I'm Getting a Visitor!!

Wehe is here!  Chicago, LOOK OUT!

Poor Detroit....

It's been a rough year for the residents of Michigan - first the collapse of the US auto industry, now the Detroit Lions completely winless season.  Ouch.  And, let's be honest - it was probably already hard enough having to be a Detroit resident to begin with....

Goals

Ok, I know I have raised several questions in the past about making new year's resolutions - however, one resolution I usually make it to read a certain number of books in the coming year (and I encourage others to make this goal as well - the number of books depends on the individual).  I do believe last January, a study came out that said one in four Americans did not read a single book the previous year.  

This past year, my goal was twelve books - I happened to luckily exceed it by one book.  Obviously, I should aim a little higher this coming year, but I don't want to overdo it.  However, I do want to challenge myself.   Hmm.    

(This reminds me that I am supposed to review my books from this past year - still working on that one.  Maybe a better resolution for me would be keeping my blog promises.)

What would be a good new goal?  Fifteen seems too small (I almost did that this year); eighteen a little too large.  Seventeen is too odd of a number - I don't like it.  Maybe I'll go for magic sweet 16.  

However, I am NOT at a shortage of reading material - I got seven new books and a Borders giftcard for Christmas.  That, and I have a large quantity on hand from the beloved Sun-Times booksale.   I have a ton of books that I am excited about reading, which is always good.   In fact, I started reading one of my new books (see above).  

My only problem is I'm almost a third of the way through it and I fear I may finish it before 2009, which cannot happen.   This book needs to be counted against 2009, NOT 2008.  I CANNOT have a budget surplus - that will only penalize me for the coming year.  

Coach?

So I have come across, on several occasions, something pertaining to the occupation of 'life coach'.  

Needless to say, I am VERY cynical to this profession on the whole and those who think they are qualified to assume such a role.   

What exactly is a life coach?  What do they do?  More importantly, what makes one qualified to be a life coach?   How is it determined that, hey, you right there - you're more successful in life than 90% of the buffoons out there - you're qualified to tell others what they should be doing with their lives!!  Is it a certain amount of 'life experience' that makes one qualified to be a life coach?  I see 20 and 30-somethings claiming to be life coaches.   Is there any training to become a life coach?  I personally would think the training would be life itself - but we all have that experience of having lived life - what makes some of us grossly unqualified for the profession?   Is being a life coach solely a self-proclaimed accolade, or is there a formal certification process?  Are there a good amount of people out there going to 'life coaches'?  (Actually, I have no trouble believing this - those who feel desperately lost and searching will turn to anything that might be able to solve their problems, hence the success of cults, Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret", etc.)

I do believe several of those behind "The Secret" are self-proclaimed life coaches.  This doesn't add on any cynicism for me toward this subject matter; I already had plenty.

It's not the idea of a life coach that troubles me - it's the idea that some of my peers might be qualified to assume this role in my, or someone's, life.  I dare a life coach to offer up some advice to me.

(Editor's sidenote:  To find a picture for this blog, I googled 'Coach', but that only yielded handbags.  I then googled 'athlete coach' and immediately came upon the picture of Bela Karolyi and Kerri Strug.  Those who know me appreciate that I couldn't resist.)

They Don't Know Me as Well as They/I Thought...

E-Mail Subject Line:  Marriages Break Down Because of Incompatible Personalities

Body:

If you and your marital partner are having trouble, come in and get your Personality and IQ checked as this may be the reason for your disputes.

Call to set up an appointment.

--------

I am not married.  I am not engaged.  I am not close to it either.  And I am absolutely fine with it.  :-)   In fact, this past Christmas, my mom declared she plans on "spoiling me every Christmas, until I get married".  So let's be honest, the odds that I'll walk down the aisle any time soon are getting slimmer by the second.  

You're going to have to do a little bit better than that, Chicago Dianetics Society.  

Vacay

Sorry to my loyal readers - this blog has been on Christmas vacation.   I do appreciate that on Christmas day, this blog still got views (by someone other than my mother).   Well, I hope all my blog-viewers had a nice Christmas.   How was mine, you ask?  Spectacular!

Hello, lover....

Single for the Holidays

So, as most of you know, I am single.  Some people have a problem being single at the holidays, however, I don't.  I think it's one thing if there's a significant other who has been around for a long time and already knows the family, however, for me personally, having to go meet all of someone's extended family, or more difficult, having to bring someone to meet all of my extended family would be somewhat stressful no matter how excited I am about the relationship.  

I guess I personally prefer to be single at times like Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc., because I prefer to go and relax with my family and be in my comfort zone of the holiday celebration I am used to.   However, oddly, some of the other members of my age group in my family seem to have no problem bringing a date to any and every family event, even if they've only been dating the person for a couple weeks.  I know some friends who will also bring someone they just started dating home to meet not only parents and siblings but also the whole entire extended family early on.  I am not sure if the point is to show off that they are, indeed, dating someone (and therefore dateable), or if this is just the standard way to operate for them and I personally don't understand it.   

Your thoughts?  Are any of you sad to be single at the holidays?  

For All My Snoopy Enthusiasts....

Have a very Merry Christmas!!  

Yet Another Facebook Observation....

Has it ever happened to you that, once in a while, someone you haven't seen or talked to in forever adds you as a friend on facebook?  Only, the catch is, both you and this person have been on facebook for a good amount of time; you've noticed their profile before and you know they've noticed your profile and subsequently passed it over in the past  (that past/passed is for YOU, Emily).  

This has happened to me a couple times lately.  What made said individual decide this time, out of the blue, to add me?  It wasn't strange that they added me, but rather that they decided to do so at this very moment.  I can't help but wonder - were they in a staredown with my profile and they happened to break first?  (Don't question my networking site willpower!)

However, I do believe I have answered my own question - today, after having been stranded in my apartment because of this ridiculously cold weather, I decided to go through facebook and do a very thorough friending.  People I knew, mostly from high school and some from college - they all got a request.   Knock on wood - I should have a good 25 new friends in the next couple days.

It's not necessarily that I am looking to get back in touch with these people, but moreso because I am nosy to see what they are up to.  I really hope they all come over from the link to my blog in my facebook profile and read this post.  I can't help but secretly think, though, that these others who added me were wondering the same thing about me.  I can only hope my fabulous life does not inspire too much envy....

For a Day Like Today....

I get this poem every winter & every winter I love re-reading  it.  It's a beautiful poem and  very well written.  Thought it might be a comfort to you; it was to me.  ENJOY!  ' WINTER '  Fuck! It's cold! The end.

Poor Tots :-(

poor kiddos :-(

It's been a rough year for many.   :'(

Scary Thought

So, something I recently noticed on facebook got me thinking....I have now passed the four year anniversary of being a college graduate (December 15, 2004).  AHHH!  Crazy!  I have been an "adult" in the "real world" for FOUR YEARS (I started my first 'real job' February 5, 2004).   (Yes, I do have an odd ability to remember dates and an unhealthy love for parenthetical asides.)  

It's weird to think of all that this means - I have not done homework, studied for or taken a final, or worked at Chili's in four years.  I have now been out of college for longer than I was in it.  It's a bit hard for me to wrap my head around at this moment.  I need some time and space to take this all in.  I'll be back. 

Some Days the Real World is Rough

Now, I personally think it's easier to be a grown up than a kid - maybe that's just me.  Anyhow, every once in a while, there'll be something I desperately miss from childhood, such as the magical wonder known as snow days.   It made winter worthwhile.  I have a feeling I'm not alone on my love of snow days - there's a facebook group that describes a snow day as 'a one day extension on life'.

However, in the real world of downtown Chicago jobs and public transportation, large snowfall only means more daily hassles and frozen feet.  Alas.  Although, at one point in my adult life, I was part of an organization (which I am most certainly not part of any more) that had a snow day, but I suppose that made sense because we were all treated like kindergartners there anyway.  

Timeline?

So I was just reading in Cosmo (I know, AGAIN) that, if you are a woman in your twenties, it is now finally acceptable to not have a five year plan.  

Well, PHEW.  Thank goodness, cause I surely didn't have one.   I swear, I had no idea we even had this assignment!  (How many times have I said THAT in my life?!?!)

Anyhow - I am curious - does anyone out there have a five year plan?  Goals are good, but something about this seems strange.  Where does everyone see herself in the next couple five years?  Does anyone have an answer that DOESN'T involve the statements 'getting married and having kids' or 'getting my dream job'?  

Your thoughts?  Should I acquire a five year plan?  

Stolen Property

Emily, your blog doesn't have a copyright...you've been warned!

World Class Trash

So, over the past couple days, I've been reading Glamour and Cosmo.  Something interesting I've come to discover...the following are books that actually exist:

(Third Base Ain't What it Used to Be)

(Additional Sidenote:  Your thoughts on this matter???)

(Shacking Up:  The Smart Girls' Guide to Living in Sin Without Getting Burned)

(Dating Makes You Want to Die)

Has anyone read any of these?  Can anyone provide a review?

Cute but Pointless

I wonder what he charges for massages....

As a Blogger, I Live for This....

The other day, I wrote a post about newspapers.  I got a response from "anonymous".  Special sidenote - I have a couple guesses at who this "anonymous" might be.  However, the one thing that confuses me is, although I know many who might say something like this, ALL would sign their name to it.  Hmm. 

Anyhow, anonymous says:

"Print newspapers are a dying breed. Coverage of the G-Rod arrest is a perfect example of how print news has little use anymore.

He was taken into custody on Tuesday around 7 AM. If you learned of this news via the Wednesday morning paper, you are probably living in an area which not only doesn't have internet or TV; you probably don't even have electricity."

All right.  Ding, round two....

There is definitely a point that news happens more than once every 24 hours.  Newspapers probably aren't the best when it comes to 'breaking the news', but this isn't new.  Yes, the radio, tv, internet, etc. are probably all better at this.

However, a newspaper's sole purpose isn't 'breaking the news'.  There is something tangible, real and lasting about a newspaper.  At one time there was a certain buzz and excitement after a big event about 'seeing the headlines tomorrow' (yes, anonymous, headlines of stories about events that people were, indeed, already aware of).   Whether or not that buzz still exists is another argument entirely, however, I do know this - the day after Obama's election, there was a huge rush of people in line to get a copy of the morning after's paper (and I HIGHLY HIGHLY doubt it was to find out who won the election).  I know a lot of people were interested in preserving their copies and keeping them for years to come.  I question if these same people were printing up blog headlines and putting them in a safe place.  

Anyhow, one can most definitely question the future of newspapers in today's world, however, as I see it, there is undeniably something newspapers bring to the table that other forms of news media do not.  

Birthdays Galore!

Happy Birthday to Piper (Ana)!!   What would I (and this blog) ever do without you?!?!?!  

When I see you next, I have the world's most appropriate birthday card for you!  

Another Quote

Greta Van Susteren (love her) - on her show, On the Record:

"This is the fourth governor of Illinois to be indicted - what's going on in Illinois?!?!?!"

This is how we roll in Illinois.   

I Wonder....

It was not a good day for The Chicago Tribune.  I feel for them.  There are also rumors about the future of The New York Times.  

There are a lot of companies in general in turmoil right now.  (I know, f'ing duh!)

However, for me this raises a series of questions.  Where are people getting their news these days (if not from newspapers)?  Cable news shows?  I know there's a cult following of junkies, such as yours truly, however, I don't know if they are facing an increased audience as some others are facing a decreased audience.  The internet?  Perhaps.  More specifically - are people getting their news from blogs?!  Are they credible news blogs written by researchers/reporters (such as the newspapers' websites), or any random blogs, like THIS ONE?!?!

(I guess maybe that's better than getting your news Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity.  Couldn't resist.)

Or, I guess maybe there's another option.  Are people not 'getting their news' at all?  

Contemplating....

...a private facebook profile.  I have always had a public one.  I have always mocked people for having a private profile, as in they think they are so important/interesting that they need the privacy - as in strangers shouldn't be privy to know their favorite bands.  

Now, before you can say anything that it's been stupid of me to have a public facebook thus far, 1) I do not have anything inappropriate up of myself and B) I am already 'facebook friends' with all of management at my company.  So....

However, a part of me is thinking it might be time for me to take on an air of mystery.  Thoughts?! 

Resolution?

So I got my Glamour magazine in the mail last week - it's the January issue (and it's disgustingly small - a sad shoutout to the state of the print media industry lately, but anyhow).   Naturally, it's talking about New Year's Resolutions and all the staples of New Year's Resolutions  (lose 10 pounds, quit smoking, get a new job, etc.).  

Now, I've never been one make New Year's resolutions in my adult life.   I find a bit of humor in it all:  1)  If it's a goal of yours, such as the above mentioned, why particularly decide to take action specifically at the beginning of the  year and 2)  The success rate of most New Year's resolutions...yeah.

However, I currently find myself in a bit of a rut.  My readers might note this by the number of posts filed under 'doldrums'.   Although there might not be anything particularly wrong at this moment, but there isn't necessarily anything spectacularly right (although I can say I am luckier than most to have my health, a decent job, family and some great friends).  

A humorous situation led me to think about my high school reunion (which will be coming up in a couple years).  As of right now, I wouldn't have any reason I'd be embarrassed to go see all my former classmates, however, I guess I'm not where I thought I'd be when I was a teenager and dreamed of adulthood.  I'm not the person I envisioned myself as going to said reunion.  Maybe this is a simple part of all dream/reality discrepancies, however, at one point in my life I felt I was someone who was destined for greatness and I'm pretty sure I haven't quite reached that.

Maybe I need a resolution.  

Have You Ever Noticed?

There's something empowering about being disliked by someone.  Now, I'm not talking about your boss of your boyfriend's mom (that's not good).   I'm not talking about the girl you stole the boyfriend of (that's expected).   I'm talking about when you discover a completely random, unexpected person hates you for no particular reason.

Now, don't get me wrong - it's not that I rejoice in this.  However, a person has to CARE to not like you.  

It's especially interesting when it involves someone you don't necessarily see regularly.  Surely, it's easy to be bothered by the regular annoying qualities of a coworker or a classmate.  However, to carry a dislike for someone who is no longer a part of your life seems to be reserved for those who've committed only a handful of serious offenses against you.  

Although there were plenty of people from both high school and college who I didn't exactly like at the time being, I can honestly say I can't think of anyone I actively dislike from either place (and I am still looking for someone who will describe me as 'forgiving').   Anyone who wasn't to my liking is no longer in my life at this point, and the people who aren't in my life aren't worth the energy for the most point.

However, once in a while, we'll all come along a little nougat of info that someone we haven't seen/talked to/even thought of in forever REALLY DOESN'T LIKE US.  There's some satisfaction in knowing that we must, on some level, albeit negatively, matter to that person.  

As I'm  sure you've inferred, this has happened to me recently.  Of course, despite what I've mentioned above, this situation is of course clouded by the ever-persistent human question - "why?"   

Some of You May Have Noticed....

....it's been a while since I've hated on Barack.  Well, I am not hating on Barack - I think he's doing ok (considering he hasn't even taken office yet) - he's appointed some smart people, which is all he's really been asked to do so far - ok, fine....

However, I've had enough!!  I've had enough of talking about him!  ENOUGH!  (Yes, I realize I'm doing it now.)  Obviously, Barbara Walters (who, for someone who really had to work hard to break barriers for women in journalism, seems to be phoning it in over the past couple years) named him the most fascinating person of the year.  I'm sick of everyone being fascinated by him.  I'm sick of commemorative plates (shouldn't that come after the end of his presidency?!?!  Just sayin'!!).  

I'm sick of articles about 'what's on Obama's I-pod', 'Christmas at the Obama house', 'the Obama daughter's chores', 'Obama's haircut' - AHHHHH!!!   Seriously, the man is our president - not Britney Spears.  I realize there's a certain amount of human interest stories with all public figures, but COME ON.  

I can't help but think - two popular presidents from my lifetime - Clinton and Reagan - certainly had their moments when they were less than loved by the general public.  All president approval ratings have ebbs and flows - and Obama is only human.  I can't wait until he formally assumes office so the press and everyone else can stop worshiping the ground he walks on.  URGH!  

Currently Listening To....

I love love love it!!  I am not a country music gal, but goshdarnit - I am jumping on the bandwagon!

Piper said she likes it when I write reviews - I honestly have no idea on how to review a cd.  I remember back on the high school newspaper, there were a couple boys who would always review cds, but they would review their favorite cds and talk about how great these bands were  (which have at this point all broken up or, at least, haven't produced a hit in a decade).

Anyhow, I digress.  I am sure there is something objective to write about when reviewing a cd (the song lyrics, the quality of use of the instrument or something like that), but I am not familiar with how to do this.  So I will just say I love this cd!!

Random Question

How come every infomercial offers a free product with the product it's selling?  It's failproof.  Call now and you'll get this random sometimes completely unrelated product!!!!   Often times the included product is not necessarily miniscule wherein there has to be some cost to it itself.   Does anyone ever miss out and not get that extra prize because they didn't "CALL NOW"?   One can't really argue it might have something to do with measuring advertising results because the calling in itself does that.  Seriously, what's the point of the throw in - there has to be one since they all consistently do it.  Anyone know?  Hmm.  

Sad Day

I went to the dentist today.   My mouth is, apparently, the home of one single solitary cavity.    It is about to become the home to a filling.  Well, I haven't made the appointment yet.  A small part of me is thinking about ignoring it - if I hadn't gone to the dentist, I wouldn't know and would continue to go about things just fine.  Maybe I should put this up to a vote....

I took my cavity-less existence for granted.  I apparently didn't do enough to prevent it, but I thought since what I'd done had prevented cavities each and every time before, I was safe.  

As you can see, I am very upset about this.  It may sound trite in the big picture, but perhaps it's one of the more minor annoyances in a series of unfortunate events.  Grr.  

I think I'm going with ignoring the cavity, as childish as that may be.  Thoughts?

Blush...A Spade Was Called....

Quote from the book I'm reading:

"What did bother her about most blogs was their wistfulness.  No matter how self-effacing the bloggers were, they clearly believed themselves on some sort of world stage, where they just might be attended to."

Sigh.  

Currently Reading....

The Writing Class by Jincy Willett....

You know, review to come....

Sidenote:  antp, I think you would specifically like/appreciate some aspects of this book....