The Beast

Sixth grade bullies, some kids that were assholes through middle school, some punk ass kids from high school, (some of all of these grades never did anything with their lives so screw 'em), my ex's male best friend, my ex's boyfriend, some of the kids who tried to force religion on me, or shared their views on abortion with me and tried to say I was wrong...Add a crap ton of republicans, news anchors, politicians, and athletes to that and you are set. Also want to kick an engineering student's ass too, along with steroid pumpin' kids I knew who were jerks in frats...glad I played dirty in intramurals! Oh and I forgot about the defensive coordinator from high school football my sophomore year. That guy had no dick.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 3, 2011 -> 07:18 AM) So, its hard to sift through all the layers of self-contradictory statements here (you chose a business degree, you want to write for a living, but you don't want to work in business). But I do want to point out one thing... Do you really think Enterprise doesn't, on any given day, do a whole heck of a lot of written communication? You don't think you'll get more than a good opportunity for that in that environment? Also, stop focusing on your major. Unless your undergrad was in Engineering or a few other very narrow disciplines, for the most part, it doesn't matter what field you got your degree in. Just having the degree at all is the key. Hell my degree (undergrad) was in Political Science... my first "real" job out of college was in law enforcement... then I ended up in financial technology, which is where I have spent the past 12 years. Got an MBA a few years back, once I was well-settled into a career. See here is the thing about having a college degree. You say you want it to be about giving you marketable skills. Thing is... it does. Just maybe not the ones you are thinking of. The key elements in pretty much any job in business are things like maturity, communication skills, the ability to learn and adapt quickly, work ethic, and dynamic thinking. Four years of college is meant to give you exactly that, and here's the real killer - part of getting those skills includes the partying, the extra-curriculars, the sports, the friends... all the non-school stuff. Going off to school and learning to function on your own in all of that is a key part of what college gives you. Of course, no one in these colleges, or your high school counselor, will tell you this. But it is unmitigated fact. What specific skills you learn from a specific class are only a part of the reasoning for requiring a degree for a job. When the time came to choose another university and an area of study, I decided that business administration was the most practical. I had worked at the college radio station, lost passion for the work that I was doing, figured that the broadcast communications/print journalism field was both dried up and competitive and really I just wanted to learn something different after "working in media" at my high school. I don't necessarily want to write for a living either, but would gladly be a PR guy because there is no required degree for entry into that profession. All of my work experience is in communications and so I feel that if I can write or use social media, I could be a hot commodity to an organization's PR department. And even though I majored in business, I discovered that though I got high grades in all of my classes, most of them weren't that exciting. If I had more time, I would have gotten another major in PR, so that is why I'm considering a part-time job or working before I go back to school post graduation near the suburbs. I understand the soft skills gained from going to school, but I know that my oral communication isn't the best. I'm not too socially inept, but I am not the sales type who would go up to random people at a party, I would rather stick with a small group and bulls*** that way. Written communication...I dominate. Spoken, not so much. But I understand your point and thanks for your story about your career path.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 05:26 PM) If money means s*** to you, why bother with a degree? Because I would like to do something with my life, and it seems as though (according to society standards!) you need a piece of paper to do what you want or live the way you want to live. All I'm saying is that the career that I enter doesn't have to be absolutely lucrative. It just has to be in the grey area where it is possible to make a living and take care of yourself and family along with fulfilling what you deem as being tolerable or even happy with in your work.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 03:19 PM) you have a business degree and need some work experience. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is a business, thus fits your field of study. Start building your resume and put in a couple years and move on or move up the ladder at Enterprise. Just because I have a business degree, doesn't mean I want to go into business. I should have a communications degree because I can write pretty easily and would do better doing technical writing, speech writing or something PR related. This is why I mentioned getting a master's degree at DePaul in Public Relations. Basically, I realized the major that I was best suited for too late in college. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 01:46 PM) Get off your high horse. Clearly you are pretty ignorant given the fact that Enterprise has been ranked many times over as one of the better places to intern and move your way up and is considered a good place to work in college and even after college you are given a lot of opportunities to shine and run the show. I think the best advice is you need to quit crying and whining about things and putting down a ton of people every time you post because you have no idea what the real world is like. The real world is hard, it ain't easy, and you know how you make it in the real world, you combine smarts with a can do attitude and you bust your ass. If you have it, over time you'll rise to whatever point necessary. Sure a little luck plays into the equation, but take a smart enough person with a college degree and a work ethic and they'll go far. Interning in what though? I have researched and all I read is sales, sales and sales. I'm seeing nothing on the communications end at all. Where in the hell are those positions as they have to be advertised somewhere? Who am I putting down? I'm just outlining what I don't think I would be successful at. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 01:50 PM) Let me tell you one thing, you don't even know what goes on in any of those professions by and large, I pretty much guarantee it. Why don't you quit micromanaging everything to death and change your mind every 10 minutes and instead do something. And outside of having a degree to help establish you, your undergrad doesn't give you the skills necessary to become a millionaire or make 6 figures, etc. It just shows employers that you are capable of going through and accomplishing things. After that, most of what you learn that relates to your profession you learn in the field. What professions am I not aware of? I took the courses and didn't care for them, so I doubt I would like the work that goes on in the real world. I am doing something - researching careers, going to career counseling and most importantly, trying to sell to my parents that I think I'm best at communicating through writing and that by working part-time and going back to school closer to home (DePaul or whatever), I will be in better shape since I'll have something to bring to the table. Without that education, I don't think I will know as much in terms of how to write for different organizations and if I can compete with freshly minted communications grads. I don't give a rats ass about six figures or becoming a millionaire. Money means s*** to me, what would motivate me is doing something that I don't hate for the rest of my life and still allow me to support a family or at the very least live independently. And that's perfect because the field I'm considering is one where you won't get paid much. QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 01:36 PM) Take the best opportunity you can find through either blind luck or networking, and start moving your career forward. Work hard and apply yourself, and you'll find that you'll end up somewhere in general that you'd like to be. The key is getting your foot in the door somewhere and working your way up through hard work and application of your skills and personality. Key words that you mentioned. Blind luck, networking, skills and personality. That is what I was trying to convey to the message board by trying to get into something that would mesh with my personality and skills, which will take blind luck and networking. I'm not entitled, just like any other college graduate to anything, other than being given an opportunity to do something with themselves so that they can live a life they wanted. Otherwise, if we're living something we hate and never reach our dreams (whatever it may be, career, marriage, family, etc.), then seriously, what is our reason for living?

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 01:00 PM) Seriously, Ross, this sort of "woe is me" attitude is exactly what will land you in a job you feel you are vastly overqualified for. Once you get out into the real world a bit more, you'll find that your degree is a lot less important to what field you eventually get into than your ability to communicate well, with confidence, your ability and desire to learn new things, your willingness to work well and get along well with other team members, and your effort in getting the task at hand done efficiently and correctly. And if you do have to start out at the bottom of the totem pole, their is nothing wrong with that. The adage "the cream rises to the top" is usually true when it comes to good companies, and if you do your best and apply yourself, you'll get a lot further in your career than constantly second guessing your degree choice or college choice, or b****ing about having to take a position that you feel is below you. The "woe is me" attitude stems from the fact that I don't know where I fit in an organization. I'm more of a written communications guy than spoken anything. The reason I didn't choose marketing is that I couldn't do sales (which is all I see out there for entry level jobs - they could fire me when I don't make the numbers since I know I couldn't cold call). The reason I didn't chose accounting or finance is because those bore me to tears. Administration/Management was pretty general so that made sense, but unfortunately none of what I've looked at in terms of requirements for communications jobs wants a business degree. So I either shot myself in the foot or I made a genius move - I don't know that yet. This is why I really just feel the need to sit down with people in different fields (comm, university work, etc) and see what further education that I need so that I have a path to go towards. Certainly not many of you can see this, but I do my best and apply myself, as the GPA indicates, along with recommendations from professors. And it should be noted that several twentysomethings who are about to graduate have the exact same problem as I do in thinking, "What did four years of higher education do and where can I go since I don't have one of the hot degrees?"

QUOTE (The Gooch @ Dec 31, 2010 -> 12:26 AM) I also don't think a college degree is necessary for a lot of jobs that require one. I am not against higher education (I am in school getting a masters degree right now), I just think that there are a lot of flaws with the entire college system in general, but that is another argument for another day. I would agree that a college degree isn't necessary for a lot of jobs that require one. I look at the entry level jobs and think to myself, why did I major in something more challenging than a liberal art when I have the skills that this job description requires? I guess what I wonder about is what exactly does an employer look for in terms of skills? Sure, I got a business degree, but it doesn't mean I remember a lot if any of what I studied, and I got at least 3.3 GPA. What I'm feeling is that I should have studied something more communications oriented (like Public Relations) because I would have had some actual skills to an employer in terms of how to write in a PR setting. Now I wonder if I should go get a Master's in PR at DePaul, even if it is real expensive, just so I can get some skills. Otherwise, I'm just going to have to see all of you at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and tell all of you that I should have partied harder in college if I knew I was going to have to do menial jobs with my unique skill set.

QUOTE (knightni @ Dec 23, 2010 -> 08:46 PM) Week 16 Tip: Pick up Minnesota QB Joe Webb and play him at WR. Easy points. He sucks so much ass its not even funny.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Dec 23, 2010 -> 08:34 PM) I'd say stick with Hillis. He's why you have gone this far. I'm guessing you're doing ESPN Fantasy Football. I lost last week against a guy who put up 300. He only put up 170 the week before but my buddy couldn't get the job done. Either way, I'd also start Hernandez. Celek has been awful this year. Mainly because with Vick, Philly looks for the deep ball or will pass over the middle to his WR's because they're faster and more likely to get YAC. I'd say Jacoby Jones would be a nice sleeper pick. Bowe gained some chemistry with Cassel, but who knows if it'll show this week. Just my opinion. Don't go all "The League" on if the predictions don't work out as planned. I actually am in a Yahoo! Fantasy Sports league so our scores are a lot lower than ESPN's Fantasy Football leagues. Bowe could be a huge disappointment but he does have some upside - unfortunately he's facing the Titans who have been exceptional on defense. I feel like predictions never go as planned.

I don't know of a more appropriate place to post my fantasy dilemma, so I'm posting it here. I'm in the championship game and have to decide what I want to do with a few questionable positions. They are as follows: RB1: Peyton Hillis is the starter. I've heard from several outlets that he is going to have a crappy game this week because Baltimore is out to get him for what Hillis did in week 3. My alternatives are not that great (Ricky Williams vs. DET, Shonn Greene @CHI, R. Bush @ATL, Rashad Jennings vs. Washington and Donald Brown @OAK), but I have considered playing Brown or Jennings, even if they won't have breakout weeks. Still, I think Hillis is the solid starter with the following league statistics: 20 rushing yards per point, 20 receiving yards per point, 1 fumble loss = -2 points and 1 TD = 6 pts. Who would you start? TE: Aaron Hernandez is the starter. I also have Brent Celek on my bench, who is facing Minnesota. Gronkowski might have another good week so I was a bit hesitant with Hernandez, but Hernandez also had 2 TD's last week. Owen Daniels is also in free agency. Should I stick with Hernandez or start Daniels/Celek? (20 receiving yards per point, 1 fumble loss = -2 points and 1 TD = 6 pts.) W/R: Dwayne Bowe hasn't had breakout games as I had hoped over the past few weeks, but I was able to muscle my way into the championship game. Should I start Bowe or D. Brown, maybe even Jacoby Jones? Keep in mind this is not a PPR league and the same stats still apply. f***in' Mike Thomas, why did you have to score tonight? Jonathan Stewart also needs to fumble already...I thought the Steelers could play defense!

Evidently Favre is going to test his shoulder 2 1/2 hours before the game and decide if he can go. Frazier must not feel comfortable with Webb or Ramsey playing tonight. Hopefully the Bears will force Ramsey to play by half-time and contain Webb so I can win my fantasy game.

I wasn't sure where to post this but I figured I would here - what do you guys think Joe Webb will do tonight? I am up 16.71 in my fantasy football league and he obviously needs 16.72 to beat me. The scoring for our league is as follows: 1 TD = 6 pts., 20 yards rushing = 1 point, 50 yards passing = 1 point, -2 for INT, -2 for fumbles lost. What are your thoughts on him beating me tonight? I think he'll go for 175 yards passing, 30 yards rushing and 1 TD. Maybe 1 or 2 turnovers.

Or Greg.

Do ya'll mind if I join in on the festivities?

Nope, rotoworld indicates that the White Sox are the team that signed the former Twin, but is just echoing Gammons. Nothing on whitesox.com or espn.com either.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Dec 15, 2010 -> 03:11 PM) It's used as a screen before interviews, but after that they tend not to care. FWIW, most companies have a 3.0 cutoff, but others have stricter standards and are at 3.3 or even 3.5. There are ways to get around that but it is very difficult. For example, Deloitte Consulting has a 3.3 cutoff (atleast at my University), but to even get a decent chance of getting a job with them you'll have to be above a 3.5, unless you have connections and can prove to managers that you are very competent and your grades are not a reflection of how smart you are (which I don't believe in anyways). Well I don't believe in standardized testing to get into colleges, but they do it anyway. A guy with an ACT of 20 and a 3.25 should be able to get into NIU, ISU, UIC and most other schools in Illinois with the exception of the most prestigious (University of Chicago, then Northwestern, then UIllinois) schools. How can you prove to managers that you are competent? Lastly, a 3.5 from a public university might hold ground over a 3.51+ at a private university. At least that is how I feel, and this is coming from someone who attended both types of universities to complete his undergraduate degree. QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 15, 2010 -> 02:45 PM) Employers don't too often ask about GPA. Then I wonder why my dad harps on my GPA even though it is about a 3.3 and I'm smart enough to work in an organization. I just have to be willing to be indoctrinated to a corporate lifestyle, which may be a problem.

Taking my statistics final tomorrow, which is worth 100 points. If I get 22 points on it, I get a B. If I get 90 points on it, then I get an A in the class. I'm not so sure that it is really going to make a difference if I get an A or B in the course considering I'll never use the material in my lifetime. Sure it might boost my GPA, but I'm already over a 3.0 at 3.3, so I don't think an employer will really care.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Dec 13, 2010 -> 11:50 AM) Well let me just say from all accounts the guy was a pretty crappy person. And i dont know if that is the reason but her friend and my friend seem to think it might have been. And I didn't mean to come across as an ass. I'm sure it sucks being on the other side. This wasn't something I was "working on" or anything like that. I was being extremely respectful and aloof to the situation prior to this. We'll see what happens. I'll admit that I was in pretty lousy shape towards the end of my old relationship, but by no means was I a "bad person." I've changed a lot since then and I never had my say towards that guy since I never even got to meet him. Though she never seemed to want to work things out, so it really doesn't matter. Just enjoy your time with her and be prepared for the consequences you inherit from the old relationship. You didn't come across as an ass. I just had been on the other end and it sucks. Then again, this was only a meaningless college relationship, as in there was no commitment on both ends. Good luck with your new relationship. QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 13, 2010 -> 12:15 PM) Wait, you have a ponytail? Ha. Ha. Ha.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Dec 13, 2010 -> 08:00 AM) So has anyone ever had a girl break up with their boyfriend FOR you? Cuz i'm pretty sure that just happened last night and I'm not quite sure how to handle that. Kinda intimidating and a lot of pressure to be honest. No, I have been on the other end of that situation. I really want to cut that kid's ponytail off and beat his fat ass.

I'm in a bit of a rut. Graduating in May with a degree in Business Administration/Management, and have no interest in pursuing sales, accounting, finance or marketing related jobs. My passion is still there for sports and I've decided that sports information at the university level is the way to go, or to get a job within the university setting closer to home. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if there are any jobs in that. I write well. I communicate decently but I am not energized by people. I was offered a graduate assistantship here but I am not sure if I can stomach two more years of business courses that I won't ever use just to stay here...the only other program is the Master's of Organizational Leadership and I don't think that is helpful to employers. Are there any PR/Communications related jobs or should I just go get a Master's in PR/Sport Management? Also have an interest in education again. Does this situation sound familiar where you're about to graduate and have no idea of what to do next, but want to avoid getting sucked in by these crappy jobs with "unlimited earning potential" or jobs at Enterprise where you are working 50+ hours a week? My only ideas are to either take the grad assistantship and stay in school till I'm 25 for a degree I won't use and will put a C effort into in exchange for work experience in something that I want to do, go home and work part-time while I get an internship or volunteer in the field I'm interested in, or should I just enter the full-time work force doing whatever "they" tell me to do? The economy dictates that you can't be 100% happy in what you're doing anyway since if you have a job you should be happy about it... EDIT: Also thought about career counseling, as sad as that is.

Update: Did an informational interview with two colleges and people who liked what my resume said and how I came across. I was told I could come ask for work when I got back in town and the other guy told me I could freelance for his university unless a position opened up. This seems like a better option than going to grad school right away. Also interviewed with Northwestern Mutual and had a good interview, but was turned off by the "unlimited earning potential." I wonder if there's jobs in insurance that aren't sales related. Seemed like a great organization but I don't want to be a Financial Sales Rep. Backup plan is to just get a part-time job, study for the GRE or GMAT and volunteer with the universities that I impressed. I've got nothing other than that...other than jumping into the MBA program at my school and being a GA for sports information...the only problem is that I don't know that I want to get an MBA.

Alright, can we change the title to Rumor: A.J. close to signing with Blue Jays; Cowley reports he is close to signing with White Sox - 2 years, 8 million?

Dear random roommate: Please do not comment on every sport imaginable as well as your college major, as I do not give a rat's ass about your career as a small market sportscaster. It might be helpful for you to take your medication so that your aspergers symptoms do not constantly flare up and bother the people that live around you by talking about 90 percent sports-related topics. Regards, Graduating in May (Finally!)

I'm glad that they cut ties with Jenks (thank you for 2005), but I hope that they don't go into this year with a closer by committee approach. If Sale isn't a starter, I would think he would be a good option. Who would the White Sox realistically bring in to close from another organization and who is a realistic (and not a pipe dream) free agent that the Sox would bring in?

Dear Restricted Calls at Midnight, I'm changing my number when my phone contract is up in May. Leave me alone or I will get a court document to figure out who you are and make a case out of this. Best, -R P.S. I love that I can block all incoming calls not on my contact list, so have fun figuring that one out.

Since junior year of high school, I started running after school on my own on a route without keeping track of time or distance, but it was safe to say I did about 40 minutes. I run five days a week for cardio and to stay in shape so the distance is irrelevant to me. In 2009, I completed the Chicago Marathon after running the 20 mile run along the lake front and several 10 mile runs at Waterfall Glen and 5ks at the Jim Bonfield Run in Downers Grove on Thanksgiving Day. I imagine that I finish 5ks in 20-25 minutes, 10 miles at 1:21.48 and my marathon time was 4:00.32. EDIT: How often do you buy new shoes, what makes you want the shoes (light on your feet, good feeling, good mileage), and what brand do you like best?)