Gut Check.

That is a new phrase I’ve learned from my boss (I’d really rather call her my mentor, but for the sake of understanding boss will have to suffice) uses when she’s talking about checking herself if she’s questioning something we’re doing at work. I’ve realized its been about six months since I started this blog, and at the beginning I had a list of goals I wanted to reach this year. I decided it’s time to check in and look at my progress.

1. Find a new job

COMPLETED. I finally found my dream job. Well, a version of it. Can you ever really attain your dream job? I have no idea. Interesting question though. Another post for another time. Anyway, I work in social media at an online start-up. Short version: I play on Twitter and Facebook all day and wear jeans to work. It’s really so much more than that, but I’ll go on and on and get really intense and no one wants that. So just cross this one off the list.

2. Go back to school

About that. I keep saying I’ll go, and I keep not going. I procrastinate. I also rationalize. Like me saying that now I have the job I wanted so I don’t need to go back to school. But in all honesty, one of the things that is really holding me back is the insane amount of debt I’ll be coming out with. I know, I know. If I really wanted to go I could make it happen. Well I do, but I can’t. This stays on the list.

3. Register to vote

I have the paperwork on my kitchen table! I just need to fill it out. And mail it. And also knowing who the eff to vote for. Honestly, at this point I’m voting Romney because he’s attractive. So maybe registering should be put on hold.

4. Stop worrying about “The Clock”

Pretty much achieved. I’m in a totally different place now than I was six months ago, and I could care less about being married right now. I’m in a good spot with my relationship, I have an awesome job, and I’m still kind of broke. No reason to be worrying about getting married, or having kids. Everyone who knows me knows my opinion of kids, anyway.

5. Have a hobby just to have it

This one is kind of difficult. My work week is filled with, well, work. And I’m trying to be more active and not sit around all day, so my weekends are filled with other fun stuff. I was focusing on photography, which I still am, I’m just enjoying my suddenly found weekends, and I’m not feeling as stressed that I NEED a creative outlet. I definitely still want one, and I will work on it, just probably at a more leisurely pace than I originally planned.

6. Stay positive

I’ve been doing a LOT better at this. It’s much easier for me now to have a bad day and say “Oh well, poop happens,” than it was six months ago. That also has a lot to do with the progress I’ve made in other parts of my life. It’s just something I’ll have to continue to be aware of.

Well…two and a half out of six isn’t bad, right? It’s a hell of a lot better than I expected when I first told myself to write this. BIG PLUS: I’m still writing! And people are READING! And you LIKE it! Those are all things I did not expect when I started this blog. So that’s pretty awesome. I hope you stick around for another six months and see where I am then. Maybe I’ll be rich and famous and hanging out with Pete Cashmore….probably not. But we’ll see.

Big thanks for reading! Happy six months!

Follow me on Twitter: @marymallard

I’m Not Married, and I’m Not Freaking Out.

Adorable. Or something.

What the hell is wrong with me, right? I’m in the prime of my 20s, with marriage nowhere in sight (well, maybe next year). And I am totally okay with that. I’m not gonna lie, the past couple of years I was kind of having an identity crisis, wondering what to do with my life, and thought marriage would fix everything. Wrong. All wrong. I’m glad that none of those paths worked out, because I’m pretty sure I’d be extremely miserable at this point.

But I’m getting totally off track. For girls, even now, the expectation is that you graduate from college, get a great job, get married, and have kids. All before you’re 30. Oh, and you need to have a great social life. And lots of money. And a big house, a couple cars. And your husband needs to look like David Beckham. If not, you’re just not successful. Eff. That.

As I’ve said before, Facebook is probably everyone’s worst enemy at keeping this image going. Everyone portrays their lives as “Oh, look at me! I’m great! Everything is great! Oh haha, I’m married! Oh, my life is perfect! Yay!”. I feel like 50% of the girls I know on Facebook are married or have children. And their weddings looked amazing. And their children are adorable. But as I’m growing into my life, I’m realizing that I’m cool with who I am and what I have right now.

I can take off for a weekend whenever I want. I can hang out with the girls, go to a bar, stay out all night. I don’t have to worry about a husband, kid, laundry, or groceries. I can live off of chicken nuggets (dino shaped, of course) and mac and cheese if I want. I don’t have to be responsible for anyone else but myself. And let me assure you, that’s one hell of a job in itself.

Now don’t get me wrong, I understand some people are ready to be married and have families. And that’s okay. I actually know a lot of people who are engaged right now; some are a few years older, some are a few years younger. And more power to them. That’s just not for me right now. I’m not giving in to the pressure that some people feel.

Will The Boyfriend and I get married? I think yes. Will it be in the near future? I have no idea. Do I have plans for it? Maybe…Pinterest is to thank for that. But I’m in no rush. I just want to enjoy the life I have right now, and not care what anyone else thinks. And that’s my story.

Follow me on twitter: @marymallard

An Ode to FNX

This post goes out to all my local readers. WFNX, 101.7 in Boston, was bought by Clear Channel Radio recently, and that really sucks. Why does it suck? I’m glad you asked.

First, a little history. WFNX has been around for 29 years as an independent radio station playing the best in local and alternative music. Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks”? They were the FIRST station to play it. It ended up being the song of summer 2011. A lot of other popular bands, like The Killers, got their start on WFNX. It has basically been the one radio station in Boston that gave a start to a lot of local and underground bands. Many bands owe their stardom to the station.

With the purchase of WFNX by Clear Channel, it’s another example of culture being stamped out by big business. The owner of WFNX, who owns the Phoenix Media group, said it wasn’t financially sustainable to keep the radio station going. Which, in my eyes, was a bunch of crap. They most likely weren’t making AS MUCH money as he would like. And so, our radio station, and a part of our culture, suffers. Which is really sad. Because there is no other radio station in existence that I know of that plays the same type of music that they do, and they happen to be my favorite station. I went to the Seaport Six concert on Thursday night, and I was reminded of how awesome they are. They featured bands that not a lot of people know (Stephie Copelan and the Pedestrians, Reptar) as well as bands a lot of people may know (Cake & Two Door Cinema Club). It was truly the most fun I have had at a show in a long, long time.

Not only that, put they’re putting all of the DJs and people who work at the station out of a job. Julie Kramer, Adam 12 (who inspired me to get involved more in social) and lot of our other favorite personalities are gone off the airwaves. They are all very talented, and while most (hopefully all) of them will find new jobs, it just isn’t going to be the same. They were family, and WFNX was their home.

And so I think I speak for all the fans out there when I say, thanks for everything, guys. You’re awesome. And we will never forget the awesome that you gave to us.

Visit them to show them some love: http://www.wfnx.com