March 24, 2009
Rihanna
The highly disturbing Rihanna and Chris Brown scandal has been all over the news recently. It’s completely disgusting and inexcusable to hit a woman, and CB deserves to go to jail. And Rihanna should not take him back – but I am not willing to call her names for doing so. She is a confused young woman with psychological trauma. Another bothersome piece of the problem involves the dispute between those who say she’s a bad role model, and those who say she isn’t a role model. It doesn’t set a good example for young girls for her to take back her abusive boyfriend. And whether or not Rihanna “should” be a role model for young girls, she is one. Role models aren’t determined by who has the characteristics to be one, or who individuals would choose as ideal role models. Role models aren’t chosen. They are created by visibility in the media and by gaining the positive attention of impressionable young people. Rihanna is a beautiful, successful, famous young woman. She sings catchy, danceable songs and had a famous, attractive boyfriend. Her days seemingly consist of traveling the world, performing, recording, and talking to/being photographed by glossy magazines. At 21, Rihanna seemed to have it all – who wouldn’t look up to her? Like most celebrities, people did look up to her, and now she – and society – has to deal with the consequences of her imperfections and her fall from favor.
(Maybe some of her songs even indicated that her life was not as perfect as it appeared – Disturbia, particularly the video, is pretty, erm, disturbing. Breakin’ Dishes, while a very enjoyable song, does not have a very happy message. And Take a Bow is about the demise of a relationship.)
Long-Distance Relationship Tip(s)
All relationships take hard work, time, and energy, and long-distance relationships (LDRs) are no exception. LDRs are difficult – arguably more difficult than proximal relationships because you see the person less frequently, which makes good communication more challenging. Communication is the key to all good relationships, and takes extra planning when you live far apart. Phone communication and skype is more personal than emails and texts, although those are nice fillers when there’s no time to talk. Time constraints can put a lot of strain on communication within the relationship – so if there’s no time for an hour-long conversation, sending a text shows you care and are thinking about the other person. Seeing each other less often means that time together is precious, so make it count. Plan some activities such as watching movies, going to restaurants, and spending time outdoors if the weather’s nice, but leave some time unstructured to just be together. Be wary of open relationships – they often self-destruct because jealousy, to some extent, is inevitable. There are several tips here, but the most important is to be honest and open with the other person, and keep closely in touch.
Job Preparation Rant
As a junior at a small liberal arts college, it’s very frustrating when the internship office has little to offer as far as insider information about summer positions and valuable connections with alumni. I assume that career services isn’t much better, since we have no campus recruiting or job fairs. I am reliable, hardworking, a good student, and involved in many activities outside of class. I have held jobs and internships relevant to what I want to do. I would hire me. But I worry that no one else will, especially in this economy. Sometimes I wish I had gone to a bigger school for the career fairs because I feel so overwhelmed searching for positions on my own. I hope my skills will stand out during these job-starved times …
October 9, 2008
Bathroom Rant
If you’re in a dorm bathroom, don’t sing in it. Or hum. Or carry on incessant conversations with your friends. No one else wants to hear your singing, regardless of whether or not you have a beautiful voice. Even though you might think it will make others’ days improve, humming is just irritating. And busting in with ten of your closest friends while I’m trying to have a relaxing shower? Not cool. So be considerate and stay (relatively) quiet in the bathroom, and I’ll do the same for you.
MM
September 21, 2008
Genius Rave
I love the new Apple Genius thing for itunes. Basically, you choose a song and it assembles a playlist based off of other users who also have that song – using only your music. It’s like last.fm except it uses the music you already own. Try it out!
September 18, 2008
Writing Tip
Write down everything. Write it down, or you will forget. The memory is nothing if not imperfect. Take notes during meetings, during class, when you hear something cool, about what you’re thinking. You will remember what you need to do, what you learned, or what you were thinking about. This information will be invaluable later on.
Communication Rant
This is the 21st century. You should reply to my emails in a timely fashion, especially if they are about a time-sensitive issue. It’s very frustrating when I’m sitting around waiting for you to get it together so that a project can move forward. I can’t do my job if you don’t do yours, or don’t tell me how your progress is coming. Communication is important, and in this day and age, that means email.
Blogging Rant
Don’t you just hate those bloggers who disappear for 2 months? Yep, I did it, and I’m sorry.
July 25, 2008
Co-worker Tip
Do your job, and do it well. But when you’re working closely with someone, get to know them. It’s someone to dish about your life outside work with, someone to make the day go faster. And who knows, your work friend could turn into a real-life friend …
