Pride at work? Interesting.

It seems nowadays it is harder and harder to be prideful in the work we do.  We rarely get the recognition and/ or compensation, so it is very difficult to be elated about progress.  I happen to be 'blessed' to work at the largest humanitarian organization in the world.  I used blessed lightly...  Despite the daily grind, the letdowns, the lost wages, the disappointments, I save lives. It's as simple as that.  

Beyond that, the Red Cross really does listen to the world around us.  I am proud of that.  We can often be slow on the up-take but we do pay attention.  Beth Kanter wrote an article about the ways social media, for example, has effected non-profit organizations.  She made a point to mention the American Red Cross and our early-adoption of social media.  While we have yet to really embrace social media in all of its glory, we have made great strides in building better relationships with our community.  For your viewing pleasure... http://mashable.com/2009/05/22/non-profit-social-media/. 

new year.

I'm not mad at 2009 by any means. Even with its difficult moments... Progress was surely made. I mean, I rediscovered the Love of my life. I have found happiness i've never felt before. And yet i'm overwhelmingly hopeful for the year ahead. You can never have enough smiles in this lifetime. My new Year's revolution is going to continually be to keep finding new things to smile about.

What Recession?

If you look at the amount of people drowning in Halloween contentment at the bars, you'd swear the economy is in an upswing.  But at a second glance, I think it just means a lot of us are sick of working and having nothing to show for it and would like to drink until we forget our sorrows... and our names for that matter.  We want to spend that last hard-earned dollar on a mixed drink and form closer relationships with Jim, Jack and Captain Morgan. (Seriously, those guys are so nice to me.)  I truly believe we've all gotten into this mentality that the government is against the hard-working and for the lazy.  I mean seriously, I saw a woman with 4 uncontrollable children yelling and screaming in their dirty clothes.... while she's texting on her new iPhone!!  I'm paying to better educate myself so I can work for a non-profit that barely pays me enough to live... and she has an iPhone?!  Must look nice in her brand new Coach bag with her food stamps.  Perhaps she is smarter than myself.  She doesn't have to work hard to get what she wants.  She has to do just enough to buy what she wants... and then the government pays for the necessities.  Interesting.  At the end of the day, I'm the one with a stable lifestyle and a promise for my future children.  I just have to remind myself that all the hard-work makes me a better person and a citizen this country built its values on.  That's going to have to be solace enough. Now where did I put my drink?!

Front seat driving.

15 reasons you know you spend too much time in the car:

1. You think cars changing lanes simultaneously is pretty and you subsequently text your significant other: "Synchronized lane-changing should be an Olympic sport."
2. You know car models by the shape of the taillights.
3. You know on which stretches of highway you can successfully use cruise control.
4. You've strategically placed necessities like your AAA card, Starbucks gift-card, cell phone, charger, etc. within close reach.
5. You've had more men whistle at you out their car window than when you're walking down the street in a skirt. (ok that's just for the ladies)
6. You have a supply of tissues and 3 pairs of heels for emergencies. (sorry again guys)
7. You know the back way. Everywhere.
8. McD's ALWAYS seems like a good idea to or from a long day at work.
9. There's always a waterbottle... somewhere in the car.
10. You find yourself observing another broken taillight and thinking this time there could possibly be a person trapped in the trunk needing your help! (Or that could be the L&O talking...)
11. You can compare current gas prices like Progressive does with car insurance.
12. Your back seat doubles as a bookstore.
13. You can figure out where another driver is going just by the look on their face.
14. The car becomes the only place you can come up with good ideas...
15. ...like this blog for example.

**WARNING** Please do not blog while driving. Unless you're a backseat driver. Then, of course, continue blogging.

Reunions.

Oh college reunions, the one time a year we pretend we're still at school. The definition of a reunion is: a party of former associates who have come together again. I call it speed dating (with or without the awkward hug at the end). It's funny... We graduate from 4 years of college. We build our "lifelong" friendships and leave it all behind to start our careers. Then every year we're invited back to socialize with old friends, drink, watch a football game, drink some more, socialize and then socialize some more. We won't go alone for fear we may be looked down upon. We have to show up in packs just to prove we're still "cool" and leave drunk just to prove we've still got it. We can still "hang". I love it. I'm fascinated by the interactions between people. I love the social awkwardness of the whole situation. We stand around a parking lot scanning the crowd for familiar faces, decide whether they are worth walking up to, make quick judgments on how much they have/ haven't changed and ask the same three questions "How are you?"; "Where are you at now?" and since this recession began "Are you working now?". So generic... but honestly what else can you say? Do we need a synopsis on everyone's lives to date? What if it's been years since you've seen them? Then there's the constant distractions. 'Oh no, the ex is approaching'... 'Yay! There's my group of girlfriends!'... Each person gets three to five minutes with you and it's over. You've been pulled into another conversation. It's just like speed dating. You've either been interested in what they've said and have decided to contact them on one of the various social networking sites you barely use or you've decided that those five minutes have been ample enough and you'll see them in a few years... or never again.

Why I'm awake at 3:45 AM!

To be completely honest with you, I'd rather be sleeping. Unfortunately the thoughts about my job (dare I call it a career), part-time gig and school are running amok in my brain. I haven't been able to have a sound sleep in weeks! I know I should be happy I am alive, have wonderful family members and friends, a happy(& healthy) relationship and a roof over my head... I believe all that and I greatly appreciate it! However, I can't say this is the easiest thing I've ever done.

I get it, I chose this life. Work is a four letter word. And school is longer. But as much as I know this is all for the best, I'm tired. And what is so ironic is the fact that I can't sleep! My girlfriends and I all live this lifestyle. We're in our twenties, all with Bachelors degrees, two years deep in our careers. We work our 40 hours (some more) and come home at the end of the day to worry about the following: where we're headed, what we're leaving behind, the drama (god knows THAT's not going anywhere) and our bills. We work our part time jobs, head back to school for our Masters and still attempt a social life.

Now I know a mother with children at home and a fulltime job has it a lot tougher but she had to be here to get there right? So why is she telling me to relax and enjoy my twenties?? Is she suggesting I stop working hard so I can enjoy a martini and 5 inch heels on no sleep and a few Starbucks deep? Is she saying she doesn't enjoy the life she's got now? No, I don't believe that. I truly believe she means to quit complaining, strap on the heels that'll put me in orthodics someday and grab a drink with my girlfriends. God knows they'll need one after no sleep and a full day of work...