The Lost Generation

I feel like nothing ever works out the way that I planned it in my head. I went to college and got good grades, graduated with honors. Then I got dumped into the world with no clue as to how to live my life. I have been drifting ever since. I got myself into credit card trouble, I have had so many different jobs and so many career tracks, I have no idea where I am. I still really don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

There are only a few things that I know for sure. I know that I want to help people. I know that I want to do something creative-write and take photos. I know that I don't like office politics and the corporate world. But knowing these things and putting them into a plan of action are two very different things. I feel like I am starting over at 32. I would love to get an internship at a magazine or something where I could learn how to sharpen my skills in both writing and photography. But I don't have a degree in english or journalism, and I am 32 years old. People don't want to give you a chance. But I am hard-working, creative and I know what I want more than some college kid. Believe me-I know all about being the clueless college kid. None of those babies know anything about surviving in the real world.

College does not prepare you for the real world at all. It just postpones reality for four years. I personally think that college should be more like one year of taking career assessment tests and taking core classes. The second year should be figuring out your strengths and passions and beginning to formulate a career plan. The third year should be classes for your career and meeting with an advisor to keep you on track. The fourth year should be an internship in your chosen field. All four years you should also be required to take at least one class in financial planning and one class in business management/self-employment. This would prepare students for the real world.

Unfortunately, this is not what college students get out of school. You usually get a degree in something that you decide you don't even like and a pile of debt. Oh, and a swift kick in the rear on your way out. I feel like there are alot of us out there now. People with good intentions but no real direction. That and a world gone mad. We don't even know if there is going to be a world for us when we get old. We don't have any stability. Everything is up for grabs.

Office Politics

I will never understand why people take work so personally that they have to partake in office politics. Women are the worst, especially women bosses. I have only worked with one woman my entire career who did not think that I was trying to take her job. It is very demeaning to be treated badly when you do something well because the person you work for is intimidated by you. I will never understand this. Men do this too, but it is my experience that women are far worse. There are no mentors anymore because people are so busy looking out for themselves, worried that someone is going to stab them in the back.

I work at a not for profit too, which makes the office politics that much worse. Why would people working for the common goal of something noble and good ever need to stoop so low and partake in office politics? If everyone is there because they are passionate about the common goal, then isn't that all that matters? And why do women feel the need to demean other women instead of building them up and having a community of sisters in the workplace? I will never understand this. I have never felt the need to keep someone down to make myself feel better about my job. I believe that if you are good at your job you should not have to worry about someone else coming along and taking it.

Mentoring

I have been trying for a few years now to find an established photographer who will take me under their wing and show me the ropes. But I have never found anyone who will even send me an e-mail response, much less take the time to mentor me. Why are people so unwilling to help others learn their craft? Jealousy? Protecting their territory? Insecurity? Who knows. But I feel that if you are secure with yourself and your abilities, you will not mind helping someone else become better at their craft too.

American Dream Turned Nightmare

I can get worked up about many things. Unfairness is definitely one of those things that gets me hot under the collar. There are millions of homeowners getting bailed out by the US government because they thought that they were entitled to the "American Dream." What is the "American Dream" anyway? A house with a white picket fence, a car or two, a 40" flat-screen TV with surround sound, IKEA furniture, a Starbucks latte every morning, vacations every year, etc. These people bought a house with an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). This means that every time the interest rate set by the Federal Reserve goes up, so does the ARM. So monthly payments climb with the interest rate. Generally, these mortgages are given to people with bad credit. People with bad credit are in general people who are not good at paying their bills on time or at all. This means you are a poor financial planner or you don't have a lot of money. Neither of these types of people should be buying houses. Buying a house is a privilege for people who have worked hard, saved money and want to make an investment in their future. It should not be an entitlement for everyone.

I do not own a house. I would very much like to one day. I am a hard worker, I am trying to save money, and I am working hard to have good credit. I don't owe on credit cards. I don't live outside of my means. So why should I end up paying for these stupid people who never should have bought a house in the first place? Not only did the Federal Reserve cut its interest rate to keep ARMs from settling at a much higher rate, HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will help an estimated 240,000 families avoid foreclosure by enhancing its refinancing program effective immediately. These families are getting government loans to refinance their homes.

What do I get? Well, I can rest assured that my taxes will end up bailing these people out in some way. Also, inflation is just around the corner due to the government pumping billions of dollars into the economy to stave off recession due to this subprime mortgage crisis and the reverberating effects it is having throughout the economy. Stupid people getting bad rates on a mortgage, then the unscrupulous companies that were selling these mortgages were packaging them up into high-risk securities and selling them to hedge funds. Hedge funds are high-risk investments (hence the term "hedge"-hedge your bet-invest your money at your own risk). None of these companies or investors should get bailed out either. Why should I have to pay for it? Why should anyone have to pay for someone else's mistakes?

The reason this country is screwed right now is because not everyone is entitled to the "American Dream." No one is saving. Savings in this country was at -1% in 2006. The average American household owes $7,300 in credit card debt. And this country is more debt-dependent than ever before-with a total debt of over $48 trillion dollars, or $161,287 per each and every woman, man and child. Check out America's Total Debt Report for some scary figures.

The American Nightmare is upon us. I think that doom and gloom for the US economy is looming large. We have been living on credit for far too long in this country (individuals and the US government), and the bills are going to start coming due. People are going to start losing their shirts along with their homes.

A Terrible Way to Begin the Day

I know that driving your car everywhere is bad for the environment and bad for your waistline too. But that does not mean I do not understand why people would rather drive than take public transportation to work, for instance. I take the train to work every morning, and it is a terrible way to start the day. Having to stand and get tossed around every time the train stops, being shoved against strangers, having their bags hitting your shoulders, legs, etc. It tests my meditation skills to the limit. Deep breathing and intense concentration barely keep me from screaming and wondering why I do this to myself each and every work day.

I also understand why people like to have a car to run errands. Once again, taking public transportation to the grocery store, to pick up cat food, to a wedding, can be time-consuming and irritating. Imagine your arms full of bags and nowhere to sit. Or standing on the train in high heels. Or just waiting for the train or bus. If you have a car you just get in and go whenever you feel like it. Then you put your groceries, heavy bag of catfood, whatever you have bought in the backseat or trunk and go home. Easy.

So I know why people are attached to their cars. I get it. It makes sense to me, and I envy those who have one.

Being Healthy is Hard Work

I keep reading articles that say people cannot help being obese. I am not a dietician, a nutritionist or any sort of professional when it comes to nutrition and diet. But I will tell you from experience that I believe that 95% of people who are overweight/obese can help their condition. I found myself seriously overweight not too long ago. I weighed around 190 lbs. My normal weight is around 155 lbs. And I had to work really hard to lose that excess weight.

I have to watch what I eat very closely. I fill up on whole grains, vegetables and fruit. I eat single servings of meat-which is about the size of a deck of cards. I also eat lowfat or no-fat cheeses, drink skim milk, and I don't drink soda or juice. Water is my beverage of choice because it is great for you and has zero calories. I also seriously cut back on my alcohol consumption. I also walk everywhere that I can. Sitting on the couch watching TV does not burn calories. I eat snacks, but I eat things like Luna bars or a serving of peanuts. I don't deprive myself, either. There are so many lowfat snacks and desserts out now that taste great and come in single-size portions that it is okay to indulge every now and then. Also, I don't eat out while I am at work. I bring my lunch to work-that is the best way to ensure that I get a healthy, balanced meal.

It is hard work being healthy-it takes vigilance and dedication and a certain amount of sacrifice, but anything you really want out of life is worth the hard work.

College Students Beware of Credit Cards

I keep reading about how credit card companies use sneaky and underhanded tactics to lure customers and then squeeze as much money as they can out of them. Double billing, high interest rates, annual fees, late fees and penalties, using your credit history against you, etc. are some of the many ways credit card companies get you.

Especially vulnerable are college students. They walk on to campus and are almost immediately bombarded with credit card offers. I know that I was accosted in the bookstore while I was buying my books. By the end of my sophomore year, I had four credit cards. I ended up $10,000 in the hole by the time I graduated. I was $13,000 in the hole one year after graduation. I ended up getting help from a Consumer Credit Counseling service to lower my interest rates and consolidate my cards into one monthly payment.

I have now been debt free for a few years now, but I wonder how many people out there wish that their respective schools would have kept a reign on the credit card companies and even offered some kind of financial management class. If you want to read more, check out this article in Business Week.

Long Time Coming

It has been a long time since I posted. I have been very busy. I got a part-time job as a Website Assistant at a not for profit. I am really enjoying working there. I get to write, edit, proofread...I get to use my abilities. It is nice after so many years of not doing what I want to do. Life is too short to take anything for granted. I realize this more and more each day...each moment is precious. It is better to try and fail than never to have tried at all. Go after what you want because you just may get it with hard work, determination and confidence in yourself and your abilities. I think it is so important to have a job that uses your abilities and talents, where people appreciate you, and if you get to do something good for the world on top of it, so much the better.