Sunday, December 26, 2010

Annex

I may have forgotten to mention that sacrifice in relation to material goods also teaches traditional values such as discipline and living within one's means and so on and so forth..

Carry on. 

Without Values, What's Left?

The New Year brings a ridiculously natural amount of discussion regarding change. 
"This year I'm finally going to lose that 15 pounds I've had on since freshmen year of college 7 years ago.." 
"This year I'm finally going to get a new fabulous j-o-b where I get to wear hot little work numbers and come home with free swag."
"This year I'm finally going to put myself out there [without putting out to soon] and meet the man of my wholesome dreams!"

I'm pretty sure the top resolutions deal with weight loss, career change, and relationships..so we are going to assume that i'm correctomundo.  It seems logical.

I wonder how many people actually have the stick-to-it-ness to make those changes happen?  I'm sure the odds aren't on the side of the masses..or there would probably be a new name for resolutions like umm yea umm "all in a day's work plans"..[give me a break, it's hard to be witty on a moment't notice, not to slow down the momentum].

I would have to argue that in order to actually make your "dreams" come true, it requires a certain amount of sacrifice- and since I am quite sure that 2011 is my year of successfull dream acquisition - my first sacrifical decree is the giving up of shopping for a period of approximately 5 months.  Yes, shopping ::hold for gasps::  I happen to love shopping with a passion that I hold only for obsessions and addictive behavior.  See my love of shopping stems from a childhood of being un-coordinated and I would consider it a coping mechanism.  Even now after many successful year of dressing myself in outfits that most definitely match, I still consider fashion to be somewhat of an Achilles' heal for me - a constant point of contension for my inner-self.

I hope to accomplish two things with this particular decision:
1)  A boost of my self-confidence:  Repeat to self "You don't need new clothes to look good, you have more than enough - look at your closet, it now wraps halfway around the room!"
2)  A boost in my savings account:  Let's face it, we're in a recession and my shopping addiction adds up..   

Plus, imagine the time I can save.  It's like a free bonus! 

Of course, there are rules --
1) Shopping for other people (i.e. birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) completely acceptable [best done online to avoid actual contact with the other merchandise - sites that offer free shipping preferable]
2) Shopping for food and other household necessities (i.e. hygenic) ALWAYS allowed [a sacrifice should never result in odor ::crosses fingers::]
3) This shopping hiatus will run from January 10, 2011 - May 4, 2011 [roughly the length of my Spring semester..although finals are the next week, so don't expect a mad rush to the mall..]
4) One "pass" a month [one item..I imagine a corkboard of all the choices being compiled in the corner of my room]
5) If someone else buys it without my knowledge and/or money..doesn't count [kind of like a "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" scenario]

I predict a severe increase in contest/giveaway/sweepstakes entries over the next 5 months.  Feel free to leave a comment re: best ones to enter! 

However, for the next week..let's just say it's a good thing I paid off all my credit cards. 

Good Tidings! 

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Pocket-Sized Dreams Expand

With 2010 coming to an end, I suppose 'contemplation' is an overused concept this time of the year.  So many questions rolling around the portion of the brain that thrives on existentialism


In an attempt to be more of a functioning 25 year-old and all around more successful, I have decided to indulge in my own sort of social experiment/conditioning.  Yes, this is probably just a fancy way of saying "I'm totally going to rock my New Year's resolutions this year"  [complete with pom poms]. Umm yea..


Publicly successful people often perpetuate the myth that anyone can accomplish their dreams if they try hard enough, I don't believe that.  Some things are just unrealistic [thus a myth].  No your child is not going to be the President of the United States [well, most likely not] no matter how many times he/she watches that one movie where the average Joe makes it to the White House, not everyone can function on 4 hours of sleep like Martha Stewart and Madonna even with mass quantities of Starbucks [even though it contains higher amounts of caffeine than other brands..and tastes yummy!], and some personalities are not meant to be in customer service..


Instead of spending the next week, 'contemplating' how this year was everything my little big heart could desire or dwelling over the inevitable shortfalls, it's time to come up with a plan of attack because after all as the wise Leonard Berstein [successful man] said "“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” [and since I happen to believe in sleeping at least 7 hours a night, the second seems apparent] 


The "plan" still needs some tweeking, so stay tuned - it's going to be epic.

Friday, December 10, 2010

BFF

"You ever look at a picture of yourself and see a stranger in the background? It makes you wonder how many strangers have pictures of you, how many moments of other peoples lives have we been in, we're we a part of someone's life when their dreams came true, or were we there when their dreams died. Did we keep trying to get in, as if we were somehow destined to be there, or did the shot take us by surprise. Just think, you could be a big part of someone else's life, and not even know it."

What if these people in your photographs aren't strangers?  Imagine instead they are people from your past.  When you look at those pictures do you ever feel a tinge of emotion?  A modicrum of pain?

Historically, people lived in the same community most of their lives - I suppose this is still true in many countries, but the expanded mobility of people is most obvious in contemporary society.  We no longer live in the same area for are entire life, or even an expanded period of time once we reach adulthood.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau it is "estimated that a person in the United States can expect to move 11.7 times in their lifetime."  What effect does this have on relationships? 

Social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and Skype allow communication to be more convenient - but of the massive amount of people that you interact with on a social level throughout your life is this enough to keep those ties intact?  Even with the ease of communication abilities, busy lifestyles limit the number of people you can effectively remain "close" with - and this doesn't account for the other reasons people grow apart.

Thus the term "friends forever" seems to be duplicitous in nature - but you know what they say "tricks are for kids."

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Pink

I've been refreshing my blogger for the past 5 minutes trying to load the stats for my blog (i.e. views, blah, blah, etc.)  and it occured to me that maybe this is a response to my lack of recent posts.  Perhaps, blogger has set consequences for being too lazy to blog?  Or I guess this could just mean the server is running amuck?  Although, if the first is the reason, I would be forced to retort that lazy I have not been.  Swamped might be a better term - to swamped to be creative enough to be witty..or bitter. 

A year ago some poor smuck in the admissions office had the poor luck to receive my application to grad school - inspiring essay, great work experience, awesome extracurricular undergrad activites..not so hot g.p.a. is putting it mildly  yet this unlucky himshe stamped yes on the front of the folder 'ACCEPTED' and then I imagine cringed.  I picture himshe holding that folder in their hands and repreating the phrase "holy shit, holy shit - please don't let this girl fuck this up".  

Well it's been a year and that himshe deserves a raise.   

Friday, December 3, 2010

13 Stars

Sooooo ::rolls eyes up to the left::  It's been a while ::insert creepy smile complete with eyebrow lifts::

I've been off experiencing what is commonly known as "writers block" dunt dunt du ::gasp:: being inaccessible in the blogosphere [but still tweeting my random thoughts in smaller doses - follow me @ellaBronx..]  this phenomenom has made me think - what would a missing poster on the side of a milk carton look like for someone missing in cyberspace?

Missing!
Psuedo name: Ellesperling
Height:  Her profile picture is pretty small so possibly a midget sized torso
Weight:  If the camera adds 10 pounds, possibly slender
Hair Color:  Dark Brown - unless she dyes it, then possibly any color
Defining Features: Based on her blog -snarkey attitude, chronic sarcasm, regular gasping, AND eternal sunshine ("glow")
Last Seen: Never
Last Wearing: Uknown
Reward:  Not Offered
If found, please return to http://www.elle-sperling.blogspot.com/

Enticing, I'm sure.