Welcome To Open Letters

Or My Generation's Form of Protest

 

To post or not to post? That is the question.

If you've been paying attention to the Internet lately, or the Internet's version of new, you might have stumbled across a story about an employee at Yelp who wrote an open letter to her CEO. In this open letter she talks about how she can barely afford to live on the income she is making (the full letter can be read here).

Now, I'm not saying she has a valid argument, nor am I saying that she made the best choices. In fact I don't want to make judgements on her choices. They were her choices to make and she's definitely learned a lesson since making them.

No, I'm here to talk about the new frenzy that this caused.

The first news story I came across that alerted me to this event, that doesn't even really matter in the long run, was a story about a Yelp employee getting fired because of her open letter to the CEO. Yep, that's right. This open letter got the author fired from her job. You can read that story here.

So of course because the writer of this open letter was fired and social media allows for anyone with Internet access to share their opinion (myself included), this lead to several more open letters to the writer of the initial open letter. As well as one or two letters to the open letters of the respondents. Oh and the CEO of Yelp gave a statement (one of them via Twitter) on all of the media hype. This lead to even more media coverage. It got to the point where one of  my coworkers who is from the X-generation, reminded all of us Millennials that if you have a problem at work to speak with your supervisor and don't write stuff online where anyone can find it and see it. This is partially why I write under a pseudonym for all of my other online content.

Again, I'm not saying the actions that were taken were right or wrong. I'm just bringing awareness to the stories the media deems worthy of reporting on.

Because weather you think open letters are silly, being over used, or an important platform, they are a way for people to express themselves to a larger audience. Honestly this blog could be considered an open letter, if I chose to include "Dear [insert person here]" before every post.

And yes, I can already hear many people of the older generation going "back in my day...". Yeah, I get it, in the bygone era of yesteryear times were harder and no one cared about your feelings, so we (the younger generation) should just suck it up now. My response to you is: that's not healthy. Sucking it up, pretending you aren't angry, or sad, or any other negative emotion is not healthy.

People need to express themselves. If for any reason than to process the emotions they are feeling. People need to validate the emotions they are going through. They need someone to listen and help them understand that what they are feeling is okay to feel. Unfortunately people have started sharing these feelings on the Internet, which is open for everyone to agree, disagree, or ridicule them. And the media does what it always has done and turns everything into a circus. 

Open letters can be a great tool. I've read several open letters that were featured on one news site or other about many different issues. Many of them are on the dress codes or treating young children with disabilities with respect. Some are about protests and others are about giving thanks. They are a form of speech that allow everyday people to reach a larger audience.

How most of the world sees my generation.

The country I've grown up in prides itself on the first amendment right of freedom of speech. With the help of the Internet, freedom of speech has grown. People are free to express themselves and reach out to a wider audience. Awareness of events, protests, and yes even the crazy things cats do is right at our finger tips.

However there is one minor detail about this freedom that people seem to forget. The first amendment only protects someone from being persecuted by the government. It does not protect someone from any other consequences that might happen because of what was written. As our first open letter writer found out when she was fired for what she wrote.

That being said, don't let this cautionary tale stop you from speaking up about something you feel passionate about. If no one spoke up about what they feel passionate about, nothing will ever change. Believe it or not, change is important.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Roommates

My first roommate was my sibling, We shared a room until I was 12, which is when my pestering finally resulted in getting my own room. The next time I had a roommate was in college. My first college roommate and I got a long fine, but we weren't close. My second college roommate somehow didn't kill me over the next three years.

For two years I lived on my own in Maryland. Then everything changed when I discovered that I was moving to New Jersey. Now I could have probably found a place really far away from my work, but choices were limited and having a roommate would hopefully garentee an instant friend.

How did I find my roommate if I didn't know anyone where I was moving? Craigslist.

No seriously, I found them on Craigslist. You might be asking me if I am crazy. Or if I was worried about who this person might be. Well a lot of people did ask me those questions.

What I did was meet with my future roommate first. That way we could get to know each other and make sure we would be compatible. I actually interviewed with a few potential roommates. I had a list of questions and I made sure to bring someone with me (my mom and aunt) who could also share their oppinion.

I am positive that I found the right roommate. We get along well and we go out every so often. Yesterday was my roommate's birthday. We went to the city with a large group for karaoke. We sang our voices raw.

I won't lie that there wasn't an adjustment period. Going from living on my own to sharing a living space was weird. For the first month I felt like I was a visitor invading my new roommate's home.

There are a few things I do to make sure that there is harmony in my home:

1) Communication - leaving passive aggressive notes is not something I ever recommend. Talking to my roommate solves more problems than creates them.

2) Be Understanding - sometimes someone leaves dirty dishes in the sink. As long as they are cleaned by the end of the day, there's no reason for either of us to loose our cool. If it starts to be a problem see harmony note number 1.

3) Be Flexible - sometimes we both need the bathroom at the same time. It's perfectly cool to adjust a schedule as long as everyone makes it to work on time. Again communication is key.

4) Keep the common area clean - I admit at I am a messy person. My roommate is not a messy person. To maintain harmony, I make sure that the common areas stay clear of my things and to contain the mess to my room.

5) Do stuff together - movie nights, ordering take out, and yes Karaoke are all great ways that we hang out. Its not all the time. I invite my roommate places and they invite me places. Sometimes we can go and sometimes we can't.

The down side of this list is that this is only stuff I can do. I have yet to have a really bad experience with a roommate, but I know people who have. This list probably won't work if the roommate isn't able to meet you half way. And yes, becoming the roommate of someone you just met (heck even a close friend) can be a gamble. I have been very lucky and I hope everyone else looking for post-graduation roommates is lucky too.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post or it really pissed you off, please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome To Social Media

I'm a Millennial, I should know this stuff right?

Ah Social Media, the greatest necessity and bane of this generation's existence. If you don't believe me check out my post from last week about self marketing or just continue reading this post.

Let's navigate this together! (No I'm not being serious)

I recently got a Twitter account. Yeah, it's basically Facebook statuses, but you can find out what famous people are thinking without actually being their friend. JK Rowling is a well known Twitter user. I got it as a way to continue "self advertising" for my online writing.*

Social media has managed to connect people and keep them connected in a way that wasn't possible twenty years ago. One can argue that the Internet Is the real power house behind this connection, but Social Media has definitely taken it to the next level. Let's see we have the all powerful Facebook, the apparent news source that is Twitter (seriously has no one else seen Yahoo's sources lately?), Instagram and Pinterest rule photo sharing of all things IKEA related, and of course LinkedIn is the current gateway to getting a resume out the door (at least that's what I kept hearing from my college career center). Oh and let's not forget YouTube (sorry Vimeo you just aren't as well known), the site that's managed to make more insta-celebraties than any other (except perhaps 4chan, but that's a different conspiracy).

There are of course even more to choose from for different purposes, like Tumblr, Snap Chat, and Tinder. All of which connect people around the world to share information, events, and crazy cat videos. To meet a person in the US between the ages of 10 and 39 who hasn't heard or is a member of at least one of these sites is rare, like meeting an extraterrestrial rare. It's statistically possible, but highly unlikely.

So isn't Social Media a force of good for this generations? Like all things in this universe, social media is both good and bad (like eating a box of chocolates, your soul wants it, but the body will hate you for it later).

Social Media gives everyone a platform. People whom agree with each other, disagree with each other, and the people who have no idea what's going on but want to be included anyway. It has also created a culture where we can share everything.

Yep, everything.

We all know that one person who has to share everything. Heck some of my readers might think I'm one of these people (which I might be, but I digress). Its not necessarily bad and can easily be ignored, like ads on Facebook. But recently there have been more and more news stories about how people get in to trouble on these sites.

There was the recent scandal about the girl on Instagram saying how her life presented on the site is a total lie. There's always some story about high school kids posting something stupid and getting detention for it. Or how about the teacher who was recently hired because of her double life on Instagram (I'm sensing a pattern). Also quoting Twitter is seen as news. Am I the only one who thinks this will eventually lead to a spectacularly hilarious scandal at some point? Something along the lines of the War of the Worlds radio broadcast. Anyone else?

Navigating all the Dos and Don'ts of Social Media should be simple. If you wouldn't put it on your high school bulletin board, don't put it online. See simple. Yet we still have people known as trolls (mean spirited/mischievous people looking for a fight), the person who doesn't understand that yes the police can read your status if you make the illegal activity you did a public post, and the person who tells their boss they are sick and then post that they are actually at the beach playing hooky (seriously don't do this).

So what's the future of social media? Will we one day all pretty much live in the digital world and let our real bodies deteriorate into nothing? I hope not. Reality is still too interesting for me to spend all of my time on the Internet. Still, the possibility is there. Until then I'll keep making sure I don't post anything too embarrassing.

If you enjoyed this post or it really pissed you off, pleas like, share, or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Now to finish watching that silly sports game most Americans are currently tuned in to. Honestly I'm just watching for the commercials. Until next week.

* This blog will not be included because [insert reason here].

Welcome to Marketing Yourself

 

Why should someone invest in you?

I often struggle with the concept of "marketing myself". It can take many forms. This blog for example is a platform that I use to put myself onto the Internet. It has it's positives and negatives.

After all, does everyone need to know about my transition from college to the American work force? Probably not and if I didn't link this blog to my Facebook, I doubt I'd get any readers at all. There are tons of people just like me with the same idea and going through the same transition. So why should some random person read about my transition?

And that's an important question. Why should people who have no idea who I am care? What makes me special? 

In my opinion there is no right or wrong answer to this question. People who know me think I'm special (or at least amusing enough to pay attention to), but the Internet is full of people who don't know me. They don't care to know me. 

Well that's also not necessarily true. If YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter have taught our society anything, it's that anyone can become famous in this day in age. Anyone can have a photo, blog post, video, etc go viral (many times with the help of Tumblr and 4Chan). 

What separates these stars from the general Internet populations? Do they bribe Google?  Are they just so amazing that by virtue of existing people want to take notice?*

Any one have an answer? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Well I think at lot of it has to do with two things. Number 1 is obviously Networking. Without Networking you have no one to go to for advice, no one to advocate for you, and no one to point other people in your direction. Networking is a vital part of going viral, becoming a person of importance, and especially getting a job.

But networking only works if you have the other chief component: marketing. 

We are in an age where marketing is vital. Companies large and small use marketing all the time. They get people to connect with a product and choose to invest in it. Authors do it for their books. Hollywood for their movies. Farmers for their produce. 

Disney did it with a mouse

Not only is marketing important for companies, it's also important for people to market themselves to potential employers. After all why should someone hire a person? Sure person number one can do the job and do the job well, but so can person number 2, number 3, ..., to the Nth person.**

How does someone market themselves to get the attention they need to get that job, book contract or Internet fame? It can come in several forms depending on the end goal.

A person looking for a general run of the mill job might clean up their social media accounts (make sure those crazy college pictures are well hidden), get a public LinkedIn page, and have an email account that looks professional. If someone were to put your name in a search engine, you want to make sure what pops up looks professional.

Unless you don't want to be found, but that defeats the purpose of this (very long) post.

Now someone searching for a book deal or to launch a video game they've just developed would want to do same things as the job searcher and go a few steps beyond. Blogs, Twitter accounts, and a Youtube page are all fine and dandy and great resources to build a personal brand, but it's not quite enough. Commenting, following, and creating a presence that shouts "hey I'm here and I have something to say!" are just as important marketing strategies.

Because it's all fine and dandy if you just want put stuff out on to the web. People might not find it, but it's there. If an impact is to be made a brand  must be built, an emotional connection formed, and a strategy to get the message out there created.

Even if it's a pain in the butt.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week 

 *Please note this seems to happen at an overwhelming rate to people who don't want the Internet fame and yet somehow it falls into their lap. An example would be that poor guy from Target whose picture was shared several million times. 
** The mathematician in me need to write this out as an equation. For those who don't like math, substitute the letter "N" for some really big number. Like 594580234573248907048578. Yeah, that's a big number.

Welcome to a New Chapter

When I started this blog roughly two and a half years ago, I made it my goal to document my transition from college student to independent adult. Though I've skipped a few weeks here and there (last week for example for a quick trip down to Disney World), I've somehow managed to keep up with my weekly posts. Some weeks were tougher than others.

Wish I was still here instead of under 21 inches of snow.

Tomorrow is a big day for me. Not because I have to dig my car out of a huge snow drift (though that will require a lot of strength). No, tomorrow, is the my first day at my new job.

Its another big change after a very long list of changes that have happened in this past year. Then again, what is life if not a series of changes? I made the transition from college to the work force. I survived moving from Maryland to New Jersey by myself. I've learned to live with a roommate again. All changes that I have faced.

Thinking about tomorrow (because I'm always over thinking), I am very much reminded of my feelings leading up to my first day at my first job out of college. I remember wondering if my new coworkers would like me. If I was ready for this position. Or if I had imagined the whole thing and I hadn't actually been hired. (This is just the short list).

I've already committed myself to this change. I just have to remember to calm down a breath. Am I scared? Sort of. I'm more anxious than scared. If there's one thing I know about myself, it's that I like the familiar. Starting a new job at a new company, moving from one state to another, making friends are examples of things that aren't familiar. I just need to square my shoulders, walk with confidence, and be prepared to learn.

I might not be the best at handling change, but I can act like I can. A few deep breaths and a calm mind will get me ready for anything. A great outfit helps too.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Here's a picture from Harry Potter World.

I'm going to Hogwarts!

Apparently Jurassic Park is near Hogwarts!

Until next week.

Welcome To A Year Of Change

If 2014 was my year of travel, then 2015 was my year of change. There were a lot of changes for me in 2015. Most of these changes were good, or at least I like to think of them as good. Some of the changes weren't what I had wanted, but I learned to make the best of them and some turned out to be very good for me. Other changes I haven't seen the outcome of yet.

I think the biggest change in 2015 for me was moving to New Jersey. In doing so, I left most of my friends and family behind, but I also gained a great roommate and found a really cool place to live. I still miss Maryland and Virginia, though.

I will admit, I am not fond of change. Unless I plan it all out and have plenty of time to accept it, change tends to drag me kicking and screaming into my next stage in life. If change didn't force me into new situations, I bet I'd find myself doing the same thing day in and day out.

A friend of mine told me that change is good. I don't disagree necessarily, but I don't think change is good or bad. It just is. How someone responds to change is what makes the outcome positive and negative. It's always a learning opportunity. It nearly always requires imagination and a whole lot of courage.

Change is a lot of things. It's new. It's exciting. It can be scary. It can be everything a person could ever want. It can be difficult. It is never boring. Change brings new experiences and challenges. I can't learn without change.

Now that it's 2016, I hope things are ready to settle down. Maybe I'll finally have time to finish rewriting that novel (lots of baby steps are required for that one). I don't know what the future has in store for me, but I'm ready.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week...

Welcome to the Child Effect

The Child Effect: when older adults in your life still treat you as though you are 12 years old instead of the 20 something you actually are.

When does this happen? Oddly enough, it hasn't happened all that often to me. Most of the people whom I gre up around and are adults treat me as an adult. When it does happen, my response is usually along the lines of: wait, why am I being talked to like I'm not capable of making informed decisions on this subject?

As I have gained more experience, I have come to the realization that some people will only see me as an irrisopnsible 7 year old, or a not it all 14 year old, etc.. Depending on the situation it can be incredibly insulting. There are also the times it can be hilarious (such as being mistaken for a 12 year old at Disney World, but I digress).

What can someone do in these situations?

Well I usually have to start by reminding myself that I am in fact an adult. This is important because I  have questioned my ability to be an adult. It also prevents any off the handle responses that might negate any arguements I will attempt to make.

In the perfect world, my next step is to remind the other person of this fact. Hopefully with more tact and not in a defensive tone.

If communication is an issue, I try to leave the situation to calm down. Calm feelings help to create a more rational argument. I try not to fly off the handle (though it's been known to happen).

If the person I am having a problem with still does not understand my point of view, I try to be as mature as possible. I say "I'm sorry you feel this way, but I do not like how I am being treated." I then leave.

If the message is still not getting through (which if the person knows you it should have by this point) and the older person starts getting nasty, it's still not worth it to fall for their antics. Being polite is important.

Yeah I know, it sucks and at this point I'm pretty angry. The trick is to figure out how to leave the situation as gracefully as possible. Even still, it can be painful and a friendship might be lost. It's probably for the best.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you like hearing from me.