Sort of a Confession

Let the record show that my favorite band of all is Linkin Park, and they are followed closely by Nine Inch Nails. I don't listen to wimpy music, is what I'm saying. Except that I do. If you look through the CD wallet I've had since high school (GET OFF MY LAWN), you'll find the albums alphabetized and Nine Inch Nails and New Kids on the Block share a page.

Diversity. I like it. Unless it has a twang to it, in which case all bets are off.

Anyway, I say this all because OMG, YOU GUYS. I turned into a Big Time Rush fan this evening.

I KNOW! THIS IS SHOCKING NEWS!

It happened because the folks at Giant Eagle are a special breed of evil and invited Alexis and myself to join some other bloggers and fun people for the Big Time Rush concert at Star Lake.

Shut up. It's still called Star Lake and if you disagree, go right on back to that lawn recommendation in the first paragraph.

ANYWAY.

So Giant Eagle gave us tickets and we went and IT DIDN'T SUCK. Not even a little bit. I probably should be ashamed to admit those thoughts, but I left my shame at Star Lake when Alexis asked me to take a picture of Cody Simpson (the opening act) without his shirt on.

I totally took the picture. I'll put it up on Flickr one of these days, along with the LITERALLY 800 other photos that are on my SD card right now because I am so ridiculously behind after a whirlwind weekend that I have no idea how I'll catch up.

So, I didn't think Big Time Rush sucked, and Alexis DEFINITELY didn't think they sucked. In fact, the little miss was very fortunate that her very first concert of her entire life involved VIP tickets and a Meet and Greet. She's probably going to expect entirely too much for the rest of her concert-going life because of this evening, but OH WELL. She had SO much fun bopping around as she listened to Big Time Rush's squeaky clean pop music.

And I didn't hate it either. Not even a little bit.

(Photos from the show are coming once I start to get caught back up.)

Wherein I Tell Martha Stewart She Is Wrong

When you have an opportunity to eat lunch with Martha Stewart, by gawd, you do it. It doesn't matter if 5000 other people are going to join you, including dozens who never shut up for even one second and GAH! Why do people do that? Go out in the hall and talk about whatever it is you want to talk about, women who were at my table!

Anyway.

Martha Stewart did the keynote address during lunch at BlogHer yesterday. It was a question and answer session and I went because DUH. Martha is one of the most successful women in business. If you can't learn from her, you're doing it wrong.

For the most part, it was an interesting discussion that gave Martha a chance to show off her sense of humor as she honestly discussed herself and her company. But there was one thing that stuck with me and has been festering and growing and, well, you're going to have to hear about it because it's bothering me THAT much.

There was a point when Martha talked about the young women you work for her and how some of them get pregnant and end up not returning to the company after maternity leave. She wore her ability to predict whether the employees would return to work or not like a badge of honor. "It's a choice--family or work. I'm really good at predicting which choice they will make."

Martha. MARTHA.

You are wrong.

It does not have to be a choice.

There are companies who are fighting tooth and nail to create atmospheres that help people (both men and women) find better balance in their lives. I sat at a panel with some of the leaders of Coca-Cola a few months ago and listened as a VP admitted that sometimes it is hard and sometimes she can't do everything she wants, but if she needs to leave a meeting 15 minutes early to go see her son's soccer game, she can. Coca-Cola has systems in place that empower employees to make the best decisions for living a positive life. Sometimes that positive life means working late at night at home or going in on a Saturday, but it is balanced by the ability to be present for life's more important moments.

It's not just Coca-Cola, either. There are companies far and wide who are figuring out that helping employees find work-life balance is profitable. You can attract the best talent and the hardest workers when those workers don't have to make choices like the one you are so proud that you can predict.

And you know what, Martha? I expect YOU to be on the forefront of figuring out how companies can reduce the need to make that choice. If you can figure out how to peel the skin off a piece of fish with one clean motion, you can figure out how to keep those women working for you even after they become mothers. You sat in that chair on that stage in front of 5000 women and talked about how your marriage falling apart was a sad time in your life, but you can't figure out what you could have done differently so that it hadn't ended that way? Really?

Could you have had all of the successes you've had in the business world and found a way to not sacrifice your marriage and your relationship with your daughter to make it all happen?

You said that you've lost some incredibly talented women to motherhood. Find a way to get them back and keep them. Find your way to the top of this list and change the entire business world by proving that there can be work-life balance.

Pave the way, Martha.

Olympic Weights