As we progress further into our 20s and enter the “real world” and working life, we will have to inevitably endure many a boring meeting.

Here are some tips on how to stay awake through them:

1. TAKE NOTES – write down anything you don’t know or recognize to look up later (it will keep you alert and improve your industry knowledge).
2. TASK LIST – jot down all the tasks that are delegated to you (obv) or that are mentioned where you feel you can help. Your boss will love the initiative.
3. SPEAK UP – ask a question (try to keep it to one question per meeting). Volunteer to do a small and easy task, which will make you the “hero” of the meeting.
4. NOD – not the sleepy nod, but a periodic “wow”, “interesting”, or even the “uh-huh, I agree” nod.
5. DOODLE – discreetly! It will look like you are taking notes, but you are actually drawing Ligers.
6. Practice writing with your LEFT HAND, for an additional twist on doodling. (Contributed by bedirhansolo - www.bedirhansolo.com)
7. BRING A DRINK – a cold one preferably (by ‘cold one’, I don’t mean beer)
8. STEP OUTSIDE – if it’s getting really really bad, and you and practically asleep, step outside and take a walk around the office (make sure you look really busy). The slight interruption caused will be much less embarrassing than falling asleep!
9. PLAY MEETING BINGO – Print it out here

If you got any more tips, hit me back! Some days, I can surely use ANY help I can get!

First of all, you might be asking yourself, why in the world would I want to do that?
There are 3 simple reasons:

1. Techy guys are surprisingly funny
2. They are nice guys, and will definitely not “play” you since the only games they are concerned with are computer games and dungeons and dragons
3. They generally fall within quite a high income bracket
4. 

Now that I have perfectly convinced you to pursue the ‘Techy Guy’, read the comments section to find out exactly how to attract his attention. The content of this entry will be provided by two real live Techy Guys themselves, TWAG (Tall White Awkward Guy) and GEV (Geeky Enchanting Violinist) who’s name happens to be Veg backwards, very appropriate since he is the most enthusiastic eater of pork chops I know.

So, in their wise words, How To Attract A Techy Guy

OK, so my techy friends bailed on me and didn’t contribute at all, I’m filling in on the basis of my knowledge and limited experience:

• Just be nice to them – most girls fawn over the jock, or the gino and ignore the sweet nerdy guys, so the smallest bit of attention will go a long way.
• Ask them for computer help - if you have read my computer tips and tricks, then you are already an expert, but still invent a question to ask to a your techy target. Helping you will boost their ego and they will associate that feeling with you.
• Ask them to go to a science fiction or fantasy movie with you. They just can’t resist that.
• They often have very interesting and active hobbies like rock climbing, or table tennis. Ask if you can join them for a match or climbing session.
• Give them a chance – they are generally really nice guys, who are loyal, smart and attentive. They will stimulate you both intellectually as well as physically and will appreciate you a lot more than the jocks and the stud-muffins will ever do.

Inspired by all the different places I’ve worked at, from a giant movie theater to a 12 person homegrown PR shop, I’m listing some things I may have noticed around the office from time to time.

You can tell that two of your coworkers like each other when:

1. If one asks, the other will always go for the after work beer – even if she or he has work left to do.
2. Those two are always the last two standing after a long night of after work drinks.
3. They giggle at each other’s attempts at making jokes while working.
4. They try their best to avoid looking when the other walks by, to the point when you know its deliberate (and you can also tell that they are listening really hard!)
5. They will plan “group” outings, so not to be conspicuous about wanting to hang out with each other.Two more courtesy of my BFF the “Little White Innocent Girl” aka Lwig:
   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. They go to the lunch room around the same time.
7. They ask each other work related questions they already know the answer to…”What room is the 1:00pm meeting in?”

These are pretty funny and cute things to notice, but don’t read too much into it, because your colleagues are a lot more discreet than you think and you’ll usually never have a clue! But it’s still fun to guess, as long as it is harmless and innocent.

That being said, I’m completely AGAINST GOSSIPING! Do not gossip and tarnish someone’s good image.

Click on the image for a great Forbes.com article on Office Romance.

A great podcast I listen to by the Get it Done Guy recently did a feature on Moments of Truth, which inspired these questions in me.

What is the one thing that makes me shine at work?
OR what are the times when I look totally inefficient and useless if I am not completely on the ball?

You need to identify those moments to hone your skills for looking great at work.

• Try not to “ummm” – if you are unsure, say either “well…” nothing at all, or something related, which will give you time to think of the answer to a question. (Click on the picture for a link to Tips to Reduce ‘umm-’ing)

• Be nosy – not about other people’s personal business, but about things happening at work. Be aware of what’s on your boss’s mind, your team-member’s mind, your subordinate’s mind. This will show your interest in the company, in your team and how it functions, and will also help you figure out areas where you can help.
• Help your coworkers – even if it means you have to stay late one night, a little help will win allegiances, support and friendship from your colleagues. This means that they will help you back, and in a moment of crisis, they will stand up for you or recommend your more responsibility (or even a promotion!)
• Have all the answers – if you are like me, you don’t remember every single details about everything, so keep lists, charts, checklists, excel spreadsheets, whatever it takes to record every single detail someone might ask you to recall. You’ll look super smart when you can look up some obscure detail within minutes.
• Ask questions - an old boss once told me that the biggest thing she admires in an employee is curiosity. Don’t be afraid or shy; instead of making you look stupid, it will in fact show that you are smart enough to realize there is so much more you could know, and WANT to know. It is also a great compliment to someone when you ask for their opinion, advice and knowledge.
• Make it known that you want to grow. Make your ambitions and goals known to your boss, and supervisors. Ambition (that is not outrageous) is highly valued in the business world and if your boss actually knows about them, he or she will surely help you reach them as well.
• Work Hard! - because the lack of effort and interest is so noticeable.

Of course there is a lot more to it, and I am learning more and more each and every day, but for now these are a few “Moments of Truth”in my opinion that will help you at work and influence what your colleagues and supervisors think of you.

Listen to (or read the transcript of) the original podcast here: http://getitdone.quickanddirtytips.com/moments-of-truth.aspx

After graduating from university, throughout our 20s, relationships start to get more and more serious, and therefore long-term. The proof is that every single one of my closest girlfriends is in a serious long-term relationship. With this comes the inevitable “I want my parents to meet you since you are such an important part of my life”, followed by the anxiety of whether your parents will approve of your boyfriend or not. If they don’t like him, for reasons I mentioned before, here are some tips to help you and your boyfriend win the war against your parents’ disapproval of him.

1. Ask them straight up why they don’t like him. When put in the spot, they will be forced to verbalize their “rational” reasons or from lack of anything to say, realize that they are stupid to judge him, and that he’s actually really great. (Reference: Answerbag.com)
2. Talk to your parents and tell them just how much their disapproval is hurting you. Parents don’t like to see their children upset, so they will make a better effort to warm up to him. (More…)
3. Show them how committed you are to each other (mainly, he to you) so that your parents take the relationship more seriously and not write it off as just a fling.
4. This is a hard one since I’m guilty of this too, but try to show your parents that you are not dependent on your boyfriend… basically that you don’t “need” him, but you “want” him. This independence in you will increase your parents confidence in you, and they will trust your decisions about your love life more.
5. Get your friends, cousins, and siblings to fill your parents ears will great things about your boyfriend. When mum and dad see that your BFFs approve, the peer pressure might get to them as well.
6. Put your boyfriend in touch with your parents. If he was able to win you over, he just might be able to win them over too.

In the end, it might be up to your boyfriend to gain their approval, so let him try if he’s up for it. Don’t try to “protect” him or your parents from dealing with this face to face. If your parents aren’t willing to give him any chance at all, they are just not being considerate towards you: their own daughter. Remind them of that. And good luck on the mission!

A girlfriend of mine recently had a big showdown with her parents over her boyfriend, which inspired me to write this.

Although I have no personal experience being a parent, I imagine the following to be a few reasons why they might disapprove of your boyfriend (I’m trying to imagine the most conservative parents out there, so I’m warning the readers in advance of the outrageousness of the following):

• He is of a different race – This the one reason that makes me saddest, since I’ve had the unfortunate experience of being on the losing end of this narrow-mindedness. This is sadly quite common these days since our generation is much more open-minded about interracial dating, while some in our parents’ generation still can’t even imagine it.
• He’s of a different religion – Parents are afraid of their daughter losing her faith, or I don;t know…of god punishing them, or whatever. To me, its irrational.
• He is not rich - Like many ladies out there, parents are superficial too. (continued in the next reason)
• His career – Parents are afraid that their darling little girl wont be taken care of by the brilliant starving artist, dancer, rapper, or the stand up comedian who she’s dating.
• He is not respectful - to you, or your parents, or both. Parents have an uncanny ability to read this in your boyfriend. Even if he is a super-ass-kisser, if he doesn’t genuinely respect your parents or you, your parents will be able to tell immediately, in which case, you should take their advice because you deserve someone who respects you and is proud of you.
• He’s your boyfriend - It seems so obvious to us, but parents have a really hard time dealing with letting their little girls grow up and be women on their own right. They can’t even imagine you getting physical with your boyfriend, let alone admitting their little princess has long since been a virgin.
• He is also your roommate – because of the previous reason, they don’t want to be reminded of the the fact that you sleep with your boyfriend every single night. Also, it is a huge social thing in many cultures and social classes, or even as small as social circles to have your children live with their partners before they go through the whole social institution of marriage.

I could go on and on, but I’m going to stop now, and think up some ways to get your parents on your boyfriend’s side. Those tips are coming up next, so stay tuned.