Letters to the Editor
Do.Something.Or.Let.It.Go
Published Letters: 16 Editor's Choice: 3
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Princples vs Principals
[Read the article: I stood on principle and was harshly reprimanded]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]... after re-reading the letter, I see another commenter's point more clearly. There seems to be ZERO mention of standing for a principle in this letter. Principles are only mentioned in the subject line, which the lw did not write. It's completely about standing up to one's boss (or a principal at the company) and refusing to do assigned work.
LW, most likely you are in the process of being "fired with cause". That's why your boss has filed the report and why the operations manager and HR are involved. They are starting the steps of protecting the company from having to pay unemployment. At best, you are not yet being fired but they are preparing to cover their asses, in case you continue this or other undesirable behavior. They are establishing a pattern.
But put that asside.
LW, you ask a very legitimate question: Where is the line between personal assistant and administrative assistant?
In my experience, this line is a grey area that is always changing. It's different from company to company and also boss to boss, within the same company. It even changes over time, with the same boss, because the demands put upon that boss change, and the stress of that trickles down.
ANNE IN NYC gave a very, very good description of how it works and why. In my experience, the best Assistants are people who very much want to help their bosses succeed. The best Assistants are willing to do nearly anything to help this occur. As the boss gets promoted, a good Assistant moves with the boss, because they're an integral part of the success. The boss and the Assistant are a team.
To do an assistant job well, you have to WANT to help your boss and WANT to do whatever reduces their stress, helps them stay organized, and helps them balance their work/personal life so that they don't burn out and quit.
This means, in part, that you need to be very careful in choosing which job offers you accept. When you're in an interview, you have to find out if the boss's impression of your future job description matches your ideas of what you are willing to do. If not, then it's not the right job for you, because you may once again find yourself in this position.
Keep in mind that the job description may change. Ask yourself if you are really the type of person who wants to HELP someone else. If not, Administrative Assistant or Personal Assistant might not be the job for you.
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Magnesium (specifically Magnesium Taurate)
[Read the article: My migraines make me feel like driving a pickax through my face!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's frightening how many medical conditions can be caused by magnesium deficiency, so like others, I'd recommend giving that a shot. Our diets are crazy, soils are depleted, and magnesium is an element that actually falls out of solution (in water as in our blood) when other elements are not in a critical moderate level.
There's lots of research on the internet about different forms of magnesium, and it's very cheap. Couldn't hurt (any worse) to give it a shot.
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Living Together and Taking a Vacay Doesn't Make it "Serious"
[Read the article: His friend groped me, but my boyfriend says it's no big deal]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Seriously. Wake up.
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@timbuktom
[Read the article: His friend groped me, but my boyfriend says it's no big deal]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Seriously? You logged on to tell the LW that if she would like it if somebody else did it to her, then it's okay...? That's your argument?
Seriously?
LW (and everyone else): Do not listen to timbuktom. You can say no. It doesn't matter if you would like it if someone else touched you that way. If anyone touches you in a way you don't want THAT SPECIFIC PERSON to touch you, it is TOTALLY okay to say no. Don't wait for your boyfriend to stand up and say no for you. Say it yourself. Repeat it if necessary.
And dude. timbuktom. Maybe you meant something else, but... You actually typed that and hit publish? The girl said nothing about rape. She did not equate it to rape. Telling her that she just has to accept random people touching her in a way she doesn't want them to-- that makes you sort of gross. And you sort of seem to imply that if she was pretty, she would like it, which again makes you GROSS.
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Cary's. Best. Answer. Ever
[Read the article: My live-in boyfriend's spending a week with a chick he met on MySpace]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Seriously.
I've always been a fan, but wow. How do I sign up for these writing workshops he's been attending lately?
Cary - your column is a true pleasure. Thanks!