There is something to say about being together

To reference a great episode of Sex and the City, in New York, when you’re alone the city is your date.  Well I can definitely channel Carrie’s attitude as she does many activities that the city has to offer all by herself.  I like doing things alone – I like having the freedom to be on my time and my schedule, and just be able to enjoy things that I like without someone complaining or rushing me along.    My boyfriend lives in California and most of my friends that live in the city have significant others, or finance jobs that take up the same amount of time, so I have to enjoy things on my own or I won’t enjoy anything at all.  Today I went to the farmers market in Union Square and browsed around the fresh produce and art.  I’ve been making a list and plan to get to a bunch of boutique museums, regardless if someone can join me.  When the weather gets warmer I cannot wait to get to the park, get a bike and enjoy the art of the village.

Though I am perfectly fine and happy doing all of these things all by my lonesome, I completely prefer to share experiences with others.  The city is a fabulous date, but it can only do so much.  The city doesn’t talk to me (which may be enjoyable in some cases), but I’m a verbal, social person – solitude is not my favorite brand of jeans.

So walking around today I enjoyed everything I did, but would have loved to share the beauty of the art, the variety and freshness of the food and just the energy of the day with someone; to get someone else’s opinion and to share a laugh with someone on the experience.  The city offers many things to do and probably the most perfect setting for someone who is alone, but who really wants to be?  Yea, ok it’s easier to meet new people when you are not distracted by a group blah blah blah but in general  sharing is caring.  Having someone there, who knows you and can converse with you and offer an opinion or a rational thought is preferred in every instance.

The moral of the story being, my boyfriend needs to move to NY and my friends need to be more available.  (just kidding)

Time? There’s never any time…

For all of you that grew up in the late 80’s early 90’s I hope that you picked up my title’s reference to the best show of my childhood – Saved by the Bell. (Follow that line with “I’m so excited, I’m so excited, I’m so…scared!).

Anywho, I find myself repeating this phrase over and over this week.  I’m inspired today A. by my overbooked schedule and B. by a certain web blogger and tweeter that felt the need to comment on my lack of activity though he/she has no idea as to who I am or what I do day to day.

Now I am completely humbled and tormented daily by the current situation of our economy and country for that matter, and I see many people I know facing layoffs.  Fortunately, I am lucky enough to work for an agency that is booming – four huge accounts were won in the last few weeks that have caused my company to need to expand, not condense its workforce.  In the meantime, the current team is trying to field all of the work above the level of expectations , especially my team of 2 that works on pharma that has grown from 2 brands to a possible 17 in a matter of a day.

Layer on top of that an amazing hierarchy of highly motivated VPs and Directors that encourage our personal and professional growth.  They have created a fake pitch that allows our entire department to split into teams and complete an entire RFP in a matter of two weeks.  The experience allows us to work outside of our normal day to day and understand and participate in the full dealings of a digital marketing pitch.

While all this is wonderful and I am more than grateful to have these opportunities, I am lucky to walk out of my office this week at 8:30. When I walk in the door at home I want nothing more than to get away from my computer – to get a work out in, have dinner, grab a glass of wine and catch up on the mindless television shows that I missed that night.  I don’t want to think, I don’t want to be creative and I don’t want to type.  Is that so bad?  Is it so horrible that I don’t take the time each night to write a blog or that I can’t break during the work day to tell the world (who probably don’t care) what I’m doing or working on?  I think I owe myself a little me time at the end of a long day, and for sanity sake, I hope everyone allows themselves the same luxury.

It’s my money

So finally, the whole inspiration for starting this blog.

In the Sunday times this past weekend there was a fascinating article titled “Innovation Should Mean More Jobs, Not Less“.  To summarize, it voiced the need for government to invest in innovation and Silicon Valley for long-term, sustainable job growth.  The most striking sentence in my opinion stated “Bailouts are aimed at correcting mistakes of the past, so they are backward-looking.  We would be much better off spending our money forward-looking.”

I really couldn’t agree with that last statement more.  The problem with bailouts is that it pays money to instutions and organizations that are failing.  If they failed once in their current state, who’s to say they won’t fail again?  Forward-looking would be to invest in new opportunities that have staying power, that are headed in the direction that our nation’s intellectual thinkers and technology are headed.  If the government just keeps bailing everything out, tax payer money is rewarding those that fail and neglecting those that have the potential to succeed.

Which brings me to a very interesting thought that I had.  Now I realize it may be a tad idealistic, and I’m sure many people will find holes and angles that will make you say “that will never work”, but its just a thought.

So our government is a democracy where we the people vote for our leaders to make decisions and guide our great nation into the superpower that it is (thinks it is).  I can’t help but wonder, what if we voted exactly where our hard earned taxes go?  I mean it is my money, why don’t I get any say in how it is funding my government, my jobs, my economy?

Pause for rationale.  Laws and protocol are in place to prevent anarchy and create structure, but did anyone catch Good Morning America on Tuesday?  Democrat Barney Frank, who is head of some committee or other that controls the purse strings and is quite frankly rude and spits a lot, announced that the President and his team didn’t even follow the rules for spending the money that was given to them during this troubled time.  So what if we made some new rules that got the people involved and prayed that they were followed?

Proposal:  The government, by committees or petitions like that of David Thompson for innovation, created a set of strategies for turning this economy around.  One could be for the building of new roads and bridges, one for innovation, one for helping the real estate market and mortgages, and so on and so forth.  Then as we pay taxes we are given the ability to vote for which pre-approved strategy our money will fund.  The money would go into different pots and the distributed much as the money would if the government committees was deciding on its own.  If a person neglected to vote, that pot of money would be distributed as the government saw fit.

I agree that innovation is the key to sustainable job growth, and in turn a 180 for the economic crisis of 2008.  Unfortunately, I don’t get to the decide if that gets funded or not, but why?  If there is one thing we have learned from the Bush administration is that the abuse of power eventually crumbles everything.  I truly feel the masses could be more involved.

She doesn’t deserve a second chance

Ok new post on the NY Times article about investing in innovation is a little delayed because I had to watch Gossip Girl and The Bachelor premiers last night.  Does anyone else read New York Mag’s Daily Intel’s recap of Gossip Girl each week where the evaluate what sooo would never happen and what is somewhat reality?  It’s hysterical! Such a witty exploitation of the ridiculousness that makes the show so entertaining.

The first episode of The Bachelor was the normal opening of my personal favorite guilty pleasure.  Except for anyone who watched last season where the wonderful single father had his heart broken by a fame hungry Deanna, if you saw the “This season on the Bachelor…” you wanted to throw your TV.  I won’t recap everything, but enjoy the season’s trailer.

So I jumped on the bandwagon….

I was resisting starting a blog as I knew I probably would never keep up with it.  I work all day long on the internet, so why would I want to spend my free time typing away?  As much as I know the direction the world is headed in (I work in search marketing), I can’t imagine tying my life to a computer.  Where is the in person social interaction?  My sister pushed me to join twitter but if I were ever on it as much as she was I couldn’t live with myself.  She stares at her phone waiting for a new post, telling the online community every step she takes.  Don’t get me wrong, I am thoroughly impressed by it and think it is wonderful for networking and idea sharing, but where is the personal privacy?  What about doing something just for you?

That said, I was sitting home on a Sunday night reading the NY Times and an article provoked an interesting thought in my head.  Since twitter only allows 140 characters per post, where else could I be heard?  So here I am starting my own blog and giving myself a voice the only way I simply know how.

I have never been subtle and I have never been one to hold back a thought (all of my friends please try to control your laughter).  But if you have something to say, say it out loud!  Otherwise you will regret that you missed your chance.

*Note: My thoughts on the NY times article are coming soon.  I may be upfront, but I like to organize and gather my thoughts.  Do I want to sound honest? Yes.  Blubbering idiot? No thanks.