Dear Facebook,
You recently suggested the following group to me on my News Feed: "Everything Pregnancy." I am sure you can imagine my confusion at this suggestion as I have no children, nor do I "Like" anything on Facebook that has anything to do with children. Do not misunderstand me, I have no aversion to children (being an aunt is actually a source of joy in my life). I just do not understand what, from my Facebook profile, of my browsing history, for that matter, would elicit such a presumptuous suggestion. Once my initial confusion and surprise at the "Everything Pregnancy" group suggestion passed, I developed a number of burning questions: Why am I seeing this suggestion? How does it make me (and possibly others like me) feel? Is Facebook being schauvanistic? Does Facebook have a right to make such consequential prescriptions for a woman's life?
So, Facebook, let's examine my first question, why did I receive that suggestion? As I said before, I neither have, nor plan to have children in the foreseeable future. Nor do I browse sites pertaining to pregnancy, childbirth, or child rearing. Furthermore, the rare times I do post about children, those posts are very clearly tagged as aunt, or niece, or nephew. I am, however, married, young, and female. Is that why you suggested that I join "Everything Pregnancy?" Or, is it because a large number of my Facebook friends are new parents or are soon-to-be parents? I hope you answered "no" to both of those questions.
The subject of creating life is such a sensitive topic. It is a topic that can bring one person to tears of joy, but can bring another grief. Luckily for you, Facebook, your suggestion only brought surprise, confusion, and ire. What if you had suggested that group to a young married woman who cannot have children and your suggestion reopened a barely healed emotional gash? What if you suggested it to a young married woman who has been trying and trying and trying to get pregnant, but can't and she had to see all of her Facebook friends post about their baby joy every day? As I said before, it's fortunate that I am neither of those women, but if I were, the suggestion that I join "Everything Pregnancy" would be met with only tears.
Are you being schauvanistic, Facebook? Don't get me wrong, I am the first woman to admit that the current dialogue about gender equality has grown decidedly one-sided. But, I am still a feminist. And as a feminist, I feel that all women have the right to choose how to live their own lives. And having children is one of those choices. No woman should ever feel pressured by society to have children simply because she can and that is the traditional gender role. Why didn't you suggest this page to my husband?
Finally, Facebook, do you have the right to make prescriptions for a woman's life, or to promote traditional strict gender roles? Obviously, something in your algorithm determines that a person like me (young, married, and female) would be more likely to enjoy joining a group called "Everything Pregnancy." But why does your algorithm need to give that result? Should it give that result? What are the consequences if you continue to make assumptions about your users based upon their age and gender?
Sincerely,
Jenna
Monday, July 7, 2014
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
What I Think and Feel at 25
Yes, I am stealing this idea from my husband (Tim's blog) and from F Scott Fitzgerald.
There, now that that's out of the way I will elaborate.
Right now, I'm sitting at my desk at work on my lunch break and I have a lot on my mind and since this is such an evolving chapter in my life I wanted to take some time to reflect. I sit here on the eve of my first big event at my new job and in my new career - Meeting Planning. I am also 2 days from being a quarter of a century old & 3 days from my second anniversary.
Let's start with the obvious thoughts and feelings, "Holy crap! I'm almost 25!" "It's been 2 years already!"
Turning 25 is not a big deal to me. I'm not one of those people that worries about my age so much (mostly because I will always be younger than Tim). I am also not the type of person to raise a big hullabaloo about my birthday because it just isn't that big of a deal to me. So, I'm not really up in arms about my birthday. We will see if I feel the same when I'm turning 30...
However, 25 is a fairly significant number, so I am using it as a sort of chapter title in the story that is my life. I never really created a definite timeline for my life. I know some people say they want to be married by a certain age or have children by a certain age, but I never did (maybe because I never decided that those were necessities in my life). Please do not misinterpret me, now that I have Tim in my life, he and my marriage are both necessities and they are two of my highest priorities. I just didn't grow up believing that marriage and children were guarantees in my life. I was that kid who dreamed about the amazing career she would have and all of the incredible places she would visit and the impact she would have on the world - not personal life I would lead. That said, I never had that moment that I felt like I was reaching the due date on life events (which would be moot anyway since I got married at 23). I did, however have a great deal of anxiety about my career. Those that are close to me know that I've spent most of the last 3 years worried that I was not living up to my own expectations. I always assumed that I would have a dream job in a dream career right out of college. Reality check: that doesn't happen. Ever.
Fast forward to present day: that anxiety is gone. Even though Tim and I just picked up our entire lives and completely started over in a new city and in new jobs. Even though I have my first big conference at work tomorrow, and even though I'm turning a quarter of a century old in 2 days. I feel at peace. I feel like my life is heading in a direction that I am excited about and I will be proud of. And in the meantime, I know I have the perfect traveling companion and an ideal setting for my journey. So, I'm finally ready to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
There, now that that's out of the way I will elaborate.
Right now, I'm sitting at my desk at work on my lunch break and I have a lot on my mind and since this is such an evolving chapter in my life I wanted to take some time to reflect. I sit here on the eve of my first big event at my new job and in my new career - Meeting Planning. I am also 2 days from being a quarter of a century old & 3 days from my second anniversary.
Let's start with the obvious thoughts and feelings, "Holy crap! I'm almost 25!" "It's been 2 years already!"
Turning 25 is not a big deal to me. I'm not one of those people that worries about my age so much (mostly because I will always be younger than Tim). I am also not the type of person to raise a big hullabaloo about my birthday because it just isn't that big of a deal to me. So, I'm not really up in arms about my birthday. We will see if I feel the same when I'm turning 30...
However, 25 is a fairly significant number, so I am using it as a sort of chapter title in the story that is my life. I never really created a definite timeline for my life. I know some people say they want to be married by a certain age or have children by a certain age, but I never did (maybe because I never decided that those were necessities in my life). Please do not misinterpret me, now that I have Tim in my life, he and my marriage are both necessities and they are two of my highest priorities. I just didn't grow up believing that marriage and children were guarantees in my life. I was that kid who dreamed about the amazing career she would have and all of the incredible places she would visit and the impact she would have on the world - not personal life I would lead. That said, I never had that moment that I felt like I was reaching the due date on life events (which would be moot anyway since I got married at 23). I did, however have a great deal of anxiety about my career. Those that are close to me know that I've spent most of the last 3 years worried that I was not living up to my own expectations. I always assumed that I would have a dream job in a dream career right out of college. Reality check: that doesn't happen. Ever.
Fast forward to present day: that anxiety is gone. Even though Tim and I just picked up our entire lives and completely started over in a new city and in new jobs. Even though I have my first big conference at work tomorrow, and even though I'm turning a quarter of a century old in 2 days. I feel at peace. I feel like my life is heading in a direction that I am excited about and I will be proud of. And in the meantime, I know I have the perfect traveling companion and an ideal setting for my journey. So, I'm finally ready to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Friday, June 6, 2014
All The Things
Wow! So much has happened since I gave my mid-point assessment of 100 Happy Days!
I finished 100 Happy Days, and I'm so glad I did! It was an awesome experience, and it really taught me that in today's fast paced world, making happiness and recognizing what makes me happy needs to be a daily priority. It has done wonders in making me more positive every day and being happier overall!
I started a new job! I just finished my first week and it was a whirlwind! I'm learning so much and I love the fast pace and the challenge - it is so exhilarating! My coworkers are so welcoming and I am loving learning the ins and outs of my new career: Meeting Planning!
Tim and I moved! We are in Madison again. We are finally back where we've always wanted to be. We've only been here a week, but the payoff has already been overwhelming. There is one drawback to living in Madison, we aren't right by our families anymore. However, we are right off of 39/90, so it only takes us an hour and a half to see them (my pop is closer now though). The move was a bit of a risk, but what better time for us to take a leap of faith than when we are young and have on responsibilities?
Tomorrow, the farmers market is on the menu, so Jenna out!
I finished 100 Happy Days, and I'm so glad I did! It was an awesome experience, and it really taught me that in today's fast paced world, making happiness and recognizing what makes me happy needs to be a daily priority. It has done wonders in making me more positive every day and being happier overall!
I started a new job! I just finished my first week and it was a whirlwind! I'm learning so much and I love the fast pace and the challenge - it is so exhilarating! My coworkers are so welcoming and I am loving learning the ins and outs of my new career: Meeting Planning!
Tim and I moved! We are in Madison again. We are finally back where we've always wanted to be. We've only been here a week, but the payoff has already been overwhelming. There is one drawback to living in Madison, we aren't right by our families anymore. However, we are right off of 39/90, so it only takes us an hour and a half to see them (my pop is closer now though). The move was a bit of a risk, but what better time for us to take a leap of faith than when we are young and have on responsibilities?
Tomorrow, the farmers market is on the menu, so Jenna out!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
100 Happy Days: A Midpoint Assessment
100 Happy Days is a movement to see if people can be happy for 100 days in a row. 71% of people who attempt the challenge fail. Check out the website if you're curious: http://100happydays.com/ it is definitely interesting.
I just wanted to take some time to look at why I decided to accept the challenge
I thought it was crazy that 71% of people fail this challenge, citing lack of time as the leading cause. And then I asked myself, "Can I be happy about something for 100 days in a row?" I thought, of course I can. I have a lot in my life to make me happy, but this is also a time of year that I generally deal with a lot of negativity and tend to let myself get down about life. So, then I thought it would be a great way to force myself to find some positivity each day.
So, I filled out the form and gave them my Instagram handle to track it (jrghanson if you'd care to follow me) and I starting snapping and posting those pictures.
Right now I'm on Day 44 (I know, I know, I'm not exactly halfway through, but I'm close enough, ok?) and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the challenge thus far and whether I've noticed a difference in my outlook or my mood.
Some days, it is kind of a challenge to find something that makes me happy, and other days it is a challenge to pick just one. But most days, I wake up in the morning and think, "What am I going to be happy about today?" And I think that is a really positive way to begin my day. Its a little forced, maybe, but isn't there a study out there somewhere that says if you force yourself to smile long enough it becomes a real smile? Same concept, I think.
I don't think that the challenge is necessarily for everyone, for some people it would just be an unnecessary inconvenience, and some would find it silly and forced (as I said before). However, I came upon this challenge at an interesting point in my life. I'm in a position of transition in my life, and the transition brings with it all of the warring emotions of hope, excitement, a whole lot of fear, and even more heartache. So, I cannot think of a better time to have come across this simple challenge, Find something that makes you happy each day for 100 days and share it with the world, and maybe, just maybe, you'll share a little bit of the happiness that you've found with others.
I included some of my highlights
Stay happy, readers!
I just wanted to take some time to look at why I decided to accept the challenge
I thought it was crazy that 71% of people fail this challenge, citing lack of time as the leading cause. And then I asked myself, "Can I be happy about something for 100 days in a row?" I thought, of course I can. I have a lot in my life to make me happy, but this is also a time of year that I generally deal with a lot of negativity and tend to let myself get down about life. So, then I thought it would be a great way to force myself to find some positivity each day.
So, I filled out the form and gave them my Instagram handle to track it (jrghanson if you'd care to follow me) and I starting snapping and posting those pictures.
Right now I'm on Day 44 (I know, I know, I'm not exactly halfway through, but I'm close enough, ok?) and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the challenge thus far and whether I've noticed a difference in my outlook or my mood.
Some days, it is kind of a challenge to find something that makes me happy, and other days it is a challenge to pick just one. But most days, I wake up in the morning and think, "What am I going to be happy about today?" And I think that is a really positive way to begin my day. Its a little forced, maybe, but isn't there a study out there somewhere that says if you force yourself to smile long enough it becomes a real smile? Same concept, I think.
I don't think that the challenge is necessarily for everyone, for some people it would just be an unnecessary inconvenience, and some would find it silly and forced (as I said before). However, I came upon this challenge at an interesting point in my life. I'm in a position of transition in my life, and the transition brings with it all of the warring emotions of hope, excitement, a whole lot of fear, and even more heartache. So, I cannot think of a better time to have come across this simple challenge, Find something that makes you happy each day for 100 days and share it with the world, and maybe, just maybe, you'll share a little bit of the happiness that you've found with others.
I included some of my highlights
Stay happy, readers!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Christmas Cookies!!!
14 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
Only two weeks left until Christmas! Isn't that great?!? This past weekend, my step-sister and I decorated our Christmas cookies, and I also baked a number of other cookies for Cookie Trays.
We are pros with our Christmas Cookies, we do them every year and we have perfected both the cookie and the frosting recipe. We also bake and decorate these for a number of other occasions, we had them at my wedding reception, we had them at my mom's graduation party, I made some for Thanksgiving, etc. No, I will not be sharing the recipes here (I'm still have my bakery pipe dream floating in my head). BUT I will share pictures with you :)
Only two weeks left until Christmas! Isn't that great?!? This past weekend, my step-sister and I decorated our Christmas cookies, and I also baked a number of other cookies for Cookie Trays.
We are pros with our Christmas Cookies, we do them every year and we have perfected both the cookie and the frosting recipe. We also bake and decorate these for a number of other occasions, we had them at my wedding reception, we had them at my mom's graduation party, I made some for Thanksgiving, etc. No, I will not be sharing the recipes here (I'm still have my bakery pipe dream floating in my head). BUT I will share pictures with you :)
I also baked Spritz cookies, Linzer Cookies, and Molasses Cookies. I might be making macrons a little bit later on, but I'm still not sure about it. Both my Spritz and Molasses recipes come from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book - its the best cookie cookbook ever! Seriously, if you love baking cookies you should get it. The cover has been the same for decades and many of the recipes are old-fashioned, but they are all delightful.
Anywho, that is all! Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
My Favorite Time of Year!
IT IS HERE! IT IS HERE! IT IS HERE!
CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE!!!!
I look forward to the Holiday Season all year! I usually start listening to Christmas music after Halloween, and I never get upset when I see Christmas decorations at stores before November. Ever.
I love everything about the Holiday Season. I love Christmas Music, I love that people are taking extra time to think about giving and helping others, I love that it means extra time with my family, I love that everyone is baking cookies and other goodies, I love the first snow of the year (but it can go away after January 1...), and I love, love, love, Holiday Specials on TV and Holiday Movies!
Another thing I love is putting up the Christmas Tree with my husband. We always watch a Holiday movie and spend the whole evening putting up and decorating the tree (we are perfectionists...). In past years we have watched Die Hard while we complete this beloved and festive tradition (Tim insists that it is a Holiday Movie), but this year we watched on of my childhood favorites "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" followed by "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
If you haven't watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" do it. Do it right now.
Anyway, I am just bubbling over with excitement and the Christmas Spirit, and I had to share some of it!
CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE!!!!
I look forward to the Holiday Season all year! I usually start listening to Christmas music after Halloween, and I never get upset when I see Christmas decorations at stores before November. Ever.
I love everything about the Holiday Season. I love Christmas Music, I love that people are taking extra time to think about giving and helping others, I love that it means extra time with my family, I love that everyone is baking cookies and other goodies, I love the first snow of the year (but it can go away after January 1...), and I love, love, love, Holiday Specials on TV and Holiday Movies!
Another thing I love is putting up the Christmas Tree with my husband. We always watch a Holiday movie and spend the whole evening putting up and decorating the tree (we are perfectionists...). In past years we have watched Die Hard while we complete this beloved and festive tradition (Tim insists that it is a Holiday Movie), but this year we watched on of my childhood favorites "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" followed by "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
If you haven't watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" do it. Do it right now.
Anyway, I am just bubbling over with excitement and the Christmas Spirit, and I had to share some of it!
Happy Holidays from the Hansons!
Up next: Christmas Cookies!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Today I am thankful for my job. It may not be where I thought I would end up, and it may not pay as much as I would like, but it is still a job. And many people don't even have that. It is also a job that has excellent benefits.
Furthermore, I have wonderful coworkers. I am surrounded by such a variety of people from all walks of life, but they are all united in their mission to help the students (current and prospective) achieve academic success at NIU.
Its also nice that I get 2 weeks paid time off at Christmas....
Furthermore, I have wonderful coworkers. I am surrounded by such a variety of people from all walks of life, but they are all united in their mission to help the students (current and prospective) achieve academic success at NIU.
Its also nice that I get 2 weeks paid time off at Christmas....
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