So, as I was listening to my latest guilty pleasure, "Battlefield," by Jordin Sparks, I thought to myself how, if the song was about love between two people in a relationship, then it didn't really apply to me. Personally, I don't think a relationship should feel like a battlefield, and I'm very thankful mine doesn't.
But there are other aspects of life involving love that most certainly do feel like a battlefield. One is my professional life. Does anyone else feel like finding your place in the professional world is a constant battle? Especially if you're just starting out, say, in your 20s, and you find yourself in a position that you thought would be great but isn't. In this case, Ms. Sparks's line about, "You better you and get your armor," applies. You get your armor and your resume, and you go fight for yourself, defending not just your pride or your potential income, but in some ways, your self-worth.
I don't know about you, but there are many times when I feel my self-worth is unreasonably closely tied to my success in my career. I mean, especially if you've gone to graduate school and are not now in a post-graduate level job... that stings. You start thinking, "Well, why did I spend all my savings (and/or go into debt) and work my arse off in graduate school? It's just not paying off." That's a sad thing to think, because I'm a firm believer that education is a good thing, not just professionally, but for education's sake.
We're told from a young age to 'do what we love.' Too often, though, trying to do what we love hurts, at least in the beginning. It's worth the fight, though, I think. Life is too short - and too full of other things that are unpleasant - to work at something you don't love. So go get your armor. It's a battlefield.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Being Useful...
It occurs to me that maybe I should post something useful, rather than rambling on and on about my personal opinions. So, here's my take on getting through the current economic downtown as a modern moderate.
1) Ditch cable. Just because I think my cable company is evil doesn't necessarily mean they all are, but regardless, I thought I was paying too much. So, I've gone internet-only. If you hunt around, you can find some great high-speed internet deals. For streaming video, I'm told that 3.0 Mbps is a good speed, but I managed to get 6.0 Mbps at a great price. My personal tact is hooking up my laptop to the TV via an S-video cable. Next step is an audio cable, or a good set of speakers; I haven't decided which yet.
2) Seek out insurance discounts. Little did I know, my auto insurance company had partnered with my bank to offer their customers discounts! My rates decreased by almost $8 per month, which isn't much I guess, but every dollar counts.
3) Babysitting. Yes, I've reverted to babysitting, even though the big 3-0 birthday is getting a little too close for comfort. There are several websites specifically for babysitters, and most give parents the ability to run a background check, which I think is excellent. Rates certainly vary, but if you've babysat before, you can definitely get between $8 and $10 per hour sitting for one child and between $10 and $12 per hour sitting for two or three children at a time.
4) Sell stuff. This seems obvious, but not only can selling your old stuff yield extra cash, it can also help you get organized. Having finished grad school, I find there are many textbooks - and non-textbook books that were used in classes - that I no longer need. And then there's clothing. Now that I'm not in college any more, how many formal dresses do I really need? And honestly, do they even still fit?
5) Take another look at your cell phone plan. When I went internet-only, I actually decided to upgrade my plan, which is contrary to the whole point of this post... but that may not be right for everyone. A lot of providers have come up with various unlimited plans that are a decent deal (well, as decent as cell providers get). Carefully examine your usage and decide if you're getting the biggest bang for your buck.
6) Double-check your subscriptions. Are you paying $22 a month for movie rentals or $30 a month for an online diet plan without really thinking about them? Are you not really reading all the magazines you get? Then get rid of them! These things can really add up, especially if you've had them on autopay in sort of an "out of sight, out of mind" mode.
Those are all my trim-around-the-edges suggestions for now. There are, of course, more drastic things you can do, such as - if you live in an apartment - move to a cheaper place. But I'll leave you with these to chew on for the moment.
1) Ditch cable. Just because I think my cable company is evil doesn't necessarily mean they all are, but regardless, I thought I was paying too much. So, I've gone internet-only. If you hunt around, you can find some great high-speed internet deals. For streaming video, I'm told that 3.0 Mbps is a good speed, but I managed to get 6.0 Mbps at a great price. My personal tact is hooking up my laptop to the TV via an S-video cable. Next step is an audio cable, or a good set of speakers; I haven't decided which yet.
2) Seek out insurance discounts. Little did I know, my auto insurance company had partnered with my bank to offer their customers discounts! My rates decreased by almost $8 per month, which isn't much I guess, but every dollar counts.
3) Babysitting. Yes, I've reverted to babysitting, even though the big 3-0 birthday is getting a little too close for comfort. There are several websites specifically for babysitters, and most give parents the ability to run a background check, which I think is excellent. Rates certainly vary, but if you've babysat before, you can definitely get between $8 and $10 per hour sitting for one child and between $10 and $12 per hour sitting for two or three children at a time.
4) Sell stuff. This seems obvious, but not only can selling your old stuff yield extra cash, it can also help you get organized. Having finished grad school, I find there are many textbooks - and non-textbook books that were used in classes - that I no longer need. And then there's clothing. Now that I'm not in college any more, how many formal dresses do I really need? And honestly, do they even still fit?
5) Take another look at your cell phone plan. When I went internet-only, I actually decided to upgrade my plan, which is contrary to the whole point of this post... but that may not be right for everyone. A lot of providers have come up with various unlimited plans that are a decent deal (well, as decent as cell providers get). Carefully examine your usage and decide if you're getting the biggest bang for your buck.
6) Double-check your subscriptions. Are you paying $22 a month for movie rentals or $30 a month for an online diet plan without really thinking about them? Are you not really reading all the magazines you get? Then get rid of them! These things can really add up, especially if you've had them on autopay in sort of an "out of sight, out of mind" mode.
Those are all my trim-around-the-edges suggestions for now. There are, of course, more drastic things you can do, such as - if you live in an apartment - move to a cheaper place. But I'll leave you with these to chew on for the moment.
MJ
A friend of mine posted on Facebook today that she's more concerned about all the problems facing our country and world than she is about the death of Michael Jackson. She didn't say this to be insensitive (though she did give a little disclaimer saying she understood people would see it as insensitive), and I, for one, am glad she said it.
Don't get me wrong, it's sad that MJ passed away at a young age. But it's important for all of us to deal with it in whatever way is appropriate for us individually and also keep it in perspective. As my Facebook friend pointed out, there are a lot of problems facing us, problems that will define the current generation of leaders and policymakers.
Let's rewind a minute to the fact that my friend felt the need to put a 'disclaimer' with her comment. It's kind of unfortunate that she felt the need to do that, isn't it? Her opinion is her opinion, and if others find it insensitive, well, maybe they're too wrapped up in the idolizing of celebrities.
Don't get me wrong, it's sad that MJ passed away at a young age. But it's important for all of us to deal with it in whatever way is appropriate for us individually and also keep it in perspective. As my Facebook friend pointed out, there are a lot of problems facing us, problems that will define the current generation of leaders and policymakers.
Let's rewind a minute to the fact that my friend felt the need to put a 'disclaimer' with her comment. It's kind of unfortunate that she felt the need to do that, isn't it? Her opinion is her opinion, and if others find it insensitive, well, maybe they're too wrapped up in the idolizing of celebrities.
Intro to Modern Mod Life
So, what is this blog? Well, after much thought and internal debate, I decided that there might be a few - probably not many - people interested in discussing what it's like to be a young moderate. I don't just mean a political moderate. I mean 'moderate' in a broader way, meaning someone who generally exercises common sense, isn't too extreme in his or her behavior, and generally tries to do the right thing.
Doesn't that apply to a lot of us? Sure, we are all unique, but in large part we're all just trying to navigate through the world while in general trying to be good people. It seems, though, that most of the world doesn't appreciate moderation. The things that get publicity are those that illustrate extremes, right? Celebrities are, of course, the most glaring example of this phenomenon.
It's not bad to be a moderate, though. Frankly, I like being in the middle. I feel that I'm pretty open-minded, and by not being tied to one extreme or another, I can understand a greater range of perspectives. Isn't that a good thing?
Anyway, enough philosophizing. Not everything in the Modern Mod Life blog will be so philosophical and some posts won't even be remotely serious. Enjoy!
Doesn't that apply to a lot of us? Sure, we are all unique, but in large part we're all just trying to navigate through the world while in general trying to be good people. It seems, though, that most of the world doesn't appreciate moderation. The things that get publicity are those that illustrate extremes, right? Celebrities are, of course, the most glaring example of this phenomenon.
It's not bad to be a moderate, though. Frankly, I like being in the middle. I feel that I'm pretty open-minded, and by not being tied to one extreme or another, I can understand a greater range of perspectives. Isn't that a good thing?
Anyway, enough philosophizing. Not everything in the Modern Mod Life blog will be so philosophical and some posts won't even be remotely serious. Enjoy!
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