I have conducted political surveys over the phone and yes that is just as fun as it sounds.

I have been a personal assistant to a NFL football player.  A job that my boyfriend at the time didn’t approve of . . . but honestly, he didn’t approve of a lot of things.

I’ve been a hostess/waitress/bar tender for numerous restaurants.  This made my mother cry.  In her mind it was one step away from prostitution.  This also prompted my stepfather to finally give me the birds and the bees talk . . . I was 19, he clearly was a little late.  But, “A” for effort though.

Sure I was screamed at when I was a political surveyor (although the retirees that I had to call in Florida were always really nice).  And sure my mom happened to be kind of right about the service industry. It turns out more than some waitresses do have a tendency to sleep with their bosses for the better shifts.  I refused to participate in the shenanigans.  No big deal though . . . I quit. Got another job. On to the next.

I had a sneaking suspicion that being young, not ugly and towards the bubbly end of the spectrum had played a part in getting my jobs.  So of course, I wasn’t shocked when being young, not ugly, and towards bubbly end of the spectrum also turned out to be a slight work hazard.  Afterall, I wasn’t exactly getting hired for my brains.

Women in boardroom

However, none of this phased me.  Having been raised after the feminist had already burned their bras I knew that being smart and pretty weren’t mutually exclusive.  It just so happened that I was working jobs that weren’t focusing on the smart.  That would all change once I entered a work force with “educated people” right? right?

Growing up we had goldfish. . . we also had a lot of goldfish funerals.   Sad but true.  One day my younger brother, who was three at the time, decided to feed the goldfish all by himself.  He dumped the entire thing of fish food in the tank. By the time we noticed it was too late.  Little Bubbles had exploded.   He ate too much.

Men are like Goldfish they don’t know when to stop.   Anyone over the age of three knows that when presented with food goldfish will eat, even if they aren’t hungry.  Men are the same way. When presented with affection, kindness etc., they will usually accept it for no other reason than it is there.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that he is all that interested.  Most men just aren’t going to say “no.”  It is up to you to set the boundaries.  Hear me out. . .

Later that day, I got to thinking about how I could get out of cooking as much as possible.  In my mother’s time, one could rely strictly on frozen dinners.  Come to think of it after a childhood where a home cooked  meal consisted of Stouffers lasagna (mmmm so tasty) or Chef Boyardi, I should have known that my mother wasn’t too fond of the kitchen.  But since processed food is no longer political correct, the frozen aisle is no longer an option.  Neither is eating out…it’s hard on the budget.  The answer:  form a Dinner Co-op.

My roommate had a boyfriend who basically lived with us.  Although it wasn’t official,  we each ended up cooking one day of the week.  Between leftovers and weekend dinner plans, we had more than enough food.  Plus it saved me from eating the the same meatloaf for four days straight. . . face it we’ve all been there.

I’m all about saving time, energy and money.  All of which are of high value to the SASP. Work smarter not harder right?  This is how it works, feel free to adjust the rules to fit your lifestyle.

Despite the absurdity of it all, I’m still a big fan of the Food Network.  I love Paula Dean (doesn’t she remind you of someone’s sweet Grandmama?),  Bobby Flay and yes even Rachel Ray.   However, I rarely cook their recipes.  I’m not yet at the stage where I care what a Dutch Oven is… let alone own one.   I have one butcher knife that I use for everything, and until recently I only owned wine glasses, not even drinking glasses. Don’t judge.  I just moved in a mere 6 months ago.

Here at SASPY, we will be providing cooking solutions for the single girl on the go.  I mean if we barely have time to make it to the grocery store, then we definitely don’t have time to make it to the exotic grocery store.  Our life is complicated so we like to keep cooking and all things kitchen related basic.  So for those of you who need help in the kitchen, click on the cooking solutions category or look for posts with cooking solutions in the header.

xoxo,

Leila Rose

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the western Hemisphere.  It is also a country plagued by cronyism and corruption. On November 28, 2010 Haiti will hold its Presidential election.  This election is crucial as it will determine what a post-earthquake Haiti will look like.  Wyclef Jean has announced his intention to run.  Here’s a quick summary for those SASPs who haven’t had time to figure it all out.

Background

Wyclef is a Haitian born international recording artist.   Although he moved to the United States when he was nine years old, he never became an American citizen.  Instead, he continues to proudly use his Haitian passport. According to the Haitian Constitution the president must be 1) native born and have never renounced his nationality;2) the owner of at least one real property and have his habitual residency in the country; 3) have resided in the country for 5 consecutive years before the election and; 4) never have been sentenced to lost of civil rights for a crime.

Wyclef meets most of these requirements.  He is most likely be challenged on not having lived in the country for 5 consecutive years before the election.     In 2007 Wyclef was nominated as a Haitian ambassador-at-large.

The campaign will argue that this post exempts Wyclef from the residency requirement.  It is up to the eight-member provisional electoral council to decide whether he meets this requirement.

Interestingly, Wyclef’s 78 year old uncle Raymond Joseph, former Haitian ambassador to the U.S., has also announced his intention to run.  Former bandmate, Pras has decided not to endorse Wyclef, but instead will be endorsing Michel Martell, who happens to be Pras’s cousin.  Like Wyclef, Michel Martell is also a musician.

His Platform

If elected Wycelf plans on encouraging donors to invest heavily in education.  He also supports the economic plan proposed by Bill Clinton, the U.N. Special envoy.  The plan seeks to create jobs in the garment export industry, boost tourism and decrease the nation’s dependence on imports by increasing the capacity of Haitian farmers.  Wyclef also promises to heavily invest in the mining industry.

Laundry List of Possible Complications

]]> http://saspy.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/water-cooler-convo-wyclef-for-president/feed/ 0 saspy http://saspy.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/dating-and-the-phone-2/ http://saspy.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/dating-and-the-phone-2/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:38:54 +0000 saspy http://saspy.wordpress.com/?p=132 ]]> You’ve met a guy.  He is funny, smart, and handsome.  So far so good.  He calls, you go on a date or two.  You laugh, you have lots in common and there is definite chemistry.  But you don’t hear from him.  Do you contact him?   Of course not.

Over the past fifty years although women have gone from being barefoot in the kitchen to power players in the boardroom, men are still programmed to enjoy the chase.  You can change society, but you can’t fight biology.  No one wants a desperato.  So stop acting like a thirsty bucket and make him work for it baby.  He’ll thank you later.

The naïve SASPs amongst us will complain about not wanting to partake in such games.  My dear Sasplettes please don’t fall into this trap.  Men love games.  They don’t spend hours playing PS3, attend sporting events decorated like cavemen or play fantasy football for nothing.  Believe me, it’s not self inflicted torture.

So men love a good game, and the game begins with the phone.  Here are the rules. Don’t mess it up.

• After the first date let him be the one to initiate contact.  Equality be damned. Don’t be alarmed if he waits an entire three days.  It’s standard in guy world.  In the meantime, continue with your daily life.   But do not call.
• Don’t pick up the phone past your bedtime. Let’s face it, it’s 2010 and we probably all sleep with our phones. . . ya know in case of an emergency.  However, answering the phone when you are clearly in the middle of getting your beauty rest sends the signal that you are so desperate to talk to him that you are willing to forsake your health.  I don’t care if it is your midday nap.  Stick to your schedule.
• Don’t get stuck in the text trap. He has the annoying habit of communicating only via text.  If this doesn’t bother you roll with it.  But expect this to be your primary mode of conversation from this day forward.  This doesn’t work for me. . . I’m old school.  In this situation you have to change his behavior.   Keep text conversations short.   Respond sporadically.   Answer open ended questions with short answers.  Don’t ask open ended questions.  Let him know that you aren’t a big texter.  If he likes you, he’ll conform.
• If you miss a call or text there is no need to respond immediately. Keep things interesting.  Sometimes you may want to respond right away but other times you might not.  No need to be predictable.  Spontaneity keeps the game fun.
• He say’s he’ll call at 6 but doesn’t call until 8. Don’t call him at 6:30. When he calls at 8 you’ll be busy.  I’m not saying pretend to be busy.  I’m saying actually be busy.  You have a life to live.  He’ll call back, in fact next time he might call on time.

You might be wondering when you should call him.  It’s really quite simple. . . NEVER.  Okay that’s a little harsh.  You should only call if you are returning his call or you hear through the grapevine a family member has died.  Otherwise, he will think that you are in love, have planned the wedding and are ready to have his babies.  He’ll start to feel trapped, he’ll run.  I know it is absurd, but guys can really be that crazy.

With the plethora of modern day technology (text, email, facebook, bbm, etc),  it is hard to resist the urge to contact a guy you haven’t heard from.  But remember you’re a SASP, you have other things to do than waste your time calling a guy who can’t figure out how to use the phone.  And if he never calls, onto the next one…

xoxo,

Leila Rose

Disclaimer:  It is okay to initiate contact once the relationship has progressed passed the beginning stages.  But do so sparingly.

I’m not gonna lie I haven’t watched basketball since Pat Riley was with the Knicks and Shaq was a rapper.  But then LeBron James had to go and make his decision… I mean “The Decision,” and the world went crazy.  Here is a summary for those SASPs who haven’t had time to figure it out.

Event

In 2010 James, arguably the best basketball player of his generation, became a free agent.  In an ESPN prime time special that aired July 8^th entitled “The Decision,” he announced that he would be “taking his talents to Miami.”

Background

LeBron James aka “King James” was the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.  Surprisingly, he managed to live up to the hype.  However, despite all of his talent, King James never managed to win a NBA championship.  He couldn’t do it all by himself; everyone knows “there is no I in team.” Even Shaq tried to help.  He went to Cleveland with the sole purpose to “win a ring for the King,” but let’s face it. . . Shaq is old.  It didn’t work out.  This left King James ringless after seven long years in the NBA.  In the meantime, the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and New York Knicks all aggressively courted James.

To make matters even more interesting his buddies Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh also found themselves as free agents.  The three have balled together before and get along pretty well.  They all are relatively drama free.  No domestic violence, gun charges, arrests etc.

The three decided to form their own dream team.  Makes perfect sense to me, I mean even Michael Jordan was lucky enough to have Scottie Pippen.  The operative word being lucky.  When luck failed James, he decided to take charge of his own future.  In early July, James signed with the Miami heat; so did Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.  He even took a pay cut to do so, proving that winning is more important than the money.

Why are People Upset?

The City of Cleveland is angry because they stand to lose the $200 million dollars that James generates in revenue for the local economy.

The fans are mad because they lost their homegrown, Akron born King. They feel deserted.

Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cavaliers, is upset because he got screwed in the process.  James did not inform the franchise of his decision until mere minutes before the formal announcement.  If they had known sooner, perhaps they could have planned for the upcoming season better.  Dan Gilbert even wrote an open letter to Cleveland fans explicitly stating what he really thought about King James.  The NBA commissioner David Stern was not pleased and fined him 100,000 for his actions.

Criticism

Besides the absurdity of having a prime time special, many sports analyst have criticized James for taking the easy way out by creating his own dream team.  They argue that he didn’t rise to the occasion and stand on his own.  Now he will share the spotlight with two other players who are stars in their own right.  It is no longer James’ team.  His legacy is harmed and he will never be the great that he could have been.  Many argue that a championship win with the Cavaliers would have been more meaningful than one with the Heat, where it is expected.

Interesting Thoughts

Although many criticize James for being an egomaniac, doesn’t the fact that he is willing to play with two other stars prove that he isn’t?  He essentially gave up the opportunity to have his own team and instead joined Dwayne Wade’s team in exchange for a chance to win.  Egomaniac no.  Team player yes.

10 million people watched “The Decision.”  It is the third most watched cable program of the year.  Yes it was over the top, but everyone was clearly interested.  It will likely result in an overall net benefit for the NBA.  Sometimes, you need to add a little drama.  Everyone is a winner.  Cavaliers fans are pissed and want revenge.  Everyone else is watching the dream team, many hoping that they will fail.

Only time will tell how this will all play out.   But it should definitely make for an interesting season.

xoxo,

Leila Rose

But lately, I’ve begun to reconsider this whole living alone thing.  Think about it.  Does the fact that you pay your own rent and utilities, go home to an empty apartment and eat by yourself really prove that you are any more independent than the person who’d rather  splits the bills?

Choosing to live with a roommate does not mean that you are some type of dependent, emotional, needy mess. In fact, there are many social and financial benefits of having a roommate.  At 18 I got my first roommate.  At 26 I still have one.  And I plan on keeping one until well…forever. It just makes socioeconomic sense.

The Socials Benefits

Humans are pack animals.  Like wolves we do better in a crowd.  There is a reason that the family unit is the cornerstone of every society.  Recently, my roommate and I spent an entire two weeks a part.  I was out of town during the first week, she was out of town the second week.   Numerous disasters ensued.

1.  Within days of my absence, my roommate drank a little too much and sent a text to her ex boyfriend, violating the strict “no text to ex” policy in our apartment. Usually, I would have been there to take her phone.

2.  There was no one there to judge me.  And yes we all need a little bit of judging sometimes.  Unless I’m in a relationship I don’t allow any substantial alone time in my apartment with a guy that I’m just dating.  Call me old school but it just isn’t appropriate.  Rule broken not only Saturday, but also Sunday and Monday.

3.  I cooked less and ate out way too much. This wrecked havoc on my budget as well as my healthy eating routine.

4.  I was bored. There was no audience.  Not that I need an audience, but it would have been nice to have someone to laugh with when the kitchen towel caught on fire…again.

The Financial Benefits

Even if you can afford to live alone, it makes more financial sense to get a roommate, especially if you are renting.

In DC for instance, a one bedroom apartment in a full amenities building (rooftop pool, gym, doorman, metro accessible etc) will cost about $1800. While a two bedroom will cost about $2800.   You’ll probably spent about $250 per month on utilities. Do the math. By getting a roommate you can expect to save $6300 per year in rent. There is a lot you can do with that money.

1. The not very SASPY option. Buy about 8 pairs of Christian Louboutins.

2. The kinda SASPY option.  Go on an exotic vacation to Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Montenegro and Bosnia.

3.  The SASPY option.  Invest in an Index Fund.  Around here we are all about making our money work.

Over the last 40 years the S & P 500 has had an annual return rate of about 8.5%. Okay okay so we are in a recession. But assuming that this will hold true for the next 40 years, and you don’t plan to take your money out say tomorrow, you can reap major benefits.

According to the compound interest calculator,

• In just 5 years your $6300 investment will have grown to 9,473.00.
• In 10 years to 14,244.
• In 15 years to 21, 418.

4. The super SASPY option. Do a combination of all three: shop, travel and invest.  After all, life is about enjoying the present while planning for the future.

After running the numbers, I’m over my desire to live alone.  I’d rather take my money to the bank and have someone to laugh with while doing it.

xoxo,

Leila Rose

The site will also provide a fair amount of timely information.  So if you chose to watch another rerun of Real Housewives instead of watching CNN, haven’t managed to read a book in the last year and need some fodder for those inevitable small talk conversations, or if you hadn’t the money to travel to some place exotic but need to sound cultured check us out.  We hope we can help you fill in the gaps.

At the end of the day, we are simply trying to make life as a  Sexy Ambitious Single Professional a little bit easier.

xoxo,

Leila Rose

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