Friday, May 27, 2011

Why I Decided to Go Back to Work

If you know me, you know that I was laid off from a job I really enjoyed back at the end of January. We lost the client I was working on, and they could only keep some people around. Unfortunately, that meant splitting up myself and the other three people I had grown close to - two of us were laid off, and the other two stayed and moved over to a different client. I went to work at a different branch of the company for a month on a temporary assignment they needed my help on. When they couldn't afford to keep me around any longer, I was laid off once again.

Since then, I have actually been making a living working from home as a freelance writer and editor. I asked a couple of people for advice, and they were each incredibly helpful. I was happy to stay home and work in my new "home office" and make use of my English degree. I was happy to be in sweatpants. I was happy to do whatever I wanted and go to lunch when invited or have the freedom to attend a Brewers game on my husband's day off with him on a couple Wednesday afternoons.

Things were going pretty well last month. I had steady work, I was busy, and I made solid use of my time. Then, my boss from the first place I was laid off from e-mailed me to ask if I would be interested in coming back. I had a hunch it would be coming, as my old co-workers kept telling me about everyone who left working there or was promoted, and no one new ever came in. So, after careful thought and consideration, I decided I wanted to go back.

A lot of people probably think I'm a little crazy. Why would I give up being able to work from home? Well, for one thing, freelance work isn't always the most reliable. I may have been crazy busy last month, but this month slowed down to the point where we wouldn't be able to afford me working from home unless I started to send out more e-mails for new clients. A consistent paycheck will be helpful.

For another thing, I agreed to come back, but I asked if I could work 32 hours a week instead of 40. My boss and I came to the conclusion that I would work half days on Wednesdays and Fridays, and combining those with some weeknights or weekends, I should be able to juggle my workload between everything. I have heard that sometimes, freelance writing dies down during the summer anyway.

I think one of the biggest reasons I was ready to go back to work was probably because I missed it. I missed having a set schedule. I missed having daily interactions with people, as opposed to sitting home alone everyday and debating on whether or not to put on make-up or straighten my hair that day, since the only person to see me would be my husband, anyway. I also missed the friends I had made while I worked there, and I have felt sad that I couldn't be the one to determine when I left this job - they had decided that for me based on my date of hire.

Finally, I was bored and unmotivated at home. In the beginning, I had more work, so I had to be productive. But, as my workload died down, I started to become lazy, lethargic, and a huge procrastinator. I started waiting until the last minute to get everything done, I would put off writing articles as much as possible, and my main focus became checking Facebook and Twitter and clearing off the DVR instead of getting work done. I am hoping that having set times to focus on my freelance work will force me to get it done when I have the time to, because I can't just save it all for the next day anymore.

This past Tuesday, I officially went back to work. I have a new cubicle and don't sit by my friends anymore, but I also have a new computer with a flat screen monitor that I always hoped I would get the last time I was there. This time, I am working on a client where I schedule all of my own phone interviews and decide how many I can handle in a day. The positions are all different, so I won't necessarily be doing the same exact phone screen 16 times a day, which I like. It didn't take long to get back in the swing of things, and today, I decided I am happy to be back. Something about working there and being in such a positive environment puts me in a good mood. Hopefully this time, with such a small team left, I won't even have to worry about the possibility of a layoff again...but, if I do, at least I have my freelance work to fall back on. For now, this is a good balance for me. This is what I want to be doing.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Something Borrowed: The Book vs. the Movie

Now that I have seen Something Borrowed twice, I feel as though I have to write about the obvious contrasts between the book and the movie. While I liked both, I definitely enjoyed the book more, as I usually do when books are turned into movies. There are just so many details within a book that are important to the story that can't always be used in the movie.

**If you don't want to read spoilers about the book or the movie, you probably should read someone else's blog instead of mine. Just a head's up.**

The overall storyline was basically the same. Dex and Rachel hook up after her birthday party, they continue to do so throughout the summer behind Darcy's back, she hooks up with Marcus, gets pregnant, she and Dex called off the wedding, and she finally catches him with Rachel.

Differences:
  • In the movie, Hillary's character was completely absent and basically replaced with John Krasinski's version of Ethan.
  • Darcy and Rachel's pregnant childhood friend Annalise was also not in the movie at all.
  • Marcus' character was a complete idiot in the movie. He is portrayed as a complete pothead skateboarder...and that's pretty much it. Very hard to see how Darcy would be so interested in him.
  • Ethan does not live in London the entire film; rather, he chooses to move there as a part of his career as a novelist. During Rachel's visit to him in London, he revealed he was in love with her, which was completely unnecessary.
  • Instead of being ultra-snooty, Claire is ultra-crazy-in-love-with-Ethan. She obviously was a completely different person than in the book to add comic relief to the movie.
  • The addition of Dex's parents was lame. In the book, it was his Dad and Step-Mom, who were hardly even mentioned. In the movie, they played a central part in why Dex couldn't call the wedding off. Something about how his mom suffered from depression, and the wedding was making her happy? I didn't understand why that was needed. It should have just been Dex's problem to figure out. No pushing from Dad.
  • The characters of Rachel, Dex, and Darcy were perfect. Kate Hudson played the perfect Darcy, and Ginnifer Goodwin was just as perfect as Rachel. Colin Egglesfield was great for Dex - gorgeous and charming. It was hard to be mad at him.
  • There was definitely much less sex between Dex and Rachel in the movie, which didn't bother me. I just wish their relationship could have been clearer in the movie. Instead of them finding ways to spend time together, their relationship was mainly based upon the feelings they'd been experiencing for each other since law school.
  • The sort-of-relationship between Marcus and Rachel really never happened in the film.
What I Liked:
I was happy to see small details from the book pop up in the movie - Darcy not really getting into Notre Dame and the tear Dex wiped from Rachel's cheek while they were studying together during law school were both in the movie. I enjoyed the humor that was brought into the movie, and I especially enjoyed Darcy and Rachel's dance to Salt 'N Pepa's "Push It." I also liked that they backed up the reason Dex and Rachel were so close and gave enough back-story on their lives back in law school. (Not that I condone cheating).

What I Didn't Like:
I hated the idea of Ethan being in love with Rachel during their adult lives. I liked the idea of him being the best guy friend she could ask for, without any other feelings between the two - not the best friend who had fallen in love with her and further complicated the story. It almost made me want Rachel and Ethan to get together, and that obviously wasn't the point, or even a possibility, in the book. As I mentioned, I didn't like the addition of Dex's parents in the movie. I also would have loved to see Hilary and/or Annalise in the movie. Even if they would have just had small roles, it would have been nice to see them as a part of the cast. Finally, I would have liked to see a hometown visit from Darcy and Rachel, just to see where they got their start.

So, what did you think? Did you read the book, then see the movie? Or, are you the type who likes to see the movie before reading the book? Maybe you just like the see the movie and skip the book? Were you disappointed in the movie or the book? Which did you like better? After a lackluster performance at he box office, do you think they will still make the film Something Blue, which they alluded to with a "to be continued" and short scene of Darcy arriving in London to see Ethan during the credits of the film? (I hope so).

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Why I Hate Mother's Day

For those of you who don't know me personally, saying "I hate Mother's Day" may seem like a bold statement. I don't want to get into all of the details, but in order to explain myself, I do need to explain a bit of my past. After all, I don't want any readers thinking I'm rude or insensitive.

Back on December 10th, 2005, I lost my mom to ovarian cancer. She and I were incredibly close. I told her absolutely everything. We fought, we laughed, we cried - I was a teenage girl, and my relationship with my mom was all over the place; but at the end of the day, she was one person I knew I could always count on. I never imagined losing her when I was only 18 years old. As she fought her battle, I made the assumption she would be okay. Losing her simply was not an option, but it certainly became a reality. More than five years may have passed since then, and I have come to terms with what happened, but that still doesn't mean I like Mother's Day.

Part of the problem is that I don't really know what to do with myself. I used to think working made it better when I worked at the movie theatre. But, then I would go to work and see them pass out flowers to mothers or see families come in to see movies, and I realized that didn't help. My mom's side of the family typically gets together every year, so I thought being around family would help. But, then I always felt awkward saying "Happy Mother's Day" to everyone, so I realized that didn't help, either. Staying home alone never works because then I just sit, think, and cry all day.

There is just something about Mother's Day that leaves me completely unsure of what to do, how to act, or where to go. I have a hard time saying "Happy Mother's Day" to anyone. I get cranky and overly sensitive the entire week leading up to Mother's Day. I miss my mom most of all when Mother's Day rolls around. It's hard knowing that she can't be here on the one day solely devoted to mothers.

This year, we have plans with my husband's family, as I now officially have a mother-in-law. I hope that I am able to keep busy enough to not worry about how to act or what to say, but I know it will be in the back of my mind. When dealing with loss, there will always be certain times of the year that a person struggles to deal with, and I am no different. If you're not sure how to cope with the loss of a loved one, online therapy may be an option for you. Please see this link for further information: https://www.betterhelp.com/.

I do hope that those of you who still have mothers to spend the day with are able to do just that - you never realize how lucky you are until someone so precious to you is gone. One of my biggest regrets is perhaps that I took the time I did have with my mom for granted. I never realized I would only have her in my life for such a short time. I didn't ask her the questions I should have. I worry I will forget certain memories, her laugh, or the sound of her voice. She wasn't there to see me graduate college, and she missed out on my wedding. But, before she passed away, she told me that no matter what, she will always be with me. And, in my heart, I know she is - even on Mother's Day.

For Mom. 3.13.62-12.10.05

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Teen Moms Visit Dr. Oz

Today, Maci, Kailyn, and Leah from MTV's Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2 paid a visit to the Dr. Oz Show. They were there to talk about their stories, and also to defend themselves against those speaking out against the shows. The creator of TM and TM2, Lauren Dolgen, was even on hand to back the girls up. A few things irked me about the show, so I wanted to point them out. After all, we all know how much I like to share my opinions.

Some uptight woman named Melissa was there to voice her opinions on the terrible things the show is doing to teenage girls, as well as a teen mother named Kathleen. Both of them said the show glamorizes teen pregnancy. In fact, Kathleen, who claims to love these girls and watch the show religiously, said the show made her think that if these girls could do it, so could she. Yes, because that makes sense. What a logical train of thought.

If this Kathleen character actually watched the show, she would realize that their lives aren't glamorized at all. Week after week, you see these girls struggle with being single parents and finding ways to balance school, work, and taking care of their kids. I've been married almost a year, I'm almost 24, and this show actually makes me want to wait even longer to have kids because I realize I'm not ready for it. So, you're telling me that teenage girls are watching this show and thinking they are ready to have a baby because of it? I don't buy that. At all. If that's what they're thinking, they have some other sort of issues that are most certainly not a direct result of MTV. (Does watching Jersey Shore make them want to go on a drinking binge or go to the gym, tan, or do their laundry?)

If anything, the part of the show that is "glamorized" is the fact that these girls have become celebrities. But, that's what you get with MTV reality shows. The same thing happened with Laguna Beach, The Hills, Jersey Shore, The Real World, and so on. When characters are relatable and have a lot of drama going on in their lives, people are entertained. That doesn't mean every person watching Teen Mom is going to turn to their significant other and say they want a baby. Only the crazy ones are going to do that!

Maci repeated many times that she hopes the show gets conversations going between teens and their parents. She spoke up much more than the other two, and I was glad. She especially had no idea what the show was going to become, having been on the first seasons of 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. When she signed on, you know her intentions had to have been genuine, because no one had even seen the show at that time. Even so, I don't think Kailyn or Leah signed on because of the fame - they all seem to have good intentions and truly want to show other people that their lives are tough and not glamorous at all.

There will always be crazy people that do anything to get themselves on television - you can't avoid that. But, is picking on a show that plays an advertisement about preventing teen pregnancy during every episode, takes the cameras right into the delivery room to show what really happens, or follows these girls through the drama they experience in their every day lives really worth your time? No. I'll answer the question for you. Teen Mom is meant to educate and entertain - I can guarantee you the creators of the show never had the intentions of urging young girls to have unprotected sex and get pregnant. Maybe these people should actually watch the show and find out what really goes on. There is nothing glamorous about the life of a teen Mom.