TresSugar

A Do or a Don't: Partying With Co-Workers

DearSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:29:07 PDT

I love attending work parties. It's always fun to blow off steam with co-workers and see what they're like when they let their hair down. But I always watch myself as drinking too much in the presence of superiors could lead to quite an uncomfortable situation! Luckily, I haven't had to learn the hard way, but I've witnessed people that have and their embarrassment was overwhelming. Of course, no one aims to be a sloppy drunk, but as we all know, accidents happen. So what do you think about partying with your co-workers? Is it a do or a don't?

Source

Where Do You Stand: Crying at Work

DearSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:00:00 PDT

Generally speaking, women are more emotional than men, but there is a time and a place to let your feelings show. Since life doesn't stop just because we are at work, sometimes a bad day at the office can be more about personal strife than bad numbers. On the other hand, getting emotional over poor performance isn't all that uncommon yet we all know shedding a tear in front of co-workers, superiors, and subordinates might not be the best idea. No one wants to look weak or be seen as overly emotional in the work place, but sometimes you just can't help it! I've let my emotions get the best of me before, but tell me where you stand on crying at work? Does the idea of letting your emotions show deserve the bad wrap it has?

Source

The Top 10 Healthiest Jobs

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 02:00:00 PST

Ever wonder if your job is healthy or not? Mine is kind of funny - blogging is considered relatively unhealthy (sitting in front of a computer typing, all day long), however blogging about health and fitness sort of negates that fact. At least I hope it does.

Point is, some jobs are considered healthier than others. So here are the most healthy jobs you can have based on if it is athletics-related or if it promotes a balanced, wholesome workplace environment (not including professional athletic sports):

Activity Specialist
Chiropractor
Choreographer
Florist
Massage Therapist
Nutritionist
Personal Trainer
Professor
Running Coach
Yoga Instructor

Do you do any of the above jobs? If so, share why it is (or isn't) as healthy as it sounds.

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News to Me: Women Call in Sick More Than Men

DearSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:00:00 PST

We all get sick, it's just a part of life, but did you know that workers are calling in sick less often than they did a decade ago? That's the good news, but according to MSNBC, women are still absent nearly twice as often as their male counterparts. Although some people feel the obvious reason for this is because women are the main caretakers in the family and need to tend to their sick children at home, that isn't necessarily the case.

According to Terence McMenamin, of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, even people who have no children at home, the reported absence rate is higher among women than among men. I am sure we are all guilty of playing hooky and using the sick card from time to time, but ladies, tell me: Do you make it a point to use all of your allotted sick time?

Source

Dear Poll: How Do You Feel About Swearing?

DearSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:00:00 PDT

According to a new study by Norwich's University of East Anglia (UEA), using profanity at work isn't all that bad, in fact, it's been proven to boost team spirit! Not only does using "taboo language" cut stress around the office, it helps develop and maintain solidarity.

Professor Yehuda Baruch even went as far as saying that attempts to prevent workers from swearing (not in front of customers of course) could have a negative impact on employees. Personally, I think it feels good to drop the occasional F bomb when called for, but what's your take on using profanity at the work place? Do you think it's acceptable or completely inappropriate?

Source

The How-To Lounge: Coping With Office Gossip

DearSugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:00:00 PDT

Office gossip is inevitable, but you can find yourself in deep water if you're in the middle of it, so here are some tips on staying out of the firestorm at work.

Click here to

Remember that the people you work with are your co-workers, not your best friends, so always maintain a level of professionalism.
Drinking too much at your office party or acting out of control at your work picnic are surefire ways to have people talk about you, so keep yourself in check.
Make it a policy of yours not to gossip about others in your office, or else you will find that others will gossip about you.
Gossip is typically false or fabricated information spread through the grapevine, so take everything with a grain of salt and before you act on something you've heard, always confirm that your information is accurate.
The only way to keep something a true secret is to stay mum, so don't tell even a trusted co-worker anything that you wouldn't want everyone in the office to know.
If you catch someone spreading office gossip about you, the best thing to do is nip it in the bud ASAP before it gets to the wrong ears and damages your credibility at work.

Have any of you been affected by office gossip? Or do you have any good recommendations you can share? Source

A Double Chocolate Soufflé Challenge

Camilla Salem — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:10:02 PST

I mentioned that I was going to attack one of my culinary fears head-on in the near future. Well, attack it I did and what's more, I came out alive, and covered in chocolate.

I found a recipe from Emeril that seemed straightforward and simple, bought the ingredients, and said a little prayer. Surprisingly, this recipe came together very quickly, and with almost no problems at all. The only hitch was that I wasn't sure how much the soufflé batter this would make, so the ramekins I used were far too large and the soufflé didn't puff up over the edges like I'd hoped it would. It would have been better to use four smaller ramekins or two large ones.

This recipe calls for Grand Marnier, which adds a nice bright orange flavor to the rich chocolate dessert. And when I say rich, I mean it. One spoon too many of this fluffy soufflé and you may find yourself with a chocolate headache - we've all been there.

Egg whites that have been whipped into air account for the soft texture of a soufflé, and must be folded in carefully to the chocolate batter so as not to deflate them.

Keep reading for much more, plus the recipe.

A Reader Recipe: Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Fit Community — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:27:50 PST

If you've got a cookie craving, you're in luck: FitSugar readers Pure2raw recently shared this gluten-free chocolate chip cookie cake with us in our Healthy Recipe group.

Everyone loves cookie cake, right? We have a chocolate chip cookie cake that is not only gluten-free but egg- and dairy-free, too. It is full of flavor with a great soft, cakelike texture. Plus the three-ingredient coconut frosting is too good not to try.

Get the recipe after the break!

Savvy Confessions: To Pay or Not to Pay

Savvy Community — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:05:53 PST

This reader posted in our anonymous Savvy Confessions group, asking if she should crash at her friend's for free. Do you have any advice for her?

I recently moved to a new city to job search. My friend offered her place for me to stay rent-free while I job search. I've been here for a month now and I've offered to pay for half the rent, but she insists that I don't. She's been so gracious to let me stay, and I do my best to try to cover costs where I can (groceries, buying her dinner, etc.) However, I still feel bad for not paying rent. While I really want to pay her part of the rent, it also really helps me cut costs not having to pay it since I'm still unemployed. Should I force her to take the rent or just tell her thank you for offering me her place to stay and pay it forward to her in the future?

Pose your own anonymous questions or off-load your work confessions by posting in the Savvy Confessions group, and I'll find the right expert to help you out.

Snacking Good: Natchitoches Meat Pies

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:07:39 PST

We've always wanted to take a stab at rolling out a few Natchitoches meat pies. Thanks to an easy recipe from Food Orleans, this might be a dream realized sooner rather than later.

[Baked or fried? You decide.]

Natchitoches meat pies are one of those special little treats with a name as fun to say as they are to scarf down. Nackadish - that's how you say it - is a small town we drive through on our way north to visit Alexandria or Oklahoma, and it's where Steel Magnolias was filmed, and it's famous for these little pies. It's a beautiful little place, with a picturesque riverfront lined with shops and restaurants that have their own sort of French Quarter-ish wrought iron balconies (remember the Easter scene where Jackson slapped Ouiser? That's the riverfront!). But you don't have to go into the actual town to get yourself some meat pies; just stop at any gas station right off I-10. They all fry them up and they're all pretty wonderful.

For her recipe, continue reading.