The Writing's on the Wall

Some people are great writers. Even more people are great texters and emailers. The problem with this is that you can be tricked into really liking and getting close with someone without actually liking them in person.

Here's how it happens:

• You meet someone and begin an email exchange. This could be a person you met via online dating or at a bar, or even a colleague who you first contacted about a work-related matter.
• You email regularly, with the exchanges getting ever more flirtatious and personal. This is especially tricky when it comes to co-workers - where what began as work-related has now moved to discussing weekend stories and upcoming activities. Maybe the guy has by now casually invited you out for next week.
• You really hit it off with the person - at least via print. They seem funny, witty and there's always a ton to talk about. You begin looking forward to the person's daily emails and rely on them to pick you up during the day. You find yourself smiling when their name pops up in your inbox.
• The problem comes when you meet in person. Maybe you had already met and there was no spark. If it's an online relationship you may not have met yet, in which case there can be disappointment when the written chemistry fizzles out as you sit across from one another. If it's a co-worker, being in a meeting together can be a vastly different experience than what happens in your fantasy written world.
• You need to draw the line somewhere. If the guy is still emailing daily and asking you out, you can't continue to respond "as a friend", knowing that you've already written the relationship off. Just be prepared that you will find a hole in your day when it's 11am on Monday and you haven't heard from them.

I Like You...Don't Run Away

How do you talk to a guy you don't know without seeming creepy or desperate? It's a question we've all posed at least once in our lives (let's be honest here). In this case I'm going to cover co-workers or people you know through business, but I know this conversation could last for much longer (and probably will re-surface).
So you've been scoping out the cute guy who sits two floors down. You have no reason to talk to him - no shared projects, no department-to-department interaction, and no mutual friends. But he's oh-so cute! Well, here are my suggestions:
Organize a group outing with other co-workers and invite him to join - coffee break, patio after work or lunch
Ensure you attend all office events and participate in any extra-curricular activities - BBQ's, sports leagues, Holiday parties; it's much easier to strike up a convo when you're not hovering over his cubicle
Find a reason to learn more about what he does in his job role - perhaps you're on a new project where that knowledge could be really helpful...
Use him as a sounding board for new work-related ideas - you are implementing a new system or program in your department and you need to know how it will impact others in the organization (aka him)
Blatantly ask him what he's doing after work this Friday and if he'd like to grab a drink, or if you're not that brave, if he wants to walk to the nearby cafe for lunch
Organize a sports pool or captain a team for a charity run, and encourage your co-workers to get their departments involved. Never underestimate the power of six degrees of separation!
Find extra reasons to be on his floor - personally visit a friend instead of emailing or visit the mailroom once a day
The key to avoiding creepiness is to involve others when possible in the beginning, and don't push it. If you feel that he's reciprocating - taking you up on your offers, giving you the once-over when you walk by, or asking you to join him in return, you're good to go. Conversely if you invite him out and he doesn't seem to bite, just drop it and you will still be able to pass by with a "what's up" and maintain your professionalism and stellar reputation.

I'm All Ears and No Mouth

What do you think of the new layout? Every once in a while I like to change things up - this season it's my hair colour, my reading genre and my blog layout. Let me know what you think! And while you're at it, is there anything else you would like to see here? Any wisdom you wish I shared or topics you'd like me to cover? Or better yet, stories you would like to share and have me broadcast for a wider audience?! I'm all ears, and this doesn't happen often, so take full advantage!

The Dating Coach

I want to become a dating coach - I think that's my new career goal. The way I look at it, my MANY years of bad relationships and frustrating scenarios have to go towards something. I have experienced and learned so much, I want to be able to pass on my learnings to my friends and future clients. As I build my empire, please feel free to volunteer yourselves and your stories in order to help me gain experience and of course provide material for my blog and books.

My Work BF is Cheating

These days we work long hours and are connected to the office even when we're at home, on a date or vacationing. Because of this our generation is ultra familiar with the phenomenon of 'work relationships'. Most girls I know have a work BF that they are really close to - they develop a tight relationship eerily similar to that of a real BF, minus the obviously important sexual side of things. My latest work BF hasn't been around as much lately, what with busy schedules, other co-workers and different project assignments. It actually hurts a bit, almost the same as if my real BF was interested in another girl or couldn't find the time to hang out with me. Sometimes I have to remind myself that this is not in fact my BF, my future husband or even that close of a friend, when work is removed from the equation. He can spend his time with whomever he chooses, and it's probably for the best if our work relationship is halted - the best for our jobs, our real relationships and my sanity.

Service with a Smile

It's amazing what a friendly, helpful customer service person can do to make your day. I just called to cancel a phone service, and I was prepared to defend my choices to the end. However, the girl on the other end of the phone listened to what I was saying, offered me a few suggestions, and then told me how she could make my switch easier. She suggested an alternative hadn't even thought of, still allowing me to switch to the competition!! I'm amazed - I think so many times, in companies big and small, customer service gets majorly overlooked. It was probably just this girl's personality, and I lucked out that I got her instead of some 10 year vet at the end of an 8 hour shift. Still, I'm now leaving this company with a happy feeling and would consider returning to them in the future. Think about if you were running the show - wouldn't you put a bit more effort into the front line if you knew how much you could change people's views of your company or product?
Oh and if anyone knows how you can leave comments for the 'higher ups' at Bell Mobility let me know - this girl deserves a shout out.