Things I Learned From My Internship, Part Eight (or Holding On with All Ten Toes) + More Adventures I'm sure you've had the friend who tells you the horror stories of his menopausal boss, or the boss that loads them down with work on a weekend, or the boss who constantly sits right behind them and criticizes everything they do. Or, you know, the boss who tries to seduce you while acting like a chauvinistic pig, or the unfulfilled pay promises, or the crappy job assignments meant to 'put you in your place.' You get the idea. I'm here to tell you that, though they may be slightly embellished and/or overly talked (complained) about,  it is highly likely that most of that story is true.  Consequently, if you find yourself in a happy work environment hold on to it with both hands and all ten toes.

Horror situations like that do; however, make you that much more appreciative when you do land an awesome workplace with awesome coworkers (they also lower your standards so you are in a much more appreciative mind frame to begin with). Martha was a place of mostly happy people, enjoying what they do and enjoying the people with which they were doing it (at least that's how it seemed to me).  Martha the homemaker is clearly also Martha the maker of happy workplaces (maybe even more so).  Let's face it, a picture of her giant chow, Genghis, will put a smile on your face any time you see it (and I saw one at least twice a week).  I'm convinced Genghis Kahn is her secret plan to take over the world.  I mean, he did win best in show at Westminster. He also is allowed to eat at tables, in fancy restaurants:

But anyway, the Moral of the Story is: Be thankful for an awesome work environment because not all companies are full of genuinely happy people who not only enjoy their jobs, but also the majority of their life (all because of Genghis Khan).

Take note of Martha holding puppy Genghis, clearly world domination is being planned:

In other news, I promised more Adventures of Mumsy, Naught Nicki, and I.

Later on in the afternoon, after the horrible waitress incident, I got to take my mother to the other Little Town NYC location by Union Square. With a LivingSocial coupon of course.  The Union Square location was just as wonderful, though the ambience was not quite as awesome as the Hell's Kitchen location (that one was two stories, with a net above the bar so drunk people couldn't throw things at innocent bartenders).

We rolled on in (or my mum did) and got a table by the wall (so my mum could lean on it., Okay I did too) AND THEN we had beers!  Let me just point out from what kind of selection we could choose.  And THERE WERE MORE THAN THAT. I had a White IPA which I encourage everyone to try.  It was fantastic. My mum had some sort of light wheat thing, which was also good, but she is clearly a pansy beer drinker.  My brother and I try to teach her and fail.

And then we had TWO DOZEN oysters. Which were pretty awesome.

Once we had finished our delicious oysters, our two beers each, and one (non couponed) bag of chips and bleu cheese dressing; we went on our way to a Trunk Magazine 'Special Exhibition' to meet and greet with Trunk Mags Photographers.

But backing up to us being on our merry way.  We our strolling (or rolling as the case may be) down the street, me pushing my mum a bit so her "calf doesn't get too tired" and so we can make it there before 2013. We may have gotten a little too ambitious, speed wise, and Naughty Nicki was not having it. We hit a bump and almost bit it. The both of us and Naughty Nicki.  Luckily, Mumsy and I are both quick on our feet (her slightly less so obviously) and we managed to not make a spectacle of ourselves on the sidewalks of Union Square.

We eventually made it to The Conran Shop (which makes you want to buy EVERYTHING) and down to the Exhibition where we met up with one of my photographer friends. Yes I do have friends in NYC.  Three of them. So there. The event was interesting (i.e. photographs and free alcohol), but there was only about ten photographs, which was slightly disappointing. To be fair, they were awesome photographs.

So we are mingling. Eric and I are trying to get to know people (we are both new to the city and need to know everyone). Eric points to a guy and is like 'I think that guy is one of the photographers,' but he wouldn't get his ass in gear and go talk to him. So I took matters into my own hands.

For those of you who are unaware, I came to NYC and became much more outspoken.  You have to be.  But I also grew up in a household that rid me of most of my shame (in a good way).

Anyway, I sidled up to him and said "You're one of the photographers right? My friend over there wants to meet you, but he's being a pansy, so I'm shaming him into doing it."  I know, I'm a horrible person.  Turns out the photographer was David Cicconi, the founder of the Magazine and the Creative Director.  Pretty Awesome.  And he remembered my name later, which is always a good sign.

That's something to add to the Intern Manual, Be Memorable. Perhaps that will be the next post?

Part Seven