Yay! Awesome box from Pink Parcel this month… Definitely a subscription I’ll be keeping.
There’s a breast cancer theme this month, with a #teamboobs badge, a card on how to check your boobs, a coppafeel sticker, breast cancer themed hair bandzees and coppafeel sachet of Perfect Peach shower gel.
In addition to the boobs swag, there’s also Ombar chocolate with coconut, chocolate flake teabag from Teapigs, Pink Parcel hand sanitiser, Mad Beauty mini nail files, Amie face wash and moisturiser, Revlon nude nail polish, Mua eye & face pallette, a Mad Beauty hand warmer (I’m guessing will also be good for cramps) and Sass Refreshing Mist.
I hear a lot about how much sexism women in tech face and how hard it is to get into the field, let alone progress in it. This is not something I’ve really come across. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I’m just saying it doesn’t happen all the time, and it doesn’t happen to every woman in the technology field.
I experienced sexism from a handful of men in a male-dominated workplace. As far as I’m aware this is the only time it’s happened, unless I’m completely naive and blind to it. Thus the ‘I think’ in the title.
It occurred at the start of my tech career, when I was working for a sports spreadbetting company (Mentioning no names, but if you’re curious, look at my work history on LinkedIn...). I put it down more to a lack of intelligence and a desperate attempt to be funny, rather than an act of malice. But they were trying to stunt my career, and had it been someone less thick-skinned than me it could have had far more of a detrimental effect. As it is I came out on top...
Up until a redundancy at the end of 2008 I had been working as an administrator for a busy London financial recruitment company. Soon after, in early 2009 I landed the job as an administrator in the marketing department for the aforementioned sports betting company. I quickly realised whoever had been doing the job before me was either very slow or very lazy as I was struggling to get enough work to fill my days. I was asking for more and more work, and eventually was given amends on html emails to do, creation of the text versions, pulling reports etc, and so began my email career.
I found it fascinating. I started teaching myself HTML as I worked. I was constantly googling things to find better ways, for process as well as code. I created a board that outlined when emails were due in the week to work backwards from. I was always on the phone to our ESP asking for advice on how to interpret the stats. Comparing open rates to the style of subject lines we’d used. I was doing all the right things out of instinct and common sense rather than actual knowledge. I even approached my manager with a pitch about how email could be a full time role if we did more work on it, and made more improvements.
Ah. My line manager. Now we get to the crux of the matter. My manager turned out to be a misogynistic Marcus Brigstocke / Louis Theroux look-a-like (sorry Marcus & Louis)
Now might be the time to point out that yes, I believe in equal rights, but I’m not the kind of woman who would be offended if you held a door open for me. Nor do I get offended by the odd ‘Love’ or ‘Darling’ from men I don’t really know. I also make allowances for men of an older generation, who were brought up ‘that way’ and are just set in their ways.
So my manager. My lovely manager. When I started as an administrator there, I had to take on a certain amount of PA duties to this man. Things like fielding some calls, diary management, receiving an email from him to print an attachment that prints out inside his office... you know the normal mundane crap that management OBVIOUSLY can’t be bothered with themselves!
To be able to deal with some of these issues he requested from IT that I be given access to his emails. So he knew I had access. And he knew I had to routinely go into them (Can you see where this is going yet?).
Around the time he turned down my pitch to have an ‘email’ role, I decided that it was time to start looking elsewhere (Actually it was at the point that while I was looking for a bug in some html, he came out to tell me the paper had run out in his printer, that I made my mind up I could do better). I wasn’t stupid, I knew I didn’t have much experience, so I used my credit card to pay to do the CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing to help me on my way .
However, also around that time another member of the marketing team left, and I decided to show interest in the role. My manager encouraged me, saying it was the logical next step for me. I was chuffed. Until I saw emails between him and the Head of HR discussing the matter and how to gear the questioning to a marketing graduate and be able to easily rule me out.
One of the emails regarding this:
Here is Sharon’s CV.
Aside from making the job spec/advert copper bottomed, I have found the following tactics have worked well previously in similar situations.
Ask all candidates robust competency interview questions; any answers are then scored using a 1-5 rating. The interview thus becomes highly objective and defendable in court.
Ask all candidates to prepare a presentation on a topic that would suit a smart Marketing Grad- e.g. conceptual thinking or similar. Again, this will be scored to add more objectivity.
Finally, SJ currently earns £24K; this role is likely to pay circa £23K, so it seems obvious to inform SJ that we could not guarantee a salary increase since she earns more than the agreed budget. This might dissuade her interest, particularly given how money motivated she is!
Give me a shout if you want to discuss?
I was shocked and embarrassed by this. Embarrassed because for a short while I thought it was my fault: that I’d been trying to punch above my weight. I soon recovered though, and realised how amazingly unprofessional this was - from my manager for one, but definitely from an HR manager!!
Well obviously I saved a copy of the email while I considered my options. Having decided it might be time to leave, I initially didn’t do anything. then over the course of the next few months I came across other emails...
Someone had emailed my manager asking him to nudge me to send across some paperwork; the response back from my manager:
Lovely! Comments on the size of my backside!
And the final straw, an email from my manager to another senior member of staff whom I also did work for:
Manager: Ref Review: I am doing this at 10am this morning - please let me know if you have any comments beforehand
Senior Staff: Get a breast reduction you are distracting [name] and blocking his sunlight
Manager: I thought you were looking a bit pastey sitting in the shade all day.
On that day I accepted a role at another company.
After handing in my notice to my manager, I then sent an email to the MD and to the Head of HR (yes the one listed above colluding against me) with copies of these emails in, citing the real reasons for wishing to leave.
It was terrifying!
The MD almost immediately called me in an apologised to me that I’d had to sit through this for the past few months. He then assigned a different member of HR to ‘my case’ who I met with straight away to discuss it in full. she was brilliant. Another Senior member of staff was assigned to investigate, leaving the MD free for if anything was later escalated. After some arguments, I refused to take gardening leave - I didn’t feel I had anything to hide from, and I needed to complete handover docs for my team. My manager was subsequently asked to work from home.
I received what I asked for, the costs of my course back plus materials. I didn’t want to kick up a massive fuss, although I was probably entitled - I had a new job to go to and I didn’t want it interfering with that. I was also told that members of staff involved would all be sent on some kind of training course- I have no idea if that ever happened. The senior member of staff though went out of his way to apologise to me, in all honesty he’s one of those men I mentioned before of an ‘older generation’ and, right or wrong, his comment hadn’t offended me as much as my manager’s involvement with it.
Anyway - that’s my story of the only time (I think) I’ve had to deal with sexism in the workplace.
Olga is head of legal at ClearSlide. I once heard a joke about a zookeeper arranging animals for a portrait. “Smart animals go to the right and the pretty animals go to the left,” the zookeeper told them. The animals made their choices, sorting themselves into groups of either “pretty” or “smart.” Well, all except one: a monkey…
I love escape games - I used to stay up until Stupid o’Clock playing them online at Escape Games 24. I still play them online, but now there are live versions; you’re actually locked in a room with about 4-6 people and have to solve puzzles to get out in less than an hour. They’re a big reason why I joined Thinking Bob - none of my social circle at that time were interested in doing things like this, and going with TB meant you had a team of intelligent people.
So far my teams have all got out of all rooms within the time limit. I’ll be updating this post as I do more... So, my history and some reviews (no spoilers):
Sep 15 - Escape Plan: The Adventure Begins - 9/10
This was awesome. It’s my new favourite after Hint Hunt: JM’s room. There was plenty to do, no one was looking over each others’ shoulders (mind you, we only had 4 people which helped), and you had to actively ask for hints. We did not use any of the three available hints, and we ended up coming 2nd on the leaderboard :) (NB First place used 3 hints)
Aug 15 - Escape Rooms: Room 33 - 6/10
This has been my least favourite so far. A redeeming quality was that you had to ask for hints, rather than just being given them. And I think we only used one. A number of times there wasn’t enough for everyone to be doing something, although if we’d had fewer people it might have helped. But the big drawback for me was the start - there’s an element of the game at the beginning that deducts time from you for what I consider a ‘Physical’ challenge, rather than a ‘mental’ one.
May 15 - ClueQuest: Plan52 - 8/10
I enjoyed this, but not quite as much as Operation Black Sheep. But again, make us ask for hints!
Mar 14 - ClueQuest: Operation Black Sheep - 9/10
I loved this. Some really fun and clever elements. The people at ClueQuest get really into the story-line even before you step into the room. One improvement I’d make would be to make us ask for hints and not just dole them out.
Nov 13 - Hint Hunt: The Zen Room - 7/10
I had high hopes for this one after completing JM’s Room, but the puzzles were very different, and the ones in Jm’s Room were more my style. Had a couple of really fun elements, but just not as good as their other room.
Sep 13 - Hint Hunt: JM’s Office - 9/10
i think this will always be my favorite as was my first one. I have fond memories of the ‘hosts’ using the intercom to tell a certain member of the team not to destroy furniture and to stop trying to climb into the ceiling. If I’d written this at the time I’d have probably given it 10/10 but having done more of them, I realise I prefer it when you have to ask for hints rather than them deciding when to dish them out. But awesome nonetheless.
It’s raining, you may have noticed this. You’ve probably also noticed (consciously or otherwise) the two new types of Dickhead that the rain brings out to play..
Umbrella Dickhead
I’m not talking about general people (General People #salute#) with umbrellas. But the men (usually) with the big-ass fuck-off golf umbrellas that are big enough for 10 people. And they don’t give a shit as they go barging down the path, where us mere mortals with hoods / hats / normal sized umbrellas / wet hair have to duck and skirt around to avoid having an eye removed. Especially as half the time the umbrella has got wind damaged and has a stray spoke sticking out (or I like to think that someone has tried to destroy the brolly for them). Compensating much?? Dickhead!
Puddle Driver Dickhead
You already know who I’m talking about, don’t you? Dickhead driver who aims for the puddle on the side of the road to soak you for his (usually) own entertainment. Thanks to this Dickhead I am currently sat with a wet skirt and legs, wishing that voodoo or witchcraft was real so I could curse his ass to hell and back. Or at least to aquaplane a little and have the fright of his life. Dickhead!
I’m really looking forward to the upcoming winter, can you tell?
How did you spend your Sunday night? cooking a roast? Curled up in front of Netflix with your cat and a glass of wine? Surrounded by Gamer Geeks watching more Gamer Geeks play computer games?
Just me on that last one then? Well, just me and about 60 other Gamer Geeks?
Let me explain exactly how my night was SOOOO much better to the other alternatives listed above.
I was at the Backyard Comedy Club in London to see McNeil & Pamphilon present Go8Bit. Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon are two genuinely nice guys, who happen to be comedians and who happen to like computer games.
Their show in their words:
It’s a really funny show where comedians (and some of you!) battle on classic video games for Team McNeil (the best team) and Team Pamphilon (the sexiest team). If they lose, McNeil or Pamphilon have to do stupid forfeits. Previous guests have included Tim Vine, Josh Widdicombe, Tony Law, Sara Pascoe, Nick Helm, Marcus Brigstocke, James Acaster and many more…
Last night the two guest comedians were Marcus Brigstocke (Team McNeil) and Bec Hill (Team Pamphilon). along with playing the games, they each do a small stand-up routine. Bec’s was themed to gaming, but was very visual… I can’t even begin to describe it. And Oh My God she had the most amazing Gamer-themed dress on. will be googling it soon… Marcus’ chose to appeal to the fairer sex in his routine, and gain, I’m not going to say too much on that. But they were both brilliant.
McNeil & Pamphilon are aided and abetted by Rob Sedgebeer (All Hail King Rob!), who creates all the tech involved in the show (and there is shitloads), and Will (aka ‘The Twat’) who creates and carries out all of the forfeits that M&P have to endure if they lose a game.
Onto the games…
First off (after a small amoutn of technical mishap - which adds to the charm of Go8Bit in my opinion), was a game of Gang Beasts. In this game you have 4 characters, dressed in onesies (no idea why) who all appear to be slightly drunk (and therefore hard to control) who have to try and throw each other off of ferris wheels / buildings / into pits of fire, while avoiding fall in themselves. It’s hilarious to watch. Each comedian was joined by a member of the audience, for our team (McNeil & Brigstocke) it was actually one of our little group that went up.
After a best of five, we lost 2-3. It was gutting. Marcus tried soo hard, and was beaten by Bec Hill who spent most of the time hiding and declining to engage with anything or anyone.
Other games involve members of the audience playing on their phones (controls are beamed via wifi) there were versions of Bomber and Whack a Mole.
In the end our team won (thank the lord for double points on the last round), but this did not stop the fact that Steve McNeil had to deal with three forfeits to Sam’s one. There were crisps, dips, fried food and electrocution involved. they don’t call Will ‘The Twat’ for nothing!
If you’re still not convinced, then you’re probably the wrong audience for it. If you’re now all hyped up and raring to go, the next show is on the 18th October in the same location, but is their Wi-Fi Wars event (Run by Steve McNeil & (King) Rob Sedgebeer), which involves far more audience participation.
“I have never heard the Royal Institution audience cheer as loudly,
or laugh as hard, as they did for WiFi Wars”
Martin Davies, Public Programming Manager, Royal Institution
I got my first box today from The Pink Parcel. I subscribed a month ago, and been excitedly waiting for it ever since.
The Pink Parcel is a monthly box subscription service for women. They send you a selection of items to make ‘that time of the month’ a little moe bearable.
What’s in the box?
Every month you will get:
Monthly Essentials: Either tampons or pads (dependent on your preferance) and liners
Feminine Hygiene product
Beauty Products
Something Sweet
Tea
What did I get this month?
In my first box, on top of the ‘essentials’ I received:
A cute little drawstring bag to keep some emergency essentials on hand
‘Sass’ Intimate Purifying Cleanser
‘BubbleT’ Summer fruits tea Bath & Shower jelly
‘#Lipglam’ Natural Lip Balm
‘Bourjois’ Dark Khol Mascara
‘Halo’ Eye make-up remover pads
‘This Material Culture’ teapot charm pendant
‘Doisy & Dam’ Organic Date & Himalayan pink salt milk chocolate
‘Novus’ Persian Pomegranate Tea
Am attempting to hold out with the chocolate and some of the ‘feel good’ stuff until it actually is that time of the month - for once I’m looking forward to it. It was fun in itself just looking through the box - and the bath jelly smells good enough to eat (already had to pull my boyfriend off of it).
It’s just a shame they can’t send out painkillers with it all, and then I’d be 100% set!!
Get your first box for £7.95 at https://www.pinkparcel.co.uk/...
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