The Researcher Did It

So we all know that I still don't miss my old job at all. The new one is better in every respect name one (that being location. Silver Spring--meh) but, a friend of mine recently told me about an interesting incident that went down at old job that both infuriated me and had me in stitches for days. This is what happened:

Every election cycle they make these maps of the United States with relevant election dates on them. It is the job of the researcher or some other lowling to determine the correct dates for each state. This can be done by calling the Elections Board in each state and having a nice chat with some bored bureaucrat. Not a difficult task nor is it terribly interesting. Apparently, this year's maps have just come in, and a huge error unites each of the dates for each state--they're all the dates of the 2004 elections. Ooops. The super sleuths at old job immediately delved into the source of the error, determined to figure out where their careful research went awry. Oh, did I mention the insignificant detail that these maps cost 5 grand a piece? Yeah, at a non-profit. Exactly. A detailed investigation revealed no salient leads, but a high placed figure in the organization was later overheard proclaiming "It's all Kate's fault!"

Come again? I seem to have missed the part where I've been a paid consultant for them for the past four months and that I even worked on this project. I vaguely remember passing the project on to somebody else when I left, after not having worked on it since April when I had lost all patience with my professional circumstances. Even if I had tried to pass the information off as updated, surely somebody important there would have proofed it before the maps were sent to the printers, right? Surely the printers would have faxed back one of those charming little pictures known as a "proof" or sent through the mail an even cooler piece of paper known as a "blue line" (they smell like almonds, you know), yes? The fate of the maps is of absolutely no consequence to me these days, but I am slightly bothered by the fact that I was blamed for their fiasco. If you're put in charge of something you can't always expect to make things go smoothly, but taking your hands off the steering wheel and passing blame onto somebody who hasn't worked there in four months is simply poor form. But it is terrific fodder for blogs, isn't it?

Weekend Finds, James Blake, Update on Cute Brits

Random assortment of postings today.

First off, I totally drained my bank account this weekend. First off was a shopping trip to the Tarjet avec Erin and Mike for supplies for the hurricane victims who have been shipped up here to the DC Armory. We purchased soap, wipe naps, deodorant, tampons, crayons, socks, underwear, sports bras, games and other essentials.

Secondly, was my first amazing find of the day, namely a Hello Kitty watch--oversized with a thick cuff strap for a mere 13 dollars. I have been watchless for almost a year due to an unfortunate clash of ADD and petty theivery at Logan Airport some time ago. Nice to be able to know the time without having to consult my cell phone. This gem is square shaped and tells time in analog, rather than digital fashion. It is pink and white and has a drawing of Kitty on its face and ticks in a most satisfying and comforting manner.

After that was my pillage of the NARS counter at Saks. I won't go into all the details, as some of my readers are guys and are sure to not care a lick about my foray into debt by designer eyeshadow. But let it be said that NARS lip gloss in Pillow Talk is by far the most perfect shade of lip color ever invented. It's subtle and pink and glossy and feels like silk on your lips. Plus, it's named after a Doris Day film, which is rather cool in a coy, retro-lady-like kinda way.

Lastly, a new pair of shades to replace the ones sacrificed in the glove compartment of a certain SUV. Square and tortishell--hello Ms. Onasis!

Now, on to this article in the Times about James Blake. Ever since the retirement of Pete Sampras, the US tennis community has been searching for the next big thing. Looks like we finally may have found it in James, especially if we can keep him injury and trauma-free. By all accounts, he's humble and well-adjusted; and I saw him signing autographs at Legg-Mason a couple of years ago, and I can confirm that he is just as beautiful in person as he is in the photos.

Finally, I spent an interesting evening at the Pour House on Penn Ave SE this weekend. It was an interesting collision of elements of my recent past--experiences during my stint as that kind of girl (i am now reformed, in case you wanted to know) . I have nothing terribly juicy to report, nor would I even if I did, but let's just say that if you're still wondering where to find the cute Brits now that the Lounge is currently down for the count, make your way to the Pour House and be sure to bring plenty of quarters for the pool table.