I just got off the phone with my mom this afternoon. It looks as if years of misery and verbal abuse are finally to come to an end as my parents are thinking of getting a divorce.
I have mixed feelings about this. My initial reaction is to jump for joy and give my mom a huge hug, as my dad has verbally abused my mom and the rest of the family for more years than I can remember.
However, in my gut I'd feel bad. Why? Because my dad is completely uncapable of taking care of himself. My mom does his laundry, writes his papers, answers his email, buys his clothes, drives him around town, cooks his dinners, makes his tea. If my mom leaves....it's only a matter of time before things start to unravel for my dad. The only thing my dad can manage to do on his own is shower...and even that it a stretch most of the time.
I usually don't these types of blogs, as I myself am not much of a sharer in the home dept. Usually I ignore it and let my friends believe that I have no family (why else would I only see them once a month?...if that).
However, my head is throbbing and I need to process my thoughts somewhere. I hate writing in journals and I figure since only two people read my blog I'm fairly safe.
I'm sure I'll have updates later (perhaps). Until then I'm just going to re-purpose my frustration and anger for Guitar Hero III.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
"So this is the New Year..."
It's been a month or so since I've last blogged. Christmas has since come and gone and I've come across a few astute observations about the holiday season.
Here's what I learned:
1.) It doesn't matter that it's "Christmas month" December will always be chaotic
2.) No matter how hard you try...your family will never get you what you ask for
3.) The weeks leading up to Christmas are always better than the actual day
4.) Four days is MORE than enough time to spend with family
5.) ...TOO MUCH time to spend with future in-laws!
6.) All Christmas shopping should be done online, avoiding the malls at all costs
7.) Even if your work gives you a week off you still won't have any free time
8.) You'll spend the three days before New Year's trying to figure out who you can pan your crappy gifts off too....Crystal candle holders anyone??
9.) Don't buy a fake tree...they don't shed less needles and their bad for the environment
and last but certainly not least....
10.) No matter how shitty your Christmas may or may not have been, you'll always miss it once January rolls in!
Here's what I learned:
1.) It doesn't matter that it's "Christmas month" December will always be chaotic
2.) No matter how hard you try...your family will never get you what you ask for
3.) The weeks leading up to Christmas are always better than the actual day
4.) Four days is MORE than enough time to spend with family
5.) ...TOO MUCH time to spend with future in-laws!
6.) All Christmas shopping should be done online, avoiding the malls at all costs
7.) Even if your work gives you a week off you still won't have any free time
8.) You'll spend the three days before New Year's trying to figure out who you can pan your crappy gifts off too....Crystal candle holders anyone??
9.) Don't buy a fake tree...they don't shed less needles and their bad for the environment
and last but certainly not least....
10.) No matter how shitty your Christmas may or may not have been, you'll always miss it once January rolls in!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Time to Get Out of Dodge!
I'm blogging during lunch because I'm tired of reaching out to editors who could care less about my clients, tired of checking emails only to discover I have an impotence problem, and finally because I technically can't leave the building as I'm the only one in the office...once again.
I need a change.
Seriously...I'm sick of the Bay Area. I'm sick of the Silicon Valley, I'm sick of the stay at home moms that make it impossible for me to hop in and out during lunch, I'm sick of traffic, I'm sick of paying exorbitant prices for rent, I'm sick of marketing flaks, I'm sick of technology. I'm sick- that, or I'm just tired. Either way I need a change. A BIG one.
I want to move out of the state. Mike and I have talked about it and depending on whether we can actually afford to live here... we just might (although we'd have to wait, at least until Mike finishes at SJSU). At this point I wouldn't mind moving to a podunk little town where nothing much really happens and the neighbors all love each other. A place where I don't end the day only to pick it back up 45 minutes later and continue working again. Where a 5 minute trip home doesn't end up being 40-45 minutes with traffic. Where people are friendly and not judgemental. Where I can get in and out of the grocery in less than an hour. Where I can tell someone my honest opinion without worrying about the repurcussions. Where I can get in and out of a mall without wanting to kill someone. When a lunch break means not spending 5 minutes to eat at your desk.
Somewhere not the Silicon Valley.
I'm seriously considering this one because...what's really holding me here anyway???
I need a change.
Seriously...I'm sick of the Bay Area. I'm sick of the Silicon Valley, I'm sick of the stay at home moms that make it impossible for me to hop in and out during lunch, I'm sick of traffic, I'm sick of paying exorbitant prices for rent, I'm sick of marketing flaks, I'm sick of technology. I'm sick- that, or I'm just tired. Either way I need a change. A BIG one.
I want to move out of the state. Mike and I have talked about it and depending on whether we can actually afford to live here... we just might (although we'd have to wait, at least until Mike finishes at SJSU). At this point I wouldn't mind moving to a podunk little town where nothing much really happens and the neighbors all love each other. A place where I don't end the day only to pick it back up 45 minutes later and continue working again. Where a 5 minute trip home doesn't end up being 40-45 minutes with traffic. Where people are friendly and not judgemental. Where I can get in and out of the grocery in less than an hour. Where I can tell someone my honest opinion without worrying about the repurcussions. Where I can get in and out of a mall without wanting to kill someone. When a lunch break means not spending 5 minutes to eat at your desk.
Somewhere not the Silicon Valley.
I'm seriously considering this one because...what's really holding me here anyway???
Friday, November 2, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Got a problem? Blame Marketing...
Blame marketing, blame advertising, blame public relations....but for the love of god don't blame yourself.
A recent blog post from the well-known Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine, Chris Anderson, had my blood boiling this afternoon.
Media bias has attracted quite a bit of attention amongst university scholars and independent watchdog organizations. These organizations have many questioning the validity of the news they receive and ask that readers take the time to evaluate what they're reading. Recent scandals, such as those of Jayson Blair and Stephen Glass, have helped put highy respected publications like the New York Times in a negative light.
So how do journalists alleviate the situation -- they perpetuate the stereotype!
Yesterday, Chris Anderson posted a blog outing over a hundred PR representatives for sending press release spam. While the argument is completely valid, the means in which he outed them was tasteless and un-neccessary helping to further a stereotype that is unjustified and unsubstantiated.
Do PR professionals fuck up? YES! Do some PR professionals abuse their privelleges and try to sell a product that's less than perfect? Of course. Does this mean that all PR professionals are liars that do nothing but "bother everyone else"? Absolutely Not!
PR professionals are no more lying, conniving, or manipulative then reporters are biased, snotty, and inaccurate. It's the exception to the rule....but you would never get that from Chris's post.
Instead of offering a solution, Chris threw a big fat wrench at the problem. Yes, PR professionals should make it a point to research the reporters they are trying to target. And yes, PR professionals should never mass-distribute press releases without carefully anlayzing their target lists. But at the same time it's not just a PR problem.
As mentioned in the comments following the post, journalism and PR requires a symbotic relationship to effectively get things done. Reporters could do their part to ensure that their beat, and contact information is readily available to PR professionals. They could also offer tips and best methods for getting in contact them.
It's absolutely imperative that both industries take accountability for their actions instead of simply passing the buck.
Immaturely outing their emails on a blog is not only cold, spiteful and vindictive -- but it's also damaging and completely unnecessary.
I would expect more from an editor as widely respected and acknowledged in the industry as Chris Anderson.
A recent blog post from the well-known Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine, Chris Anderson, had my blood boiling this afternoon.
Media bias has attracted quite a bit of attention amongst university scholars and independent watchdog organizations. These organizations have many questioning the validity of the news they receive and ask that readers take the time to evaluate what they're reading. Recent scandals, such as those of Jayson Blair and Stephen Glass, have helped put highy respected publications like the New York Times in a negative light.
So how do journalists alleviate the situation -- they perpetuate the stereotype!
Yesterday, Chris Anderson posted a blog outing over a hundred PR representatives for sending press release spam. While the argument is completely valid, the means in which he outed them was tasteless and un-neccessary helping to further a stereotype that is unjustified and unsubstantiated.
Do PR professionals fuck up? YES! Do some PR professionals abuse their privelleges and try to sell a product that's less than perfect? Of course. Does this mean that all PR professionals are liars that do nothing but "bother everyone else"? Absolutely Not!
PR professionals are no more lying, conniving, or manipulative then reporters are biased, snotty, and inaccurate. It's the exception to the rule....but you would never get that from Chris's post.
Instead of offering a solution, Chris threw a big fat wrench at the problem. Yes, PR professionals should make it a point to research the reporters they are trying to target. And yes, PR professionals should never mass-distribute press releases without carefully anlayzing their target lists. But at the same time it's not just a PR problem.
As mentioned in the comments following the post, journalism and PR requires a symbotic relationship to effectively get things done. Reporters could do their part to ensure that their beat, and contact information is readily available to PR professionals. They could also offer tips and best methods for getting in contact them.
It's absolutely imperative that both industries take accountability for their actions instead of simply passing the buck.
Immaturely outing their emails on a blog is not only cold, spiteful and vindictive -- but it's also damaging and completely unnecessary.
I would expect more from an editor as widely respected and acknowledged in the industry as Chris Anderson.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Home Improvement
So I've been doing a lot of watching of Home Improvement on Nick at Nite recently and it's become quite apparent to me how much crazy gender stereotyping they do in the show.
It's blatant...
Tim is the complete alpha male. He embodies everything that is man -- tools, cars, grunting, sports, and greasy food. Naturally since he's male he's also illogical, fanatic, dim-witted and accident prone.
Then there's Jill the docile-ish female. She's like a modern take on June Cleaver -- she can't cook but she sews costumes and teaches her boys how to dance, she's not a "stay-at-home" mom but she doesn't have a job and is on a constant quest to become a psychologist...but you know she never will. Like all woman she's overly sensitive, catty, needy and demanding/ "the nag."
And I think Wilson is androgenous....he's half man and female. I don't know what they were trying to do there.
It's blatant...
Tim is the complete alpha male. He embodies everything that is man -- tools, cars, grunting, sports, and greasy food. Naturally since he's male he's also illogical, fanatic, dim-witted and accident prone.
Then there's Jill the docile-ish female. She's like a modern take on June Cleaver -- she can't cook but she sews costumes and teaches her boys how to dance, she's not a "stay-at-home" mom but she doesn't have a job and is on a constant quest to become a psychologist...but you know she never will. Like all woman she's overly sensitive, catty, needy and demanding/ "the nag."
And I think Wilson is androgenous....he's half man and female. I don't know what they were trying to do there.
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