A new job, a beautiful view, a party
Dec. 16th, 2004 03:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceebeegeeMy family is so slackjaw about birthdays. I got my Dad and step-mom's birthday card in the mail yesterday, and today I received my gift--a nice big box of Godiva--truffles and coffee. Mmm...I think I'll save the coffee for Christmas morning. My Mom is coming up for Christmas.
Yesterday was my first day doing a new kind of job--I was role-playing for a consulting firm. We answer phone calls from financial advisors in training--they call us and we have to pretend to be either cold calls, prospects or clients, and put them through the paces ("What sort of programs can you advise for someone in my position?...I'm looking to retire early, what can you advise for that?...My kids are going to college and I'm worried about being able to afford that..."). When the phone rings and we answer it, the FAs will ask for a name--we have to put them on hold and then look up the "bio" for that person, and then pretend to be them. Since those who answer the phones can be either male or female (whoever's scheduled that day), all the names on the bios are unisex so it's a bunch of Taylors, Jordans and Morgans. This is pretty hilarious--"What can you advise for my hermaphroditic needs?...I'm thinking of going ahead with an F-to-M operation, how would that affect my tax situation?" I want them to add SNL's Pat to the bios and start whining into the phone "I don't want to commit to anything until I talk to my partner, Chris...we are worried about our kids Jo(e), Terry and Nicky."
The consulting firm staff is nice--they pay on on the spot, with a check which is ALWAYS nice! The hours are reasonable, if limited--just two days a week, and only alternating weeks right now. The neighborhood is awesome too--the office is in Park Slope, off of Fifth Avenue, which is quite the gentrified area. Lots of cool stores there--I picked up some cute stocking stuffers. I think Tracy works around there, so maybe we can do lunch. And Miss Elizabeth lives there as well, so we will DEFINITELY have to get together!
Around 4:30 I was riding the train back into the city on the Q line, whioch goes over the Manhattan Bridge. As we crossed the bridge, I stood to look at the Brooklyn Bridge--it was indescribably lovely, with its long lines like rays against the warm pink tones of the sun setting and seagulls flying around the Statue of Liberty. Just beautiful. I literally gasped when I saw it. One of those things that make you glad you live in New York City.
Last night was the Lazard Real Estate holiday party at Sparks. It was a lot of fun, as always. I had a few amaretto sours and then they started the food--I had baked clams and rainbow trout. DAMN, that was delicious. So, so good, even though I couldn't finish it. Sparks entrees always defeat me. I love going there every Christmas--it's such a meaty, red-blooded, hearty, masculine place. Not a place for vegetarians--every entree is like three inches of thick red beef. I sang my little song for them--also a Lazard Real Estate holiday tradition--and then they served dessert, a big plate of berries, cheesecake, ice cream and meringues. It was like a feeding trough, they just plopped a plate down on each table. Afterwards the analysts were going to another bar in Williamsburg-I might have joined them but I had no desire to go across the river again.
Yesterday was my first day doing a new kind of job--I was role-playing for a consulting firm. We answer phone calls from financial advisors in training--they call us and we have to pretend to be either cold calls, prospects or clients, and put them through the paces ("What sort of programs can you advise for someone in my position?...I'm looking to retire early, what can you advise for that?...My kids are going to college and I'm worried about being able to afford that..."). When the phone rings and we answer it, the FAs will ask for a name--we have to put them on hold and then look up the "bio" for that person, and then pretend to be them. Since those who answer the phones can be either male or female (whoever's scheduled that day), all the names on the bios are unisex so it's a bunch of Taylors, Jordans and Morgans. This is pretty hilarious--"What can you advise for my hermaphroditic needs?...I'm thinking of going ahead with an F-to-M operation, how would that affect my tax situation?" I want them to add SNL's Pat to the bios and start whining into the phone "I don't want to commit to anything until I talk to my partner, Chris...we are worried about our kids Jo(e), Terry and Nicky."
The consulting firm staff is nice--they pay on on the spot, with a check which is ALWAYS nice! The hours are reasonable, if limited--just two days a week, and only alternating weeks right now. The neighborhood is awesome too--the office is in Park Slope, off of Fifth Avenue, which is quite the gentrified area. Lots of cool stores there--I picked up some cute stocking stuffers. I think Tracy works around there, so maybe we can do lunch. And Miss Elizabeth lives there as well, so we will DEFINITELY have to get together!
Around 4:30 I was riding the train back into the city on the Q line, whioch goes over the Manhattan Bridge. As we crossed the bridge, I stood to look at the Brooklyn Bridge--it was indescribably lovely, with its long lines like rays against the warm pink tones of the sun setting and seagulls flying around the Statue of Liberty. Just beautiful. I literally gasped when I saw it. One of those things that make you glad you live in New York City.
Last night was the Lazard Real Estate holiday party at Sparks. It was a lot of fun, as always. I had a few amaretto sours and then they started the food--I had baked clams and rainbow trout. DAMN, that was delicious. So, so good, even though I couldn't finish it. Sparks entrees always defeat me. I love going there every Christmas--it's such a meaty, red-blooded, hearty, masculine place. Not a place for vegetarians--every entree is like three inches of thick red beef. I sang my little song for them--also a Lazard Real Estate holiday tradition--and then they served dessert, a big plate of berries, cheesecake, ice cream and meringues. It was like a feeding trough, they just plopped a plate down on each table. Afterwards the analysts were going to another bar in Williamsburg-I might have joined them but I had no desire to go across the river again.
