Best and Worst: How has your week been?

by ELISSA RATLIFF

Today is Friday, which means one thing, it’s time for Best and Worst (hooray), oh, and that thing called the weekend, which I suppose also deserves a celebration.

For those of you who are new, Best and Worst is the place where you can come and share the highlights and the lowlights of your week with the Mamamia community.

It’s a bit like group therapy, but better because you get an array of opinions, stories and advice.

And it’s free.

So for all of those who are a little nervous, I’ll kick things off.

Best: This week is one I have been waiting for, so I’m going to break the rules a little and say a few best’s. I turn 20 in a week, and am kicking off my birthday celebrations a little early by heading to Canberra for the weekend with two of my oldest friends. We are off to the rugby on Saturday night, and then headed to the Groovin in the Moo music festival on Sunday. Apart from the fact that it will be freezing and I will most probably look like a large snow woman, I’m really looking forward to spending the weekend with my friends.

Oh, and one more best, seeing Editorial Assistant Melissa’s hair -which is just so damn cool, and all of the DIY rainbow crossings.

Worst: This week my favorite horse Ollie passed away. Ollie had been in our family for as long as I can remember, and he was a character and a beautiful Chestnut who was always reliable, and always happy to let you ride him or pat him.

It’s always sad when a pet dies, but Ollie was my Grandfather’s horse, who passed away very quickly last year. This has made it especially difficult, as he was like Pop’s best friend, making it a last goodbye of sorts. However I like to think they are both happy wherever they are.

Also. We have a favour to ask you all, dear readers. And we’ll ask very nicely. We’re looking at launching a new e-book here at Mamamia and we want to gauge your interest in learning more about how to work effectively from home. Would you do it? Do you already do it?

This survey is super short AND if you give us your email address, you’ll also go in the draw to win a quick and dirty $200. Thanks in advance.

Working from home.

• In terms of your career, what is most important to you?
  High income/salary/benefitsStability of hours and a regular incomeFlexible hours to suit my lifestylePersonal sense of accomplishment & achievement
• As a parent, would you prefer a job that is:
  Full-time, well paid, but long hoursFull-time, average wages, but average hoursPart-time, consistent income, but low/average payFlexible hours, Inconsistent income, but average to well-paid
• Would you be prepared to give up part of your salary for:
  Flexible working hoursThe ability to work from homeConsistent, structured hours (ie. 9-5pm)Less working hours (ie. drop from 40 hours to 30 hours)
• The idea of telecommuting/working from home appeals to me because:
  I can work flexible hours around my lifestyleI can avoid endless meetings, office politics and/or long commutesMy earning potential increases as a freelancer
• The biggest barrier to telecommuting/working from home is:
  Fear of inconsistent income or a drop in incomeAn inflexible workplace that won't allow me to work from homeInsufficient knowledge of how to run a businessFear of spending all day in my pjs watching Ellen
• Please enter your email address to be eligible for the prize:

Elissa is a Communications student and an intern at Mamamia. She has the longest list of nicknames the world has ever seen, and because of this spends her life informing people how to correctly pronounce her real name. Follow her here.

But now it’s over to you, how has your week been?