The Company Men: Ben Affleck & Rethinking Corporations

 Last night,  I rented a movie so appropriate it was hilarious - Ben Affleck and Tommy Lee Jones deliver a stellar performance in The Company Men, a story about men, young and old, who work so hard for a corporation, whose interests are, in the end, always for the profit, not the people.  While the cliches of the cold, harsh corporate world are at times simply that - cliches - , this is a story of men who work their hardest, and become accustomed to a lifestyle that supports the wealth they believe they've earned, and deserve - only to find that the world is a lot different when you are forced to live within your means, to re-evaluate life when your means disappear and to develop relationships, rather than bank accounts. Definitely a must see  - whether you work in the corporate world, or not.

It's only been a week since I left my last position, and the Marketing world (perhaps for now, perhaps for good), to venture out on my own. One paid week left, actually, to plan and begin to implement the ideas that have been stirring in my head for the last three years.  Backed my references from students and clients, I know I can make this venture a success in September. 


It honestly took a week just to clean, superclean, organize, scrub, shop, spend time with Kiara and outline what is to be done this next week and the week after. Not to mention get a head start on re-implementing the insane diet and workout plan from April 2010 to 2011 and re-integrate that lifestyle in my own. I honestly can't wait to get my gym routine, muscles, and protein powder life back.

While the inspirational posters are still in the mail (and not on my walls, completing my decor) here's a look at my office space for the 2011/2012 school year. Hopefully by late 2012, I'll be on my way to a European career, but in the meantime, I know this is the right decision for me.


Who knows, maybe I'll even get lucky and have the chance to teach at an ESL school this year, teaching adults who immigrant here the language and culture. Here's a picture one of my students, Akram, took at Maison de l'Amitie in July, at my last session teaching there with Matt, a colleague from McGill University.  Memories!

Office Coffee Machine, of course!

Organized, thanks to IKEA!

 

Spare Bed Turned into Office Sofa!

While the whiteboards, organizational charts and files, and briefcases to go for portable tutoring sessions are all a must, every office needs a spot to relax. That's my place to chill on the left-  great books, cozy bed, and coffee!

Once all my planning is complete, I'll post a link and pictures for my business - I'd say new business, but it's not really new - just revamped and refreshed, from part-time, into full-time. I'm so excited to get started on my new career, and look into options for Masters programs that will make my dreams come true. (Can we say University of Oxford, Masters of Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition???) We'll see what the future holds, but I know it will be much brighter than the heights of the corporate ladder and the depths of the office cubicle. 


 If there is an afterlife, and you are living in it, Stephanie W -I hope you are looking down and smiling, because you were right. I was meant to run my own business!