Well done, Sister Suffragettes.

I salute you Susan B. Anthony. I salute you and all your fellow suffragettes. 90 years ago today, the 19th Amendment was passed, allowing all women to vote in the United States of America.

I don’t consider myself a feminist. At least not in the traditional or cliched vision of it. I am all in favor of shaving and wearing a bra. I do believe in Gloria Steinem. I believe in equality more than superiority. Race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, hair cut. We should all be afforded the same rights. And while we most decidedly and definitely are not (I’m talking to you California), 90 years ago a big step was made.

For the first time, women were acknowledged as having a right to be involved in this country. While the USA is still inherently a patriarchal society, whether we’d like to admit it or not, I am thrilled to be able to have my voice heard.

It may have taken 90 years, but it is because of Women’s Suffrage that the political landscape has widened.

Take a look at women in this country in recent years. Madeline Albright. Hilary Clinton. Sarah Palin. Now before you jump down my throat or out a window in distress about including Sarah Palin in that list, let me explain. These women have made headway for women in politics. Madeline Albright was (and is) brilliant. The latter two changed the United States presidential political process. No, they didn’t win, but they got closer than any woman has before.

The sad thing about this, that I must add, is that so many other countries have been led by women. Israel. Great Britain. Germany. It bothers me that Americans will hail this country as progressive and open and a superpower – but how can we socially be so far behind so many countries?

So while I am thrilled to have the right to vote, I can only hope that at some point in the not so distant future, our country will fully and completely enter the 21st century.

But to all the women I know, the suffragettes of 90 years ago still make me proud to be a woman.

Frothy Pop or Why I Don’t Listen to Britney Spears

This morning around 4 am, suddenly awoken by what I am sure was the past date Long Trail Belgian White I drank, I casually rolled over onto my remote to MTV AM. (Shocking, but MTV does still broadcast music videos. And at 4 am, N Sync serenaded me sweetly with “Pop.”) Do you remember N Sync? I do. I wish I didn’t, though.

This got me thinking. Britney Spears, perhaps the artist who ushered in the recent age of pop music, doesn’t particularly make good music. If you ran my low-alto three note range voice through auto-tune, I wouldn’t sound half bad either. Sex and music have always been tied together (Elvis’ hips. Amen.) But I still want music along with my visual of gyrating.

I like pop music. Much as this ruins my street cred, I adore Lily Allen. When she “retired” from the music business, I was devastated. I love her music and her voice and her unabashed confrontation of issues. Britney “sang” a thinly veiled song about threesomes, but Lily Allen wrote and sang a song called “Fuck You” — literally calling out people on being assholes.

I like my pop to be frothy and fun. And not overly processed. I don’t like auto-tune or want auto-tune. I want it to lift my spirits with its cheerful bounciness. I want to feel good when I plug myself into my iPod, not dirty and processed. (Miley Cyrus? Lollerskates.)

In addition to Lily Allen, my boyfriend got me into Swedish singer Annie. She’s got some processed beats, sure, but you can hear her voice. And it is so undeniably and adorably Swedish. (And I can say this with some authority, as I’m friends with an au pair who is undeniably and adorably Swedish.) Annie lifted my spirits today.

So, for those of you reading this, turn off Britney and Miley and all those Disney tweens. And listen to these:

You’re welcome.

Mama Grizzlies

This, if you didn’t know, is another Sarah Palin video.
I’m not writing this to make any political statements. Jon Stewart did it far better and far more eloquently than I ever could.

But I would like to say a thing or two about Mama Grizzly Bears.

1. They scare the living daylights out of me.
2. In the words of an anonymous source, “They fuck shit up.”

Because they’re BEARS. WILD BEARS. Wild bears are not your friends. You do not play catch with wild bears, you do not keep wild bears as pets or domesticate them in any way, and you do not eat wild bears. They will eat you first. And they won’t even pause to savor your flavor.

So I advise all of you – politician, man, woman, child, small and slow animal – stay away from the bears.

Sometimes I Pretend I’m Fashionable: The Jeans Edition

Crossposted on my tumblr.

When it comes to fashion, I’m the anti-couture I’ll tear through fashion magazines in awe, but always finish with a defeated, “Well I can’t wear that” and immediately throw on the nearest pair of jeans. (Usually on the floor. Secret’s out.)

Living perpetually in jeans of some variety of a beat up white Hanes v-neck is getting old. One’s early twenties are a time for self-expression, right? Or catharsis. Or scrimping funds, necessitating the jeans and t-shirt thing.

Slowly and surely I’m waking from my boring stupor and into another world of jeans and t-shirts fashion. I like to call it the “I Wish People at Work Would Stop Asking Me What High Shool I Go To” approach. I couldn’t ever part with my jeans. So what exactly can a girl do to look her age instead of a mid-pubescent frump?

Upon my recent acquisition of my first pair of “Favorite Boyfriend Jeans” from American Eagle, I had a moment. A sparkling fashion moment of mild genius. What can I wear boyfriend jeans with? Especially when they’re designed to look like I stole them from my boyfriend. And then it hit me, a beautiful, denim-scented epiphany. V-neck t-shirt (not Hanes), fitted blazer, boyfriend jeans, and Chuck Taylors. I was proud of this discovery, patted myself on my blazered back, and moved on.

This would be the end of my tale, a sense of fashion discovery from a fashion failure, but it’s not. (Lucky you!) I was casually clicking through my favorite gossip blogs and saw a snapshot of Jennifer Aniston strolling through LAX in boyfriend jeans, a blazer and a t-shirt. And dammit, if there’s any affirmation in this world, it’s affirmation from Jennifer Aniston. And so I closed my browser, with a strong sense of smug satisfaction. Truly this post is everything wrong with the blogging world, structured basically to tell you how awesome I am. But considering I usually blunder around in hoodies, I’m allowing it. It’s really more of a growing up tale, right? (Not at all.)

A Terrible Hiatus

Due to circumstances unknown (mainly: school, work, extra-curriculars, being a space cadet) I appear to have not updated my blog in nearly a year. While I do spend some time on my tumblr, it does not quite have the forum of Notes of Cheerful Calamity, wouldn’t you agree? So I have relaunched this tiny ship into the oblivion of the world wide web. Anyone have a champagne bottle?

Non Sequitors: Verb-ing Nouns

For those of you who know I used to be an English major, keep your mouth shut and don’t comment on my bastardization of the English language. Just don’t. (Please?)

To verb a noun. What does that mean? Why would you destroy grammar in such a terrible fashion? Here’s why – because it’s hilarious. Not only is it hilarious, it can bring a new level of descriptiveness to a feeling or an event.
The first noun I ever verb-ed is perennially my favorite. The noun I used was Charlie Brown. To describe the moment that I verb-ed this noun requires some embellishment, so enjoy the story. One day, a gray and drizzly day, the kind that frizzles the hair and dampens the soul, I sat staring with great melancholy out my window. I felt strange, sad, friendless, lonely and blue. I felt just like Charlie Brown.

And so, I was Charlie Brown-ing. It’s like bumming out, but with a much brighter t-shirt and a much rounder head. And it seems silly, but it really was the most accurate description for how I felt. The fact that Charlie Brown is despairingly pathetic is what endears us to him. (Although I doubt the mood I was in endeared me to anyone in the slightest.)

The more I thought about Charlie Brown, his persona and character, the more I realized that Charlie Brown is not just a feeling, Charlie Brown is an action. Charlie Brown disheartens those around him, he spreads his gloom. He sighs and bemoans his unrequited love of a redhead. Who can be happy around that? So, when I’m feeling particularly gloomy and have a perverse need to make others feel the same way, I Charlie Brown it. A happy, light hearted conversation? I Charlie Brown-ed that conversation.

As ludicrous an idea and concept as it may be, it makes sense, and it makes me smile.

What other nouns would you verb?

Non Sequitors: Unusual Fascinations

I have been called many things in life: weird, strange, freaky, unusual. Most of these stemmed from high school and middle school. The descriptions are quite true, but I like to describe it as delightfully quirky. Like the people in Vermont.

Prefacing with admitted quirkiness, I will now delve into this post.

Have you ever had an unusual fascination with something? An excellent example of this is the Chuck Norris phenomenon. Of course I was swept up in the wave of it my freshmen/sophomore years in college, but it faded fast. Let’s face it, kicking kittens and spandex, karate-capable jeans just aren’t my thing. My life requires a touch more class than that.

And so, last week, I discovered the classy replacement to Chuck Norris. Angela Lansbury. Yes, Angela Lanbsury. This classy broad not only solved murders with an Agatha Christie-like prowess, but she plotted the murder of public figures and wore princess hats in the ’40s with great finesse.

Angela Lansbury would never kick kittens, oh no. I like to think she would nurture kittens and raise them to full adulthood, with a lilting, perfect accent. And she would never wear spandex jeans. It’s all about neat, well-cut dresses for Ms. Lansbury.

I’d like to use this post to start a revolution. Ladies, let’s look up to Angela. She’s all class. She’s all class and will continue to be all class.

I’m making my new mantra: What would Angela Lansbury do? You should, too.

Sad Songs – Titled Inspired by the Frames

Before I start this post I’d like to give a huge shout out and thank you to the folks at General Motors who supported the heck out of my last post. It means so much to me.

Now, onto business!

At nearly 22 years old, I was recently the recipient of my very first broken heart. Ah yes, my first one. Oh, the perils of youth. Moving on! Music is often my refuge in painful situations, but I have discovered that some music rubs salt in the wound. And I don’t mean cooking salt, I mean rock salt. Or ice-melting salt. Or a sick combination of the two.

So with my reasonably extensive knowledge of music, and frequent recent music choice fails, I have compiled a brief list of music to be avoided for those of you in similar situations.

1. 80% of any songs by Stars.
2. Avoid the Frames at all costs.
3. The Smiths can be taken in small doses. Pick songs at your discretion.
4. Death Cab for Cutie songs are frequently a poor choice.
5. Coldplay. But honestly, you shouldn’t be listening to Coldplay anyway.
6. The Cure. That’s an obvious one.
7. Any Simon & Garfunkel songs with a woman’s name in the title. Or angst-induced melancholy.
8. Mindless Self Indulgence. The music may be crap, but it will also bring you to the anger stage of grief far faster than you’d like. Also, will exponentially increase the level of said anger.
9. Anything by She & Him. Especially “Sentimental Heart.”
10. Happy music. It will make you bitter.

So, you may ask, if happy music is banned entirely, what do you suggest?
Well, that’s easy.
Put in your ear buds (because they bring the music most directly) and play The Misfits. No, don’t play the Misfits. Blast The Misfits. Rattle your eardrums. Listening to The Misfits renders your brain completely incapable of any thought (and I mean that in a positive way). The music is too fast and too loud to think about anything else.

This is my musical cure. If your ears start ringing, turn the music down. If your eardrums start bleeding, go see a doctor.

General Motors Product/Technology Event: 10 Aug 09

Courtesy of www.gmtruckclub.com

Yesterday in Michigan, I attended the GM Product/Technology Event. I came into this event with very little knowledge about cars, and was able to experience the presentations as any student in my position might. And at this presentation I learned a lot — I had experiences with different kinds of people, different kinds of cars, and social media.

Most of the people with whom I interacted at this event were invitees, as I was. There were two in particular (who’s last names I will not use because I have not received permission from them to do such) who introduced me to the “car culture” as one called it. These two men were Adam and Joel. Both of them had the excitement for the General Motors products presented that generally I only get on an absolutely perfect day of snowboarding. I am not exaggerating when I say that Adam may have stopped breathing momentarily when a few of the cars were presented. Joel was in my tour group, and was eager to share everything he knew about cars with me. And that’s the interesting thing I learned about these auto enthusiasts — there’s a definite and intense camaraderie between them, but they are incredibly welcoming to automotive luddites like me.

Keeping up with the theme of welcoming, three men working for General Motors left a very good impression on me, and thus a good impression of the company. The first was Pat Morissey, who works in Communications. I had fears that I would not be taken seriously at this event, being not-quite 22 and automotively-impaired. But within seconds of walking into the GM Tech Center, Pat came up to me, introduced himself, and we chatted. I explained to him that I was very interested in the media and communications aspect of GM, and he gave me a lot of information regarding how they plan to proceed with it in the future. (i.e. Social Media) I saw Pat again at the Milford Proving Grounds, where he once again approached me and then explained how certain cars were designed for certain uses. (Commuter, Highway, City)

The second GM-er I’d like to mention was Adam Denison. I met Adam while I was waiting to drive a Camaro at the Milford Proving Grounds. He does the PR for Camaro (as well as others), and the thing that struck me most about him was that he was enthusiastic and seemed genuinely hopeful for the future of the company. Professionally, having people like Adam working at GM shows that the company isn’t a stodgy, cob-web filled place (metaphorically, because I know it isn’t literally) and that if internally they can connect with younger generations, then externally they absolutely should be able to do the same. Personally, I admire Adam Denison and his career path, because I realized on the flight back that it’s pretty much exactly what I’d like to do, as well.

The final GM-er to be mentioned is General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson. Mr. Henderson (I just realized that I didn’t use proper titles for Pat and Adam. Please don’t be offended if you read this gentlemen, that’s how you introduced yourselves!) is not, by any stretch of the mind, what I expected an auto executive to be. (Side note: Bob Lutz definitely is.) When Mr. Henderson spoke to our group, he was straightforward and honest with us. He looked towards the positives, but in a way that understood it will take continuous time and effort. After he spoke, as attendees were shuffling out to test drive GM autos, Mr. Henderson waited and a queue of people lined up to speak to him. I expected meeting him to be like when I met author Chuck Klosterman — shake his hand, take a picture, and keep going on my merry way. But Mr. Henderson took a minute or two (not seconds!) to talk to each and every one of us. He asked me where I was from, where I went to school, what my major was. He even told me about the times when he used to live in Connecticut! When I was explaining to someone later what it was like to meet Mr. Henderson I said that it was like talking to an uncle or a very well-respected college professor. (Neither of these compliments do I give lightly.) After he met with everyone in line to meet him, he donned one of the bright red Camaro hats and jumped right into the Proving Ground to talk to everyone again! Admittedly, I know little about big business, but as a consumer it gives me hope to know that the man running all of General Motors is kind, approachable and open to change and opinions.

Now… the cars! I must give credit where credit is due. I have been very happy and satisfied with my Volvo S60 for as long as I’ve driven it. (I’m going to admit once again that I know very little about cars!) But when I got to the Design Dome I spotted a car. Not just any car. While everyone else in that dome seemed gravitationally pulled to the Camaro I made a run for the Chevy Spark. It is a GREAT car. I told every General Motors rep who asked me this – the Chevy Spark is, without a doubt in my mind, the car for my age bracket. (I will also include the Aveo in this.) It is small, stylish and, according to the gentleman (who’s name I am sorry to say I didn’t get) who explained the car to me – far more affordable than most cars. The trunk space is severely limited, but for college/recent grads/grad students on the go, this car is ideal. What I thought would be a deal breaker for me is that I wouldn’t be able to fit my snowboard anywhere in the car. But the top of the car is actually ideally set up so you can rig racks to it. So now I’m anxiously awaiting the days when A. it comes to the states so I can test drive it B. my Volvo breathes its last breath C. I can actually afford to buy myself a car.

After our tours of the facilities and presentations we (as mentioned earlier) went to the Milford Proving Grounds to test drive cars. I have never, much to the chagrin of my mother, truly enjoyed driving. My trusty 1990 Ford Taurus/2003 Hyundai Elantra/2004 Volvo S60 have gotten me where I’ve needed to go since I was sixteen. I always thought enjoying driving was just something some people did and some people didn’t. But then I drove the Camaro. And I enjoyed driving. And then I drove the Corvette Grand Sport. I wish I knew how to accurately define how it felt to go 0 – 60 mph in 4 seconds without a. squealing (which I did) or b. swearing in shock (which I also may have done. Sorry!). While I readily admit this will probably be the only time in my life I ever drive a Corvette it has given me a new perspective on driving and how it can be enjoyed in any type of car. Aside from driving the Camaro SS, Camaro RS, Corvette and Corvette Grand Sport I drove the Chevy Equinox, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, and the Chevy Sliverado 3500 HD Diesel. (That last one was a dare by Adam. He didn’t think I could do it. Considering I actually had to hoist all 5’1″ of myself into the truck because my legs were too short to get in, I did a decently good job.) The Equinox was just as easy to handle and drive as the Camaro was. The Cadillac was my least favorite, (I didn’t like the way the steering handled) but I suppose that’s alright seeing as the Cadillacs are not quite designed for my demographic. A big factor in driving these cars, in driving any cars, was the capability to adjust the seat. In every car I have ever driven, I’ve needed a little boost (pillow) to see over the steering wheel. I have my Volvo seat as high as it can go, and alas, I am still a smidge too short. Even the Camaros and Corvettes could allow you to adjust the seat as high as it could possibly go. I could see over the steering wheel before I even lowered it! (This may not seem like a big deal to the majority of you but it was a HUGE deal for me.)

At the end of the event I had very little critique for or of anything I saw. Actually, there was only one. And it wasn’t even the product that was presented, but the way in which the product was presented. In the Buick and Cadillac salons, presenters kept reinforcing the point of a recent “Renaissance” of the cars, and looking forward into the future. The first time it was stated it was a very eloquent and well worded idea. But when it was said a second and third time by other people, it seemed to me that GM was trying very hard to make a point. In terms of semantics, to me “renaissance” is a word that is not to be used lightly. There are other words that can be used for it, but its repetition made it seem too forced, too rehearsed, and less believable. Had the representatives expanded on the renaissance point, taken it in different directions or looked at it from different angles, I would have felt more confident in its veracity.

Before I close up this lengthy post I want to make a comment on social media – I’ve always been a Twitter user, but yesterday I connected to Twitter-ers at the event, who were following the event from their own homes, and to the executives who were involved in or at the event. It boggles the mind to think how those connections could have been made.

My day at the General Motors Product/Technology Event is not one i will ever take lightly. I was, and still am, honored to be considered for this event. As a company, General Motors made me feel like my opinion mattered. (They asked for it. A lot.) Not only was this a huge ego boost for me, but it says a lot about the company, to want so many opinions. There was such a wide range of demographics at this event that it would seem quite impossible for any single opinion to be the same. Thank you, General Motors, for bringing me to this event, and hopefully the 1 month out of bankruptcy will keep increasing exponentially.

(Thanks Adam Barrera for taking these photos!)

Off to Michigan

Hey, all!

I was incredibly lucky to be invited to the General Motors Product/Technology event taking place tomorrow (8/10). I’m so excited to be asked, and I am very much looking forward to having my opinion counted.

I will be tweeting about my 28 hour trip to Michigan, so if you’re interested in the future of General Motors, you can follow @calamitysar on Twitter.

Look for a post on Tuesday morning updating you on my trip!