MADONNA with the governor of Sao Paulo.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
You Make Your Money On The Hire, Not The Raise
Booyeah! You’ve made it a year now. A year since you said goodbye to college. A year since you showed Lake Shasta how a real houseboat party goes down. A year since you got your last “Party Pics” with your Lil’ Sis (complete with some creepy Asher Roth photo-bomber giving “The Shocker”) at the spring formal.
And yet here we now are. Me writing, you reading. Me giving advice, you ignoring it.
A paltry six (6) weeks until the spring equinox, the traditional time of year for hard-boiled eggs, pagan bunnies and the annual reviews at many workplaces. Generally, the annual review can be a meaningful reflection on all that you have accomplished or added to the organization over the past 365 days of employment. In some cases it can be the most emotionally painful thing you have ever had to endure.
Unfortunately, given the economic circumstances, most organizations will probably not be making major salary adjustments – especially for low-seniority employees who are still demonstrating that they should belong on the asset side of the T-account and not the liability column.
[Our Dean's mandatory note: Kaballah doesn't actually include cannibalism as part of the ritual]
In most organizations your manager will sit down with a Word template and proceed to fill in the appropriate areas as they see fit – in many cases without supporting documentation, often based on how they feel you are doing at that very moment, rather than the last year.
There will be a section for your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or goals for the next year and areas to improve. Just a head’s up here: if under the weaknesses section it says, “Works well under constant supervision and when cornered like a beaten dog,” you might start to get your resume polished and your portfolio nice and tidy, because you won’t be working there much longer.
Generally there are two ways the review will go. In the first, you will be totally relaxed because you have the mental certitude that you crushed every goal established for you. You’ve arrived to work 15-minutes early every day and stayed 30-minutes late every night. The only sick-day you took was when you ran a 103-degree temperature, puked in your recycle bin and passed out, face-on-keyboard and your supervisor personally drove you home (with the semicolon-key sweat-glued to your forehead the entire ride home). Tossing caution and common sense to the wind, you continued to work from home and closed the deal for a huge new account that will put the company over its mark for annual revenue targeting.
The second way this will go is more akin to a root canal. If your supervisor says that they like to give feedback by the “couch” method you should be prepared for this format: Something nice about a very recent project you did, something really unpleasant about your underwhelming performance over the past year and then a really lame form of praise about you, your attire or your personality (on the hopes of making the bitter middle pill easier to swallow).
Try not to cry during the review. Crying, sobbing and sniffling are uncomfortable for your coworkers and make 
After the review is over, you have two options: Use the feedback and become the employee your supervisor wants you to be (notice we didn’t say, “a better employee”) or start looking for a new employment opportunity where you can start over again with a clean slate.
Some organizations even give you the opportunity to criticize critique offer feedback to your supervisor vis-à-vis the 360-degree review process. Unfortunately most fields in allied communication do not participate in this format, so you’ll just have to suck up all the so-called constructive criticism in your head.
If you fall into the first group, you should be ready to hear about all of the new privileges, responsibilities and huge raise you are going to get.
Will you have new privileges? Probably not. You won’t get an expense account. You won’t get to come in late. And you probably won’t get a company car. You might get a decent parking spot.
Will you have new responsibilities? Hell yes. You’ve set the bar pretty high for yourself over the last year and now your employer will expect you to meet or exceed this bar from this point forward.
That bar will now become the baseline from which they will measure all future performance. You may have new accounts or just be expected to lead the ones you have been on, but let there be no mistake, there will be more responsibilities and expectations.
Realistically speaking, if you kicked total butt over the last year you can expect a raise. And that raise will be in the 5% range.
Aw haw haw haw! …wait, what?
Yep, 5% is a realistic raise. In fact some organizations only give out 3% which is about the same as Social Security gives as a cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA). On top of which, that raise will be distributed across your total pay-periods and, of course, will be taxed by The Man.
Here is how it will break down…
Let’s say, as an entry-level employee, you earn: $28,500
The 5% salary increase (~$1,500) will now put you at: roughly $30,000, or about $125 more per month (pre-tax). After taxes, that raise will give you about $80 more per month, or close to $20 more per week. Awesome!
Try not to blow it all at once by seeing Avatar and going for a late night Taco Bell run with your significant other.
Even if you got a $5,000 raise (+ 17.5%), after taxes ($3,000) that is approximately $250 per month. Sure, a nice bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano to add to the old bank account, but will probably not alter much in terms of your lifestyle.
So what should you do? When you hear about the “raise” you will be getting. Smile and say thank you. Tell them you appreciate all the opportunities you have had with the organization and their unwavering dedication to helping you grow. And then make your ask.
For some of our less astute readers, you are going to ask for a titular <*snicker*> promotion.
If you are an account coordinator (generally the lowest titular rank), see if your supervisor is open to changing your title to assistant account executive. If you are an editorial assistant, see if you can get that title altered to senior editorial assistant. If you are an administrative assistant, see if you can get that upgraded to executive assistant. Whatever it is, try and get a better (or better sounding) title.
You see, this is why a titular change is more valuable than cash-in-hand.
You make your money on the hire, not the raise.
And why shouldn’t you? Why would you leave an organization where you clearly kick butt, earn better titles, more responsibilities and are highly valued? Another organization would have to pull a crazy dump truck full of cash to your house to woo you away.
And they will. It will happen. But not for a while, so relax. In eight (8) to ten (10) years, after you have earned all those titles, that dump truck will come rolling in and will leave a steaming pile of Benjamins right at your doorstep.
So you see, rarely is the money in the raise itself, it’s the title and the experience you’ve earned that will pay off later. It will pay off in the salary negotiations you drive when a new organization offers you a job.
So forget the little annual raises. They’re nice and they make you feel good and appreciated, but don’t think you are going to get rich on them.
Oh, and if you were counting, we just got away with saying “tit” four (4) times in a seemingly professional advice blog. BAM!
TTFN!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Razzie Awards 2010 - Nominations
The awards which like to honour the worst films of the year! Yes its all just a bit of fun and to laugh at really. But the Razzie nominations were released last night, yes the day before the Oscar nominations are due out. Interesting as Sandra Bullock could end up as the best and worst actress of the year . . . you see what they have done there.
They even have worst movie, actor and actress of the decade awards to give out.
What do you make of the Razzies?
Check out the nominations
Worst Picture
All About Steve
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Land of The Lost
Old Dogs
Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
Worst Actor
All Three Jonas Brothers, Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience
Will Ferrell, Land Of The Lost
Steve Martin, Pink Panther 2
Eddie Murphy, Imagine That
John Travolta. Old Dogs
Worst Actress
Beyonce. Obsessed
Sandra Bullock. All About Steve
Mylie Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie
Megan Fox, Jennifer’s Body And Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Sarah Jessica Parker, Did You Hear About The Morgans?
Worst Supporting Actor
Billy Ray Cyrus, Hannah Montana: The Movie
Hugh Hefner (As Himself), Miss March
Robert Pattinson, Twilight Saga: New Moon
Jorma Taccone (As Cha-Ka), Land Of The Lost
Marlon Wayans, G.I. Joe
Worst Supporting Actress
Candice Bergen, Bride Wars
Ali Larter, Obsessed
Sienna Miller, G.I. Joe
Kelly Preston, Old Dogs
Julie White, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Worst Screen Couple
Any Two (Or More) Jonas Brothers, The Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Experience
Sandra Bullock & Bradley Cooper, All About Steve
Will Ferrell & Any Co-Star, Creature Or “Comic Riff”, Land Of The Lost
Shia Labeouf & Either Megan Fox Or Any Transformer,
Kristen Stewart & Either Robert Pattinson Or Taylor Whatz-His-Fang
Worst Prequel, Sequel, Remake Or Rip-Off
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra
Land Of The Lost
Pink Panther 2 (A Rip-Off Of A Sequel To A Remake)
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Twilight Saga: New Moon
Worst Director
Michael Bay, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
Walt Becker, Old Dogs
Brad Silberling, Land Of The Lost
Stephen Sommers, G.I. Joe
Phil Traill, All About Steve
Worst Screenplay
All About Steve
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Land of The Lost
Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
Twilight Saga: New Moon
Worst Movie of the Decade
Battlefield Earth (2000)
Freddy Got Fingered (2001)
Gigli (2003)
I Know Who Killed Me (2007)
Swept Away (2002)
Worst Actor of the Decade
Ben Affleck
Eddie Murphy
Mike Myers
Rob Schneider
John Travolta
Worst Actress of the Decade
Mariah Carey
Paris Hilton
Lindsay Lohan
Jennifer Lopez
Madonna
Primera's Heavy Rotation : Feb 2nd, 2010
Newwwwww Heavy Rotation. Starting from now, I’ll try to post the link too so you can (illegaly) download the song. Just so you know, the download link provided is for evaluational purpose only. If you like the artist, please buy the original album/single (Yeah, like anyone would listen.)
1. Carrie Underwood – Temporary Home
Download
Set as a second single from Carrie’s latest album Play On, this one is a beautiful pop country ballad song. Rating : 3
2. Jedward – Under Pressure (Ice Ice baby) feat. Vanilla Ice
Download
Jedward are John and Edward, two identical twin from the sixth season of X Factor. “Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)” is their debut single. The single is a mashup of “Under Pressure”, originally recorded in 1981 by Queen and David Bowie, and “Ice Ice Baby”, recorded in 1989 by Vanilla Ice. Vanilla Ice himself is featured on the track. Rating : 2
3. Avril Lavigne – Alice (Underground)
Download
Finally, a single from Avril Lavigne. Coming from Alice in Wonderland upcoming movie soundtrack, it’s sounds really different from her previous work. It’s pretty dark to me, especially after the all fun in The Best Damn Thing. Rating : 2
4. 3Oh!3 – Follow Me Down (feat. Neon Hitch)
Download
Electronic, Dance and Synth Pop is in its height right now. And as long as it does, 3OH!3 will stay in chart as well. Another song from Alice in Wonderland Soundtrack, Almost Alice. This one actually sounds more familiar for my ears. Rating : 2,5
5. Leighton Meester – Your Love’s A Drug
Download
Our lovable Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl is trying her luck again after her first single, Somebody To Love did not doing really well on chart. This one sounds better actually. Love it. Rating : 3
6. Justin Bieber – Baby (feat. Ludacris)
Download
The YouTube artist has just sent out the first single from his 2nd album called My World 2.0 (Yawn… What a creative way to name your album). The song quite boring. Rating : 1,5
Not To Be Missed :
7. Craig David – One More Lie (Standing in The Shadows)
God, heavy dance track. Soo not Craig David. Rating : 1,5 Download
8. Madonna – Across The Sky (feat. Justin Timberlake)
Produced by Timbaland and featuring Justin Timberlake. Great Combination. Pretty enjoyable. Rating: 3 Download
9. Gorillaz – Stylo (feat. Moz Def and Bobby Womack)
Weird. I hate Gorillaz BTW, so you might wanna hear it first. Rating: 1 Download
10. Taylor Swift – Today Was a Fairytale
Typical Taylor Swift song. Pop country song with a catchy tune. Rating: 3 Download
11. Boyzone – Gave It All Away
Calm, boyband-ish song. Like it. Rating : 3 Download
12. The Fray – Syndicate
Typical The Fray song. Good unless you’re bored with such kind of song. Rating: 2,5 Download
13. Chipmunk – Look for Me
Having a little similiar composition with I Gotta Feeling. But sounds much better. Rating: 2,5 Download
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Is "Tik Tok" the feminist party anthem of 2010?
kesha, looking kind of 90s and kind of hot, in esquire
Ada, MMM-Bop is totally on my ipod! So is Party in the USA, which I saw Miley perform live. She was so bad. But so fun!
As you note, so were a lot of performers in the 90s. Like Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer who, by the way, I saw in concert–TOGETHER–my freshman year of high school. Not to brag or anything.
Okay, now, let’s talk about Ke$ha. I just saw that “Tik Tok” is the number one song on itunes right now. Which is cool, because I like Ke$ha. Partly because I am in my 30s and so I find a party anthem with the lines “Ain’t got a care in the world, but got plenty of beer” and “Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack” to be hilarious. HOWEVER. This song would have made me cry when I was 15, significantly more earnest, and dreaming of getting away from girls who just wanted to party and drink. (In NY, I imagined, rightly, I would be able to party and drink…while discussing feminist theory. We’ll bring the whiskey on the 13th!)
Anyway, looking at this list from the 90s, it still seems super-radical to me. I mean, we had Madonna! (#7 on this list and #1 in 1990.) We had Sinead O’Connor (#12), who sang complicated songs about love and politics, shaved her head, and blasphemed the pope! We had Liz Phair, who sang one of the best songs about sex and sexism ever! (True, at #91, she is not Gaga/Swift/Beyonce popular, but she still made it onto a mainstream list, above Public Enemy and Prince). We even had Alanis (#14), who was always considered sort of a lightweight—and yet, what does it mean that, in the 90s, hearing a girl so brazenly confronting a guy who had dumped her actually seemed not quite riot grrrl enough to some of us?
One of the things I like about 90s music is that it seemed like women were singing about their actual, complicated experiences. I mean, Salt ‘n’ Pepa are on the list for “Whatta Man,” which congratulates a guy not just for being good in bed and respectful, but for spending time with his kids.
The feministy triumverate of today—Lady Gaga, Beyonce (who got her start in the 90s with Destiny’s Child), and Taylor Swift—seem more invested in celebrating both romance culture (putting a ring on it, romeo and white dresses) and hookup culture (poker faces, video phones). In the 90s, it seems like women had a kind of bravado that was about confronting men about the emotional fallout of hookup culture or romance culture. But for Gaga, B, Taylor, and Ke$sha, it seems like a different kind of bravado: more about rejecting that fallout altogether or about transcending it. (This might be the time to bring up “Blah, Blah, Blah.”)
I can (mostly) enjoy the New Bravado, but I also like 90s-style wallowing.
Anyway, I have more to say about the feminist evolution of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears; the awesome (NOT FEMINIST) rap songs of the 90s; and #1 90s band Nirvana, which was fronted by a boy in a dress before all the boys wore dresses. And about the potential stealthiness of the aforementioned oos women. But for now, I’ll just say that I am glad we are talking about this today, before tonight’s Grammy’s, which are all about the ladies. I can’t wait for the liveblogging to begin.
From "Noah's Arc" Star To Beyonce's Back-Up Dancer???
This could be one of the greatest moments in entertainment for the Black GLBT community, or this may end up being a major step backwards in a career of an icon within the Black GLBT community — an epic fail. The two biggest celebrities worshiped by the Black GLBT community will share the same stage on live television tonight at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles — according to one of the stars himself, Jensen Atwood. He announced that he will share the stage with current queen diva of the Black GLBT community R&B sensation Beyonce.
You heard that right. The hunky actor that mesmerized many millions of fans into watching the internationally-known cult classic “Noah’s Arc” TV series and film stated on his Facebook update that he will be “one of sixty dancers” that will back-up Beyonce. Sccrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh-eh-eh-eh!!! Did he just say ONE of SIXTY dancers?
If anything, let’s hope he is the principal dancer or the leading male in the performance. Beyonce, or anyone in her entourage of gay employees, should know who Jensen is and the clout he has (or had) within the Black GLBT community for being the breakout star of a star that tops all of Black GLBT pop culture, or maybe tied with Janet Jackson’s influence on modern music with Beyonce being third and the current queen. You get my damn point!
Who is Jensen’s management? Let’s hope they have the sense to turn this questionable career move into an iconic moment. Perhaps this post will do the trick just to prove me wrong. It could be their last minute “genius” idea that they forgot to come up with until I put in my two-cents.
Hell. Beyonce should even recognize him on stage. That would trump Lady Gaga’s “thank you” to the gays at the MTV Video Music Awards, at least to the Black “kidz.” They’re both Virgos — that is Virgo power for that azz. Then again, Beyonce IS a Virgo…it’s all about her. She didn’t look genuine in giving Taylor Swift her shine last year at VMAs as well as Jennifer Hudson for her work in their movie Dreamgirls.
Enough of the ranting…I will wait and see if I can recognize Jensen within the one of sixty dancers or THE ONE of sixty dancers. Check out his updates below which I posted here. If I were to place my bet, he would just be one of the sixty and the one.
I had to post up the comments from the stans/fans too because I think “congratulations” and “kudos” are too early on this. Many of your would call me hater on this, but I’m not. I always a realist and not a delusional starfucker. I will check my favorite divas on here too when necessary. You heard how I hated Toni Braxton’s duet with Trey Songz, and she is the singer I listen to the most besides Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson.
In my opinion, the news of anyone becoming a back-up dancer for the grandest Black gay icon of today, Beyonce Knowles, sounds spectacular – anyone but another leading Black GLBT icon, especially from the ultimate TV show and movie of Black GLBT pop culture. That is like Janet Jackson and Madonna dancing in the background for Lady Gaga or Britney Spears. That is like Barbra Streisand, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston singing back up for Christina Aguilera.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
FASHION & MUSIC: "SWIM" by Madonna
MUSIC: Swim
ARTIST: Madonna
MODEL: RicoRacer Flux
PHOTOGRAPHER: Talyia Tarber from Kiss My Camera Studios
FASHION:
Swimwear: Seraphina Canucci Tan Shorts
Bracelet: Sey
Necklace:
INFO: This is my swimwear picture submission to the BESTYLE Male Calendar 2010 Contest.
WATCH:
LYRICS:
SWIM by Madonna
Put your head on my shoulder baby
Things can’t get any worse
Night is getting colder
Sometimes life feels like it’s a curse
Bridge:
I can’t carry these sins on my back
Don’t wanna carry any more
I’m gonna carry this train off the track
I’m gonna swim to the ocean floor
Chorus:
Mmmmm
Crash to the other shore
Mmmmm
Swim to the ocean floor
Children killing children
While the students rape their teachers
Comets fly across the sky
While the churches burn their preachers
Bridge2:
We can’t carry these sins on our back
Don’t wanna carry any more
We’re gonna carry this train off the track
We’re gonna swim to the ocean floor
(chorus)
Let the water wash over you
Wash it all over you
Swim to the ocean floor
So that we can begin again
Wash away all our sins
Crash to the other shore
Mmmmmm
(bridge)
(chorus)
(bridge2)
Crash to the other shore
Swim to the ocean floor
Mmmmmm
* NO copyrights infringement intended. I do not own the music or video.
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