New Favorite Website

This is a GREAT article. Read it. hotair.com is a very distracting website for me these days

I found this on the Business Week website...it made me feel better about my post-grad predicament. My many close friends who are in the same boat, this article is for you :)

Don't Be A Snob When It Comes To A Job

Posted by: Lindsey Gerdes on July 07

The Sunday Styles section of the New York Times had an articletitled “Say Hello to Underachieving” about the many undergrads and recent grads who are unable to get an internship or entry-level position this summer and are sitting around the house or are instead, gasp, taking part-time, rather unglamorous positions.

The article brings up some very salient points about the challenges, and frustrations, of looking for work in a really tough economy (for instance, the difficulties of moving back in with the parents if you can’t find a job. Trust me, I know about that one from experience.)

I do want to stress that those students who have found other sources of income, like Erin McAuliffe, a Bowdoin student featured in the article who is working in an amusement park this summer, have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. As a matter of fact, they might even have an advantage over many peers, including those who found more “acceptable” white-collar internships that are unpaid and include a lot of coffee carrying.

I recently wrote about the lack of internships out there and suggested other options, stressing that there's absolutely nothing wrong with flipping hamburgers, working retail, or lifeguarding for a summer if that golden internship opportunity doesn't pan out (or doesn't pay and you can't afford not to work.)

First of all, in many instances you can learn extremely valuable pointers about customer service by working in a service industry--not to mention get a whole new appreciation of how challenging this work can be. I worked retail one summer, saved some money, and learned a lot; it wasn't great--the store manager was pretty awful and it was very depressing to work in a "hip" clothing store that didn't even make garments to fit a size 10 woman--but it was a valuable experience, and to be honest, I probably could have used more of them before starting in my chosen field. It toughened me up and forced me to learn how to deal with all different personality types--as well as demanding customers.

The NYT, however, notes the permanent damage getting off to a slow start can do to a career:

There may be reason for concern. Students who enter the job market during a recession can see their wages lag behind comparable students who graduated in better times for as long as 15 years, according to a recent study by Lisa B. Kahn, an economist at the Yale School of Management.

But I can say this. I too graduated into a downturn in 2003 and many of us didn't come out with jobs. (As a matter of fact, we wore placards spelling out U-N-E-M-P-L-O-Y-E-D to our school's annual "wacky walk" tradition before commencement.)

Two of my friends, for instance, both with Stanford degrees and impressive GPAs, couldn't find work and temporarily settled for part-time positions at Anthropologie instead. And I can honestly tell you five years later that both of them are doing great and this less-than-traditional start to their careers didn't hold them back in the slightest.

They got some good experience instead of sitting on their hands--and even had a Hilary Duff sighting in the process. So all hope is not lost, Class of 2009. Just try not to sit around watching the 'tube if you can help it.

Phantom Phantasmic Fun :)

Most of you reading this probably know that I am a die-hard Phantom of the Opera fan. My first exposure was with the movie when it first came out in theaters. It was love at first sight for me. Fine male specimens who can also sing mixed with Andrew Lloyd Webber genius...I was done-for :) As a lover of the movie, I naturally have wanted to see the Broadway version for awhile. So when a most beloved friend gave me a ticket to go to the show in the cities I was BLOWN AWAY! It was an incredible evening. I had an excuse to wear my new blck dress I got on sale and spend more than five minutes on my hair :) The drive up was filled with classic 90s hits from the Backstreet Boys to Britney Spears. The company was the best (as you can see from the above photo), even though someone had to leave just a few days before :( . As for the show itself, the Phantom was beyond words. I can't get enough of his deep strong manly voice. Our seats were amazing and hearing the live orchestra and singing was a once-in a lifetime experience. TOTALLY AWESOME! One of my favorite things was seeing the different sets. At one point the audience was actually "backstage" looking at Christine bowing after her "Think of Me number". Very cool :) #9.... CHECK!

Milk...it does a body good.

Having grown up in Wisconsin, and being an avid dairy fan, one of my dreams has been to taste a glass of milk which has not been pateurized or homogenized. This week that dream came true thanks to Sethany and David and family. In the above picture I am getting a spoonful of straight cream off the top.

The taste was fantastic! There was a sweetness to it that is missing in the normal variety. Number one in my list...CHECK!

Special Homemade Something

Homemade Gift
Here's the deal.The first five people to respond to this post will receive something handmade by me! From me, to you.

Here are the rules:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I give!
2. What I create or give will be just for you.
3. It will be done this year (sometime, I don't know when)
4. You will have no clue what it is going to be.
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
6. You must make the same offer on your blog, to make something for the first five people who respond!Respond to this post after posting it on your blog (or facebook) , and anxiously await a unique handmade gift by yours truly!

*I am changing the rules a little bit. You don't have to post this on your blog if in your comment to me you write a favorite movie quote and also which Disney character you would like to spend a lunch hour with.

Mission Massage

So they actually have a Massage for Dummies book out. It was a good read and makes me wish I had superfluous funds to spend on one for myself. The physical and spiritual benefits are quite large. Anyway, the point was for me to learn how to give a massage and I think it did a decent job of giving a good overview. The problem is that it is hard to translate from pictures and written descriptions to actual movements. I think to accomplish this goal, I will have to have a very patient guinea pig who I can experiment on. Any volunteers? I have decided that I will never be a true proficient as I don't think I can ask people to picture "peas in a blender" and describe serene beach scenes without giggling myself. It will be interesting to see if I can focus love and caring out through my fingers like described in the book.

twenty-five, alive and thrive-ing

The official countdown to the third decade of my life has begun. With only four years, ten months and negative two days until T-day I decided to commemorate the occasion with a list of thirty things I want to accomplish before Dec. 19, 2013.

1. Drink a glass of pure milk, as in non-pasteurized and non-homogenized.
2. Live in my own place, might be my only opportunity to experience this
3. Finish Physical Therapy school
4. experience a "real" kiss, as in mutual affection. Locale is less important although I would not be opposed to experience one in the rain or on a ferris wheel...or on a ferris wheel in the rain.
5. See Cirque de Soleil Beatles Love
6. read Les Miserables
7. learn how to give a massage
8. Have my own place be very cute ( like Amelie's)
9. See a broadway play/musical
10. eat a meal that costs over $80.00 (as in very little food beautifully arranged which presumably taste $80.00 good)
11. cook a sophisticated meal , including Coq au Vin for friends
12. visit another country besides Canada
13. Dance a killer waltz
14. Sing somewhat well in front of a group of people
15. Learn to play at least 10 hymns ( I have "Sweet Hour of Prayer" down...only 9 more to go)
16. Be a cruiser (at least one cruise)
17. Own a car less than ten years old
18. Own a "ka-chow" dress to wear to #5, 9,10, 13, 16, 19 and/or 27
19. host a murder mystery dinner
20. look cute everyday for one month (make-up, cute clothes etc.)
21. Stand up to someone verbally (aka justifiably chew someone out)
22. Send 30 secret happy notes to at least 10 different people
23. Run 10 miles non-stop
24. Learn how to drive a stick shift
25. Paint a picture with oil paints
26. Go without TV for two months
27. ride in a helicopter
28. Make and decorate a three-tiered cake
29. Go to Comic Con
30. Learn to type

This is my ama-za-zing list, which as I am already 25 unlike two of my friends I will be thus more motivated to finish sooner. To see the other lists which I will blow out of the water go to http://holyfricative.blogspot.com/ , http://provingtherule.blogspot.com/ , or http://sarahwillardson.blogspot.com/ .