Surrounded by Men. Yay or Nay?

Have you ever felt anxious in your work environment? I use to hate that word, ‘anxiety’. It’s ugly and nothing good comes from using it. Today I’m going to rant about the pros and cons from working solely around men.

Being an engineer comes with a lot of positives. However, it also has an overwhelming amount of negatives at the beginning of your career.

Positive: I get paid well. Yay, new shoes.

Negative: I never get to talk about my shoes. All of my colleagues are men. Men like beer.

Positive: I get all the help I need when I ask nicely.

Negative: I may seem ‘helpless’ at times because I am female and we always need ‘help’

Positive: People listen when I speak during a meeting.

Negative: I might not always be heard. Men tend to have larger heads in France. Just kidding. I love you guys.

Positive: I get to solve problems everyday and it feels pretty damn good when I get the answer.

Negative: My nails are a mess when I can’t solve the problem and hurt the next day.

Positive: Marathon trainning is a blast with a ton of boys!

Negative: Sometimes they run too fast and leave me behind. Jerks.


Positive: I don’t have to wear suits to work.

Negative: Men at work don’t make comments on my brand outfit. Common. Throw me a compliment once in a while! Uhh, where the ladies at?!

If you are a female out there working in a male dominated field. Don't be afraid to strut your new shoes around the office and show those men what you are capable of!

Bisous fois dix

Sorry Boys, I am feeling mighty PINK today.

Good afternoon love bugs! I hope you are all ready and raring for the upcoming festivities. If you are a last minute shopper like me, here are some great holiday gifts for the man in your life. Secondly, head on over here for some outfit ideas for all of those Holiday parties. Oh and, I have feeling mighty PINK today. Everyone else, deal with it.

Have a great day. We have sun and clouds in Paris today! Finally the rain storms stopped and only two more days until we will be flying home to Toronto.

Bisous fois dix

15 Pictures That Will Blow Your Mind

Happy Monday. I've selected a few of my favorite photographs that I found on the Internet. None of these pictures are photo-shopped. Enjoy the talent portrayed by these photographers.

Photographed by Thomas Rak.

By Frankba

By Vitaly Sokol aka Willyam Bradberry

By Vitaly Sokol aka Willyam Bradberry

By Dmitry Dubikovskiy

 By: Alexander Safonov

Goos van der Heide

Lynsey Dyer

Kent Shiraishi

ucumari

Joel Sartore

Unknown.

Unknown. Back of a wave.

Unknown.

Aren't we lucky to have these photographs at the disposition of out fingertips. The Internet has pushed our access to the unknown and became limitless. Enjoy these and have an amazing Monday.

Bisous fois dix.

The Pros and Cons of Living with Your Boyfriend who is Looking for Work.

Pro: The bed is always made.

Con: The kitchen sink remains a mess.

Pro: TV shows are always downloaded (we don't have American channels in Paris so Megavideo is a must).

Con: The last cup of Orange juice you were dying to chug after a workout, is already gone. And not REPLACED.

Pro: A well rested boyfriend with a giant smile on his face.

Con: You have to watch him sleep in while you quietly get ready for work.

Pro: Gchatting throughout the day :)

Con: Clothes Everywhere!

Pro: Clean Laundry, but still Clothes Everywhere!

Con: 

I've ran out of Cons.

This is dedicated to the man of dreams, Jeremiah. Without you, I would be under a bridge somewhere in Marseille. You have watched more episodes of The City than the average dude and I love you to pieces for it.

Decoding Business Casual with Zara

Business casual is typically a corporate term. For all you aspiring business types, know that you should appear casual although not actually casual. Definitely avoid jeans, a skirt is a good option or even a cocktail dress with a cardigan.

I hope this helps. I usually keep colors minimal and add some costume jewelry for fun (depending on the event). Have a magical day.

Bisous fois dix.

Petroleum queen or killer?

There are two reactions I get from people when I tell them what I do for a living:

the "oh-so-you-caused the gulf of Mexico disaster, bitch!"

OR

the "dammnn-girl-you-an-engineer?"

So, I am usually prepared to respond to each reaction depending on my god forsaken-ever-changing-moods. The first response can be categorized two ways: pity and/or hate. Either way I am quick to respond with a snarky comment to the mostly ignorant person. I start by explaining that I actually prevent pipelines from breaking and causing oil spills by installing them correctly. I finish with a few big engineering words like "finite element analysis on orcaflex" and throw a flashy smile into the mix.

As for the second look; I tend to respond with a little more humility: "Ha Ha, sucker, I made it through engineering school and you didn't" OK sorry I had to get it out of my system. When someone is genuinely interested in what I do, I turn a little red and become shy when I start to explain.

The oil and gas industry is HUGE and complicated. It took me one whole year, three asshole French engineers, two shitty bosses and partridge in a pear treeeeee (I couldn't resist a little Christmas joke) to finally reach the finish line of a long swim, across what felt like  an endless pool! Lucky for me I didn't drown but that is not to say that I didn't sink, or continue to struggle on a daily basis to stay afloat. But is it worth it? The office work, staring at a computer for hours on end, hiding my blog obsession, and banging my head on my desk every once in a while. The answer is yes, because at the moment I arrive at the end of the pool and stand on my two feet I will be a better person for swimming my way to the answer. That's what engineers do, we find answers and that can be way more rewarding then purchasing those Hermes booties Ive been saving up for all season. (Although I did have a  minor anxiety attack when they came in the mail).

Lesson for the day. Strive to be your best, do what you love, live with passion.

“May I Be I is the only prayer-
Not may I be great or good or beautiful or strong.” e.e Cummings


Bisous fois dix.

I need a hug.

Goodmorning lovelies! As you might already know, I am Canadian. (Click Here for the Molson Canadian Lyrics: I am Canadian Rant). Living in France has been a struggle from Day 1. Especially because of the lack of Hugs. I mean it's great that the French greet each other with a 'bisous'. BUT, I can use a friendly bear hug once in a while. Especially since it has been raining nonstop over here!

P.S., if you are also here in Paris and looking for that hug, it is more openly accepted in the South of France. I've tested this theory before. Oh and avoid trying to give your favorite colleagues a hug. Your good intentions turn into a plain awkward situation.

 Have a beautiful day and hug the one you love for goodness sake!

Bisous fois dix.

Weekend Favorites: Topshop's Top Ten

Goodmorning and happy Monday!

I hope you enjoyed a relaxing weekend. I was able to check out a new restaurant in Paris, so stay tuned for future posts on where to be spotted in fashion capital of the world. For now, here are some of my favorite picks of the week from Topshop.

Grey Jacket with Black leather sleeves. 163 Euros Click to buy.
Gold Sequin on Black Skirt. 91 Euros Click to buy.
Black Sheer Blouse.  44  Euros. Click to buy.
Black Zippered Open Toe Heels. 117  Euros. Click to buy.
Orange Poor Man's Hat  56  Euros. Click to buy.
Red Mocassins. 156 Euros. Click to buy.
Faux Fur Raglan Scarf. 24  Euros. Click to buy.
Red Gloves. 31  Euros. Click to buy.
Black and Leopard Clutch.  46  Euros. Click to buy.
Black Platform Loafers.  111 Euros. Click to buy.

I hope none of you have the Monday Blues like me. Try to get through the day while thinking about these drool worthy pieces from Topshop.

Bisous fois dix

How much can you drink in front of Coworkers?

Holiday parties, after-work cocktails...have you ever found yourself asking, how much can you drink in front of coworkers?

 The last thing you want is to end your night like this,

A good rule of thumb to follow: stick to a two drink maximum. And never drink more then your boss or supervisor, you will look slightly unprofessional. Here is a chart I found at this Great Blog (Young Rich and faking it).

I hope this helps! Don't forget to check out a future post on what to wear to office parties and how to pull off the daunting 'smart casual' look. Have a beautiful weekend.

Bisous fois dix.

Eat, Drink, Dance and be Merry.

 Goodmorning all! Lately, I have been feeling extra warm inside. After sending all my Christmas cards out last night, I truly feel like the Holiday season is upon us. What a relief, after all this rain in Paris, I am going to need all the chaleur ('warmth' in French) that I can get. The store decorations in Paris are to die for, so look forward to an upcoming post! For now, we should all Eat, Drink, Dance, and be Merry...

 

 

Red Dresses By Modcloth. Click to buy. 
Four of my favorite Holiday Decorites by Martha Stewart.
Starfish Christmas Tree from Pinterest.
Favorite Christmas finds from Pinterest. 
Heartful Holiday Table Decor from  Pinterest. 

Put your best dress on, dance until you fall, eat until you are full, drink until you are tipsy and for the love of God BE MERRY!

Bisous fois dix.

Christmas Nails

Hi love bugs! It is definetely that time of the year in Paris. The streets are filled with people, bundled up and trying to stay warm. Here is a neat nail-how-to from Refinery 29. Who wouldn't want candy cane nails to celebrate the holidays?

Source: Refinery29.com

Have a beautiful day! It has been raining all week in Paris. Stay inside for an evening, pop in a classic flick, and paint those nails.

Bisous fois dix.