Survey Says: Secretaries Want TIME More Than MONEY

A Just A Sec Exclusive!



Just A Sec: The Lifestyle Blog for Busy New York Secretaries recently conducted an informal survey of 300 secretaries, administrative assistants and executive assistants (for the purpose of this article, referred to collectively as "secretaries") working in New York City to find out what might entice them to leave their current job, if another company came a-courting, but did not offer an increase in salary.

Out of 300 secretaries surveyed, a whopping 282 would definitely consider leaving their current job for another -- even if their salary would remain the same. Clearly, this indicates very little loyalty on the part of secretaries to their employers, or even to their immediate bosses.

We asked the 282 who'd consider making a change what would entice them more: a company offering fully-paid medical insurance, or an employer offering four weeks of paid vacation and an additional 16 paid sick/personal days.

91 secretaries were more seduced by the paid medical coverage, leaving a majority of 191 who'd rather receive the benefit of more paid time off.

"I'd rather get a slightly bigger paycheck and know my medical insurance was always there, and not have to worry about it," one secretary commented.

Still others argued in favor of vacation and sick time.

"I'm used to seeing that money come out of my check for insurance premiums," an administrative assistant named Pam told us. "To me, it's more important to know I can stay home when I'm sick and not feel guilty about it, or not go in and work when I feel bad just because I'm afraid of using up all my days before the end of the year."

Jessica said: "Too many people work when they're sick, or come back before they're really ready. And it's not good for the rest of the office, because half the time they're just spreading germs around."

"I think having more paid vacation days is extra health insurance," said Linda. "It's important to take care of yourself. Everyone needs to balance work with time away from work. In the long run, I think people would do a better job when they're at work if they had more time to clear their heads and relax."

Elena, an aspiring artist, made another excellent point about balance and how it's a good thing for employers: "These corporate entities need to stop seeing (employees') outside interests as some kind of threat, or treat(ing) a person's extracurricular activities like they're going to bleed something important away from your efforts at work," she said. "If you have interests outside of work, I think it shows that you're a smart person...Wouldn't (employers) rather have smart, ambitious people working for them? So if you support your employees and their outside interests, and give them more time off to pursue those interests, I think you're going to get better employees all around. It's the ones who are unhappy and never get to do what they love who slack off at work or have a chip on their shoulder. Plus (an employer) can't really expect their entire secretarial staff to be as interested in the company's business as management and the executives. Those people went to school to do (the type of business the company engages in). And it's not like there are huge opportunities for advancement for secretaries. If (the company's business) was your one big interest in life, you probably wouldn't choose becoming a secretary as part of your career path. So (companies) have to accept that their support staff have outside interests. That's a good thing. They should support it!"

Of the 300 secretaries surveyed, only 46 receive four weeks or more of paid vacation (ouch!) Only 118 said they received more than 7 paid sick/personal days.

Most telling of all is the fact that only 12 out of 300 secretaries felt they received enough vacation, sick and personal days to adequately address their needs.

REAL Food for Dinner?: Easier Than You Think.

A Just A Sec Exclusive!



You work all day. You come home, you're hungry for dinner.

How many of us still have the energy to do anything more than pluck a cardboard box from the freezer and toss its contents into the microwave?

You made that new year's resolution to eat healthier. And sure, if you had a personal chef, you too could enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home every night. Maybe a nice filet of salmon and a compliment of fresh-from-the-farmstand veggies. But who has time to deal with "real" foods during the work week?

You do! Haven't you ever thought about steaming?

Kim hates to cook, especially after a busy day. And in an effort to eat "better", she found herself relying on low-fat frozen meals. The problem was, they left her dissatisfied. "They taste like the box they came in," she said. "And the portions leave me starving."

We challenged Kim to prepare a healthy dinner employing fresh, whole foods -- and with minimal effort. To help her out, we gave her a Nesco 5 Quart Steamer with Rice Bowl.

So what did Kim whip up for dinner?

"A swordfish steak, zuccini and rice," she told us. Sounds intimidating!



So what kind of work was involved? Here are Kim's steps to preparing her meal:

1. "I stuck the reservoir under the tap and filled it with water." (OK. So far, we can handle this. But surely it gets more complicated.)

2. "I unwrapped a filet of fish from the supermarket and put it inside the steamer tray with slices of zuccini." (Unwrapping and putting. Still with you, Kim.)

3. "I poured some water and rice into the rice bowl." (Poured...OK, still in the game...)

4. "I put the rice bowl into the second steamer tray, and then stacked the trays on top of each other and put on the lid."

5. "I plugged in the steamer, turned the timer dial. Later I took the food out of the steamer and ate it."

You're kidding. That's it?

Well, OK, but how was the food?

"Perfect!" Kim raved. "I wasn't sure how steamed swordfish was going to turn out. I don't know, I just had this prejudice in my head that if it was steamed, it was going to turn out soggy and gross. But it was delicious. It was flaky and tender. The rice was perfect. The vegetables were a little softer than I like them, but next time I'll know to set the timer for less time so they're a little crisp. Then if I'm cooking them with something else that needs more time, I can just re-set the timer to continue cooking the other thing. Or, add the zuccini in later."

We were impressed that the Nesco steamer was able to cook a complete meal all together.

So how was clean-up?

"Very easy. The product manual says the plastic trays are dishwasher-safe, but I don't have a dishwasher. So I tossed them in the sink with some warm soapy water while I ate, and half an hour later I was able to rinse them clean right under the tap. The food doesn't really stick to the plastic surface that much. The inside of the water reservoir wiped clean with a soapy sponge, then I just rinsed it out with a slosh of water."

Will Kim use the steamer on a regular basis?

"No doubt! I didn't know you could get something like this. I'm going to buy a lot more fresh food from now on. This is awesome!"

The Nesco steamer works with a wide variety of foods including grains, vegetables, fruits, eggs, seafood, meat and poultry. It comes with a 60 minute timer and is equipped with an automatic shut-off when it's out of water.

And this beautifully simple little appliance costs only $29.95.

For more information, visit www.nesco.com.

Get Your Boss to Buy a LaPazz D-Note for You.

A Just A Sec Exclusive!



Here's a fun and useful tool you just might be able to get your boss to pay for -- and you'll get all kinds of personal use from it, too.

The D-Note DNA500 Personal Note Recorder by LaPazz is perfect for the kind of secretary who's constantly being called into her boss's office to jot down instructions that fly from his or her mouth at the speed of light. With the DNA500, you'll never miss a detail.

And best of all, if you've got a boss who's always contradicting what he or she told you, you can E-MAIL them the very notes you took when they were spouting off!!! In other words, "See...I wrote it down right here, just like you told me. 'Tell Vince to order the BLUE tablecloths for the banquet...not PINK. BLUE. I wrote it RIGHT HERE..." And e-mailing it allows your boss to save (a little) face by reading it in an e-mail and not having to look at your and say they're sorry. (Because let's face it -- that's usually SO very difficult for them.) It saves you the trouble of doing the "ha ha you're wrong" dirty work face-to-face, too.

Here's how the D-Note works, in a nutshell. The D-Note is a super featherweight tablet with a pad of real lined paper attached. It comes with two real pens, one each in black and red ink.

Ready to jot down a note? Simply turn the D-Note's power on and start writing. Every word, illustration or scribble you write on a sheet of real paper is simultaneously being recorded inside the lightweight base.

Via a USB cord connection to you computer, notes are easily downloaded using the software that comes with your D-Note. Right there on your computer screen, saved as a .JPG file, is visible the page on which you hand-wrote your notes.

Once your notes have been loaded into the D-Note's special software, you can do all kinds of nifty things to them, including changing the color of the background, inserting artwork or photographs in the background, adding shapes, underlining, etc. Notes can be e-mailed to anyone in a simple step.

While working, the D-Note allows you to create notes in separate "workbooks", and letting the device know you're turning a page of your paper tablet is the easy work of pushing a button.

The manufacturer also sells separately software that recognizes your handwriting and converts it to editable text.

The D-Note is so light (and comes with a sleek carrying case), that you'll want to take it home with you every night for jotting down lists of chores, grocery lists, etc. -- and then distributing them to the spouse and kids via e-mail at work the next day. BRILLIANT!



You can own a D-Note DNA500 for as little as $49.99. For more information, Visit www.lapazz.com.

Surprising Recession Trend: Secretaries Hiring Secretaries

An unexpected trend has emerged from the ashes of thousands of lay-offs: overburdened secretaries hiring their own secretaries, with their own money.

With the trimming down of so many office staffs, secretaries and administrative assistants are finding themselves saddled with extra work as the duties of the departed are now being heaped on them.

To keep from losing their minds, certain clever secretaries are pooling their financial resources and paying out-of-work secretaries to help with both personal and work-related tasks, thereby relieving the pressure. And these hired "virtual assistants" are able to bring in some much-needed cash in an otherwise bleak job market.

A secretary we'll call Angela and two of her co-workers asked to remain anonymous, because they're concerned that their employer would not approve of them sharing work with an outsider.

"There's the confidentiality issue," Angela says. "I'm pretty sure my firm doesn't want anyone on the outside seeing our internal work product. I don't give anything sensitive to our secretary. And she doesn't care what she's looking at, she just needs to get paid like we all do. Of course, we don't want to get fired over this. But (our assistant) is a friend of mine, and I know I can trust her."

Despite the risks, Angela sees the "secret secretary-to-the-secretaries" solution as being resourceful. She's taking action where her employer can't or won't.

"My firm has a dumb rule about having no part-timers. If we had just one part-time secretary in our office it would make a huge difference to a lot of secretaries. I know (the firm) is trying to cut costs, but if the three of us (secretaries who are sharing a virtual assistant) can get enough money together from our salaries to pay for help, the firm should be able to do the same. But they won't."

"It doesn't make sense that they're willing to pay us extra for overtime, when that same money could probably pay for a part-time person," she added.

"We're not going to suffer just on principle," one of Angela's co-workers said. "It's true the firm should be able to get us a little extra help. But if they won't do it, why shouldn't we take matters into our own hands? I'd rather pay to keep from going out of my mind and be able to see my kids at night instead of being here 'til all hours of the night. If I said, 'I'm not paying out my own money for help on principle, because the firm should do it', I'd still be miserable and overworked. So let's just take control, pay up and be happier."

Another of Angela's co-workers added that "It's not just about the firm's money issues. Sometimes I think the reason we can't get what we need has more to do with being blocked by one stupid person in middle management who's either too stupid to take action or too afraid. If it was up to the managing partner, maybe we'd get a part-time helper. But we'll never get to him because we have to go through this terrible manager who's just not that smart."

So what kind of work do these secretaries-to-the-secretaries get? In the case of Angela's virtual assistant, it's a mix of the professional and the personal.

"Whatever we can farm out," Angela said. "I scan hand-written stuff and document mark-ups and e-mail them to her for typing. I know (one of my co-workers) gets her to make travel arrangements. She took care of a major pain-in-the-ass problem for me with the cable company the other day."

Similarly, across town, an entire office full of secretaries is handing work off to one recently laid-off co-worker at home in Queens. They, too, are on the down-low because of confidentiality issues.

"We know (our hired secretary) isn't going to do anything with the (company)information," Donna told us. "It makes sense for her to be doing the work anyway. She used to work here. She's seen all this stuff before."

Further uptown, two other secretaries, Nora and Rayna, are helping out a recently laid-off co-worker by paying her to run personal errands.

"We're buried in the work left behind when Leslie was fired," Nora said. "We don't leave the office for lunch anymore, and we're constantly staying late."

Until recently, this overworked lifestyle left them feeling like their lives were being lived on a treadmill.

"By the time the weekend comes, all you have time for is the shit you didn't get to do during the week," Rayna complained. "Laundry, go to the supermarket, all that crap. And if you have to make a phone call and be on hold or something, forget it. I don't have time for that at work, and a lot of people don't have hours on the weekend. It's just ridiculous. It's a stressful way to live."

But then Nora and Rayna got wise and started paying their unemployed friend Leslie to take care of personal errands for them, freeing up their evenings and weekends for just plain enjoying life.

"Oh my god, it's made a world of difference," Nora sighed. "It's absolutely worth the money. We have no regrets."

For Leslie, it means much-needed cash-in-hand, and a powerful weapon against inertia.

"If I didn't have things to take care of, I'd be completely depressed, sitting on my couch and stuffing my face," Leslie said. "(Helping Nora and Rayna) gives me a reason to get up every day and I feel good knowing I'm helping my own friends."

Nora and Rayna don't have the same concerns regarding confidentiality, because they chose to keep their noses clean and keep the work they give Leslie personal in nature. Leslie stays busy making phone calls, processing health insurance claims, sorting mail, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and even doing light cleaning.

They are, however, paying Leslie in cash under-the-table, $10 an hour.

The same seems to be true for everyone doing the secret secretary thing -- cash on the sly. But the arrangements differ from one situation to the next.

Donna and her fellow company secretaries -- all twelve of them -- pay their unemployed former co-worker per task, and each secretary takes individual responsibility for paying for the task he or she assigned. Their assistant gets $15 an hour. For any task that falls under an hour, she still gets the full $15.

Angela and company made an entirely different arrangement. They pay their assistant Valerie a flat hourly rate to remain on-call during certain hours -- $5 -- just for the security of knowing she's available. However, when work arises for Valerie, she gets an additional $10 per hour, or $10 per task if the task takes less than a full hour. The secretaries split the $5 on-call fee equally, but individually pony up the extra cash for any tasks they've personally assigned to Valerie.

If you're interested in getting help on the side, and you want an arrangement that's as risk-free as possible, consider keeping your hired hand's duties in the realm of the personal, and ask him or her to sign an Independent Contractor Agreement. When your assistant is an independent contractor, they are responsible for reporting their income to the IRS, and you need not withhold taxes from their pay. However, treating someone as an independent contractor comes with some rules. Get familiar with them on the IRS web site. They're fairly simple rules to comply with, so don't let them discourage you from putting a fellow secretary back to work.

-- Margaret Haney

It's YOUR Day!

So, it's Administrative Professionals Day, formerly known as Secretaries' Day.

Do you care?

Tell Just A Sec just how wonderful (or not-so-wonderful) this annual day in YOUR honor truly is. E-mail us.

Thanks!

Employers Underpaying Secretaries...Because They CAN?

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

By Teresa Illiano

This time last year, Julia was earning $68,000 a year as a legal secretary in midtown Manhattan.

After getting laid off earlier this year, she interviewed for three similar positions requiring the same or even more challenging skill sets. The highest salary offered among those three jobs was $48,000.

"I think employers are definitely taking advantage of the recession and the tough job market," said Julia. "I think they know how many applicants they have to choose from, and they're going to offer as little as possible, regardless of what you happen to be worth."

Julia didn't get the impression that any of the companies she interviewed with were suffering financially. At least not enough to underpay her so dramatically. "If they're doing so badly, maybe they should start by selling the overpriced designer furniture in the waiting area. Or the original Lichtenstein over the receptionist's desk, you know?"

Deanna, another legal secretary in a highly specialized area of law, was laid off before the end of 2008. Her employer cited economic issues when laying off a handful of support personnel. Deanna was earning $65,000 annually.

Now Deanna is learning that her former employer is hiring new secretaries. They haven't asked Deanna or any of her fired co-workers back. Instead, they're filling in the gaps with cheaper labor.

"One of them is supporting my guys, so she's essentially my replacement. I have it on good authority that this new chick is making $52,000," Deanna told us. That's more than $10,000 less than Deanna was earning for supporting the same people and performing the same work.

Are employers using the economy as an excuse to clean house of their higher-paid secretaries? Are employers taking advantage of the skyrocketing number of unemployed workers to underpay skilled secretaries and pocket the difference, simply because they can?

Employers may think they're striking a savvy deal now, but will their decisions come back to haunt them later?

It already happened for "Neil", an attorney in a very small firm in midtown, who agreed to talk to us if we didn't reveal his identity.

Neil had the same secretary for eight years before she resigned to move out of state. "She was terrific," he said. "She really knew her stuff."

When it came time to find his secretary's replacement, Neil saw an opportunity to put some money back in his pocket. "I did hire a gal for about $20,000 less (than what I paid my former secretary). I admit it, I was trying to save a buck. Well, 20,000 bucks, to be specific."

But within weeks, Neil ended up firing the secretary who'd work for $20,000 less, "...because she couldn't hold a candle to my old secretary."

Would Neil have been as quick to fire his new secretary if he didn't think he had a huge pool of unemployed secretaries to choose from?

"No question," Neil confessed. "I felt like I had better options, so I interviewed again, and hired another girl."

Neil hired the new new secretary for, again, $20,000 less than his stellar, eight-year secretary.

"I fired her too," said Neil. "She just didn't have the right instincts, the right sense of responsibility."

Neil now has a secretary he thinks he'll stick with -- as long as she'll have him. She has the experience and qualities to do the job well, and Neil bit the bullet and offered her a salary comparable to that of his original secretary.

Neil says, "I really think when you try to cut corners and take advantage of a situation like this (recession), you come up short in the end. I really do think you get what you pay for."

When a secretary is laid off and then, out of necessity, has to take a job for significantly less pay, will she resent it? Will she perform her job with the same enthusiasm and loyalty knowing that she's worth much more? And if she suspects for even a moment that her employer could have met her most recent salary but simply decided not to, how devoted an employee will she be?

Diane weighs in:

"If I had to take a job for $20,000 less than what I was making just a few months ago, and then the economy got better and I had more options, I would not hesitate to leave. They were looking out for their own asses when they tried to get a super secretary for cheap. Well, I have to look out for my ass, too, and do what's best for me."

Some unemployed secretaries are refusing to work for significantly less than they were making before their lay-off, because they feel it does irreparable damage to the work history they've built.

"It took me twelve years to get to $70,000," Lois told us. "If I take a job for, say, $50,000 now, how can I expect to build on that $70,000 ever again? Any job I get in the future will pay me based on the $50K. It's like all those years of work and loyalty never happened. I got pushed back to a level from when I was still in my twenties. It's smarter for me to stay on unemployment and wait and see."

Some secretaries will hold out for indicators of a stronger economy before seeking a job similar to what they had. Others will have to take what they can get. But when that brighter day comes (and it's bound to, eventually), those compromising secretaries just might leave their cunning employers in the lurch, without a second thought.

Like Neil said: you get what you pay for.

Get Pricy, Healthy Snacks on the Cheap -- Here's How.

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

Got a sweet tooth that flairs up around 3 PM?

Would you love to replace those junky candy bars with healthful, super-sweet and delicious dehydrated fruit snacks from the health food store, but you just can't afford that regular expense?

In our 'hood, dried strawberries go for about $8 a pound, and dried raspberries, $17 a pound!!!! No wonder so many of us reach for the M&Ms -- they're a quick fix for less than a buck. (A fix that doesn't last very long, however -- you're sugar-crashing an hour later.)

Maybe, like us, you looked at those neatly sealed bags of pricy dried fruit and automatically assumed they came from giant drying factories, and that nobody had the ability to do the same thing at home. At least not without a lot of fuss. And who needs that?

We were delighted to discover that fruit-drying can be done at home, very simply, using personal food dehydrators by Nesco.



To test the ease of the process, our volunteer Stacia put the Nesco Snackmaster Express Dehydrator and Jerky Maker, Model FD-60, to the test. Never having used a food dehydrator before, in one weekend, Stacia dried enough strawberries to feed all the secretaries in her office during the following Monday's 3 PM energy plunge.

So did Stacia have to labor the entire weekend for those few moments of glory?

"No, it was easy. Much easier than I expected," she said. "I sliced the strawberries in half, placed them on the (dehydrator's) trays, turned the dial (on the dehydrator) to the recommended temp for strawberries, and came back six hours later. They were done. I put them into baggies and stored them in the fridge 'til Monday morning."

Wow -- pretty simple!

The dehydrator is made up of a plastic base, a lid (which contains the drying mechanism -- fan, temperature gauge, etc.), and a stack of trays in between on which fruit is placed for drying. Stacia's Snackmaster Express came with four trays, but additional trays may be purchased and added to the machine, creating a taller "tower" with space to dry even more fruit at one time.

The dehydrator's literature stresses the option of pre-treating fruit before drying it. Although not necessary, pre-treatment reportedly gives dried fruits a longer shelf life, and for fruits that tend to brown (like apples), it reduces browning.

Stacia opted not to pre-treat (to save prep time) and still got a perfect product that her co-workers raved about. But pre-treatment would have been as simple as soaking her strawberry slices in fruit juice for five minutes before drying.

We were impressed by the variety of things the Nesco FD-60 is designed to do.

Besides drying fruit (not just for snacks, but for adding to granola, yogurt, cereal, etc.), the Snackmaster Express comes with a special tray for making your own "Fruit Roll-up"-type snacks using your own homemade puree. Nesco's dehydrator comes with recipes for fruit roll flavors like "Orange Julius", "Strawberry Daiquiri", "Strawberry Cream Cheese" and "Pina Colada".

The Snackmaster dries vegetables and herbs for use in stews, soups, casseroles, marinades, pizza, breads, etc.

The Snackmaster is also a jerky maker. Dried meat snacks aren't cheap. Making your own is much cheaper.

For you crafty types, the Nesco Snackmaster Express FD-60 will keep you busy in all sorts of new ways, drying plants and flowers for potpourri, dried flower arrangements, wreaths, etc. There are some clever instructions for drying dough ornaments, too.

Stacia added that cleaning the dehydrator was also easier than expected. "I thought if any part of this process would be hard work, it would be cleaning those trays. They have all those little slots in them and I thought I'd end up spending a lot of time cleaning them up. But I just let them sit in my sink full of warm soapy water for a few minutes and the pink residue from the strawberries rinsed right off with plain water."

You should know that dehydrated foods, when stored in a cool, dry place, can last a year or longer.

You might even find ways to bring in extra income with a Nesco dehydrator -- think about it.

You can get your own Nesco Snackmaster Express for $59.95 at www.nesco.com. Not only is it affordable, but it quickly pays for itself.

Thai Lunch @ POOKET: Skip it!!

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

We sent Kathy, one of our volunteer restaurant reviewers, out to find a Thai lunch special near her workplace. She landed at Pooket at 945 Second Avenue at 50th Street.

She thought the lunch menu looked promising: 30 different items to choose from for $7.95, which included complementary soup of the day or house salad.

It was a bad experience from the moment Kathy walked in.

"The service was completely chaotic," she said. "It looked like there were two kids running around the dining room trying to do everything."

"First, they sat me down and forgot to give me a menu," she went on. "Eventually the waitress came back. I gave her a blank look, she looked at the empty table and said, 'Oh, you didn't get a menu yet?' Bad sign! Especially when a lot of people are in a hurry to get back to work at lunchtime. How hard is it to remember to give someone a menu when they sit down? I mean, shouldn't that be second nature for the hostess?"

"I couldn't believe it when the guy came with my salad and soup," said Kathy. "He literally threw the bowls on the table as he whizzed by." She also added, "I noticed the menu said you have your choice of soup or salad, but they gave me both. Were they too overworked or careless to bother asking, so they just gave everyone both? Or was that a menu typo? I'll never know."

And how were the soup and salad?

"They were both completely disgusting. Let me just say that I am not a picky eater. I will eat a lot of mediocre food when I'm hungry and not complain. But I took one bite of that disgusting salad and pushed the bowl away. If you'd been sitting there watching me, you'd clearly see how disgusted I was. I'm sure I made a total face."

"The salad was a meager portion of wet lettuce and a cucumber slice in a bowl without dressing. It tasted like something you'd eat out of the dumpster at the end of the day."

"The soup was like dishwater. Water with a vague hint of onion flavor, filled with limp pieces of cabbage, exactly three julienne slices of carrots the size of blades of thin grass, and exactly three squares of tofu."

As for the entree, Kathy kept it uncomplicated and ordered her favorite thing: classic Pad Thai with chicken. She knew what to expect, and had plenty of Pad Thai experiences to compare it with.

"I ate it. It tasted OK. But it was not the best Pad Thai I've ever had. No way. First of all, it was incredibly watery. The whole thing was sitting in a pool of broth, which is NOT how Pad Thai should be served."

She went on, "One of the things I love about Pad Thai is the different textures in your mouth of the smooth noodles and the fresh crunchy peanut crumbles. Pooket did one thing right -- they served the peanut crumbles on the side so you could put them on the noodles yourself and they wouldn't soak up the moisture before getting to the table. The problem was, the peanuts they served didn't taste freshly-chopped anyway. They arrived in a clump. Like they'd been stored for a while and the bits got all stuck together. I had to put the clump on top of the noodles, and break it apart with my fork. Not first-class Pad Thai."

"They were too busy to check on me during the meal, it seemed they were so understaffed and just wanted to throw bad food at you and get you out the door." "While I was eating, I noticed one customer across the room had a problem with his check. It seemed he was charged too much. And a guy at the table next to me at one point was calling out, 'Excuse me! Excuse me!' Then he turned to his friends and said, 'Nobody's looking!' So I don't think I was the only one who was unhappy."

So Kathy, how was the decor?

"The place was really shabby. I was surprised. I haven't seen a place that bad in a while. (The upholstery in) almost every booth was ripped to pieces, and they repaired them with so much black tape it was ridiculous. One booth had black tape going all the way up the side."

"It seems like Pooket has been trying to cut costs for a long time with the bad condition of the dining room. Taping up their booths, please! I don't know how long they've been passing off the poor ingredients in the food, but I think Pooket is suffering the effects of the economy, and they're passing the suffering on to the customer. I will never go there again." A note from the editorial department: we went to the Pooket web site address as printed on their take-out menu and found the account had "been suspended". Does this lend muscle to Kathy's theory that Pooket is trying to cut expenses? Web site account suspended, restaurant understaffed, pathetic ingredients and meager portions? We couldn't help but wonder.

Just to play devil's advocate here: Kathy, it was $7.95, for an entree, soup and salad. What do you expect?

"I've been working in New York for a long time. I've been to a lot of places. There are plenty of places with that kind of lunch special, where the food is decent. I can't believe Pooket gets away with being so bad when they have so much competition."

Kathy added this excellent point: "...getting a free soup and salad isn't a great value if what you're getting is tasteless shit that won't stick to your ribs, makes you want to hurl, and you'll probably not eat it anyway. What are you getting for free? Garbage. You're getting water and a couple of water-logged vegetables as thin as paper. So you've just paid $7.95 for mediocre food, when you could've walked down the block and found five other places who will feed you something decent for that much, or less."

In midtown east, when you're craving Thai, skip Pooket. You work hard for the money -- get fed by people who care about your satisfaction and your business.

Two Ways to Save $$$ on Work Clothes

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

There's no getting around it: you need a decent work wardrobe. And few secretaries we know are finding a surplus in their fashion budget these days.

But we know of at least two ways to save money while still dressing your best:

METHOD #1: Stop Paying for Pressing; Spray the Wrinkles Away!



Who likes ironing? It's so much easier to hand off your stuff to the drycleaner and let them worry about getting your shirts crisp, smooth and office-ready. Of course, that can get expensive.

All right, so you can't imagine doing all that ironing yourself, no matter how much money it saves. Hey, we respect that. We don't iron anymore either. We found a surprisingly effective alternative for lazy people: Grandma's Secret Wrinkle Remover. It's a secret we're happy to share.

We don't understand how this stuff works -- we just marvel that it does.

Here's how to duplicate our test: Take your favorite shirt and hang it on a hanger. Spray Grandma's Secret Wrinkle Remover on the shirt. Then, work the wrinkles out with a combination of two motions: tug the garment down and outward gently to pull the fabric flat so the wrinkles flatten, too. Then smooth the fabric out with the palms of your hands, as if your hands were irons. Work your way around the garment one section at a time, tugging and smoothing. This doesn't take long, mere moments. You'll be amazed at how smooth and tidy the garment becomes in no time at all. Plus, the clean scent of Grandma's Secret Wrinkle Remover freshens your clothes and chases away any stale odors in the garment. Give the garment about two minutes to air-dry and it's ready to wear!

Try not to worry about your drycleaner's receipts when you stock up on Grandma's Secret Wrinkle Remover instead at www.GrandmasSoap.com. A four-pack of 8-ounce spray bottles goes for $19.95.


METHOD #2: Keep the Clothes You've Got in Good Shape.



Stretch your budget by stretching your wardrobe into one more season. Trust us, in these economic times, no one will blame you for giving last year's clothes at least one more go 'round.

One of the most common reasons that clothes get discarded from one year to the next is stains. And they always seem to fall right smack in the middle of your best sweater or blouse, where it can't be hidden with a scarf or piece of jewelry, right?

In a downtown legal office, a group of secretaries kept a set of Carbona Stain Devils on-hand for several months, and promised to use them as needed. Carbona's Stain Devils are specially designed to treat specific stains. Carbona makes Stain Devil formulas to treat:

- Gum & Glue
- Ketchup & Sauce
- Ink & Crayon
- Blood & Milk
- Fat/Grease/Oil
- Make-Up & Grass
- Motor Oil & Lubricant
- Fruit & Red Wine
- Rust

Each special formula also treats other, similar stains. For example, the Stain Devil for Gum & Glue also removes stains from correction fluid and nail polish.

During our secretaries' test period, they found occasions to reach for Carbona's Stain Devil formulas for Ketchup & Sauce, Ink & Crayon, and Gum & Glue.

Carla used the Stain Devil for Ketchup & Sauce to get rid of a barbecue sauce stain. "I noticed the stain right away, so I treated it right away. I had to wait several hours to go home and be able to throw my shirt in the laundry, but the stain came out like it was never there to begin with."

Irina had similar results with Carbona's Stain Devil for Ink & Crayon on a blue ink stain. "No, I didn't notice the stain right away," she said. "In fact, I didn't see it 'til I got on the subway at the end of the day, but I waited 'til the next day to take that Carbona bottle home from work to try it out." Even after letting the stain set in for at least 36 hours before treatment, Irina found that Carbona did a great job of getting rid of the stain. "I didn't bring the bottle back to the office," she confessed. "The stuff worked too good, so I kept it."

Diane was equally pleased when she used Carbona's Stain Devil for Gum & Glue on a sweater. "I got some gooey *#@# on my sweater from a strip of double-sided tape," she complained. "I got most of the gooey part off in little rolled-up balls, but it left behind a sticky mark." "I used the formula for Gum (& Glue) and it lifted out the stickiness, and when the sweater was washed there was no spot leftover. You couldn't tell where the tape had been." "I probably would've gotten rid of (the sweater) if I couldn't get that spot out." It sounds like Carbona saved Diane's sweater!

So the next time you get a stain that you think is hopeless -- including shoe polish, suntan lotion, Vaseline -- stop by the supermarket on your way home from work and get the Carbona Stain Devil made for your stain. It's one of the best ways we know to extend the life of your wardrobe!

The Carbona web site lists all the different types of stains each type of Stain Devil treats, and you can buy them individually for $3.49, or get the entire line for $27.92.

Beauty Secrets from the Secretarial Pool

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

These are serious times. But too much seriousness is just...well, too much seriousness. Our worries will still be there tomorrow, so let's give ourselves a break by turning our attention to something completely frivolous: our looks.

The winter can wreak havoc on our hair and skin, among other things. By the time February rolls around, many of us could use a little beauty TLC. And as much as we at Just A Sec believe it's what's on the inside that counts, there's no denying that when you look your best, it gives your whole outlook a boost.

Well, we weren't willing to wait for spring -- we wanted the glow of youth and renewal YESTERDAY. So we asked several secretaries to give up their personal beauty secrets. We wanted in on their discoveries -- things that really work and have a significant impact.

Here's the scoop:

Longer Lashes, Without a Prescription
RAPIDLASH EYELASH RENEWAL SERUM



"I would say, the one thing I've used that's made the biggest difference for me is RapidLash," confided Lisa in lower Manhattan. Rapidlash is an eyelash renewal serum that gives the appearance of longer, fuller lashes while nourishing your lashes to make them grow in thicker and healthier.

"Every night I put it on before bedtime, like the instructions recommend," said Lisa. "You use it just like liquid eyeliner. It goes on clear and you can use it on your upper or lower lashes. It doesn't sting, it doesn't irritate my eyes. It just feels like eyeliner, basically, until it dries."

"In about a month, I really did see a noticeable difference in my eyelashes. I have puny little eyelashes to begin with and after using RapidLash, not only were my lashes longer and there were more of them, but for some reason when I wore mascara, I got less clumping. It just seemed like my eyelashes defined themselves better individually. And that part happened for me right away. I didn't have to wait a month for that."

RapidLash claims to work by delivering essential proteins, vitamins, moisturizing and rejuvenating ingredients to replenish and strengthen the structure of lashes, while adding shine and elasticity. They also say it works just as well on eyebrows, although Lisa only uses RapidLash on her lashes.

Rapidlash sells for $49.95. For more information and to purchase, visit www.RapidLash.com.


Work Magic on Droopy Eyelids
REVITALEYES EYELID SERUM



"I don't have any problem with my face, no wrinkles yet and my complexion is usually pretty clear. But God, do I hate my eyelids," Noreen admitted. "My eyes are deep-set. It's a family trait, and we all have heavy eyelids to begin with. I feel like my droopy eyelids make me look old before my time, and it's worse when I'm tired or have a cold."

"I tried RevitalEyes and I was really surprised by how quickly it worked," Noreen told us. "Granted, if you want it to work all day, you do have to reapply it a couple of times. At least that's what I find. But it really will give your eyes an instant pick-up."

RevitalEyes Eyelid Serum by Reviva Labs is a lightweight, silky liquid that you apply to your eyelids. It's designed to improve the tone and appearance of the delicate skin above the eye that's so prone to sagging.

Noreen applies RevitalEyes on her eyelids, all the way to the brows, and gets the best results when she tugs the skin gently upwards with her fingertips, smoothing the serum up from eyelid-to-brow in delicate sweeps. "It seems to lift the eyelid skin and the serum somehow keeps it in place, more lifted. I get an instant more wide-eyed look. I don't know how it works, I just know it makes a difference. I don't feel like my eyes are buried deep inside a lump of eyelid skin anymore!"

Noreen added, "I keep the bottle with me at all times and when I feel like I need a perk, I just rub some more on."

RevitalEyes costs $23.00 a bottle and can be purchased at www.RevivaLabs.com.


THEE Cure for Itchy, Dry Winter Skin. Period.
OLAY IN-SHOWER BODY LOTION



"I can't say enough good things about Olay's In-Shower Body Lotion," said Julie, an administrative assistant near Rockefeller Center. "Every year starting around October, I get itching, burning skin on my legs. If you looked at the skin close-up, it looked like the cracked surface of a desert. Soon after that my arms, boobs and butt start itching like CRAZY. It's like the cold weather just sucks the moisture right out of my body."

Olay In-Shower Body Lotion works differently from regular lotions, because you apply it to your clean, wet skin while you're still in the shower. "It's very easy to use, and it saves a lot of time.," Julie told us. "You don't have to spend several minutes rubbing lotion into every inch of your body. It goes on so smooth in the shower, and spreads over your body in seconds."

"You put it on right before you get out of the shower, as a last step. And it's like it locks the moisture from your shower right into your body. It kind of feels like you've got this protective layer over your body, but not in a gross way. Your skin feels so amazing and smooth, and even when you dry off with a towel, it doesn't rub away the moisture."

"I can still feel the softness of my skin when I get in bed at night. It literally lasts all day. My skin feels amazing slipping between the sheets. And I love the way it smells, very clean, but not overpowering."

"Olay's In-Shower Body Lotion is probably the single most successful product I've ever used in my life. It takes care of your dry skin right away, and I mean completely cures it. I would recommend it to anybody."

Olay In-Shower Body Lotion is sold in the skin care or shower gel sections of most drug stores for about $6, or buy online at www.olay.com.


Put On a Happy Face
SOMME INSTITUTE SKINCARE REGIMEN



"I've never been the kind of person to get suckered into buying all those products in fancy skincare lines like they sell behind the counters in department stores," Leslie told us. "I never thought it was necessary to go through twenty different steps every morning and night to have good skin. But I will tell you, when I started using the Somme Institute stuff, I got so hooked on it, I never use anything else now."

So, does that mean Leslie sucked it up and goes through twenty paces? "No, it's not that many steps," she laughed. "It's actually only five. And they're all worth it!"

What makes Somme Institute products so remarkable is their patent pending MDT5 delivery system, which nourishes the skin on a deep, penetrating level with Vitamins A, B3, B5, C and E. According the Leslie, this system really works.

Somme has worked its groundbreaking technology into a line of skincare products, including the 5-step daily skincare regimen that Leslie follows, which includes a cleanser, "Transport" toner pads, a serum, "A-Bomb" moisturizer, and Double Defense, a protecting sunblock with SPF 30+. Somme also makes specialized applications for the eyes and neck.

"I wouldn't say I ever had problem skin," says Leslie, "but I will say that the Somme products make my skin look consistently really good. I have fewer break-outs before my period, and just on a day-to-day basis, my skin has a nice glow and a clarity to it. I guess it's hard to describe. It just looks healthy, not dull. I also noticed a reduction in freckles on my cheeks and forehead that I started to develop in my late 20s. I'm not kidding, they're lighter now than they've ever been since I started using these (Somme Institute) products."

"I hope they never stop making this line because I will never, ever want to use anything else!" Somme Institute gets high marks from Leslie!

Somme Institute skin products range in price from $40 to $82 individually, but you can land a great deal with their Mobile kit which includes the basic 5-steps products in small travel sizes for $85.00. For more information and how to buy, visit www.SommeInstitute.com.

Bedtime Gets an Upgrade

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

At Just A Sec, we believe in making weeknight bedtimes as cozy and welcoming as possible.

Drifting off into a heavenly, quality sleep goes a long way towards having a happier workday the next day. When you sleep well, you feel better. Tasks seem closer to effortless. You're nicer to people, so they act nicer to you.

So why aren't you looking forward to your bedtime?

Angeline is a secretary in midtown who, for months, wasn't getting enough sleep, and the quality of sleep she was getting was poor. She volunteered to test our drug-free, three-step formula for giving the end of the day a well-deserved upgrade. Here's her feedback:

Step One: The Happy Company Sleep Mask



First, we advised Angeline to sink into her own private world with The Happy Company's Sleep Mask. Not only would it block out any annoying light from streetlights, a too-full moon, etc., but the soothing lavendar tucked inside the lining would calm her senses, aromatherapy-style.

"I've never worn a sleep mask in my life," said Angeline. "It's not something I ever thought I needed. I always imagined they'd be kind of uncomfortable, anyway. Like why would you want to sleep in one of those?" But Angeline's experience with The Happy Company's sleep mask changed her mind. "This is really nice. I'm hooked now," she admitted. "It's really soft, it smells wonderful, and it wasn't tight like I imagined a sleep mask would be. It fit really comfortably, and the sensation of having the mask on my face turned out to be really comforting. It was very light and soft. It was like someone gently encouraging my eyes to rest."

The Happy Company's sleep mask is made of 100% cotton flannel. features a "lights out" lining, and fluffy-as-a-cloud filling with lots of lavender. It has fouble elastic straps and comes in two color choices: lavendar or cream. Cost: $8.95. Find out how to get yours at www.thehappycompany.com.


Step Two: The Happy Company Body Wrap



Next, we prescribed the sleep mask's perfect companion: The Happy Company's soft flannel Body Wrap. It features a grain-filled insert which can be heated in the microwave for steady, long-lasting heat comfort. And like the sleep mask, it too contains lavendar for sweet, soothing aromatherapy.

When we asked Angeline about her experience with the Body Wrap, she rolled her eyes and sighed. "If I'd known about one of the these, I would've used one a long time ago."

"It seems like in the old days, people went to bed with hot water bottles a lot. But that never struck me as especially soothing," Angeline told us. "(The Happy Company Body Wrap) is another story. It really melted away my tension. I felt like a happy little infant drifting off in her crib! Most of the time I fall asleep with it flat under my shoulder blades, while I'm laying on my back. But occasionally I'll curl up on my side and just hug it to me." "Oh, and it's really nice when you have menstrual cramps," she added. "Is that TMI?"

The Happy Company Body Wrap has a machine washable cover, which comes in your color choice of lavender or cream. Cost: $16.53. Find out how to get yours at www.thehappycompany.com.


Step Three: Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow with Sound Therapy System




"This was the magic ingredient," Angeline said of the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow and Sound Therapy System. "This changed my world."

"I used to stay up late every night watching TV shows I really didn't care that much about. And here's the stupid reason: I felt like by going to bed, I might be missing something. Not on TV, I mean just in general. Like life was passing me by if I went to sleep. Meanwhile, I'd be getting so freakin' tired. I told you, it was stupid. It was completely psychological and made no sense. Total anxiety."

Sound Oasis made its first difference for Angeline by making her look forward to going to bed. "Oh. Oh, you don't know. I value that time so much now. It's my time. Better than a trip to a spa, I'm not kidding."

The Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow is a standard-size pillow with two slender speakers buried inside. A plug extending from the side of the pillow attaches to the Sound Oasis Sound Therapy System, a small, sleek machine that produces sounds scientifically designed by doctors to relax and/or induce sleep.

When laying one's head on the Sleep Therapy Pillow, the sounds from the Sound Therapy System gently surround you in ambient music or sound effects. There's also a button to optionally launch Sound Oasis's patented Sleep Enhancement technology, which alters your chosen sound to specifically lull you into sleep, rather than just relaxing you.

Angeline reported that since using the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow and Sound Therapy System, she's been getting more sleep, and sleeping much better through the night. She's "less grumpy in the morning" and more attentive during the day. She also told us her frequent headaches have disappeared.

The Sound Therapy System uses tiny sound cards, each loaded with 12 amazingly soothing sounds. The system comes with the "Sleep/Relaxation/Wellness" sound card. Others are available, including "Ear Therapy" and "Spa Retreat".

"I'm not sure I can pick a favorite (sound)," said Angeline. "There are a few I use all the time. I like the ocean, thunderstorm, and some of the musical ones."

Angeline described her experience with the product. "This is the most relaxing thing in the world. Every night I lay my head on that fabulous pillow, and I get completely lost in the sound. The speakers are positioned just right, so you really feel surrounded. I find it works best when I lay on my back. You get real stereo that way. But it's still great when I sleep on my side."

"I never feel the speakers," she added. "It's not uncomfortable at all. You would think you'd feel these hard speakers in there, but you don't."

"I find that the SE button really works to put me to sleep." (She means the "Sleep Enhancement" feature.) "On the weekend sometimes I just lay down for a while and chill out, but I don't press the SE button, and I find I'm able to relax, but not drop off into a nap when I don't really want one."

Angeline uses her Sound Therapy System with its timer feature. You can program the machine to play the sound of your choice for 30, 60, or 90 minutes before gently fading away to silence. This way, it doesn't run all night while you sleep.

The Sound Therapy System also works like an alarm clock, allowing you to wake to a buzzer or your favorite sound.

"It's not for couples," Angeline cautioned. "If you're sleeping next to someone, they can hear the sounds too. The speakers don't work like private earphones. So it's best if you sleep alone, or if your partner doesn't mind the sound therapy. Actually, they'd probably enjoy it."

Here are a few other things you should know:

-- Pillow speakers are removeable, and the pillow is washable.
-- Pillow speakers don't just work with the Sound Therapy System -- you can plug them into your MP3 player, CD player, or TV!
-- You can buy the pillow and Sound Therapy System separately
-- The Sound Therapy System comes with an AC adapter for plugging into the wall, but it will also run on batteries for portability
-- Pillow has hypoallergenic polyester fiberfill

The Sleep Therapy Pillow costs $49.99. The Sound Therapy System retails for $99.99. Buy directly from Sound Oasis at www.sound-oasis.com.

The Tricked-Out Desk: Winter Duo!

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

During the work week, you spend more waking hours at your desk than you do in the comfort of your own home. So why not make your desk as homey as possible?

Here are two new goodies that Just A Sec loves. They make our workspaces healthier, happier places to be. Check 'em out!:

Beat The Winter Blues:
The Sunlight 365 Mood-Enhancing Light Box



Most of us have heard of "SAD" -- Seasonal Affective Disorder. When winter sets in, some of us suffer from SAD symptoms like depression and fatigue. An increasingly common treatment for SAD is light therapy -- that is, exposure to bright lights that mimic natural sunlight.

Seasonal depression, ay? Like you needed another reason to feel like crap at work! But the good news is, you could feel a lot better every day, starting now -- with a Sunlight 365 by Zadro.

The Sunlight 365 is the perfect size for your desk -- it fits in the palm of your hand -- about the size of a pocket calculator. It has a built-in stand that props the Sunlight 365 up on your desk surface and bathes you in therapeutic light while you work. A simple-to-use control panel allows you to make adjustments to the intensity of light and how long you're exposed. You can choose to let the Sunlight 365 run for 15, 30 or 45 minutes at a time, and then the light shuts off automatically. In fact, the Sunlight 365 even lets you create and save three different "programs", or combinations of intensities and lengths of exposure. It plugs into an electric outlet. The Sunlight 365 also comes with a soft carrying case -- handy for taking it home for a happier weekend!

Save a fortune on anti-depressants -- get your Sunlight 365 for $59.95 today from Zadro.


Your Secret Weapon:
The Sunpentown Personal Humidifier



A humidifier can keep you healthy, beautiful and feeling your best. It adds moisture to the air and helps eliminate itchy, cracked skin, a dry nose and allergy and asthma problems. And did you know that many viruses that cause sickness can only live in a low humidity environment? That means they'll die out in an environment where the moisture level is raised by a humidifier.

All great reasons to use one -- but who wants to hook up a big, clunky humidifier on their desk? How many of us have that kind of room?

Sunpentown has a treat for you! Their Personal Humidifier is the cutest thing we've ever seen, and it's got substance behind its style. This tiny humidifier is about 4" long and 2.5" wide!! And get this: it works with an ordinary plastic water bottle. That's right -- there's no tank. Just keep a small bottled water bottle on-hand, fill it at the water cooler, and attach it to the Personal Humidifier. This smart little device comes with two different adapters to fit small and large water bottles.

We were impressed by how efficiently this baby works. It quietly emits a steady stream of cool mist, which is adjustable with a low-to-high dial. There's even a light-up indicator to let you know when it's time to refill the water. The Personal Humidifier plugs into an electric outlet. Choose from three colors: all-white, black-and-white, or pink-and-white.

Your overall well-being is priceless -- so invest in your Personal Humidifier for $59.00 today at Sunpentown.

WIN: A Package O' Perks!

Here's an on-the-job perk: you could win a goody box filled with fine things to make your work day more pleasant -- from Just A Sec!

E-mail justasecnyc@yahoo.com. Type "Package o' Perks" into the subject line, and include the following info in your e-mail:

Your name
Mailing address
E-mail address
Age
Job Title (if you have one).

We will not share your information with any outside parties.

Yes, if you've entered before, you must enter again for a new chance to win!

We must receive your e-mail no later than midnight EST on January 30, 2008. A random winner will be chosen and notified by e-mail shortly after the deadline.

Congratulations to Alva P. from Staten Island, NY, winner of our December Package o' Perks!

Good luck!

Cold, Wet City -- Warm, Dry Feet!

A Just A Sec Exclusive!



You kept putting it off and putting it off. But winter weather has arrived in the Big Apple, and admit it: your feet are feelin' it.

It's time to invest in a good pair of boots that will keep your feet toasty warm and dry while navigating snow piles at the bus stop and chilly streetcorner puddles. Not to mention, they should be comfortable to support everyday pounding of the pavement and scaling multiple levels of subway staircases.

You've come to trust the opinions of our real-secretary reviewers, and we appreciate that. Three of our volunteers braved the recent wintry weather in footwear by Teva, Sorel, and Ulu, putting them to the test just for you. Here's their feedback:

The Aniso eVent by Teva: A Weatherproof Alternative to The Boot



Lori worked and shopped through weather that spit icy rain from the sky, through slippery snow-covered sidewalks and bitter cold in Teva's Aniso eVent shoes.

"I'm not really a boot person, so I was already excited when I saw these shoes," she told us. But was she disappointed with how they wore? No way! "I really felt like they were a protective cocoon around my feet without a boot against my ankles and legs, which I hate. They were substantial and warm and my feet stayed completely dry. Nothing got into these shoes." Must be the waterproof "eVent" membrane.

"But at the same time, they're so lightweight," Lori continued. "When you look at them, they look so sturdy and serious, you almost expect them to be heavy and clunky. I was totally shocked. They weigh almost nothing."

Did they keep her feet warm? "Oh, totally!" Lori confirmed. "Yeah. I was standing on cold pavement for a long time yesterday and I felt completely shielded."

Lori seemed impressed with the all-around comfort of Teva's Aniso eVent, too. "I feel springy in these shoes!" she laughed. "I know this will make me sound like a commercial, but these shoes actually make me feel like I want to walk!" Not surprising, since Teva's web site describes this shoe's encapsulated "Shoc Pad", molded sockliner with ortholite comfort technology, and high density shank for underfoot stability.

Lori was so sold on the Teva Aniso eVent, she said she planned to wear them every day from now on.

For a shoe-like, weatherproof alternative to boots, the Teva Aniso eVent sounds like a can't-lose way to spend your hard-earned money! They come in three colors (red, blue and olive) and sell for about $100. Get yours direct from Teva.


The Pakua by Sorel: Cute, But at What Cost?



When wintry weather hit last week, Erin gave the Pakua boot by Sorel a go. She immediately liked the appearance of this boot -- a sort of "urban Inuit" look. Round-toed; a sporty 6.5" shaft; shearling collar and lining; an adorable suede double-lace that wraps around the boot and holds a decorative shell button at the front.

She liked the feel of them immediately, too. "They felt luscious on my feet," she said. Probably the coziest things I've ever had on my feet. I never wanted to take them off. I could probably sleep in them."

They even held up nicely to cold, wet weather, with their 100% waterproof suede upper and natural rubber outsole. Erin reported that her feet stayed plenty warm and dry through rain, sleet and snow -- yep, we saw all three!

But on Day Three of Erin's trial, she was disappointed. "The boots have loops sewn on the back, so you can tug the boot over your heel. Well, I gave one of the boots a pull from the loop and the entire back center seam of the boot ripped right open. Now it's wide open in the back, and even though I can technically still wear it on my foot, it's not really secure, and it definitely lets the draft in, and probably snow or rain too, if I tried wearing it outside like that." She added sadly, "I really wanted to give these boots a good review, because they are so incredibly comfortable and really cute. But this is a pretty big flaw. You can't get around a major seam ripping open like that. I felt like if they were going to have loops there, you should reinforce it better. And you definitely need to use the loops to pull the boots over your foot, because I found the opening a little on the narrow side. Good for fitting close to your lower leg and keeping everything snug, but if you need to pull at the boots to get them on, you definitely need stronger construction."

If you like what you see in Sorel's Pakua, you can take your chances and hope for a better experience. You'll pay about $140 for these, but shop around on the web for the best price. The Pakua boot comes in "toast" (tan) and "stout" (brown). For more information, visit Sorel.


The Suluk Boot by Ulu: Lukky U!



Yda was our guinea pig with Ulu's "Suluk" boot -- and she couldn't be happier we asked. "I love these boots!" she gushed. "Love, love, love them! Best pair of boots I've worn in years."

Yda described the Suluk boot as "very high-quality". "You can see these aren't falling apart any time soon."

She also found them extraordinarily comfortable. "Luxurious boots, luxurious! They feel so good on your feet, I'm telling you. They're so soft in the bottom and along the opening (the collar). These are spa boots!" What Yda experienced was the Suluk's shearling and wool lining -- shearling-lined footbed, wool against the leg and a return to shearling at the collar.

How did she feel walking around in them? "Very comfortable. I didn't freeze my toes off." "They felt very supportive and well-made." "I have weak ankles and I felt secure in these boots. I had no pain later." She also added that Ulu's Suluk boots "weren't too heavy," thanks to the lightweight cork-infused molded midsole.

And when Yda wore the Ulu Suluk style, she looked darn cute, too. Take a look at this boot! It means business, but it means to be pretty about it. Embroidered floral tape creates loops for the laces, and repeats up the back center seam of the boot. There are also flowers stamped subtly into the waterproof suede upper. The Suluk has an 8" shaft, and a traction outsole of recycled rubber. A pair will set you back 155 well-spent dollars. Check out your color choices and find out where to shop at Ulu.

It's a "Secret Santa" Gift Extravaganza!

A Just A Sec Exclusive!



Looking for a Secret Santa gift? Or an idea for what to get your boss?

The secretaries who make up the Just A Sec volunteer army have stepped up to give their recommendations for this season's best gift ideas.

UNDER $10

Got a Desk? Got Your Gift!
Paper Trackers
$4.95 -- $8.95



"These are the kind of things you wish you had on your desk every day, and they would be so simple to make, and you wonder why nobody's made them yet. Well somebody has!"

So said our friend Gabriella, a secretary at a local university, after setting up her desk with Paper Trackers.

Paper Trackers are a series of elegantly simple organizing gadgets that get papers off the surface of your desk, but keep them handy where you need them.

Gabriella liked the Paper Trackers' versatility. "What's great about the Paper Trackers is, you can use them any way that works for you. It doesn't matter what your desk set-up is. You can attach them almost anywhere."

Paper Trackers are like slender, transparent pockets where you can stow flat items you need to see quickly -- notes, photos, business cards. They attach with adhesive strips, magnets, or adjustable clips, depending on where you need to keep your Paper Tracker. For example, you can keep notes on the top and sides of your computer monitor by using adhesive Paper Tracker 11" Bars; or clip phone numbers and business cards to your phone with a 5.5" Paper Tracker Bar with Double Swivel Clip.

"They're very easy to assemble," Gabriella told us. "It's just a matter of slipping the plastic sleeves into the bar, then either sticking on your magnets or adhesive pads, or attaching a clip."

We love the Paper Tracker products as a less bulky alternative to bulletin boards and pushpins, clunky standing files, etc. And at under $10, anyone can get their own. They're a can't-go-wrong gift for anybody with a desk -- your co-workers will dig them!

Take a minute today to order up a bunch at www.papertracker.net.


$20 AND UNDER

Cocktails, Anyone?
The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Martinis
by James O. Fraioli
$12.95



"I wanted to catch up with my friends," said Reena, a legal secretary in midtown. "Most of them know how to make mixed drinks, but I never knew."

Then she read The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Martinis.

"This book was great!" Reena raved. "I knew nothing. Less than nothing, and I was able to make martinis for myself and my friends this past weekend."

"It's a small book, written in simple language. You won't get overwhelmed. There's really just some basic information you need to know what you're doing, and this book gives it to you without a lot of extra stuff you don't care about it."

"I definitely liked the opening chapter that tells you what all those bar tools do, what they're called, what's the difference between 'neat' and 'on the rocks'. I never knew what a cocktail shaker was for before. It was those little things that made me feel like, oh, OK, I know this. I know as much as everybody else now!"

The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Martinis breaks up its recipes into six categories: Classic Martinis, Flavorful Fruit Martinis, Aromatic Herb and Vegetable Martinis, Exotic Martinis, Festive Holiday Martinis and Decadent Dessert Martinis.

"I chose two martinis from the book to master and then serve up to my friends: the Kamikaze Martini and the Marilyn Monroe Martini. They were easy to make, they turned out great, and now everybody thinks I'm the drink master!" Reena admitted, though -- she hid the book from her friends!

Don't hide it from your friends -- get them each a copy at your favorite bookseller, or from Amazon.


Cheerful Umbrellas: The No-Brainer Gift
Totes Jingle 'brella and Santa 'brella
$14.99



"As far as I'm concerned, if you need to get a gift for a co-worker, this is it," said Linda, a legal secretary in lower Manhattan. "Just buy one of these for every gal you work with and you'll be set. I mean, who doesn't need an umbrella? Even if you've got one, who needs just one? You're always losing an umbrella. And these are really, really cute. Nobody who gets one of these from you is going to say, 'Ew, I got such a boring gift!' These Jingle 'brellas are just too adorable."

Everyone at Just A Sec agreed -- this year, Totes has a winner with its Jingle 'brella and Santa 'brella. They come in a variety of happy-go-lucky prints like retro-dots, houndstooth and animal prints, and chic solids too.

Linda noted, "They're nice and compact too, but you get good coverage when you open them up." Too true. The 'brella folds up to 6" in length but opens to a 38" canopy arc.

"Plus, you don't even have to wrap these," said Linda. "I wouldn't. Look -- they come with either a little Santa hat on top or a bow and bells! How CUTE! I'd just put a gift tag on and give it." You can't beat a gift that doesn't need wrapping!

Quick! Order a Totes Jingle 'brella or Santa 'brella for everyone you know at www.totes-isotoner.com.


Rock that New Year's Resolution!
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Changing Old Habits for Good
By G. Alan Marlatt, Ph.D. and Deborah S. Romaine
$16.95



"I think this book is the perfect universal gift," says Charlotte, a downtown secretary in real estate. "When you think about it, you're supporting everyone's New Year's resolution, no matter what it is. Everyone wants to start the new year with a change. This book makes a big impact for a little money, in my opinion."

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Changing Old Habits for Good was co-written by the director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington, so he should know what he's talking about when it comes to successfully breaking free from those monkeys on our backs. But, as with all books in the Complete Idiot's series, the advice is presented in a clearly-organized, easy-to-understand way.

"I'm completely engrossed in it," Charlotte said of Changing Old Habits. "Honestly, I'm not someone who reads a lot of self-help books, but this one is so easy to read. And it's making a lot of sense." She added, "I'm looking ahead and it looks like the authors have really covered the subject from beginning to end. I see chapters here that address your state of mind even after you've changed your habit. How to keep your good habits going long-term. I know that's what I'm going to need, so I feel better knowing those chapters are ahead."

You can purchase The Complete Idiot's Guide to Changing Old Habits for Good from your favorite bookseller, or at Amazon.com.


Goodbye, Hat-Hair and Sweaty Necks!
Trailheads Goodbye Girl Ponytail Headband
$20.00



"Oh my god, I hate wearing hats in winter. I will, like, not put a hat on my head, no matter how cold it is. First of all, I cannot have anything pressing down the top of my hair. My top-hair just doesn't fluff back up like my side hair does. And secondly, I get so sweaty under my hair, right at the back of my neck if I wear a little knit hat. It doesn't matter if it's minus twenty outside. My neck sweats, and it's gross."

That's what one Tribeca secretary told us.

"I tried wearing earmuffs, the kind that wrap around the back of your head. But for some reason, they really hurt my ears, like they pressed on them or something and gave me a headache."

Then Lisa tried the Goodbye Girl Ponytail Headband by Trailheads.

"OK, I think I found my answer! I love this thing. It kept my ears nice and toasty warm, but I didn't sweat on my neck! And I didn't have to smush down the top of my hair, either!"

The cozy fleece Goodbye Girl Ponytail Headband wraps around your head, covering your ears. But a clever opening in the back allows you to push your hair through, pony-tail style, getting it off your neck. No more sweaty hair sticking to the nape of your neck while the rest of your head gets frostbite!

The Trailheads Goodbye Girl is also moisture-repellant, so it dries quickly after a walk from the subway in sleet or snow. Headbands are black with cheerful contrasting colored piping, your choice of pink, blue, green or red.

Get yours at Trailheads.


UNDER $40

Decisions, Decisions
The Decision Kit by Knock Knock
$21.00



Who doesn't have to make decisions? We face them every day. Admittedly, some are bigger than others -- so why not do a friend a favor and give them The Decision Kit this Christmas?

Sandra and Kellie are friends who work together at a corporation in midtown. They played with The Decision Kit and gave it a big two-thumbs-up.

"I want to get this for Christmas!" Kellie laughed. "This was a lot of fun," Sandra agreed. "We went into it just looking at it like a game, but then it got kind of heavy. In a good way!" "Yeah, here we are having a laugh and then it's two hours later and we've had twenty epiphanies each and felt like we'd been to therapy," said Kellie.

The Decision Kit definitely has a sense of humor (it even includes an "I Decided Today!" jacket pin), but the tools inside the pretty Decision Kit box can actually help you work through a dilemma. There are three notepads that urge you to examine the pros & cons of a situation, identify your gut feelings, and list your next steps. To inspire you, there's a tiny booklet of quotations about decision making. And after all this, if you still can't decide, they've given you a coin to flip!

We loved The Decision Kit, and everything else we found at Knock Knock. You'll find a treasure trove of witty co-worker and boss gifts on their web site. Hurry! Go now!


Book Worship
The Peeramid Bookrest
$32.95



Nicole, an executive assistant, reads in bed every night. But after years of doing it, she's still not thrilled with having to hold the book up to her face. Here's what she told us:

"I know, it seems like a stupid thing to complain about, doesn't it? But if you read a lot, especially in bed, after a while you get tired holding up your arms. You want to keep reading but your arms get sore. Sometimes I wish someone would just hold the book in front of my face for me."

After she tried to Peearmid Bookrest, she was overjoyed.

"This is the best thing I could've hoped for. It totally takes the pressure off my arms, and it holds the book at the perfect height and angle."

The Peeramid is, well, a pyramid -- stuffed and sewn with a "ledge" for placing your book. It sits on your lap, giving you a place to rest your book as you read.

"They stuffed it the perfect amount," Nicole noted. "If they'd made it softer, it wouldn't support a book. It's just firm enough, but still nice and lightweight on my lap. And I love that they included a bookmarker!" That's right, a pretty cord attached to the peak of the Peeramid drapes down and serves to hold your place. You can leave your favorite paperback right on the Peeramid when you've finished reading for the night, and pick it up again the next night. Sit it on your nightstand or on the floor beside your bed. It's attractive and comes in a wide variety of lovely fabrics for any guy or gal reader you know.

For that reader in your life, order up a Peermid at Hog Wild Toys today.


Foodies, Vegetarians and Wannabes
The Vegetable Box by Keda Black
$34.99



"I can think of three types of people who would love this gift," said Tracy, a downtown insurance company employee. "Foodies, vegetarians, and people who want to get more veggies in their diets."

The Vegetable Box is a whimsical alternative to the commonplace cookbook. Recipes are printed inside one of 14 mini-cookbooks which come nestled inside a wooden crate -- a great gift presentation! Each booklet covers two different vegetables, and they're divided into sections inside the crate.

"I really liked how the dividers list all the recipes that are inside the book in that section," Nicole told us. "It made it easy to see what I wanted to make, instead of having to flip through each book one at a time. I could choose a couple of things that sounded interesting, check out the recipes, and narrow down what I wanted to try from there."

And how were the recipes, Nicole?

"I'm sort of a mid-range cook, a little adventurous but not a total gourmet, and I thought there was something here for everybody. The recipes are not all so far-out that nobody but a professional chef could have success with them, but there are enough interesting ingredients to satisfy people like me who really like to explore the local gourmet shop and try something new."

Everybody knows somebody who'd love The Vegetable Box -- and will love you for giving it to them. Get yours at your favorite bookseller or visit Amazon.

Unwind After Work: Secretaries Get Help Relaxing

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

When you get home in the evening, it's important to leave the work day completely behind you. You'll be back in the office soon enough!

But maybe you're the type of person who gets so keyed up, there's hardly enough time in the evening to get unwound, before you have to wake up and do it all over again.

You need to invest in your personal relaxation! Here at Just A Sec, we asked our team of volunteer reviewers (all real New York secretaries, like you) to recommend three items that helped them chill out after work. (Sure, booze made the top of the list -- but that would've been too obvious.) Maybe you'll treat yourself to one or more of our secretaries' picks featured below. You deserve it!

Cuddle Up With The Slanket



"Oh my god, as soon as I put this thing on, I fall asleep right on the couch," Heather said. "It's the best thing ever!"

Heather is raving about the Slanket -- a big, cozy fleece blanket with sleeves. How many times have you put your feet up on the ottoman and draped a throw over your legs, only to feel left out in the cold (literally) from the waist up? You don't want to completely cover your arms -- you need them free to peel a clementine, surf the web, or hold the remote.

But the Slanket lets you curl up on the couch, get snuggly warm, and still keep your arms free. You slip your arms into the sleeves from the front and pull the Slanket up over your shoulders. It's stays loose but warm around your neck -- nothing tight or binding. The sleeves are big and loose, too. There are no fasteners, no buttons or snaps. The Slanket hangs comfortably loose over the rest of your body, yet it hangs securely enough on the body to let you get up, walk to the kitchen and back without the Slanket falling off.

And it's generously sized, too -- 60" x 95". So if you get annoyed by blankets and afghans that leave your feet out in the chill, you won't be disappointed by the Slanket. It covers you completely.

The Slanket is incredibly soft, made of 100% polyester microfibers. We put it through the washing machine and dryer twice and it held up beautifully, didn't shrink or develop ratty looking pills. It stayed like new.

The Slanket comes in a wide array of pretty colors and costs $44.95. It's nice for gift-giving too, and comes in a tidy plastic zipper pouch which can be used to store your Slanket. Buy yours at www.theslanket.com.


Soothing Neck Wrap by The Happy Company: The Spa in Your Living Room



It seems simple enough, and you may have seen similar products before -- but have you actually tried one? If not, get it right the first time and get a Soothing Neck Wrap from The Happy Company. They make the best wrap of its kind that we've ever tried.

What is it? Imagine a roughly C-shaped pillow covered in the most heavenly soft fabric you can imagine. It's worn around your neck, like a puffy collar. It's not as lightweight as a bed pillow might be; it's a bit firmer and weightier. And this is a good thing -- because when it rests on your neck and shoulders, it provides just enough pressure to soothe away built-up tensions, like a massage therapist applying gentle pressure.

And the Soothing Neck Wrap is deliciously WARM. The neck wrap pops into the microwave for ONE MINUTE. This is just enough time to warm up the flax seed/plush stuffing. This unique combination of internal ingredients holds and releases heat gently and gradually, melting away pain and tightness.

The Happy Company has also placed a removeable scent sachet inside its Soothing Neck Wrap, containing a subtle fragrant mix of chamomile, lavender and clove -- three scents known for their relaxing qualities. The microwave heat helps activate and release these scents. But if you'd prefer a scent-free experience, just zip open the wrap and remove the sachet.

The outer cover is machine washable and comes in three cozy colors. Best of all, this relaxation super-tool costs less than $20! Get your lovin' care at The Happy Company.


Happy's Head Trip: An Orgasm for Your Scalp



The Happy Company makes us happy again with it's handy Head Trip gadget. And ohhhh, what a gadget it is. The package it comes in says, "It's hard to believe something so simple can feel so good", and wow, nothing could be truer.

Although you can use the Head Trip on yourself, it feels better when you get someone else to use it on you -- so call in those favors from your kids or your partner. It's easy for them to use, and it's nearly impossible for them to get it wrong. Even your four-year-old can use the Head Trip on you in a way that will turn you into a puddle of melted butter.

It's the most unusual -- but most incredible -- head massager we've ever tried. It's got a wooden handle and a bunch of bendable copper "fingers" that you pull apart to form a vague helmet shape. Each finger has a small nob on the end. The Head Trip is lowered onto your head, cradling your cranium, its fingers tickling your scalp.

"I swear, this thing releases some kind of chemical in your body," Angela said after trying the Head Trip. "There's something about the way it touches your head that makes you shiver, in a good way, and then you just go limp. What are those brain chemicals they call the 'feel-good' chemicals? I don't remember, but I'm telling you, it releases those. Lots of them. And it makes you fall asleep."

The effect of the Head Trip is not easy to describe, but Angela did a pretty good job. We encourage you to just take a leap and try it. You won't be disappointed. And for well under $20, it costs just a little for so much pleasure. Happy's Head Trip folds up flat and comes with a handy storage pouch, too. Get one at The Happy Company and be amazed!

Remember Your Vitamins, Feel Spunky!

A Just A Sec Exclusive!

The MedCenter System is a life-changer.



We all know how much better we function when we don't skip our supplements -- or for that matter, our Prozac.

Taken regularly, vitamins and other nutritional supplements can make us calmer and more alert, our nails less brittle, our PMS less dramatic -- we can even pee more easily. Ah, but the tricky word here is regularly. With all the things you have to do in the morning, who can remember to take all those pills? And some supplements work best when taken more than once in a day. Yeah, like you're gonna remember twice, or even three times a day.

Ohhhh, but you will.

This review marks a rare occasion at Just A Sec -- the honoring of a product with the Sec-Tacular Seal!



Regular readers of Just A Sec know that few products or services get the Sec-Tacular Seal designation -- only the ones that knock our socks off -- the absolute can't-misses and must-haves.

The MedCenter System is truly Sec-Tacular!

Here's how it works.

You organize your pills into their own daily pill box, which has the date marked on both ends. There are four individual compartments in each box, so you can store up to four separate doses in a single day.

Since the MedCenter System gives you 31 individual pill boxes, you can sort your pills for an entire month in advance. We loved this feature, because ordinary seven-day pill organizers force you to re-sort your pills every week -- what a drag!

Next, there's the talking alarm. Your organizer comes with a digital alarm clock which shows date, time, and day of the week. It can be programmed to remind you to take your pills up to four times a day.

For example, if you never want to forget to take your vitamins before work, you might program the talking alarm for 6:00 AM, when a cheerful voice will say, "Good morning! Please take your morning pills for the 15th," followed by a series of beeps. The alarm is loud enough to hear in another room, and there's an "extra loud" setting which can be heard from an entirely separate floor of the house.

The alarm will repeat itself several times, then become silent for several minutes before trying again. To let the alarm know you've taken your pills (in other words, to shut it up), press the "Alarm Acknowledged" button.

The happy pill lady will never let you forget to take those drugs or vitamins -- which adds up to a healthier lifestyle for you.

If you have a supplement that needs to be taken in the morning and evening, you might program a separate alarm to go off at 8:00 PM. (Remember, you can program up to four alarms per day.)

The talking alarm is portable, so you can take it with you to work to remind you to take an afternoon pill. Just lift the clock off the organizer base and pop it in your bag.

The main organizer base has a platform where you can set the current day's pill box. There's also a slot for each pill box for the month. One end of each pill box is red, the other green; this comes in handy in a number of ways. If you need to know when you're officially done with your pills for the day, you can flip the box over in the organizer so its red end is showing. Boxes showing green-end-up would still contain pills to take.

However, one of our volunteer testers used this color-coding feature differently. When filling the boxes for the month, she didn't always have all the pills she needed. She turned all the full boxes over to show green, indicating they were complete. A box showing red meant there were still some pills missing. This way, she knew visually when the "full days" were coming to an end and she needed to get to the vitamin store.

Two secretaries gave the MedCenter System a test drive. Both of these secretaries -- Laura and Barbara -- reported having trouble remembering to take supplements.

"This thing really kicked me in the butt," Laura said. "I took my vitamins more regularly than I ever did before. There's just no way to forget. Especially in the evening with my fish oil pills. Even at times when I was doing better with the vitamins, I could never remember to take those fish oil pills at night, too. I swear, I took them every single night with this thing. I heard the lady's voice out in the kitchen and I went out there and I took them! I've been so good!"

"I love this thing," Barbara told us. "I take medication too and not always, but once in a while I forget. I couldn't forget anything with (the MedCenter System)."

Barbara added, "I have an elderly mother and I'm going to get one of these for her. It's great for older people who have trouble remembering, especially when they have so many pills to take for this and that."

The MedCenter System can make a concrete, immediate difference in your health and wellbeing, and for that reason, it's well worth the $69.95 price tag. Get yours at MedCenter Systems.