MSNBC vs. the Romney Family:: Snark vs. Love

Breaking News: Something stupid happened on cable news the other night.

I know, that's not breaking news. It seems like every day someone says Santa is white, calling on people to defecate in a public personality's mouth or the like. It happens on all the networks. Lucky for us, it now happens around the clock.

This week, the outrage machine is fired up over comments made on Melissa Harris-Perry's MSNBC show about Mitt Romney's adopted grandchild. While pointing out the obvious in an off-color political tone, they managed to offend a lot of people.

Let's point out the obvious: Yes, MSNBC isn't a fan of Mitt Romney. Yes, the latest edition to the Romney family is a bit different than the rest. Yes, cable news makes a mint off of attacking their political opponents.

Instead of lashing out over the latest political mishap when another is just around the corner, I'm going to take the opportunity to try something new.

In the age of Twitter, snark is the new black. Everything has to be witty, dry and a little mean. MSNBC, if nothing else, was definitely being trendy.

The Romney family was instead acting out of love. Christian love for each other, for the community. They are making the world a better place, one life at a time.

Let's take this opportunity to dial down the outrage and the snark, and instead operate out of love.

(And only a little snark.)

Friday Dance

What I learned this week: My title can be "Birthday Girl" on a legally binding document. NOLA birthday party, here we come!

Also, here is my Friday dance.

 

This is my Friday Dance.

How to Start a Budget

Did you ever put off a goal simply because you don't know where to start? If you want to run a marathon but don't even know how far that is, you may feel silly asking or you may be too overwhelmed to try.

After two tries at a half-marathon and realizing that I max out at 7 miles, I'm not going to be able to help you run a marathon, but I can help you start a budget. Sure, budgeting seems boring but it can help you figure out where your money is going and how to reach your financial goals.

Start with these easy steps and let me know if I can help you!

1. Analyze your spending. Online tools like Mint.com make this easy. Simply open a free account, load in all of your bank accounts and credit cards, and allow it to load your transactions for the last few months. You may have to spend some time sorting transactions to organize it, but it's a simple way to categorize your expenses.

Once you have a clear picture of where your money goes, make a list of the areas you should change. Are you paying bank or credit card fees that you can get rid of? Are you spending more on eating out than you thought? Did you know that much of your paycheck went to your cell phone bill? Make a note now so you can follow up.

2. Set short-term financial goals. Once you have an idea where your money goes, figure out where you want it to go instead. Do you need to save for a car or a wedding? Would you like to have a trip fund so you can pick up on a whim and leave town? It's your money! Make it work for you.

3. Where to cut? Once you have a financial goal in mind, figure out how much it will cost and how much per month you can pay towards it. Mint has great resources in their Goals section. Once you know how much you will pay per month, build it in to your budget. Bye, bye fast food lunches; hello beach vacation.

Do you realize that you now have a budget? It wasn't as hard as you thought it would be, was it? After a while, you may need to make changes because you reach your goals or your categories change. These minor fixes won't take long, especially because you already started!

In defense of gift cards

Christmas is only a week away and many people still have a few gifts left on their list. Over the last few years, gift cards have gotten a bad rap for being impersonal and not thoughtful. However, let me waste a few minutes of your Tuesday to let you know why I think gift cards are the best gift.



1. I like to budget, which often means I don't have a lot left over to mindlessly shop for myself. Shopping used to be a hobby of mine and I would love to be able to do this without the guilt of wrecking my budget.

2. We have too much crap and we usually can't wait to buy what we truly need. While I know you put a lot of thought into the house plant or the pair of earrings you got me, chances are if I really wanted it, I would have already bought it. Also, odds are your gift will end up in the back of my guest room closet.

3. The things I am waiting to buy are too pricey for me right now. Your gift card will get me closer to my savings goal and get that big gift sooner.

You have seven days to figure out the perfect gift for your cousin/co-worker/in-law.  I say go for the gift card.

Books of 2012

     

    

When I started this blog, I would diligently write book reviews as I finished new books, but then something great happened. I started reading so many books so quickly, I just didn't have time to right a thoughtful review for each one.

So, here's a little update on the top 5 books I've read this year.

1. Looking for a lesson in Atlanta history? Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn walks you through the city's history through the families that would produce two mayors. The story telling is beautiful and the interviews with the family's are invaluable. Also, for a book that is told from such a personal perspective, this book is careful to be objective, especially when it comes to failed policy.

2. An uplifting story about the power of the human spirit, Louis Zamperini is a real-life Forrest Gump. From the Olympics to a WWII POW to a difficult return home, Laura Hillenbrand infuses this story with personality, humor and inspiration. By the end of the book, I was in tears!

3. If you're looking for something more light hearted, Sloane Crosley is your girl. Her observational story telling skills are unmatched and I giggled my way through the short stories in the book. My favorite story involves Alaska and bears.

4. I read Team of Rivals before I knew there would be a Lincoln movie out this year. I'll confess, the size is a bit daunting and their are too many characters to keep up with. Goodwin, however, does a good job navigating the plots and adds great flourish to what could have been a stale recounting of history. Got some downtime later this month? This is definitely your book.

5. My husband thinks I'm obsessed. I've now read 6 books at least partially about Zelda Fitzgerald's life. Did her husband's drinking drive her crazy? Did her instability drive her husband to drink? When did the marriage sour? Would F. Scott Fitzgerald ever become the legend he is without his wife/muse? Would he have been able to have a more substantial career without her? The more I read. The more I want to know. This is by far my favorite of her biographies, although they're all great.

If you would still like insight into the books I'm reading, let's be friends on Goodreads. I update this site pretty regular on what I've read since it'll give me new recommendations.

Let's talk about something else

The US media loves to focus on the sensational, the trashy, the depressing. They'll argue it isn't what they want, it's what consumers seek and they have a point. I have a certain love for celebrity gossip and bizarre news stories because they're a nice distraction from the every day.

I've been working to take personal responsibility on the media I consume. If you would like to join me, there's an easy way to do that today.

A certain trouble-making celebrity was arrested last night for being immature, stupid and violent. Whenever the news comes up today, change the subject to Malala Yousafzai. A quick Google search will give you all the information you need about this brave Pakistani girl who just wanted to go to school.

She became an outspoken leader in women's rights, even though she's only 15 years old. The Taliban decided she was such a threat to their culture that they shot her in the head as she rode the school bus home in October. As a teenage girl, she was targeted for assassination. She is recovering from her injuries in England.

There's a world out there that doesn't involve TMZ, Honey Boo Boo or the trash the media spoon feeds us. Make today about someone who works to make a difference, and you'll be making a difference, too.