Relationshipless?

So, random pet peeve - why do some people not have anything in their relationship status on facebook?  Especially when their profiles are complete in every other respect.  Seriously.  I feel like people either a) want to look mysterious or b) are too ashamed to admit they're single (which I personally find to be pathetic).  

Now, one can argue that these people have succeeded at being mysterious because people like me have noticed and commented on it.  However, here's my take on it:  if you're not definitely in a relationship, put single.  If you are in a relationship but get in a fight with your significant other, don't change the status unless you definitely break up.  If you break up, suck it up and change it back to single (I suppose this opens the door that some of these people cannot yet admit that they've broken up or are insistent that the person who broke up with them will come crawling back).  See, this is why I judge people for not having a relationship status - I don't think they're in a 'semi-relationship', I think they're in a state of denial.  That, or maybe facebook should come up with some other options: 'regularly hooking up with the same person but I don't want to scare him off with relationship talk' or 'the girl I'm sleeping with will be pissed if I put 'single''.  Let's call a spade a spade.  

The Wrath of Grapes

Boy am I feeling it today.  Whoa.  

I went out last night.  There was a wristband party.   I think it was my last wristband party, ever. There's such a pressure to get one's money's worth....

I remember back in college being able to go out all three nights of the weekend (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) and even on a weekday (my mother cannot be any prouder as she reads this) and be able to get up and go the following day without a problem.  Right now I feel like I need a week to recover from this weekend.  :(

I have not eaten one thing all day.  I have also slept from 2am to 7pm.  I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep tonight.  Hmm.  Maybe I'll have a chance to blog....

Swoon

Despite his wandering, umm, eye....I love this man.  Perhaps even more than I love the Hill-meister.  I'm sure this is no surprise to my loyal blog readers.  In fact, it's probably a good thing he and I don't know each other on a personal level - it could lead to bad blood between Hillary and I....

Obsession

I own somewhere near 100 bottles of nail polish - a good 50 of them being OPI brand.  What would be the need of all these nail polishes?  I dunno.  But I do know this - kind of like with clothes, shoes, purses, etc. - I feel like I'm constantly using the same ones (be it me favoritizing some or me being just so used to them because I have them) and I am always up for buying a new one...one that looks just like the ones I have mind you....

Sigh.

If You Look Very Closely....

You may have to refresh the page once, but....

The google ads are illustrating my point from the breast cancer blogs!

Nothing like Corporate America to stick it to ya.

Ads!

I think I finally got them!

I see my first ad is for "Protestant Singles". I do not know why this came up, out of all the subjects I have discussed on said blog. I have mentioned being single, perhaps, but I am not Protestant, nor have I ever mentioned anything about them.

I suppose this should be filed under 'baby steps'. At least the ads are here....

A Link Presented Without Comment

Ad

All I will say at this point (and believe me, I have a lot of thoughts on this matter, obviously) is that no, I am not part of the group referenced in the ad.  There have been times I have wanted to support John McCain for president, however, every time he opens his mouth he makes it more and more difficult for me to do so.  

Wino

So here we have Amy Winehouse, who, at age 24 (around 5 months younger than me), has really hit it big with multiple grammy awards and chart-topping singles in the past year and a half.

She also appears to have hit rock bottom (although it doesn't seem as though she's admitting it to herself) with emphysema, an eating disorder, an incarcerated husband, and there are many speculations of multiple major drug addictions.

I can't say I'm a particular fan of hers, so it's not as though I can say she's incredibly 'talented', I will say she really seems to be in a great place for a young aspiring singer; many would give their eye-teeth to have her opportunities right now. (Not that whether or not someone has talent ro success makes one's life any more or less valuable.) Although, it appears as though she's willingly letting her life go down the drain by not getting help. Many question if she'll even be alive in two years if she doesn't turn things around.

I'd say the silver lining to these circumstances is others in similar places can learn from her mistakes and not make them themselves...but wait...does this story sound somewhat familiar? Janis Joplin, anyone?

Although their life stories are not identical - how many relatively young talented musicians and/or actors have cut their lives short because of something related to illegal drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication?

Here's a short list, courtesy of Wikipedia: John Belushi, Chris Farley, Heath Ledger, Brad Renfro, River Phoenix, Jim Morrison, Anna Nicole Smith, Freddie Prinze, Jimi Hendrix....the list goes on and on.

It brings to mind one quote: Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. (Douglas Adams)

Second Amendment

**So I decided to take the post down, because it was a little too controversial for Jaime's blog and although it was very long, it didn't really make the points I wanted it to make and it just sounded too angry. I will try to come up with some lighter posts today....or in the near future.

Gymnastics!

One of my favorite things - Olympic gymnastics (!!!) is coming up!!  This is the stuff dreams are made of, baby!

What's not to love about it?!!  

(Well, aside from quite a few controversies - eating disorders, overzealous 'stage' parents, verbally abusive coaches, abnormal childhoods, antigrowth hormones....)

That being said - three flips in a row on a four inch beam!?!?!  You won't be able to tear me away from these upcoming events.  This is what I call reality tv!!

The Next Time You Need to do a Google Search....

See that little box on the right side, by my picture? Just come here and search with that! There might be something in it for you if you do - nudge nudge wink wink.

I Can't Help But Question...

Who created this ad? Is that supposed to be me? Does the creator of this ad read this blog?!?!

Re: Re: Pink Ribbon

So Matt posted a response to my Pink Ribbon blog here.

He raised some questions which I will set aside time (hopefully) to respond to.

However, one point he brought up in the blog is an interesting statistic, portrayed by this graph from the centers for disease control of the top killers of women:

(click to enlarge)

He brought up an interesting point - breast cancer fundraisers are EVERYWHERE in some way or another (ex:  buy this brand and a portion of the profits will go to the Susan G. Komen foundation).   Breast cancer research even has its own mascot (see blog title).

So now, why is it that breast cancer research gets so much more attention than some other (more)  prevalent issues?   One could come up a multitude of reasons, however, I think there's one clear-cut answer.

Now, I know some are going to stand up and say that the breast cancer walks, etc., were started by people whose lives were affected by breast cancer in some way - but what about people whose lives were touched by heart disease (the number one killer on the chart)?  Were they less inspired?

I doubt it.  Perhaps the inspiration started out the same, but the campaigns took off differently because of how they were received by the general public and corporate America.  Simply put, some causes are more marketable than others.  

When I think of breast cancer, I think of a relatively young, cute looking soccer mom (be it accurate or not).  When I think of heart disease, I think of a wheezing, heavier 'grandpa' like man.  Nothing wrong with this, but it doesn't put me in the same mood as the previous image.  

The general 'vibe' of breast cancer makes it easy for lots of companies to attach themselves to the cause - sponsoring events like the three day walk, donating a portion of their profits, etc.  Since many people feel good about helping a charity, it's a win-win-win??  (charity gets money, huge corporation makes more profit, people feel good  about spending money - everyone's happy, right?)

So what are the downfalls of this cause related marketing?  Is it a big problem that some causes get a disproportionate amount of attention?  These things I don't know.

However, I do know this - some real issues out there will NEVER get a substantial amount of attention because of their lack of marketability.  Frankly, some causes and the imagery associated with them make people sick to their stomachs - which certainly doesn't put one in the 'mood to buy'.  Anyone knows that associating your company's name with something with a negative connotation is a fatal sin.  Not to be graphic, BUT - can you see an entire city shutting down for a giant 'colon cancer' event?  Can you picture people sporting various colored 'ribbons for incest'?  Do you see a major corporation posting pictures of soldiers with missing limbs next to their logo (even with 'a portion of your purchase will go to help in this person's medical bill relief' in big letters next to it)?  

Didn't think so.  

We've Failed to Look Inside Any More....

I've touched on being annoyed at overused expressions before.

I do believe it's reached the point that thinking inside the box is the new 'thinking outside the box'. Don't you?

It is what it is.

Something Changed Here....

I don't handle change well. Anyone who knows me could tell you this. And something changed on Jaime's blog....

There's a slightly different format. It wasn't my doing. Well, it may, inadvertently, be my doing.

GRR.

I was trying to put ads on Jaime's blog (it's all about making a buck, isn't it?) and something happened....no ads and a slightly bigger font with a weird white background.

WTF.

I am not happy.

Google/blogger experts out there - help!?!

Much love.

Thanks.

Pink Ribbon

So several of my good friends are doing the 'breast cancer three day walk'. They are 'training' by walking around ten miles a pop on a regular basis (which, although I do understand - there's something hilarious about 'practicing walking').

Anyhow, here are my thoughts - great cause, great that they're raising money for it - however - they're doing this additional extensive procedure: buying plane tickets to Boston, months of training, three days walking 60 miles, when....

Does it really matter?

Not the fundraising itself - the process of walking 60 miles. Or, for that matter - all of these 'activity-a-thons' for a cause. Can't these people just walk around raise the money and forgo the walking (or whatever it might be) process?

I think what amuses me the most is that, in this act and spirit of charity, there seems to be a bit of an implication of sadistic qualities. Somehow, the notion of my friends going this extra mile (pardon the pun) and putting themselves through physical agony is going to get people more excited and think "yeah, this is something I'd give money to see happen!"

Not Supporting Him...Yet

Lawn Chair

So, I decided that since summer is upon us - I could use a good lawn chair for sitting out and reading. Since I'm very modern and computer savvy - I do most of my shopping online. I googled "lawn chair" in search of a good deal. I kept coming upon this story:

Lawn Chair Larry
1982 Honorable Mention
Confirmed True by Darwin

(1982, California) Larry Walters of Los Angeles is one of the few to contend for the Darwin Awards and live to tell the tale. "I have fulfilled my 20-year dream," said Walters, a former truck driver for a company that makes TV commercials. "I'm staying on the ground. I've proved the thing works." Larry's boyhood dream was to fly. But fates conspired to keep him from his dream. He joined the Air Force, but his poor eyesight disqualified him from the job of pilot. After he was discharged from the military, he sat in his backyard watching jets fly overhead. He hatched his weather balloon scheme while sitting outside in his "extremely comfortable" Sears lawnchair. He purchased 45 weather balloons from an Army-Navy surplus store, tied them to his tethered lawnchair dubbed the Inspiration I, and filled the 4' diameter balloons with helium. Then he strapped himself into his lawnchair with some sandwiches, Miller Lite, and a pellet gun. He figured he would pop a few of the many balloons when it was time to descend. Larry's plan was to sever the anchor and lazily float up to a height of about 30 feet above his back yard, where he would enjoy a few hours of flight before coming back down. But things didn't work out quite as Larry planned. When his friends cut the cord anchoring the lawnchair to his Jeep, he did not float lazily up to 30 feet. Instead, he streaked into the LA sky as if shot from a cannon, pulled by the lift of 42 helium balloons holding 33 cubic feet of helium each. He didn't level off at 100 feet, nor did he level off at 1000 feet. After climbing and climbing, he leveled off at 16,000 feet. At that height he felt he couldn't risk shooting any of the balloons, lest he unbalance the load and really find himself in trouble. So he stayed there, drifting cold and frightened with his beer and sandwiches, for more than 14 hours. He crossed the primary approach corridor of LAX, where Trans World Airlines and Delta Airlines pilots radioed in reports of the strange sight. Eventually he gathered the nerve to shoot a few balloons, and slowly descended. The hanging tethers tangled and caught in a power line, blacking out a Long Beach neighborhood for 20 minutes. Larry climbed to safety, where he was arrested by waiting members of the LAPD. As he was led away in handcuffs, a reporter dispatched to cover the daring rescue asked him why he had done it. Larry replied nonchalantly, "A man can't just sit around." The Federal Aviation Administration was not amused. Safety Inspector Neal Savoy said, "We know he broke some part of the Federal Aviation Act, and as soon as we decide which part it is, a charge will be filed." DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2008 Submitted by: Ed Greany, Douglas Walker, Walter Hecht Reference: UPI, Stabbed with a Wedge of Cheese by Charles Downey Footnote: Larry's efforts won him a $1,500 FAA fine, a prize from the Bonehead Club of Dallas, the altitude record for gas-filled clustered balloons, and a Darwin Awards Honorable Mention. He gave his aluminum lawnchair to admiring neighborhood children, abandoned his truck-driving job, and went on the lecture circuit. He enjoyed intermittent demand as a motivational speaker, but said he never made much money from his innovative flight. He never married and had no children. Larry hiked into the forest and shot himself in the heart on October 6, 1993. He died at the age of 44. Poor Larry. I gotta respect the guy for one thing: the line 'a man can't just sit around'. RIP Larry.

Responsibilities....

Jessica has asked me to 'plant sit' for a week. You know, water it every couple days and try not to kill it. This is a tall order. We'll see how green my thumb is....

Update to come.

Shoutout

So, as I blogged about earlier, the Chicago Sun-Times had a 'birthday party' a couple weeks ago. I met my new friend (but longtime facebook friend) Richard Roeper (from "At the Movies" - formerly "Ebert & Roeper", formerly "Siskel & Ebert"; also writer of a daily column in the paper). Anyhow, I happened to bump into him and the group he was talking with (inadvertently, of course) and I pointed out our cyber-camaraderie.

"Ah, cool. Yeah, I'm hardly ever on facebook actually." I then pointed out "but you update your profile every day". He seemed less than thrilled and said "yeah, I guess". Sensing that my parachute was turning into a knapsack, I changed the subject to his new book and asked if he would be willing to autograph my copy. Talk about how to win friends and influence people - he was more than eager to help. So, hopefully it'll come back through the interoffice mail in a week or two.

Since Richard was so nice - I'm giving his new book some free publicity. He's tackling some interesting topics in there - such as new age philosophy, reality tv scandals and faux religious images.

Review to come.

Too Late To Apologize

I'm sorry. I haven't updated much lately. Lame, I know. But, people pointed it out to me!! People are reading my blog! So exciting! It gets me every time....

There will be some better posts later today and tomorrow....

Baby Talk

Rant of the day - couples who talk baby talk to each other - IN PUBLIC! WHY? Why, why why!?

I don't have too much to say on the subject (for once) - but I'm just wondering...what exactly is the thinking here? Is this some way of showing your love for each other to the world? Really, we can all do without it.

I know most of you will agree with this being an annoyance - some of you will defend it and say there's something cute or romantic about it....but there's one couple I know who very regularly talks baby talk to each other. When I look at them - I can't help but wonder - is it because they lack the ability to have an actual adult conversation with each other?

Over-Education

So Obama keeps talking about how one of his objectives, as president, would be to make student loans more accessible. He then segues into what I'd describe as some nonsense about mandatory volunteer work in exchange for money for education. (if it's mandatory, are you really volunteering?)

Ok - I realize my parents paid for my college, and many don't have the luxury - so I realize some of you will write this off as out of touch.

I know plenty of people who took out student loans. I do not know one single person who wanted to go to college and wasn't able to because they couldn't get the money (maybe I don't know the right people for this). To the naked eye, it seems that student loans are too easy to get.

I realize the argument here is that some loans had huge interest rates, etc. Don't get me wrong - I understand that's a huge burden - having to write a check for hundreds of dollars every months for around 15 years of one's life.

However, this doesn't seem to be enough of a deterrent to some people uselessly educating themselves. I know it sounds weird - how can an education ever be useless....however, student loans, IN THEORY, is the government making an investment in students by giving them money for education - they are going to then use it to pursue a career that will give back to society, a career that will pull a good salary that can then be taxed, a career that will strengthen industry in the United States from an international perspective.

However, many people are going to college and continuing to work in retail and restaurant jobs (in non-manager roles). Too many people are going to college and taking on useless, non-vocational majors (sociology anyone? how about some leisure studies? or let's go for just plain, old fashioned English!).

EVEN WORSE - and I type this with COMPLETE and UTTER DISGUST (I'm sure those who know me know why) - I STILL, in this day and age, know a lot of women who are going to college for solely for an MRS degree. Seriously - huge waste of money - just go hang out at the bars on a college campus and don't waste tens of thousands of dollars.

That, and another issue - for some who have always excelled academically, going to school is easier than working. I know so many people who got straight A's, graduated, worked a year, struggled with it and defaulted back to becoming a full-time student. They might be happier, but they're burning money instead of making it. In the same sense that someone wouldn't purchase an $80K car and not plan on using - why are people doing this with college?

There's the old saying - college isn't for everyone, someone needs to be the trash collector.

However, on a more serious note - I do believe in the premise of a student loan - that someone from a humble upbringing who has a dream and works very hard can become the doctor, engineer, teacher, or whatever he or she has always dreamed of being - that these career options are not exclusive to trust fund babies. If I were in charge of this whole 'doling out student loan' business - I would base decisions on who gets a loan based on who has an actual career plan (sorry to the future 'undecideds' of America). Those who have an actual vocational majors in lucrative career paths would get the low interest loans.

Do I Come From a Land Down Under?

The other day I had lunch with a friend of mine and her coworker (who I was meeting for the first time). After lunch, my friend relayed to me that her coworker was wondering 'where I'm from originally'. The coworker's guess was 'Australia'. Because of, you know, my accent....

This is far from the first time it's happened to me (Australia has come in as a guess before, however, the overwhelming favorite is Boston), and it probably won't be the last.

Sigh. I'm suburban born and raised, both my parents have lived their life in the Chicagoland area as well.

This inspires me to plan a trip to Boston, just to see if they talk like me. Any takers?

Living with the 'Rents

So I was perusing facebook earlier today and noticed that some high school acquaintances from my grade (so pretty much 25 year olds) were hosting a party in my hometown of Mt. Prospect. I'm going off on a limb and guessing the event is taking place at someone's parents' house.

My three best friends from high school (all of whom have undergraduate as well as advanced degrees from respected universities and jobs in their fields) are currently shacking up with mom and dad in the Northwest 'burbs.

What percentage of 25 year-olds in the Chicagoland area are currently living with their parents? Of those who aren't, how many aren't living with a significant other? I constantly find myself at a loss for friends to go out with in the city - all of my friends with the exception of about two are either living in the burbs or living with their spouse (or almost spouse).

But regardless of the second group - what's with the surge of 20 somethings living at home? Is there a good explanation for this? Do we not want to grow up? Do entry-level salaries suck that bad? Are we all more about saving these days? What is the story?

Why I Don't Like Obama

So I supported Hillary Clinton. Obviously.

Throughout my backing of her, I knew I was supporting a flawed individual with skeletons in the closet. I would imagine all of Hillary's supporters would say the same. I believe McCain's supporters might make a similar statement about him.

I'd like to wager a guess that there are good amount of Obama supporters (at least those I met) think they are supporting a pure and wondrous being. He's a CHICAGO POLITICIAN. The chances of this being true are about the same as ME getting elected president this November. Call me a cynic (I wear the title with pride) - I don't f*#&ing buy it, Obama.

Here's my problem with him: he ran a campaign based purely on hypocrisy. AND SO MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T NOTICE. He made some statements about how 'he's about a different kind of politics". ok. He's not into the mudslinging; those kind of things distract from the real issues. fine. He comes out and says he's different, he's about change, blah blah blah. But in saying this, he pretty much insinuates (and at times outright says) that all of his competition is about old school politics, distractions, etc. In doing so, HE SLINGS MUD ON HIS COMPETITION. That's the whole platform of his campaign - vote for me because I'm not like these other guys who really really suck!! Hypocrisy in its purest form!! He is a brilliant manipulator (which is really a quality I personally could live without in a president).

His supporters, who all think he's 'not like the rest' will all argue that one should vote for him because Hillary Clinton, John McCain, or whomever else there is, is worse for reasons x, y and z. It's a big giant mud bath, which last time I checked, was the politics we're trying to get away from!!

One thing I will give Barack is that he's very smart - he's not unaware of what's taken place. He's just basking in the fact that everyone else seems to be.

I'll end it with this - I'm not saying I won't vote for Obama. But I'm still looking for a good reason to that doesn't involve "because the alternative sucks". That platform backfired on John Kerry - let's learn from recent history, Democrats!

Before I Have to Start Supporting Him (Solely Because of the Supreme Court)

Observation, Part 2

Today I meandered into the Coach store around 200 S. LaSalle. Coach is currently suffering from what I call "Starbucks Syndrome". I wasn't in the store but five seconds when I heard "love that purse" in reference to the purse I was carrying (it was a Coach bag, mind you). Ten seconds later "I love the way you matched your sweater to your bag". "Great outfit". Ugh, ugh, ugh!! I'm not a piece of toast, stop buttering me up! One girl segued her comment about my purple bag and purple sweater into "and did you see this purple scarf? we also have a purple wallet".

I couldn't take it. I walked out; I bought nothing. I went straight into Starbucks and got a latte.

RIP

It's going to take me a little while to cope with this one....

The Sign Says it All

The word before "I'm Polish" is "dupa".

This was what the inside of the second best bar I went to last night looked like.