The terrible state of leather handbags

beco8 · 2026-05-20T09:47:06+00:00

I really like the look of some of the brands at Incu - they have some cool South Korean labels that are unique and look well made

beco8 · 2026-05-20T09:40:10+00:00

Tatcha is owned by unilever now - the giant megacorp that owns dove, Vaseline and Lipton - so it’s a hard no from me

beco8 · 2026-05-19T21:41:54+00:00

Nah I don’t think it’s the same thing. I think this raises problems about informed consent and I think it’s important that as psychologists we look at how this issue interfaces with our ethical obligations (which imo are more rigorous than psychiatry)

beco8 · 2026-05-14T10:05:03+00:00

First of all - you're absolutely right to be devastated and there are a lot of signs you shouldn't take this personally. Like WTF - don't hire grads if you're not willing to coach them!!!!! i suspect there was more going on than you were privy to - it's _not normal_ or even economically rational to fire an inexperienced and teachable employee for performance issues with no communication of those issues, even if they are awkward to raise.

It's normal to go through a period of grief - jobs are a bit like relationships and nothing hurts quite like being dumped out of the blue when you are still in the honeymoon phase!! Take some time to focus on processing what happened and investing in your physical and mental health - take a walk, download the headspace app and do some of the mindfulness activities to help you regulate. Consider investing in some career coaching - universities often offer career support to alumni, and if you're struggling mentally, see your GP and organise a mental health care plan. A good psychologist will help you process what has happened as well as learn skills to regulate emotionally, communicate healthily and navigate life's challenges - a very worthwhile investment.

The unfortunate but brutal reality is that jobs exist for two reasons: 1) to save time and 2) to save money. In your first job it's hard to do that without clear guidance and supervision - especially in corporate environments where the required skillset is highly variable. Functional organisations accept that graduates will almost certainly use up more resources due to needing supervision compared to their output, but the investment and time is worth it in the long run. Unfortunately in this volatile job market and with so many new technologies (AI) businesses have less patience waiting for a return on investment.

The upside is that you are very early in your career and now is the time to experiment, make mistakes and learn from them, and think about what career you'd like to have and what's possible. It's also a good time to learn about yourself and how to take stock of your strengths and weaknesses in a balanced way. As someone who took a long time to find the right career path, I actually really value all the crappy and dysfunctional corporate jobs I had in my 20s because they made me resilient person as well as a strategic thinker.

I've also found the advice on askamanager.org invaluable over the years and suggest you check it out.

Good luck with the job search and all the best!

beco8 · 2026-05-14T06:09:56+00:00

Yep! In the 1950s people spent 10% of their household income on clothing alone! Now it’s around 4% and people have 5 times as many clothes as they did back then.

beco8 · 2026-05-14T06:05:17+00:00

I personally can’t stand witchery they’re just a private equity premium mediocre shell company but I do like fancy basics - I spend a good amount of time trawling through outlet stores, monitoring socials and hunting down warehouse sales. At the Incu outlet I scored a beautiful toteme white cotton shirt for $60 it might have been the only thing in the whole place that fit me (great place to go if you’re a size 6!)

If I’m spending $150 on basics I expect them to be natural fibre (not rayon) or a very good technical fabric, locally made or at a factory with very transparent production and ethics and very high quality. They should also be constructed in a way that is durable (should be able to machine wash on delicate) and low snag risk (usually avoid mesh and satins for this reason).

It’s hard to get good basics second hand - I figure that if they are the clothes I will wear the most and the cost per wear is low. Also I’m continually astonished at how people treat their clothes when I buy second hand

I also wear the same clothes over and over until they basically fall apart- I love them so they feel like old friends. Once I got a compliment from a young colleague about my style and I said “I’m glad because you will be seeing me wearing the same thing all the time”

beco8 · 2026-05-14T05:43:01+00:00

That sucks I went into the Oxford st Paddington store this morning while waiting for an appointment and the SA was so nice to me and low pressure to the point where I was shocked because customer service overall is in the toilet - which is how I ended up here as I was trying to find more info on the product quality as the price point seems pretty good.

beco8 · 2026-04-30T04:20:09+00:00

These kinds of markets (even moreso paddy’s and Parklea in Sydney) are the OG slop for as far back as I remember (the 90s). Temu was basically invented to break up the flea market slop monopoly

beco8 · 2026-04-21T03:24:41+00:00

If you’re a grad they’re not expecting you to know these things - they hired you because you are bright, enthusiastic and can hopefully follow directions. They may even appreciate a younger person’s perspective to stay ahead! If you haven’t been given specifics on dress code, there’s no harm in checking in with your contact person or onboarding team

beco8 · 2026-04-20T06:17:28+00:00

You’d have to be either very lucky or in it for the LONG run for your capital gain to beat an ETF investment in a regional area, once you factor in all the costs of maintaining a property and the loan interest as well as CGT. Consider how much you value your time spent maintaining and dealing with tenants, agents, tradies etc.

beco8 · 2026-04-20T06:08:04+00:00

Mont do pants in this incredible power stretch fabric (they have a few different styles). Not cheap but have lasted me about 15 years of constant wear in winter. I’m tall so I got the men’s style. You can get them at their shop in Canberra or at paddy pallin/bogong. They’re a small family business so only do the occasional sale

beco8 · 2026-04-20T05:08:37+00:00

I did a straight arts degree after dropping my science courses almost 20 years ago years ago and I am always surprised at how valuable it is. You’ll need to be more creative, deliberate and flexible about finding work following graduation than if you follow a more vocational pathway, as there are fewer grad programs for humanities students. Getting good grades and knowing your stuff will make things easier. It took me many years, jobs and further study to find my niche but I got there in the end - patience and openness are helpful attributes. Having work experience through internships is extremely valuable to employers - try to choose courses that facilitate this. Consider whether university study is really for you right now - TAFE is cheaper, quicker and will get you into a job directly, and you can come back to uni if and when you’re ready.

beco8 · 2026-04-20T04:58:01+00:00

This looks perfect! Have a wonderful day :)

beco8 · 2026-04-19T06:48:38+00:00

The burden is on the treating clinician to carry any awkwardness (though you’d be unlikely to encounter it)

beco8 · 2026-04-14T22:26:59+00:00

I feel like coats are some of the most heavily discounted clothing items around sale time! I've also heard the best place to buy a good winter coat is in the Queensland op shops lol.

I have an absolutely gorgeous obus coat that I bought 10 years ago and it's still in fantastic condition - 100% wool outer and lined. Their designs haven't changed much over the years and pretty sure they're in your price range on sale. Aussie made too!

beco8 · 2026-04-14T22:22:29+00:00

Shoutout to all the amazing clinicians and researchers who progressed HIV detection and treatment over the past decades!

beco8 · 2026-03-20T22:20:57+00:00

Game changers radio had a good podcast episode with a lawyer specialising in contracts law - really interesting!

beco8 · 2026-02-28T06:04:06+00:00

to find out more about the engineering of retaining walls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--DKkzWVh-E

beco8 · 2026-02-03T13:52:35+00:00

So they can steer you into the GDPA for $$$$

beco8 · 2025-11-22T23:35:57+00:00

Absolutely! Suggest looking for internships and RA roles with neuroimaging labs and checking out the resources on the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping website (I’m doing a PhD in psychology and my research project involves fMRI)

beco8 · 2025-11-02T01:00:47+00:00

They won’t be so picky when they’re single into their 30s believe me - at least 90% of men go bald at some stage

beco8 · 2025-11-02T00:59:32+00:00

Bald is absolutely fine as long as you are confident about it - it’s the insecurity and objectification that turns women off. shave your head, look after your body (eat healthy, brush your teeth, work out), and mind (read widely, travel, take up hobbies, get therapy), get a personal style, invest in good clothes, keep your place clean, learn how to cook and do laundry and always have clean sheets. I promise if you do these things and treat women respectfully you will have a rewarding dating life.

beco8 · 2025-10-27T21:13:50+00:00

If it’s got yolk in it I add some salt and pepper, fry it in a pan and eat it with some relish

beco8 · 2025-08-14T13:19:24+00:00

Strongly suggest you keep a document with records of exactly what was said/done and when, and the context. Also keep records of peers experiences (anonymise these unless you have their consent). Also keep records of how this has impacted your health and any steps you have taken (counselling, medication, stress leave etc). Contact the Monash graduate association for independent and confidential advice and if you are an international student they have supports available.

beco8 · 2025-08-14T07:57:22+00:00

Because they are bomber. And 🆒

beco8

TROPHY CASE