Telemarketers or BOA employees?

Upon moving to Liberal, KS/Oklahoma Panhandle I opened a new bank account. Bank of America I chose. Several branches in Liberal and ATM location.

A home phone number was asked for on the checking account forms. For the first time in 8 years I have a home phone number. (Thank you internet/cable/telephone combo pack I had to sign up for in order to get internet.)

In the last month, I have been contacted by several telemarketers calling "on behalf of Bank of America". Many have attempted to sell me some sort of insurance. Account insurance, fire and rescue insurance, credit background insurance, etc.

I hate to be rude. Last Thursday the phone rang with a different telemarketer trying to get me "enrolled" in the same insurance offered to me the night before. I told the person I was not interest and this was the second time I had received this phone call. The telemarketer apologized but continued with the ramble because I hadn't "enrolled" yet.

I am not sure "enrolling" in the National Do Not Call Registry. After all, my bank is giving out my number to help me be "insured." Well, Bank of America. If I really needed all these account insurances I would probably have more than $8.54 in my account. Considering the telemarketers always tell me the insurance can be taken out of your account each month for the low-low price of $24. Bank of America you do the math. I am really not interested.

{Stay Tune}

Where is the happy medium in our careers?

I had one of those unexpected free moments a couple of Sunday's ago.

(The moment where you are finished with a current task but don't want to begin the next before something else. That moment of killing time. )

I flipped through Marie Claire May 2010 issue on my coffee table.

The article that caught my attention: The careerist: The workplace trend no one is talking about

Generation Burnout they called it.

What use to be a condition psychologist saw in women in their 40s is now hitting mid-20 year-olds in the the work place: career burnout.

The article paints the picture of women finding themselves in fastpace jobs with intense demands needing an out. The article does not say the women are under qualified, bad management or laziness as an issue to why women want out. The recession was named as factor but no other reason was given to why the movement of women suddenly quitting their jobs. However the article goes on to quote a psychologist who quotes a former patient.

"I had a 24-year-old client who worked for a news organization, and it was understood to get ahead, she needed to forgo holidays, give up vacations, and work until all hours of the night."

I know the feeling.

I can't lie. It is tough. I have experienced a similar feeling. Actions speaker louder than words. While I have never verbally been told this, I've been told I need to make deadlines and that means due whatever you may need to do. (I.E. Work late, work at home, give up personal time, skip a lunch break, don't clock hours, work on weekends).

Nearly two weeks ago, my female co-worker sat at her desk working with a Subway Sandwich next to her. It was lunch time on a deadline day.

"It is really great that your enjoying your lunch right now but you have to finish your story by 3 p.m." (Boss said to her in an annoyed voice)

My co-worker did not respond. Nor did I. Moments like that lead to career burnout.

Where is the happy medium?

Where is the position where we are able to be creative, work under pressure but not become over-stressed, over-worked and hit that point of no more?

Tips from Marie Claire on how to avoid career burnout : (Click Here)

**Notice their advice is take lunches, take advantage of personal days and do work at work. But Marie Claire, what about those that can't do that? ***

{Stay Tune}

What I love these days...wallets

Wallets!

When I was a little girl, I received a Disney's Beauty and The Beast wallet.

Plastic, pink, a graphic of Belle.

It was perfect for a 8 year-old.

But somehow I have moved on to love big wallets. Wallets that hold all my cards, cash, coins and can stand alone as an accessory.

I remember about a year ago purchasing some cute ones for $20 or less. I recommend the B.P. department at Nordstrom, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters and Clarie's.

Of course prices vary based on quality, label and material. Above are a few I wouldn't mind sporting.

(Left to Right) Brown Snake Skin Leather at What She Buys.com ($178), Steven Madden ($98), Urban Outfitters ($28), Forever 21 ($9.80).

To Alva, Oklahoma we go

I've been needing to get out of town - that's why I couldn't have been more than ecstatic when the Cowboy texted me, 'Alva this weekend?'

Alva, Oklahoma is where the cowboy's family lives. The city is home to Northwestern Oklahoma State University and apparently the smallest Wal-Mart Super Center (Thank you Wikipedia).

We were in Alva for Thanksgiving and I remember spotting a Dairy Queen. It is really silly how excited I get about things like that. I see a blizzard in my future.

Warning: the bag is louder than the crunch

Applauds to Sun Chips and the decision to invest in a bio-degradable chip bag.

However, I feel the need to info all - the bag is loud. You think the crunching of eating chips is loud just wait until you fumble with the bag.

Just something I realized this past weekend as the cowboy and I sat down for TV and chips. Next time when the chips come out so does a bowl.

{Stay Tuned}

So stylin' it's silly

Now this is story all about how I save some green at gap.com.

Just let me take a minute just read right here and I tell you how I became the coupon fashion queen.

In Cincinnati, Ohio born and raised at Gap, Old Navy and Banana's where I spent most of my days.

Stylin', fashioned and act all cool and saving some green with coupons at the store.

When a job opened in Liberal, I decided to move.

I got one little job, I wanted so bad- packed up my VW and moved away.

I pulled up to Liberal, Kan. and checked out the mall. No Gap. No Old Navy and No Banana.

If anything you could say I was scarred

But I thought, nah forget, 'yo online shopping.'

I logged on to gap.com.

And I typed in promos (Tuesdays, Thankyou, MJ6VJFHBLM8W, GAPSALE25)

Looking at my savings and product I was finally there

To become so stylish once yet again.

Already, let's admit it I am ridiculous. However, I have been waiting for Tuesday to use my Gap credit card to save 10 percent on my online purchases. I carefully have planned out my purchases and knew I was buying sale items. Thanks to online codes obtain at RetailMeNot.Com I save $20 off my purchase at check out. You can search an online site and coupon/promo codes are listed. The next best thing since slice bread.

No go out there and online shop!

{Stay Tuned}

Overheard in the community of Liberal

Two women standing and talking: one in early-thirties and the other in her mid-sixties.

Sixty-year-old: Are you married?

Thirty-year-old: No, I am not.

Sixty-year-old: Oh, you still have time.

Over hearing conversations like that ALWAYS drive me crazy.

{Stay Tuned}