The Breaking Point

If you could change something about yourself, what would it be? Would you talk less? Talk more? Quit biting your nails? Pay more attention in class? You understand. Without drumming up any deep-seeded insecurities, I would like you to think of your most annoying habit and ways you could kick it to the curb perhaps once and for all.
I’ve started to consciously make an effort to get rid of my own bad habit, and I wonder how long it will take for me to be a completely changed person. Okay so that was drastic, but seriously. How long is long enough? If you stay on a corrective path for a certain amount of time, does it start to become the norm? If you decide to make a life change starting today, will you still be consciously making that change in 5 years? 10 years? Assuming you don’t give up of course, we aren’t quitters here.
It’s just… before I begin my journey of self alteration, I would like to know that there is – in fact - a finish line waiting for me; a feeling of accomplishment and success. It would be nice, you know.
Bad habits tend to follow us around like an annoying younger sibling (not that I know!) but the only difference is that we have the power to change this minor annoyance and make ourselves better, stronger and more positive people. No one wants a nail biting, fast talking, procrastinating friend. Where’s the good influence in that? So see if you can make small steps to a better person…. see ya at the finish line (or approaching finish line, that’s most likely where I’ll be).

Newsweek can't catch a break

The New York Times ran an article recently about Howard Fineman, a former correspondant for Newsweek Magazine, leaving to pursue online journalism through the Huffington Post. This article is yet another example of the trend across the board for the careers of many journalists. The NYT did not specify this as an isolated incident either. They said that many prominent Newsweek employees are jumping ship to pursue everything from Yahoo finance to advanced education. When a major print publication has difficulty retaining even its editor in chief, the supposed most passionate member of a magazine’s staff, that cannot be a good sign for its future. It’s a bittersweet situation. We in the magazine field hope to see people in a dying publication stick around long enough to change its structure and synergize it with an online media strategy. If its top recruits are flat out leaving to pursue straight online media such as Yahoo and Huffington Post, it doesn’t give us a clear picture as to where the future is really headed. They must know something we do not.


http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/newsweeks-howard-fineman-to-join-the-huffington-post/

And then Dallas realized there was a recession

Have you ever waited for that one new website that changes the way things are right now? You don’t know exactly what it is, what it will do or how it will raise the bar yet again, but once it arrives you think to yourself “okay, I like you and I will be using you” in the utmost anti-that’s what he said way. Well I had that moment today.

In the past, I had a similar experience with Facebook (duh), Twitter (double duh, follow me!) and Gmail. AOL was on its way out anyways. The website to which I am referring may not apply to many of my readers, but take notice and you could be the next website superstar franchiser. Welcome to Dallasonabudget.com. Damn that packs a good punch. For the land of the pretty people who can’t really afford Botox but go without dinner, I’m surprised a legitimate website about Dallasite penny pinchers didn’t surface sooner. I think it’s because no one wants to admit that they actually watch their dollars like they watch their calories, and minutes on the treadmill…

         But anyways, I found this great website for anyone who is in Dallas and on a budget and I have to say – the blog looks promising. For a basic wordpress format, I was impressed by the organization, frequent updates and quality of posts. I hope people take notice of the one bold girl who decided to put Dallas on a budget. I always knew it could be done. If you would like to be the frugal traveler in your own city then check out the new-found website and see if you can do the unthinkable and gasp! Actually save some dinero in the process.

 

Underpaid, Overperplexed

If you so kindly would, fast forward to today and you will find me knee deep in a brand spankin new semester. The second half of college has begun, and the first half of the week is almost over. So I guess you can say I'm at the beginning of the end. But please, I'm nostalgic not morose.

Classes are alright, yawn...but one class in particular is the absolute highlight of my week. And if I were to choose a highlighter color for this one, it would have to be pink. Yellow is too generic and no one can really read under green highlighter anyways. So back to the pink. Magazine management by Dr. Hume is the first class I've ever been to where I just feel like what I'm learning will actually be of use in the future. I'm so sick of memorizing acute and obtuse angles, shapes of clouds and who led the confederate army .. while mathmaticians, meterologists and history buffs are most likely rolling around in their graves, I'm just done learning facts I'll never use again.

Which brings me to Mag Management. Having a dream to launch my own magazine one day, I can't help but feel the overwhelming sense of "ahh" that I do when I walk into that room every morning. I guess it's like a sorority girl who finds her perfect sorority after a long hellish week of rush, but I won't go there...really I won't.

As a budding magazine entrepeneur, I am posed with the challenge of creating my own magazine. I suppose I'll start a magazine highlighting my second greatest passion, travel and relate to current affairs (aka the economy) to end with a magazine designed for the american traveler on a budget...but that's about as far as I have gotten.

I can't come up with a name, people. Good names are like gold on the newsstands and by god I want to be there with my pan ready. "HELP!"

My First Attempt At Being Philosophical

   “The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.” - Aristotle

I frequent a blog called AllWomenStalk.com. Some see it as AllWomensTalk.com, but I'm not keeping score.

Basically, the premise of the blog is to provide as many freelance bloggers as possible a platform for them to contribute to a growing archive of lists about Fashion, Love, Beauty, Wellness, Celebrities, Dating ... well you get the picture. From the beginning of my discovery of this hidden gem, I have learned everything from the 10 Signs You Are Dating the Guy of Your Dreams…
to 7 Mistakes Women Make At Parties, and How To Avoid Them to 15 Tips for Passing Exams Successfully … Seriously, if there's something you want to know - I guarantee my handy website has addressed the issue and covered it in the utmost comprehensive manner as possible.

As I was browsing the headlines and starring the ones I would surely return to later, I clicked on a 9 Things We Cannot Live Without list. I agreed with the top couple of items. Surely we need H20 (or my equivalent...coffee) and who would argue with needing food and the sun? Yes..the list was that literal. But then our resident bloganista Aprille Ross started to get a little crazy with her suggestions. She concluded the list with money and the Internet. Talk about getting technical.

Okay Aprille - so we see where your alliances lie and remind never to accidently cut off your wifi for fear of death, but couldn't you be at least a little philosophical in your needs to thrive? What about happiness? a sense of purpose? healthy relationships?

Have we as a society gotten so far off track that our list of top priorities comprises of literally food water money and the Internet? Throw in some food and electricity and you have yourself a functioning robot.

I'm not sure what my 9 things I cannot live without list would look like, but I hope that it would include satisfaction, humanity and peace. If not all 3 then at least 1 of them. Lately I have started to realize life is about more than meals, the gym and class. To the average college student, those 3 things ARE life. But once you switch the sorority tees for business casual - something has to be driving you to continually grow and prosper in this cat and mouse world.

But what is it? Is it really dollar signs in your eyes? Or is it more than that..like the need to feel needed or the strive to be a part of something bigger than yourself?

With the shifted focus of this blog to "reflections on human nature" I promise it will not be a continual griping on the lack of emotion and depth in our world but rather a kind of "world as i see it: including the good, the bad and the ugly." Not sure where it will go after that though, stay tuned.

I hope you appreciate that I am continually refining my focus and improving the content. If you aren't working towards something then what are you doing really? I need to find a good quote out there that sums it all up but until now I'll leave you with one question.

What can't you live without? And if you say money and the internet then you should hit up Aprille Ross. You two have loads to talk about. Perhaps you can IM each other.

From Happy Meals to Happy People

I like to keep to myself. I don’t stick my nose – or any other body part for that matter – where it is not wanted, and so far it’s been so good. I’m unabashedly un- confrontational, and if you want to pick a fight with me, you win. That’s why what I’m about to stay goes against almost everything I stand for. The only reason I am choosing to write a blog so grave in opinion is because it’s a notion with which I have been wrestling for quite some time. People who are at a disadvantage in physical attractiveness make up for it in personality, humor and charisma. Phew. Saying that was like ripping off a band-aid: you know it’s gonna sting but you still want to do it anyways.

Comedians aren’t generally the upper echelon of society’s beauty. In general (as always, exceptions do exist) they are the frumpy Joe Shmoes at the party who got heads to turn by their quick-witted comebacks and laugh inducing self-deprecation jokes. How do I know? Because I observe the hell out of everything.

There was a sex and the city episode where Miranda becomes the center of entertainment for the bachelor party when she refreshingly makes fun of herself to a room full of girlfriends and fiancées as she chronicles the miseries of SoloVille. She later tells a confused Carrie Bradshaw that the only way she avoids the pity is with the jokes.

Very few things she said after that (or before, for that matter) ever made more sense to me. Beautiful people don’t often need to cultivate humor and wit because it’s rare they’ll ever be left off the guest list in the first place. Seth Rogan, one of Hollywood’s current funnymen uses his Jewfro and spare tire to create hilarious content and maintain a high demand. He used what God gave him, and he used it wisely.

I’m really not saying that all beauties are bores and all fatties are funnies, but if you look back a few years, the latter seems to be a growing trend. John Candy, Rosie O’Donnell, Jonah Hill…I can keep going if you’ll let me. I’m just really proud of these people for not shying away from the spotlight because the heads don’t turn when they walk into a room. What’s the use of staring at a tight-lipped super model? Looks fade, sweetheart.

There, was that so bad? Tell me if I’ve become too opinionated for you. I’m giving away a freshly ripped Band-Aid as the first comment prize.

A Ticking Time Blog

How does so much time pass between thoughts? I will never understand how there are times when the minute clock slows to a sweat inducing crawl almost to the point of stopping altogether, and other times I blink and it's been 2 weeks.

One of those times is now.

I love to write, honestly - I wouldn't make that up. I haven't stopped this time for lack of content, lack of motivation, or lack of internet access. (Hey, things are best in 3s). I really truly ran out of that precious asset we love to call time.

But, as always, I did not stray for too long. I'm back now and feeling more productive than ever. I did well in my Economics class (If an A to you is doing well, but feel free to be the judge), and my job is great! As I previously mentioned, I am the resident Social Media Guru and I couldn't be having more fun.

Accounting is alright, only made better by a fellow UGA-er and my Betty White channeling teacher. Seriously, she couldn't be cuter.

So stay tuned...because where there is time, there is always a way. It's the time part that's the struggle folks, not the will.