Rise of the Creative Class

Someone mentioned this phrase to me recently, and it's maybe the first time I've heard the development mentioned in a positive light.

For the most part, at least in my experience, this growth of millennials in creative occupations has been presented as lazy, cocksure children taking the easy route instead of choosing real jobs that will support their families and the rest of society.

I like "rise of the creative class" far more.

Not to say that I don't sometimes have jealous flare ups towards anyone that is able to live off of their parents' money while exploring their creative side. But I love the idea of being in a time that creative occupations are a reasonable option.

I have a minor in information technology because my parents told me that I needed to come out of college with at least something that might get me a job. My English and Communications degrees would not. I don't regret getting that minor, and I don't resent my parents for thinking that I wouldn't be able to get a job with my majors. I just wish that they had a little more faith in the possibility of finding jobs. Or more realistically, I wish the job market was good enough for my parents to believe that I could get a job doing something creative. 

And I don't think that the job market has changed much. There aren't a lot of well-paying jobs just lying about, waiting to be scooped up, but it does seem that people are able to carve out a niche for themselves, doing what they love. 

And I haven't found my niche or the correct carving tool yet. But I am hopeful, seeing all the people that have. 

You want to look like a unicorn?

I was recently asked this by an incredulous classmate after I suggested that they get light blue and lilac cords in order to look like unicorns.

I assume she must be color blind. What other explanation could be reached when I go about my life with rainbow hair? I don't dye my hair like this in order to look like a normal person. I wouldn't let my glasses turn pink and blue from wet dye if it didn't fit into my personal aesthetic. 

I've been dying my hair since I was fifteen but only recently expanded to the whole head. Before I went all in, I had normal hair for a few months. It was awful. There was a large part of my identity missing.  _Everyone_ has normal hair. How is someone supposed to find me if you can't just say "go find the girl with blue hair"? So I dumped in the color.

I won't be doing an incognito work or bank heists any time soon, but I'll tamp down those urges in order for people to recognize my inner unicorn.

I also come equipped with glitter. 

Mexico Travels

I recently returned from a two-week sojourn to Mexico. I always feel like I need to clarify that it was _Mexico_ not Cancun, because I'm a real traveler damn it. We planned the trip about a month and a half out and that's about as last-minute as I get (I'm working on it). We went to Puebla and the small towns surrounding it for most of the trip and spent the last two days in Mexico City.

It was perfect.

I have a very thick, very pink pair of rose-colored glasses for that trip and maybe Mexico in general.

Not to say that I want to move down there or that I didn't see problems that the cities and residents have, but my vacation was perfect.

Sure, we almost got robbed at gun point, but when you're a very pale, very blue-haired American at a bus stop in a little town with a lot of bags, what can you expect. We didn't _actually_ get robbed, so it doesn't count.

Upon returning and telling people where I went, I was surprised by people's reactions. There were a lot of "weren't you scared" and "you're so brave" responses. Which was strange to me. Maybe I'm just strolling along with a thick cloak of American privilege (I'm actually quite sure that I am), but it wasn't much of a consideration to be scared. I know that there is danger, but so what? I should have stayed home instead of having an incredible experience because people get robbed? People get robbed everywhere. Sure, maybe I have a higher chance of something happening in Mexico seeing as I was so clearly an extranjera, but I made a point to try to avoid walking about shady lanes late at night. At least while I was alone.

And you know what. I was fine. Nothing terrible happened, other than getting sick (it turns out that ice is part of the whole "don't drink the water" thing). I saw so many amazing things. Ate way too much. Marginally improved my Spanish. And I can't wait to go back.