Little Miss...

Little Miss done on love,
Little Miss I give up,
Little Miss I'll get tough, don't you worry 'bout me anymore

Little Miss checkered dress,
Little Miss one big mess,
Little Miss I'll take less when I always knew so much more

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
Yeah, sometimes ya gotta lose 'til ya win,
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
It'll be alright again, it'll be alright again

I'm okay, It'll be alright again, I'm okay (okay) It'll be alright again, I'm okay

Little Miss do your best,
Little Miss never rest,
Little Miss, be my guest, I'll make more anytime it runs out

Little Miss you'll go far,
Little Miss hide your scars,
Little Miss who you are is so much more than you like to talk about

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
Yeah, sometimes ya gotta lose 'til ya win,
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
It'll be alright again, it'll be alright again,
I'm okay, It'll be alright again, I'm okay (okay) It'll be alright again, I'm okay

Hold on, hold on, you are loved, are loved

Little Miss brand new start,
Little Miss do your part,
Little Miss big ole heart beats wide open, she's ready now for love

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
Yeah, sometimes ya gotta lose 'til ya win,
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
It'll be alright again, it'll be alright again
I'm okay, It'll be alright again, I'm okay (okay) It'll be alright again, I'm okay,
It'll be alright again

~Little Miss, Sugarland

Absolute favorite song of the moment. What woman doesn't feel like this?

The past year (and a half...two years, okay maybe 10) has been especially challenging. I have taken on too much. I have succeeded. I have failed. I have not always been the best friend (I have started making notes to remind me to make phone dates, sad...). I have tried to be a great friend. And I've been burned. And I've especially learned that the old saying "Those who gossip TO you will also gossip ABOUT you" is certainly VERY true.

The constant struggle of being involved, being present, being dependable, and being "everything to everyone" is overwhelming. I woke up feeling it more today than I do most days.

At least it's Wednesday! Half way there!

In other news, the sky is blue....

Another Yahoo! article -

A new study of 3,000 women conducted by Superdrug found that one in three women refuse to go out in public without wearing makeup. As in, they can't even run out to the grocery store or to pick up their kid without makeup on. Really? Nearly half of all women say they prefer to wear cosmetics than to show their bare face. But what's the most shocking of all: one in ten women polled said they would never ever let their partner see them without a full face of makeup on.

As a girl with freckles (eww) and NO eyebrows, I dare to ask: Are there women who actually leave the house WITHOUT makeup? Not to sound like Elle Woods, but taking care of yourself is key.

I'm just sayin'!

It's time to get educated, y'all.

I came across this article on Yahoo! today, which backs my theory that it is far too easy to obtain a college degree these days.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110118/ap_on_re_us/us_college_learning

The article refers to the "academically adrift" students of today, stating that nearly 45% of 2300 students who participated in the study showed "no significant improvement in the key measures of critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing by the end of their sophomore years."

Not only does the college experience provide "limited learning" for many, but also limited skills. There are many students and recent grads who are unable to articulate, unable to pick up a telephone and place a call without sounding like a train wreck (it's easier to hide behind email!), and unaware of how to carry themselves in professional settings. Their (or is it there? just kidding) writing skills are pathetic and heaven help if they have to *gasp* give a presentation.

Should colleges and universities be made responsible for producing a capable workforce? Or is it up to colleges and universities to weed out the students who do not demonstrate academic performance? Has it really become this easy to just coast through the system?


Am I a trader to my generation? Perhaps.

A few notes related to the post-college world of job hunting and career climbing...

1) A college degree will never, ever be worthless. The person holding the credential holds the key to success, or lack thereof.

2) It is completely necessary to conform. Don't like the rule about wearing a black suit to the first job interview? Get over it. Your mother is the only one who appreciates your "uniqueness." Everyone else expects you to fit in.

3) Having an entitlement attitude will get you nowhere fast. The world doesn't owe you crap -- college degree or not.

Whew. Thanks, Yahoo!, for afternoon provocation.