This week I have a special summer party update for you! Also up for grabs this week is how to stick it out in a bad job, why mothers rock and why not to call a guy after a date. Hop in…

After the stupendous success of our wine party, we decided to have a BBQ. What’s summer without an outdoor BBQ get-together? The invite list, this time, consisted of Frank and Eleanor as well. No one here grills the BBQ better than Eleanor! And true to her reputation. Irina was complaining about this summer party she went to. “The chicken there was burnt outside and undercooked on the insides,” Irina told Eleanor. Eleanor said that it was not a problem for her because she always par-bakes the chicken in the oven. Apparently that is the reason Eleanor’s grills are never overdone or underdone. Irina was visibly excited about uncorking a mystery!

It was not just the BBQ that received Eleanor’s Midas touch. Eleanor had a solution for the drinks as well. We were serving iced tea. Eleanor stopped us from adding ice cubes to the drinks. Her point was that when the ice melts, it waters down the drink. “We want something tangy, don’t we?” Eleanor winked at Adrian. That’s what Eleanor did. Eleanor added lemonade cubes to the drinks! As the cubes melted, it added that special something to the drinks. It was a masterstroke to get the party alive. My friends are much thankful to the inimitable Eleanor for what she added to our summer.

Any professional, being honest, would admit that working in an office can be a real pain sometimes. You may be contending with workload that you cannot handle. You may be facing up to some colleagues who can’t stand you. But once you are in the loop, there’s no getting out. I say that because hardly anyone would be so foolhardy as to quit a job because the work ambiance is not up to the mark, especially not in these times. So the best way to deal with it is to keep looking for positives and put our best foot forward.

Ryan has some tips for all those of you who are having a tough time in the office. Ryan advises that if your immediate superior is that problem, you should address the problem and not get into a personal confrontation. “You still need to pay the rent!” is what Ryan asks you to run over in your mind when you find yourself losing your cool. He suggests that you write down your peeves on a piece of paper and pass it through the shredder. “But whatever you do, don’t post your grudge on a social networking page! Laugh if off!” Ryan warns. Too many high-profile professionals lost their jobs that way!

Sandra Bullock’s adoption of a baby has inspired Donna ten folds over than anything! “It’s time for the power mothers to make themselves heard!” Donna said. I understand why Donna feels so charged up. Donna has been taking care of her children, Ethan and Emily long before I knew her. Her marriage didn’t turn out as Donna expected. It was not long after the birth of Emily that Donna decided to move out. Since then Donna has been a fantastic mom and an example for many of our friends like Kate who admire her courage and resilience openly.

Donna feels that the core of the nuclear family is no longer the father. “With women earning as much as men finally, there is no reason why fathers should be wearing the proverbial pants!” Donna says with a twinkle in the eye. Donna’s enthusiasm pushed me to my days with the parents. Yes, I can say with some finality that my mom called the shots back home! What amazes me about Donna’s recent joy is that her reason to celebrate is very correct. Donna is happy because of what it stands for: the joys of having and raising a family.

Megan’s date with Santos was a disaster, as I told you in an earlier edition. There’s something more on that this week. Megan has some other complaints against Santos as well, other than the fact that he really behaves badly with people. Santos calls her late night. Megan told me, “It’s okay if he was working late and he was missing his love! But he’s holed up at home and despite knowing that I have an early morning the next day, I find his missed calls every morning!” Now that’s what I would call insensitive behavior, wouldn’t you?

Megan is torn with the dilemma of whether she should call Santos at all. Kate told Megan, “Look Meg, if you don’t want to date this guy, don’t bother contacting him!” Adrian agreed with Kate. He said, “If you continue to call or answer his calls, he’ll never get the message.” But it seems like Megan doesn’t want to be so severe with Santos. It doesn’t mean that Megan has a soft corner for Santos. It’s just that Megan doesn’t want to be mean. When Megan told this to us, Adrian replied, “If you don’t get mean, this could get messy!” I believe that hit the point home. I’ll let you know what Megan does next week.

Here’s a Zig Ziglar quote to keep you motivated through the week: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.”