Developments

April 6. Day 280.

Here are three items for your consideration.

1) Article in the Globe about retail negotiation mavericks. Lots of good strategies and inspiring anecdotes. I especially like the woman who said, "This is a ridiculous price" and got the manager to agree with her -- and take off 15 percent.

Nita, thanks for the link!

2) Graphic in the NYT about the highest paid executives in the U.S. Two remarks. Almost none of them are women. Yes, we knew that. Only 5 in the top 100, for starters. On the other hand, it looks like several of the top earning women got sizeable raises last year. I don't know if huge executive raises in this economy make a lot of sense (that's my polite way of saying, "they don't"), but looks like the women are as ruthless as the men! At least those who made it to the top. Hardy har.

3) Should women lie about their age? This Time story argues No!

I've wondered about how I'll handle that whole aging thing. Dye my hair when it goes gray, or not? Fall back a year, every ten or so birthdays? Seems petty to me. On the other hand, it's not about self esteem, but about others' esteem. If being seen as 47 hurts my chances for a job, why not make it seem like I'm 40?

So, ladies, do you avoid stating (or blatantly lie about) your age? Men, do you? On the flipside, is there an advantage for people to appear older than they are? Or does being sketchy like that come back to bite you in the butt?

Today, I asked for a break from a cop.

I was at the airport picking up a friend. He lives way north of San Diego, so I occasionally give him rides. I'd waited in the cell phone lot like a good girl, and he called to say he picked up his baggage so I zoomed over.

I pulled over at the no-waiting active-pickup area, he didn't see my car but I could see him, so I called him. That second, a cop whistled at me and motioned for me to keep driving.

Instead, I pulled up and rolled down my window.

Before she could say anything I blurted: "I swear I'm picking someone up. He's right behind me, but he couldn't see me so I just called him. He's walking over right now. Please."

"He's coming now?"

"In five seconds. I just got off the phone with him."

"Well, if you're actively picking someone up, then it's fine. But you can't wait here."

"He's almost here!"

"That's ok then."

It wasn't a question, just your average exhortation. But hey, I spoke up for myself and didn't circle back around the airport like a wimp. I'd call that a gain.

Gained: 6 minutes of driving, or who knows how much a ticket would have been if the cop was hellbent on my destruction.