Belle’s Weekly Reading: March 21, 2014
Mar 21, 2014
***
1) Addicted to your smart phone? UNICEF has a program that may make you want to put it down. Download the Tap App and for every 10 minutes that you don’t use your phone, sponsors will donate money to UNICEF’s clean water program. 10 minutes = 1 day of water.
2) The Neiman Marcus sale section has some really beautiful shoes right now. Sizes are limited, but prices are fantastic. These Pour la Victoire cognac flats are $87, and their high heel counterparts are $92. I also like these Cole Haan ballet flats ($99).
3) LinkedIn has an excellent article titled “What to Do When You’re Asked to Go Get the Coffee?” You will be asked to do many menial tasks during the course of your career. Don’t be the person who looks disdainfully upon menial work, be the person who jumps in and does what needs to be done.
4) This Juliet & Company bracelet is a stunner. Her pearl wrap necklace is also lovely, it’s style has just a hint of Olivia Pope.
5) The Hollywood Reporter has a list of the most powerful stylists in Hollywood. The most well-known celebrity stylist, Rachel Zoe, only ranked 6th.
6) A spring-weight peacoat in navy blue with black sleeves and gold buttons? And it’s on sale? Get in my closet!
7) The three rules for riding on airplanes. Yes, yes, and yes.
8) I stocked up on a few inexpensive accessories at LOFT. This spotted clutch is perfect for spring/summer weddings. This beaded station necklace with shades of grey, pewter and blue is sublime. And if you like slingback shoes, these flats come in gold and silver metallic.
9) Buzzfeed has a list of 77 Facts That Sound Like Lies. Some interesting tidbits, my favorite was number 11.
10) I bought this berry-colored leather shopper from ASOS to carry on errands. I love it, but if you’re looking for something under-$25, this vegan-leather tote from Urban Outfitters is an excellent buy.
11) Tinder is technology’s latest tool for finding a soulmate, or just a mate. Hello, Let’s Date is a chronicle of one man’s adventures looking for love online. Let’s just say his interactions range from hysterical to utterly terrifying.
12) Anthropologie always has pretty dresses on its racks, but this season’s selection is especially gorgeous. This printed shirtdress with balloon sleeves is breezy and light. I also like this Wavelength sheath with stripes of different sizes. My friend bought this Ivoire dress for her bridal shower, and it’s even prettier in person.
LOVE the rules on airplanes! As someone who’s almost 5’10” and travels a lot for work, I can’t tell you how much reclining chairs are killers. I recently flew from Chicago to London and sure enough, the moment we sat down on the plane, the guy in front of me dropped his seat ALL the way back. By the time I got to Heathrow I was so stiff I could barely walk.
I don’t understand the feelings about reclining seats. If the person in front of me reclines, I’m going to recline. If that bothers you, you can talk to the person in front of me (and most like they person in front of them). I also get really stiff sitting upright for hours and prefer to be a little reclined. If it’s a serious issue for you, make sure you get an aisle seat or pay for the upgrade.
I don’t get too upset about it that I’ll ask, and I usually pay for Economy Comfort to mitigate the issue, but if I’m using my laptop, it becomes really uncomfortable when the seat in front of me is reclined. But the tray table thing really resonated with me, if you want to do that, get a window seat.
I don’t really get it. The seats are supposed to recline, and it is uncomfortable for me to sit upright for hours. Are we then both supposed to be uncomfortable? On some newer planes (I’ve mostly noticed it on AA), when the seat reclines, it also slides forward, so while you get less space up top, it’s compensated in leg space. Of course, if I noticed I was sitting in front of someone who was taller/larger than normal, I may not recline and would definitely not be offended if someone asked me not to. But it’s not like they recline all that much anyways.
I don’t like when people do it, but the only way I would ask someone not to recline is if their reclining made me physically uncomfortable due to height or weight.
While I get that the reclining is not that big of a deal, when I’m working on my computer it makes things very uncomfortable. So I don’t like when people do it, because the argument that it “really doesn’t take up that much space” carries as much weight as “the seat isn’t that much more comfortable reclined.” It’s kind of like that Dr. Seuss book Sneetches, you’re either on one team or the other, though it’s a fairly meaningless distinction, people seem to feel very passionately about it.
I have to agree with S on this one. seats are made to recline. if the person in front of you does it, then you can recline your own seat to compensate. if you need more room, then pay the money to rent the real estate. I have no compunction about asking someone to get up if I need to get to the aisle so those who fall asleep with the tray table down don’t faze me.
I so agree with the rules for riding on airplanes. I hate when the person in front of me reclines all the way back and I feel like I have just inches between my face and the back of their seat. So ungodly uncomfortable. And it’s even worse when they leave it that way during meal service. They really should just weld the seats upright. I’m totally serious.
Style by Joules
I agree! There used to be a lot more leg room on planes. Now there just isn’t room for reclining seats. I don’t like having someone’s head in my lap while I’m trying to read a magazine.
I took a flight recently where the person in front of me reclined their seat before takeoff (contrary to the rules). They left it that way the whole flight including during the meal service, even though they sat upright to eat their food and weren’t using the reclined seat. So inconsiderate.
However, I can’t agree that seats shouldn’t be able to recline on long haul. Provided they are upright for meals.
As a short person, the “neck rest” is right behind my head so that I’m forced to have my neck in a flexed position the entire flight. I have to recline the seat (usually just barely) so that I’m not stuck in that position for the duration of the flight.
Interesting.
I have the exact same problem! I’m so glad to see someone else agree, haha.
I have the same problem. Plus, if I’m stuck in coach, frankly one of the best ways to pass the miserable time is to just pass out – which is aided by reclining.
There should be one more airplane rule: Leave your shoes on. Got stuck on a plane to Germany with a man who insisted on having feet stink up the cabin. Not fun.
Love all those facts!! Especially #6- I actually had the chance to see cashews in that state (fresh from the tree) in Honduras. It was so interesting, and crazy to hear how extensive the process is to make them safe for eating! I also enjoyed #54.. it gives me some hope for our society!
On the coffee story: going to get the coffee works if you’re the CEO of the company (as happened to be the case here) and they can’t start the meeting without you. Sadly, in most cases, it’ll be a mid-level career woman who is asked if no interns are available, and the meeting will be halfway over by the time she comes back from Starbucks. I would always carefully consider doing a menial task. It’s fair enough to not be above those tasks, but there are situations where it’s important not to fall into that gender/age trap.
We had a coffee maker in the office, I might think twice if it would pull me away for more than a few minutes. My old Boss was really good about asking everyone to do the menial crap, not just the girls.
I’d definitely agree with this point. If you’re the CEO, sure, you have the title, people know what that means, and you’ll be fine getting coffee. If you’re a mid level or even senior person (particularly a woman), people are going to make the assumption that you’re more junior than you actually are (particularly if you work in a field like mine where titles are often weird and only understood internally) and someone’s assistant.
It’s the same thing as the fact that I don’t *mind* setting up conference calls, grabbing coffee, etc, but it is important to me that people don’t think that I’m someone’s intern.
It’s a know-your-office situation, I think.
For the Buzzfeed list (which I read the other day) can someone explain #64 to me? “64. If a piece of paper were folded 42 times, it would reach to the moon.” If it was thrown? Am I missing something? I have to know!
Ditto. I have NO idea what that means.
I clicked the link on the Buzzfeed article and then understood it, but without the explanation it was a head scratcher. It’s more of a math problem than anything, as it has to do with the power of exponentially increasing size with each fold.
Mythbusters tackled the myth that you can’t fold a piece of paper more than 7 times. It’s true for normal-sized paper, but being Mythbusters they used a football field-sized piece of paper. That clip shows how few folds it takes for the paper’s thickness to increase a LOT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAEBbotuIE
Ugh, yes to the menial tasks. I once had to park a state legislator’s car because he was being a self-absorbed tool, but it made the event I planned that he was late for go smoothly.