Disqus - Friends of mrggfep

Re: My Mentor Wish List

Monica O'Brien — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 17:08:01 -0000

Ryan,

Thanks for the comment. I completely agree that men will give young women more attention, but like you said, most women are probably aiming for a different type of attention than most men would give them. I can't say I want my mentor to be sexually attracted to me - it just seems weird and counterproductive. Also, I think young women and women in general rely on flirting to get things, and having a same-sex mentor would help prevent that type of behavior.

I think I know which article you're talking about. As I recall you got a lot of comments about how you were sexist, but I'm guessing since I'm a woman and not a man I won't have that problem. Nice double standard there, right? :)

I think you should always have high dating standards, but I won't go into it here. Maybe next time.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

Re: If You Don’t Want To Be Challenged, You Don’t Have An Opinion

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:58:58 -0000

Casey,

That's a great perspective. I think you are right, but everyone's balance between beliefs and opinions is different. I personally like when people challenge my opinions for the most part, but there are some things I just believe and don't want to have to explain why I believe them. Religion and other basic morals I hold fall into this category. Everything else is up for challenging though :)

Re: Entrepreneurship 101 - Complete With Resources

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:39:30 -0000

MIchael,

Congrats on the product launch! I admire you for starting your business so early. College is a great time to start because your schedule is a lot more flexible than it is with a 9 to 5.

You bring up a great point about talking to people. By talking about your ideas with everyone, you can utilize your network to get things done faster and meet the people you need to take your business forward.

I read like crazy too. It seems like I never stop learning, but it's great!

I'm glad you like the sports idea. I figured people would be mad about that one but I am a firm believer. I don't consider myself athletic, so I ran a marathon instead - which is something most people can do with a decent amount of time and training. You can also do intramural sports at your local gym with friends. Another idea I had if someone really hates sports is learning to play chess or poker. Anything strategic and competitive would work.

Thanks for the comment!

Re: Entrepreneurship 101 - Complete With Resources

Monica O'Brien — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:07:17 -0000

Rebecca,

I'm glad entrepreneurship is getting recognized and becoming a respected "profession" as well.

I guess I should have mentioned that I don't necessarily do all of those things well. For example, I don't have a 4.0 in school; instead, I learn what I feel will help me and everything else (like accounting, bleh) I let slide a little. I guess that goes back to priorities - with grade non-disclosure, a 4.0 doesn't actually get me anything, so it doesn't make sense for me to pour a lot of time into it.

I greatly admire people who know what they want to do and are able to pour all their energy into that one thing. If you have that, you don't need to overload your schedule. My husband is one of those people, and I'm so jealous of him sometimes! He's known he wanted to be a doctor since 8th grade and now he's in school making it happen. So there are different roads, to getting where you want to be - mine just happens to be a busy one :).

Re: You Can Become a Vegetarian Today

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:26:22 -0000

Rebecca,

It's so funny that you like bacon. I don't care about bacon that much, but the second night I was not eating meat I had a dream about almost eating a piece of bacon (I woke up before I ate it). That's the only time I've thought about meat so far, but maybe there's something subliminal there that might be my undoing.

I agree, we shouldn't define ourselves as vegetarians or vegans or whatever else. I don't see myself that way, since I still eat some fish because I love sushi way too much at this point. But if people ask, it's sometimes easier to just say I'm a vegetarian, because people have an idea of what that means.

I think a lot of Gen Yers are interested in becoming vegetarians because of our interests in the environment and animal cruelty, and I hope this will give them some tips and resources to get there!

Re: If You Don’t Want To Be Challenged, You Don’t Have An Opinion

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:46:53 -0000

Todd,

That's a great analogy. I love it! Thanks for sharing.

Re: Moving Away - Advice From an Involuntary Expert

Monica O'Brien — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:20:31 -0000

Hey th rive,

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply new friends can't ever be as good as old friends. I meant that when you meet a new person, they can't compare to your old friends right when you're first getting to know them. Maybe I should reword my post.

I use to live near the Philippines - Guam actually (on one of those old American bases you speak of). Great place (the Philippines). I've only been there once, but people ask me if I'm from there sometimes.

I don't think the number of times you move matters - moves are painful no matter how many times you've done them before, at least in my experience.

I'm glad you enjoyed the post, and thanks for sharing your own experiences with moving!

Re: If You Don’t Want To Be Challenged, You Don’t Have An Opinion

Monica O'Brien — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:04:28 -0000

Tony,

My question is why don't you have a blog? This would make a great post, and it's about the right length.

I completely understand that some people hate getting their beliefs/opinions challenged. My husband is one of them and it drives me crazy sometimes, but I can't expect everyone to be the same as me.

You are hitting on some interesting distinctions - for example, not all beliefs come from unchallenged opinions. It's something interesting to explore... I might have to think about that one some more.

Thanks for the comment, and I'm serious about seeing a blog from you in the future =D

Re: Recession-Proof Your Life Before It’s Too Late

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:59:35 -0000

Allen,

Thank you for your encouragement! I hope you enjoy what's in store.

Thor,

I'm glad you like the article. I don't know millennials have given much thought to the recession, and we certainly don't know what to expect. I'm hoping this will get our generation thinking more about how the recession might affect us, and also how we might be able to capitalize on some of the effects of the economy slump in the coming months.

th rive,

I have a hard time believing we are in a recession just yet - though it certainly could be an irreversible economic slump that will lead to a recession. I love Seth Godin, and I do believe you are right about getting in, specifically on stock markets, housing, and education/training. The book review I linked to is for a Random Guide To Investing - great book for millennials that puts financial markets into digestable terms. Thank you for your continued support and comments!

Voss,

Voss! Thanks for visiting my blog! Good luck with the job hunt, that's such a bummer. I hope some of my thoughts were helpful for you.

Re: Six-Step Process To Evaluate Any Proposal

Monica O'Brien — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:54:30 -0000

Rebecca,

I'm glad you liked it. I don't talk much about negotiating in it though - it's more about hearing someone's idea and deciding if it fits the blog or not. But that's a good topic for the future.

Re: Are You Giving Off Negative Energy? The Answer is Probably Yes.

Monica O'Brien — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:32:02 -0000

Dan,

I'm sorry, I wasn't intending to attack your post like that; it just seemed like a good example of how people view my marriage. What you wrote is nothing compared to the guys who tell me flat out to my face why I will be divorced by 30. Or who place bets on how long my marriage will last. Maybe I should have written about that instead :)

Re: Forget About Getting a Degree - Get an Experience

Monica O'Brien — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:47:08 -0000

Ryan,

Glad you liked it. It's interesting to me that you associate grad school with "structure." I'm assuming this comes from your experience as an undergrad. Grad school may not be as crazy as an entrepreneur's lifestyle, but I certainly wouldn't describe it as structured. Maybe you should sit in on a class to see what it's really about.

I do think it's good you mention it's not about option A or option B. You can do both and there's no correct order - I've seen people do it both ways. That's why I think it's more about choosing your experiences, because the cumulative of those experiences is what makes or breaks you.

th rive,

I think you're right. People should know why they are going for a degree and why it's a necessary step in their bigger plan. It sounds like you have a good path picked out. Good luck with it!

Re: How To Make Young Love Work

Monica O'Brien — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:52:01 -0000

Jason,

That's great. Thanks for sharing. Having your finances together is important in a marriage. Sounds like things are going well for you!

Re: Forget About Getting a Degree - Get an Experience

Monica O'Brien — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:59:52 -0000

Michael,

You definitely have time before worrying about getting a graduate degree. I wouldn't recommend going right after undergrad since you already have a product launch lined up.

I understand what you mean about having a different mindset than other people your age, and I think that comes from knowing you want to start your own business. It's good that other people don't want to start their own businesses, because businesses need people to work for them.

I do agree, entrepreneurship is ingrained in a person. It comes down to two things: you want to do it and your willing to take action. Lots of people want to start a business but very few are willing take action - you are. Good luck!

Re: Relax. Stop Working. Now.

Monica O'Brien — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:07:41 -0000

Michael,

Thanks for your continued support. This blog is nothing without its readers.

I find the most relaxing part of my day is on the train to work. The entire rest of the day (from 9am to 9pm) I have to be on my A-game. On the train, though, I have time to collect my thoughts for the day and sometimes write about things I've had on my mind. It's nice to be able to get ideas out of my head and onto paper or my blackberry.

During the winter, I do the same thing as you. I have two or three Wisconsin ski trips with friends lined up in February/March. I'm looking forward to them - it'll be nice to get away from Chicago for a bit.

Re: Recession-Proof Your Life Before It’s Too Late

Monica O'Brien — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:16:36 -0000

Michelle,

Thank you for the encouragement! I'm glad you enjoy the site. I like yours too!

Re: Forget About Getting a Degree - Get an Experience

Monica O'Brien — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:21:32 -0000

Holly,

Your first few sentences sums up what I was trying to say nicely. I'm so glad somebody understands me! Good luck with your switch to part-time jobs; it sounds like you are following your gut - I'm a huge fan of that. I think you know your reasons for switching to part-time jobs so it'll be okay.

Tiffany,

Yes, I completely agree. What are you getting your masters in? Getting a graduate degree was one of my goals too, and I'm glad I have the opportunity to reach that goal at a young age.

Re: Discussions About Twenty Set… and Other Randomness

Monica O'Brien — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:24:23 -0000

Chris,

Welcome! I looked at your website and I think what you are trying to do is pretty cool. I dabbled in the "Make Money Online" type business for a few months and got up to a few hundred bucks in earnings per month. Good luck with your upcoming launches! Let me know how things go.

Re: Are You Giving Off Negative Energy? The Answer is Probably Yes.

Monica O'Brien — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:30:06 -0000

Dan,

I only wish I could get away from these people, but unfortunately it won't be happening anytime soon. I've learned to not let the comments bother me - it's tough to offend me to begin with, and it's a lot tougher when I don't have respect for the person.

Thanks again for being a good sport, and I appreciate the links you forwarded along to me. Your website is interesting - who doesn't love talking about dating and sex? You provide a unique perspective on popular romance issues.

Re: Understanding Disparity in Voting Ballot Design

Monica O'Brien — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:27:30 -0000

Tiffany,

Great point. In my situation, I didn't know anything about the candidates or offices, so any votes I cast would have been purely guesses.

I agree you don't have to be entrenched in politics to cast your vote. I cast my vote for president in part from taking multiple online tests. That narrowed my choices - I then went to my top candidates websites and read a bit about their platforms. Most of us just don't have the time to devote to researching every candidate in depth. The web has made it much easier to get information about candidates, but now we have to worry about getting accurate information.

Thanks for the comment!

Re: Understanding Disparity in Voting Ballot Design

Monica O'Brien — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:33:28 -0000

Yeah, there is some good in the internet. Web 2.0 is definitely changing the way political campaigns are run - the same way Web 2.0 is changing the way we do business and the way we nurture relationships.

The only thing that bothers me about facebook campaigns for the presidential election is that they're almost too fad-ish. A lot of people will vote for who their friends vote for, the same way they play the games their friends play and join the causes their friends join. There's a virality to it, but I would love if people thought about things for themselves.

I see this most with Obama. Many people support him for his platform and his persona, which I respect. But many others hear from their friends that "Obama is for the young people" and vote just on that. It's pathetic. NYT wrote an article about how Obama is a Mac and Hilary is a PC - this logic is crazy to me. The presidential election should not come down to who is the "hippest." I'm happy to hear from people who support Obama for legitimate reasons, which is why I highlighted some of the articles above.

Something else I just thought of - the internet is also good for the presidential campaign because it takes away power from traditional media. We can interact with the candidates through profiles and websites rather than getting all of our information through a traditional media filter, which is often slanted.

Thanks again for your thoughts Tiffany - they've built quite a bit on the original post.

Re: Personal Branding Caveats of Web 2.0

Monica O'Brien — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:06:48 -0000

Casey,

So sorry! I changed it.

Now I have to internalize this new information...

Re: Personal Branding Caveats of Web 2.0

Monica O'Brien — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:53:38 -0000

Jason,

Awesome. I didn't even think about email names. Though it does irritate me that my gmail account includes my middle initial because my name is too common.

Thanks for the comment!

Re: Network With Your Favorite Bloggers

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:13:16 -0000

Sounds like a good idea. I'll keep those in mind!

Re: Network With Your Favorite Bloggers

Monica O'Brien — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:52:31 -0000

Michael - Cool, I look forward to reading more from you. I'm not suggesting YGG and EE are the only websites to target for guest posts - they just happen to be the two I've done so far, and it's been a good experience with both. Good luck with your networking!