but Inca Trail here I come!!

Unfortunately the joy of the pay increase was negated a few hours later when my junior team member, Tessa, resigned!!

Sigh!!

She's heading to another agency with her friend, Alice, who works on Emma's team. Funnily enough they are headed for the agency where Emma came from. They are going to work for Emma's friend Peter, the very same friend who has been talking to Emma about coming to work at our agency, which would be an interesting turn of events. We are an incestuous bunch in advertising, but I imagine every industry is like that. Nevertheless it is a loss for our teams and Emma and I commiserated over lunch on Monday. It's a shame for us to lose just one of them never mind both, but I get it, they are young, just starting out in their careers and need to experience different environments. It happens, although it doesn't make me feel any less sad to lose a team member and I'm sure that commiserating over wine is soon to follow!! Besides I can't say I'm totally surprised, there were a few too many doctor's appointments for me not to be suspicious that Tessa might be interviewing. Emma said the same about Alice, the frequent updates of her Linkedin profile and sick days clued her in. Anyway this week I've been busy woo-ing Tessa's potential replacement who is conveniently interning in my team at the moment. She seems interested so I've been pushing Bossman Ryan, to make her an offer before someone else snaps her up. There are a number of interested parties from what I hear.

Fingers crossed she accepts an offer from us!!

*Strategy Hottie resigned, so view-wise Tasty Tom and Creative Cutie are all I have and the former is completely inappropriate** and the latter I rarely see.

**An estimated 12years younger + junior member of my own department = so very very very wrong!!