Tuesday, February 28, 2012

"Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was going somewhere, I was running!" -Forrest Gump

  Exactly two months from today I will run the Music City Half Marathon. And let me tell you this day's been a long time coming. I made a promise to myself the weekend after my birthday, which also turned out to be the end of my relationship, that I would run 13.1 miles and in the process get over him and let go of it all. I come from a family of runners and have run on and off my entire life, mostly as means of staying skinny, but Junior year of high school I used it to get over a boy and here I was doing it again four years later.
  I am blessed with an incredible family who loves me like no other and has supported me through it all. However, I also come from a family who will tease your pants right off you. I am not the most graceful person in the world nor am I the most elegant in every day life; so when I announced at family dinner downtown one July night my marathon plans my dad about choked on his burger. Nonetheless, when we got home that night Joe helped me pick out a new pair of running shoes for training and the half-marathon. Mom put the date in her planner and Dad wished me good luck. And here we are. I would bet I will be more emotional after I cross that finish line and find my family, especially my momma, than I will be on graduation day. There is something so emotional and personal about running, it takes everything you have to give and then some. The most raw moment you can have is finishing a run in tears, legs shaking, knowing you did it. 
  After training for a good solid seven months now I can say in confidence I couldn't have done it without my little brother or Map My Run. Map my Run is an amazing website that I seriously would not have been able to train without. It's like Facebook for runners but so much better. You can find friends, or in my case little brothers, to share runs, workouts, and diet plans with. I've mapped every run on the site to get my exact mileage for the day and Joe has sent me runs he's mapped out for me through the site as well. It's simple and fast and has a huge array of resources for runners along with an iPhone app that has definitely come in handy. So once again social media has found another way into my life along with Pandora for a nice soundtrack during workouts, Pinterest for inspirational running quotes along with finding the coolest running gear, and of course Facebook to share all those sweaty "I DID IT" pictures. 
  I started this goal as a means of getting over someone and finding a way to heal. But it's grown into something so much more. I'm doing it for me. And let me just say I am pretty dang proud of myself. So here we go, sprint those last 100 yards no matter what. I'll see you at the finish line.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

"Do you still have the uniform?"

  In honor of it being the first Sunday of Lent I figured I'd return to my Catholic school girl roots and introduce the blogosphere to the wonderful world of #catholicgirlproblems. We're almost a week into Lent and already the bright green sticky notes reading "FRIDAYS: NO MEAT" are gracing my wall, mirror, and door. So one can only imagine how excited I was when a girlfriend's RT of @Catholicgrlprob showed up on my timeline. AH and there's a blog too Catholic Girl Problems. This is almost as good as the last 10 minutes before midnight on Fat Tuesday.
my ashes looked like Harry Potter's scar #catholicgirlproblems
  Anyone who's Catholic or has ever dated a Catholic girl knows the unique set of problems we face daily and no one explains them better than Catholic Girl Problems. Her blog is so hilariously true I sent it to my mom and I'm pretty sure I shared the "Rosaries Before Brosaries" post on ALL my girlfriends' FB walls. There is nothing better than relating to a tweet about crazy mass antics or craving beef jerky on Fridays during Lent. And after this past week, my entire History class knows how hilarious the Ash Wednesday tweets were after my giant laugh in the middle of lecture. Britney Spears might have made us Catholic school girls popular but Catholic Girl Problems is making us proud to hashtag #catholicgirlproblems.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Your favorite magazine except sexier...

"It's the name of my vlog because I say it a lot."
  The other day in class the topic of vlogs was brought up and the comment was made "no one even does that anymore." Um, FALSE. From the boys who brought you Sh*t Sorority Girls Say is "Wait...What?" the newest vlog based off their runaway sensation YouTube video. Laura Penny is here to tell you all about how to get unfat, her hatred of Jeremy Lin, and of course Derek. As of today there are three vlogs all talking about completely off the wall topics but all absolutely hilarious. And I will admit I've watched the Jeremy Lin blog about four or five times and sounded like a complete idiot laughing at my computer screen. Oh and comments are welcomed on every blog post along with suggestions for future vlog topics. I can only imagine what crazy topics are in the works on "Wait...What?" but I do know I'll be laughing through whatever Laura Penny goes on a rant about next. I'm definitely on the Laura Penny bandwagon.

Wait....What?

  What do you get when you mix a few SAEs (or so I've been told) from Vanderbilt, a horrible blonde wig, and a video camera? A YouTube sensation that has spawned a Twitter account, an "Outtakes" video, and a Vlog. For the past couple years I had only used YouTube as means of watching music videos or clips from tv shows. And then the Sh*t Sorority Girls Say YouTube video was posted on my Facebook wall. I won't reveal how many times I've actually watched the video for my own dignity, but I will admit I quote it daily. And if I ever venture to Vanderbilt's frat row my number one priority will be to find these boys and shake their hand, then take them for FroYo. So grab yourself a skinny vanilla no foam extra hot make it a double pumpkin spice latte and proceed to watch over and over again. 


Oh and for when you can quote the entire first video verbatim, Sh*t Sorority Girls Say OUTTAKES 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A lover of all things Lilly

  I'm Caroline and I'm a Lilly Pultizer addict. Just last night I had a dream they released the 2012-2013 planners early and awoke in a panic. Even sitting here now my planner and phone cover are both Lilly. And yes I might even have the Lilly page pulled up in a different tab, maybe. I absolutely love everything about the Lilly brand, from her blog to her prints to the font used on her website. But fantasizing about Lilly school supplies usually gets interrupted by school itself. So how do I know that the limited edition Lilly Pulitzer Barnum's Animal crackers are coming out in March? It's easy, Facebook. 

   What is the number one site college co-eds pull up immediately after opening a new Firefox window? FACEBOOK. I might frequent Lilly Pulitzer's "A Colorful Blog" at 3am when I can't sleep or when I've hit the wall with a paper, but it is so much easier to have the latest Lilly news pop up on my newsfeed. After all there's a 98% chance I'm already looking at it right? And it was my newsfeed that informed me Lilly Pulitzer and Lifeguard press had released the Lilly Spring 2012 Collection Look Book already. And it was the "share" button that let me set it as my status to alert all other Lilly addicts of this exciting news. 

   The obsession doesn't stop there (sorry dad). From the Lilly Facebook page I found the Re-Lilly page. And was able to Facebook message my best friends (even one in London and one at Western Kentucky) my top 5 Lilly graduation dresses. Oh yes, Facebook has opened up endless possibilities for the Pulitzer obsessed like me. So go on and check out the Lilly Blog, A Colorful Blog , you won't be disappointed! And treat yourself to an belated Valentine's Day present from the Spring 2012 look book and "like" the Lilly page while you're at it Lilly on Facebook 

                                 "The Lilly girl is always full of surprises. 
                                  She lives everyday like it's a celebration, 
                                            never has a dull moment, 
                                    and makes every hour a happy hour." 
                                                  Live a Lilly Life. 

Monday, February 13, 2012

Stand by your Man.

  I'm not a Tom Brady fan. I'm not a Gisele Bundchen fan. And I'm certainly not a Patriots fan. But you've gotta give the girl credit, she loves her husband. The last four Superbowls have all been decided during the last two minutes of the game. And this year's was no different. With just seconds left Brady threw up a Hail Mary pass and hearts of Patriots fans' everywhere stopped. Only to watch a sea of Giants jerseys dash their Lombardi trophy dreams. And then the drama began...

As Mrs. Tom Brady made her way through the sea of media to her husband's locker room after the game she was bombarded with heckling. "Eli owns your husband." "Eli rules!" She snapped. Barking back at photographers, "You have to catch the ball when you're supposed to catch the ball," and she didn't stop there. Gisele went on to lash out at Patriots players, specifically wide receiver Wes Walker, "My husband cannot f--king throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times." Once Mrs. Brady had spoken her peace, she and her QB hubby left the stadium steering clear of reporters. But while the reporters Gisele mouthed off to brushed off her anger fueled tirade news stations across the country weren't as forgiving. Boston blogs blew up with fan backlash from the use of the f-bomb to Ms. Bundchen's criticism of her husband's teammates. 

  Fans weren't the only ones to speak their minds on the topic. Giants' running back Brandon Jacobs let the press know his feelings on the matter stating Mrs. Brady should "continue to stay cute and shut up." And I must say I have to agree with Mr. Jacobs. I'm all for defending your man but not at the expense of his fellow teammates. It is absolutely expected for a wife or girlfriend to be upset after their husband or boyfriend loses in the Superbowl but save it for the car ride home.  My Noni always said "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," in today's media driven society that phrase should instead read "If you don't have anything nice to say, post it on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, or sell it to the press." She might be able to strut down a runway in 50 ft light up angel wings but Ms.Bundchen is no sports commentator. She might be married to an athlete but she's not the one in the pads throwing the football and even her husband, who IS the athlete, had his wits about him to keep his comments to himself. Hopefully everyone learned a lesson from this episode of "When football wives attack" especially Gisele Mrs. Tom Brady Bundchen. 

Here's some fun little social media humor I found that would make even Wes Walker laugh:


Saturday, February 11, 2012

Your friendly neighborhood NFL player

  My dad's favorite athlete is Roberto Clemente,  former right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The upstairs office in our house is full of baseball cards, signed balls, and books about the late Mr. Clemente. Growing up dad could only see his idol on TV, a baseball card, or the rare occurrence of in person at a game at Three Rivers Stadium. Whereas these days I can simply tweet my favorite player. Social Media has made a new kind of fan-player relationship possible. Like I said before, it's as if you feel like you know the player personally simply by following them on Twitter or liking them on Facebook. 

   Meet Ryan Clark: Starting Safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, 2011 Pro Bowler, 2009 Superbowl champion, and runs carpool for his three kids. Just follow Clark on Twitter, @RealRClark25, and you'll find out all kinds of fun facts about the football star and his life off the field. From tweeting about being seventh in the carpool line to hot tub night with his kids to people watching in the ATL airport during a layover Clark makes his personal Twitter just that, personal. I don't even know how many girls tweet to Justin Beiber on a daily basis but one thing I do know is Ryan Clark goes out of his way to reply back to fans. Just ask Caroline Laakso. 

   Just like Hines Ward is my dream man, Ryan Clark is hers. But unlike Ward, who has never replied back to my countless mentions (no hard feelings Hines), Clark replied back to Caroline Laakso. Of course Caroline RT'd it and that was the day I followed Ryan Clark on Twitter. It was the first time a Steeler had personally replied back to one of my friends and I must say I was impressed. Clark's tweets about his kids crack me up and his twitpics from the Pro Bowl were amazing! Clark's already a media darling in his own right. After surviving a brush with death at Mile High Field in 2007 and going from being undrafted to a Superbowl champion, Clark isn't your average NFL player. If you're watching Sunday afternoon football you can find Clark wearing #25. But if you're lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a Steeler practice Clark will be sporting the #21. This number switch is to honor Sean Taylor, Clark's former teammate with the Redskins. But it's the simple fact that Clark would wave a Terrible Towel and honk his horn if he was first in the carpool line at the request of a Twitter fan that makes him not only a stand up player but a stand up guy.


  I'm sure there are countless other NFL players who reply back to fans and make an effort to reach out and connect with fans much like Ryan Clark does. So don't feel like a nerd the next time you mention your one of your favorite players in your tweets. Who knows they might reply back. When I started writing this blog Saturday night I tweeted about it and mentioned Clark. I wasn't even a paragraph in when low and behold I got a mention from Ryan Clark. My night/life was made. Let's just say Hines Ward has some serious competition for my jersey next year. Hope I was nice enough for you Mr. Clark! #blackandyellow #blackandyellow #blackandyellow





   

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Pin it. Pin it good.

  Attention all twenty something ladies, there is a new form of social media to curb your productiveness. The name is Pinterest and the possibilities are pin-less. Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board consisting of thirty two different pin categories ranging from "Sports" to "Wedding & Events." The site is invitation only with wait times ranging from 24 hours to 2 weeks. I had to wait three days for my coveted Pinterest invite email. But once that happy day comes all you have to do is accept your invite and you're in. The number of pin boards you can create are endless much like the number of hours you can spend on the site. I currently have eighteen boards with names ranging from "Charmed Life" to "Tiny Genius." And of course, there's an app for that. The Pinterest app is extremely user friendly and my go-to distraction. When my roommates told me the site was addicting they weren't exaggerating. I even got my mom hooked over Christmas break. 
  But wait, Pinterest isn't just for wedding obsessed co-eds. Pinterest is also a mecca for all small business boutique-esque owners. Just over Christmas break I helped one of Hendersonville's small businesses, The Blue Hydrangea, set up their Pinterest account. I've said countless times how our generation is the online generation. To us if it isn't online it doesn't exist. Pinterest is catering right to our handicap by allowing you to click on a picture of a necklace you like and have the ordering information or link to that company's website right in the description. I found and ordered my little brother's Christmas present this way. 

"monogram madness"
"#blackandyellow"
   But just like any form of social media you've got to watch what you post or rather I should say pin. Anyone can see what you pin. I have at least three or four people I do not know repin me everyday. Any HR department could get a nice little snapshot of you by simply scrolling through your pin boards. As funny as it might be to you, if a pin has profanity in it think twice before repinning it. At the same time have fun with it! Come up with creative pin board names that have a wide variety of pins.  Have boards that focus on your future. I have "Dreams" "Wishes" "Little person Big aspirations." Have boards that show the fun side of you. I love pinning to "Laugh til you cry" and my most popular board "Sorry I'm not sorry, ever." Have boards that show your wide array interests. I'm summed up pretty well by "#blackandyellow" "run run run" and "Charmed Life." Utilize Pinterest to show potential employers who you are outside of the professional network. By simply looking at me one wouldn't know my home decor taste or that I love love Harry Potter; and who knows the head of HR might love HP Facts too. Think of your pin boards as your virtual store front windows. Make them Bergdorf worthy.  


  My parting words would have to be if you're not already on Pinterest request your invite ASAP. And if you're already a pinner make sure to keep those pin boards very Pinteresting, you never know who might be repinning you.
   
                                         

Monday, February 6, 2012

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

  My momma's best friend growing up was Diane Savage. They lived across the street from each other and spent every summer together swimming, grilling out, and playing under the stars. But like most childhood best friends do, fell out of touch after high school. 40 years later an email appeared in our inbox from Diane. This will never be a problem for our generation, in fact I would say with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Skype, and blogs it's near impossible to not stay connected. While social media may cause some hurdles in getting past that initial meeting with HR it works wonders keeping BFF status with hometown friends. 
Typical...

  If I was asked at this very moment to name my favorite memory, without a doubt it would be the summer of 2008. That summer we were all care free, young, and having a good time. Days consisted of laying by the pool. There wasn't a car ride anywhere without the AC on high and the windows and sunroof open. And Sara became my best friend that summer. We were inseparable. College move in day changed all that, with Sara at Western Kentucky and me at UT Knoxville. Three and a half years later it's like nothing ever changed. Because of social media we are just as close as that inaugural summer. Our Facebook walls and Twitter feeds are full of posts from each other ranging from "gooooood luck"s for tests and presentations to hilarious Bluntcards from Pinterest. Thanks to social media it's like everyday is the summer of 2008.

Apt 501's sledding adventure
Tyler, Georgia Weekend
  












  


Just like mom and Diane reconnected through email, our generation is reconnecting through Facebook. Tyler and I went to middle school together and grew up in the same town. But it wasn't until Sophomore year of college when he found me on Facebook we finally connected and he ended up becoming one of my best guy friends of college. Social media has also proven to be the best way to stay in touch with friends who have entered the grown up world. Emily and I were roommates my Junior year of college and I don't know what I would have done without Em and her always inspiring life talks at 2am over egg sandwiches in the kitchen. After graduation Emily moved to Memphis and is now making her mark in the big girl world. So these days instead of egg sandwiches sitting on the counter I get random wall posts when up late stressing over a test. Facebook photo albums help to keep us up to date on each others' lives and now thanks to my blog she has a new way of keeping tabs on me. In fact all three roommates from junior year keep in constant communication with each other through Facebook and the occasional tweet. Thanks to Mark Zuckerburg and Biz Stone the days of Apartment 501 and all the inside jokes made within those walls will live on through wall posts, FB chats, and Twitter "mentions" for years to come!

  So the next time you start wondering about that Freshmen year lunch table that was inseparable just click open your favorite form of social media. I'm sure it won't take long before you're all meeting up for coffee to catch up on life and memories.


 


  

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The Social [Drama] Network

  It's the same ritual every Sunday morning. On the couch in pajamas, computer on lap, stalking and detagging pictures from the night before. As a 21 year old college co-ed my entire life is naturally online. From Twitter updates concerning ridiculous Lifetime movies to those cliche kissing couple Facebook profile pictures, anyone could get a pretty good snapshot of my life by simply typing "Caroline Pekarsky" into a search box. It's true social media, especially Facebook, offers endless possibilities for networking and managing your brand. But for every possibility there are at least three opportunities to make a mess of yourself, after all Mark Zuckerburg did create The Facebook as means to seek revenge on an ex-girlfriend. So how can being a part of the online generation hurt your job prospects? It's simple...

  There exists the saying "If there's a will there's a way" well I like to say "If there's Facebook there's drama." From relationship status changes to dramatic song lyric status updates, on any given day there can be more drama swirling around on Facebook then a high school cafeteria. Yes, I have received a very angry phone call from a boyfriend telling me to change my profile picture back. And yes, I have sent a not so nice text concerning a friend request from an ex-girlfriend. It's college. I don't know very many people who haven't defriended someone over ridiculous drama or haven't set their profile picture to some "hilarious" picture from the weekend before. But as my very wise mother once told me, if it's on the internet it's on there forever. Facebook's privacy settings are not going to save you from nosy relatives or even worse, future employers. I love Facebook just as much as the next Nike short clad co-ed next to me, but at this stage of our college career we've got to start posting smarter.
...told you I had one

  Ah, the "Red Solo Cup Picture." If you have been in college for at least a week you have one. It's the sorority girl's loophole around standards, the fraternity guy's way of saying "I party", and Toby Keith's inspiration for a Top 40 song. Don't go thinking I'm a Negative Nancey, I too am guilty of having a "Red Solo Cup Picture." And like 24,000 other undergrads, starting at 10:10am Monday morning I am living for the weekend. However I also graduate in 98 days and I don't think any HR manager would find my zeal for the social life as a qualification for a media planning position with their company. The name of the game has changed and with it so must our privacy settings. 

"Profile Picture"
Sorority Function sans Solo cups
 There's no need to go deactivate Facebook or delete all pictures. It's more like asking yourself "would I want my future mother-in-law to ever see/read this?" before posting or tagging anything and I mean anything. Have your profile picture be a simple professionally cropped picture of just you. Keep pictures of sorority functions classy, preferably from philanthropy events or formal pictures before the buses. Imagine yourself as an HR manager looking at your profile and pictures.No one wants to hire a girl who makes the duck face every other picture but no one wants to hire a wet blanket either. Think of your profile as a highlight reel of your life, I don't think anyone would want a picture of them in a trash can on their eulogy program.  Think of social media as a double edged sword. It can help you or it can hurt you. My dad has told me countless HR horror stories of really cute and bright young women not getting jobs because of how they portrayed themselves on Facebook and Twitter. We've survived Blakeman's Business Strategies and Hovland's crazy Mountain Dew rants, don't let one dumb picture from one dumb weekend hold you back from getting that dream job. Always Facebook responsibly.