Stop lying to me Chick-Fil-A

So this morning, Chick Fil A brought us a free lunch! Okay, so we are guinea pigs for some new menu items but, still, a VERY nice thing for us poor newsroom workers. I do however, have a complaint. They brought us two new "healthy" breakfast menu items. A smoothie and a parfait.

Don't get me wrong, they were both REALLY GOOD. Fresh strawberries, granola, the whole nine. But healthy, they are not. Both of these items had sooo much sugar in them that they could easier be called dessert items than a healthy breakfast alternative. I suppose if you trying to decide between a milkshake or a smoothie, the smoothie would be healthier. Or if you are worried about saturated fats from a breakfast sandwich, the yogurt parfait might be a better alternative. I just find it misleading to call an item, laden with high calorie sugar, a healthy food item. This is why America is fat.

We have been tricked by marketing into thinking that items are healthy when they aren't. One of my favorite examples of this is Cris (sorry honey) and her Dark Chocolate Raisinets. They have healthy labels all over the front the of them. Touting things like anti-oxidents and 30% less fat ... and oohhhh aren't they shiny? And compared to a Snickers bar, they are better. But HEALTHY and GOOD FOR YOU ... no.

So this is the thing. Stop eating fast food. Period. Nothing sold there is good for you. If you are put in the situation where you need to eat fast food ... well, first I say rewind. Can you pack a meal? Because that would be better. But say you can't pack a meal. There are definitely better choices out there than a Big Mac and Fries (not too many, but going with the grilled chicken is a good start). But you shouldn't be eating out, particularly at fast food places, if you are trying to watch your weight. It just isn't going to work. I just wish they would stop lying to people to make them think otherwise.

You can't buy this kind of advertising ...

Twitter is taking over the world. I thought facebook was bad. But seriously, the world, celebrities especially are OBSESSED. My google reader newsfeed just now literally had seven different posts that contained some version of the word Twitter.

Yes, I am on Twitter. I have been for a long time. I am not even really sure why because very few of my friends are and none of them are active (despite my best attempts). But, now that it is taking over the world, it is more of a newsfeed than anything else because all the news outlets use it to post headlines. Including the humble little Daily Times.

But, I am becoming convinced that this obsession is less of an obsession and more of product placement. It just can't be a coincidence that not only do all of these television shows use twitter, but mention it on air about 30 times a show. Ellen talks about it constantly, as does MSNBC. I realize that I am being a little conspiracy theory here, but I honestly think that it can't all be for real.

I have been a member of twitter since I heard them talk about it on a geek podcast a few years ago. I thought it was a little strange and stalker-esque of course, but, still I thought I would give it a try. And maybe it is just that it has worked it's way up to proclivity, but I doubt it. And mostly for this reason. There aren't nearly as many real person users on twitter as there are people using it for advertising .. more or less.

Here is how a little used website became an obsession for me. Friendbar. A little firefox plug in that allows me to view facebook and twitter updates at the top of my browser in a constant stream. And I can update my status and my Twitter at the same time just by clicking and typing. In fact, I rarely, if ever, actually visit either site. So, both have become a sort of news crawl at the top of my screen. Not unlike the crawl at the bottom of CNN, only clickable! And this is where it becomes straight up advertising. As MSNBC puts up breaking news, I click on it, and it takes me to the story. Yep. They get an individual click on their website by posting headlines on Twitter. And unless you have been living under a rock, you know that news is facing a bit of a dilemma monetarily these days and is moving to an ad driven system. How do you sell ads on your website? Individual clicks.

Conspiracy. All driven by advertising dollars. I can't wait until we start hearing about how the headline "Shaq tweets at half-time of Suns Game" comes back as "Twit scandal: Shaq tweets made by assistant, Twitter pays premium for Shaq Tweets". Because we all know, nothing builds a brand faster than a celebrity wearing it.

What happened to sh*t happens?

I have one of those bizarrely clear childhood memories of reading an article in the newspaper that claimed that "sue" was American's favorite word. At the time, I took it as a fact. As though it were a study or a measure of our speech. I realize now that the article was probably an editorial or an opinion piece and not actually a measure of what American's favorite word is. (That didn't stop me from repeating that "fact" to everyone who would listen for the next two weeks ... I became oddly obsessed with this idea.) But, I would probably agree with the point of the article if I could re-read it now. Because we love to sue people. We love to make people pay monetarily for screw ups. Our judicial system even criminally charges people for some stuff that I just ... don't get.

Because here is the thing. Sh*t happens. It does. People make mistakes. Car accidents: mistakes. Doctors misdiagnosing someone: mistake. Even bar fights gone wrong: mistakes.

Now, I am not saying if someone is drunk driving, or being horribly negligent or in any way malicious, that they shouldn't be punished for it. But there are a lot of instances where something that is a total accident ruins peoples lives because they get nailed for it in court.

I think my view on this relates back to my religious views. Stay with me here. I just don't think people should be judged on individual actions (often done in the heat of a moment, etc.) so much as their overall moral character and the arc of their life. Because, some people have hard lives which force them into situations that other people wouldn't find themselves in. So, just as I don't think that people should be judged for eternity on whether or not they are saved, or whether they covet their neighbors wife, or steal, or even kill (accidentally) I don't think that should always send a person away for life either.

I realize that our judicial system can't get into the business of whether or not people are fundamentally good or not, but the people that press charges or choose to sue can. There just seems to be a lot more of "an eye for an eye" than "turning the other cheek" these days ... that's all I am saying.

Maniac inspiration

I LOVE days like this. It is absolutely beautiful outside. The sun is shining, it is warm, there is a slight breeze, and I woke up feeling happy and content. I am inspired to do the things that I love to do. I just wish there were time to do them all. I am being super productive, but I know that this day will slip away. I just hope that the feeling continues to tomorrow!

I updated my online portfolio today. I am fairly happy with it. I think that it shows the breadth of my ability. I have a hard time being happy with my portfolio though. I know I am talented and I know that I have good ideas and a strong design aesthetic, but, I always look at the things I have done and want to change a million tiny things. Why did I choose that exact shade of red or if I just moved that up a tad ... but I have learned to just leave it alone. I do nice work. I know I do. I just have to be confident in that ability. (If you want to give me feedback, you can see it at anjasmith.blogspot.com)

But now, I feel this surge of creativity and a will to create! Ideas are surging through me and I am stuck at work! No fair! I want to go for a long run, I want to design some jewelry, I want to bake a cherry almond tart, I want to try something I have never tried before ... and all before the daylight runs out. Reality is harsh. Boo to work, Boo to being cooped up inside, Boo to paying bills, Boo to running out of time and light. If any of you have more freedom than I do on this gorgeous day, please use it wisely! Don't stay inside, don't watch tv ... be productive!

Burning down

Sensationalism, and cries of the sky falling are not really my thing, but I am beginning to get worried. And before my journalist friends blast me with their superior knowledge, let me just put out the disclaimer that I am not an expert, I am merely commentating and sharing my view. And my concern is not even completely stemmed from the fact that I am currently employed by a small newspaper either. But, seriously folks, the sky is falling on journalism.

It feels like a domino effect of the business ... recently larger newspapers have closed and more are going to web only. The problem with this web only "solution" is that they aren't going to continue investigative journalism (for the most part). From what I understand about the business models that are being presented is that for the most part they will be publishing content generated by outside sources from the same company. This of course, also only works for the large media companies, like Gannett and such, who have the resources of other publications to support their content.

And besides the problem of the actual business failing, then you also have smart asses like myself who blog about every dang thing in the world and don't have the benefit of editors or you know, journalistic standards, to adhere by. (Again, I am a SOCIETAL COMMENTATOR, I don't do news ... just to clarify that I am not one of these folks :D)

But what I think a lot of people forget, is that it is the small home town newspapers that do things like go to city council and school board meetings, interview local business owners and actually GET INVOLVED in the community. While there is a "replacement" for printed newspapers with online zines, there is not a replacement for the footwork, grueling hours, and crappy pay that these journalists do. And a lot of the legwork that they do is what keeps local politicians and corporations honest. Because there is someone who's job it is to call them on their shit.

One of my favorite "news stories" lately was the hubbub surrounding the fight between Jim Cramer and the almighty Jon Stewart. I think a lot of people missed the point that Jon Stewart was making in the bigger picture. About how the networks are just taking the CEO's words for things and not actually investigating this stuff (seriously folks, it wasn't really about Cramer). But he did make clear the job of a journalist, and remind us all of why it is such an important profession. We have relied on reporters for decades to find the truth behind the lies, to find the cheats, the scoundrels, and the snakes in the grass.

Don't get me wrong, there has been corruption in journalism as well. Plenty of it. Even in the last ten years, the globalization and incorporation of hometown newspapers into these huge media companies has been a problem in itself. But the underlying issue remains the largest. Without people to call attention to a problem, without whistle blowers to create a tizzy about underhanded dealings, the corruption will spread. Because people are greedy. Look at the greed in the banking system when they were allowed to run a muck and at least Cramer got yelled at for not calling that out. That pacifies me a bit, makes me a little warm and fuzzy. But it doesn't change the fact that journalism has to find a place ... and soon. A system that will allow journalists to actually get paid (and better, would be nice) and have the resources to keep up the little things. And to make sure that from the bottom up, things are running smoothly.

If you are reading this on facebook, check out my irregular blog at anjalog.blogspot.com

Why I choose to be blue (collar)

I grew up in a blue collar environment. My mom, without a college degree, has been in and out and is currently in banking, but along the way she has owned her own business with a home daycare and has been a nurses assistant. My father, who never got a high school diploma or a GED, is firmly in the blue collar column. He ran his own lawn care business, was a maintenance man, and now is a plumber. And while my parent's have never been rich, we have done well and live comfortably.

You hear stories about kids who's parent's didn't have much education pushing their kids toward it. But mine always insisted that we at least learn a trade, college was optional. I used to feel, and still do often, guilty for never have gotten a four year degree. 95% of my friends are college graduates, and I often feel like I am not living up to my potential not having that coveted piece of paper.

The truth is though, that there are very few of my friends who have a four year degree or beyond and that have a job that I am jealous of. Or that even fulfills their potential. I have never had trouble finding work. I interview well. I am very articulate and the field I did go into, graphic design, is more about your portfolio and your skill than it is about your degree. I have been very lucky in the job department.

But, I never stop talking about going back to school. I know for a fact I want to be self employeed eventually. If only I had some start up money, I would already be. But, along the way I have thought of going to law school, social work, therapist, personal trainer, and even a life coach (I will write a post on that later). Not to mention my lifelong dream of being a welder and a firefighter.

The more I think about these things though, and the more I think about how I like to spend my time, I realize that ... I don't want to go to school to think. I want to go to school to DO. I am a doer. I like working with my hands. I realized at some point that not only would a blue collar job save me in a recession like the one we are in, but would also make me happier. I like being physically tired at the end of the day. I like my body and my mind having to work in unison. And there is no shame in that. It doesn't make a person with a phd smarter than me (well, theoretically). I am smart person. I CHOOSE this.

I have decided to go back to school to be a pastry chef. It allows me to keep being creative, but I get to work with my hands. And eating doesn't really go into recession. Everyone eats. It is also a flexible enough career that I can open my own bakery down the road. I get sideways looks by most when I tell them what I want to go back to school for. I think people feel that I am not living up to my potential. But I ask for some trust, for some faith that I am going to do great things with my abilities. That I am going to be successful no matter what I am doing. Because I am a successful person. That is what I decided for myself a long time ago. And, people that know me would agree, when I decide something I won't be stopped.

Loving my addictions.

My only real vice is coffee. I mean, sure I drink and occasionally smoke, but not to the point that I would call it a "vice". But coffee ... oh, coffee ... how you steal my heart. I NEED COFFEE. Once, my mother gave me a bag of really nice coffee beans that she had sitting around because she didn't have a grinder. I love grinding my coffee beans, especially high quality, really dark beans. There isn't a color, smell, or texture in the world that makes me happier than freshly ground coffee beans. So all week I grind these beans and drink my normal morning pot of coffee.

This also happened to be at the start of fall, and with the weather changes, I was getting these HORRIBLE headaches. They were practically debilitating. I even went home early one day because I am thinking, I have never had allergies this bad or maybe I am starting to get migraines. And it was around Thursday (this had been going on since the previous weekend) that I thought to look at the front of the bag ... decaf. DECAF! I had been depriving my body of it's caffeine (and large amount of it, I might add) all week. And by this time, the headaches weren't coming as bad. I was weaning myself of the caffeine.

I told my friends that day of my discovery. First, they couldn't believe that I was sooo addicted to caffeine that it had messed me up that badly. They had witnessed my pain! And secondly, they thought it was a bit pathetic. So I had a decision to make. I was off of caffeine. It was out of my system. I could keep drinking decaf and be a healthier person. But then, I had a reality check. I LIKE caffeine. It is my one addiction, and as far as addictions go, it is fairly mild.

But now, I am worried I am forming a new addiction. As for how innocent, that is still up for discussion. I am now on myspace, facebook, blogger, plinky and artbistro. Actively. I know! Oh, and one German facebook that I am not so active on ... I just know someone. Long story. Anyway, I have also discovered the joy of rss feeds. Google Reader! I can follow my blogs, the news ... it is like all the websites I go to .. in ONE PLACE. IT IS AWESOME. But I think that my dependence on the internet is increasing. My need to feel connected may be unhealthy.

I do have the excuse that most of my friends live in a different state and it is a great way to keep in touch with them! I know. It's lame.