Spreading the message to queer teens being bullied: IT GETS BETTER

I was really moved by the recent "It Gets Better" video campaign started by Dan Savage to help spread the message to at-risk queer youth that bullying is not okay and that it does get better.

With so may issues like Don't Ask Don't Tell and gay marriage being illegal, we are sending a message to our youth that it isn't okay to be gay. It isn't okay to be gay and be with the person you love; it isn't okay to be gay and serve your country. These ideas are the foundation of "gay bashing" and queer bullying. These are ideas that WE, as Americans, have passed on to our youth - queer and otherwise.

I am so incredibly excited about this campaign and the message it is sending out. This is necessary. These kids NEED to see this; videos of successful queer people sharing their stories and sending out a personal, positive message to everyone watching.

We as queer people need to stand up now for our own rights and for the rights of the kids in America who are growing up in a society that still says this is not okay - that we are not okay.

Stand with me.

On October 16th, location TBA, we will be hosting an event called "It Gets Better - New Orleans." <- please click that link and join our fan page to stay updated.

Spread the word, come out to the event, share your story.

Want to join the street team? Email me @ ohheyitsmegan@gmail.com

Oh, Hey There!

Life in the fast lane means I haven't blogged in quite a few months. I tried TUMBLR for a while because I thought it would fit better with my A.D.D. lifestyle but I wasn't a fan.

Really, I'm on the fence about whether this should be a place for professional content or personal musings and so for now it will probably be a mix of each.

What's happened since April:

I quit my job at the non-profit and started working for myself for 2 months

I realized that launching a freelance career is complicated and takes time and began searching for a badass supplementary gig

Launch Pad (coolest coworking spot in New Orleans) put out a call for a new Community Manager (40 hour presence/20 hour LP work) and I got it! So now I have a solid gig and am working on building my personal brand and list of independent clients

Leigh and I broke up. No no, it's okay. We are on excellent terms and are both enjoying our newfound personal space and freedom

I went to D.C. for the TEDxOilSpill Conference and the Poynter Institute conference and they both rocked

I went to NYC to visit my amazing friend and up and coming comedian Zach Broussard and met my internet BFF, Lynn Casper IRL for the first time. We came up with a vlog series called "At the Space Bar" where we discuss online communication among the gay community. The vlog was picked up by TheNewGay.net and mentioned on AfterEllen.com!

I moved into the tiniest, most adorable studio apartment and I absolutely love it! Mostly, I'm really excited to be back living in the Irish Channel; I love this neighborhood.

Anyway, those are the highlights:)

Disappointments, failure and why I keep going

This morning I was talking to my favorite co-worker about life's big disappointments,(yes, we are always rainbows and sunshine in the morning), and the overall ratio of disappointment to triumph as it has occurred in our lives.

The biggest disappointment that I can remember is when I applied for the IRTS (International Radio & Television Society) internship in college. I had big dreams, but hated the city I was in, the restaurant job I worked and the jerk that I was dating. I needed to get out of there. And to a small town girl like me, landing ANYTHING in New York was "making it."

In my mind, that internship would lead to another internship with This American Life immediately following graduation and then that would lead to a successful and lucrative career in Broadcasting, ideally CNN but I would be open-minded about other major news sources. The Mary Tyler Moore theme song played over and over in my mind and I imagined myself standing in the middle of Times Square, tossing my hat in the air promptly upon arrival.

Needless to say, none of that happened. When I received a phone call mid-shift at my restaurant job from the jerk I was dating, saying that the email (they were checking it for me) came and I had not been chosen, I lost it. I regretted even applying and getting my hopes up and I feared this was a signed that I was doomed to small town mediocrity forever. I figured I may as well even quit the upscale restaurant I worked at and put an application in at the Waffle House, just to enhance the level of tragedy. Then, I walked into the walk-in freezer and screamed as loud as I could.

After that, despite my lack of self-confidence, I applied for two more national internships that I also did not get. Shortly afterward, I applied for a local internship at a television station and was hired as a full-time news reporter. Not that it was a super glamorous job, but it was a really great start and I learned a lot.

I took a lot of chances over the past few years. Right now, I'm living in an amazing city that I'm absolutely in love with, with a beautiful girl who I'm absolutely in love with. I'm not rich or famous and I don't have an awesome job (yet), but I'm still putting myself out there and hoping for the best.

After all, whatever it is that you really want, you'll never get it if you don't try, right?

Social Experiment Gone Mean

One of my favorite online "kill time" things to do is read "missed connections" on craigslist and wonder if the people writing them are actually serious.

Instead of posting a "missed connection," I opted for another category that I thought was even more absurd: "strictly platonic." Because really, why would you use CRAIGSLIST to look for friends when you could just strike up conversation at a concert, book store or ANY type of social event?

I tried to opt for something that was slightly true: using almost my real age and saying I just moved to the city; but I added a few embellishments.

Here's what I ended up with:

"So I just moved to New Orleans and am totally loving it, all except I haven't made any friends yet!
Would love to meet some cool girls to go shopping and have coffee with...
No boys please. Well super cute little gay boys would be okay. Love of shopping is a MUST!
Oh, and similar music taste would be cool too. I LOVE Taylor Swift."

Hilarious right? Why would you write back to that person? Well...these girls did. And it only took a matter of hours:

"Hi im a 20 year old blk female... i saw ur add on cl and i responding im also looking to make friends but i've live here my hole life... umm a few things about i have a 2year old son im and ex dancer and i live in new orleans east... sooo if interested and hang out give me a call or txt 504-XXX-XXXX (amanda) OH YEA I HAVE A MYSPACE WITH PICS ON IT... "

(Yes, she gave me her actual phone number)

Hey girl, my name is Brianna .. I sort of just moved down here too been here since Oct.. I would like to meet some gfs too .. Where did you move here from? Well let me know if you wanna talk more.

(That one actually send a photo of herself. I feel the need to add: "with clothes on.")

I moved here in July and am still working on making friends. I'm a 22/f. Where did you move from?

(And that's the one that made me feel bad.)

But then this most recent one made me feel a lot better:

"lol, if this post is sarcastic, it's fucking perfect. right down to the condescension towards gay guys, boring hobbies, and questionable musical taste. also love the writing style. too bad you're probably serious, we'd have been awesome friends.
good luck anyway, got plenty of girls around here like that. "

So what do you think - funny or not?

The types of phone calls we get at work...

"Hi. I thought you could help me. I want to come down there and help rebuilding because I know Bush really didnt do anything to help you guys. Unfortunately all I have is my arms and my legs. I know there are organizations that will pay for me to get down there and give me spending money while i am there. can you help me?"

The Laboratory

This weekend, my girlfriend, our friend Stacey and I got a first hand look at Lafayette, La's most amazing new venue for the creative community.

Picture New Orleans' Launch Pad mixed with Andy Warhol's Factory. The Laboratory is located downtown Lafayette and is a mix of office space for rent (catering towards young, multi-media professionals and web developers), a performance space (which was being used by djs and breakdancers while we were there) a conference room and full kitchen.

I'm really excited to see things like this and Grinder that allow the creative community in Lafayette to come together.

One Week Without a Cell Phone

After reading "The GOOD (and ReadyMade) Guide to Slowing Down," I decided to actually follow through on some of these practices that seem very in line with my goals for 2010.

"Simplify, Simplify" - Henry David Thoreau

The first article I'm going to start with is called "Eliminate Something." It suggests easy things like not using plastic bags, but I already don't do that so I'm going for something a little more challenging: NO CELL PHONE FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK.

There was a point in my life where I felt that this would be the most stressful and anxiety-filled thing that could ever happen to me, but I'm actually looking forward to it. I think it could end up being a really freeing experience.

So, Starting tomorrow (Monday January 25th), I will be without cell phone. Cell phone use will resume on Monday February 1st.

This means finding creative ways to contact people and planning things in advance.

I'll let you know how it goes:)

reBlog from befitnola.com: Why Did I Quit Smoking?

My Newest BeFitNola Blog:

You may or may not have already read my previous post: “Some Things are Worth Quitting: Like Smoking,” which talked about how I quit and some of the things that I found particularly helpful.befitnola.com, Why Did I Quit Smoking?

 

2010 Resolutions

2010 is going to be on purpose.

Here's my New Year's Resolution Plan (some of it I will fill out as I go):

A. HEALTHY BODY
1. QUIT SMOKING
2. Yoga 1 - 2x per week (Sunday 4p.m. and Wednesday 4:30 p.m. @ LIFE YOGA)
3. Run - 3x per week on MWF for 15 minutes before work; 1-2 hour RWHTR @ city park on Sundays
4. Fruit and/or veggie MUST accompany every meal

B. HEALTHY MIND/CONTINUING EDUCATION
1. Reading Yoga theory and how-to books (suggested by yoga instructor Nathalie Croix)
2. Learn a new language (just the basics for now) GERMAN - bc eventually I'm going to make a pilgrimage to the homeland
3. READ:
a. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Marquez
b. The Road - McCarthy
c. The Making of Americans - Stein
d. Freakonomics - Levitt & Dubner
e. When You are Engulfed in Flames - Sedaris
f. Naked - Sedaris
g. Magical Thinking - Burroughs
h. The Fountainhead Ayn Rand
i. the lathe of heaven - ursula leguin (suggested by Ryan Lane)
j. The Tree of Yoga
k. Moving into Stillness
l. Stone Butch Blues
4. Lean about SEO


C. FUN
1. Learn how to juggle
2. Learn how to juggle WHILE tap dancing
3. Make 5 new friends
4. Laugh more at things that usually annoy me
5. Spend less time being stressed out and more time having fun


D. PROFESSIONAL GOALS
1. Take the Trumpet Magazine to the next level by raising awareness, expanding distribution and forging partnerships.
2. Spend the first 15-20 minutes of each work day setting goals for that day and getting organized
3. Start preparing for future goals/plans/employment
4. Work as a freelance writer


E. MISCELLANEOUS
1. Grow a mini-urban garden
2. Grow my hair out
3. From @thatspeaker advice: Surround myself with:

POSITIVE PEOPLE
PEOPLE WHO ARE NICE TO OTHERS
THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE
HEALTHY CHOICES
GREAT MUSIC
MENTORS

In 2010, I plan to LIVE BIG

Evangelical Brilliance

Yes, that's right. The Evangelicals are brilliant. What other faith-based group has succeeded in getting so much positive free advertising?

Right now, the gay rights movement in America is stronger than ever. And with almost every religion claiming to be more forgiving and less judgmental than the next, it only makes sense for one of them to step up and welcome gays with open arms.

I would love to shake hands with the marketing team for the Evangelical faith. They really are on a fast road to taking over the religious sector of America.

However, I saw the documentary "Jesus Camp," (a must watch if you haven't already) and I think I'll just stick to my own reliable and nonjudgmental religion: yoga.

Austin is for hipsters and New Orleans is for me

So we STILL haven't put the video together yet but thanks to everyone who donated to the super epic BFF road trip. I learned a few very important lessons on this trip:

1. I don't like Austin and I don't ever want to live there.

2. New Orleans is, in fact, HOME and I really really love it here.

3. People in Austin are FREAKISHLY tall. Like out of control.

4. I love my girlfriend too much to spend a whole week away from her just for the hell of it.

That said, I'm still so new to New Orleans and there's so much here that I haven't seen/done that it seems silly to take a "vacation." Also, I'm really on the cusp of making actual friends here. Really great ones. I'm pretty excited about that.

Super Epic BFF Road Trip Prep

Super Epic BFF Road Trip Pre-Planning Pt. 1 from megan hargroder on Vimeo.

Click here if you want to make our trip even better...

Charity Hospital: Win!

November 17th, 2009 – The Commission on Streamlining Government, by a 7-3 vote, moved to order the first independent evaluation of the proposed LSU/VA medical centers, weighing all possible alternatives with regard to location, size and financing.

The vote is a stunning victory for advocates of Charity Hospital, Lower Mid-City residents and business owners, in addition to healthcare access activists. An independent evaluation of the hospital proposals represents a critical demand of a growing coalition of more than 80 organizations, and over three quarters of registered New Orleans voters in a recent Renwick poll.

The motion, offered by Commission Chair, State Senator Jack Donahue (R - Mandeville), would also require an independent evaluation of the business model guiding LSU's ability to repay the loans it needs to pay for the construction of the proposed Lower Mid-City facility.

The Commission on Streamlining Government is comprised of legislative leaders and other state officials and charged by the Governor and Legislature with eliminating wasteful projects and inefficient state programs. For years, there has been growing concerns regarding the fiscal responsibility of the $1.2 billion proposed LSU medical center. The concerns include the lack of financing for the construction of the project and the effects of federal healthcare reform on the operating costs. These are in addition to the external costs of relocating the medical district outside of downtown New Orleans and expropriating and destroying a recovering neighborhood in Lower Mid-City.

An alternative proposal to gut and rebuild Charity Hospital as a modern 21st-Century state-of-the-art teaching hospital, developed by the architectural firm RMJM Hillier, saves hundreds of millions of dollars and years of construction compared to the LSU proposal to level and build on Lower Mid-City. The current proposals has become a quagmire, attracting four lawsuits, escalating costs, and the return of needed healthcare facilities nowhere in sight.

Someone invite me to something fancy

So the other day I received an amazing package in the mail - full of awesome clothes from my cousin Andrea in New York. This dress was only one of the fabulous things inside.







Now I just need an excuse to wear this out of the house! Anyone have any ideas?

The Wardrobe Project

Ever since I saw the movie Clueless, I thought it would be awesome to have all of my clothes/outfits in a nice scrollable viewing window on my computer. That way, when I had no idea what to wear, I could just look at past outfit combinations and pick one that felt right for the day.

For a little over a month, I've been taking pictures of myself before leaving for work in the morning to establish my very own "database of outfits."

Here are the results:

Announcing: Megan and Stelly's Super Epic BFF Road Trip

Stelly and I are taking an epic b.f.f. road trip starting on December 1st to see Metric in Austin. The trip will be documented by video and updated throughout the trip (so that you can feel like you're there with us)!

YOU can make this trip more fun!

Click the button below and donate $1 or $3 or $5 to a great cause :)

Total Donations So Far: $374.09

My mom is spamming my inbox

I quit smoking - the dark side

Around day 15 I'm no longer craving a cigarette, but my anxiety levels are ridiculous. And I'm not using the word ridiculous lightly, either. What I'm about to tell you may cause you to think that I'm a crazy person.

For the past week I have been:
-unable to drive on the interstate because I'm certain that I would crash and die.
-feeling an overwhelming sense of doom every time I get into a vehicle in general.
-eating WAY more than usual. I think maybe football players eat this much but definitely not normal people.
-very uncomfortable in any type of social situation to the point of feeling like I'm having a heart attack.

These are not normal behaviors. And I'm not crazy.

I'm blaming this (currently) on my detox from nicotine.

However, I'm not saying "don't quit smoking."
You should absolutely quit smoking.
But you shouldn't do it cold turkey just because you think you have superman willpower like I do. You might not have exactly the same reaction as I am having but it's never good for your body to go into freak out mode. And that's about all the wisdom I have to share because clearly I'm learning this the hard way.

Day 5 Update #IQuitSmoking

So it's day 5 of not smoking and I'm happy to report that I feel excellent!
I'm not craving a cigarette (although I did yesterday when I got frustrated and annoyed).

AND I washed my hair this morning and it still smelled delicious when I got to work because I didn't smoke a cigarette on my morning drive. This is great. Seriously.

Other things that have helped:

-Holding Chopsticks (as previously mentioned)
Why it works: It gives you something to do with your hands that you halfway need to concentrate on, especially if you're doing tricks with them. Also, they're fun to hold:)

-Carrots
Why it works: Carrots are a healthy snack that you can eat a lot of without feeling guilty. I'm trying to replace my new chocolate habbit with carrots.

-Granola (the loose kind)
Why it works: Again, healthy snack but also time consuming to eat a lot of so you're feeding not only your body but the oral fixation for a longer period of time.

-Yoga poses
Why it works: Healthy activity puts you into healthy living mode. Healthy living does not involve cigarettes.

-Growling and complaining out loud
Why it works: Go ahead, stomp your feet, scream out loud and growl at your significant other. Then cry and say "All I want, All I need is a freaking CIGARETTE!" Now, doesn't that sound ridiculous and childish? Because it is. Get it out and then get over it.

If you are trying to quit smoking and want moral support, email me at mhargroder@gmail.com or tweet me @heyitsmegan

#IQuitSmoking

Yes I did.
2 days strong.
Mr. Holly told me to hold chop sticks because it helps. Here's a photo of me holding chopsticks:



That's my gf Leigh in the background. She still doesn't know that I took this photo.
I don't know if the chopsticks are helping me to not smoke, but EATING with them will help me to not get as fat, as there are several things that are very difficult and time consuming to eat with chop sticks. Like rice. and soup.