Information Ransom

I remember when I used to be able to look at the Forbes 100 Best Companies to Work for list without being charged. Maybe that makes me sound old, but it was only 2 or 3 short years ago. Increasingly I see more and more companies taking information that used to be open access on their websites and charging consumers to view it. They are holding their information RANSOM so they can make a buck. It’s sick how the internet is evolving. I realize its increasingly necessary for companies to increase profit by utilizing new technologies, but come on, all I want to know is if a company I work for or am applying to is rated among the best. It should be that simple.

Personality and Attractiveness

You know how people always say that a beautiful person can become ugly if they have a bad attitude, and a less attractive person can become more attractive if they have a great personality? Well, I kind of experienced that this weekend. I hung out with one of my guy friends, with whom there is an admitted attraction, but he was so mean to me, and somewhat disrespectful. He didn’t trust anything I said, whether it was where a local place to eat was, or which movie theatre we were supposed to go into. That really makes me mad. Then he had the nerve to tell me to shut up. He was just whiny and not nice the whole time. He crossed the line, and thinking back on past times where we’ve hung out, I realized that he’s never really been that nice. Oh well.

Then there’s the issue of giving a guy your phone number. If you give him your number, aren’t you supposed to wait for him to call? That’s what I always thought, but is that playing games? I hate playing games. If it were up to me, I’d call whenever I felt like it…which now that I think about it, maybe I should. And not to sound like a stalker, but if I want to hang out over the weekend, why shouldn’t I call him? I don’t understand the whole dating scene…I wish I could just be truthful and say “hey I’m interested in getting to know you better, wanna hang out” but I’m afraid of what everyone is…getting rejected. Ah, who knows…maybe I will call, I’ll keep you updated.

If you have an opinion, let me know.

The Rich in Their Playground

It’s not fair. Today Colin Powell and Kliener Perkins Caufield & Beyer announced that he will be a partner in this monolith of a venture capital firm. He won’t have to spend much time there (keeping his current residence in VA and working out of the Alexandria office), mainly serving as a consultant in how potential companies will fit into the ever evolving global technological marketplace. The thing that really gets me though, is that he is doing all these other things on the side, i.e. lecturing at tens of thousands of dollars per speech, investing in a health care holdings company – Revolutions, being in part of a group trying to purchase the Washington Nationals, and serving as a member on several nonprofit boards.

It doesn’t seem fair because most people have these lofty aspirations of owning their own business or something, but Powell gets to do these things mainly because he has a lot of money. How does 35 years of military experience parlay into health care companies, baseball or biotech/tech venture capitalism?? I don’t get it.

I’m struggling just to maintain a “normal” lifestyle paying one entire paycheck just for rent, and this guy is dabbling in whatever he pleases. When I get filthy rich, watch out world, here I come!

The Opposite Sex

Have you ever been interested in someone of the opposite sex (or same sex depending on your orientation) and known that they were out of your reach but still had hope? It’s kind of like the whole college application process, right? You apply to schools you’re pretty sure you’ll get into and really want to go to. You apply to schools that you are certain you’ll get into, but aren’t too thrilled about going there – safety schools. And you apply to schools that you really want to get into, but are slightly out of your reach – reach schools.

I think guys can fall into those same categories. There are the guys who you’re pretty sure are interested in you, and you could date them if you wanted. There are guys who would definitely date you, but you’re not too excited about dating them. Then there are those gorgeous, smart, athletic, nice guys who you would love to date, but seem slightly out of reach.

I met a guy who falls into the last category this weekend…I think. I secretly hope that he falls into the first category, and is truly as nice as he seems, but there’s no telling yet. It’s too early. He is very handsome, athletic and nice, albeit quiet at times. It wouldn't be so bad if he fell into that last category though...a lot of people get into their reach schools, right? Our interaction this weekend spawned this whole thought process, so I thought I’d share. I’ll keep you updated.

Fear-0, Lysandra-1

- What a great weekend! Great weather, good friends and sports…you can’t ask for more than that. I went to my first water polo match, and it was great! We watched the US vs Russia (the US Keeper is a friend of a friend), then we watched Croatia vs Hungary. That game was incredible, more for the fans and their enthusiasm. If you couldn’t see the crowd, you’d swear it was a World Cup Soccer match, they were chanting and wearing flags, it was true love of sport and country. Then on Sunday we went to Central Park to play sports, chill and enjoy the weather. It was so beautiful out.

- Then I had this moment Sunday, when I did something I was afraid to do, but knew I had to. I was nervous and my heart was beating so fast, but after I did it I felt so good. I couldn’t stop smiling. It was a mini-triumph! Good times!

No Olympics in 2012 for NYC :-(

- So that was a bust. Apparently I’m not too consistent with my writing, so I’ve missed two weeks of blogging. Here’s the quick recap of events missed:

• I surprised my mom for her graduation (she got her MA in Public Adminstration). She was totally NOT expecting me to come, so that was fun!
• NYC did not get the Olympics, unfortunately. No one knows yet it they will bid again, but things are looking bleak since the USOC has already decided to open up bidding for 2016, giving New York no special preference.
• My sister came to visit for a weekend. We shopped, went sight seeing, shopped, ate fun ethnic foods, shopped, went to Central Park, and shopped. All in all a good time!

- Other than that, I wrote an entry on the blog we have at work about people being more friendly to co-workers (read just say hello to people in the hallway), and all I got was cynical remarks about how New Yorkers don’t do that. Whatever, at least now I know where they stand, and I don’t have to feel bad that people don’t speak in the halls. I tried.