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20-Something

20-Something, Austin, Pop Culture

In Defense of the Hipster

My blog’s name is “Hipstercrite”.

I often write about hipsters for my website and others.

Those articles are often my most trafficked.

They’re also the ones that evoke the most wrath.

I can go off about our empathy-challenged Governor or how scared I am of the Republicans, but neither of these subjects compare to the flack I receive for writing about hipsters.

I recently wrote an article for CultureMap about the “10 Most Hipster-Inspired Restaurants, Food Trucks and Bars in Austin“.

It led to a slew of negative comments, though it’s currently one of the site’s most read articles.

My favorite comment being, “The worst part about hipsters is that they’ve led to the existence of Hipstercrite”.

People often comment on how much they dislike hipsters, how hipsters are ruining Austin, how smug hipsters are, etc.

I (not surprisingly) have people that simply won’t read me because of my writing moniker. They make sure to tell me this. They make sure to tell me how stupid (more…)

September 6, 2012 by
20-Something, Pop Culture, Writing

Michelle Obama’s DNC Speech Triggered 100 Million Boners

Oh man.

How inspiring was Michelle Obama’s speech at the DNC last night?

Seriously. I’m pretty sure her words instantly cured leprosy and triggered the evolution of dinosaurs coming back to Earth to amicably co-exist with us.

Her speech made me want to strip down to my underwear, give away everything I own and go out into the street and give random hugs to strangers.

While she spoke, it’s as if a spirit entered me. I found myself lifting to my feet  with one hand over my heart and the other waving in the air.

I think today I should find a Baptist church to go to.

I felt it last night and so did a lot of America.

In fact, Americans collectively had a boner for Michelle Obama (and for those who didn’t…we know you have trouble getting it up).

My Twitter and Facebook feeds were filled with gushing comments about the first lady.

It was impossible not to feel emotionally overwhelmed by her flawless and moving speech.

I was going to compile a list of my favorite (more…)

September 5, 2012 by
20-Something, Austin, Music, Pop Culture

JD Samson Shows Her Support For Austin Music Venue Cheer Up Charlie’s

One of my absolutely favorite owners of the lady mustache, JD Samson, will be DJing at one of my absolutely favorite hangouts spots, Cheer Up Charlie’s, tomorrow starting 3PM-10PM.

Dream combo!

Samson will be there to support Cheer Up as they grapple with the city’s noise ordinance to shut down music before 10PM on weekends and 8PM Sunday through Thursday.

To learn more about the Cheer Up Charlie’s vs. The City & One Cranky Neighbor story, go here.

Details about the event can be found here. Starts at 3PM, $5 at the door, free beer, 1104 E. 6th St.

A Note from Cheer Up Charlie’s about the event (this event is too cool to even have a flyer):

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR CHEER UP CHARLIE’S AND ALL MUSIC ON EAST SIXTH!

The government is telling the kids to turn the music off at 10:00 PM.

You know what? That’s fine. The night salts out game anyways. We are going to turn it up so loud during the daytime for the neighbors, the government, and God herself to better see us.

August 31, 2012 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

10 Steps On How to Stop Dating Douchebags

source

 Dear Women Who Loooove Douchebags,

I’m meeting more and more of you lately. Pretty, smart and outgoing young women who date utter and complete douches- and not in the “vaginal irrigation” sense. More like the “vaginal irritation” sense.

You wonder why the douchebags you date don’t call you, don’t want to be exclusive or never any affection or respect. You ask everyone but the douchebag why he doesn’t want to introduce you to his friends or family, why he insists on having sex without a condom and why he must still talk to his ex every day.

The douchebags always break up with you and you’re constantly left in a state of total despair, crying, “Gosh, there must be something wrong with me!”

You’re right.

There is something wrong with you.

It’s not that you’re not attractive, intelligent, interesting, fun to hang out with or fun to sleep with.

Your problem is that you date douchebags.

Duh.

You suffer from Douchebag Attraction Disorder. DAD for short (I’ll (more…)

August 7, 2012 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

Ladies, Did You Know That Your Birth Control Is Now Free? (and other health benefits available to you)

Awhile back I received a $25 rebate from my insurance provider, BlueCross BlueShield, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. The check was in response to Obamacare’s new 80/20 rule  where “insurance companies must spend at least 80 cents of your premium dollar on your health care or improvements to care”. Since my provider didn’t do that, I got some moola back (friends with fancier plans got more money back).

Shortly after my check, I received a letter from BlueCross BlueShield listing new changes that will affect my benefits.

Fearing I’d find a long list of benefits my provider would no longer be covering, I was surprised to discover the opposite.

As of August 1st, several women’s preventive benefits are available to the insured with no patient cost-sharing (no copayment, coinsurance or deductible).

That list includes:
Well-woman visits (yearly gynecological exam)
Mammograms
Screening for diabetes during pregnancy
HPV testing for women at least 30 years of age
Counseling (more…)

August 2, 2012 by
20-Something, Austin, Hipstercrite Life, Pop Culture

I love Texas, but why does Rick Perry have to be such a dick?

 

“My state is #50 in health care! Weee!”

 

I promised myself when I went freelance that I would buy health insurance-  and one of those desk chair bicycles so my backside wouldn’t turn into a butt pancake.

Only one of these things I’ve succeeded at.

With the help of a broker, I found the cheapest insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield has to offer and I took it. Knock on wood, I’m a healthy, non-smoking twenty-something so the plan is somewhat reasonable at $117/month, but it definitely adds to the financial pinch each month. Truthfully $117 is all I can afford.

Through reviewing my policy kit and asking questions to my broker, I learned that the plan covers very little. At least I have insurance if a fleet of angry advanced beings from another planet attack.

Yesterday was the first day I put my insurance coverage to the test.

I became sick over the weekend with a high fever, sore throat and questionable delusions. I spent a lot of Friday night dreaming about cheese (more…)

July 11, 2012 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

Why America’s View of Vacation Time is Wrong

A recent photo of the author ecstatic to be at the beach

Last September I went the freelance route.

Though it’s been paved with stomach-churning scares (“what do you mean my check is arriving NEXT week?!”) and painful boredom (“maybe I should drive down to Whole Foods and stare at people”), career-wise, I’ve never been happier.

Though I’m not rollin’ in it, the most joyous attribute of going freelance is the amount of time off I have to travel.

My last 9-5 job gave me 5 vacation days a year. Those five days included sick and personal time. Since the company decided to place their business almost an hour outside of Austin, that meant one had to add two extra hours of drive time for a doctor’s or DMV appointment. Personal errands that you could only attend to during the business work week took almost all day to achieve which meant one less vacation day a year. Needless to say, I never felt encouraged to go to the doctor when I needed to.

We also had no bookend days off on important (more…)

July 5, 2012 by
20-Something

Is Getting a College Degree Worth It Nowadays?

Look at our sexy $40,000 pieces of white paper. LOOK AT THEM!

I have a secret to share: I do not have a college degree.

Only 21 credits and a whole lotta self-worth short.

Sometimes I wish I had my college degree, but I do not regret the choice I made that prevented me from getting it.

During my junior year of college, I was offered a job at an Academy Award-winning actor’s production company in Los Angeles. Being a fan of the actor and having always wanted to work in Hollywood, it was a no-brainer decision. College degree or looking like a giant asshole with a bluetooth headset and yelling at complete strangers because I couldn’t yell back at my own boss for making me feel like a worthless piece of turd? Duh, no brainerz.

My mother made me promise that I would finish my degree while I worked.

Yeah, that didn’t happen.

Try being a 24/7 personal assistant in Hollywood and going to school. I ended up flunking a class because I was only capable of staring at the wall and (more…)

June 19, 2012 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

A Note About Turning 29

the very young and bitter author

Next week I’m turning 29 years old.

Shit, it seems like only yesterday I was 22, 24, 26…

Most thirty-somethings will tell you, “I would NEVER want to relive my twenties!”, and I’m starting to feel the same way.

Though “30 years old” is a tough pill to swallow, I’m enjoying the ride so far. It’s been significantly more stable the past few years.

Sliding into home plate has left less scratches and bruises than hitting the first ball.

In my early twenties, I didn’t know my ass from my face. And believe me, at times I felt I looked like nothing more than a big fat asshole.

At 20 I moved to Los Angeles to be a personal assistant and I thought I was cooler than cool. I had broken free from my small town in Upstate New York and was around the celebrities and industry that I grew up wanting to be a part of.

It was a good front; I actually felt extremely lost, confused, lonely and for the first time in my life, horribly insecure.

Of course, (more…)

June 5, 2012 by
20-Something, Hipstercrite Life

A Poem to My Period

source: Vice Magazine

I’m neither good at writing poems or having periods…

…And I apologize for alienating my entire male audience today.

 

I hate you!

Like a seal hates the polar bear

You gobble me up

Chew on every inch of me

And when you’re done

You spit me out

Like a wad of flavorless gum

 

You sit behind my eyes

And knock knock knock

Trying to break down the door

And when that doesn’t work

You travel down to my stomach

Where you perform your exercise:

Chin-ups and sit-ups and spinning and tread

 

I’ve always underestimated your powers, Period

Your strength is something I can no longer ignore

We all know you, yet we’re victims to your will

You give us so much

Yet take so much away

 

See that man over there?

I want to punch him in the face.

Want to know why?

You tell me, Period.

You tell me.

You leave me hopeless

And dismal

And angry at the world

 

We think (more…)

May 22, 2012 by