QLCLOG

I'm finally giving in to the whole blog thing. People have always asked why I don't have a blog, and I've told them the thruth which is that:

a) it sets my ideas up for being stolen...again, and
b) why give away my ideas for free when i can sell them im a book (sorry, but a girl's gotta eat), and finally
c) my boss, clients, etc. can find out everything i don't want them to know and more

that said, i feel like i should have one since everyone else does. Only I'm not going to talk about anything original or interesting because i don't want anyone stealing my ideas. so it's gonna be pretty much a self-centered and shameless promotional blog about QLC. I'm calling it QLCLOG: the Quarterlife Crisis Blog.

First i'm going to talk about something really mundane: the weather. The cold isn't gone yet here in d.c. and i'm thrilled. I love bundling up in my sweaters, scarfs, gloves and hats.

Everyone who knows me knows my feelings about the cold. Some think I'm crazy. Personally, I hate it when people equate warm with "nice" - that's a preference, not a fact. I can't stand sweating. I can't stand my hair frizzing out in the humidity just after I've bothered blowdrying. I love the cold crispness of late fall and winter. I love seeing my breath in the air. I love curling up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa. I love sticking my tongue out to catch the snowflakes as they fall.

Maybe on my next post I'll talk about something qlc-related...

Despite their seemingly carefree lives and careers, endless supply of money and free time, preternatural good looks and endless admirers, celebs don't seem to be immune from qlc's. Observe the following examples:

Zach Braff wrote Garden State about his own quarterlife crisis, attempting to become a paid actor while battling depression. He also recently admitted to suffering from "mild depression" in a recent interview, as did his x-girlfriend, Mandy Moore.

Jackie Earle Haley, creepy star of Little Children and formerly known for the Bad News Bears, referred to the awkward period in his life when he couldn't find employment as being "in between a child actor and adult actor."

Margaret Cho recently referred to depression that she experienced in her mid-twenties.

Dustin Diamond seems to be suffering a financial qlc of sorts, resorting to sex tapes and tshirts as a way to earn a living, instead of finding a real job. It must be disheartening when you realize the Screech stick won't last forever...

And Brittney, well - she's past the point of a qlc now. For a while there it looked like the transition to adulthood might have been the cause of her breakdown, but now we can see the issues run much deeper than that.

There must be other qlcelebs...know of any?

Their lives might seem glamorous to us, but even celebs are not immune to inner struggles and identity crises of their own.

A couple of interesting developments on possibly easing the astronomical student debt faced by qlc'ers:

The WSJ reported yesterday (Tues. 3/20/07) that lawmakers are "scrambling to find ways to make higher education more affordable" by cutting loan rates, increasing Pell grants and even introducing innovative measures such as making it easier to choose a low-paying job field by tying repayment to income. They're also pushing to cut out private lenders and incrase disclosre bewteeen colleges and lenders. Who knows where any of this will go, it's all talk now - but at least quarterlifers in financial crisis are finally getting some attention.
(The article, Student Debt: Congress Seeks to Ease Burden is only available online to subscribers)

Also yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the Department of Education has been Overcharging student borrowers for the past decade due to a computer glitch discovered by Brenda K. Pfeiffer, a 41-year-old Minnesota chiropractor - and former math teacher. Maybe transitioning to exclusively government-backed loans isn't such a good idea? In any case, if you've been mysteriously charged late fees on payments you made on time, you could be seeing that money again, thanks to Ms. Pfeiffer. You also have Sen. Kennedy to thank for championing for poor recent grads.