So I am on Facebook. Yes, that is nothing special seeing as everyone else in this world is and after "The Social Network" comes out I have a feeling the numbers are going to EXPLODE. With that I have a revelation and a bag-full of issues. No, not with the movie. Pfft. Movie-schmovie. You see, when I joined in Dec 2004, it was cool and unique. Of course I was in college at that time and it was used for uploading obnoxious photos from college parties, creating groups based on silly inside jokes and feeling superior to all others when you list yourself as "in a relationship."
Fast forward to 2010 - stupid photos are still being posted, but of boring moments because you know better when attempting to apply for jobs. Groups have turned into official things such as policy pieces you support. And now, you avoid the relationship status thing and just use Facebook to stalk that person you met on Saturday night but were too consumed with lame bar talk that you never figured out if he/she has anything in common with you.
It kills me yet I'm still stuck on it. I have tried to "quit" a few times but find myself lured back in because it's an easy, passive way of keeping in touch with friends 1,000 miles away. Now I get it, they are your friends and you should be able to use a few other tools out there (i.e. phone/email/hand-written notes) to keep in touch. I guess it comes down to me choosing the lazy route. I do care about these people but I'm too lazy to pick up the phone and give'm a shout more than the four times a year. I have convinced myself that I'll quit when I have a kid. This is easy to say seeing that I'm not married, or even in a relationship. Yep. Got it. I'm just making excuses.
But really...when (errr...if?!) I have kids I figured the last thing I need to do is post a million photos of the kid in the same outfit and two different expressions happening. Or um, have status updates about dirty diapers. (Hopefully my posts now are more entertaining!)I've heard that parents like having the Facebook because it's a way of feeling 'social' without having to leave the house. Now, if this is the case, I am nervous about what parenthood entails. I am pretty sure that if it comes down to that I will be the queen at booking play-dates. I do not want to rely on Facebook as my only source of socializing. This scares me to death, the notion that with age it will be one of my more common social tools than actually seeing people live or going to events. Not acceptable. No, no, no, no.
Now as I go and start mixing a drink cause I'm fretting about whole issue rather than working on a paper for school, I'll leave you with this most excellent video... Enjoy!
9.23.2010
Get Off My Lawn
I think I would have been a good neighbor for Walt Kowalski. For those of you who don't know Walt, he was the character played by Clint in Grand Torino.
So back to the point... Walt and me. We'd be a team. Now I don't keep a shotgun under my bed, but certainly have no problem chasing hoodlums with a broom or other long objects. I say this because most days you'll find me either tending to the flowers (damn squirrels keep digging in the flower pots, argh!), sweeping the drive-way, pulling weeds or watching the 'going-ons' in the 'hood. Walt would be doin the same. After a hard days work of yelling at kids and picking-up the front lawn he had no problem settling down on the front porch and crackin' a cold one. Again, I'd be right there with him.
Actually, I'd love to have Walt as my neighbor. Not only would it be nice to have someone who keep their lawn nice and neat or someone who enjoys a brew like I do but rather for someone to take my place in keeping the neighborhood straight. I know I don't live in Detroit and Arlington, VA is hardly even close to the 'hood in the movie but we have our fair share of stuff go down. Clint, ahem, Walt would certainly take care of that before I would even need to pick-up the phone to dial the local police.
Perhaps we need to recruit a few Walts to my neighborhood. Curious if the ACPD would be down with that?
Yes, I'm aware of the dull life I'm leading... the excitement of squirrels, drunk neighbors, class and readings about economics pretty much sums up my life right now. I'm in search of finding other things to keep me entertained. Maybe we'll get a good soccer or flag-football story soon! Until then...
So back to the point... Walt and me. We'd be a team. Now I don't keep a shotgun under my bed, but certainly have no problem chasing hoodlums with a broom or other long objects. I say this because most days you'll find me either tending to the flowers (damn squirrels keep digging in the flower pots, argh!), sweeping the drive-way, pulling weeds or watching the 'going-ons' in the 'hood. Walt would be doin the same. After a hard days work of yelling at kids and picking-up the front lawn he had no problem settling down on the front porch and crackin' a cold one. Again, I'd be right there with him.
Actually, I'd love to have Walt as my neighbor. Not only would it be nice to have someone who keep their lawn nice and neat or someone who enjoys a brew like I do but rather for someone to take my place in keeping the neighborhood straight. I know I don't live in Detroit and Arlington, VA is hardly even close to the 'hood in the movie but we have our fair share of stuff go down. Clint, ahem, Walt would certainly take care of that before I would even need to pick-up the phone to dial the local police.
Perhaps we need to recruit a few Walts to my neighborhood. Curious if the ACPD would be down with that?
Yes, I'm aware of the dull life I'm leading... the excitement of squirrels, drunk neighbors, class and readings about economics pretty much sums up my life right now. I'm in search of finding other things to keep me entertained. Maybe we'll get a good soccer or flag-football story soon! Until then...
9.15.2010
Modern: Partially Employed & Grad School
A few years ago, one of the front office ladies exclaimed, "OH! You need to write a book about your life!" I don't remember the story I was telling her but I just waved it off because, at that time, my life seemed like a complete bore. I guess traveling overseas by oneself and selling products to folks I'll never meet was boring. Then. Now it seems like a far off dream. Since that remark I have moved a few more times between the Midwest and East Coast in search of better jobs and more education.
Now my life is similar to a few thousand others where I'm partially employed, going to grad school full-time and completely broke. I am mildly obsessed with social media, watch CSPAN, Bloomberg & CNBC religiously while downloading alternative music from iTunes based on The Currents playlist. On the weekends I play local league sports, cheer on my alma mater in a losing sport (football) and swill beer like I'm still an undergrad. I am your average late twenty-something and it kills me to say that.
In my macroeconomics class we all look different but the only real outliers in the class are those who are over 40 and there aren't many of them this time around. This lack of originality is summed up by a comment I had from my interviewer a week ago, "You're overqualified and highly recommended." I didn't get the internship. This is happening over and over and over and it kills me. Perhaps it's the area I live in (DC) but I find that you are not allowed to be original. They prefer a status quo, BUT the one that they set. So I'm following that lead, getting a masters, starting to learn a new language and becoming even more socially networked.
With this, I am curious, will the next generation get shoved into a group of highly over-educated, lack of experience bracket or will they get the chance to move out of their little area and seek new opportunities and be encouraged to do so? I just wished I had to the guts to break free and go to the beat of my own drum - but when entrepreneurship is stymied by current markets/banking procedures and socially, it just seems best to stay the course that is recommended. Bummer.
Maybe it'll change when I'm forty.
Now my life is similar to a few thousand others where I'm partially employed, going to grad school full-time and completely broke. I am mildly obsessed with social media, watch CSPAN, Bloomberg & CNBC religiously while downloading alternative music from iTunes based on The Currents playlist. On the weekends I play local league sports, cheer on my alma mater in a losing sport (football) and swill beer like I'm still an undergrad. I am your average late twenty-something and it kills me to say that.
In my macroeconomics class we all look different but the only real outliers in the class are those who are over 40 and there aren't many of them this time around. This lack of originality is summed up by a comment I had from my interviewer a week ago, "You're overqualified and highly recommended." I didn't get the internship. This is happening over and over and over and it kills me. Perhaps it's the area I live in (DC) but I find that you are not allowed to be original. They prefer a status quo, BUT the one that they set. So I'm following that lead, getting a masters, starting to learn a new language and becoming even more socially networked.
With this, I am curious, will the next generation get shoved into a group of highly over-educated, lack of experience bracket or will they get the chance to move out of their little area and seek new opportunities and be encouraged to do so? I just wished I had to the guts to break free and go to the beat of my own drum - but when entrepreneurship is stymied by current markets/banking procedures and socially, it just seems best to stay the course that is recommended. Bummer.
Maybe it'll change when I'm forty.
9.13.2010
President of Neighborhood Watch
Just when I think my neighborhood is normal it throws me a new one. It's midnight on a Sunday night and I'm settling in after a somewhat exhausting day. I have my window cracked open because of the gorgeous weather happening. I hear the crickets and smile a little but know that they will keep me awake so I put on my fan to muffle the noise a bit. Less than 10 seconds later I hear this loud accelerating noise. Thinking it was my fan I shut it off. Nope, still there. Then I thought, Hrm... it could be something up with the house. So I start to peek around and see where it's coming from. Again, nothing but the noise stops, so I go back to bed.
"VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOM!"
Seriously!?
At this point I'm completely ticked off. It's past midnight and we have people of all ages in our neighborhood, this is beyond appropriate. I run outside and look around. I see Bob and his wife are pattering around in their house (not sure why two retirees are still up?) but they don't peek their heads out and all other houses appear quiet. The sound sounds like it's coming from two houses down but there aren't any lights on and the ambulance is just sitting there quietly.(Yes, they have an ambulance but it gets better, they have TWO and use them for anything BUT saving lives). I'm confused and go back into the house.
"vvvvrrrrroooommmmm......VVVVVRRRRRrrroooommmmm.....VVVVVRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOM!!!"
At this point I grab my coat and throw on some shoes figuring I need to inspect the 'hood or else the cops are going to get call no. 3 from me this year. I walk down to the suspected house only to find out it's a pick-up truck that is in neutral with someone laying on the gas. That someone is passed out. You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I knock on the window (I'll admit, I was nervous seeing I didn't know how he'd react and I didn't want to be hit or driven over). No response. I knock harder and finally just started to pound. After what felt like eternity he opened the door and mumbled something and shaking his head.
Trying to not shake him I asked, "Sir, can you please keep it down? It's late and you're waking the neighborhood up."
"Hrm??? Oh *slurred grumbles" Yeesh, I'll go int there." And he points to the house.
"Thanks." Ugh.
I turn and walk back to my house. I see one of the new neighbor guys (who lives between me and the questionable figure) out on the porch and obviously annoyed. I wave and yell hi and he just shook his head and said thanks.
I swear. It's finally time I get a sign that says, Neighborhood Watch - PRESIDENT
"VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOM!"
Seriously!?
At this point I'm completely ticked off. It's past midnight and we have people of all ages in our neighborhood, this is beyond appropriate. I run outside and look around. I see Bob and his wife are pattering around in their house (not sure why two retirees are still up?) but they don't peek their heads out and all other houses appear quiet. The sound sounds like it's coming from two houses down but there aren't any lights on and the ambulance is just sitting there quietly.(Yes, they have an ambulance but it gets better, they have TWO and use them for anything BUT saving lives). I'm confused and go back into the house.
"vvvvrrrrroooommmmm......VVVVVRRRRRrrroooommmmm.....VVVVVRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOM!!!"
At this point I grab my coat and throw on some shoes figuring I need to inspect the 'hood or else the cops are going to get call no. 3 from me this year. I walk down to the suspected house only to find out it's a pick-up truck that is in neutral with someone laying on the gas. That someone is passed out. You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I knock on the window (I'll admit, I was nervous seeing I didn't know how he'd react and I didn't want to be hit or driven over). No response. I knock harder and finally just started to pound. After what felt like eternity he opened the door and mumbled something and shaking his head.
Trying to not shake him I asked, "Sir, can you please keep it down? It's late and you're waking the neighborhood up."
"Hrm??? Oh *slurred grumbles" Yeesh, I'll go int there." And he points to the house.
"Thanks." Ugh.
I turn and walk back to my house. I see one of the new neighbor guys (who lives between me and the questionable figure) out on the porch and obviously annoyed. I wave and yell hi and he just shook his head and said thanks.
I swear. It's finally time I get a sign that says, Neighborhood Watch - PRESIDENT
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