Boolean Searches

Have you ever heard of Boolean Searches? If you've done any research or taken any classes about the internet within the past decade, you most likely have. These advanced searching tools are key to successfully navigating the expansive world wide web to find exactly what you're looking for. They are simple rules that all search engines, like Google or Bing, use to help you find exactly what you need. I LOVE knowing these rules, so I thought I would share!

• "Quotations"
• These are used to find exactly phrases. For example, if you're looking for information on irish whiskey and type that phrase alone into Google, it will not only search for both words together, but also both words separately leaving you with pages of unhelpful information to muck through. By typing "irish whiskey" you will come up with only results that pertain to the entire phrase. 
• AND
• Using this tool, you are able to search for multiple things at once and your search results will contain only material with both of the words or phrases you've chosen. For example, typing dogs AND cats, your results will all contain both dogs and cats. This also works with quotations to combine phrases. Searching for "irish whiskey" AND "bars in Wisconsin" will come up with those very specific results. 
• OR
• This is used to find topics with at least one of the words or phrases included. It comes in handy when there are multiple versions of words or phrases. A good example is VP OR "Vice President" OR "V.P.". 
• NOT
• This is nice to know when you keep coming up with extra words that you don't want to include. For example, let's say you're looking for the top social media channels other than Facebook. You could type something like "Social media" NOT LinkedIn. 
• Parenthesis 
• Finally, we have parenthesis. Use these when you're trying to combine multiple tools above to find something. When you start looking for very specific information, these are extremely convenient. An example would be Account AND (executive OR coordinator). 

I hope this helps! Happy searching! 

Love AND knowledge, 

Christine 

For more information, click here or here. 

Why?

When I was younger and I imagined going to college, I had a pretty clear picture in my head of what it would be like: new friends, random afternoon naps, a sporadic class schedule, and constantly being surrounded by knowledge. I thought about the mountains of books I would pore over, the thousands of pages of notes I would take, the long hours into the early mornings spent making every last word of my essays perfect. Looking back on my experiences I realized that there was something much more important that I learned; something that will always be with me and always serve me well. Not only did I fill my head with every last bit of information about the Expectancy Violations Theory, I also learned to never, ever stop seeking knowledge. I learned to always ask: Why?

The biggest mistake of an assumption that I made about college was then when you’re done, you know everything you need to know to be successful. That pretty piece of paper that is mailed to you a few weeks after moving back into your parents’ basement was proof that you were qualified to get a career and start your life.

I’ve been out of college for over a year and I think I’ve learned more since leaving than I ever did while inside its concrete walls. Don’t misinterpret; I will never regret how much I acquired and wouldn’t change my days or newly gained knowledge for the world. I think, though, that it’s easy to forget about life after.

I’ve started to not just accept the world around me, but to question it.

When I was told that living on my own in Milwaukee was a bad idea, I asked why. I was given answers about it being dangerous. In response, I looked up crime rates and statistics, which enabled me to make a conscious decision of where to live and how to stay safe.

When I was told to save all my money in my bank account for when I needed it, I asked why. I heard that keeping that money there was a security blanket. While keeping some safe in case of emergencies, I also learned about investing and have joined the money market.

When I was told that I shouldn’t apply for jobs that I wasn’t 100% sure that I would get, I asked why. I was told that I was never going to be hired. I decided that that was up for the employer to decide and have gained a job that I love going to every day.

I think one of the biggest mistakes that I feel people make is to feel content. Being content with the way things are now means that one no longer questions, challenges, or seeks. Nowadays, we have an indescribable amount of knowledge at our fingertips. I think it would be the worst shame to waste it. Always ask why because when you don't you accept the way things are. This is when we stop pursuing. This is when we stop moving forward. This is when we become stagnant. 

Onwards and upwards!
Christine

5 Rules

Out of school for a little over a year, my learning certainly hasn’t stopped. Throughout my daily experiences in an office setting I’ve developed 5 rules that continue to help me stay sane, productive, and professional.

1.     Don’t promote stereotypes.

As a new addition to the work force, it is wise to be aware of the negative stereotypes associated with being a Millennial. However unfair or wrong it may be, it is human nature to compare and judge other people and I can guarantee you that you will also fall victim. Being young is associated with foolishness, mistakes, immaturity, and inattention. But, by knowing these assumptions, it is easier to proactively avoid them. For example, I have heard numerous people older than myself talk about how youth seem to be constantly glued to screens (computers, cell phones, tablets, etc.). One could counter this complaint by explaining how prevalent technology is becoming in our everyday lives and that knowledge spreads like wildfire through these means but most of the time you can’t even tell when someone is thinking that about you. Instead, I try to always shake a person’s hand and look them in the eye. I turn my phone on silent when I know I’m going to be conversing or spending time with someone. While in waiting rooms, I tend to get lost in my thoughts instead of my newsfeed. These are small changes that make big impressions.

2.     Be kind.

Burning bridges early in your career could lead to ripples of bad outcomes later in life. Unless time travel was finally invented by the time you read this, it is impossible to know what action or words may come back to haunt you. More importantly, networking is an essential skill that could lead to previously unheard of opportunities that you may miss out on. In every professional setting, the best idea is to act like you’re meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time. Be polite and on your best behavior. I doubt being kind has ever cost someone his or her job.

3.     Always take the high road.

This goes along very well with the “Be Kind” rule but I thought it was important to separate, mostly because it’s something I’ve run into and I did not come out on the favorable side. People can be very difficult to work with but that never means that doing things such as spreading rumors, talking back, or complaining about coworkers is ever an appropriate response. If a problem does arise, talk to a superior and do not try to handle it yourself.

4.     Remember that they are paying you.

The next time you find yourself with an urge to log on to Facebook at work, instead think about how much company time and money that would be wasting. Even if it’s just five minutes a day, that time adds up! If you spent 5 minutes on Facebook everyday at work, that would average out to about 22 hours a year. Your company thinks that your time is valuable; don’t forget to show them the same respect.

5.     Always ask questions.

No matter how long you’ve been on the job or what you think you’re supposed to know, always ask questions if you have them! When beginning a new position you may find out that tasks are done a very specific way. How are you supposed to know unless you ask? Unless you lied on your resume and aren't trained as you've portrayed, asking too many questions is never a bad thing. In multiple jobs, people have assumed that another coworker had taught me a certain task, or they didn’t know there was a different way to do it, or just forgot to tell me, or sometimes were testing me to see if I would ask for help when I didn’t know how to do something. It’s much better to be a little embarrassed asking for clarification than to do an entire assignment wrong.

Of course there are many more things to know while on the job but these are a great way to make a good impression and kick start your career. Define your professional self in the best possible way to ensure close connections, a great work ethic, and an ever-evolving professional course.

Love and coffee,
Christine

What NOT to discuss at work

7 topics to avoid at work at all costs and why.

1. Past Jobs

This is a very common trap to fall into. Saying things such as “This job is so much better than my last job because…” seems innocent enough. But at this point in your career, how well do you know your new job to assume it won’t be any of the things your last was? It also leads your new coworkers to wonder what you will say about your current job when you leave. No matter how bad a job is burning bridges is never a good thing to do.

On the flip side, if you start talking about how great your last job, it leads people to wonder why you are no longer employed there or if you’ll ever be happy in your current position. It’s best to avoid the topic altogether unless asked.

2. Politics

Everyone has different political views and work is not the place to discuss them. One simple statement can very easily be misconstrued. Saying something like “Obama sucks” could be interpreted as you are unpatriotic, uneducated, misinformed, naïve, immature, and a whole host of other judgments, all depending on that person’s beliefs. Remember, you have to see these people everyday. Tainting your relationship with them is not advisable.

3. Religion

Similar to politics, everyone has different views. Unlike in other situations, people can be avoided after heavy discussions about beliefs. However, at work, to maintain employment, you will have to see and work with these people. Remove phrases that take any religious figure’s name in vain from your vocabulary.

4. Stereotypes

The word "stereotype" means an oversimplified idea or image of a group of people. Instead of telling you why to avoid it, I’ll just list a few. I think you’ll get the picture.

• Men are messy. 
• Women are bad at sports. 
• Skinny people have eating disorders. 
• Blondes are unintelligent. 

One of my best friends joined a sorority when she went to college. She seemed so much happier and outgoing than how she was in high school. We got together one day and I started a sentence saying something along the lines of “I see that you joined a sorority! That looks-” and here she interrupted me with a frustrated groan. She started to explain that they don’t just party all the time and that they do some great volunteer work. I told her that I was just going to say that it looked like fun, that she seemed very happy, and that I’m excited that she found something she enjoyed so much. This is a perfect example of stereotypes and the negativity they can portray. 

5. Sailor Talk

Turn on your filter in the workplace. The new “f” word can be fiddlesticks. The new “s” word can be sugar. Using George Carlin’s seven dirty words could be seen as offensive or immature. Do everything you can to portray yourself in a positive light.

6. Money

When money gets brought up in the workplace, it reminds me of the ancient Egyptian caste system. People start ranking themselves based on how much they make. When this comes up, you have to remember that there are multiple ways salary is determined and that you are most likely not fully aware of them all. If you do believe, however, that something unfair is happening, set up a meeting with your boss. Do not be accusatory or angry, just seek information using phrases such as “I am really looking to reach the next step in my career; what can I do to get there?”

7. Coworkers

Remember the telephone game? One phrase is whispered from person to person in succession. When it reaches the last person, they say what they heard followed by the first person saying what the original message was. If you’ve ever played, you remember how the two phrases are usually barely related. Keep this in mind.

At some point during this, I’m sure most of you wondered what to do if someone brings up views that you don’t share. Usually, I go with the smile and nod technique. Remember, you aren’t at work to spend hours discussing these things. Smile, nod, and go back to work. If it’s something that is very offensive to you, however, sometimes it is worth saying something along the lines of “I would prefer that you not say things like that with me around.” Coworkers don’t have to be your best friends nor do they have to share any of your views. You do, however, always need to find a way to successfully work together.

Much luck,
Christine

Alone.

Solitude. Isolation. Loneliness. Seclusion.

Words like these seem to always be associated with negativity and other synonyms including: emptiness, confinement, wasteland, abandoned, detached. But why? Why can't they be associated with freedom, flexibility, leeway, and resilience?

If you would have asked me a year ago what my greatest fear was, I would have said ending up alone. Since then, I've spent much of my time surrounded by people. For a good chunk of it, I was living at home with my parents and brothers. I spent most nights with friends or family, soaking up the calamity. Just over three months ago, I moved out of my parents and into my own apartment; the first time I've ever been the sole name on my lease.

I, Christine Piela, am here to inform you, faithful reader, that being alone is awesome. In the past three months, I have:

1. Built and designed my brother's website (with zero previous html experience);

(Still a work in progress)

2. Tried out at least 3 new delicious recipes, and made plans for a dozen more;

3. Learned the recklessness of coming home and immediately taking my pants off;

4. Further explored personal interests without any concern for what others may think;  

ALL the coffee

5. Added at least 5 new scrapbook pages and did a host of other crafty things; 

6. Enjoyed the selfish moments of A/C on with the windows open or playing my music way too loud;

7. Pondered my strengths, passions, and how to best combine the two; 

8. Learned more about myself than I have within the past full year; 

I really enjoy kittens.

9. Began blogging and writing more while looking for ways to best utilize my creativity;

10. Taken a breath and a step back. 

If I can leave you with anything today, I want it to be a paradigm shift on the notion of being alone. Don't fear it; embrace it! It has even been called the No. 1 Habit of Highly Creative People. It gives you the chance to clear your head and think completely for yourself, by yourself, about anything and everything you'd like without distraction or judgement. It allows you to do what you want, when you want, without having to explain or answer to anyone. Are you tired and want to go to bed at 8:00pm? Do it. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to decorate a birdhouse with tissue paper and Modpodge? I now know. Do you ever see a really interesting show or documentary that you've never been able to watch because you share a TV? I've been there. Do all those things and more!

I am not advocating for you to throw your phone out the window and cut all ties (I know I wouldn't be where I am without friendship and collaboration), but I am telling you to not be afraid of it or to run from it. In the past month I've sent 4 emails to someone I was working with to achieve a mutual goal with no response, I've tried to contact multiple people I had previous plans with to follow through but to no avail, and I've felt neglected by the individuals that I was most hopeful to begin to work with. And that's okay. If they can't or don't make time for me, why fret? I think there are a few people out of the 7 billion out there that do think I'm valuable and that want to make time for me. But for now? I'm okay with being alone.

Solidarity in solitude,
Christine 

POTUS

When a coworker told me that she potentially had access to VIP tickets to see Barack Obama at Laborfest in Milwaukee, I begged her to try to get me one. Just a few days later, I was walking through makeshift, airport-esqe security, clutching my small piece of card stock that would lead me near one of America's favorite rags-to-riches stories.

As we made our way towards the stage, my coworker and I, I noticed all the other tickets I saw had a red stripe across the top while ours had a blue one. Assuming that this was what distinguished my ability to be within social space zone of the POTUS, I pondered why blue might be more patriotic or trustworthy than red.

Bleacher seats had been set up in front of the Miller Lite stage of the Summerfest grounds (all of the advertisements covered up of course) in somewhere between 10 to 15 rows. Wondering if we should have arrived sooner, we sat as close to the podium as we could which ended up being slightly off center and 7 rows back. The next two hours were filled with anticipatory chit-chat, beer drinking, the stage filling with people to stand behind the man, person to person shuffling as the spaces were filled, and lots of sweating under the high sun. The crowd cheered as Air Force One flew overhead, the air thick with elation. More important looking men with ear pieces slowly appeared. Gunmen stood on the tops of buildings. The press on some scaffolding behind the coveted VIP seats straightened their ties. The crowd teasing speeches crawled on at the pace of a sloth, as the unconscious collective wondered where he was and when he would emerge next to the huge symbol of our common factor. This huge flag was stretched over a wooden frame, curled over the back and stapled on.

6,000 and some people took their last replenishing breath before erupting with cheers, applause, screams, and squeals; I watched through my camera view finder to see him stride into the sun in his summer linens.

I'm not going to reflect much on his speech as one can draw their own opinions by viewing it for themselves. However, as many times as I've watched this man speak on TV or the internet, there are a few things that I didn't expect. The first thing that really struck me was how he has aged.

His humor no longer touches his eyes, all signs of innocence gone from his face. He looks like he's serving his tenth term instead of his second. He mentioned that every gray hair is worth it. I wondered how much of it really is. As I was listening to him talk, I decided that if I had one question to ask him, I would ask why he does it everyday. What is the driving force behind him waking up everyday and getting back in front of Congress and doing what he believes is right to just be faced with opposition.

But as I listened, there was something else I didn't expect. I feel like even watching the video of what I experienced that day doesn't do justice to how angry he seemed. The rage I heard didn't seem like that of the put together man I normally witness. Admittedly, I was relieved by this. Being content with the world as it currently exists is one of the worst mistakes we can make.

After his speech, he turned and shook hands with the union workers directly behind him, as the rest of us looked on jealously. To my surprise (and after some disapproving looks from the secret service), he headed down the stairs in front of the stage towards the VIP audience. The flimsy barricade was rushed as citizens around me pushed forward and reached their hands out towards him. As someone who isn't the happiest in crowds, I stood back and watched the chaos. The longer I stood, however, the louder my subconscious got. The most powerful man in the world (arguably) stood less than 30 feet away from me. This man that made history just by running in the presidential race, and then became the first man of color to win, wasn't in Wonkavision. The man who's motto of "change" has always spoken to me.

Before I knew it, I was forcing myself toward the barricade, yelling "excuse me" as I shimmied through the sweaty mob. A middle aged couple directly next to me fiddled with cameras as the woman said "get my picture while I'm shaking his hand!" I debated pulling out my trusty iPhone but decided against it. Instead, I made myself as tall as I could and reached my hand forward as he got closer. He made his way down the line, shaking hands, smiling at his people with eyes that said "I understand and I'm doing this all for you." Before letting go of the hand before mine, the man that made jokes about his long form birth certificate being a scene from The Lion King moments before killing America's biggest enemy, laid his eyes on me. For the most entrancing 5 seconds of my life, Mr. President gazed into my eyes with a curiosity I've never seen. As the woman next to me screamed at her significant other to get the camera ready, I mouthed to him "thank you." He nodded, held my gaze a second longer, and moved on. Volumes were spoken between our eyes.

Regardless of political affiliations, shaking the president's hand is a pretty astonishing thing (even though I did have a stronger hand shake than him). Love him or hate him, I think that the leader of our country deserves at least a thank you.

As I inform others of this experience, most people ask for a picture or video of the event. When I look back on my experience, I'm glad there isn't one. That moment is now between him and I, without the preoccupation of trying to capture evidence of it's existence.

These are my two pictures with the POTUS and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Never be afraid to put the technology down and engage with the people around you. 

All my love, 

Christine

Difficult Dwight #1

Friends,

If we have had any type of conversation within the last 2 years, it was probably at some point evident that I have watched far too many episodes of "The Office".  

For those of you that have better things to do with your time than binge on Netflix for hours, the above named is a comedy about the daily situations that arise in a mid-sized paper company. One of the main characters, Dwight Schrute, is the epitome of someone that you do not want to work with. He is an irritating, boastful, stubborn, and closed-minded man with no common sense or social skills that is constantly sucking up to the boss, Michael Scott. Essentially, a co-worker's worst nightmare. Unfortunately, I have worked with a few Dwights. 

Difficult Dwight stories are all true stories that have happened to me with things such as names and other incriminating details changed. However, none of these are about my current position. 

As an entry-level employee at any organization, you are at the bottom of the organizational hierarchy. You have the least experience and are the most easily removed. Because of this, if there is a Dwight in your office, doing anything about it is almost impossible. 

From what I understand, most professional environments have a mutual understanding of two topics to avoid in the workplace at all costs: politics and religion. Other than those two things, I think healthy discussion, especially about ways to be more productive and beneficial, are good things to talk about. What I did not expect, however, was to be immediately shot down and repeatedly kicked for my ideas. 

I was having a seemingly open-minded discussion with two coworkers, let's name them Polly and Jeffrey, regarding the way that the company hierarchy was set up. Being extremely familiar with this workplace and its history, I mentioned things that I believe were done better in previous years but had been lost during current times. Polly and Jeffrey did not agree. However, instead of simply stating their opinion, they took it personally. The next thing I knew, I was being attacked for my views. Jeffrey got angry, insulted me, and left after slamming the door behind him. Polly continued to yell at me. 

This is probably where you're thinking that I am being bias and I must have said something pretty awful to elicit this type of response. I didn't. Even if I had, their behavior has no place in an office. 

After a break, I was still extremely upset and unable to calm down. I felt like my physical presence was unwanted and I could see and hear coworkers talking about the spat as the rumors started to spread. I then did what I thought was best, and I sought out my immediate supervisor, Cory. I told Cory about the incident but still felt mortified and bashed, so I couldn't keep my emotions down and was crying. I told Cory that I felt extremely disrespected and that I didn't think there was a place for me in a company where I could be treated that way. Then Cory acted in a way that I hope to never, ever relive. 

Cory called Jeffrey over and instead of having us talk, he embraced him in a hug and stood with arms over each other's shoulders while lecturing me about not understanding Jeffrey's personality or sense of humor. My opinion on what happened was not asked. Needless to say, I did not stay at this position for much longer. 

This incident happened years ago and I still hear about my previous coworkers getting together for a beer after hours and bashing my opinions, my actions, and me in general. To you, Jeffrey, Cory, and Polly, I say this: thank you for teaching me about the working environment that I now avoid at all costs. Currently, I work in a place where my thoughts and opinions are not only listened to, but asked for. 

Even as an entry-level professional, never should a person have to feel so disrespected, demoralized, and disheartened. 

Coming soon: Difficult Dwight #2. 

Love,

Christine