The New Establishment

I started out this post with an idea that I should really write a series on being young and employed in politics. I stopped shortly after because I knew I only wanted to tell a negative story about my experiences dealing with terrible clients or coworkers. See even right there I wanted to say shitty coworkers. I couldn't not say that, because I'm so totally blown away by how preposterous business is done in DC sometimes.

It comes down to backbone and integrity. Do you have it?

When I meet someone in DC that is genuine I hold onto them with both hands. They simply cannot escape me. I will make you my friend and we will never leave each other's side. I half joke, but it is really hard to find people that are genuine insofar as I have my own criteria: Will this person tell me how they really feel? Does this person have a morale compass? Does this person seek out justice? Does this person strive for greatness? Is this person unapologetic about everything mentioned above? If the answer is yes, then congratulations: you are my new best friend!

I don't mean to say that DC is full of bad people. Not at all. It's just there are very few people I've had the pleasure of meeting or working with that are both blunt and charming and actually do their own work.

I've come to realize that you can't put a price tag on work ethic. One of my favorite things about working in politics in DC is that I'm surrounded by people who have a stake in the game and a desire to see their cause advanced. The thrill isn't monetary it's historic. We all have a chance to redirect the course of history. We have the privilege to shape generations to come.

I've just seen too many good people move up only to move right back down (in my mind only). Call it drunk with power or overwhelmed with excessive budgets. It's like the culling of operatives happens at the mid to senior managerial level–that's where good workers lose their freakin' minds and take their eyes off the prize. I know it's normal to try to position yourself for success and promotion, but it's a haunting experience to watch as decisions are made that hurt the overall objectives of an organization or movement and benefit the individual(s) making the decision.

Is this why people leave politics? I've wondered more than I'd like to tally.

I feel like such a jerk for all those times when I was 20 and so skeptical of the "losers" who couldn't stand the heat of politics. I believe at one time I referred to someone who left DC by quoting Queen lyrics, "Another one bites the dust." GOOD GOD if I could go back I would punch myself in the face. You're welcome America.

Ignoring my past shortcomings and focusing on my learned life lessons, let's move forward.

Take it from me, being blunt has only ever helped me getting new jobs. Politicos love jackasses. It just so happens when I'm looking for another job I have plenty of fire power fueling my flames. Why? Because employers love hiring passionate people. In theory they want to push their brand, mission, theories and experimentation... yea, so in actuality you would be shocked to find that doesn't necessary equate to success in the workplace. Internal politics and the soft cooing of agreement breeds promotion in this town.

Let me make it abundantly clear the problem is not the people, it is the process. Haters gonna hate. And I am a total hater but I play the long game.

Frustration with the system has stuck with me for years now. I've never worked for the government, so when I say 'system' I'm talking DC's auxiliary establishment. I have been plagued with thoughts of how I could change it to build a new way of doing business, a new way of rewarding truly innovative operatives, and christening the new establishment.

Feel me? Want to collaborate? Let's talk!

Not Boy Crazy (Anymore), Just Career Obsessed

Somewhere in early 2012 I stopped being boy crazy. How do I know this? Because I stopped blogging about them. In fact, it was the Spring right before I decided to go steady with my now boyfriend. I called that one Relationship Filibuster. Total cheese ball.

I really do wear my heart on my sleeve. And it isn't exclusive to relationships, I do the same at work. ...I was trying to come up with some sort of metaphor that related promotions to dating, but that would equate to like marriage, and no one stays with a company their whole life anymore. Ironically still (and call me a romantic), I'm a big fan of the married for life philosophy.

As a child of divorce of course I'm careful about taking vows and that's not a bad thing. Patience is a virtual and right now I'm just practicing–ha!  Recently a coworker sent me a link with stats on Millennials (roughly 18-34 year olds) and only 4% of that group are married with children and own their own home. That was suppose to be a shocking stat, but is it really?

Weddings are ridiculously expensive and I don't trust people that own homes in their twenties. What witchcraft are you into?

We are a generation that believes in planning and saving. We discuss stuff like paying off debts, children's college funds and our parent's debt we could potentially assume–before moving in with each other–you know, to our overpriced one bedroom apartment that isn't even in DC proper, le sighhhh. It's the only place that allows dogs over 50lbs. 

In case you haven't picked up on this, I speak in broad generalizations that aren't generalizations at all. It's me. Very specifically me.

It's a constant struggle between third and first person. This is why I don't do Comms. 

So marriage is romantic, but work commitments are a jail sentence? Let me break it down. Weddings are romantic, marriage is hard work. Starting a new job is exciting, staying at your job is hard work. The whole concept of 'settling down' is the sticking point for me and I would venture to assume the same goes for my Millennial counterparts.

I just haven't found The One job that's right for me, but there's the dream of something else*. I feel like every one of my job breakups have amounted to something like this: *https://youtu.be/DKJgj5O0V7w

Cue my You've Got Mail obsession.

This is the part where I point out that I'm not married. My family reminds me every time I go home. When are you going to get married and give me a grand baby? I'm always more excited to talk about my latest project at work or on the side. They could not care less. Yea yea that's nice, so how's Kevin?

They aren't judge-y or anything, just extremely anxious. My 21 year old sister got married this past December, but somehow the lineage questions still falls on my plate? Amy, I love you, if you read this no offense at all just please have a baby. See my sister, is not one of those young brides. She gets it. Her and her hubby are perfect for each other. High school sweethearts. Soul mates if you will. She trusts love and commitment. I on the other hand do not, I only trust myself.


I trust myself not to fuck anything up. Not to cheat. Not to get the client pitch wrong. Not to get screwed over in a business deal. Not to roll over. Not to run out of money. Not to give up on myself. Not to get pregnant.

You see, I have trust issues.

Or, maybe it's control issues, either way I see the worst in people at a higher frequency than the good. I'm a skeptic of life. You want to do something nice for me? What's in it for you? I must read the fine print before committing. Oh I can have a raise 6 months from now? ...Homes, this ain't my first rodeo. 

The good news is by wandering around making a ton of mistakes I've happened upon my constant and the one person that balances me out, Kev. We've been together for 3 1/2 years now for a reason, he embodies everything that I clearly lack: Trust, unconditional love, great taste in music, selflessness and can't-breathe-so-funny-humor. BONUS: completely different than all my other beaus.

I don't have a "type." It's cheap to try to categorize the men I've seen. They generally make me feel good about myself until they don't. I was always moving the goal post. And, as you all know, when the metrics are changed without being clearly communicated process breakdown occurs, people get frustrated and dissatisfied, people want to move on to other opportunities. They quit.

The business of heartache is so stupid. If I could go back and still retain the collective knowledge I've amassed over the years I would have never dated anyone and focused all my time on getting into a better undergraduate program, preferably Ivy League and taken on more jobs.

But what is a life without love? Fucking miserable that's what. I am lucky to have had those experiences over the years. However much I hate them now they made me a better coworker, neighborhood, girlfriend and boss.

I traded in my Cosmo magazines for the Harvard Business Review because I don't care about mastering the 30 technics to pleasuring my man as prescribed by some liberal arts major. I'm confident in me, boo. I've got a liberal arts degree too. SEC baby!

But what makes me stop and appreciate my growth, is that now all my heartache is associated in professional settings. I don't cry about boys anymore and that fact alone is monumental to me. I do cry–Oh my god do I cry–home alone and self shaming-mad-at-myself sobbing that I can't change work place situations or more generally the World. But I don't give up, I double down. It's so easy to break up with someone, it's so easy to quit your job. It is not easy to make a relationship work, a marriage work, a partnership work, a contract work.

I still listen to the same love songs when I write my blog posts. It's just I'm more in love with fulfilling a destiny than finding The One. I find the same inspiration from Maroon 5 now that I did when I was in high school and in love with a boy that never returned the sentiment.

Priorities change ladies. Rejection is good--it prepares you for job interviews, salary negotiations and stakeholder review meetings. I don't know about you, but being rejected made me the strong person I am today. Nothing could possibly shake me as much as the first time a boy broke up with me. I was 16. Not until the time I found out my boyfriend cheated on me when I was 21. Overshadowed still when I realized I was working for a scumbag when I was 23.

So what's waiting for me in the future? I don't know, but come at me bros.

$$

Quarter Life Crisis Part Duex ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

All of my friends are neutral on their jobs. If I could give 2015 a description I would say it's bland. Everyone I know, with the exception of my journalist friends, are just going along to get along at work.

By the way, I still think the journalists are feeling this too, but they would never admit it because I think they think its beneath the profession to say it out loud.

It seems everyone wants another job, but does not want to spend an ounce of effort to go about the process. I think Millennials have cracked. We just want to earn a pay check, build some wealth, and master an extracurricular activity. I personally am dedicated to getting back in shape. I take a Yoga, Pilates, or Barre class at least once a day. I am the single-urban equivalent of a stay at home mom. Yuck. Also, that was a humble brag.  I WORK OUT!

So what's the deal with all this whatever-ness? I will venture to guess that the cause of this indifference is due to the stalemate that has been Washington, DC since 2008. How much change can actually happen if your side doesn't control the White House? (Another point to my journalist friends)

Too often are Bush era staffers (*ahem* my boyfriend and crew) quick to forget that there is an entire "generation" of young politicos that have never experienced what it's like to own this town. We don't have public sector experience. We don't know what executive branch management looks like. We can't even name the suite of cabinet members. There is a minor league version of what use to be.

But don't think for one second we lack in talent what we so visibly show in campaign loses and bruised egos. We have been here 7 years scraping for little campaign or policy wins - our clients are super happy with us because our ad conversion rates are above average consistently. And we've got some Pollie Awards to prove we mean business. We bought our participation trophies, you can keep your White House credentials. Please tell me more about how I never saw George or Smithpoint in their glory.

There are only so many committees, advocacy groups, and firms one person can work for in this city before there is little to envy in terms of titles and connections. Why work on the Hill when you can bag an association paycheck? My resume reads like a Rachel Maddow hit list. Should I go work for a Republican Governor? Am I part of the 'Establishment' if my credit isn't? ... These are the thoughts that go through my head before I even get out of the shower in the morning.

My caveat: I love what I do.

If you're thinking, "WTF Sarah and your point is?" Shhhhh, I'm getting there.

At the end of one of my yoga classes last week my Yogi challenged us with this:

You are not what you do. You are not what you don't do. You are how you do it.

It's crazy for me to constantly be asking myself, "Am I making the big difference I sought out to when I moved to DC?"  Because, how can I objectively determine if I'm succeeding or failing if I'm looking at the short term?

I made the determination when I was in high school that I could have the greatest impact on the world around me if I devoted my life to politics and government. I could impact things on a macro-level. After-all elections change the leadership, the leadership changes the legislative and operational agenda, and those policies and decisions change peoples lives.

So what happens when you aren't excited about any of the candidates in the election? And when you lose faith in the leadership's ability to make the right call? And when the policies harm the way of life of those it affects? Or when the leadership misses the mark on what really matters to the people they represent, because lobbyists and special interest groups stand in the way of real progress? When everyone is so focused on the macro, that they miss the more important micro stories. The real people. The struggle.

When you're surrounded by prosperity and in a dog fight to climb up work and social ladders, it's easy to forget that a $50k salary anywhere else in the country would be a godsend--not an insult. That minimum wage for a full time employee is $15,080/year. And that the poverty level for a single person is $11,945; $22,283 for a family of four. Oh, and that our real purchasing power is about where it was in the early 1980s. We can do better. We have to do better.

If this pisses you off work harder. I don't care who you work for or what your role is, just be mad and channel that energy to change something for the good. You answer those front desk phone calls like a g--d--m boss and transfer them like your life depends on it. Place those ad buys like the sweet swish of game winning shot. Ghost write the hell out of that op-ed like you're the SOTU speech writer. And make those cold calls like you're auditioning for The Voice.

Just work hard and be patient. Things will fall into place soon. Your rut may just be your launching pad. Until that day, solidarity in perseverance. You don't owe it to anyone to show off. Do it for yourself. That's when you win. That is when you move up.

Hey 2013, Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out!

Christmas time and New Years really does bring out the best and worst in me.  I am very optimistic for the future, excited to spend time with my family and friends, proud of the achievements I made over the past year, and hypercritical of all of my mistakes. 

I have barely blogged this year.  My #1 regret.  I can only describe this year as full of highs and lows (and I have a blog archive full of unpublished posts to prove it.)  I didn't share anything because was scared of coming off too proud/angry.  I held a lot in and lost perspective on what was going on around me.  I was a pressure cooker.  For example, I wrote:

I think it's really easy to drop the line "Man this city really makes you cynical" or "Damn, this work really does drive you to drinking."  It's easy because it's the obvious thing to say -- it's right there in front of you every day.  How grown up am I?  I have other grown up cynical friends that are also boring, have drinking problems and prescriptions to performance enhancing drugs.  What am I doing with my life?  Working at a dead-end job and feeling handcuffed to it until then next election cycle for fear of looking too "Millennial" on my resume. 

If there is one thing I hate more than generalizations it is stereotypes. And, unfortunately, I couldn't escape either this year.  I decided that I needed an intervention after self diagnosing myself as a stick-in-the-mud.  Somewhere in the last year I forgot to breathe and just look around -- not critically, but as an observer (I'm really good at the former, I've discovered).

I have spent the good part of the last year complaining and finding faults in everyone around me.  It certainly didn't help that it all started with a crushing defeat in the '12 cycle.  I think I went into 2013 thinking, "Everything is going to shit, but hey at least I'm one of the lucky ones that got a job."  Screaming endorsement for a successful year.  As we all know, the rush to bag a job post-Election Day usually never pans out for the long term.  But, by holding it in I never got the chance to hear how everyone else felt about their job.  Clarification: I never took the time to listen.  Turns out, I wasn't the only one - not by a long shot.

The day after my 24th birthday everything changed and I realized that I was living with a bag over my head.  That was when I started changing things up.  I ruffled a lot of feathers because I fell out of line.  I had my very first DC power scuffle!  I was so upset that I had to cut ties with someone I had once held in high regard.  What would people think of me?  What would people say about me?  Turns out no one was talking at all - funny how that happens.

Now I find myself 11 days out from the start of 2014 and I couldn't be more excited for the year ahead.  Through the ups and downs, I'm walking away from 2013 with several new battle scars and a lot to be thankful for.  I have a new job on a great tech team full of talented individuals and our plans for next year make me do a little happy dance.  So many friends got married this year and welcomed new babies into the world and even more are prepping for the same this coming year!  You are the ones that helped me put everything into perspective the most, so let me close by saying thank you.

My top four life lesson learned from 2013: 

1.  Surrounding yourself with the wrong sorts of people is more harmful than knowing good people is helpful. The negativity, drama, and tumult they bring to your life wastes time and distracts you from focusing on yourself and the things and people that actually matter. 

2.  Not all friends are created equal, and not all of them stand the test of time.  And that is ok.  As I get older, my perspective on life changes, the things I value and appreciate morph.  And, I'm not the only one!  This happens to everyone.  And sometimes where I change, so does a friend, but in a different direction.  You don't need to chase everyone down their own path. 

3.  Don't compare your life with the lives of your friends as depicted on social media.  Some of the saddest people I know in real life look to have the most exciting lives on Facebook and Instagram.  Filters and selective sharing will do that - it's called building a personal brand, people.  Enjoy your life for everything it is that can't be captured in 140 characters.  (But, still be happy for all of your friends' successes)

4.  Don't be fearful of threats.  Those who threaten you are the ones who stand to lose the most.  Stick to your principles and trust your gut.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!  Thank you for being a wonderful part of my life!

-Sarah

Introductory Guide to The District (For Interns)

I have been a resident of the Greater Washington area for 3 years now, which began with three months as an intern. Over my time as a resident and a tourist I've learned a lot about the daily grind and taboos of the city. This post is my way of passing on the knowledge of my interactions and observations learned over the past few years that are particularly relevant to incoming interns.

For continuity's sake I will start with the basics and move onto the greater complexities of how this city judges it's inhabitants:

Metro Etiquette: Stand to the right on the escalator, walk on the left. A simple enough concept that visitors quickly catch on to (especially during rush hours). This is the most important city in the free world, people have places to go and people to see! The rush may seem absurd to the leisurely visitor, but trust me: if you make someone miss their train don't expect the welcome wagon. Side note: Take notice of a person's body language before asking a question or starting up conversation. Most people prefer to be left alone to their thoughts. You don't want to embarrass yourself by getting shot down in a metro car (then sit there in the awkward aftermath until your next stop, which is probably Metro Center or Federal Triangle).

The Wardrobe: Dress to impress. First impressions are not easily forgotten! People will try to size you up by the watch, shoes, dress, or hairstyle you are rocking. No wrinkles, pleats, or sparkles need apply. This is not NYC, you won't find the masses in Louis Vutton heels and Vera Wang dresses - but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be dressed in sweatpants. A friend of mine best put this into perspective when he said, "People trust their peers, not outsiders." If you dress like a metal head, don't expect to be invited into The Madison. Dress like an entry level employee, don't expect to roll with the executives. DC is a Lilly Pulitzer, Tori Burch, Burberry kind of town - it has a very southern feel to it, so wear that and you'll fit in just fine! Personally, I recommend a little flavor. Add your personality to your wardrobe for a little POW!

Now, if you aren't into "materialistic things" and the "status quo" you are one of two types of people:
a) A hipster - in which case you dress like you work for a Che Guevara PAC or a fair trade advocacy group and spend just as much money on looking underground as you would on clothes from J Crew or Anthro. OR you give zero fucks, and your career matches your ensemble.
b) A libertarian - in which case you learn to embrace the capitalism behind the materialism OR move back home because DC just didn't understand about how right you were about the gold standard. You showed them!

My best advice: Try to avoid the 1990s Hilary-esque pant suit look and kitten heels (h/t WSWCM)
All in all, take care of yourself. If you don't respect yourself, no one else will either.

Name dropping: This is an art form that I see butchered on a daily basis, and it just so happens to be my biggest pet peeve. Name droppers suck - that's universal. If you want to drop a name be smart about it... don't come out and say it, make the people work for it. If they don't give a shit enough to ask you for more information, guess what: they don't care. Wait for another time. Rarely is anyone impressed that you were in a hearing and a Senator asked you for a tissue or you sat beside the hot new political writer in CPAC's blogger box. Name dropping is all about the art of subtlety, so for goodness sakes be subtle if you insist on name dropping in the first place!

The Happy hour buzz: It's called a happy hour, not a power hour. While the idea of free alcohol may send you running back to the bar due to the adrenaline rush, resist the urge to load up like there's a run on booze. HH's are a great resource to find and make friends in the city, but if you treat them like your personal liquor distributor it won't be long before you make a fool of yourself. I do my best to abide by the 2 drink maximum rule. You never want to be sloppy. Even if you have to nurse the same drink for an hour - you are much better off doing that than matching your companions drink-for-drink. After all, the name of the game is to come out on top: You want to walk away having more information than when you got there. Be tight lipped and just listen to what everyone else happens to spill. Before you open your mouth always ask yourself, "What do I gain from telling him/her this?" if there is nothing to gain, don't say it.

Gossip: Beware of your company. It's a small town, chances are if you're talking about someone it will get back to them. Be very careful of talking about someone in the midst of a stranger/acquaintance because chances are they know of or are friends with that person. I've been bitten in the ass with this one before - loyalty is hard to come by and takes a lot of time to cultivate. Just because they haven't met said person doesn't mean they won't in the future. Everyone talks, and I mean everyone. I'm guilty of doing this myself. If someone is stupid enough to run their mouth in front of mixed company to show off you better believe, if given the chance, those people will use it their advantage. Practice safe situational awareness.

Celebrities: Be cool, don't swoon. For political nerds, like me, running into Hilary Clinton or John Boehner probably feels like the equivalent of what a normal person my experience when encountering George Clooney or Brad Pitt. The difference between Hollywood and The District, however, is that you are an actor on the same stage. Act like an extra and that's where you will stay. Be confident and always have a backup plan as far as conversation goes as to avoid awkward small talk and lengthy pauses in conversation. Most importantly, just be a reasuring presence. People pick up on the vibes you give off.

Work Ethic: Most importantly, work hard every day. No one task is beneath you. Everyone has to sharpen their teeth by first answering phone calls, alphabetizing files and delivering coffee - Including your boss. If you can't manage to smile through the easy stuff, why would anyone trust you with an actual job.

MORE importantly, enjoy the city! Get out and have fun. Take advantage of all the free lunches, seminars, dinners, galas, happy hours... etc. Make it a priority to meet new people every day and just generally be open to new experiences. You never know who you'll run into and how he/she will change your life. All of the best opportunities I've had in this city came from a last minute decision to attend an event or party. DC is a social city - see or be seen! If you came here to make waves then you better not think you can do that from the comfort of your desk at work and home alone.


Photo h/t freefashioninternships.com

Blackberry Status

Blackberries get more love around these parts than people do.  There is a certain status attributed to having an additional "work" BB.  Just walk into any bar after work or look around your metro train and you will notice the coupling up of Master & Phone.  It's an affair many become addicted to... or perhaps accustom to.  This is the one city on Earth where checking your phone 24/7 isn't considered rude, as it's disguised under the rouse of  "highly classified and time sensitive work".  I admit I find myself slipping into this custom on the occasion, but I still find it utterly ridiculous that I see people doing this at happy hours and weekend brunch.  No one believes you are actually as busy as you may think you are.  Think about it, when's the last time you stopped to reflect on your friends or roommates self proclaimed busy day?  Now think about how often you tell other people about your busy day.

There is a lot going on in this city on any given day.  Shit is going down everywhere, and everyone is pushing it around in every which way.  It's so easy to get a fat head, but let me suggest that you don't for one simple reason: no one likes a fat head.  It's so embarrassing to be subjected to people puffing themselves up, because in my head everyone else who is listening can't wait to pull out their metaphorical pin and pop their balloon.  Truth.

The cool kids don't brag that they have Blackberries, they also don't point out that others do not.  We all get our chances and take our licks in this city for little milestones.  In all realty BB status is just your boss's way of getting more work out of you while off the clock.

Find the  person without a BB and undoubtedly they'll overcompensate by bragging about their iPhone and how ancient the BB is in the digital space. Remember: your cell phone says a lot about you.  Kind of like when someone goes off on a rant about the iPhone and after 2 seconds of trying to figuring out why it hits you - droid owner.  Ugh the Droid, it's like the redheaded step child of the mobile world. (Written by a redhead and published on the internet so obviously it carries weight.) Constantly striving to prove it's superiority, all the while being mocked by the competition. Gingers have souls!

In conclusion, my DC lovers, keep your heads up. Whether you are with BB or without this is a magical city full of opportunities. My advice either way, rock your mobile. Let no device out stage your confidence! In fact, if you have a Razor in hand use it to your advantage:

Dude at bar: Oh ha, you have a Razor, how 2006 of you darling.

You: I will cut you. 

::Cue laugh track::

Notice: This may backfire, it's all about a flirty delivery and reading proper social cues. Happy hunting/networking ladies! 

Pretty In Politics: A Blog About Our Special Interests

I spent the weekend searching the interwebs for any sign of a local DC blogger that wrote with a yopro female audience in mind... I found none. I did find plenty of juicy sites left abandon in the graveyards of the Blogosphere - what a shame! I guess it's to be expected, the savvy single girl in this city is bound to get snatched up sooner or later. Since there seems to be a void I will do my best to continue the dialog into 2012.

With my roommates and gal pals as wing-women the material I can turn out in a week should be enough to write a short novel. I'm not kidding myself, none of this is possible without their inspiration... and of course the occasional gaffes that fall into my lap from a handful of Washington's best and brightest.

The week ahead should yield plenty of witty bar banter, men trouble and campaign rhetoric. See you on the other side of the New Hampshire primary!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

The Single Girl's Manifesto

It's fantastic to be a woman.We are young, fabulous, and the world is our oyster! But, all too often we feel the sting of being under cultural fire. Every once in a while it's inevitable -"You're such a nice girl why aren't you married?", "Oh are you still seeing that guy, do I hear wedding bells in your future?". We are blessed with the opportunity to choose a career over a man, travel the world instead of toting kids around town, buy designer labels instead of organic baby formula, and yet we are lead to believe (from a surprising majority) that we aren't choosing an ideal life? Not to sound like a man or anything but, why rush into that funeral? I have this one life, the way I see it, I'm gonna have as much fun as humanly possible.

Now I'm from small town America, but I've had my share of experience with larger subcultures across the US and it baffles me at the amount of women that give up their right to own themselves for even just the brief period in their late teens and twenties. You all know who I'm talking about, that girl you knew in high school that got knocked up senior semester or the Summer after graduation, the one we all whispered about and had moments of silence in coffee shops- where we paid homage to her memory - because we all know the birth is all but a 18 year long hibernation of the individual that was the vessel carrying that miracle. Or the ladies who made it to college (and didn't drop out), the ones after their MRS degree in Domestic Economics. The ones who dropped off the face of the planet and we can only distinguish from their unmistakable (and often painful) statuses about how the joys of motherhood and  marriage happen to be their greatest accomplishment. [Disclaimer: those are not my own words, took them directly from my Facebook news feed]

Now, I'm not dogging on the young mothers of the world, I think it's very important to have a strong coalition of support in every community for young mothers to help create an atmosphere for growth and prosperity for both mother and child. I am however, calling out those young mothers who advertise the glorious life as a housewife. Stop being so aggressive about defending your situation in life when it's unsolicited, it's quite annoying. No one is interested in seeing the daily developments in your child's growth cycle, or reading about each new diaper rash and doctor's appointment. Are people with kids capable of facebooking about anything else? Somehow we've managed to go from a generation of self obsessed narcissists tweeting about how awesome our afternoon coffee break was, to mothers who tweet about how awesome our baby's boogers are - I'm appalled. As much as it pains me to say this, I miss the time when I could log onto facebook to scoff at the ass hole that who found it necessary to announce it was their nap time. No, now I get the joy of reading about how some people don't deserve to have children because they are "too self centered" and "selfish" - disregard the fact that I find it hilarious how I'm being preach to by accidental teen mothers about being allowed to have children. The real worry here is this notion that they no longer have an identity outside of being mom and wife/baby-momma/fiancée. WTF!? They can't want any longer? I think Betty Friedan is rolling over in her grave.

There is a faux romanticism surrounding this idea of marital bliss and childrearing that is super alarming in our teen girl culture these days. Close your legs or buy a pack of condoms you silly girls, because you can't carry around a baby carriage and think it's a fashion statement. Playing dress up with a real baby is so much different than playing dress up with your American Girl Doll. The best example you can set for your little sisters, friends, sons, and daughters is that respecting yourself above all else will give you the confidence to carry out your life goals and allow you to feel truly satisfied with life without compromising and giving up your identity. That means, finding a good balance between providing care for your kids and taking care of yourself.

I think it's important that we remember the simple fact that we are not defined by who we sleep with, repeat that again with me. We are the make up of our desires, our thoughts, and actions, but we are not defined by anyone else. Our professional achievements speak just as loud about our contributions to society as our biological achievements do, and even more about our self control.

This one's goes out to a special breed of women: The independent ladies that are winning in the professional arenas of their industry, dominating the market place, driving consumer development into new technologies, changing politics in their communities and the global scene, and all the women that pay their own bills, buy their own clothes, and rock the power suit one day and Lily Pulitzer with pearls the next.

Cheers to those biannual 'reinventions', the all nighters that end with the start of a 9 hour work day, top shelf liquor, exclusive events, jet setting across the globe, and a ready supply of Alka-Seltzer and Adderall! Your twenties are for making memories, mistakes, and money. Get to it!

Impulsive Behavior

One day I got it in my head that I was going to move abroad. So, I quit my job ambitions for Washington, D.C. and booked a flight to Amsterdam in the Fall. I've temporarily changed careers: politics for film making. Why not - I'm young and have time on my side. I need a better perspective on life. I need to meet new characters with different points of view and stories I have never heard before. The chance to say I threw my hands up in the air once and let go! The strangest thing is I'm not worried in the slightest. --This coming from the girl who over thought her political career moves at the age of 17. I've strategically planned my job moves from Senator's offices and state campaigns to working for political parties and lobbying firms.

I hit a wall this Summer and I need to step back and reassess. I've learned a lot about myself over the past few years. Most importantly I learned what I gain the most happiness from: my friends and family. There has been a disconnect between what I have been working towards and what I value in life. People matter to me and there was a time when I believed politics was the best venue for me to work in to impact the most lives. I remember telling people when asked why I wanted to go into politics that, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em". A month ago I realized something while desperately trying to make sense of my purpose here in Washington: I've been saying that line for 4 years and the obvious flaw in my logic just hit me! "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em".... it never occurred to me that I never tried to beat the system by going off in my own endeavors!!! ::facepalm::

I believe now more than ever that film, communications, and multimedia are my outlets to changing lives. I want to bridge the gap between cultural differences, show the good things in life, offer hope and solutions! There is so much I could do... and trust me my brain is moving at 100 miles a minute in thinking everything up. I guess my future is in my impulsive behavior and thank God I realized this now before I wasted any more time. :)