Good evening, folks.
So as promised, the follow up to weakness portion of the task this week. Now I'm here to talk about my strengths, which to be honest, I'm pretty stoked about.
Talking about myself has always been a favorite past time of mine, and now to tell you all the things that I am really good at and really proud of, well that's just a dream assignment to me.
To start off, I want to preface this post with the information that I ran a half marathon this morning. That's 13.1 miles for the couch potatoes out there. I didn't train (which I don't recommend) but I finished it, and I am damn proud of myself. As a result, I feel like a rheumatic old woman who can barely move and walks with her back bent at a permanent 45 degree angle. And the good news is that I will feel even worse in the next two days.
And that make a nice segue into my strengths. First off, If I say I'm going to do something, even if I'm not totally prepared or ready, I'm going to do it. What I find now, especially in business, and even in friendships, people just do a lot of talking, and not a lot of doing. And for anyone out there guilty of this vice, I have one message: Talk is cheap. I've done a lot of talking in my day, but 10 times out of 10, I follow through. No one thought I would sell everything and move to New York City, and 3 months later, I was there. For anyone that doubted I would get my own business started, it's done. I back it up, and I don't just mean a great dance move.
Another strength is that I am fearless. Not that I have no fears (open water, heights, NEEDLES, Perez Hilton), but when I approach most situations, social or professional, although I am aware of the possibility of embarrassment, failure, or saying the wrong thing, it never holds me back. I always dive in head first, which to be honest has burned me a time or two. But with those odds, I'm going to keep at it.
Lastly, this is the answer that I would give in a job interview. I'm creative and resourceful. Creative because I can create a concept from scratch that no one has ever done before, resourceful because I can pull it off with zero budget. So on a professional level--that's where it's at.
Admittedly, I have a lot of ground to cover this year, but ultimately I think I have a pretty good foundation, and on Wendy's Strength Vs. Weakness-O-Meter, I think I register on the strong side. But I'll keep thinking about it as I pile on the Icy-Hot and polish my finisher's medal.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
Gatorade commercials get me everytime. But, I took a spin class on Tuesday, and I'm pretty sure that pain was just pain, and I haven't actually eliminated any weaknesses so far.
Anyhow, I wanted to start with my weaknesses this week, because they were put on blast this morning.
Having said that:
My biggest weakness is that I am an asshole. I just wrote the first thing that came to mind and that was it. Organization, as I mentioned before is not my strongpoint. I also have a problem with authority. Not in the anarchist way, more in the if-you-treat-me-like-garbage-I will-not-respect-you-no-matter-how-much-power-you-hold-over me-way. I am absolutely not detail-oriented, as outlined very clearly to me this morning. Granted, I run spellcheck, but the second letter of a word might get capitalized with the first letter of the word like PRoject PEter PAn, and I might send that email to 1,000 people. (Just a hypothetical...)(NOt!)
I think there is a big difference between weakness and character flaws. But I have a biggie that I think falls into a grey area between the two. My biggest negative issue in general is that I hold a grudge. It's really bad. There are two girls that I absolutely despise over an issue from middle school. Grudges from high school abound, and college--I can't even touch. There are so many people that I hate so much over things that they probably don't even remember. And I carry it with me. I don't forgive, and I don't forget, and that is no way to live.
That is, without a doubt, my biggest weakness and I'm not proud of it, but hey, at least I'm honest...and that's a strength.
Anyhow, I wanted to start with my weaknesses this week, because they were put on blast this morning.
Having said that:
My biggest weakness is that I am an asshole. I just wrote the first thing that came to mind and that was it. Organization, as I mentioned before is not my strongpoint. I also have a problem with authority. Not in the anarchist way, more in the if-you-treat-me-like-garbage-I will-not-respect-you-no-matter-how-much-power-you-hold-over me-way. I am absolutely not detail-oriented, as outlined very clearly to me this morning. Granted, I run spellcheck, but the second letter of a word might get capitalized with the first letter of the word like PRoject PEter PAn, and I might send that email to 1,000 people. (Just a hypothetical...)(NOt!)
I think there is a big difference between weakness and character flaws. But I have a biggie that I think falls into a grey area between the two. My biggest negative issue in general is that I hold a grudge. It's really bad. There are two girls that I absolutely despise over an issue from middle school. Grudges from high school abound, and college--I can't even touch. There are so many people that I hate so much over things that they probably don't even remember. And I carry it with me. I don't forgive, and I don't forget, and that is no way to live.
That is, without a doubt, my biggest weakness and I'm not proud of it, but hey, at least I'm honest...and that's a strength.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Strengths and Weaknesses - Part I
So the task for this week is to take stock of your strengths and weaknesses. This task is at once both awesome (why, yes I do agree that I'm amazaingly detail-oriented!) and terrible (self-centered? Me? No way Jose!). As a whole, I feel like this exercise is a little awkward in that it can leave you wondering whether your strengths, numerous as they are, outweigh your (probably equally numerous) weaknesses. As awkward as it can be though, in the end it's definitely worth it, for sitting back and really taking the time to think about your strengths and weaknesses is really helpful.
For one thing, it helps on the job. For example, if you take an honest look at yourself and realize that you are truly awful at time management, you can take some proactive steps to make sure that this weakness doesn’t bite you in the ass: you can learn to use outlook effectively, purchase an agenda (!), or get your secretary looped in on all of your important deadlines (that way when you miss one you at least have someone to blame).
It can also help you in the relationship arena. Like say you realize that one of your weaknesses is that you have a short fuse. Once you realize this, you can try to defuse yourself before you get to the exploding point...or you can date someone who likes that you're "fiery."
I'm sure you're all wondering what my strengths and weaknesses are. Well, here goes:
Strengths: In general I believe that I'm pretty focused, organized, and driven. I also think that I'm a pretty healthy mix of "detail-oriented" and "big picture" -- I'm awesome at working on little things, but I don’t lose myself in the proverbial trees (you know, can't see the forest for the trees? That's a saying…right?). Anyway, I'm also energetic, outgoing, and engaged. I try my hardest to be thoughtful and considerate, I'm funny and sarcastic without veering towards mean-spirited. I'm an excellent dancer (meaning that I'm never too embarassed to show off my "Supa Man Dat Hoe"). I can work a party like nobody's business and I'm great at filling in awkward lulls in conversation.
I think, though, that my biggest strength is that I'm interested. In a lot of things. Mostly this manifests itself in my reading every single periodical that I can get my hands on and checking about 20 blogs a day. It also results in me getting OBSESSED with things. Like this summer I read a book that took place during the Chicago World's Fair and for 2 weeks I did nothing but read about the fair, talk about the fair, and think about the fair…hopefully this fair will be a category on jeopardy soon.
This post is getting long so I'm going to go research my obsession du jour (couture fashion week, in case you were wondering). Check back tomorrow to find out my weaknesses and see where I fall on the strengths v. weaknesses scale....
P.S. Watch the State of the Union tonight- it's the adult thing to do. Even if you don't like it, you don't want to be the only schmo at the watercooler tomorrow with no opinion.
For one thing, it helps on the job. For example, if you take an honest look at yourself and realize that you are truly awful at time management, you can take some proactive steps to make sure that this weakness doesn’t bite you in the ass: you can learn to use outlook effectively, purchase an agenda (!), or get your secretary looped in on all of your important deadlines (that way when you miss one you at least have someone to blame).
It can also help you in the relationship arena. Like say you realize that one of your weaknesses is that you have a short fuse. Once you realize this, you can try to defuse yourself before you get to the exploding point...or you can date someone who likes that you're "fiery."
I'm sure you're all wondering what my strengths and weaknesses are. Well, here goes:
Strengths: In general I believe that I'm pretty focused, organized, and driven. I also think that I'm a pretty healthy mix of "detail-oriented" and "big picture" -- I'm awesome at working on little things, but I don’t lose myself in the proverbial trees (you know, can't see the forest for the trees? That's a saying…right?). Anyway, I'm also energetic, outgoing, and engaged. I try my hardest to be thoughtful and considerate, I'm funny and sarcastic without veering towards mean-spirited. I'm an excellent dancer (meaning that I'm never too embarassed to show off my "Supa Man Dat Hoe"). I can work a party like nobody's business and I'm great at filling in awkward lulls in conversation.
I think, though, that my biggest strength is that I'm interested. In a lot of things. Mostly this manifests itself in my reading every single periodical that I can get my hands on and checking about 20 blogs a day. It also results in me getting OBSESSED with things. Like this summer I read a book that took place during the Chicago World's Fair and for 2 weeks I did nothing but read about the fair, talk about the fair, and think about the fair…hopefully this fair will be a category on jeopardy soon.
This post is getting long so I'm going to go research my obsession du jour (couture fashion week, in case you were wondering). Check back tomorrow to find out my weaknesses and see where I fall on the strengths v. weaknesses scale....
P.S. Watch the State of the Union tonight- it's the adult thing to do. Even if you don't like it, you don't want to be the only schmo at the watercooler tomorrow with no opinion.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Follow Up & Direction
So for those of you that I left hanging the other night, the Thai food, while extremely tasty...was not the best thing I ever ate.
Closure, it's good for the soul.
Also, a little direction as to the path we're heading down this week. Still under the umbrella of Taking Stock, this week's task is Recognizing Your Strengths and Weaknesses. Both Wendy and I will do a little digging, maybe even ask some people close to us their opinion (promptly disregard it), and then report back.
Stay Tuned!
P.S. I just want to send a virtual Thank You to the dread-locked sweetheart of a man that served me my coffee in the Dunkin Donuts drive through this morning. I have never seen anything like it. The first time I had the pleasure of driving through this miniature pleasure dome, he recognized me by saying, "Good Morning, Wow! A New Face! Have a great day!" That time, I merely grimaced through my RayBan Aviators and grunted an obligatory, "Yea, whatever." (So sue me, I carry the hereditary bitch gene (Thanks, Mom) AND it was pre-coffee.)
By today, probably my third or so visit, I was actually totally excited to drive up and see him. Instead of a guttural moan, he got a cheery, "Hey! Good morning, how are you?!?" I could barely get it out before he leaned out of the window to wave and beckon the next car towards the window shouting, "What's up big guy?! Good morning!" Clearly, a regular. It was all so surreal. I found myself dreamily wondering if someday I would be able to pull up to the voice box, and just mention, "What's Up Guys? It's Tink, give me the usual." Because that would be awesome. (Somehow the instruction: Splash of Skim Milk always gets misconstrued.)
His zest for life, while working at a mid-rate chain donut shoppe is borderline unbelievable and should serve as a lesson to all of us.
Wake up and smell the coffee, people.
Closure, it's good for the soul.
Also, a little direction as to the path we're heading down this week. Still under the umbrella of Taking Stock, this week's task is Recognizing Your Strengths and Weaknesses. Both Wendy and I will do a little digging, maybe even ask some people close to us their opinion (promptly disregard it), and then report back.
Stay Tuned!
P.S. I just want to send a virtual Thank You to the dread-locked sweetheart of a man that served me my coffee in the Dunkin Donuts drive through this morning. I have never seen anything like it. The first time I had the pleasure of driving through this miniature pleasure dome, he recognized me by saying, "Good Morning, Wow! A New Face! Have a great day!" That time, I merely grimaced through my RayBan Aviators and grunted an obligatory, "Yea, whatever." (So sue me, I carry the hereditary bitch gene (Thanks, Mom) AND it was pre-coffee.)
By today, probably my third or so visit, I was actually totally excited to drive up and see him. Instead of a guttural moan, he got a cheery, "Hey! Good morning, how are you?!?" I could barely get it out before he leaned out of the window to wave and beckon the next car towards the window shouting, "What's up big guy?! Good morning!" Clearly, a regular. It was all so surreal. I found myself dreamily wondering if someday I would be able to pull up to the voice box, and just mention, "What's Up Guys? It's Tink, give me the usual." Because that would be awesome. (Somehow the instruction: Splash of Skim Milk always gets misconstrued.)
His zest for life, while working at a mid-rate chain donut shoppe is borderline unbelievable and should serve as a lesson to all of us.
Wake up and smell the coffee, people.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Tangent, version 2.0 (now with more vomit)
As the title suggests, this post, like Tink's, is a tangent. It's not related to taking stock in the slightest bit. It's also not really related to being an adult, except that it involves work...and terribleness.
So, as I think I mentioned in a recent post, I started work about 3 weeks ago. I don't think I ever told you guys what I do, so here it is: I'm an attorney at a pretty big law firm. Commence "attorneys are the worst, blah blah blah, money-grubbing, yadda yadda" talk.*
Done now? Okay. Well, to sum up what it's like: a lot of hours, a lot of pressure, a lot of suits, very little guidance, very little time for sleep/tv/life. The first year at a law firm is notoriously stressful and work-filled. All nighters are the norm, coffee is your only form of nutrition, and you generally know nothing about anything that you are doing, but are expected to be an expert on everything.
So, one Thursday about a week and a half ago I was working on a whole lot of nothing. Serious staring off into space action. Then, miracle of miracles, I got an assignment! JOY. So I start working on this assignment and about 2 hours in, my stomach starts to hurt a lot. I don't really think too much of it, because I have a really weak stomach in general (seriously, the list of places I can't eat because I'll get sick is really, really long. IHOP is enemy #1, just so you know). I keep working. About 2.5 hours in though, I start to feel super nauseous. I lay my head down on my desk and close my eyes, but it only gets worse. I cannot believe this is happening, but I'm going to throw up. No doubt about it. So, I get up and try to run-walk to the bathroom (discreetly of course, so people won't stare like I'm a crazy person running around work). I get to the elevator lobby that separates one side of the floor from the other and....THROW UP ALL OVER THE FLOOR.
Yes, you read that correctly -I failed to make it to the bathroom. The last time this happened to me I was six and I threw up all over the car after visiting the Ben & Jerry's Factory in Vermont. That was bad...this was TERRIBLE. I had vomit on my suit, I was crying, and I WAS AT WORK!!! I seriously thought about just leaving the vomit and not telling anyone, because I honestly did not know what to do. But, I'm an adult, not an 18-year-old at prom. So, I sucked it up, cleaned off my suit, called Facilities to come clean up the floor, and kept working....for 6 more hours.
I threw up five more times that day, but each of those times I made it to the bathroom. Only one of those times was another person in the bathroom. Unfortunately taht other person was a partner. So now she thinks I'm either bulimic, pregnant, or drunk at work. I'm not sure which one is the worst.
So there it is. My work makes me vomit. Beat that folks.
* Since apparently everyone under the age of 35 is either a lawyer, in law school, or studying for the LSAT most of you probably won't make fun of lawyers. Good job ABA, keep accrediting law schools and flooding the market. UGH (sorry for this tangent from the tangent).
So, as I think I mentioned in a recent post, I started work about 3 weeks ago. I don't think I ever told you guys what I do, so here it is: I'm an attorney at a pretty big law firm. Commence "attorneys are the worst, blah blah blah, money-grubbing, yadda yadda" talk.*
Done now? Okay. Well, to sum up what it's like: a lot of hours, a lot of pressure, a lot of suits, very little guidance, very little time for sleep/tv/life. The first year at a law firm is notoriously stressful and work-filled. All nighters are the norm, coffee is your only form of nutrition, and you generally know nothing about anything that you are doing, but are expected to be an expert on everything.
So, one Thursday about a week and a half ago I was working on a whole lot of nothing. Serious staring off into space action. Then, miracle of miracles, I got an assignment! JOY. So I start working on this assignment and about 2 hours in, my stomach starts to hurt a lot. I don't really think too much of it, because I have a really weak stomach in general (seriously, the list of places I can't eat because I'll get sick is really, really long. IHOP is enemy #1, just so you know). I keep working. About 2.5 hours in though, I start to feel super nauseous. I lay my head down on my desk and close my eyes, but it only gets worse. I cannot believe this is happening, but I'm going to throw up. No doubt about it. So, I get up and try to run-walk to the bathroom (discreetly of course, so people won't stare like I'm a crazy person running around work). I get to the elevator lobby that separates one side of the floor from the other and....THROW UP ALL OVER THE FLOOR.
Yes, you read that correctly -I failed to make it to the bathroom. The last time this happened to me I was six and I threw up all over the car after visiting the Ben & Jerry's Factory in Vermont. That was bad...this was TERRIBLE. I had vomit on my suit, I was crying, and I WAS AT WORK!!! I seriously thought about just leaving the vomit and not telling anyone, because I honestly did not know what to do. But, I'm an adult, not an 18-year-old at prom. So, I sucked it up, cleaned off my suit, called Facilities to come clean up the floor, and kept working....for 6 more hours.
I threw up five more times that day, but each of those times I made it to the bathroom. Only one of those times was another person in the bathroom. Unfortunately taht other person was a partner. So now she thinks I'm either bulimic, pregnant, or drunk at work. I'm not sure which one is the worst.
So there it is. My work makes me vomit. Beat that folks.
* Since apparently everyone under the age of 35 is either a lawyer, in law school, or studying for the LSAT most of you probably won't make fun of lawyers. Good job ABA, keep accrediting law schools and flooding the market. UGH (sorry for this tangent from the tangent).
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tangent
Yes, we'll post these from time to time. A barely related, but somewhat relevant tidbit of information. I wanted to state for the record that yesterday I printed my new company's business cards, and today I bought the new domain name for my new company.
Typically those things go in reverse order to make sure the domain name you put on your business cards is actually available on the Internet, but what can I say...I live on the edge.
So yes it was a little nerve-wracking being on the phone with the totally nerdy Go Daddy rep for a few breathless moments, but in the end...victory.
Starting a company is pretty adult-like. Exciting stuff. I'll do a big reveal when the website is actually up and running. I also have a partner, so I'm sure fostering that relationship will provide plenty of fodder for the blog as well.
(This is also me making good on the promise of engaging in my life. So look at that...progress already.)
Now I'm off to an Emerge Broward Young Professionals event. (Adult-ish) On a Friday night. (Way Adult-ish). Sponsored by Southern Wine & Spirits (There's the catch.)
Cheers!
Typically those things go in reverse order to make sure the domain name you put on your business cards is actually available on the Internet, but what can I say...I live on the edge.
So yes it was a little nerve-wracking being on the phone with the totally nerdy Go Daddy rep for a few breathless moments, but in the end...victory.
Starting a company is pretty adult-like. Exciting stuff. I'll do a big reveal when the website is actually up and running. I also have a partner, so I'm sure fostering that relationship will provide plenty of fodder for the blog as well.
(This is also me making good on the promise of engaging in my life. So look at that...progress already.)
Now I'm off to an Emerge Broward Young Professionals event. (Adult-ish) On a Friday night. (Way Adult-ish). Sponsored by Southern Wine & Spirits (There's the catch.)
Cheers!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Taking the Controls (aka Goodbye Autopilot)
As Tink alluded to in her last post, I have lived the better part of the last three years of my life on "autopilot." Not autopilot in the "don't do much of anything sense" (although not doing much of anything IS one of my specialties), more like autopilot in the "stick with the status quo and never, ever rock the boat" sense.
Remember those lists I referred to in my previous post (aka "Agendas: A Love Affair")? Well, inrecent years my "to do list" on a daily basis would typically consist of the following entries:
(1) Wake Up --> (2) Go to School --> (3) Work on my Fitness --> (4) Study (aka Watch Gilmore Girls and Ponder Heavy Legal Issues) --> (5) Watch Reality Tv Trash (what up SNOOKIE!) --> (6) Sleep
Packed schedule, right? Doesn't leave much time for actually sitting back and thinking about what I want out of life or who I want to be. At least that's what I tell myself. The truth, of course, is that I've always been just too scared to sit back and think about those things because really, I have no idea what I want out of life or who I want to be. Sure, I know what I want in abstract terms: to be happy, to be surrounded by people that love me, to be excited to wake up everyday and go to work, to leave the world better than I found it. But, unlike in the art world, in the real world the abstract is rarely better than the concrete. So, for me, this taking stock process has been about examining who I am and what I'm doing in this moment and really thinking about if I'm setting myself up to achieve my long-term abstract goals of happiness, love, etc.
Borrowing from Tink's categories, let's take a little looksie at how I'm currently doing:
Job: Is it making me happy? At the moment, the answer to that question is a resounding YES...with one small caveat. See, up until two weeks ago I had been out of work since graduating law school and taking the bar last July. Five months of nothing but working out, online shopping, and watching old episodes of 90210 (sideburns! mom jeans! DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES!) sounds fun, until you actually do it. So, the caveat to my current job happiness is this: at this point, I'd be happy doing pretty much anything. Do I think I want my current job to be my forever job? Wellllll....we'll see. For now let's just say it'll do until E! finally decides to kick Giuliana to the curb.
Relationships with Family: I just lived at home with my parents for five months. Need I say more?
Relationships with Friends: Overall very happy in this area. However, seeing as though I just moved and don't know too many people in my current zip code, I should probably stop being so damn complacent and get out there. Also, I suck at keeping in touch and this does not make me happy. It is NOT okay that the only time I talk to my old roommate is when we're texting about the craziness that is Michelle on the Bachelor (CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY).
Self Awareness: BAD. Actually, I'm not sure if that's completely true. I think deep-down I am kind of self-aware. I mean I'm an only child - how can I not know myself? I think the deeper problem I have in this area - and maybe some of you guys feel this way too - is that I'm scared to actually admit to myself who I am and what I like. I mean, if I'm being honest, I would absolutely rather stay in bed ALL DAY Saturday watching Soapnet and Lifetime than go out and tan on the beach and play beach volleyball with my friends. But that's lame, right? I mean what kind of middle-aged bonbon-eating loser am I if I admit that? MUCH easier to just pretend I'm cool.
So, that's where I stand right now. Relatively happy but with a lot of things to work on. This was a solid first step. Really glad I took time out of my busy schedule to do it...even though I did miss Gilmore Girls.
Remember those lists I referred to in my previous post (aka "Agendas: A Love Affair")? Well, inrecent years my "to do list" on a daily basis would typically consist of the following entries:
(1) Wake Up --> (2) Go to School --> (3) Work on my Fitness --> (4) Study (aka Watch Gilmore Girls and Ponder Heavy Legal Issues) --> (5) Watch Reality Tv Trash (what up SNOOKIE!) --> (6) Sleep
Packed schedule, right? Doesn't leave much time for actually sitting back and thinking about what I want out of life or who I want to be. At least that's what I tell myself. The truth, of course, is that I've always been just too scared to sit back and think about those things because really, I have no idea what I want out of life or who I want to be. Sure, I know what I want in abstract terms: to be happy, to be surrounded by people that love me, to be excited to wake up everyday and go to work, to leave the world better than I found it. But, unlike in the art world, in the real world the abstract is rarely better than the concrete. So, for me, this taking stock process has been about examining who I am and what I'm doing in this moment and really thinking about if I'm setting myself up to achieve my long-term abstract goals of happiness, love, etc.
Borrowing from Tink's categories, let's take a little looksie at how I'm currently doing:
Job: Is it making me happy? At the moment, the answer to that question is a resounding YES...with one small caveat. See, up until two weeks ago I had been out of work since graduating law school and taking the bar last July. Five months of nothing but working out, online shopping, and watching old episodes of 90210 (sideburns! mom jeans! DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES!) sounds fun, until you actually do it. So, the caveat to my current job happiness is this: at this point, I'd be happy doing pretty much anything. Do I think I want my current job to be my forever job? Wellllll....we'll see. For now let's just say it'll do until E! finally decides to kick Giuliana to the curb.
Relationships with Family: I just lived at home with my parents for five months. Need I say more?
Relationships with Friends: Overall very happy in this area. However, seeing as though I just moved and don't know too many people in my current zip code, I should probably stop being so damn complacent and get out there. Also, I suck at keeping in touch and this does not make me happy. It is NOT okay that the only time I talk to my old roommate is when we're texting about the craziness that is Michelle on the Bachelor (CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY).
Self Awareness: BAD. Actually, I'm not sure if that's completely true. I think deep-down I am kind of self-aware. I mean I'm an only child - how can I not know myself? I think the deeper problem I have in this area - and maybe some of you guys feel this way too - is that I'm scared to actually admit to myself who I am and what I like. I mean, if I'm being honest, I would absolutely rather stay in bed ALL DAY Saturday watching Soapnet and Lifetime than go out and tan on the beach and play beach volleyball with my friends. But that's lame, right? I mean what kind of middle-aged bonbon-eating loser am I if I admit that? MUCH easier to just pretend I'm cool.
So, that's where I stand right now. Relatively happy but with a lot of things to work on. This was a solid first step. Really glad I took time out of my busy schedule to do it...even though I did miss Gilmore Girls.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
[Insert Witty Blog Title Here]
Task 1.1: Taking Stock
Well this definitely proved to be a more difficult task then I initially imagined it would be. The scary thing about Taking Stock of your life is that if you're not honest, you'll never get results. And looking yourself in the mirror and really asking "Where Am I?" "Where Do I Want to Be?" and possibly the hardest question of all..."Am I Happy?" is something that quite honestly made me sick to my stomach.
I mean who really wants to confront these questions when you could instead just busy yourself eating gummy bears, watching Iron Chef America, and floating on the lazy river of ignorant bliss. Wendy and I affectionately refer to this stage as "Autopilot," and after operating on "Autopilot" for the last year (or more), we decided to engage in this blog.
If the Taking Stock Portion of this project was a multiple choice test with the answers: A) Satisfied, B) Dissatisfied, C) Ask Again I Blacked Out, or D) Room for Improvement, Sister!--my answers would have been a resounding D) across the board.
For instance,
Job: Room for Improvement
Relationship With Man-Friend: Room For Improvement
Relationship With Mom/Sister: Room For Improvement
Goals: Room For Improvement
Personal Organization: (Not even applicable..I wish I could post a picture of my bedroom that is also a Scratch-N-Sniff)
Religious Viewpoint: Work in Progress...that wasn't a choice on the scantron, but I wrote it in.
Giving Back to the Community: Does recycling from time to time count?
Self-Awareness: A Bold and Italic Room for Improvement
I've been watching a lot of Food Network lately (not nearly as much as I did when I lived in NYC, but still more than the average...) and there is a new show called "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." After watching the show for a few minutes, it dawned on me that I can't recall what the best thing I ever ate is. Considering myself quite the epicurean, this really perplexed me. I love food, I cook food, my degree is in Hospitality Management, I spent a year in New York City selling marketing to some of the best restaurants in the country...and yet I'm coming up blank.
What the hell is that?
An extended survey into the realm of how little I'm actually acquainted with myself...I don't have a favorite color. Sure there are colors that I am partial to, some that I may even be inclined to over others, but none that I can wholeheartedly claim as my favorite.
And I get it...food, colors...it all seems very trivial, but it's a segue to much bigger issues. If I can't commit to a color, what else can't I commit to? If no delicious morsel of food stands out as the best thing to ever touch my lips (That's What She Said), what other memories are fading out of the scope of my memory?
So I accomplished the task, but it left me a little jaded. I guess change happens that way, you realize you're dissatisfied and resolve to change it. I think my problem mostly has been that in the last few years, I've let the people around me do the thinking, the accomplishing, and the living--and I've been alright with watching from my safe spot on the couch, just waiting for the ideal moment.
But as my friend Kevin taught me a long time ago, there is no ideal moment and there are no perfect circumstances. Sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith.
So today I resolve to engage in my own life, do some living, and maybe even some growing up, and I'll start that by opening a great bottle of wine, and ordering some Thai food...and who knows? Maybe it will be the best thing I ever ate.
Well this definitely proved to be a more difficult task then I initially imagined it would be. The scary thing about Taking Stock of your life is that if you're not honest, you'll never get results. And looking yourself in the mirror and really asking "Where Am I?" "Where Do I Want to Be?" and possibly the hardest question of all..."Am I Happy?" is something that quite honestly made me sick to my stomach.
I mean who really wants to confront these questions when you could instead just busy yourself eating gummy bears, watching Iron Chef America, and floating on the lazy river of ignorant bliss. Wendy and I affectionately refer to this stage as "Autopilot," and after operating on "Autopilot" for the last year (or more), we decided to engage in this blog.
If the Taking Stock Portion of this project was a multiple choice test with the answers: A) Satisfied, B) Dissatisfied, C) Ask Again I Blacked Out, or D) Room for Improvement, Sister!--my answers would have been a resounding D) across the board.
For instance,
Job: Room for Improvement
Relationship With Man-Friend: Room For Improvement
Relationship With Mom/Sister: Room For Improvement
Goals: Room For Improvement
Personal Organization: (Not even applicable..I wish I could post a picture of my bedroom that is also a Scratch-N-Sniff)
Religious Viewpoint: Work in Progress...that wasn't a choice on the scantron, but I wrote it in.
Giving Back to the Community: Does recycling from time to time count?
Self-Awareness: A Bold and Italic Room for Improvement
I've been watching a lot of Food Network lately (not nearly as much as I did when I lived in NYC, but still more than the average...) and there is a new show called "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." After watching the show for a few minutes, it dawned on me that I can't recall what the best thing I ever ate is. Considering myself quite the epicurean, this really perplexed me. I love food, I cook food, my degree is in Hospitality Management, I spent a year in New York City selling marketing to some of the best restaurants in the country...and yet I'm coming up blank.
What the hell is that?
An extended survey into the realm of how little I'm actually acquainted with myself...I don't have a favorite color. Sure there are colors that I am partial to, some that I may even be inclined to over others, but none that I can wholeheartedly claim as my favorite.
And I get it...food, colors...it all seems very trivial, but it's a segue to much bigger issues. If I can't commit to a color, what else can't I commit to? If no delicious morsel of food stands out as the best thing to ever touch my lips (That's What She Said), what other memories are fading out of the scope of my memory?
So I accomplished the task, but it left me a little jaded. I guess change happens that way, you realize you're dissatisfied and resolve to change it. I think my problem mostly has been that in the last few years, I've let the people around me do the thinking, the accomplishing, and the living--and I've been alright with watching from my safe spot on the couch, just waiting for the ideal moment.
But as my friend Kevin taught me a long time ago, there is no ideal moment and there are no perfect circumstances. Sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith.
So today I resolve to engage in my own life, do some living, and maybe even some growing up, and I'll start that by opening a great bottle of wine, and ordering some Thai food...and who knows? Maybe it will be the best thing I ever ate.
Friday, January 15, 2010
All Children Must Grow Up...
This post is my formal acknowledgement of Wendy's 26th birthday! I am blogging about it not only to recognize her 26 years of success and accomplishment on this planet, but also because I waited too long to send a card and/or gift.
I always ask for her address with the best intentions of actually sending something, and somehow never seem to actually deliver on my implied gift-giving. Sorry, Wendy, your birthday cards are sitting in the same purgatory as the tickets to visit you during sophomore year at Georgetown.
It's fitting that we celebrate her birthday at the commencement of our adulthood project, because it officially marks our descent towards thirty. 3-0, people. My 26th birthday will follow in March, and this time of year always reminds me of a funny scheme Wendy and I came up with in high school (where we met and fell in nerd-love at first sight).
With our birthdays in semi-close proximity, we had both realized that neither of us had gotten nearly the amount of gifts or attention we were hoping to, so we decided to plan a follow-up joint birthday bash...in June. I distinctly remember the fabulous TJMaxx Tommy Hilfiger bikini I wore to our evening pool party (ever so chic), and I remember even more clearly Wendy walking, nay, running into a closed sliding glass door. The thump of her forehead resounds in my mind even as I write this. Needless to say, after that, the party was pretty much over. And even after all that planning and bamboozling, I think all we ended up with were some re-gifted Bath & Body Works sets.
After a rough week at work, and even tougher time taking stock of my own life this week, I still want to pause to celebrate the birth of my dear friend Wendy. Because after all, I can't think of a better friend to grow up with.
I always ask for her address with the best intentions of actually sending something, and somehow never seem to actually deliver on my implied gift-giving. Sorry, Wendy, your birthday cards are sitting in the same purgatory as the tickets to visit you during sophomore year at Georgetown.
It's fitting that we celebrate her birthday at the commencement of our adulthood project, because it officially marks our descent towards thirty. 3-0, people. My 26th birthday will follow in March, and this time of year always reminds me of a funny scheme Wendy and I came up with in high school (where we met and fell in nerd-love at first sight).
With our birthdays in semi-close proximity, we had both realized that neither of us had gotten nearly the amount of gifts or attention we were hoping to, so we decided to plan a follow-up joint birthday bash...in June. I distinctly remember the fabulous TJMaxx Tommy Hilfiger bikini I wore to our evening pool party (ever so chic), and I remember even more clearly Wendy walking, nay, running into a closed sliding glass door. The thump of her forehead resounds in my mind even as I write this. Needless to say, after that, the party was pretty much over. And even after all that planning and bamboozling, I think all we ended up with were some re-gifted Bath & Body Works sets.
After a rough week at work, and even tougher time taking stock of my own life this week, I still want to pause to celebrate the birth of my dear friend Wendy. Because after all, I can't think of a better friend to grow up with.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
A Good Cause
Hi everyone,
I'm very busy taking stock (of both my life and this season's crop of American Idols) and I hope that you are too. I think this is a very important first step on the road to adulthood that we should all take seriously. However, I wanted to take a quick moment out of my "taking stock" time to put out a list of websites that are accepting donations for the people of Haiti. I'm not trying to advertise for any one charity or organization, I'm just trying to give everyone who wishes to donate an opportunity to see what groups are out there. Here are some that I've found
Doctors without Borders https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/
-They are already on the ground and have set up clinics the injured.
American Red Cross http://redcross.org/
- Pledging an initial $200,000 for areas affected by the earthquake. Expecting to provide immediate food, water, temporary shelter, medical services, and emotional support.
Unicef http://unicef.org/
-Issued a statement, "Children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them.
Wyclef's Yele Haiti Foundation http://yele.org/
- Using your cell phone, text "yele" to 501501. $5 will be automatically deducted from your phone bill.
Operation USA http://opusa.org/
-Based in LA, asking for donations of funds from the public.
Ben Stiller's StillerStrong campaign http://stillerstrong.org/
-Dedicated to building schools in Haiti, the campaign is, for the moment, redirecting all donations to the relief effort.
...and there are so many more. If you don't support any of these charities, I urge you to find one that you do trust and support. Or, how about you get creative? Use those still-lingering Frat Guy tendencies to plan a bar crawl or kegger benefiting the victims. Pull together your most athletic friends and get sponsors for an impromptu 5k. Host a movie/wine/game night at your house and ask people for a $5 donation...every little bit helps.
-Wendy
I'm very busy taking stock (of both my life and this season's crop of American Idols) and I hope that you are too. I think this is a very important first step on the road to adulthood that we should all take seriously. However, I wanted to take a quick moment out of my "taking stock" time to put out a list of websites that are accepting donations for the people of Haiti. I'm not trying to advertise for any one charity or organization, I'm just trying to give everyone who wishes to donate an opportunity to see what groups are out there. Here are some that I've found
Doctors without Borders https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/
-They are already on the ground and have set up clinics the injured.
American Red Cross http://redcross.org/
- Pledging an initial $200,000 for areas affected by the earthquake. Expecting to provide immediate food, water, temporary shelter, medical services, and emotional support.
Unicef http://unicef.org/
-Issued a statement, "Children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them.
Wyclef's Yele Haiti Foundation http://yele.org/
- Using your cell phone, text "yele" to 501501. $5 will be automatically deducted from your phone bill.
Operation USA http://opusa.org/
-Based in LA, asking for donations of funds from the public.
Ben Stiller's StillerStrong campaign http://stillerstrong.org/
-Dedicated to building schools in Haiti, the campaign is, for the moment, redirecting all donations to the relief effort.
...and there are so many more. If you don't support any of these charities, I urge you to find one that you do trust and support. Or, how about you get creative? Use those still-lingering Frat Guy tendencies to plan a bar crawl or kegger benefiting the victims. Pull together your most athletic friends and get sponsors for an impromptu 5k. Host a movie/wine/game night at your house and ask people for a $5 donation...every little bit helps.
-Wendy
Monday, January 11, 2010
What's On the Agenda?
Corporate America is obsessed with agendas. Every orientation, meeting, and conference has its accompanying agenda letting you know exactly how long you'll have to wait before peeing, grabbing a coffee, or checking your phone for the latest box scores. And the agenda mania isn't just limited to offices. See, we here in America instill the love of agendas in our citizens from a young age. Tell me you remember your agenda from elementary school. You do, right? Every month was a different color, every week had an inspiring quote or fun fact, and the back cover was a wealth of useful information: a world map showing every international time zone, a conversion chart, and a list of national holidays (which always included Boxing Day for some reason, even though NOBODY knows what that it is). I even had teachers that were so obsessed with getting us to use our agendas that they designed "agenda scavenger hunts" at the beginning of the year. Sounds silly, but this agenda indoctrination worked -- at least it did on me.
See, I LOVE agendas. I buy them all the time. Like all the time. Seriously. Not just once a year like normal folks. Also, I write EVERYTHING in them. I write all the normal stuff in there, like my appointments, my meetings, my very important lunch dates, etc. But I also write crazy things, like: "go to gym," "floss," "vote for Russell 35 times after So You Think You Can Dance airs tonight."
Given my agenda obsession, it should come as no surprise that Tink and I have worked one out for this project. Tink introduced you to the first item on the agenda, "Taking Stock," in her previous post. ** Here, I'm going to give you a a brief overview of our entire agenda. As Tink said, we're dividing the year into four quarters. Each quarter will be devoted to one "BIG TOPIC." Combined, we think that these four big topics cover all of the major areas that we'll need to focus on as we try to become fully-functioning, happy adults. The four big topics are: Self, Career/Finances, Relationships, and Goals. To make these topics more manageable, we'll divide them into smaller sub-topics that we'll spend approximately one month each focusing on. To makes these sub-topics even more manageable, we'll divide them into weekly or bi-weekly topics that will be fashioned more like individual tasks or goals.
For example, say the "BIG TOPIC" for Quarter 3 is Relationships. To make tackling this topic easier we're going to break it up into: Family (Month 1), Friends (Month 2), and Significant Others (Month 3). Then, in Month 1 we might have weekly topics such as: "Developing a Mature Relationship with Your Sibling" or "Making Peace with Your Parents."
Fun stuff right? I hope all of that made sense to you. If it didn't it's most likely because I had the master outline for the project written down in my agenda....which I just threw out and replaced with a shinier version. Whoops.
-Wendy
See, I LOVE agendas. I buy them all the time. Like all the time. Seriously. Not just once a year like normal folks. Also, I write EVERYTHING in them. I write all the normal stuff in there, like my appointments, my meetings, my very important lunch dates, etc. But I also write crazy things, like: "go to gym," "floss," "vote for Russell 35 times after So You Think You Can Dance airs tonight."
Given my agenda obsession, it should come as no surprise that Tink and I have worked one out for this project. Tink introduced you to the first item on the agenda, "Taking Stock," in her previous post. ** Here, I'm going to give you a a brief overview of our entire agenda. As Tink said, we're dividing the year into four quarters. Each quarter will be devoted to one "BIG TOPIC." Combined, we think that these four big topics cover all of the major areas that we'll need to focus on as we try to become fully-functioning, happy adults. The four big topics are: Self, Career/Finances, Relationships, and Goals. To make these topics more manageable, we'll divide them into smaller sub-topics that we'll spend approximately one month each focusing on. To makes these sub-topics even more manageable, we'll divide them into weekly or bi-weekly topics that will be fashioned more like individual tasks or goals.
For example, say the "BIG TOPIC" for Quarter 3 is Relationships. To make tackling this topic easier we're going to break it up into: Family (Month 1), Friends (Month 2), and Significant Others (Month 3). Then, in Month 1 we might have weekly topics such as: "Developing a Mature Relationship with Your Sibling" or "Making Peace with Your Parents."
Fun stuff right? I hope all of that made sense to you. If it didn't it's most likely because I had the master outline for the project written down in my agenda....which I just threw out and replaced with a shinier version. Whoops.
-Wendy
Sunday, January 10, 2010
It is time...
It's my most unfavorite time of the week. Sunday night at 10:53PM. As I grasp hopelessly to the last remaining moments of my weekend, I inevitably find that there is no master "Pause " button (even though Zack Morris had one...suspiciously...in Saved By The Bell) and Monday morning is heading toward me at warp speed.
It's funny how I remember sitting in 5th grade thinking that the minutes ticked by so slow before lunch, or recess, or dismissal. Now it's Friday before I know it, and Sunday night before I've had time to throw in a load of laundry.
What both Wendy and I have thus far neglected to tell you is that despite the impression you've already formed of us as Lost Girls, we actually did a little pre-planning for this project. We've divided the year into four quarters (genius) and assigned topics to each month within the quarter. We'll update you as we go on but the first quarter is "Self" and the first month is about taking stock of what you've got going on. Taking a nice hard, honest look at our lives, careers, goals, personality traits and flaws, and see what's staying and going.
I liken it to cleaning out a closet: some stays, some goes to the trash, and some I wish I had never worn in the first place.
So that is this week's official adulthood task: Taking Stock of Your Life.
Will report back soon, for now..the clock is mocking me. Good night!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Standing at the Gates
"Earth to Wendy...where you at woman?"
Tink sent this mesaage to me on Tuesday afternoon. If I had noticed it then and not 4 hours later (I have apparently become numb to the little red blinking light on my blackberry) I would have responded thusly:
"I am at the gates of adulthood hell...send help."
Of course I wasn't really face-to-face with Satan and his minions, but at that moment, I definitely felt like I was. For on that afternoon Iwas sitting through what was easily the most torturous two hours of my life (and yes, I have seen Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel). Two solid hours of terms like "Roth 401(k)," "flexible benefit pre-tax medical spending plan," and "HMO." It's enough to drive anyone crazy...or so I thought. That night I relayed my day to my parents, fully expecting that they would understand my pain and feel for me. But no. Instead, my dad said (quite sarcastically, I might add), "Um, yeah Wendy, discussions and decisions like this are basically whatbeing an adult is all about. Welcome to adulthood."
Unlike my dad, I do not believe that being an adult has to consist solely of boring and tedious things like discussing sneaky ways to procure tax exemptions and arguing over the merits of tap versus bottled water (I say tap - extra fluoride!). However, I am aware that now that I'm twenty-five and gainfully employed, my days of worrying about nothing except whether I would rather have Jimmy John's or Chipotle for dinner are pretty much over.
Thus, I teamed up with Tink to embark on this journey of adulthood exploration. Along the way we'll share our experiences with you and hopefully provide you with some tips on how to navigate the sure-to-be bumpy road that leads to full-on, adulthood-level maturity.
Check back soon for an update. I'm off to watch college basketball and put off planning for my retirement as long as possible.
--Wendy
Tink sent this mesaage to me on Tuesday afternoon. If I had noticed it then and not 4 hours later (I have apparently become numb to the little red blinking light on my blackberry) I would have responded thusly:
"I am at the gates of adulthood hell...send help."
Of course I wasn't really face-to-face with Satan and his minions, but at that moment, I definitely felt like I was. For on that afternoon Iwas sitting through what was easily the most torturous two hours of my life (and yes, I have seen Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel). Two solid hours of terms like "Roth 401(k)," "flexible benefit pre-tax medical spending plan," and "HMO." It's enough to drive anyone crazy...or so I thought. That night I relayed my day to my parents, fully expecting that they would understand my pain and feel for me. But no. Instead, my dad said (quite sarcastically, I might add), "Um, yeah Wendy, discussions and decisions like this are basically whatbeing an adult is all about. Welcome to adulthood."
Unlike my dad, I do not believe that being an adult has to consist solely of boring and tedious things like discussing sneaky ways to procure tax exemptions and arguing over the merits of tap versus bottled water (I say tap - extra fluoride!). However, I am aware that now that I'm twenty-five and gainfully employed, my days of worrying about nothing except whether I would rather have Jimmy John's or Chipotle for dinner are pretty much over.
Thus, I teamed up with Tink to embark on this journey of adulthood exploration. Along the way we'll share our experiences with you and hopefully provide you with some tips on how to navigate the sure-to-be bumpy road that leads to full-on, adulthood-level maturity.
Check back soon for an update. I'm off to watch college basketball and put off planning for my retirement as long as possible.
--Wendy
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Project Peter Pan Commences
The whole idea of this project is to discover what being an adult really means, so it was fitting and proper that I spent the last night before we commenced soul searching like a teenager who discovered their parents’ secret stash of liquor for the first time.
Yes, I ended the night in my pool fully clothed, and yes I performed an impromptu jig with my wooden flute throughout the party, but I am proud to say I woke up feeling fairly unscathed. This was after all, one of the tamer New Year’s Eves I’ve had in a few years.
Yes, I ended the night in my pool fully clothed, and yes I performed an impromptu jig with my wooden flute throughout the party, but I am proud to say I woke up feeling fairly unscathed. This was after all, one of the tamer New Year’s Eves I’ve had in a few years.
Still, it’s funny how you begin a New Year inevitably (if you’re a drinker) feeling like garbage. A hangover is no way to get a jump on your resolutions for 2010. I also continued the juvenile behavior throughout the day as we played video games, ate junk food, and finished the keg that is currently floating outside my apartment. But I have resolved to write, so write I will.
Contrary to what the first few paragraphs suggest, I am not a delinquent loser. I am actually a well-adjusted, employed, and creative twenty-five year old. I hold a position of power within the company I work for, and I aspire to do big things…someday.
Today begins a yearlong project of exploring what it means to be an adult: the fun parts, the dregs of responsibility versus the immortality of our childhood and college years, and what being a grown up truly entails. So we’ll accomplish 1 adult-like thing a week, and write about the experience.
At the end of the year, we’ll examine if we’ve made it to the promise land of adulthood or not. Without being overly cliché, this project will undoubtedly be more about the journey than the destination, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. More to come on our pursuit of adulthood soon, I’ve got to get back to finalizing my New Year’s Resolutions, because as you can see by my January 3rd start date, I’ve procrastinated yet again.
Lots to do,
Tink
Contrary to what the first few paragraphs suggest, I am not a delinquent loser. I am actually a well-adjusted, employed, and creative twenty-five year old. I hold a position of power within the company I work for, and I aspire to do big things…someday.
Today begins a yearlong project of exploring what it means to be an adult: the fun parts, the dregs of responsibility versus the immortality of our childhood and college years, and what being a grown up truly entails. So we’ll accomplish 1 adult-like thing a week, and write about the experience.
At the end of the year, we’ll examine if we’ve made it to the promise land of adulthood or not. Without being overly cliché, this project will undoubtedly be more about the journey than the destination, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. More to come on our pursuit of adulthood soon, I’ve got to get back to finalizing my New Year’s Resolutions, because as you can see by my January 3rd start date, I’ve procrastinated yet again.
Lots to do,
Tink
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