Another One Bites the Dust

I started my job last week and my worst nightmare came true.

But thankfully not for me.

The nightmare is that I would arrive at work and for some reason they would tell me to pack my bags cuz there was no more job for me!

Although this didn't happen to me, it happened to several new associates who worked for a firm right across the street from mine. Apparently Heller Ehrman, a top 50 firm with 14 offices all over the world has bit the dust.

I went to work amidst a buzz of "Did you hear what happened?!" as the 118 year old San Franciscan firm voted to dissolve the day I started work.

I had to sit back and take it all in. And count my lucky stars.

I had interviewed with Heller in 2006. I really wanted to work for them. They ranked high in diversity, woman-friendliness, and prestige--AND they were a native Californian firm. What could be better? (Having a job to go to, that's what!)

If Heller had extended an offer to me, there is a good chance I would've taken it. And the unhappy recent law grad sending out resumes during a recession--there's a good chance that would've been me too.

But for grace.

Do you hear the people sing?

I'm a pretty passive and lazy person. But it finally happened.

I finally felt so pissed off at a company that I crossed over my incredibly high barrier of inertia and wrote a bad customer review.

Yes, today I have joined to ranks of The People and added my voice to that great swell at epinions.com.

Against corporate greed! Against unfair practices! Against injustice! I feel like Norma f'ing Rae.

Here's my review:

CONSUMER FRAUD ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by onaxos, Sep 23 '08

I have never written a customer review before, but I am compelled to now because stamps.com is SO HORRIBLE.

They are completely MISLEADING about how much you will pay for their services. Their practices border on FRAUD.

It shocked me when I got an $18 charge on my credit card from them when I only bought around $4 worth of stamps. WTF?! Only after I called them on the phone did I realize there WAS a monthly service fee at all!!!

The phone operator said I should've been aware of the fees because it is mentioned on their website. Ha! Good luck finding it in the fine print, buried under paragraphs of text! Never is it up front and in a font that commands the attention it deserves!

The website is SOOOO misleading! If you had to devote that much attention to every service you used, you could drive back and forth from the post office everyday and still have time leftover!

Total ripoff. Totally misleading. I would totally report this horrible company to the better business bureau.

Gulp

I admit it. I am a straight up 'frady cat. (Otherwise known as a scaredy cat.)

It finally dawned on me in my late-20's that I am, by default, always afraid--or nervous, stressed, anxious, whatever you call it. I used to think only special incidents brought on my sense of dread, but looking back over the last few years, I have to say it was pretty constant.

In undergrad I was afraid I wouldn't graduate. After graduating and getting odd-jobs, I was always afraid I would get fired. And then in law school I always harbored a secret dread that I would get a letter from the registrar's office stating something like: "We rescind your acceptance. There was an unfortunate clerical error. Please leave."

And after law school I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find a decent job. And now that I'm about to start my job in just 3 short days, guess what? Suprise surprise: I'm afraid!

I'm afraid I won't live up to my employer's expectations. I'm afraid I'll annoy people by asking too many questions. I'm afraid I'll annoy myself because I asked too few questions.

I'm afraid my bosses will look down on me if I don't speak up in meetings. And I'm afraid I'll look stupid when I do open my mouth.

I'm afraid I'll dress too casually and frumpy. But I'm afraid I'll look too boring and uppity if I were a suit.

And I'm ultimately afraid that after busting my butt for 6 months, I'll get a bad performance review that feels like it came out of left-field cuz no one TOLD me that I was doing something that should be changed.

And I'll be the weakest link among my peers.

And basically hate my job.

10 (New) Things I Like About You!

You think you really know someone, but then you live with them for a while and find out some interesting facts. Although I've known Alaberi for 3 years, I found out some quirky things from her recent visit:


1. She blogs right away! No procrastinating for this girl. Even if it's 1AM in the morning, she's uploading away. That's why her account of her visit is so much better than my nonexistent one (since I procrastinated too long!).


2. She was a Claymate. Was. She's now a Wang-Lee-Hom-mate.


3. But she wouldn't marry Lee Hom even if he proposed because he's "too hot" (her words, not mine).


4. She loves shoes and bags. And jewelry. My kind of gal.


5. She gets giddy when about to bake. And loves to share her joy.


6. She loves washing dishes!

7. She can sight-sing like a pro.


8. Joe Biden bores her to death.

9. She knows (or knows someone who knows) every single Asian Christian in NYC, Bay Area, and Hong Kong.

10. She's an awesome friend and great sister. (Ok, that's not something new--I've known that for a while now!)

What's new?

I'm so proud of my tech-retarded self for finally installing a subscription feeder on my blog.

Now you can get an email anytime my blog is updated so you don't have to keep checking my blog whilst waiting for my lazy ass to write a new entry.

Just type in your email address in the sidebar, hit "subscribe," and you're good to go!