Thursday, August 30, 2007

Photographic Fun with My Mum

This is a photo I took of my mother just last week. I like the way the picture came out, not to mention I think it represents the essence of her, which, despite the fact she is my mother, I believe is youth and vitality.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

A Little Journey into the Home: Too Weak to Open that Jar of Jam?


Most of the time, my atrophied arms are. I usually turn to Dear Sweet Fiance with the look. "Oh, please, help me," I plead with my eyes and pout. "I am weak and feminine and shan't live another day without witness of your fierce masculinity."

Then, being the scientific minded man that he is, he comes up with a simple way to outwit the everyday, thereby rendering me capable of doing it myself next time. So I bring you:

Open a Jar in Four Easy Steps with Just a Cheap Rubber Band
Sweet fiance not required but recommended.

One:


Two:



Three:



Four:


Voila! Success!

Miss South Carolina is Redeemed!!

Miss South Carolina gives a geography quiz!

I like this response. Even though I still don't like her head bobble and that wahooahah thing she does with her voice, I'm happy that she's taking things further than yesterday's "all I have to do is go on TV and state that I know I looked like an idiot and everyone will applaud" approach. If she has a PR rep who is responsible, I have to applaud their creativity.

Way to jump on the geography band wagon.

NB: I totally failed the quiz...

Miss SC quiz

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

I can't believe I'm about to give more airtime to this

Okay, I think the Miss Teen USA pageant is retahded. Just another advertising conduit via skinny, barely legal, single, half-dressed, big-boobed blonds. Not exactly good for growing girls or very original (except that people seem to forget the fact they are watching one giant commercial).

What is more, it irritates me to no end that US citizens are obtuse when it comes to world affairs and geography.

Today's subject, Miss Teen South Carolina, is the epitome of the above. Here is her revised answer. Though I had high hopes for something different, intelligent even, her new answer falls the way of the predictable: safe, rehearsed and boring.

The Second Chance or Waste of Time 'The Today Show'

Source: Jezebel.com

Monday, August 27, 2007

Because after the last posting, you need a renewed sense of faith in the world

Clickety Click!

Cannot handle the cuteness!

Merci Subseia :)

A Nation Suffering from Map Deprivation

DUMB DUMB DUMB

Some of you may have already seen this, but given that it references geography (SORT OF!!) I thought it made for appropriate subject matter on my blog (thanks to Subseia of course).

Portrait of a Teenage Role Model



:(

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Flint, Michigan

I had to go see what Michael Moore was talking about, even if Roger and Me came out almost 20 years ago ... ouch. I didn't meet the rabbit lady but I did have the chance to meet this nice young fella.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Posting Update: "How I Love Suze Orman, Let Me Count The Ways"

In response to this post, I have to say that I'm out of my head.
How I Love Suze Orman, Let Me Count the Ways ...

Why on earth did I think, after watching a whole program on how to keep your money in your pocket, that it would be a good idea to drop 400 bucks on money management books???

I just found out that due to an administrative error my payment was not processed - Hooray!! For kicks, I comparison shopped on Amazon.com the products Suze Orman included in the kit that I almost bought and it added up to only $145 worth of stuff!! I almost spent $365!! I suppose I would've been contributing $220 to New Hampshire public television but still - what a rip off! And you know what really makes me mad? On TV she said, "I'm not selling this anywhere else, I wouldn't lie to you!" Grrr.

The only thing that can explain the unexplainable behavior I engaged in is brainwashing. Nope. I couldn't be responsible for impulse buying. Yup, I was sucked in by Wiley Suze and her sidekick, Hypnotic Hair.

Guilt complex and Blogger's Block

So, I haven't posted much since I got back from Miami and I feel really guilty.

Why haven't I been posting, you ask? For a couple of reasons. Firstly, I read you should really try to make your posts substantive as a way to show respect for your reader. You should use good grammar and punctuation. You should reflect thoughtfully upon that which you are about to write before putting it out there.

Reading this of course made me feel guilty. Maybe what I had been writing up to this point was a little too impulsive in nature (not surprising given my personality) and grammatically imperfect (I began to doubt my use of the parenthetical). Dear Reader, I must confess, it is only because I want to do right by you that I haven't been writing!

Secondly, I actually want to pen a short article on my South Beach trip but I've been procrastinating on that, too.

[Pause: hold on, I'm brushing my teeth ...]
[Return]
Ah, alright, minty fresh. Wait ... Miami. So... um, ah, yes, I remember. My first reason coupled with the second has basically resulted in posting paralysis. Guilt about the way I post has led to no posting at all.

Wait...what's that? Yes, I can hear you, dear Reader! Despairingly you ask, What does all of this mean for me? Is Decade Four doomed to failure after just a few short, albeit wonderful, weeks?!

Fret not beloved audience of 7 unique visitors!! I RESOLVE TO DO BETTER! I will produce quality posts, posts of which I can be proud! Posts of which my mother would be proud (except that sometimes I swear and English is her third language. I often feel she doesn't really get the unbelievable wit and irony that I so expertly spew.).

Anyway, it is Ye, the Reader, the completes Me, dee Blogger, and though I may face analysis-paralysis, fight procrastination and suffer feelings of deep insecurity, sleep peacefully, dear Reader, because I shan't abandon you.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Inspired by Dooce

I hope to one day declare myself a SAHB

SAHB = Stay At Home Blogger

or

SAHB = Shit Ass Ho Bitch

:)

Miami SoBe - fun times


My first assessment of South Beach was that everyone was so damn laid back. I loved it.

I heard it was around 110 degrees Fahrenheit with the heat index on the first day that we arrived. Surprisingly, something about being in the hot weather made me relax and stop worrying about all the crap over which I usually obsess.

Perhaps it had something to do with the view.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Random Ideas - Vacation

Wouldn't it be cool if you could use some sort of online map to map out your itinerary - like I'm using Google maps to show where my hotel is/where I'm getting a manicure/where we're going to dinner.

It would be nice to put them all on one customized map of my trip - not sure this would be applicable in all vacation circumstances but it would be cool.

Okay - I just checked again and you can sort of add multiple destinations ... duh

Off to Miami!!

Going to Miami tomorrow! Can't wait! I'll be there for a few days with a close girlfriend of mine. Fun!

I'll post pictures upon my return :)

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Har har - bad url's

From:

http://independentsources.com/2006/07/12/worst-company-urls/ (NSFW)

1. A site called ‘Who Represents‘ where you can find the name of the agent that represents a celebrity. Their domain name… wait for it… is
www.whorepresents.com

2. Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at
www.expertsexchange.com

3. Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at
www.penisland.net

4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at
www.therapistfinder.com

5. Then of course, there’s the Italian Power Generator company…
www.powergenitalia.com

6. And now, we have the Mole Station Native Nursery, based in New South Wales:
www.molestationnursery.com

7. If you’re looking for computer software, there’s always
www.ipanywhere.com

8. Welcome to the First Cumming Methodist Church. Their website is
www.cummingfirst.com

9. Then, of course, there’s these brainless art designers, and their whacky website:
www.speedofart.com

10. Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe? Try their brochure website at
www.gotahoe.com

I'm on the cusp on ending my non-working stint and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

... this post is a helluva lot longer than all of my other ones so if you're short on time, skip this and read the older ones ... :)

So, I'm not working right now, which is part of the reason I had time to set up this superfabulous blog. I have an understanding fiance who supported me in my desire to find work about which I could be more passionate than what I was doing before (marketing in a consulting firm - i.e. professional services marketing). Because of his support, at the end of June I was able to leave my job (on good terms for once!).

It's been about a month and a half now and I'm feeling conflicted about what the hell I'm doing with myself. I thought I would try examine what I've accomplished thus far. Hmm, let's see ...

Things I've done with my time:
1. I've managed to have a numerous interviews and am even sitting on an offer right now. And a good offer at that, more money than my last job and seemingly at a company where people have their shit together - though of course one never really knows. It's also related to the area I'm most passionate about, travel.

2. I visited some friends in NYC, Philly and am headed to Miami this weekend. I think I'm about to book two trips - one to Italy and one to Poland.

3. I primed a somewhat unfortunate looking dresser and bought some plants and a cheeky little table for my deck.

4. I started a blog!

5. Yoga, lots of yoga. My flexibility is officially awesome by my standards. I've also lost a few pounds.

6. Discovered foodnetwork.com and made chili, gazpacho and coconut shrimp with mango salsa!!

7. Got a tan.

8. Celebrated a really nice birthday with my mom by simply sitting at the beach all day.

Things I've realized:
1. A little more preparation may have made this time more productive. (Sometimes I wonder if I am too obsessed with productivity). I could have saved up more money or started the ball rolling with travel, maybe some kind of executive education program or master's degree so that I wouldn't be trying to get the momentum going from scratch once I left work.

2. I realized that I don't like not earning my own money.

3. I realized that I will never get sick of sleeping in or doing yoga or going for walks.

4. I need to stop trying to make sure that everything I do is for the good of my relationship. I think I need to give myself permission to be a little more selfish. (This mentality is how I justified spending almost $400 yesterday on stuff that Suze Orman sells :)

NB: This attitude must be used in moderation when it comes to spending.


5. I realized I put a lot of pressure on myself to accomplish things, tangible things that are evidence to other people of my productivity. I sense this area of myself needs a little more work. I would like to replace this pressure to produce with contentment for my position in life. Is this generational or just me?

6. I realized I'm TERRIFIED of getting married. Not sure exactly why. I think it could have something to do with the fact that I'm afraid of not balancing the pursuit of my own identity with that of my relationship and future family.

7. I type more after drinking a big cup of awesome coffee on an empty stomach.

8. My friend in Austin who helped me pick "Blogger" is super freaking awesome because she doesn't judge and gets the whole challenge of being a female who wants her own an identity despite how easy it is to lose it in a relationship.

9. I want to whiten my teeth. I hear Rembrandt somethingorother is the way to go.

Okay but I digress. The immediate question is whether to take my job offer or not.

PROS of taking it:
(Moment, ich brauche eine Kaffe Pause.)
....
......
.........

Okay, hier bin ich. So, pros:

1. Financial: B+
I will have dough. Can pay off my student loans and commence with operation Retire Early (or at least Operation Retire before I'm dead) or Operation Own Your Own Business. Whatever - independence from making money for someone else, I guess.

2. Passion: B-
Somewhat travel related. More so than my last job.

3. Career: B
Will learn about another area of business I'm not terribly familiar with.

4. Mental Stability: A-
Will avoid the whole analysis-paralysis thing. (You know, over analyzing what following my dreams looks like to the point of taking no action.)


CONS:
1. No free time.
2. Stress.
3. Yucky commute.
4. FAF: Also, known as FAT ASS FACTOR. Ladies, I don't have to explain this one.
5. What if factor: Wonder if I'm just taking the job because I don't know what else to do, thereby avoiding the hard work of pursuing my passion (which, as of yet, remains undefined beyond the fact that I know I love to live in foreign countries for extended periods of time).

I'm getting a little sick of myself. I think I need to go book a trip. Catch ya lata.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Oh crap - more Google Adsense stereotyping!

Here are some of the recent ads Google thought would be appropriate for my blog:

Widow Blog? Divorced Blog? I'm neither ... :(

How I Love Suze Orman, Let Me Count the Ways

I can't get enough of Suze Orman. She should win the "Nobel Prize for Empowering Women" for what she does for women and their relationship with money. I just caught one of her shows on NHPTV (www.nhptv.org) and I was moved to part with $365 for the 'free' gift.

Here's what it is comprised of:
https://secure.nhptv.org/pledge/itemwin.asp?premid=966

To demonstrate my allegiance to her cause and to the good of all women, I will expose my debt levels with reckless abandon. Deep breath ... here goes.

Student Loan 1: $ 30,000 @ 7%
Student Loan 2: $50,000 @ 2.5%
Credit Card 1: $1,200 @ 7.99%
Credit Card 2: $750 @24.99%
Savings Account: $4,474
IRA: $3,000
Credit Score: 680 (estimate)

"No shame. No blame." Suze Orman

Christian blog?

Okay, I was raised Catholic, sort of, but that is irrelevant. Why did Google put a "Christian" ad on my blog? I've spent a lot of time questioning Christianity and my connection to it, so why? Why, God, why!? Oh, uh, um, wait...

Engagement/Marriage vs. Career

Liked this in an article I read by Elissa Schappell "Married at 24: Crazy in Love or Just Crazy?"

"But there's been a downside for me, too. While I knew that committing to Rob obviously meant a big change in my life — it would really cut into my dating — it never occurred to me how tying the knot might affect my career. Outside of a sunburn from our on-the-cheap weeklong honeymoon in Portugal, nothing, as far as I was concerned, had really changed. But in the eyes of the world, I had. I was a wife. Off-limits. Some days it seemed everywhere I looked — publishing, retail, the art world — doors were opening for single women simply because they still had sexual currency to spread around."

http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/couplesandmarriage/articlemc.aspx?cp-documentid=5213699&GT1=10324

Egregious conditions in Zimbabwe - August 2007

My own musings and frustrations seem so pathetically self-indulgent when I read that Zimbabwe has inflation of nearly 5000% (yes, three zeros) and there is literally NOTHING for people to eat - in some stores, the only thing left on the shelves are cosmetics - too expensive for people to purchase.

Here is one story:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/08/01/zimbabwe.aid.reut/index.html

One video (2 min 35 sec):
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/08/06/curnow.zimbabwe.food.crisis.cnn

Monday, August 6, 2007

Decade Three vs. Decade Four

Until today my blog was called Decade Three.

Upon seeing my blog for the first time my sweet fiance asked, "So, is decade three the decade you're ending?" Dammit. Hmph.

Hot Topics: The Wedding

This may be hard for the world to swallow, but there was "me, the accomplished human" before there was "me, the bride."

Would anyone like to meet the person I spent three decades trying to build, rather than the one who was created the day a diamond and sapphire engagement ring appeared?

I do believe she might have something to say.

Work - August 2007

My fiance works a lot. About 65 -80 hours per week. Makes mutual decision making difficult. Golden handcuffs I say.

Dreams - July 2007

Ah dreams. How they confound me so. Last night, I dreamt about cleaning spots out of my carpet. It was so important to me. Obsessed, I tried many methods. Then, there I was, teetering on the cusp of success when my fiance woke me up to say goodbye before he left for work.
Sigh.