I looked at my paycheck today and said “oh.”

Wonder why I even bother to work. 

Either that or I have to stop taking so many “days” off and loose my fucking sanity instead.

This morning I run my half-naked butt into the chilly air to retrieve my morning paper.  I can see through the blue plastic sleeve, there is a greeting card inside.  

I open the card, which isn’t addressed to me, my address, or even a common “Newspaper Subscriber”.  Just the overly used “Season’s Greeting” card which doesn’t refer to a specific “season”.  Summer?  Fall?  Recession?  Inside the common card, I find an envelope with a person’s address and name on it.  Hmm..

So this is how you get a holiday bonus?  My newspaper carrier gets a chunk of money put inside an envelope addressed to him, whithout even the slightest drop of “sincere kindness”?  What happened to “I appreciate your business.”,  ”Thanks for a great season of newspaper delivery”.  No one is teaching this kid that without delivery customers, there’s no business, and there’s no bonus.  Again, another demonstration of our culture teaching the next generation to “expect” things versus having “gratitude”.

I have to wonder if I mailed out an envelope with all my Christmas cards, do you think I could get money…just because?

“If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise.” – Robert Fritz

Posted by email from sophiemacalister’s posterous

World spread economic woes dominate newspaper headlines. Wall Street Journal Online even dedicates entire page to the Motor City’s crisis. Everyone knows we are in the begining of a long, disasterous economic crisis that keeps growing, but do we “feel” it?

Stopping at the grocery store for a few simple things, filling only a handheld basket, I dish out $100 each time. Even as my mind acknowledges the large debit I am about to make for simple necessities like milk, eggs, bread, and coffee, I still swipe my card. So does everyone else around me.
More

If you’ve taken any psychology class in college, or have dime of common sense, you understand the threads of “who you are” are woven in childhood. During childhood, you form the core expectations of how other’s will react to your actions. Your ideals can also be shaped by noninteracting sources such as books, tv, music, and imagination.

My idealism of what it meant to be a “woman” was shaped by two contrasting sources. Every Sunday, after “Meet the Press” was over, my father and I would spend all afternoon watching old movies. I adored the 1940’s movies which centered around the war and included fabulous dancing by Fred Astaire.
Read More..

I don’t have to explain Motrin’s recent ad campaign to engage mom’s via social media.  Thanks to out of control mommybloggers who fail to run their community as a business, the entire world knows how “angry” these woman are.

But why?  Why are these moms so pissed off over Motrin addressing a mom specific activity?  You don’t see CEO’s, accountants, or ad executives getting all pissed off when Motrin depicts a business person with a headache in a meeting.  So where is this “mommybloggers” list of acceptable ad campaigns versus crossing the boundaries?  I am sure Gerber, Little Tykes, Motrin, Tylonal, Tyson, and Charmin would like to know before they dump thousands of dollars into another ad campaign geared towards moms.

I could understand if Motrin made the ad campaign stating:

“I’m  a mom.  Got the kids to bed, husband banged me so hard up against the wall my back hurts!  What a mom does for her family! Whew”.  

That could have been considered over the top…but over lugging a fat baby?  Hello, that shit does hurt!

Queen of Spain stated her disappointment in her fellow mommyblogger’s over the top reaction.  I was amazed by her secret society undertone of “Companies will continue to have no choice but to engage mommybloggers. They are not going anywhere. We are here and they have to deal with us.”

The influence of mothers and the family unit for marketing isn’t a recent development.  Unlike how Queen of Spain makes the triumphant road to recognition seem “activist” like, CPG’s have always targeted moms.   They target their consumers by interests, which “mommybloggers” have labeled their own interests to be hauling a kid around!  10 or 20 years ago it was through “Parent” or “Good Housekeeping” magazine.  At the same time, CPG’s 10-20 years ago targeted hunters, sports fans, business execs, etc. through print and tv media.  The world is now turned to use social media advertising as it’s primary over the dying print newspapers.  Simply because CPG’s know that in order to reach mom’s on the web they advertise on “mom” blogs, to reach business owners they advertise on “BNet”, etc does not make mommybloggers this new found “force” to reckon with.

There is one congratulations that I need to make to mommybloggers:  You have effectively made yourselves out to picky, indecisive, psychotic bitches.  Instead of coming back with your own YouTube video of mom’s using Tylenol over Motrin, you did what the world expected of you – BITCH.  If I was a CPG ad exec, I would pull all my paid advertising on any mommyblog.  What’s the use of trying to engage consumers who won’t accept what they market themselves (I mean..mommy blogs talk about parenting, right?), and say you are not worth our money.   CPG’s can take away the “power” they gave your blogs fellow mommys.  Be careful who you burn.

This weekend I immersed myself into a crap ton of work. Staying up late into the night, I used the tv as background noise. In doing so, I realised two things:

1. Lifetime Movie Network Channel portrays all woman as psychotic bitches.  So terrifying that I almost wanted to deny having a vagina!

2. Great sex-toy shopping & education at 4am. Hosted by two woman who kept their cool while holding a double ended dildo claiming “this is great fun for everyone.” in a professional tone. Next time, have my credit card ready!

So thanks TimeWarner, you where finally useful after Elections ended!

In the middle of the afternoon, the first snow started to fall.  Starting out damp but transforming into large, white, fluffy flakes which the ground drank as quickly as they fell.  I have been ready for this day for weeks.  Dressed in a knit sweater, scarf, and Christmas tree assembled behind me, I gazed out my window at the true first signs of winter.

I adore the holiday season as much as anyone else.  The blanket of snow that softly cover the ground.  Bare tree limbs dusted with white, silence that moves throughout as life rests.  The smell of warm ovens, thick sweaters, burning fires, and endless songs ringing of Emmanuel’s birth.  Christmas is the season that builds memories each year.  Requiring no vacations to spur the day’s fondness,  only true companionship to brand it’s mark forever.

I cannot say the past several Christmas season where one of joy and happiness.  Somehow I shared my Christmas with strangers who never wanted to share it with me. This season will be different.  I am going to reclaim the season’s warmth and mystery with old holiday habits from my childhood.  Destined to create memories for this season that I will crown with a smile.  

I have found the key to deep and lasting happiness.  It’s not whether you’re a Northerner living among the Georgia Baptists, or an American standing at the top of  Japanese mountain.  The beautiful house in the suburbs, or a spacious loft in the city will not bring you happiness alone.  It’s feeling of being “home” that brings happiness.  Home, is where you build and foster relationships of people who love you, care for you, believe in you, and comfort you.  

I know I will find my “home” and be content with life, when I plant myself where I can grow surrounded by others.  Other’s who smile with me, cry with me, laugh with me, and share life with me.  It won’t matter if my home is a row of Home Depot “man” sheds out in the middle nowhere, as long as I can share the first snow fall with them.

For the most part, I tend to dislike most Gen Y’s on the web.  Thanks to really self-centered blog sites like Brazen Careerist.   Mainly because they rant and rave about how “smart”, “innovative”, and “world changing” they are, but they fail to PROVE it.  

I don’t count knowing how to throw up a WordPress blog and blabbing how the older generations screwed up the economy and the broke ass Gen Y’s are gonna fix, as innovative.  Wow, ya figured out something a Gen X / Babyboomer created!  Congrats!

 I find alot of the hyped up Gen Y’s got mommy and daddy’s help for college, first house payment, and maybe still expect underwear for Christmas.  I can’t respect business, economic, sociological, or political advice from someone who doesn’t even take on adult responsibilities.  It’s kinda like looking for sex advice from a virgin.  There is however, several Gen Y’s I actually like.  

Phil DeFranco is one smart Gen Y.  Ya, he use an established free resource like YouTube as his front, but he doesn’t claim “expertise” on world, economic, or social issues.  He doesn’t hate on the generations before him or claim to save the fucking world. He gives back by engaging young people into the news, and gets amazing exposure at the same time. It’s all about give back, and Phil’s gets that. Most Gen Y’s…it’s all about “ME”. 

I also really like him for his recent post:

“Waking up early reminds me of the misery that was, when I went to college. I’d have to go to class M-W-F from 8am-5pm and then Th-Su I’d work 8pm-8am at a 3rd shift call center. It sucked, but like most things in my life, I did it off the stubborn fact that I wanted to say I did it on my own, without my parents. “- Phil DeFranco.

Key point: He work his ass off to be where he is today.  He didn’t suck a shit ton of free resources and never pay back.  Phily D is one smart Gen Y.