Category Archives: work

Work For It

I have been a Britney Spears fan since she became popular about fifteen years ago (give or take). I have liked the majority of her songs, but I enjoy them for the sound and beat. When I want to feel inspired, or use music to express something I cannot do otherwise, I generally resort to Tina Dico or classics that have maintained their status not just due to their sound but also their message.Britney may have had a message at one point. If she did, I never got it. She is just fun.

However, her latest song came out, and for the first time, I felt inspired by Britney’s music.

For those of you who haven’t heard Work Bitch (the video is embedded below), the message is simple, but often overlooked: if you want to succeed, and have the things in life you want, you have to work for it.

You wanna hot body
You wanna Bugatti
You wanna Maserati
You better work bitch
 
 
You wanna Lamborghini
Sip martinis
Look hot in a bikini
You better work bitch
 
 
You wanna live fancy
Live in a big mansion
Party in France
You better work bitch


Her words are simple, grammatically incorrect, seemingly superficial, but actually quite accurate.

Yes, there are those who work hard but seem to be getting nowhere, never appreciated for their endeavors. And granted there are those who have things handed to them, with bitterness ensuing from others towards their welfare. But for the most part, those who we deem successful have worked hard to get where they are, even if they may no longer have to work, and can now reap the rewards of their labor. 

Even those who are not thought to deserve their wealth can be lumped into the working category. We have all heard the arguments against athletes and celebrities. But how much work have they put into their craft? They may have natural talents, but even those talents require thousands of hours of practice to perfect.

Not everyone can reach such extremes of success, but even many who do have the talent, intelligence, or myriad other skills, don’t become successful because they are too trapped in looking at the end result and incapable, or unwilling, to fathom what it entails to reach it.

Any time you want to see results, or achieve a goal (big or small), it won’t happen magically overnight. The higher you want to get, the more you have to climb.

A large part of the misconception is due to what is portrayed, which is the end result, ultimate success, without being privy to the journey there. Britney is one of the few in her genre who more or less details the reality – she doesn’t simply sing about how fun it is at the top, but rather points to the road there.

Success is a process, and it starts with work.

P.S. On a completely unrelated note, when I first heard this song I misheard a part of the lyrics as “Call me the Governor.” That is not what she is saying, however, I still think that line is awesome, and I may just begin using it. Yes folks, call me the governor.

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Where Have All the Knee Length Dresses Gone?

This weekend I went shopping. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, I was just trying to update my summer wardrobe a bit since I spent the last two summers either pregnant or recovering from being pregnant.
My how fashion has changed. I love wearing skirts in the summer months, and I thought I would look around for some trendy new ones. Since I spend the majority of my time at work I wanted to find something that was also work appropriate. Apparently the definition of work appropriate attire has also changed.
I was looking for something knee length. I am no doctor, so anatomical precision wasn’t my biggest concern. I would settle for anything within the general vicinity of my knees. It seems in the last couple of years all the real estate in knee territory has been sold and the hemlines were forced to migrate far north. I definitely could not wear any of the dresses I found at work. In fact, I am pretty sure I should not be wearing those dresses anywhere. Society would benefit.
I found multiple really cute tops. I got a new sweater. But in the back of my mind I kept thinking of finding a dress or skirt. I found one. I snatched it off the rack and sure enough it was in my size. And it was knee length! Unfortunately it is also strapless. Which means I will be having to wear a cardigan over it. I was beginning to think there is a new rule that mandates only so much material be used to fabricate a dress. Since this one was considerably longer than the rest it compensated by having no sleeves. But I have to admit it is easier to put on a cardigan than to try and invent a new fad for thigh warmers. Which is what I would need with the other options on the market.
My theory on “only so much material be used to fabricate a dress” was proven wrong only a few hours into my shopping trip. There seemed to be an abundance of dresses and skirts made for women much larger than me in every dimension. Even in my four inch heels these dresses would drag on the ground. And as for the waist? I would have to use every belt in my collection to keep these things from falling down. Yes, they were long, far longer than knee length. And they were made of the flowey, soft material I sought after. But I am not sure how many alterations these dresses could sustain and still maintain their style and shape. Also, their abundance made me think that maybe there aren’t that many women made to fit into them.
Even though I made out with tons of cute tops, I still felt like I should write a strongly worded letter to someone in fashion. Because either they don’t work in an office, or they haven’t gone out lately to see what real women look like. Possibly both.
In the meantime I will make due with my new dress/skirt and billion tops to go with it.

Priorities

It’s funny how priorities change. When I was younger I didn’t know. Actually, when I was younger there is a lot I didn’t know. How life changes is definitely on that list.
I have always known I would get married and have kids. But I always assumed this would happen after I finished school and had my awesome career under way. Some of that did indeed happen. I finished my BA prior to marriage and kids. And the beginning of a future career was happening.
I was in the middle of my MA when Munchie came along. I decided to stop school, because apparently giving birth mid semester is a bad idea. Who knew? But I was certain I would return in a few months. Well, to my further surprise a few months after Munchie was born, Ducky was en route. Again, I thought it best to wait. Ducky came, and I resumed my burning path towards success.
But it wasn’t the same. Success, somewhere along the way, became redefined. I am not sure when this happened, but at some point, in between changing a diaper and preparing a bottle, school was no longer the end all of life. Success started being defined through my new role as mother, and school got shifted to a means towards a career, and that as a means for providing for my family. A better career means a better life for my family. My education and my career still define me, but only in a parts, with the largest part being allotted to hubby and kids. I am a wife, and a mother. Oh, and I went to school and have a job too.
Ten years ago my priorities were school, then work, and if I ever got a spare minute in there, then the third priority was my personal life. Now my kids are the most important, on par with my husband, then comes my job, and somehow I manage to squeeze school in there. Sitting in class last night I couldn’t remember with any certainty of when this happened. Was it when I found out I was pregnant? Was it when Munchie was born? Or was it a slow process that came into existence at some point after that? I realized what an amazing process it must have been. And I wasn’t even aware it was happening! Hubby is right, I am oblivious.
How has your life changed? Were you aware of the change as it was happening?