Nepotism

Warning: This post will include rants, foul language, and a sense of sarcasm and possibly a sense of entitlement. Proceed with caution.

Nepotism- n. the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.


I am tired. More than tired, I am fed up with all the bullshit that goes around in the job market. Four rejection letters in as many days from places who list their requirements for job listing as simply being over eighteen, or having a high school diploma. I have even interviewed for a position, and received a generic "Thank you for your interest" email that did not even include my name.

Let me tell you a story about a job a friend and I both applied for. His father was drinking buddies with the manager of the place in question, but he had no work experience, was still in high school. Me, I have some college, and volunteer experience. Guess who was offered the job? Not me. This is a prime example of nepotism in the workplace.

I have been hunting for a job for almost two years now, and in all that time, I have only been offered a single job, which I felt I needed to turn down because of the nature of the position. I did not feel safe performing the job offered. Moreover, the interviewer had spent the entire time staring at my breasts. And you want to know the sad part? Another friend of mine recommended me for the job.

Everyone tells me I can always go back to college, to get my degree, but it won't help. I know it won't. When McDonald's tells you that you aren't qualified to flip burgers all day, something in you just knows that it's not you that's the problem. It's the system. It's not what you can do. It's who you know. Guess what, though? I'm sick of it. There reaches a point when it's time to say enough is enough. That point is today.

Today, I make a vow... We can end nepotism. It won't happen overnight, or even over the next year, but we can end it. Together. How? Simple. Don't let them push you around. Don't let them push you away. If you're an employer, don't hire someone just because you know them. Hire them because they're qualified for the position and because you think they'll do a good job in the position. If you're looking, don't jump at the job your friend offers you simply because he's your friend. Unless we work together, we will not be able to end this favoritism that plagues us.

Insanity or Brilliance?

Wow, it's been awhile since I've had the time to actually sit down and write a blog post. It's been awhile since I've had the time to do much of anything, actually. My time may become even more scarce, though. I've either had a stroke of brilliance, or I'm suffering from insanity.

I'm working on starting my own business. Right now, all I have is an idea, and the hope for a future, but I know there's a market out there for what I want to do,, and I hope that it all falls in line with everything else that I want to do with my life. How in the world I'm going to balance this and training to be a dance instructor, I don't know. Hell, how I'm going to do this with no business knowledge at all, I have no clue. All I can do is hope for the best, and hope that I can do everything I need to do...

Thankfulness

November is a month of thanks for many Americans, as we celebrate the day that history remembers that Native Americans didn't let white settlers die of starvation by helping them farm the land. Despite the potential for quite a bit of controversy in the origins of the holiday, the spirit is something I feel that we all need a little more of in our lives. With the invention of social networks, people tend to spend the month of November posting thirty things that they are grateful for. I decided that perhaps a better way to do it was this, a simple blog post about the things I'm most grateful for in my life.

1. I am thankful for my parents and their trust in me. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be able to pursue my dreams in the States. I wouldn't be so close to having my teaching certification and a job doing something I love.
2. I am incredibly thankful for my boyfriend. He's been my best friend for a long time, but to know that I continue to have his support means the world to me. I would have given up on a couple of dreams a long time ago if it weren't for him.
3. I am grateful for my mentor, who continues to push me to do the best I can, even when I'm having a rough day. He knows that I need the extra kick in the butt sometimes, and he definitely gives it to me. He's also become a second father to me, looking out for me when I let him.
4. I am so thankful for my friends and their parents. When my family left last year, I was stubborn and didn't like to ask people for help. Despite that, though, these people helped me, took me in, and really made sure that I was doing everything I needed to survive.
5. I am grateful for my puppy. Although Monster is quite a large puppy, she's still a puppy, and she loves me unconditionally. We occasionally have moments when I have to yell at her, but those are few and far between. In the end, I know that she loves me and she knows that I love her.
6. I am thankful for my dance partners. Whether they're simply social partners, or we're gearing up for performances and competitions, I have some amazing friends in these talented people. Without them, I would be only half the dancer that I am.
7. I am thankful for books. Books are worlds in which I can escape for a time. Whether it is as a writer or a reader of said books, they're always there when I need away.
8. I am grateful for my friends who have elected to go into the Army or the Air Force. A lot of us met that way, and managed to keep in touch. Knowing that they followed in their parents' footsteps and are serving this country means a lot to me. They work hard so I can sit on my butt all day and write.
9. I am thankful for cookies. What's life without a good dessert? It's the little things in life that make it what it is. Without cookies, life would be a lot less sweet.
10. I am grateful for all of you who are reading this. I don't know who you are, or what you do, but that you read my babbling means a lot. So, thank you.

On Inspiration and Motivation

Funny how little things tend to cause everything to seem as though it's spiraling out of control. Two months ago, I would have thought everything would be perfect by now. After all, I've officially been nineteen for a week. They always say things will get better, but when is always the question.

Of late, life has been a rollercoaster of things that tend to drive me insane, in both good and bad ways. There are people I wouldn't trade for the world, things I've done that I would do again in an instant, and then there are also the minor regrets, though those are few and far between. Still, it feels as though something's missing. It drives me insane to sit in front of the computer for hours and only be able to type out a paragraph at most.

Losing the motivation to write is the hardest thing for a writer. I have so much that must be done, so many words that need to be put to paper, but I can't seem to get them out. It's not for lack of trying, either. My devoted boyfriend tells me to write every day. Typically, the only writing I get done is a few tweets, and, if I'm lucky, a couple of ideas for a vlog that I'll put off for another week because I haven't cleaned.

What's worse is the feeling in the pit of my stomach when I'm not writing. It's as though my characters are trying to claw their way out, but they can't seem to get there. The words build up, and it drives me insane.

It's not for lack of inspiration, either. I have inspiration in every moment of my life. From the way my boyfriend looks at me at breakfast when I'm not all the way awake and he couldn't care less about my messy hair to the way the sun comes through the windows of the studio, lighting it up and making me want to dance until my feet hurt (a regular occurrence lately, with preparing for pro training next month), inspiration is in abundance.

All I can do is push forward and hope my motivation returns, though time will be in short supply come November.

Arty Gets a Movie

Remember how last year I was going on about the Artemis Fowl movie and how it was stuck in production hell? Guess who got out?! That's right. They officially announced they were moving forward with the Artemis Fowl movie. As such, I think it's time to update my dream team for the cast of the movie.

Here's what we currently know about it before I get started:

• Disney is making it.
• Robert de Niro is producing
• Michael Goldenberg is writing the script.

Now that that's out of the way, keep that in mind as I take a stab at casting who I would if I was directing it.

1. Artemis Fowl
   It's hard to figure out an actor for the title role. People have mentioned Asa Butterfield as the boy genius, but my only fear with that is he's a little old for the role, though he certainly looks like Arty. When we first meet Artemis Fowl, he's supposed to be twelve. Asa is sixteen. Could be worse, though.
2. Butler
   I stand by my earlier dream casting here, with Jason Statham. Who else could kick butt and still win our hearts? Need more reasons? Just look at everything else he's done.
3. Foaly
   I'm still all on board for Steve Coogan to take the role of Foaly, though I'd also be happy with David Tennant, Justin Bartha, or Peter Capaldi in the role, though I doubt they'll cast Peter due to his recent casting in Doctor Who.
4. Holly
   I have so many issues finding a Holly in my mind, because I see her in my mind as Holly as she's written. Whoever they cast will have large wings to fill...
5. Mulch
   I'm still saying Lee Arenberg, though Jack Black has been mentioned as a potential. I would rather see Lee in the role, simply because I love him to death and he's a very underrated actor.
6. Juliet Butler
   Is it sad that I'm calling either Elle Fanning or Chloë Grace Moretz for Juliet? They both have the abilities, and the looks to pull it off. I would be happy with either, and if neither of them are cast, then I'll be judging so very hard.
7. Commander Root
   This has been one that's bugged me for months, and I'm finally calling it for either J.K Simmons or Anthony Hopkins. They're both men of incredible acting abilities and to play Root, you have to be tougher than tough. They can do it.

That's all for now, loves!

Losing Myself

So, I'm realizing that I'm getting terrible at keeping a blog. My Tumblr is doing great, but that's only because it's not really meant for long blog posts, though I've posted a few of those as well.

Quite a bit has happened in the month since I last said howdy to you lot. I've been struggling to write as much as I need to for Camp NaNoWriMo. Thankfully, I don't really have much of a social life anymore to get in my way. It's just dancing and volunteering that have stopped me from being ahead. Well, that and my own mind. I'm working on three different projects this month, which is a bit more of a struggle than it really ought to be.

I realized a couple of days ago that in all the rush and craziness of my everyday life, I've started to lose track of what's important to me. I've been so worried about if I'll be able to do everything that everyone else wants me to do that I forgot that my own dreams need to come first. Between my dancing and my writing, I know what I want to do with my life. Everyone else has other plans for me, though.

Go to college, get a real job, don't waste your time on such trivial pursuits. I hear this all the time, and the constant barrage makes me wonder if I'm making the right decisions by following my dreams. Sure, I intend to go back to college and get my degree, but the timing is off. I know I'm capable of handling the workload, but it means I'll be losing every bit of a social life I've managed to gain. And yes, school is important. I'm not denying that, or the fact that I miss it, but I'm in no rush to go back just yet. I left for a reason. I needed to find myself.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I'm going to have to make some tough decisions in the near future. I've got my whole life ahead of me to do some things, but other things... they're within my reach and there's no point in not going after them. If I let my dreams slip away, I'll only be losing myself.

The Creative Mind

Recently, I realized I have a bit of a problem. My mind is always working and it never stops. It makes focusing on a single project very difficult. I've been trying to find a way to finish my novels and yet... there are too many things that call me away from them. Well, it's time to buckle down and finish something else. It has to happen, otherwise, I'm going to lose my mind.

Here's a quick outline of next week and how I plan on using it to complete another novel before the end of July so I can actually get it published.

• June 15: Cleaning, character development, locating old manuscripts that could use some polishing.
• June 16: Hanging out with the boyfriend and getting him to read an old manuscript if he's willing.
• June 17: Dance, writing 2000 words.
• June 18: Writing, cleaning, filming this week's main YouTube video.
• June 19: Calm before the storm. Time to practice for dance.
• June 20: Writing, cleaning, cooking, dance in the evening.
• June 21: Volunteering in the morning/early afternoon, writing/reading in the park, dance.
• June 22: Calm day, cleaning, maybe hanging out with the boyfriend.
• June 23: Monster's University, writing (hopefully), and practice time.

I don't think I have any time to breath, but that's alright. I'll manage.