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Hipstercrite Life, Writing

The Trouble With Adult Relationships: A Personal Story

source

Awhile back, a NY Times article circled the social mediaz (there are so many lately) that examined the hardships of making friends over the age of 30.

If I recall correctly, the article said it was difficult to develop friendships, like the ones you had in grade school or college, over the age of 30 because individuals typically get their shit together by then and decide to scrape off the loser friends who either a.) still live on somebody else’s couch 2.) repeat the same disasturous dating mistakes for years, constantly ask you for advice and then never take it and 3.) drink every night, but think AA is a vehicle assistance program spend more time with their spouse, kids and co-workers at places like Dave & Buster’s than at bars w/ buddies.

Or at least that’s what I got out of the article.

I’ve never been an awesome kick-ass friend. I attribute it to being an only child. And a Gemini. And maybe because I’m a left-handed Jew, I’m not sure. Woody Allen doesn’t seem (more…)

August 1, 2012 by
Austin, Writing

Zagat is Coming to Austin!

How awesome is the Zagat guide?

Before the days of social media and Yelp, Zagat was keeping it real and witty with their city guides on dining, shopping and entertainment.

If you went to NYC or LA, you stuffed that trusty maroon guide in your back pocket and it never steered you wrong. Zagat has always been your good-time bible.

Well, the Z is expanding, and now Austinites will have the opportunity to follow Zagat in their own town! (This lucky lady has the fortunate opportunity to be working with them!)

Locals can now spot Zagat ratings for their favorite restaurants and stores on Google Maps and Google + Local.

Currently, Zagat is in the survey phase for Austin where they need YOUR opinions on dining and shopping in Austin! Go here to start the survey!

If having your local sentiments documented in Zagat history is not cool enough, the gang is also giving away sweet swag for your opinions and one lucky winner will receive a PIP pass to Fun Fun Fun Fest!

*A Zagat/Google (more…)

July 30, 2012 by
Writing

Does Blogging Make You Depressed?

 

I like following popular blogs. Not so much in that I find the material interesting (by the time I’ve found the blogs, the authors have already begun posting less than engaging material because they’ve reached a success that doesn’t demand time or quality), but because I’m intrigued with their lives as popular bloggers.

Recently, a blogger friend clued me in to some blogger drama going on with the blog Single Dad Laughing. In short, a lot of readers and bloggers have increasingly become annoyed at author Dan Pearce’s  seemingly narcissistic blog rants. A recent SDL post spawned this angry response from Daddy blogger, Beta Dad. Though I don’t believe in blogger bashing, I found Beta Dad’s blog post kind of hysterical.

Blogger dramaz!

I don’t always follow Single Dad Laughing, but when I do, I’ve spotted keywords such as “depression“, “hiatus” (Dan had to take temporary mental health hiatus from blogging) and other words that insinuate emotional unrest.

This got me (more…)

July 26, 2012 by
Austin, Writing

Austinite Could Face Ten Years in Prison for Photographing Police

It’s fascinating what human cause stories catch like wildfire on social media and which ones do not. Just last week, bullied bus monitor, Karen Klein, received over $650,000 in funds from sympathetic citizens who saw the torturous online video of her being bullied by students. In May, the story of honor student Diane Tran made headlines after a judge ordered her to jail for missing school due to working a full-time job to support her siblings. After enough public outcry, the judge reversed the order. A few months back, here in Austin, the gratuitous shooting by Austin Police of the dog Cisco caught the attention of the world and over 100k likes on Facebook. The social media stir resulted in the APD issuing an apology to Cisco’s owner, Michael Paxton, and policy change within the APD.

Many stories, like the three listed above, really strike through to the heart of humans. An elderly woman being told by kids that she should die? A young woman trying to do the right thing sent to jail? (more…)

June 26, 2012 by
Hipstercrite Life, Writing

Anatomy of Writer’s Block

via Three Hundred Pages

Do you ever find yourself staring blankly at the computer screen with a large and heavy brick sitting smack dead in the middle of your right cerebral cortex?

Of course you do. You’re a writer and writer’s block happens all the time.

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck ass any less.

The way writer’s block occurs is different from person to person. When many writers find inspiration from any upheaval in their life, I want to retreat into my head and turn away from anything that resembles a blank computer screen or pen and paper. I need structure and normalcy in my life to feel creative, though out of both those things comes nothing remotely interesting to write about. Only in living life do we truly have fodder worth writing.

Having been interested in creating “stuff” my entire life, I randomly find myself in creative ruts from time to time. It often seems that there is no rhyme or reason to the blockages, but I know that is not true. It takes a lot of (more…)

June 25, 2012 by
Writing

When Sharing is Too Much: Tips on Healthy Self-Promotion

Recently, The Austin Post was kind of enough to write a feature on me. It was very sweet of them considering I’m about as interesting as a ADD-tainted squirrel these days.

In the comments someone bemoaned that I “brag too much about my connections” and “whine about turning 30”. I would be lying if I didn’t admit these sort of comments bother the living shit out of me, but I typically get over them in about five minutes (of drinking). Though I don’t think the commenter is correct in that I brag about my connections (having Jeff Goldblum rub his boner up against you doesn’t mean you know him!), it did make me contemplate the nature of over sharing in blogging and social media.

Though I’ve been blogging for over three years now, I’m still learning the rules as to what is too much when it comes to self-promotion. I tended to lean on not broadcasting my accomplishments for my social network to see, but then I realized that most people do. In fact, most people who get ahead do a healthy (more…)

June 15, 2012 by
Austin, Writing

What Are Your Thoughts on the Judgmental Austin Map?

I don’t know how I feel about the Judgmental Austin map.

I can typically take a joke, but something about this just rubbed me the wrong way.

The author’s classification of and negativity towards people in Austin is disconcerting by itself, but what startles me the most is the surprising adulation the map has received. The map has garnered thousands of shares and mostly positive response.

Being able to laugh at oneself is often a good idea and I can’t help but feel the applause for this map was born out of Austinites’ frustration with the city’s ever expanding population, but is it helping to perpetuate a growing disconnect within the city? An Us vs. Them, Me vs. You mentality? Austinites hate on California, but with the popularity of media such as this, we’re well on our way to becoming Los Angeles- the city of extreme societal segregation. I’m really surprised that racial and sexual classification such as “Black Resisting Gentrification”, “N. Mexico”, “S. Mexico” and “Boring (more…)

June 11, 2012 by
Writing

The Importance of Shopping Locally: A Personal Story

Last week I wrote about the inspiring entrepreneurial spirit of Austin, Texas. Small business is a subject near and dear to me. I grew up in a family-owned and operated clothing store named Leonard’s in Central New York.

Closing the business after 35 years was like a stake through the heart of my family. When I moved to Austin, I was overwhelmed by the locals’ support of mom and pop businesses. Would Leonard’s have had the same fate if it resided in Austin instead of the economically depressed Central New York?

I don’t think about Leonard’s often because the memory of its passing is too painful to dwell on. However, a former employee and friend, Gabrielle, died recently, and it stirred a wave of nostalgia.

—

“Hell-ooo?“

I linger on the silkiness of my Grandma’s voice.

The faux aristocrat.

As though every time the phone rings, she’s expecting it to be the President.

I wait a beat.

Trying to make sure that what I’m about to say doesn’t explode out into a puddle (more…)

June 2, 2012 by
Writing

Write to Please Just One Person

“Write to please just one person”– Kurt Vonnegut

I came across this helpful advice the other day on “discovery engine” Brain Pickings.

Being a fan of reading self-helps, how-to’s, tips and lists, I often find writing advice painfully obvious or boring. I don’t paste quips from various writers in Pinterest-worthy display above my desk nor do I partake in any zen-like daily writing practices.

Writing for me has simply been a creative hodge-podge that sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. I let my gut and my heart take the reins while my brain often holds on for dear life (hence the occasional typo).

With all that being said, this simple quote from Vonnegut struck a chord with me. It’s doubtful that the author said the advice with Internet writing in mind, but needless to say it is more than applicable.

Being a blogger does something to you.

It confuses you.

“Am I writer or am I blogger?” you ask yourself.

Some people are just bloggers. And I’m not implying that (more…)

May 29, 2012 by