cactus i.v.

By MICHELLE RICCARDI
mia8263(at)gmail.com
Dear cactus i.v. readers,
I want to thank Beth for her support in last week’s column. I’m back at the bank; don’t know for how much longer. Not that I don’t want a stable job but banking might be too boring for me.
Some background on me: I have been working since I was 10 […]

Michelle Riccardi has found her way back to the cactus. You may have found that out yesterday when her column ran, but in case you missed it, that’s why I’m here.
She’s going to start writing again every Sunday. That much is set. The topic, well, that’s always going to be up in the air. The […]

By MICHELLE RICCARDI
mia8263(at)gmail.com
Dear cactus i.v.,
You may or may not remember me, but I was the first food and drink writer and the Cactus Springer co-writer. My name is Michelle. I’m 23 years old and possibly the most confused person YOU’VE ever met. Some may say I make my life as complicated as it is; others […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Last week I spoke about the funky word ergonomics. It is a developed technique that allows the body to work efficiently with the least amount of stress.
While in the office, this is mostly tailored by positioning one’s workstation appropriately to align the body and the eyes at a “neutral” setting. […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5043(at)gmail.com
Ergonomics in the office.
“What?” One might ask. So I shall repeat. Ergonomics. According to Ergonomics.org, the term is derived from two Greek words: “ergon,” meaning work and “nomoi,” meaning natural laws. Ergonomists study human capabilities in relationship to work demands. In other words, it is the study […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
I am a loyal employee. It is just a part of who I am. I like to end my job signed, sealed and delivered. Clean up all loose ends. Poke a fork in it, it’s done.
This usually isn’t a problem. I only left a handful of full time […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
I feel as though September is a time of rebirth when it comes to work. It is a time to get back in touch with one’s profession. A time to re-focus on things that may have gotten lost in the shuffle of summer time. During the summer, work can feel like […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Happy Thursday to all the working and non-working folk…I think that covers just about everyone. When I start these articles, I’m never quite sure where they were going end. Last week, I had no idea I had a two part-er on my hands, but alas, the ideas and thoughts (brace yourself) kept flowing!
When […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Two weeks ago, I wrote about quitting the workplace. Last week, it was moving on from the workplace. This week, it’s when the job ends. Jobs ending could mean a couple different things. Let’s take a look at when employment is anything from permanent.
One temporary job springs to mind […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Last week I wrote of getting fired in the workplace. This week, it’s leaving the workplace. It is just as good as getting fired, sort of.
Leaving a job can be the most gratifying thing to do. On the other hand, it can be the most nerve-wracking stressful decision ever to […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Whether we like it or not, agree or disagree, beg or stomp our feet sometimes the enviable happens… people get fired.
Getting the ax is not fun. I do not have too much experience with this one. I’m thankful to report that I have always worked my butt off, usually sacrificing time and energy […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Good old OT. Some love it, some hate it. It can sometimes make or break a paycheck each week!
According to the Department of Labor, overtime occurs when an employer who requires or permits an employee to work overtime is generally required to pay the employee premium pay for such overtime work.
Employees […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
When the cat’s away, the mice will play. At least they do in my office. And nothing is as satisfying as when you get word that “the boss” is not going to be in today or he or she will be “working from home.” It’s as though a sense of […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
I don’t like to write personal narratives on cactus i.v. The reason? This is not my personal journal. But I do feel that my story merits a chance. It does, after all, fall under my “in the workplace” umbrella.
I feel as though I always promote “getting to know your coworkers.” My theory […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
You’re sitting at your desk and you scratch your head. Then you think you are just going plain mad. I mean, one minute you are staring at your phone book, and the next minute, it’s gone. Did the phone book just grow legs and walk away? Sounds like something you […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
Some people call it jet lag. When you fly to a different time zone, then get back into your own, it takes your body a few days to adjust into its regular schedule.
You wake up later [[or earlier]], eat at funny times and usually end up completely forgetting what time it is, was […]

We all have to do it. Unless working from home, most don’t have access to their very own break room or cafeteria. This is all shared space. 
What I’m talking about is how some people treat their lunchrooms like their local McDonalds. You walk over to the microwave and are amazed how incredibly dirty it […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
I have a desk at work. Two magnetic walls, one walls with a cork board-like material, a couple of drawers and a computer.
That’s pretty much all I get.
And it’s all I would need… if I didn’t have to share it.
There’s a woman who comes in and uses my desk after I finish my […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Running a company on a tight budget, well, it can really be quite annoying. Not that I’ve worked for a company that said, “Spend all the money you can,” but, sometimes, you just want to order a box of pens before getting final clearance from the big boss.
I believe that organization is key […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Perks are a nice thing to have when working hard. According to Wikipedia.com, an online  encyclopedia, a perk is an employee benefit and benefits in kind (also called fringe benefits, perquisites, or perks) and are various non-wage compensations provided to employees in addition to their normal wages or salaries.
Now, who doesn’t like […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5043(at)gmail.com
I am on my third job, while writing for the cactus. Three! And I must say, this one is AWESOME. Okay, so I started on Monday, and the only truly thing I love about this job thus far is… the commute. Or, the lack thereof. I work three miles away from […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
I wrote last week’s article about lunching in the workplace. If you missed it, I talked about some benefits of going out to lunch with coworkers to sort of mix up the everyday boringness of the work environment. And I thought I would give that concept a little bit more nurturing. […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Its twelve o’clock and one thing seems to be the same among you and your coworkers. You are all starving, so you head out to the Mexican restaurant down the block to get a little mid-day grub.
This is nice. It’s important. It’s healthy for people — who probably do not spend […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Being the job hopper that I seem to be these past three years, I am constantly meeting and greeting new people. Some people are very open and happy, ready to introduce themselves to a new face. Others just go about their day, not being antisocial, but are simply focused on the job and […]

By LISA SOKOLOWSKI
cactusiv(at)gmail.com
Quitting your job is never easy. At least, not for me, so I try to do it as infrequently as possible.
I worked at a camp once, so my job was over when the summer was. I kept stats for a basketball team, and when the season was done, so was I.
And then there […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Temping might sounds tempting, but is it for you? Last week, I talked about temping from the company’s point of view. What benefits it has when deciding to go with a temporary employee. But of course, the same elements that are good for a company may not be good for an employee. […]

BY LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
To temp or not to temp… is that the question? Temporary jobs may be all around us. There are some advantages and disadvantages for both the company and the employee. We’ll find out just how suitable this type of job can be.
When we say “a temp,” we mean a temporary employee, […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Coffee. Tea. Water perhaps? There are many types of energy boosting options at the workplace… or are there? Do vending machines adorn the break room? Does your job have happy friendly bakers that enjoy bringing in the spoils of a weekend spent with a Kitchen Aid mixer? But […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
From as far back as I can remember, we were taught to share and the importance of team work. I remember teachers would say “When you are grown up, you will have to work together in groups.” And its true, we do. Many people might have jobs that […]

By LANIE PIMENTEL
petunia5045(at)gmail.com
Another day, another dollar, another small company. That was my mentality when I walked into my new job on Tuesday. When you freelance, the only thing that seems to stay the same is whatever you keep in your head.
New towns. New offices. New faces.
The first day of work, it’s common to […]