Michigan Girl

(Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes)
Breath Taking Isn't It?!!

     I have done my fair share of traveling already.  I've been to Greece twice, Mexico three times, a large chunk of the fifty states, and probably several other ideal vacation spots.  There are so many places I would love to go: Australia, Colorado, Paris, and much much more.  But honestly; with money be a concern these days, and traveling being on high security, my current ideal vacation would just simply be to explore Michigan.  


    We take for granted that we live in a beautiful state; home the Great Lakes, the U.P., gorgeous coasts, Traverse City, Mackinaw Island, Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, and countless other remarkable locations.  I would love to travel to the furthest west location in the U.P. during the dead of winter, and build the largest snow man.  I can picture the creative ice sculptures during the Frankenmuth winter festivities.  Taking a drive up north during the fall when the leaves are fire red and pumpkin orange.  Breathing the fresh air at the top of the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes.  

    I can't wait wait to be at the mouth of the river during Salmon fishing again, or be checking for food scraps in the tent, before lights out, to insure no black bears will be knocking.  I love Michigan!

 BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!  MICHIGAN IS HOME OF MANY IDEAL VACATION SPOTS

    


    I've never been to Mackinaw Island before.  I would really love to stay at the Grand Hotel.  The Grand Hotel is located on the island and is only accessible by boat or plane.  It's the closest I'll ever get to feeling like a real princess: Arriving to an enchanted hotel, built in 1887, by horse drawn carriage.  Staying in a luxurious sweet, waking up to bell hop service and breath taking sights.  Most people, when asked what there dream vacation would be, would answer some place tropical, but not me.  Sure, "the first day of winter" is approaching, and sunshine mixed with sweltering temperatures sounds delightful, but truthfully I'm a Michigan Girl; There's no place like home!  

Horror Junkie (Blog # 6)

            I am a horror film junkie.  A new show, “The Walking Dead”, recently premiered on AMC, reminding of my addiction; I have been on a horror flic binge ever since.  I plowed through all the flesh eating zombie movies: Screamed through the Friday the 13^th series: Stayed awake for the whole Nightmare on Elm Street set, and am currently stock between seasons on the Michael Myers serial killings during Halloween.  

            I’ve always been a fan of the classics:  A sucker for the predictable topless dumb chick running up the stairs instead of out the door; so frantic she can’t feel the hot breathe on her skin, and screeching, so ear piercing loud, that she can’t hear the killer that’s been stomping behind her and is now a breathe away. The tough guy with the rolled up sleeves, tight stonewashed jeans and hair that clearly states he’s ready to get stabbed repeatedly while embarrassingly attempting to defend himself.  You know, “The classics!?!!”, the movies that become chronological, never ending series because the killer comes back from the dead.  I’m talking the good classics, where no matter how many times you burn them, drown them, gut them, damn them, freeze them, cut their heads off and scatter the body parts; they still will never die!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH3QktkuVg8&feature=related

            I am not judgmental; I’m no snob; I’ll watch any movie, dated or not, that can make my heart beat rapidly and my body jolt.  I’m not shy to the “scary movies” that take the classical route and spin it with a comical twist.  Who doesn’t laugh when Freddie cackles, “now that’s a wet dream”, after adding to his kill count.  Zombieland (2009), classified as Horror, makes me squeal more laughs then screams.  Bill Murray plays himself as a “zombie” and had me laughing so hard, I cried. It’s really not a hard question to answer, when asked what’s my favorite genre of movies.

College Fortress (Blog # 5)

            When I was younger, I always thought my parents had some secret volt where they stashed money; Money that would accumulate overtime and eventually the stockpile would be substantial enough to fund an out-of-state college of my choice.  The reality was that my parents didn’t have a hidden piggy bank marked Emily’s College Fund: we were just your average working class family, faced with rising tuition rates and myself approaching High School Graduation.        

            My parents help me considerably and god willing would do more.  I don’t fault them; in today’s society, financial aid seems to pave the path to higher education.  Being the heir of this financial hinder makes me accountable for my success or failure.  I feel more accomplished for my achievements and more embarrassed of my failures.  Hypothetically speaking, “It’s easier to spend someone else’s money and feel less guilty not passing a class.” So, being the largest shareholder, I’ll be damned if I waste money retaking classes.        

I imagine more of these leisure-some activity
slices would be replaced with work hours
and diaper duty, if they updated this chart.

            A college degree is demanded: Unemployment rates are high: Competition is fierce.  These are the realities facing students today that are trying to obtain a competitive edge.  Most students, including myself, have several other pairs of shoes to fill simultaneously.  Some are parents; most have jobs, and a considerable amount have all three to juggle.  I almost feel fortunate to only being juggling homework and “bill paying” work.  Well it’s time for me to return to stage for my juggling act.

Growing Up (Blog # 4)

I use to be more concerned with what outfit to wear and who’s party I was going to attend; But it’s time for me to grow up.  My priorities have shifted and my current focus is to obtain a Bachelor in Business, followed by an MBA.  I feel it is necessary to land my dream job in Human Resources.  HR can be defined as the persons responsible for health benefits, payroll, accounting, environmental and/or personal issues. An HR rep might also be responsible for the hiring, firing/exiting, training/orientation and the maintenance of the company’s objectives.  As you can see it is difficult to pinpoint to precise roll of a human resource representative.  Some may find it hard to distinguish the difference between an HR rep and a controller of a company; the problem might be that some companies only have one qualified person in charge of both departments.  Having your master’s in business qualifies you for either position.  Although controllers typically are associated with accountants, a controller is not required to have a CPA. 

            Ok, so take a breath and recap, I am just as confused as you.  I want to go into this field but need to be more specific of what genre or HR I wish to go in to.  I would prefer to be the one recruiting, training and mentoring.  I would love to travel for a company, hold seminars, and reinforce the company’s objectives.  I want to be the person holding the company meetings that stress the importance of teamwork and tackle any glass ceilings that may still exist and need to be handled. 

            With the economy in the dumps, and most of the labor force finding themselves taking on multiple rolls due to downsizing, I narrowed my research question to simply explore, “if there’s still a demand to uphold employee moral or have business switched gears, eliminating “HR”, and focus more on profit and not employees?”  It costs money to properly train a new hire; Health benefits are being cut, the number of disgruntle employees are rising, but the economy remains unstable.  The unemployed are a dime a dozen, leaving those valued employees vulnerable to the vultures.  There’s the door, put up, or shut up are the new guidelines for the employed.            

"Undefined Sign Language"

           Every 15-year-old impatiently anticipates turning 16 and marching straight up to the Secretary of State’s office to obtain their driver’s license, willing they successfully completed driver’s training. During driver’s education one learns the fundamentals of legally operating a vehicle safely.  One is required to log so many hours driving with a licensed adult.  You have x-amount of sessions with your driving instructor in the, ever so popular, automobile with student driver advertised all over.  Finally, when the clock strikes midnight, there’s a driving test and if passed, an official recognition through the state that provides proof that you have completed the requirements to possess that beautiful picture ID for any law official to look at when running a red light.

            My driving instructor taught me the “fundamentals” of driving as well as informed of the three different types of drivers: passive, assertive and aggressive.  A passive driver is most likely to be the grandma in the slow lane just coasting along with no reaction to the driver riding their bumper.  An assertive driver is one who tends to obey all rules of the road and rationally handles any situation that might influence irrational behavior, for instance getting cut off.  An aggressive driver would be one who “owns the road” without any regard to other drivers and has a tendency to bend or break the rules.  

            I myself am an aggressive driver.  From the second the state awarded me a driver’s license, I have become somewhat of a hypercritical driver.  I strongly believe that bicyclers belong on a sidewalk and not in the road; if there is no sidewalk, than clearly you don’t belong on that particular road.  However, if I happen to be the pedestrian, I expect drivers to yield and maintain a substantial distance while passing me.  Speaking of pedestrians, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY but that only applies to situations when I am behind the wheel.  I can’t stand people in the fast lane on an expressway driving the speed limit or worse, below the speed limit.  People who fail to properly signal should be belted.   I don’t understand what is so hard about driving 55 mph on a road where permitted.  I also feel it is my duty to educate people about the new law regarding dirt roads, which allow a driver to maintain a speed of 45 mph where road conditions are favorable unless otherwise posted.

            The cell phone gabber, the unswerving nighttime brights driver, the <beep> applying make-up, the sluggish grandma, the lethargic handicap, the eater, the smoker, the tailgater, the unfortunate non GPS owners, and basically everyone beside “myself” on the road are all people I consider terrible drivers.  On the other hand, if I happen to fall under any of these categories, you better stay off my ass or I’ll just slow down to aggravate you more. 

            I think I should publish a driving manual that explains the proper use of “undefined sign language” of the open-road.  The bird clearly indicates to the driver receiving it, that they have done something wrong.  The frantic waiving of the hands, is another way to express frustration inflicted by any of the drivers categorized previously.  Lip reading is applicable to sign language, so read my leaps when I “say” “<beep> <beep> <beep>, get out of my way you <beep> <beep>!!! 

“A River Runs Through It”

A River Runs Through It creates an unforgettable and brilliant illustration of Norman Maclean’s classic memoir written about his life experiences and hardships.  Robert Redford (Director) and cast unfold this remarkable, heart felt story, on the big screen.

            This movie can be classified as a drama.  Dramatic films typically are based on more realistic and problematic issues/situations that occur in everyday life.  Drama is usually associated with conflicts, emotions, prejudices and we can’t forget our loving family.  This movie includes all of those characteristics and more.

            People would classify Forest Gump as a drama/romance.  For the sake of my comparison, I’ll only tackle the characteristics that allow this movie to be classified as a drama. Forest Gump is a phenomenal movie that incorporates a variety of societal issues.  There are bullies, drug abusers, war, death, raw emotion, and the human ability to overcome life’s shortcomings which are all present in this film; they use these characteristics to create an emotional response from its audience.  A River Runs Through It shares the same qualities and characteristics as Forest Gump, lumping it into the drama movie genre. 

            Starring Craig Sheffer (Norman) and Brad Pitt (Paul), Norman’s brother, A River Runs Through It explores the challenges human compassion, morals, family and society may inflict on an individual.  The stage is set in Montana, where wilderness is still in one’s vocabulary (unlike city folk) and the rivers flow freely.   They were born into a strictly supervised environment by a minister, better known as their father. 

            I had and still have a hard enough time “playing by the rules”; I couldn’t imagine being the “son” of a righteous man who maintained a structured, disciplined, morally ethical and seemingly clear slated lifestyle.  And these two brothers paint a realistic picture of the difficulties encountered during adolescence when burdened with strict parenting.  Every adult knows, when you tell a kid no it only makes them want it more. 

            Norman and Paul are your typical juvenile delinquents, rough housing and creating ruckus in their small town.  They embark on many unruly and mischievous adventures during their youth.  They grow up to be men, as most boys do but unfortunately only Norman ventures on to become a college graduate and professor.  Paul remains home only to continue walking down the same beaten path they established during childhood. 

            Paul is constantly being criticized in comparison to his brother Norm, by his father.  He latches onto unconventional forms of therapy, like gambling and drinking, to wash away his insecurities.  The only other way to erase these externalities is through fly fishing.  Fishing becomes a custom and tool for bonding for the men in the Maclean family.  You see the development of this custom throughout the entire movie.  At an early age, the brothers accompany their father ritually on fishing expeditions.  Fishing gradually becomes a routine event for the three of them. Eventually it becomes the only time when the family disregards current affairs, and allows individualism to shine and impress.  For Paul, this soon becomes his only time in the spot light. 

            I don’t think anyone could watch this movie and not be touched in some way.  It deals with real life scenarios and their ability to sometimes drive people in the wrong direction.  Human behavior is so influential and not always positive, even when the preacher preaches positive hymns.  There is strong presence of morals and moral structure inflicted by family code.  There is compassion and willingness to understand ethnocentric behavior, driven only by love.  There are conflicts of interest that solely survive on temptation and its ability to persuade rational behavior.  These all exemplify situations that create drama for an individual or group. 

            Purposeful behavior is the combination of rational behavior met with utility.  An individual benefit does not always account for the spillover cost to others.  One’s behavior is not always rational but may seem beneficial and purposeful to the individual.  These are personal notions I arrived at after viewing this masterpiece.  It connects with the audience in such a way that it touches your soul.

            

Big Brother

Facebook, My Space, Twitter and Blogging are all examples of innovations that were designed around the same concept; faster and more efficient means of staying connected.  Technological advancements have enabled us to communicate with persons overseas without even leaving home. Programs like Facebook have allowed us to stay connected and share our lives with friends and family even when life seems too busy to maintain those relationships.  Looking back in history when the way to communicate to distant parties was through Pigeon Posts, we should embrace the fact that a Blog Post takes merely seconds to receive in comparison to weeks from flying messengers. 

Advancements in communication have also become an important tool to our global economy. Inventions like e-mail, video chat and blogging have helped businesses maintain international relationships.  Computers have become data banks and book keepers for most companies. 

Seeing how this information is broadcasted through the internet and is a tool used for both personal and professional means, what stops this information from intertwining your personal life with your professional life?  The answer is nothing. Statistics show that 44% of job seekers' prospects utilize these tools to conduct an internet interview on their potential employees.  Impressing them during the formal interview may not secure you a position in a company especially if your internet profile includes materials that are in “poor taste”. 

Dogpile (www.dogpile.com) is just one example of a search engine designed to compile internet profiles.  Employers use these tools to perform a more invasive interview for potential hires, promotion candidates or even just simple housekeeping on current employees.  There are laws that prevent employers from performing these investigations through the web like the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act).  The FCRA includes provisions that state an employer must obtain permission from the persons they are conducting the background checks on.  There seems to be a few things they are forgetting though.  When approached by a company you work for or are hoping to work for, my personal opinion is that the majority of the people would not protest such a request.  More importantly, this law only pertains to companies outsourcing their employment screening.  If the research is being performed in house employers are not subject to these provisions and don’t require approval from the individual. 

This is a big concern of mine because I have created accounts online, like Facebook, where my life and embarrassing moments have been exploited and broadcasted through this apparently uncensored and public form of media.  I used one of the search engines to do some dirt digging on myself and immediately following logged onto www.google.com/delete.  That URL logs you onto a website where you may then request to the webmaster to delete this “questionable” material.  Keep in mind that your “dirt” is subject to the webmaster’s discretion whether or not it will be removed.

I assume that the majority of my classmates, myself included, attend school to make themselves more marketable to a particular job market.  In today’s society competition is fierce and jobs are scarce.  We most certainly don’t need to create our own walls and assist our competitors in obtaining our desired positions in a company.  Would you show up to an interview wearing a belly shirt and cut off jeans with a beer in your hand?  How many people have posted, blogged, attached pictures and/or made comments describing your GOOD night out on the town that you wouldn’t want potential work associates to view?  I have attached a news clip as well as an article full of facts that confirm the actualities of this happening to you (just click on the underlined words to view).  “Big Brother” is always watching!