Kerplunker’s 2010: Year in Review
Yes, yes another “year in review” post.
2010 was a rather positive year in my life. One filled with changes and vast amounts of personal and professional growth. I started off the year with great intentions. I tried my best – I did lose some weight (as of recent, 11 pounds and counting!), reconnected with some old friends, flossed sometimes, and tried to be productive whenever possible). I didn’t always succeed with flying colors, but I do feel as though I’ve grown into a better person, and really, what more can you ask for in one year?
2010 was a year of “new”s.
In chronological order:
A new relationship: My last one ended amicably (and mutally) in February, and I started dating Tom in April. To spare the personal details, it feels like one of those rare relationships that changes you, makes your soul happier and gives life a new, shinier meaning. Tom has helped me to be a better person; someone who is calmer, happier, more confident and more zen.
A new job. This was a necessary and welcomed change. While my move was more lateral than I’d ideally wanted, it has allowed me to learn new skills, become more organized, a stronger writer and slightly better at task management. The benefits are amazing (ie. ridiculously cheap classes at a world class institution!) and I make enough to be able to pay every monthly bill I owe in full, buy food and gas for my car and still have a bit left over at the end of the day. I am now truly independent and no longer have to go to my parents for help when my bank account gets too lean. This new job will hopefully set me up for what I want to do and what I want to be, and is worth the more menial aspects of my daily responsibilities. Here I’m encouraged to grow, the people all get along, and things are not petty. It’s a warm environment, and one I’m proud to be associated with.
A new apartment. This was also a necessary and welcomed change. My old living situation was getting intolerable: I felt as though I always had to walk on eggshells. I felt comfortable only inhabiting my bedroom, and would use the kitchen only when others weren’t walking around the apartment. I never used the living room anymore and hadn’t watched the main television (the one with cable) in almost a year. My roommates were not the cleanest or most responsible, and I was growing increasingly unhappy and uncomfortable. I had wanted to move for ages, but coming up with the deposits and fees was impossible. My new job allowed me a chance to access the funds I needed. I found a room in a 3BR in East Cambridge (after interviewing at a handful of other apartments and nearly getting a couple of them) and moved in August. Now I live with two understanding, respectful, responsible and fun roommates who have quickly become friends and confidants. I haven’t had a roommate bond like this since my senior year at Emerson, and cherish my time with them.
A new car. I purchased a slightly used 2009 Hyundai Accent in September – an adorable car. My fourth car in total, it was the first that I purchased completely myself. I owed the value of my previous car, which took care of that (plus a credit for the trade in value). I worked with a great organization, More Than Wheels, and got a great deal on the perfect car. I paid the registration fees myself, and best yet, signed the car loan myself: no co-signer necessary. I have never been prouder of a purchase.
2010 was absolutely a remarkable and memorable year, and I plan to make 2011 just as much so. Instead of making specific goals as I did last year, I’ve decided to be rather vague. I want to continue to work on my time management, particularly when it comes to school, and continue to grow as a calm person and strong professional. I want to continue to stick with my commitments, and be the best friend, daughter, family member, girlfriend and employee I can be. I will go with the flow and see how this manifests itself.
Happy New Year – I hope that 2011 proves to be just as prosperous and memorable for you as I hope it is for me.
I Quit.
No, I don’t quit this blog, my job, or my relationship. I quit school. Sort of.
My quitting was much more quiet
Just after Thanksgiving, I faced an admittedly easy assignment in one of my two classes: a 5-8 page paper on the 2007 Danish cartoons crisis for my Islam class. I stared and stared at the blank page on my computer screen, and nothing was coming to me. Did I have an opinion? Not really. Had my class really prepared me to have one? Not really.
I was growing anxious – just over 36 hours left to submit this paper and it was clear that I was going nowhere. Then a nagging reoccurring thought appeared – drop the class. This idea had come to me right before my last paper was due, and then largely every Monday when I trudged across campus even as my body called for rest. But this time it was more valid.
I polled several friends – one encouraged me to buck up and do my best and aim for a B. A “withdrawn” grade would not be appealing on a transcript to a potential grad school admissions officer. Another suggested that I work for a few hours and rest and wake up again and finish. I was even promised persimmon cookies as a reward. But I knew that it was best if I quit.
So I did.
But what does quitting mean? I will have a grade of “withdrawn” on my transcripts, which might detract from my overall package once I get around to applying to grad school. But I saved myself loads of anxiety and freed up hours (perhaps days) of time to devote to other pursuits. But I quit. I quit school. I never thought I’d say that.
I am a person who has an undying quest for learning. I will never tire of seeking out information on any number of random topics. But I gave up on this opportunity. Why? Because I didn’t want to do a paper? It was more than that. I was fairly unhappy with the trajectory of the course – I was definitely learning more about Muslims in Europe, but I wasn’t connecting with the material. It felt tedious to attend class, which I have never experienced. I disliked the dynamic of the class, and was not getting out what I wanted to get out of it.
I still know that it was the right decision, and am confident that my portfolio of grades, work experience, recommendations and activities can assure me admission to most any grad program of my choice, but I still feel… odd. Especially in a time that I am working hard to honor my commitments.
But there are just times that quitting is deserved, or even necessary. And this was just one of those times.
Morning Glory and the Young Professional
The motley crew of Daybreak
Warning: This blog post contains spoilers.
Recently, I saw the film Morning Glory in theatres. I was rather excited to see it as Diane Keaton is one of my absolute favorite actresses, and I adore Rachel McAdams.
If you’re not familiar with the film, it’s the story of this hard working twentysomething woman named Becky who is fired from her small-time producing job on a small local morning show in New Jersey. It’s her dream to work on The Today Show, but it’s a goal that seems completely out of reach. After a great deal of hounding, she finally lands an executive producing gig on a struggling morning talk show, Daybreak, on the fictional network IBS. It’s in fourth place, so it doesn’t attract the best talent, crew or guest stars, but Becky hits the ground running regardless.
After a lackluster start, even when she manages to bring on a broadcast news legend, Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) as co-anchor, she is warned that if the ratings don’t go up, they will cancel the show. So Becky tries everything, including setting the weatherman through outrageous stunts. Ratings do go up, but it’s just not good enough for the network.
Part of the problem is Pomeroy. He considers himself to be a serious newscaster, and finds most of the topics covered on Daybreak are frivolous at best, and he has a tenuous relationship with his co-anchor, Colleen Peck (played beautifully by the amazing Diane Keaton).
Eventually, Pomeroy breaks a huge news story, and Daybreak is first on the scene. The show gains great notoriety, and finally gets over its final ratings hurdle. Becky is brought in to interview for a producing job at the The Today Show, her dream job. And she’s under 30!
I’ll spare you the last details of how it resolves (although, fair warning, it’s rather cheesy), but as a fellow young professional, I felt the film did a great job of portraying people in different stages of their careers.
Working with, or is it on?, her anchors
I rather identified with Becky – she is an incredibly hard-working woman and absolutely dedicated to her job. Her job is her passion and her life, so much so that it consumes her. While I admittedly do not carry quite the equivalent level of passion for my profession, I understand what it is like to be consumed by responsibilities. She finds it difficult to balance her personal life, and often has trouble with dating because she’s married to her Blackberry and holds odd hours. Even when she meets a great man, working on a financial show at IBS, she continues to struggle with making enough time for him.
Becky is also incredibly driven. After being laid off from her job at the local news show, she wastes little time to lament. After her mother assures her that her dreams of The Today Show are too unrealistic now that she’s quickly approaching 30, and she should settle down, she launches an attack with her resume. (I hated her mother in the film, because what mother would console her daughter after being laid off by telling her that she cannot achieve her biggest dream in life? Just horrible. Even if she was approaching 30, she should have continued to support her daughter, no matter what.) But regardless, Becky pushes on, secures an apartment with a newspaper and a cell phone while traveling on the Staten Island Ferry, and gets a new job quickly. You have to admire her tenacity about getting a new job. While I don’t necessary agree with bombarding one person with your resume until they agree to meet with you, she had the courage and, well, the balls to go get what she wanted. And I commend that.
Once in the work place, she showed wisdom beyond her years. As her new employees threw questions at her, she made sound decisions without breaking a sweat. She promptly fired the creepy co-host and brought on a rather unwilling Mike Pomeroy. She saved the show from cancellation, and made herself and her career successful in the process.
Mike Pomeroy, on the other hand, is an interesting character. He joins Daybreak because of his contract with IBS – it’s worth millions and will be forfeited if he doesn’t appear on television. He is in it for the money, and acts superior and curmudgeonly throughout a majority of the film. His huge contrast to the young Becky did have me thinking about generational divides – can our seasoned career veterans take their duties less seriously because they’ve paid their dues? Especially if they’re only doing it for the money? Becky would not have gotten anywhere if she carried the same attitude. While Becky’s drive is likely ingrained into her personality and less a symptom of her generation, we up-and-comers do need to show this sort of attitude in order to move up. While there will always be people who move up because of their connections, hard work is still absolutely important.
For once, we get to see a successful woman who earns her success through talent, hard work and drive, instead of getting ahead with the wrong criteria. She crosses generations, and even moves Pomeroy into doing his job well. Becky is a game changer on Daybreak, and I applaud the film for showing a strong female character who grows her own power without being too sexy or bitchy, but just an average incredibly hard-working twentysomething with dreams and aspirations.
If you saw Morning Glory, how did you feel it portrayed young (and old) professionals in the workplace?
Falling Feet First 