Thanks to my cycling coach, Bryce Walsh, Rusty Speidel and I decided to join #30daysofbiking this past Sunday.
The weather was perfect and it was a great start to my season. I even started on my cycling tan (which I love except when I have to put on a strapless dress. Then it’s pretty ugly).
But now the weather sucks again and I’m back on the trainer. Because I am on only day seven. And, while it’s completely on the honor system, I just can’t pretend I rode when I didn’t.
Come on spring! You can do it. I know you can! The trainer sucks. The big one.
If you’re outside full-time by now, I don’t want to hear it.
But I do want to hear about your week and what you think of the following stories.
5. Revenge of the Nerds. I’m a nerd, at heart. I may not have a pocket protector or take holding my glasses together, but I’m definitely a geek. That’s why I love stories like this one. The Mental Floss blog has seven stories about how geeks got even with people who stole their devices. I mean, who takes photos of themselves with a stolen phone and emails them from the same device? Morons. That’s who.
4. Want Fries With that Ring? I’m not sure how I missed this before, but they were talking about it on the news this morning. That’s right. You can now get married at McDonald’s. Dead. Serious.
3. The Great Myth of Work/Life Balance. I. Love. This. Story. It not only talks about this whole notion of work/life balance, but about the entitlement our society (especially Americans) have about everything we deserve. It’s a bit sarcastic, which makes me like it even more.
2. Do You Make Your English Teacher Cringe? If so, you definitely make me cringe. There are some great tips in here for making yourself a better writer. I’d add: Read your content aloud before publishing. It’s amazing what you find that way.
1. Twitter Identity Theft. Yep. You didn’t think you’d have to be concerned about someone stealing your mascot’s identity and pretending to be them on Twitter, did you? Think again! This AdAge story has examples of at least 11 mascots who tweet, but aren’t associated with the companies. Funny and scary…all at once.
The myth of the work/life balance? WTH? We have to work more than 35hrs a week and take less than 5 weeks paid leave a year ? i’m in France remember.
“Some people, as you may already know, need to do the thankless jobs,” Its quite sad way at looking at life. Often true but sad.
I do agree with her about the fact that a large portion of society has been brought up in front of TV thinking they will live in an MTV Crib and should follow their passion and quit their 9-5.
It simply doesn’t work like that.
I always say that what matters is not to find your passion but find out who you are. There is a big difference there.
I have a passion for cycling but I will never be Lance, and make a living out of it. We are much more than our passions
5.) LOVE the sexy dance moves….Yikes
4.) Really? McDonalds? I’m all for simple and meaningful weddings but…McDonalds? The smell of rancid french fry oil wafting through the air….ewww…
3.) I struggled with this one…my Pollyanna-ish side SO wants to believe that we should live our passions…and further…that we CAN…discuss
2.) I am passionate (see #3) about spelling and fairly accurate grammar so this one was preaching to the choir
1.) I’m beating up people that want to steal my brand identity all of the time….my brand is THAT much in demand (I wish) Okay so maybe I’m just PREPARED to beat up anyone that tries to steal my brand identity 😉
Have I told you lately how much Gin and Topics rocks??? Consider yourself told. xo
5.) LOVE the sexy dance moves….Yikes
4.) Really? McDonalds? I’m all for simple and meaningful weddings but…McDonalds? The smell of rancid french fry oil wafting through the air….ewww…
3.) I struggled with this one…my Pollyanna-ish side SO wants to believe that we should live our passions…and further…that we CAN…discuss
2.) I am passionate (see #3) about spelling and fairly accurate grammar so this one was preaching to the choir
1.) I’m beating up people that want to steal my brand identity all of the time….my brand is THAT much in demand (I wish) Okay so maybe I’m just PREPARED to beat up anyone that tries to steal my brand identity 😉
Have I told you lately how much Gin and Topics rocks??? Consider yourself told. xo
Thanks for the list. I think Jeanette nailed many points in her Work/Life Balance article, but I also think someone stole her follow-your-passion-teddy-bear when she was a kid and now she might be a bit bitter. I do understand where she’s coming from but I agree with John’s comment that it is a sad way to live life.
Sorry, I got stuck on “getting married at McDonalds”… Umm…
5. I LOVE tales of stupid criminals. Being foiled by nerds with tech is even better.
4. Coco Wong. YES- made my day- who needs hooky?
3. Wow. That pissed me off. I get the gist and I’m all for hard work, but when we have been sold the “america dream” of doing better than our ancestors for 200 years, giving it to people on the chin… not nice… guess that is the recession talking huh?
2. why can’t we write? we don’t read: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/books/review/excerpt-the-use-and-abuse-of-literature-by-marjorie-garber.html
1. as someone who ran a fake id (can’t divulge), brands do need to be scared
@johnfalchetto Well, too bad for you. Because *I* will be Lance! I’ll be the first woman allowed in the Tour.
@ParkRidgeDDS You need a mascot. THEN people will steal it. Heck! I’ll steal it. I mean, I don’t know who will steal it.
@KevinVandever Stole her “follow-your-passion-teddy-bear.” HAHAHAHA! LOL! BTW. Very funny photo for the contest entry. Your poor mom, though.
@RicardoBueno Right?! Can you imagine? That takes box wine and beer weddings to an entirely new level.
@faybiz OMG! You are KILLING me!! You ran a fake ID?! Was it Don Draper? Come on! You can tell me! I won’t tell anyone. I PROMISE!
My handle would be revenge of the dork, but don’t tell anyone because everybody thinks I’m really cool.
Wedding in McDonalds………….lovely; what was the movie where the Black Swan actress had a baby and got married in Wal-Mart?
Work balance, hah; yes, you better love your job. And you are better off making your passion in doing a ‘good’ job; be the best you can be.
I was pretty much invisible to my English teacher; whereas you were off the charts smart, I was off the charts ambivalent (I threw that word in there to impress you…..). For various reasons I was totally disengaged. Fortunately, 3 years of the Army let me know what I didn’t want to do the rest of my life and when I did get back to school it was like I had died and gone to heaven; I couldn’t believe what a big stupid I had been in high school.
Even though I don’t have a brand, now that I’m blowing up in the social media world I have noticed how everyone wants to be me. It’s a little irritating at times, especially when they post snarky stuff, but I guess bad PR is better than no PR at all, huh?
Ok, that’s as clever as I can get today. My office had their 70 yr anniv today and we had a picnic……OUTSIDE………in case you were wondering…………:). I helped set up and cook and of even though it was on our property, who can have a cook-out w/out a cold beer to two, huh?
Have a great weekend.
B
I’ll tell you the story off line
haha at the Twitter Identity Theft.
@bdorman264 The Black Swan actress?! Natalie Portman?? So my next question was going to be, “Did you have some beer before writing this,” but I see my question has been answered. Do me a favor, though? Remember us little people when you’re too big for your britches.
@bdorman264 The Black Swan actress?! Natalie Portman?? So my next question was going to be, “Did you have some beer before writing this,” but I see my question has been answered. Do me a favor, though? Remember us little people when you’re too big for your britches.
@bdorman264 The Black Swan actress?! Natalie Portman?? So my next question was going to be, “Did you have some beer before writing this,” but I see my question has been answered. Do me a favor, though? Remember us little people when you’re too big for your britches.
@dino_dogan Isn’t that crazy? Makes me want to see if Hello Kitty is taken. Damn. It is. How about Cabbage Patch Dolls? Ding! Ding! Ding!
@ginidietrich @bdorman264 The movie Where the Heart Is. Fiance drops her off at a WalMart parking lot and takes off.
@AbbieF @bdorman264 I didn’t see that. Maybe JB and I will find it On Demand tonight.
Today’s resolution: “Find an editorial buddy.”
Thanks for the post and keep riding!
Don
@donkincaid I loved that, too!
@ginidietrich @AbbieF Yeah, Natalie Portman……..didn’t she just win something…….:). Where the Heart Is is a chick flick, but I liked it. I like the ones where it seems the couple is destined to never get together, but of course they do.
Of course same premise but I liked Matrix and Bourne Identity better……
Loved the Revenge of the Nerds. Some people are just not that bright. Loved that the one thief’s dance moves were broadcast over the internet!
A McWedding, no thanks! Yuck!
Loved Jeanette’s cynicism in Work/Life Balance. I think i will always look forward to some new project or learning experience. But perhaps I should shut down the computer now and go spend time with my kids?
Gini, loved your tip on writing to read the content aloud. Despite doing multiple edits, (waiting at least a day to do the final edit is my tip!), I have not utilized your tip! Do I even need to read the blog post? Ok, the post did offer some good tips! My hubby is me editorial buddy when he has time. He is the better writer, much funnier than I, not certain why I have the blog!
Did not know that about Twitter and people using brand names… Interesting!
Thanks for some good Gin!
Rajka
@ginidietrich @johnfalchetto Go Gini, Go!!!!
@johnfalchetto Or maybe we can be realistic with all of those passions that burn inside of us and taste of them all.
Some passions we master and some just keep us dreaming, striving and reaching for the stars : )
If Gini put her mind to it, I’m certain she could turn the Tour on its ear — and not only be the first woman to race in it, but win it 😛
If only I’d gotten on the bike before my 30s. You’d be right then, Mark.
I love the Work/Life Balance article! Thank you Gini!
I’m so behind! You’re welcome. 🙂
<i>If you’re outside full-time by now, I don’t want to hear it.</i>
No problem. In LA we don’t have to say by now because we have beautiful weather year round. It is even better because we have the ultimate work/life balance.
Movie stars walk our streets and hand out thousand dollar bills to the strangers enabling us all to work part time so that we can spend the rest of our day hanging out at the beach or lounging at the pool.
It gets even better because while we lounge at the pool we spend time on our smartphones using fake Twitter profiles. I tweet as Mel the Chef on Alice (who knew that someone would pretend to be Vic Tayback), and three other personalities from the ’70s. 😉
Hi Gini ,
I really identify with #5 (revenge of the nerds), I left a note to myself on my computer “remember to duct tape the safety pin” (it’s a long story). My wife read the note, emailed to her friends on a list serve and they are having t-shirts printed with my little note to myself. Isn’t anything sacred these days.
Riley
Love the work/life balance one. That’s one I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately, partly because I work from home, but also because as I work with clients and their Social Media, they have a lot of questions about time commitment and also how quickly they need to respond, especially in off hours. Things are changing big time.
@ExpatDoctorMom The Revenge of the Nerds one makes me laugh. There are some really moronic people out there!
@TheJackB LOL! BRAT!!!
@Rileyhar No, nothing is sacred….and that’s REALLY funny!!
@KenMueller Things are changing big time, but I think people are also still really respectful of “off” hours…unless they’re panicked. My only expectation is that no one ask me to do work for them over the weekend. If I do it, it’s because I have to catch up; not because someone expects it.
G’Day Gini,
Just loved the Work/Life Balance piece. I heard a 90 year old interviewed on the radio recently. He works full time for a large Australian company.
“Why are you still working?” asked the 30something interviewer.
“Well,” replied the 90 year old, “I retired at 65 but they phoned me one day and asked me if I could come in and help out for a while. I’m still there.”
“But you’re 90 years old. Why do you do it?” the interviewer persisted.
“It keeps me alive!” replied the 90 year old.
[…] I say ‘I hope not.” That would have really mucked up my damn weekend. I already told Gini that the weather here is perfect and I want to be able to lord that over her and everyone else who […]
@Leon I can imagine there are a lot of us who will feel that way at 90. My grandfather is 88 and he plays a full round of golf every day. He walks the entire course. He’s never taken a cart. He looks like he’s maybe 65.
The work/life MYTH piece was my first click. Interesting read and tough perspective with which I kinda agree. It is a myth, not everyone can or should ‘follow’ their passions as light bills still have to be paid somehow. Anyway, thanks for the list.
We agree on Work-Life-Balance. I find if I substitute the word “equilibrium” for “balance,” there is a connotation of calmness and stability. Another issue is conscious change v. reactive change. The more we make choices rather than react to circumstances, the more we retain our personal power. MC
[…] Dietrich has dubbed her Friday weekly Gin and Topics, and includes a post on the Mythical Work-Life Balance. And IIRC twas she who introducte me to Lisa […]
Hi, Gini,
Thanks for the mention on English teacher cringing!
I just subscribed to your blog. The humor is delightful.
Regards,
Michelle Cubas
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