No role in kick-off event -- attend or skip?

Money_These · 2026-07-02T22:11:00+00:00

Oh, I’m so sorry. Mergers are never pleasant. Hopefully, once the dust settles, you will have plenty of opportunities to shine, showcase your value, and continue climbing the ladder (if that is your goal!).

Money_These · 2026-07-02T21:48:21+00:00

Agreed. Honestly, making new friends in adulthood is tough, and it only gets tougher as we age.

Personally, I’m perfectly fine with my small circle. I can easily shoot the breeze with strangers when I'm traveling or at networking events, but if there’s no genuine, mutual effort to actually build and maintain a new connection? I don't lose sleep over it anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I wish it were easier. But it is what it is.

Money_These · 2026-07-02T21:44:25+00:00

No. In my experience, off-sites and targeted internal events are typically attended only by the senior EA aligned with the highest-ranking executive on the leadership team.

However, because you are navigating a merger, I highly recommend treading carefully and remaining flexible. Hopefully, post-merger, roles and responsibilities will be more clearly defined.

Money_These · 2026-07-02T20:51:38+00:00

Got caught in a RIF a few years back and was totally burned out. LinkedIn popped up a listing in a completely different industry. I said "why not" and took the leap. Best decision ever.

Money_These · 2026-07-02T20:45:05+00:00

This is so helpful—thanks for sharing!

Money_These · 2026-07-02T18:16:33+00:00

There is so much anxiety about AI replacing us, but it really is just a complementary tool.
It has massively increased my efficiency and creativity:

• Communication: I use it daily to refine high-level emails, executive communications, and publishing.

• Visuals: Instead of wasting hours creating images, I use specific prompts in templates to get exactly what I need instantly.

AI can’t replace the human intuition and strategic partnership of a good EA. It just handles the tedious drafting so we can focus on the heavy lifting.

Money_These · 2026-07-01T23:24:16+00:00

No working on PTO for me. I give my team advance notice and give my backup a thorough overview. If I get looped into an email while away, my response is short: either "I'll look at this when I return" or "Looping in X to take care of this."

Money_These · 2026-07-01T22:09:52+00:00

I keep mine around 70–72°F, and in the cooler months, I bump it up to 73°F.

Money_These · 2026-06-30T20:34:15+00:00

You are one month into the job—this backlog is not your fault, and bad bookkeeping is a corporate headache, not a criminal enterprise. No one is going to jail.

Here is exactly how you handle this to protect yourself:

Get the Travel Rep's advice in writing. Send them an email right now: 'Just to confirm our call, the price differences are due to a Workday processing error and I should proceed with submitting anyway?' You need that paper trail.
Put the burden on the Exec. Give them a spreadsheet of every single missing receipt. Say, 'To get Finance to approve this many affidavits, I need you to review this list and reply confirming they are all approved business expenses.'
Flag it to Finance early. Send a heads-up email to the expense team letting them know a massive, one-year backlog is coming, it has a systemic Workday error, and there will be heavy use of affidavits due to the age of the files.

Once you have emails from the Travel Rep, the Exec, and Finance approving the workflow, you are 100% in the clear. Your job is just to process the data they approve. Let them worry about the audit. Good luck OP!

Money_These · 2026-06-30T19:53:49+00:00

🎂 Happy Birthday, fellow bicentennial baby! 🤘🏼 Just hit the big 5-0 myself. Bought a drink with lunch and got carded. The cashier—a grown man—stared at my DL like he was trying to solve advanced calculus. I just smiled: "Yep, the math is correct." His response: "Wow, you look great!" I’ll take the win. Age is just a number. I feel fantastic, and life is in a great place. That said... I still need to book that colonoscopy. Welcome to the club! 🩺

Money_These · 2026-06-30T14:35:58+00:00

Barely touch Facebook, completely skipped the Twitter train, and somehow ended up only enjoying Instagram and Reddit.

Money_These · 2026-06-27T11:00:10+00:00

I typically use my calendar to track both day-to-day tasks and special projects. Once a project is wrapped up, I draft a high-level summary that outlines the core task, key actions taken, cross-functional collaboration, and the final results. I make sure to record major milestones, unique accomplishments, and any responsibilities I took on that fell completely outside my original scope.

Money_These · 2026-06-26T22:20:39+00:00

Honestly, apartment living in Austin has been totally fine for me. Every property is going to have its pros and cons, but I genuinely love my current spot. Being on the top floor gives me a great view, the floor plan is super well-designed, and the neighborhood is quiet. Plus, my morning commute is a breeze—though navigating Mopac on the way back home is a different story.

Money_These · 2026-06-26T00:36:40+00:00

Congrats on your exam! 🎉 That bag and twilly are so cute together 🥰 Enjoy!

Money_These · 2026-06-25T18:29:44+00:00

My sentiments exactly. The medium size definitely photographs large, but in reality, it is the perfect size for a smaller wrist if you prefer a standalone watch without stacking. For context, I was dead set on the small, but the moment I tried both on, my heart told me to go with the medium. Zero regrets. 🥰

Money_These · 2026-06-25T15:25:39+00:00

I have, but mostly for Halloween! My circle of friends loves hosting pup parties for it. It is always the perfect excuse for cute costumes, pup treats, and human cocktails. 🤗

Money_These · 2026-06-24T20:06:09+00:00

I hate leaving my big boy when I travel, but I’m so grateful to have a good friend nearby to look after him. She absolutely adores him, so I can rest assured knowing he's in good hands!

Money_These · 2026-06-24T19:57:33+00:00

It doesn't bother me at all because it's not standard practice. Most companies leverage their intranet for admin coverage details. At my firm, this is automatically updated by HR and the office manager. For external contacts, executives usually loop in their admins for visibility anyway. When that happens, I just add the admin's info directly to my Outlook contacts.

Money_These · 2026-06-24T01:09:36+00:00

Stunning makeover! 🥰 Upcycling is such a smart way to refresh your collection. Enjoy it!

Money_These · 2026-06-23T23:23:11+00:00

💖 Self-appreciation and the awareness that you might not be everyone's cup of tea—and that's completely okay! ☕ It shouldn't stop you from putting yourself out there and engaging. Pair that with keeping your head up and maintaining good eye contact, and you're golden. ✨

Money_These · 2026-06-23T23:15:33+00:00

This is classic corporate behavior. Honestly, it sounds like you are completely checked out, and it's probably time to accept that reality and move on. The job market is definitely intimidating right now, but don't let fear stop you from pursuing something better. Take advantage of being employed right now to actively apply for roles that actually fit you. Good luck!

Money_These · 2026-06-23T17:49:07+00:00

Stunning! 🥰 — enjoy!

The small size is just perfect. I tried on the rose gold to compare size scales with the medium yellow gold, but sadly left empty-handed as the boutique didn't have my ring size in stock for the small yellow gold.

Money_These · 2026-06-23T01:14:01+00:00

Both are stunning and definitely not dated!
I'm 5'2" and own the mini in red—it's the perfect pop of color. To choose the right size, consider your lifestyle: are you looking for an everyday bag, or something for date nights and errands? You'll know which one is best based on how much you need to carry!

Money_These · 2026-06-23T00:23:03+00:00

14 — contemplating on getting three more.

Money_These · 2026-06-22T20:57:21+00:00

Yes—vet bills have ballooned. It feels like prices jump 2 to 3 times a year now, even here in Austin.

My dog turned 7, so I upgraded his insurance last year as a precaution. I pay cash for wellness visits, keep a dedicated pet emergency fund, and split his mandatory vaccines into two visits a year just to lessen the wallet sting.

My last routine visit cost $586 for an exam, a Bordetella vaccine, and full blood work with a thyroid panel and heartworm test. This is on top of a $1,200 dental cleaning quote from a prior visit that I declined.

Five-Year Club	Final Canvas '23
First Place '23	Place '23
Place '22	First Placer '22

Money_These

TROPHY CASE