WAX IN THE CITY

oh dear me!

2009-09-14T00:37:00.002-05:00

Why hello everyone out there in Internet land. It's me. Stephanie. Yes, yes. I have been gone a very long time...

Lost at sea, you ask? Oh dear me! No. Though I often dream about being a pirate...

Chased away by a city-crushing neo-dinosaur, you suggest? Oh for Spielberg's sake! If that were to happen (which sadly it didn't) I call dibs on driving the Jurassic Park Jeep!

Okay, fine. Did I fall backward in time, you say? Why in Doc Brown's name, I wish. Though time-traveling would only be fun if narrated by Huey Lewis and the News and chaperoned by a one Martin Seamus "Marty" McFly.

To be quite honest and to throw all joking aside, life has been quite hard on my end lately. The details I will spare, but it should be noted that grief, anxiety, and a long to-do list do not go well together. All that being said, I'd like to slowly begin reestablishing the waxin' on this here site so please stay tuned!

17 going on 30

2009-05-21T01:13:00.000-05:00

Some people say that they are "forever young," always living in the moment and mocking the severity with which others approach life. Others we deem "old souls." Typically, these are the ones who listen to a lot of old jazz and like to wax philosophic about the meaning of random moments in time.

I find myself perpetually crossing back and forth between these thresholds of age-appropriateness. It is very frustrating! One day, I am a participant in a freestyle running group that gallivants through Millennium Park wearing highlighter-colored clothing and the next day I am a 23-year-old entrepreneur renting an office, hiring interns, and creating financial benchmarks for my fledgling creative management company.

Better put, sometimes I find myself viewing life with optimistic and outlandish fervor, saying "hello" to strangers on the street and honing my superhero senses in order to hear the birds and smell the coffee in this big bad city. Other days, I wake up wanting to break my alarm, clumsily dropping everything in my hands, and feeling so overwhelmed by my to-do list that life neglects to have meaning.

It is strange to one day be so convicted about saving money, going out less, and taking myself seriously. Then the next day I am throwing caution to the wind, buying shots for my friends, and sleeping in till noon.

I believe this is called the plight of the 20-something.

But why the perpetually swinging pendulum of happiness? Why the ups and downs? What's with the mood swings, headaches, and sleepy twitching eyes? Is it the caffeine? The 3am bedtime? Or something else? It can't be just me who feels this way, right? I think I should stop watching House...

ok, cosmo...the jig is up!

2009-05-14T19:26:00.004-05:00

BREAKING NEWS: Cosmopolitan publishes the same magazine every month.

Really...I never knew. Wait...that article on sex does seem familiar.

Let's break this down into headlines, shall we. It really is quite simple. Here is my version - and every future version - of an issue of Cosmo mag...in simplified terms:

"How to have more exciting sex than you're having now with that mediocre guy"

"You can look prettier by putting on makeup"

"There are new fashions this season...you should buy them if you wanna keep up"

"Breaking news you can use: men like sex, as much as possible, and in any position you can come up with"

"If you have to read this article entitled, 'how to spruce up your love life,' then you should probably just dump him because you're both not right for each other"

"We're gonna talk about sex again"

"Clothes and jewelry are fun and, WHO KNEW, gals love em!"

I think I liked them better in the 60s when the articles were hilarious and taboo. Now they're just redundant.

Look, I made my own cover:

the social-tech takeover

2009-05-14T18:48:00.006-05:00

There was probably a day in the past when two people were sitting in a classroom or dusty library quietly discussing the future of the exchange of information. They probably shared torn books, sent telegrams, and socialized over tea in a parlor room.

Today, there are still a few people here and there who embrace more "old-fashioned" ways of living. They probably still use a land line, like film cameras, continue to buy books (having no idea what a Kindle is), and still enjoy meeting for long conversations over coffee or many course dinners.

For the rest of us, we are bombarded by new media and technology. Most of us love it, despite being completely overwhelmed by the immensity of it. We have so much information at our fingertips - available 24/7 - and yet many of us have not yet successfully learned how to balance all that is available.

We check our cell phones for texts and emails every 5 minutes while we are at an intimate dinner or (ick) a date! We can't help but check out blogs and online shopping sites when we are supposed to be working on our computer. We interface instead of face to face. We surf the web instead of surfing, biking, running...you get the picture.

Multitasking has replaced the need to work hard at one thing. Why be really good at one thing when you can be mediocre at many things? Media-savvy-ness has replaced knowledge of current events. Who cares that India is a growing world power when their tech guys just created a new gadget that lets you read books via sunglasses!? (Note: not true...I don't think). "You can Google it" is the new "let me explain it to you."

Don't get me wrong, there are obviously many merits to new technology and networking sites. MySpace revolutionized the way indie bands get heard. Facebook, despite it's monopoly on real human interaction, has still enabled many people to connect and share photos, messages, and events in a revolutionary way. And don't get me started on how Twitter is amazing for bouncing ideas off of people and how iPhones are really helpful if you get lost and need to Google map yourself. I am aware.

I just often wonder...is having access to everything and everyone all the time a good thing?

where did my money go?

2009-05-05T12:20:00.003-05:00

It has come to my attention lately that many a person has begun to blame their misfortunes on this thing I have heard called, "the economy."

"Aw, no. I can't afford that because of the economy."

"He is having a nervous breakdown right now because of the economy."

"My dog ran away because of the economy."

But what is this mysterious "economy" that they speak of and why does it have everyone's panties in a twist? Perhaps it is the newly appointed name for A(H1N1)? Probably...I heard all the H1N1 farmers were getting mad about the bad rap...

Okay okay. Obviously, I jest. But I have started to wonder lately how much of what is changing in our world has to do with our financial problems. As I have mentioned before regarding the slow death of newspapers, perhaps it is not a lack of advertising dollars but the public's lack of need for a tangible, paper news source that is causing a shift in the way we view media.

In the bar industry, we complain when not enough customers come in and blame it on the fact that people are cutting back. But don't people statistically drink the same amount - if not MORE - when they are depressed over their financial woes? Maybe the businesses have lost touch with their clientele.

People are still spending. Media is still thriving (online). What we must do is change our mindset on what people need right now.

Big pricey cars are out. Good, less traffic and more parking spots! Newspapers are dying. Great, more trees and less annoying black print all over my fingers! Credit card limits are shrinking. Sounds like a good idea to make people actually earn their money! And boutique, niche market businesses are popping up all over. Awesome, more creative perspectives and more money for the little guy or gal!

Yes, I'm an eternal optimist, but it sounds to me like we'll be alright.

when millenials rule the world

2009-04-20T16:35:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the mobile millennial world. We are so happy to see you.

Please turn up your iPhone. We really like the music pulsating from it. Make sure to charge your Blackberry. Emails are always a-coming. And don’t put down that coffee and Red Bull stained laptop. You will need it to interface, Facebook, and bookmark multi-pages…

So what does it all mean? It means that Mac is the new black, baby. It means your first boss out of college may just be a few years your elder. It means the millennials have begun their hostile…I mean, computer file…or perhaps more like new style takeover.

TheCreativeCareer.com talked recently and briefly about what an office designed by a 20-something would look and function like. It was a short article, but got me thinking. At the end they ask, what would your office look like? As someone who just rented a studio space, this is an exciting question.

Now, I am not necessarily like all my millennial counterparts, but I'd like to think we share some characteristics. Certain aspects will inevitably incorporate themselves into a Gen Y workspace. Let's analyze them, shall we?

1) Stimuli - Coffee. Red Bull. Buzzing phones. Thumping headsets. TV on your computer. Computer on your phone. Phone on your iPod. iPod in your hand while holding your coffee...and it's buzzing...and you're rocking out to MGMT...and....phew! This sound hard? Are there any parents out there reading? I can tell you now that this is normal, if not exciting. They call our generation many names. Strangely, "The Head-to-Phoners," "The ADD-is-cool-ers," and "The Caffeine Heads" didn't make the list.

What does all this stimuli indicate about Gen Y-ers? The small cubicle, the white blank-walled office, the elevator music...NOT FOR US. We need freedom. We need music. Not overheard throughout the office, but at our individual desks that caters to our individual style. We need a little funkiness in our office space as well. I'm talking art, visualization boards, couches, comics cut out of the newspaper, whatever.

Now I know what you're thinking. These young whipper snappers can't just be walking around, rocking out, and getting distracted all day. They'd never get anything done gosh darnit! Wrong. If we've learned anything from Google it's that. Besides, I find that when I'm surrounded by creativity, be it within other people or via visual examples, I work my very best. White walls don't inspire, plain (pun intended) as that.

2) Room to move - this is seen in every aspect of the millennial generation. Our approach to career life is marked by a need for flexibility, for the possibility of movement. Whereas our parents' and grandparents' generations stuck with a job for the sake of company loyalty, we find the need to be expansive.

Our office spaces must reflect this. This is not to say that we won't be working behind desks, but that when it comes to work spaces, we need them open, airy, organized, yet arty. When it comes to a staff meeting, there will be no stuffy conference rooms. There will be a meeting of the minds around unique coffee tables. Like the beatniks before us, I always find that gathering together in a coffee shop gets my mind running with ideas. Let's bring this to the board room. Imagine what can be done in a space that is generating as much creativity as it's employees.

3) Free Speech / Free Rule / Free Coffee
Let's face it. Millennials are assholes. At least in comparison with the harder working generations before us. We stay up till 4am, sleep through our alarms, show to work late, then bitch later to our friends about how our boss was all shades towards us throughout the day. Strangely enough, people are putting up with us. We get pissy if our bosses try to micromanage us, but then seek constant approval from them. We run our mouths in class, want free reign at our part-time job, and go nuts when the only coffee is instant decaf. We grew up telling our parents "leave me alone!" and "you don't get me!"...wah wah. Unfortunately, "the trophy generation" - as we are called - want to be simultaneously pampered and respected as independent adults at the same time. Not sayin' it's right, just how it is, folks.

May God help the older generations who have to deal with us...

Rock on and out,
Stephanie

dig list 4.5

2009-04-05T20:22:00.002-05:00

==To bring ya revving up to speed on all that I am knee deep diggin' right now here is the latest DIG LIST==

Song: "All I Want Is You" by Barry Louis Polisar--a song from the Juno soundtrack. Pure cutesy, loveyness...makes sense since Polisar is known for his children's songs.

Album: The Presets "Apocalypso"--been listening to this album non-stizzle. Getting ready for the show this Wednesday!!!

Book: "My So-Called Freelance Life" by Michelle Goodman--inspiration for my new journeys into the world of freelance writing and entrepreneurship.

Website/blog: CAR (Chicago Artists Resource)--one of the best best best resources for Chicago creatives. They sponsored the Creative Chicago Expo that I stopped by yesterday. It was très cool!

Upcoming shows: The Presets @ Metro Chicago, April 8 & The Victory Gins @ Double Door Chicago, May 24 9pm

island albums

2009-04-04T14:06:00.021-05:00

Here is the scenario: you are stranded on a desert island and can only bring one album with you. What musical masterpiece do you choose? Oo, the fun begins...

This reminds me of when someone asks, "What bands do you like?" or "Would you rather eat pizza, chocolate ice cream, or spinach and bacon quiche?" I mean really! Do I have to decide?!

It is as if someone said, "You have lived about 8,450 days so far in your life. Which days did you like the best?" Um, excuse me. I may just say the day I learned what music was, or rode my first bike, or got drunk for the first glorious time, or...holy cow this is hard!

At some point, you will be conversing with your most musically inclined friend and will (if you haven't already) stumble upon the island album query. You will rack your brain, running song after song after artist after album through your head. But what constitutes a "favorite" album?

I recently had this very conversation with my very musically inclined friend, Lee B. We decided that a truly great album must be one that when listening to, there is not a single song you dislike or wish to skip over. This album must - from start to finish - be a wonderful experience in itself. It doesn't technically matter whether the album makes you feel happy or jubilant or energetic or melancholy...it just matters if you feel like you can be everywhere and anything while listening.

Now, there are some simple rules to this game. 1) You are not allowed to pick "Best Of" or "Greatest Hits" albums. Sadly, this eliminates my choice of the "Experience Hendrix - Best of Jimi Hendrix" album. Too bad. 2) You must truly love ever single song on the album. 3) No live albums allowed. Face it...it's not really an album...just a show you wish you went to. 4) No soundtracks. Duh.

That being said, I shall reveal my choice...

Yes.

I will.

I can do it.

I can narrow it down!

Really.

OKAY, here is what I'm gonna do...

I'll break down (Rob Gordon style, like always) my Top 5 Favorite Albums of All Time (in no particular order):

LED ZEPPELIN, IV
Songs that kick so much you just wanna go air drumming down the street with your headphones blaring (think "Black Dog," "Rock and Roll"), songs that transport you to an airy meadow of folk and mandolin poetry heaven ("The Battle of Evermore," "Going to California"), and songs with a quasi-bluesy flair that seasons the otherwise early metal-driven guitar riffs that make Zeppelin famous ("When the Levee Breaks," "Four Sticks"). The only thing that slightly ruins this album for me is when Cadillac used it to kick off a their new advertising campaign in 2002.

WEEZER'S self-titled debut, aka THE BLUE ALBUM
Without fail, I find ever song and note and chord on this album pleasing. Arguably, Rivers Cuomo is not the most profound or dulcet singer/songwriter on the planet. This I will admit to with the same heartbreaking simplicity adopted in each of Cuomo's lyrics. Strangely, it doesn't seem to matter that this hopelessly romantic and ever-fatalistic crooner's songs would get their ass handed to them in a lyrical battle with Jeff Buckley's Grace (my dear friend, Lee B's pick). I know it to be true that any Weeze fan accepts this fact and fittingly so since true nerds have found peace with their existence.

INCUBUS, MAKE YOURSELF
Brandon Boyd's intensity expressed through an impressive range of screaming and singing beautifully, all against a funk-rock background that boasts a well composed sampling of all that was good about rock music in the late 90s.

JIMI HENDRIX, ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
Debut album of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, 'nuff said. I cheated a little on this one seeing as how I don't love love love every song on the album and because my favorite Jimi song, "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," isn't even on it. Can't win 'em all but with Hendrix, it somehow seems like it.

MICHAEL JACKSON, THRILLER
Truly, 'nuff said. If you have ever tapped your foot to a song or shaken your hips to the beat, you'd better like this album. Any move-breakin' lover's indisputable fall back (in a good way) album.

My runners up and reasons why:

JEFF BUCKLEY, GRACE - reminds me of my freshman year of college when I was depressed and homesick. My roommate introduced me to this album and I loved it. Now when I hear it I always feel kinda homesick. That doesn't mean that I don't think this is one of the greatest albums of all time. It just means I sometimes have a hard time listening to it.

Any BEATLES album - too easy. That's like saying you like breathing air.

Other LED ZEPPELIN albums, particularly HOUSES OF THE HOLY - I didn't think it made sense to put all my favorite band's albums on my top 5 list.

NIRVANA, NEVERMIND - fantastic, relatable, heartbreaking, everything that angst should be, but only good in small doses. Not a whole album at a time. Sorry grunge lovers.

BEN FOLDS FIVE, WHATEVER AND EVER AMEN - If I could play piano and write silly heartbroken songs and kick overall ass, these are like the songs I'd write. Problem is, there are a few too many songs off this particular album that I feel are boring and/or overplayed...i.e. "Brick," "Missing the War," "Smoke," etc.

I could probably say that JOHN MAYER, ROOM FOR SQUARES was also a runner up. That album is pure pop/rock/catchy/lovely-dovey/everybody-friendly/awesomeness. Every song is good, over and over again, yet now perhaps a bit overplayed.

Oh, there are so many more...but now my fingers hurt and I need a sandwich.

Rock on and out,
Stephanie Helena

when harry met sally

2009-03-29T23:03:00.002-05:00

It's the age-old question humankind has been discussing in platonic circles forever. Can men and women really be friends?

Like many women before me, I recently sat on my couch with a dear female friend and debated this topic. What if they are gay? What if they are incredibly out of your league? What if you've never had sex with them? There are indeed many factors that can change the dynamic of a relationship.

In my experience, I have had MANY great guy friends...ALL of which eventually confessed their secret adoration for me in one way or another, thus negating the friendship. But does it? When you find out someone "like-likes" you, does this automatically eliminate any chance of friendship? Perhaps not. Many of these gentlemen remain my "friends" to this day. We occasionally meet up for coffee when I am in my hometown or get together in groups of old friends, but none of them really know much about my life or I about theirs.

Then I consider some of my other female friends. One in particular has a very successful BEST friendship with a boy...and get this...they are both not-so-secretly IN LOVE with each other and have confessed it to one another on more than one occasion. So how does this work?

I have concluded that friendships between men and women can exist under certain conditions: 1) One friend is gay. 2) The friends are aware of the pending feelings of either one or both parties and have decided to ignore them for some reason...In some cases this is complicated by the fact that one party may not have actually been aware of the other's feelings and thus are actually in the dark about the whole "like-liking" thing...In addition, sometimes feelings go away and friendships progress into resembling relationships you have with family members or pets or something...Furthermore, these two friends may just be f#$% buddies. In which case, they are truly "friends" in one sense, but do not possess a deep understanding of one another. But then, how well do we ever really know our male and female friends?

My head hurts.

Then there is the friendship with an ex debate...but that is for another day.

So what do you all think? True friendship with a member of the opposite sex: possible or awkward mess? Let me know.

Rock on and out,
Stephanie

so dad says

2009-03-24T02:51:00.012-05:00

I was jump-reading from blog to blog the other day and came across a post addressing recent college grads. I had mixed feelings - as a recent grad - about many of the points made in the post. SO, in response to this post by Dad, here are some thoughts:

Yes, college was fun and "the real world" is supposedly a bit harder. Blah blah.

Let me start off by saying that I had a remotely entertaining time in college, but nothing spectacular. Many of my good friends had a blast, drank a lot, joined a soro/frat, and kicked it Old School style. Not me. Nor many others I have spoken to in months since my "education" ended (finally!) last August. College consisted of me working my butt off: Class. Organization meetings. Work. Homework. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I wanted to make my family proud and actually show them some results for their money. That's what college is really about, right? As an overachiever, I was discontented if I had a moment of free time (yet strangely when I was super busy, I wanted nothing but a day off). Vicious cycle? I think so. I digress...

For me, college should have been a breeze. My tuition was paid for by a generous family member (thank you Poppie). My family made sure I had money on my food plan so I didn't starve and a place to live so I didn't freeze during Chicago winters. I met amazing friends and found a fabulous boyfriend I'm still with to this day...Hmm. What was so tough about it? I'll fill you in.

Dad mentions "that marketing professor" who promises you big bucks if you get an education. He neglects to differentiate between the dreamy professors who sing the praises of a liberal arts education and all the wonderful (and most of the time useless) skills it brings you - AND - the well-experienced (in both life and career) professor/mentor who tells you to work your ass off, get internships galore, and plan plan plan for the future. I happened to be surrounded by adults of both sorts (believe me it's not that hard to find them...adults LOVE giving advice), leaving me with an appreciation for my education but a realism that reminded me over and over the value of real life experience.

As a result, I finished college having worked 6 different jobs - some at the same time (hostess, fine dining server, clothing brand rep, barista, front desk assistant, and cocktail server), participated in 4 internships (PR/marketing intern, communications and govn't relations intern, art gallery owner's assistant, children's art education assistant/art program web designer), was a peer mentor to younger students, and was a vice prez in my dry sorority.

I know everyone isn't like me. That would be horrible. BUT, many many students nowadays are multi-tasking like crazy (and simultaneously creating an anxiety epidemic) in an attempt to gain any kind of advantage - not just because of the struggling economy - but also in order to compete for knowledge and that "leg up."

So let's address some of Dad's points. He says:

#1 "Get serious about finding a job. The last thing you need is to take a three month vacation after school. I know, I know. YOU worked hard and need to experience life a bit. Spare me. Mommy and Daddy just spent their retirement on your educational experiment so out of respect, the least you can do is go through the motions of becoming a real live, functioning, support yourself semi-adult."

WHOA. When I graduated, my mother, father, step-father, and grandfather were the ones who suggested to me that I take time off to experience life outside of the bubble that is college. As a result, I sold my car that was eating up gas in the big city, moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, learned to snowboard, freelanced for the local magazine, and became a bartender. Do you know what a Frontside 360 Truckdriver is? How about what ingredients go into a Colorado Bulldog drink? I didn't think so. And mommy and daddy were proud proud proud that I had branched out and learned many unique, new things.

The whole experience changed my perspective on life completely. As my aunt (who I lived with there) always says, "change of latitude, change of attitude." May I say that is some of the best advice someone can give you, especially to someone who just spent 4 years living in dorms and stuffy classrooms. The time I spent in Steamboat got me thinking hard about my life and goals in Chicago, and by the time it ended I was amped(!) to move back to the Windy City and hit the ground RUN RUN RUNNING.

#2 "Your major doesn’t much matter. You will be surprised how infrequently you get asked about your major, so don’t be all that shocked when your communications major background holds no water. Your GPA will count for something now, but no one will care really because it varies so much, school to school, major to major, etc. You think we don’t know that?"

I always get asked what I majored in in college - communications mind you, focusing on PR & advertising w/ an unofficial journalism minor. Most people I tell this to - many of them in business - are usually impressed and ask me quiet a few questions. What it REALLY comes down to is whether 1) you actually worked hard and learned a lot in school and 2) did you expand upon your major and participate in internships that pertained to your ultimate career goals. I will AGREE with Dad that schools and programs vary, but I would also suggest that many employers already know which schools hold more clout and can decide for themselves how much the candidate knows by simply talking to them in an interview.

#3 "If you send out a resume, proofread it over and over and over. Seriously. Can you spell? Make it easy for the employer to find you and contact you. Lose the studmuffin@gmail.com."

This I couldn't agree with more. I have proofread many resumes for friends and can tell you, many of them are poor spellers. What I would add is that you MUST find someone reputable to proofread your resume for you. Often I go to past professors - or - older, experienced business friends and ask for their opinion. Looking over your own work too many times oftens makes it harder to find the small errors.

#4 "If an employer happens to call you after you send out a resume, respond. Here is the sad reality. Monster and all these BIG job boards have devalued your resume to the point where you will send out hundreds of resumes and NOT get ONE reply. So, when you do get a reply, answer back. It will send a clear message to the company that there is a reason for them to acknowledge receiving your resume."

One question: why would you NOT RESPOND to a potential job offer?! If your entire goal is to find a job then wouldn't you jump on responding?

#5 "Even if the job sounds terrible, interview anyway. You should go on an interview a day, at least. Interview for the jobs you don’t want, too. This is like asking the hottest girl at the bar for her myspace page, you don’t make the shots you don’t take as Michael Jordan used to say."

Very good advice. Get as much interview practice as you can. BUT there are a few things you can do for yourself that will automatically bump you a few steps up on the interview champion ladder.

1) Do research on the company with which you are interviewing. Lots of it. You NEVER want to get to the "so-do-you-have-any-questions-for-us" stage of the interview and start simply asking them questions you can find on their website.

2) Plan some questions ahead of time. After doing research on a company, think of the other aspects of working there that were not addressed on their "about us" page. What is their company community like? What are their expectations for the ideal candidate? What do they consider to be exceptional performance from someone working in this position in the first 90 days? Etc.

3) Make sure you have a fantastic handshake. 'Nuff said. Practice it if you must. Eye contact, articulation, and professional appearance are VERY important as well. If you don't have the stuff, you've gotta fake it till you make it, kids.

#9 "Not sure of your passion quite yet? It is easier to find your true calling once you have a job. Plus, you don’t really know what you love, do you? I mean really? Those soap opera watching jobs are so hard to get, anyway. Get started…finding what you don’t like is even helpful. Practice showing some passion even if you are not in your keeper job."

Finding your passion is tough. Everyone has had a hard time at some point or another figuring out, "What do I really love?" To Dad's advice, I only have a couple things to add: A good exercise in "finding your bliss" is to think about what activities really excite you. It doesn't matter if the activities don't seem to relate to job fields at all. Just play along. Okay? Good.

What are your hobbies? Favorite childhood activities? Were you always planning and organizing plays or inventing new games in your basement? Start writing all these things down. Remember in High Fidelity how Rob made lists of his top 5 dream jobs? Do this! Make it a top 20 list if you'd like. Just get the brainstorming going. This doesn't mean you have to quit the job you're in now. Just start thinking hard about the things you really love.

Another thing I have found to work: ask the people who know you best what they think you'd be good at. I have found that somehow my mother always seemed to know what I was fantastic at doing. Often, I wasn't aware that certain things were my strengths because they had always seemed like second nature. Get feedback in your search for happiness.

The post-college career world is hard. College was hard. Life is hard. When it comes down to it, it's all in how you approach each opportunity and learning experience. When college ended for me, that was when I started to have fun. I am now truly on my own, have stopped relying on my parents financially, and am free to find myself outside of a predetermined college student mold.

Yes, the job market is hard. Yes, it is even harder to make money doing something you love. But it is worth it to do anything and everything in your power to find your bliss. So stop reading and start making your dream career list NOW.

to be a little woman...

2009-03-13T00:41:00.005-05:00

In the movie, Little Women, Winona Ryder aka Jo March describes herself as "hopelessly flawed." She is living in NYC, braving the trials of shopping around her written works. Publications she approaches scoff at the fact that she is a woman, demeaning her work and value. She feels strange in an even stranger place. Before leaving home for NYC, she tells her mother, "I'm just so fitful and I can't stand being here! I'm sorry, I'm sorry Marmee. There's just something really wrong with me. I want to change, but I - I can't. And I just know I'll never fit in anywhere."

There is a mouthful. One I think I've swallowed many times without speaking it. When I finally said something similar to this to my mother, she was, I believe, shocked. I had explained to her how much I disliked coming home to Ohio, a fact that saddens me but makes it no less true.

Was it because I disliked being with family? No! Was it that there is nothing to do in Canton, OH. Not exactly. Am I discontented because I have spent the last few years learning, searching, and expanding myself and cannot find anything that inspires me in my hometown (besides my loving family)? Perhaps a little. The people I will always yearn for. Wherever they are, that is and always will be my home in a classical sense. When I find myself truly missing home, I realize that it is for the adventures I had as a child.

The tree climbing.

The burying of time capsules with my sisters.

The games of "spy" and "cops and robbers."

The plays we put on in our basement.

The big ideas.

Even at home as a child I always felt different. I yearned for something big. Something unique and unforgettable. My heart was always somewhere else having adventures and secretly whispering them back to me in little anecdotes...

Wherever that place of adventure is, that is the home I've been looking for.

Marmee March says, "Oh, Jo. Jo, you have so many extraordinary gifts; how can you expect to lead an ordinary life? You're ready to go out and - and find a good use for your talent. Tho' I don't know what I shall do without my Jo. Go, and embrace your liberty. And see what wonderful things come of it."

And there it is. Spoken like a true mother. Definitely something my momma would say. Whenever I hear those words again in my head - "embrace your liberty" - I feel like my back-up battery power just kicked in.

Jo March is but a fictional character from generations past. But for women of my generation, she is our mascot. A women who is seeking inspiration, dreaming constantly, writing (or perhaps blogging...), contradicting, loving deeply, and embracing the independence and opportunity available to her.

After having watched Little Women a few nights ago, I can't stop thinking about what I am searching for. This is the time in my life when that is exactly what everyone else is doing, so there is a little comfort in that. Ah, the early 20s...

I'll find that next big thing. It's still there. Only now, it exists beyond those trees and childhood games. Fortunately, the desire is the same.

Rock on and out,

Stephanie Helena

the dig list 3.12

2009-03-12T23:10:00.002-05:00

==To bring ya revving up to speed on all that I am knee deep diggin' right now here is this week's DIG LIST==

Song: Tittsworth, Kid Sister & Paserock's "WTF (Nadastrom on Drugs Remix)"--makes me wanna dance all over the place like the french boys in the "A Cause Des Garcons" TEPR Remix video by Yelle

Album: Vampire Weekend's Vampire Weekend--a happy romp across a musical landscape filled with reggae scented flowers, 80s new wave breezes, and a little surfer flair on the horizon.

Fashion: RVCA--A design-driven lifestyle brand that brings together creatives from different subcultures. By combining art, music, and a modern, active lifestyle, RVCA seeks to redefine the approach to fashion.

Product: Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Soothing Lip Balm--it's minty, gives your lips a slight nude look, and I am convinced makes them plump just a lil bit. It is also incredibly moisturizing. Perfect for winter.

Website/blog: http://www.intersectedblog.com--a young woman, Jamie Varon, blogs with an honesty and unique voice that gently screams about all that social networking was meant to be.

Show I'm hittin' soon: The Victory Gins @ Double Door Chicago, May 24 9pm

dance your face off

2009-03-09T22:38:00.005-05:00

Just a quick little ditty...

Have you ever been running down the street, listening to your most fantastically booty-shakin' iPod playlist and thought, "I wanna start dancing down the street like a goofball right now!!!...But alas, I am alone, and would feel silly all by my lonesome." Yes?! You have felt this way?! Then DANCE RUN CLUB is for you!!!

DANCE RUN CLUB is a freestyle running group. The group is open to anyone in the Chicagoland area. We will meet the first and third Saturday of each month, beginning in May. 1st Saturdays are downtown runs. 3rd Saturdays are Lincoln or Wicker Park runs.

Once again, runs will commence in MAY 2009.

Runners must have an iPod/mp3 player, a good pair of running shoes, and a neon colored shirt in order to participate. We gotta stand out, eh kidz?

TO SIGN UP and/or for more information regarding requirements, meeting times, and locations, email info@dancerunchicago.com.

www.dancerunchicago.com

http://dancerunchicago.blogspot.com

Rock on and out,
Stephanie

changing media

2009-03-08T20:44:00.006-05:00

The internet is taking over. We all know this. Bloggers especially.

Social networking has become a successful supplement to job hunting, colleague gathering, opinion formation, and real-life human interaction. We saw it first with chat rooms and AIM. It then moved to sites solely devoted to networking--MySpace and Facebook being some of the first and most highly trafficked. And these still remain the most popular of the SN sites among North Americans.

News is changing too. According to 2008 polls (see links below), nearly 70% of Americans believe traditional journalism is out of touch, over half of Americans are getting most of their news online, and over 60% believe the internet is now a more important source of information than television, radio, and newspapers. Newspapers are scrambling and attempting to revamp business strategies (see additional links), but will it help?

We all know that news is a business and stations and outlets need advertising revenue to create their product. The economy is strugging, businesses are spending less on advertising, blah blah blah. But is that the only reason newspapers are struggling? Or is it also that traditional news outlets are losing touch?

Television news stations and tabloid-like magazines strive to bring readers ridiculous "breaking news" headlines. These are lost on me. I am over the TV news stations and their repetition of the same 5 stories every morning. I mean really, am I supposed to care that Britney Spears hired K-Fed to babysit while she's on tour or that Michelle Obama bought a new dress? Although Michelle is rocking the classy first lady style...and with a lil Carrie Bradshaw influence (see photo below, borrowed from a fellow-femme's blog). Fine, maybe sometimes I care. But this is not relevant breaking news. These outlets need to focus and realize that with only a few minutes to report, there are much more important things that need conveyed to the American people. But these are my issues with tabloids and television news...back to newspapers.

Some say newspapers are struggling because they cannot provide the content that young readers want. I would agree to some extent, but also offer another explanation: newspapers are inherently unable to keep up with the content we desire. We want international and domestic news, entrepreneurial business insights, new technology commentary and reviews, celeb gossip, and oh so much more. With the internet, we can get it all, read it all, and know it all in under and hour or so. (This I have learned from my internet proficient boyfriend who manages to know everything about everything by spending a few hours on the computer.) In the end, all of that doesn't fit in a newspaper.

So far, these papers have perished: Rocky Mountain News, Baltimore Examiner, Kentucky Post, Cincinnati Post, King County Journal, Union City Register-Tribune, Capital Times, Halifax Daily News, Albuquerque Tribune, South Idaho Press, and San Juan Star.

I am sure there are more to come.

Can the newspaper industry recover? Will they develop some new strategies to compete with the booming internet? And will Headline News stop talking about a rescued cat for five minutes and one day speak about female gential mutilation abroad or what action is being taken to combat genocide?

I have a feeling I'll talk about this subject much more in the future, so to get the conversation going, are there any comments? Do you want the newspaper industry to crash and burn? Are we bloggers and independent online news outlets the future of news? What say you?

Rock on and out,
Stephanie

http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN2824760420080229
http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2008/narrative_online_audience.php?cat=2&media=5

http://www.cnbc.com/id/29547741
http://www.innovationsinnewspapers.com (This is a good site for keeping up to date on these kinds of discussions).

gotta have it

2009-03-08T19:33:00.002-05:00

Quick fashion note: love this Balmain dress and shoes from the March 5, 2009 show.

the dig list 3.6

2009-03-06T01:37:00.004-06:00

==To bring ya revving up to speed on all that I am knee deep diggin' right now here is my DIG LIST==

Song: M83's "We Own the Sky"--still can't get enough of this song after hearing it on the soundtrack to Travis Rice's snowboarding film That's It, That's All

Album: Passion Pit's Chunk of Change--my friend introduced me to this album while driving around in his car, classic.

Fashion: 686 Snowboarding Apparel--great company née 1992; all about outerwear innovation and merging the riding community with artistic and urban elements.

Product: Montana Emu Oil--deep-penetrating moisturizer that is a natural trans-dermal carrier and anti-inflammatory with healing qualities. (Kicks rosacea's ass)

Website/blog: www.thecreativecareer.com--great site with advice and commentary by some insightful PR/marketing Gen-Yers.

Show I'm hittin' soon: The Presets @ The Metro Chicago, April 8

spidey sense

2009-03-06T01:06:00.002-06:00

"Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people. Setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride."

-Aunt May, Spiderman 2

I love this.

how to update your wardrobe in 5 easy steps

2009-03-05T00:28:00.004-06:00

Every gal has that t-shirt they bought on a novelty-infused impulse from that concert you went to back when you were seeing that one guy, that skirt they keep telling themselves they'll wear when they find the perfect blouse and/or when they lose a little of that booty-in-the-pants, and finally, the pair of heels that hurt like hell and don't really go with much...BEEP BEEP BEEP, sirens on, it all must go!

Let's look on the bright side, you know you don't need all that crap in your already bunched up closet. And girlfriend, if you live in the Windy City, you'd better not be taking up useful closet space because it is a rare rare thing in big cities.

So what to do? Let's get focused.

STEP 1: Black is always the new black, but you have to know how to rock it. Ladies, we love the LBD. It is our fashion life vest, if you will. But throwing it on does not a fashion icon make. This season, it's all about rock 'n roll rebel meets girly chic. Leather jackets with pearls. Tulle skirts with shredded black tights. Biker gloves and gaudy faux rings (real if you can afford 'em). What is great about this trend is that it isn't hard to accomplish. We allllll have black apparel stashed in our closets for those "fat days" and nights on the town and we all know where the neighboring thrift/vintage stores are so...get out there an find some accesories! Leather pieces are good, but try to find items that can go with more than one thing (that is always a good rule). Chunky layered chains, yes! Rocker sunglasses. Girly poofy skirts with some badass black leather boots, love it!

STEP 2: Stick with outfits, not pieces.
If you're like me, you tend to find amazing single pieces of clothing and cling to them. "Oh my gosh," you exclaim. "This is the CUTEST skirt, ever!" Yes, it may be just that. BUT oftentimes we get home and realize we have absolutely nothing that goes with it. We promise ourselves time and time again that on our next shopping trip we will find that shirt and shoe combo to complete the on-a-pedastal skirt we bought. Usually doesn't happen, right? Right. Next time you are shopping, be it on the streets or on the web, buy the outfit. It's not as hard or as tedious as it seems and besides, when you get home, you will have the perfect outfit for dinner that night or a gals-on-the-town evening. A suggestion: look at the mannekins at the store for inspiration or, even better, rip out a few pages from your favorite fashion mag then find the cheaper equivalent at the local stores.

STEP 3: You only need so many graphic tees and let's face it, they'll probably become your "what to wear when painting my living room tee."
I love concerts, rock 'n roll, skinny jean and graphic tee clad blokes, and the like. I am often caught up in the screams of the fans and find myself saying, "I've gotta get a t-shirt! And I'm totally going home and buying their album off iTunes!" All fine and golden. Ladies, you go right ahead and bleed rock 'n roll if it makes you happy. I know it works for me. Sometimes it isn't the concert scene, but your local indie boutique store or in my case sometimes even Target. BUT limit yourself by asking two questions before purchasing: 1) how much do I really love this band/icon? And 2) can I incorporate this shirt well into an outfit...not just with jeans. For example: with a cute pencil skirt. If you don't really care too much for the band, graphic, or event from which you got the shirt, toss it. And if it wouldn't look super cute as part of a whole outfit, TOSS IT!

STEP 4: Mother knows best (at least in this one teeny tiny case): if you haven't worn it in 2 seasons, give it the boot!
This is self explainatory. Some would even say ONE season, but I understand that you can't exactly wear your winter stuff in springtime. The punchline, toss the stuff that has been sitting in your closet collecting maybe-one-day-I'll-wear-it dust!

STEP 5: Learn from the best. Be it Jackie-O, Miuccia Prada, or Audrey H, they are timeless.
I suggest checking out some timeless fashion icons for inspiration when you are trying to simplify your wardrobe. I talk to a lot of women who just want to limit the pieces in their closet. If this is your goal, take basic tips from fashion royalty and stick with styles that are timeless, chic, and say, "I'm the gal who is in charge of the room." (A good example of what I'm talking about below...)

Rock on and out,
Stephanie

brainpower 101

2009-02-28T03:26:00.006-06:00

My mother sent me an email today. It was composed in the fashion she always uses: motivational, loving, and paranoid that I may be having a hard time in my big city life so far away from small town Ohio. In it she wrote, "Change always starts first in the mind. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way you act."

I first passed over these words with a "thanks mom, I know I know I know" attitude. Then I looked at the words again. Very good advice. Very good, indeed. It made me think of all the times that I created horrible slippery slope downward spirals for myself solely because I created negative habits. I always felt that these patterns and habits were just a part of my anxiety-ridden personality, built up by years of over-achieving, multitasking, and caffeine-infused stress attacks.

So I began to think. This quote from dear mama has really characterized my life and myself in the past months since graduating from college. It has been my unrecognized motto. And though it is seemingly obvious advice, it is still hard for me at times to create that much needed CHANGE.

On that note, I have decided to create a top 5 list for addressing this very issue (you will soon find I am a big fan of the top 5 lists). SO, how can we help ourselves bring about this much needed motivational and optimistic attitudinal change?

STEP 1: Recognize and begin to avoid harmful lifestyle choices.
According to the newly launched BestYou Magazine, being angry, worried, or stressed more than being happy; feeling a loss of control over home, career, or family; living in an unhappy relationship for some time; ignoring most health problems and symptoms; and not exercising beyond everyday living are the most harmful things you can do to your emotional well being. Perhaps your negative habits are different, but you know what they are deep down. Begin to recognize them. Write them down if you have to. I often find that when I write things down, they become more tangible and easier for me to address.

STEP 2: Treat yourself to helpful rituals.
Whether you like to wake up and spend time smelling the coffee, sit by a roaring fire, or go shredding down a mountainside on a snowboard, each of us has rituals and activities that put us in the ZONE. Sometimes it simply means taking a long bubble bath or doing morning stretches. No matter what the ritual, it is important to take time for you. When you let yourself relax and do something solely for yourself, one is able to re-energize and nurture our psyches!

STEP 3: Just because we live in a digital, ever-connected, multitasking society doesn't mean you have to push yourself. Take mental and physical baby steps to get where you want to be.
Remember the tortoise and the hare? Slow and steady. PACE yourself. If you are feeling stressed out by your many life goals and to do lists, cut back! Though your "to-do" list may have what seems like a million things on it, you only have so much time in a week. And yes, some of that time should be booked for YOU and only YOU. Yes, being productive leaves you feeling rewarded, but sometimes trying to do too much just overwhelms. If you start feeling overwhelmed, you're probably trying to do too much in one day or one week. Start making realistic lists and leaving the rest of the tasks for later.

STEP 4: Talking to yourself doesn't make you crazy. It just depends what you are saying.
Yes, sometimes when I see someone walking down the street mumbling to themselves, I question their sanity. But there is another kind of self-talk that is healthy and very necessary. This is how we talk to and present ourselves. If someone compliments you on a skill or accomplishment and you immediately say, "Oh no, it wasn't that great. I didn't really do much anyway...blah blah blah" you are tearing yourself down! Stop it, my friends. Despite what Tyler Durden says, you are a unique and beautiful snowflake. Start feeling like it. This is probably the step I have the hardest time with. My piano teacher once told me (at about lesson #3) that I was the most self-depricating student she had ever had. I was constantly apologizing for my musical skills and lack of practice. She finally said, "you just started, give yourself a break!" If you just started a new workout regime, a work project, or are working on yourself in anyway, take a step back and look at the positives. I find the best way to do this is in one of a few ways: when you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and tell yourself 3 reasons for which you are either happy, grateful, or proud of yourself; take a moment during the day to take in 3 deep breaths and give yourself a compliment; and finally, you can visually create a reminder of the good in your life by creating a "vision board" on which you can place motivational quotes, inspiring photos, and any other reminders that remind you why you ROCK!

STEP 5: If change starts in the mind, make sure your mind is in tip top shape!
It has been proven that getting 7-8 hours of sleep, exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, and eating well can dramatically improve brain functioning. When stress or worry is one of the main factors holding you back from improvement, I always find that exercise helps. Make yourself a kick ass iPod playlist and get your booty out on a run or to a kick boxing class. You will leave tired, refreshed, and feeling focused. Taking vitamins also helps!

No get out there and shake up your life! I want to hear you talking to yourselves in the mirror tomorrow! Postitive change will come, you've just gotta do a little work first. Nothing good comes for free.

Rock on and out,
Stephanie