Damn You, MTV

Dear MTV,

I have a grievance that I would like to discuss with you. No wonder my generation is so disappointed in their jobs and are feeling so entitled, it is all your fault (we also don't take responsibility well - but that is another topic). I spent my entire teen years intoxicated by the imagery that you portrayed as "The Real World".

Flash forward several years and I finally realize that you LIED to us! I graduated college to enter the real world and contrary to "The Real World", I do not live with 6 other people in a fabulously awesome house. I don't have an easy-breezy job where they don't really get upset if I show up late/hungover/or hardly work. I don't make out with my roommates or have a hottub fit for 7. I don't have free alcohol and free food. My entire apartment is approximately the size of one of the Real World kitchens. I have YET to get a letter in the mail telling me that I have an all-expense-paid trip to some exotic country (or Europe). I don't get to nap midday - and I actually have to go to the office every day of the week. While they go to fashionable nightclubs, I go to sleep.

You completely forgot to mention things like pantie-hose and auto insurance. Those people never have to get their oil changed or run to the post office - where is THAT episode?


There was absolutely no disclaimer on the television show. "Things start getting real?" There is very little ON that show that is real. Sigh. Maybe you should rethink the name to something less misleading like "The Non-Real World: Only the fantasy life for many teens". 


Next thing you know, they are going to tell us that getting married and having kids isn't like the Real Housewives of Orange Country. Sigh.


Peace, Love, and Lies,
Mallory

The 30 minute rule

I am pretty sure I can do just about anything for 30 minutes.

But let’s be honest. If it doesn’t involve shoe shopping or lunch with friends and isn’t something that I WANT to be doing, I am going to put it off. Instead of working, I can drift into the world of online shopping. Instead of folding laundry, I can drift into the latest episode of Real Housewives (or maybe even a repeat.) I would find it hard to imagine that this is just me.

But I can do anything for 30 minutes. So go with that theory. It is a Sunday afternoon. I want to meet up with friends/shop/nap/fill in with lazy Sunday activities. I also have that laundry on my bed that I need to fold. 30 minutes. “I am going to just spend 30 minutes FOCUSING on this one task”. I saw whatever isn’t done in 30 minutes can wait. 80% of the time (rough estimate) the laundry is done). If I get into the trend of working out for an hour or more I can find it hard to drag myself to the gym (What a commitment!) But thinking about getting on a machine for 30 minutes? Easy. I can find 30 minutes in my day.

Same thing goes with work. The internet simultaneously increased and decreased productivity in the work place. (I am not sure how it netted out – but probably negative overall) It increased by opening communication throughout cities and states and the world. Transfer information. And obtain information. Easy to search. Easy to access information. Oh, but the time wasted by employees talking to one another. Or online shopping for shoes (wow, maybe I need to seek help?) Here is my challenge. Turn off the internet. Or gmail. Or chat session. And focus of work for 30 minutes straight. There is something to be said about not multi-tasking 100% of your day. This might sound old-school, but it is amazing what you can accomplish with 100% of your attention. Those 30 minutes can equal hours of multi-tasked work.

A modern girl simply needs more time. But maybe we just simply need to use our time more efficiently. 

The Path to Growing Up

DISCLAIMER: This isn't a savvy life tip.

I wrote this for an Esquire Magazine competition. We had to use 76 words to write some sort of poem-creative-like-entry. I never actually submitted my "poem".  Savvy life tip (that is completely overused and totally cliche): Sometimes the joy is in the journey. Here is the poem. Wonder what you guys think. Hello real world.

ANOTHER DISCLAIMER: I don't actually think I am grown up yet.

The Path to Growing Up

Realizing your parents’ don’t know everything. Finding your own path.

Trying to fit in. Finding the friends where you don’t need to try.

Dancing with others. Finding your own beat.

Seeking acceptance.  Seeking independence. Finding contentment.

The first kiss, first love, first heart break. Finding you have to love yourself first.

Making mistakes.  Disappointing others. Disappointing yourself. Finding how to pick  yourself back up.

Realizing your parents’ were right all along. Finding appreciation.

Searching for your passion. Finding your passion – and never giving up.

Do one thing just for you

Tell me if this sounds like you:
You wake up late for work. Hurry to work. Stay late because, well, we are young and have to put our time in. Come home. Pay the credit card. Run to the store for a birthday card/or more mascara/or "team snacks"/or milk or basically anything. Pretend that you are going to work out that night, but decide against it (typical). Call your mom. Turn on the TV. Pass out on the couch. Repeat.

Welcome to my life during a busy week. And aren't many weeks busy?

Once we grow up and get married and have kids I can only imagine (and as I have heard) that you have less "me" time. Less time to do what we really want to do. Or something that just makes us happy. I think it would be good to get in the habit now of finding something that I do JUST for me, and not for my parents or my friends or my coworkers.

I spend alot of time doing things for other people (that makes me happy) and I am sure most of us do. But shouldn't we make an effort to make time in our super busy lives for just ONE thing for "me"? The importance of having a "me" thing is not just for selfish reasons but mental sanity.

For me? It is writing this blog. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if no one really reads this post. It gives me a chance to get my thoughts out there and on paper and have a moment to do what I love to do (write). For you? It could be that step class that you love going to. Or getting your nails done. Or taking a bath. Figure out what it is and do it. (That's my challenge - accept it if you please).

Learn Something New

A savvy girl in the real world has to be "well rounded". Sigh, but what does this really mean? And why is it so important?

I'm not saying that you need to be an expert in everything, or really anything for that matter, but you have to be able to briefly talk politics with your parent's friends, business issues with the manager at work, sports with the guys at lunch, and marriage (or babies) with your friends that are married (or have babies). I am not saying you need to be the expert on politics - but with the elections around the corner, it wouldn't hurt to know a thing or two about some debates so that you aren't the only one standing there in silent at a dinner party.

But what if I don't like politics (or sports or business news or world news or basically anything besides online shoe shopping and watching bravo?) It seems to me that people tend to only read or watch shows that are like them. If I don't like shorts, you won't catch me reading the ESPN magazine (or whatever they read....). If I only care about pop culture (which I don't, I care about shoes too...) then you will see me reading an US weekly and watching E! News. But what do I learn from that? I am completely guilty of this - How many times have I found myself reading a book that I could have written myself?

Last week I decided to download these "Laughing Historically" pod casts. They are short 5-10 minute videos that teach you something about history (in a funny way). I am about as much of a history buff as I am one of those girls who screams at the TV during a baseball game. But I like hearing little snipbits of funny history (or watching a baseball game at a stadium with friends). Turns out that I had something to contribute to conversation everyday at work that week. My coworkers actually ASKED me what I had learned in my podcast that morning. I will never be a history buff, or an avid die-hard baseball fan, but I have to admit that learning something new and branching out sure felt good.

Try it. Learn something new. Worth a shot right?

Disclaimer: I understand how you might not think there is any relevance for the goat, but I know nothing about goats. And if you have any interest on learning things about goats? well, you never know when you'll want to bust out goat facts. Plus, I thought the picture might be interesting enough for people to want to read this post. We will see if it works..