I have many thoughts swirling around in my head but none complete enough to make a whole post so let’s just throw all of them together and see what comes out.
I’m working on redesigning my site. It’s old and it needs a makeover. Badly. Like, it’s WAY overdue. But I’m lacking in the funds department so it’s a DIY situation which is fine. I’m using the color palette from my old site, probably sticking with the same font or finding a similar retro one, and I want a simple, easy theme because that’s where my skills stop. I have the main topics we’ll be focusing on but I’m stuck on a tagline. Any suggestions? P.S. This is why I’m not a copywriter.
Speaking of career options, you know my author coaching business that I started? Two thoughts: 1) I definitely need my Jerry Maguire moment when I get that one client who believes in me and wants to pay me and all that; 2) self-promotion is not my strong suit. I suffer HARD from imposter syndrome which does not lend itself to starting and growing a business. I’m definitely rethinking the coaching as a viable choice. 
The University of Washington posted an infographic to “help” the girls trying out for the school’s cheer team. I read it. It’s horrible. It’s WHY cheerleaders have the reputation that they do and while the team has since removed the infographic, damage has been done. If people want cheerleading to be taken seriously as a sport–which is it and it should–then teams need to stop doing shit like this. Just because a girl might not curl her hair or have a six pack or wear red lipstick does not mean she can’t tear up the mat. Also, body dos? A “toned physique”? Fuck you, University of Washington. Not only is that a vague and completely subjective statement, what are you doing to these girls? Way to promote completely unhealthy habits and rule out what I’m sure are some damn good athletes because they don’t look the way you want them to. So you can take your infographic and shove it up your perfectly toned asses. Cheerleading is about so much more than appearance and if you can’t recognize that, then maybe you should go fuck yourself. Because I’ll be damned if my 9 year old cheerleader catches wind of its existence. 
On Friday night, the husband and I went to see Pearl Jam. It was surprisingly good, especially for me, a nonfan, and I do not regret going one bit. Glad we spent the money on the experience and congrats to the band on 10 sold out Philadelphia shows. They even have a banner in the rafters commemorating it. They only other artists with banners are Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen so they’re in good company. Which is cool. You know what’s not cool, though? Floors that are so damn sticky I actually lose a shoe to the stick. Like, my shoe stayed in place while I kept going. I’m seriously too old for that shit. Also, I’m too old to inhale secondhand weed smoke during a concert but maybe that’s another post.
So, one of the things I love about blogging is that bloggers love to help each other out. Which is why my friend Brynne from Femme Frugality and I have teamed up to help a blogger get to FinCon16. If you or someone you know wants to go but maybe needs a little help getting there, we’re giving away a free ticket. There’s an application process, though, so it’s not a lottery. You have to kind of work for it, and you can see all the details and access the contest page by visiting here. P.S. This is not an unfinished idea but rather a shameless plug for something I’m doing. #sorrynotsorry
What unfinished ideas are swirling around in your head?
ugh sticky floors. i once went to a restaurant that had that and i walked right out. if they can’t clean their floors, i wondered what else they didn’t clean. ew.
kathy @ more coffee, less talky recently posted…random things and goings-on
I could not handle that in a restaurant. Nope.
I’ve been wanting to redesign my blog but I lack the motivation. AKA I’m lazy as fuck. I completely agree with what you said about the University of Washington cheerleading thing. Sadly I think it is way more common than just the University of Washington. They used to make the girls spray tan on abs and do ridiculous things when I competed. And that was like young middle/high school girls. The damage starts way too early.
Nadine recently posted…The Rooftop Growing Guide
Le sigh with it starting early. My daughter’s gym is definitely in favor of conditioning but it’s more for strength and endurance and tumbling and also safety than aesthetics. The uniforms are pretty modest overall and USASF has rules now about how much skin the girls can show (ex., only midriffs on older squads) so that helps the younger kids with the body image. Not the older ones but any start is a good one.
I cringe at concerts when I get stuck in the sticky floor spot. It’s so gross. It makes it that much more difficult to enjoy the show when every time you move you have to physically yank your leg up basically.
Kati Rose recently posted…Mourning Minnesota’s Prince
It was so gross. So. Gross.
Ugh! That’s the worst part about being at a concert or a movie theater, when you step on that really sticky part of the floor! And I can’t believe that the University of Washington posted that infographic! I feel like cheerleading is one of the sports where girls are probably more likely to be self conscious enough about their bodies that they wouldn’t need to promote it more!
Ashley @ The Wandering Weekenders recently posted…A 5K Weekend
Cheerleading definitely makes the kids more body conscious because of the uniforms mostly but this horrible crap just reinforces every negative stereotype that exists. So it promotes everything bad and nothing good. As the parent of a cheerleader and one who wants to cheer in college, it enraged me to see this.
My mind is a freaking sieve this week. So a lot of things.
I HATE sticky floors.
SHAME on that infographic.
SMD @ Life According to Steph recently posted…Book Behaviors
I lost my shit when I saw it.
I actually complained to an usher that the floors were so disgusting. I mean, they didn’t do anything but I felt better.
I gotta check out what FitCon16 even is… am I a total non-blogger because I dont know that? .. oh wait – its FinCon16 – I had to go back up & look. See – I’m TOTALLY out of it.
I’d be all about a FITCon though 😉 haha
Rebecca Jo recently posted…My 7th Half Marathon…. A recap full of rain, gross feet, good knees & Belle
FinCon is a very niche conference. Not a general blogging conference at all so don’t be too upset you haven’t heard of it. I started as a personal finance blogger and got connected to it that way and now, I just run a session.
I need a day to sit and redesign my blog, too. DIY is my method of choice but ugh, so much time and I’m so indecisive! When I smell pot smoke at indoor concerts, I think the smoker is so ballsy. I would never have the nerve to do anything like that, ever.
Lauren recently posted…a currently post
I’ve definitely done it at concerts but not since college. I would never, ever do it now.
For the redesign, I know what I want to do and have the time to do it. I’m just lazy and terrible at that stuff.
Grrr I need a blog redesign, too. When I started in 2012 I knew NOTHING and the only blog hosting site I knew of was Tumblr, so that’s where I started. Now, it’s easy and relatively painless but it’s not meant for heavy duty writing and I regret that I didn’t use WordPress or something. Now it’s been 4 years and I cannot imagine starting from scratch…I have terrible luck and knowing me, I’d lose all my work. Sigh.
STICKY FLOORS ARE NASTY.
There’s definitely a way to move your Tumblr posts to WP without losing them. I just don’t know what it is. I do know people who can help you if you’re interested and have it in the budget.
Funny — not funny haha, but funny curled up in a ball in the corner — I suffer from imposter syndrome too, which is why I’ve been *meaning to for week* but as yet have not connected with you about your author coaching proposal. Can we start over from here, both of us giving our fear the finger?
As a former cheerleader who stopped in high school mostly because of the social implications and insistences of being a cheerleader, I just want to say I completely agree about their status as athletes. Most cheerleaders I knew and know have always been incredibly fit (like, actually talking about FITNESS and not the way people use “fit” to mean skinny or whatever) and fearless and tough as nails. Eff any racket that says otherwise.
alyssa recently posted…Why You (I) Should Edit Your (My) Blog Posts
Yes. Let’s do it.
What was the University of Washington thinking? Ugh. That’s the type of thing that screws up so many people around their body image, which is just another one of the many things I struggle with. “I suffer hard from imposter syndrome” you and me both, Jana. It’s something that I have struggled with my whole life and I don’t know why because I am not an imposter, nor are you.
Tanya @ A Mindful Migration recently posted…Living a Wholehearted Life and Embracing My Awesomeness
The thing of it is, younger cheerleaders see that stuff and think that’s what they’re supposed to do or look like to be considered good rather than what they can actually do. And it’s not at all.
I definitely feel like an imposter most days. I need to work on it.
Shows how much attention to I pay to what the University I work for is doing. Though I honestly don’t pay much attention to any of our athletic programs. I was proud of our Women’s basketball team for making the final four, and this weekend, I know that there’s a regatta coming up, but that’s only because of the giant for sale sign in front of our stadium (a local real estate company sponsors the regatta).
I am glad it got taken down. I would say, that attitude is not the one I see reflected every day at UW, but at the same time, that it got put out at all. I not only don’t like what it is saying about cheerleading, I don’t like what it is saying about what we are teaching our students.
Erin Shanendoah recently posted…In Praise of the Routine
I probably could have, and should have, spent a whole post ranting about this. I’m enraged on so many levels. I’m happy to hear it’s not reflective of the university as whole but still. Someone approved that. That bothers me.
So excited to send someone to FinCon! Mad thanks to you!
I’m horrible at self promotion, too. I prefer to put my nose to the grindstone and get noticed because of great work, but my struggles with marketing myself totally hinder me.
The last show I went to with weed smokers was Fleetwood Mac, and they were cracking down on it pretty hard core.
FF @ Femme Frugality recently posted…The Best and Worst of the Pittsburgh Airport
I can’t market myself either. So, I stay in one place. One day I’ll get over my shit.
I’m excited to send someone, too!
Half-baked is better than my no-baked :). Love that you & another blogger are helping to send people to that conference! And ew about that infographic. I won’t even click to see/read even though the graphic’s been taken down.
lisacng @ expandng.com recently posted…Mother’s Day round-up
We’re excited about the opportunity to do it!
That is so awesome that you got to see Pearl Jam in concert! Their album “10” was one of my favorites back in high school. Oh my gosh, did I just date myself? Jeez…
Mackenzie recently posted…What If?
No, you did not because we’re the same age and I don’t care that “10” was released in high school. The average age of the attendees was like 40 so we’re good 🙂
I would not be happy with sticky floors either. Ick.
I need to re-do my site too. At some point.
Amber recently posted…Hey, It’s Okay!
You ask what is swirling around in my head? So many things.
Trump vs. Hillary. I know this isn’t official yet, but the hate and ignorance that is spewing from all directions is alarming.
A mentally-challenged teenager complained at school about being impregnated by her step-father. Days later, she was found dead, burned, throat slit, and uterus removed. Step-father AND mother have both been arrested. I tell ya, my criminal justice major friend, the things that I’m thinking, I admit are most definitely cruel and unusual punishments. I can’t get this story out of my head.
Speaking of cheerleaders, I have a friend from college who went on to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. That has nothing to do with her life now, but it brought me back to thinking about her family. Her young son has previously battled cancer, was cancer-free but sadly, they’ve discovered two more brain tumors. I’m devastated for them. And feeling helpless while devastated is a difficult combination.
Well, this was an uplifting comment, wasn’t it?
Erin recently posted…When your best friend visits you in Australia
glad you had a good time at the concert. but boo to the sticky floors. my blog has had the same design for 2 years, so it’s time for a redo asap!
ellesees.net recently posted…Even MORE $10 And Under Goodies At Sephora
The cheer poster was disgusting, every time we think we’re passed those stereotypes some idiot has to remind me we are not.
Kelli recently posted…Sea La Vie – 4/29
That infographic is terrible. No ponytails?! What the hell?
Hmmmm, tag lines…way more fun than lawyering, so I’ll give it a try…
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Heather @ I do what I want. recently posted…Honeymoon Part 6: Reims, France (Champagne Region)