I was reading an article from BusinessWeek, “Now The Kids Can Wear Designer Clothes.”  I’m not going to lie, I appreciate my designer duds and have steadily increased the amount that find home in my closet, sometimes to my dismay.  I do contend that most of my clothes are found at Nordstrom Rack, killer online sales, or Outlet Malls.

The article cites “Children’s wear accounted for 5 percent of Burberry’s £1.28 billion ($1.99 billion) in sales last year and may double to 10 percent ‘over time’ as the company adds to its eight standalone children’s stores.”

How insane is that?  In the midst of an economic recession unlike any we’ve seen in recent history that’s Burberry’s stat!  That must mean the top 1% who own 35.6% of our wealth must be really busy buying baby Gucci?

One of my favorite displays at Art Prize was Plan B, which is in essence a spoof on consumerism.  The artists built a sustainable town that is fully functioning and is representative of what we would have to do if a major power grid failed.

I wonder what these artists would think if they read this article about consumerism at it’s worst.  Don’t get me wrong, as I mentioned earlier, I’m a fashion freak myself and I appreciate well crafted pieces but I am still in awe of the fact that it seems like we haven’t learned our lesson about being a bit more fiscally conservative…

In case you don’t know what Art Prize is, suffice it to say it’s the world’s largest and most social art prize ever!  The entire city of Grand Rapids becomes a giant museum and artists can set up shop wherever they want to with pieces ranging from oil paintings to giant flying pigs to cities.

And the best thing about it is I’m the judge!  You can text in or download the iPhone app to place your votes, and this year they are even incorporating QR codes.  It truly turns Grand Rapids into a museum on steroids.  It’s amazing.

The thing I love most about Art Prize is the people it brings to Grand Rapids.  The majority of the artists stick around their piece for the entire 2.5 weeks so you are able to get to know them and understand why they crafted the piece the way they did.  It’s so interesting to hear their stories and their passion for what they do.

The Detroit Free Press wrote an article “ArtPrize: Grand Rapids overrun by creativity” which talks about the buzz around Art Prize which was part of my inspiration for this post.  The article talks about the more than 1,700 artists from 21 countries who are participating in Art Prize this year.  Really, it’s pretty incredible and completely visionary.  It takes away the sometimes stodgy feel of a traditional museum and incorporates first time artists with seasoned veterans.

My favorite conversation of the day was with a woman who was helping one of the artists, James Adley.  She commented on the different perspectives people have of the art they are viewing and how it is such a personal experience, looking at art and feeling the way it impacts you on a personal level.  That’s my favorite thing about museums and complicated pieces, the piece can be one thing to you one day based on your emotional state and another thing the next day.

It is interesting how it can mean something different to every person who experiences it.  As I was walking around with my friend she kept gravitating to the pieces that come across as real life images, something that is a very literal representation of what the artist was looking at and while she was voting in a thumbs up, I seriously considered a thumbs down.  I realized I am more drawn to abstract pieces that make me scratch my head in wonder, “What was on this persons mind when they created this?”  For me, a black and white photo is more meaningful than a painting depicting a moment in time.  Maybe that’s because my dad’s an amazing photographer, who knows?!

Regardless…Art Prize, I plan on enjoying you every day until you’re done and will patiently wait until your return in 2011!

My second post also comes from Fast Company, but from their Infographic of the Day collection, so it’s different than the magazine right? Part of me feels like I’m coping out and still not gaining the diversity I crave but this Infographic really struck a cord with me.  The title is “How Segregated is Your City?”

My first response was huh? What are they talking about? But then I clicked and read in silence. My generation is supposed to be the one that sees past color and whether or not someone looks like me and we’re supposed to be progressive, but these graphics made me wonder, is this all a lie we tell ourselves?

So I kept reading, pausing at the picture of Detroit…

Let me remind you of the key: white is pink and black is blue.  Notice the extremely populated section of blue. And if you reacted the same way I did, now is the time to close your mouth.

The thing is I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit but to be honest I didn’t notice color until I went to college. And contrary to what the map may indicate, I didn’t feel like I grew up in a “one color” society. In high school, middle school, and even elementary I always felt like there were a substantial variety of shades of brown, white, and olive. I never felt like I was anything other than Sara Gonzalez and didn’t classify myself as a certain color. And by the way, if the name didn’t clue you in I’m half Mexican and part German and Polish.

If I want to be perfectly truthful I didn’t realize I came from an interracial family until I went away to school. Until that point it never really crossed my mind because it was never an issue. I’m not sure why I noticed it when I went to college, perhaps because I was in a new setting and hyperaware of my surroundings?

Regardless, I think this is a very VISUAL representation of the fact that we still need to make an effort. In general I think people are more inclined to stick with their version of normal whether that is social media geeks (me), artists, musicians, finance folks, etc. We need to branch out. Think about all of the amazing, enlightening connections we could be making if we just took the time to see what’s out there.

That ends today.

I am sick of just watching the world pass me by without participating.  Yes I’m busy and yes sometimes I just want to sit and stare at the TV screen in front of me and shut off my brain but I want more for myself!  I want to challenge my pea brain and do one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, commit to one year of posting every day about an article or blog I found interesting.

Seriously…this is a big deal for me.

I’m the type of person who doesn’t commit to anything.  No really, I don’t even have a lease because I like the idea of being able to upgrade or downgrade if the situation warrants it.  And let’s be honest, some of my “posts” will be more like sentences versus monologues but I don’t want this to become a chore, simply a way to stretch myself.

As a safety net for me, I bet I may miss 25% of days or roughly 91 postings. That may seem like a lot but to me I will do a happy dance if a year from now I can look back at 300 posts.  Like my mom says, expect nothing and be pleasantly surprised, so self I hope you pleasantly surprise me.  I know how busy my life is but I am curious to see if I can do this, for me and nobody else.

So here I go oh blogy blog blog, wish me luck friend!

Post Numero Uno:

I love my Fast Company subscription, though I’ll admit there are some months I may entirely ignore the contents, save for a brief scan one night as I struggle to fall asleep.  Which, if I’m being honest, is partially why I started this challenge.  I love that I can read about anything in the magazine from tech to real estate, to start ups, to politics.  There is always something new and exciting and October’s issue is no different.

“Not So Slick” by Anya Kamentz immediately caught my eye.  I’m not going to debate the oil spill because yes, it was a catastrophe.  I don’t care to argue the details of the event but rather want to focus on the interesting phenomena, thanks to social media, that brands are no longer in control of their brand.  Period. End of story.  The simple keystrokes I’m making right now as I type this prove that to be true.

A line from the article stuck with me: “Tweets are cheap; it’s what companies do, not what they say, that matters.”  Today more than ever we are all watchdogs of CEOs and companies and we have the power to simply write 140 characters or upload a quick video and publicize our thoughts.  Companies can’t simply hide behind well-orchestrated PR campaigns, and consumers will no longer listen to commercials and paid advertising, not that they ever did.  Consumers have always preferred peer-to-peer recommendations and now it’s easier than ever to see what your Tweeps are saying about the latest news.

We as consumers are always watching and now its easier than ever to snap a pic or make a just-in-time comment about the latest antics from a corporation.  I sometimes wonder about the future of news as we move forward.

Will my world someday be dictated by the likes of Perez Hilton and preteens and their Flipcam videos?  Journalists beware, looks like we’re taking the media into our own hands.

I understand why our generation gets a bad rap; we do tend to bounce around a lot. But can you blame us? We live in a world where you can video chat with someone across the country, where airplanes have truly become public transportation (Flights that cost $50 or less…even if you have to take the red eye on a Wednesday, they still exist!) and a tech savvy world that allows you to communicate via 140 characters or less with someone in Australia, from your phone nonetheless!

On top of it, our generation is entering the job market in economy described as the worst since the Great Depression. We have witnessed our parents lose their jobs after dedicating years of loyal service to a single company. We have watched the stock market plummet, what we thought were, fairly stable industries collapse.  Disloyal or resorting to self preservation?

Before this post becomes any more of a rant than it already is, let me say that I think there is hope for our generation. I don’t know many who truly enjoy moving every year, from job to job, playing pickle with the rounds of layoffs companies seem to be going through.

Trunk points out that our generation wants to take their future in their own hands. So let’s take it. When the economy turns around, and yes it will someday, take the time and find a company with a culture that matches your personality. Ask the tough questions, especially during the interview process.

What are the different career paths available to me? Are their opportunities to have a flex schedule and work from home one or two days a week? Do international opportunities exist?

When you spend so many hours a day at a job, it is truly important to find out if the company is a place that will support your values. Evaluate what you really want out of a company. To help put what you want out of life into perspective, rank your top 5 priorities and go from there.

If you know you want to go back to grad school in a few years, look at companies that offer tuition reimbursement and that allow flex schedules to accommodate a class schedule. Better yet, find a location with universities that suite your interest. If travel is important to you, find out what exist. Are there mentor programs in place? And once you find yourself at a company, continue networking within the organization.

Companies offer more than one career path and it’s your job to find out what they are. Gone are the days of being handed the answer on a silver platter, it’s time to take charge. Just because you want something new, doesn’t mean you have to move to a new city.

Stay awhile…and stop by West Michigan while you’re at it!

What do you think the odds are that you got the job, not because you were most qualified, but because you knew the person who was hiring either directly or indirectly?  Think through the past four jobs that you have had and count how many of them were a result of the network you had.

Trying to find a job this time around is no different than it was when you were 16.  It’s all about who you know.

New Era of Facebook
So what to do?  I’ve already talked about the importance of having a LinkedIn account.  Now lets talk about something I am confidant you have at least heard about, Facebook.  When Facbeook first started it was a place that became popular through word of mouth and was geared toward college students as a way to stay connected.  Remember when you actually had to have a university email address to join?  The good ‘ol days.

Slowly it has morphed into a place where those photos you didn’t want anyone to see from the party last night are displayed and where video clips from that beer pong tournament are easily viewed.  A place, worse still, where people like my Mom (no offense Mom), have created a Facebook profile to keep in touch with colleagues.

That last sentence should be the one that jumps out at you.  Facebook has drastically changed and no longer just includes college friends.  It now includes your parents, your parents friends, your manager, your co-workers, your potential new managers…basically your entire network!

So how well do you want your network to know you?
Take an honest look at your Facebook profile.  How much of the content would you really a potential employer to see?  Your Facebook and LinkedIn are potentially someone’s first impression of you.  Who do you want to be portrayed as?

I don’t think it is a secret that employers often Google a potential candidate to find out what their online presence represents.  And if it was a secret…it’s not now!  Between my HR classes and the 1.5 years I have worked in HR, I have heard it over and over again, employers love to check a potential employee’s Facebook profile.

So…clean it up! Get rid of pictures that others might find offensive.  I’m not saying you can’t have some pictures up from a party but keep them PG.  There’s nothing wrong with having a life, but do you really want your boss seeing you do a keg stand…or more importantly, your mom?

While you’re doing your spring cleaning why stop at the pictures, clean up your Facebook wall too.  It’s ok to delete postings from friends if you let them know why.  Can they blame you for wanting to get a job?  Look at the groups you have joined.  What about your profile picture?  Do you really want to give the whole Facebook world the finger?

While I am encouraging you to clean it up I’m not saying you get rid of everything!  It is good to have personality on Facebook, especially if that personality involves leadership.  Employers don’t want to employ just another cog in their organization.  They want someone who might have that “special something” to help bring their organization to the next level.  So what do you have in your profile that spells leader?

You are probably wondering why this is relevant to my own personal blog.

Celebrities will continue to have false statements posted about them on various websites which will then cause the celebrities to set the record straight, which will then cause another website to post another false accusation relating to the celebrities blog which attempted to set the record straight…

My point is, social media AND therefore Social Networking Is Not Going Away.  The very nature of the viral aspect of social media is that it propagates itself!

Two options exist: either accept that developing a social networking rapport is as important as having a resume (and YES you must always have an updated resume) or continue to struggle to make it to the next level of your career.

Gee, take the extra money you will make as you climb the corporate ladder OR keep living in the basement of parents?  Seems simple to me.  Social Networking Please!

My recommendation: if you don’t already have a LinkedIN account go and create one today.  If you are like me, you are probably wondering what the point of a LinkedIn account is, after all, nobody can poke you!

Let me ask you this, how many of you have ever complained about having trouble getting your resume out or feel like Monster is a black hole of resume submission?  News flash, LinkedIn is your online resume!  Better than a traditional resumes, past employers can write letters of recommendation about you that can be displayed to the public.  So take the time today and at least create an account for yourself if you don’t already have one.

I don’t know about you, but when I was in elementary school I always knew I would slowly move up the academia food chain, graduating with my undergraduate degree and eventually moving on to a post-graduate program and on to a bright future, etcetera etcetera.

What didn’t cross my mind was the possibility of a global economic meltdown and an increasingly expanding talent pool as the rate of college graduates increased.

To me, getting through college with a degree automatically meant a job at the “end of the tunnel.”  Turns out, I was wrong.  It also turns out, many of my friends and their parents, shared the same viewpoint.

However, I digress.  The point of this blog is not to share sob stories about how cruel the real world is.  The point of this blog is to provide the insights I have collected, as I too, have struggled with the infamous…“now what?”

Our generation is classified as “millennial’s.”  When I hear the world millennium, what immediately comes to mind is the Jetson’s, aka a technologically savvy world.  Which would lead a person to assume that the millennial generation would be equally technologically savvy.  I once thought of myself as being ahead of the curve and in tune with the new technological advances.  When it came to burning cd’s, chatting on AIM and adding people to Facebook I was King!  HA.

Now I hear about Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Skype.  While I have a basic understanding of each, I didn’t actually grasp what they could do for me until recently.

As I talk to more and more of my friends who are looking for jobs, it is clear there is one important class missing from a University curriculum, the power of Social Networking.

Through my work experiences, HR classes, strong mentors and internships I have managed to glean a few tips here and there.  If you are like me and many of my friends, you might find some of the tips useful too; at least that is my hope!