Testing is hard--let's go shopping

[annathepiper]

Today I was informed by my Volt rep that policy regarding attire has shifted for my team, and that we need to dress 'a bit more professional'. I suppose that this is based on how folks on my team periodically meet with partners and the like--not that I'm part of those meetings, but still, it happens. So I guess they want us to not be lounging around in standard geekwear, which is what I usually wear. I.e., t-shirts and shorts.

Which is all fine. I've got a couple decent heavier pairs of pants, but they're better for cooler weather. I have one wearable pair of light pants right now, and will need to go back to Target to get a couple more pairs, at least enough to last me through the rest of this contract. And I'll need to get a few shirts that aren't t-shirts as well, and some kind of light jacket. It's getting almost warm enough that I don't need a jacket at all, but I tend to hover right between 'too warm if I'm wearing a jacket/sweatshirt' and 'too cold if I'm not', so I need to have something handy. Right now that something is the sweatshirt I bought at the last Norwescon, but I suppose that if they want us to look 'a bit more professional', the sweatshirt is out. Oh well. I was going to go to Target anyway if the Times made me an offer, just to get exactly these sorts of clothes. This just makes it 'definite' and 'now' rather than 'maybe'.

The one interesting question, I suppose, is whether my current Plan regarding my weight is going to continue to do interesting things. I've steadily lost about half a pound a day since I decided to do this, and if I continue at this rate, I could lose fifteen pounds by the end of June. It's not definite by any stretch of the imagination, but the possibility is there, and it would suck to buy new clothes only to have to turn around again and have to buy more.

So I'm heading to Target tonight. spazzkat and solarbird and I will make an evening of it, and maybe do some dinner as well as shopping. Oh joy oh glee. Maybe if I promise myself a side duck into Barnes and Noble, I'll make it through buying clothes. ;)

I do not in the meantime have an offer yet. I do have a recruiter at Volt chomping at the bit to get me back to my former team at Microsoft, and in fact my former manager from there emailed me directly to ask about that. The question of my hourly rate is still open; my recruiter guy has not found out for me whether that team can actually give me my current rate or not. The good news is though that the recruiter thinks he can easily match my current rate if not improve upon it, given that I have had three consecutive contracts through Volt now, which makes me an STE3 and which entitles me to rates that don't suck. So.

In other news, the cottonwoods are shedding like there's an impending cottonwood apocalypse and if they don't make thousands of new cottonwoods right now, the entire species will be extinct. Or something. All I know is, it looks like somebody's been shearing sheep on our patio.

Tuesday miles: 4.5
Wednesday morning miles: 2.1
Miles out of Hobbiton: 1079.15
Miles out of Rivendell: 621.15
Miles out of Lothlórien: 159.15
Miles to Rauros Falls: 229.85

Comments

[spunbutterfly.livejournal.com]

I mentioned to Andy that you had expressed interest in coming back if he wanted to make sure and contact you and Volt and stuff. :)

[annathepiper]

Cool, thanks! Yeah, he emailed me yesterday afternoon and asked about that. I told him I was waiting for word on this other interview I've had.

[starfallz.livejournal.com]

Good luck with job stuff! I was thinking maybe a light cotton cardigan (button or zipper) might suit for when you are a bit too cold. I usually haul one of those around in my backpack when I think it might get chilly due to a/c or cooler night temps. :)

[annathepiper]

Thank you! I'll see what my options are when we get to Target. spazzkat actually thinks I should go a little more upscale (which around here would mean, oh, say, Nordstrom), but I think I'll hold off on that until I find out whether or not the Times wants me and how my weight is going to behave over the next few weeks. I figure if I'm going to be putting out Nordstrom prices for clothes, they should be a long-term investment!

[kieri.livejournal.com]

You could split the difference and hit Old Navy. They've got a fair selection of button ups and pull-overs which are -slightly- nicer than t-shirts, but are otherwise quite comfortable. And slacks and such. Though right now they're in their Everything Capri season.

I stopped there when I was in Maryland last weekend and picked up 5 shirts in 20 minutes. And they're all good so far, hooray. Very comfy.

[annathepiper]

Hrmm. I may try that if I actually get hired at the Times and need to go out again for more clothing--or if my weight continues to inch down over this month and I need to get more clothing that'll fit me better anyway.

I've never actually set foot in an Old Navy, so I'm not terribly versed with what they're likely to have. Thanks for the tip!

[avalonmissy.livejournal.com]

I've yet to work for a place that is casual enough for jeans every day even. Usually it's Jeans Fridays and business casual the rest of the days. The tech guys on the road generally do the khakis/polo shirt combo. In the winter I do a lot of sweaters rather than dress shirts and in summer...well, this is the first time I'll be working through the summer since I was in university but I expect it'll be a lot of dressy capris, skirts and fitted polo shirts. I'm glad they seem to be in style this year.

[annathepiper]

The software industry around here tends to be very, very, very heavily influenced by Microsoft--which is uber-casual unless you're someone who actually meets with clients or customers. My usual attire, a t-shirt and shorts and a sweatshirt and sneakers, is pretty much the Microsoft uniform. And that culture has influenced the attire at many other local companies. The Times, I figure, I'd need to be a bit more upscale--it's not a software company, plus, if I get that job I might actually move into something like a lead position, so I need to worry a bit more about my dress.

But! I figure if I get some capris and some nice fitted shirts, that should be fabulous. I've got this nice pair of green light pants and a green top with some embroidery around the neckline and a tie at the throat that I really like. Comfortable enough that I'm still quite at ease, but a step or two up from geekwear. I'll be shooting for something like that.

[ceallaighgirl.livejournal.com]

Ooh, what about getting some casual-like skirts. They look more professional than shorts, but function similarly (and as a bonus, they mkae going to the bathroom even easier which . . . I don't really know why I thought of that actually, I sure do think about strange things). I recently got a really comfortable jean skirt from Fred Meyer. It goes to just below the knees, and works well with the geeks that I work around at work (we're about half and half, some of the guys were geek-wear and some of the guys wear their trousers and nice shirts). Ooh, if you went and got a draw-string waist skirt (or sewed one yourself), you could still wear it when you lose weight, or even just take it in really easy (it's always easier to take clothing in than let it out, especially skirts!). Sewing a basic drawstring skirt would be super-duper-easy.

[annathepiper]

I have a small problem with wearing skirts, though. :( I injured my ankle when I was a kid, and I've got this funny-looking bump on it--which means that I really hate wearing any sort of footwear that shows that. Which means I tend to shoot for sneakers and short socks, or ankle boots. Which means in turn that the skirts I usually wind up wearing are ankle-length and look funny with sneakers, and unless it's wintertime, it's too hot for the boots.

Plus, I'm thinking about how my commute is likely to continue to go. If the Times hires me I will be continuing my commute downtown by bus and it will involve quite a bit of walking, still. So I need to keep wearing footwear that will be comfortable to walk in.

If I go back to Microsoft, I'll be biking, and that's kind of tough in a skirt. ;)

[ceallaighgirl.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I wish you could see what I'm wearing today! I'm wearing my jean skirt, and I'm wearing ankle socks, and my awesome blue runners (my blue suede shoes). It manages to look fairly un-dorky. I know, that's my main drawback about wearing skirts too, is being able to wear good walking shoes. It looks somewhat nice, but can also double as a go-outside-and-run-around-and-play outfit.

Ooh biking. You could get one of those old-fashioned bikes! That would be so cute, haha. But yeah, bikes aren't as great with a skirt unless you get the right type of bike (most of which are not).

[annathepiper]

Getting caught up on LJ comments since I'm too agitated to write quite yet!

Now that I know I have a new JOB *^_^*, I'll have to think about the clothes thing again. The new clothes I've picked up from Target ought to do me well for a bit, though I should probably get a few more shirts that aren't T-shirts. And maybe think about figuring out how to carry a change of clothes with me if I start biking any time this summer. Aigh! :)

[ceallaighgirl.livejournal.com]

Hmm, what about getting some of those light-weight travel kind of clothes that you can get at REI? Those are all very versatile!

[annathepiper]

Very possibly! I'll have time to think about this, I think... I want to get a chance to settle in on the new job and figure out things like, if I bike in, would there be a place to shower off available? It may just be that I'll bus in with spazzkat, too.

[gerimaple.livejournal.com]

If I go back to Microsoft, I'll be biking

and you won't have to be constrained by dress codes (other than the basic "clothing required" one :) )

[annathepiper]

*grin* Right.

From what I'm hearing from Paul re: the Times, they don't have a formal dress code per se either, but just based on the observations of what people tend to wear around there, I'll be wanting to take a bit more care with what I wear.

But we'll see what happens!