It's not you, it's me...

Of course Blogger would update their interface the minute I decide to give my site a lift...

Well, COSMOpolitique fans, I hate to say it but the time has come to give myself a make-over. Thus, I have decided to go all out and rebuild the site after refining some things. If you're still with me, and I hope you are, I'd like to introduce you to your new best friend. 

Meet...

I am so thrilled to be sharing with you once again. I will be closing the COSMOpolitique Facebook fan page at the end of the week but be sure to check out Little Black Blog BOSTON and 'like' it while you're there!

As always, you can find me on Twitter by following @NESSessCITY, Tumblr, and on my new WordPress site: Little Black Blog BOSTON.

Hope to hear from you soon!

xo, Vanessa

Social Media, Jobs & You: How To "Follow" the Trend

Keep calm and tweet on!

So you're about to graduate or are still looking for that "dream job" and you need an edge. Your resume could use some beefing up but you can't justify adding "Facebook creeper" to your "Skills" section. Just when you thought that your blogging rants were perhaps a waste of time, think again...social media just might be your ticket to paradise, or at least employment.

Over the past few weeks we've been pretty busy at the office. Our data entry skills have been refined and our perky 9 a.m. phone greetings have been perfected. With our morning joe in hand, everything is going swimmingly, until there's a social media gaffe and we start wishing that everyone was as savvy as we pretend to be. 

With that, we can only predict (with side of wishful thinking), how successful you'll be after you pick up "Blogger for Dummies", but its becoming increasingly clear that social media is the way of the future. You may not realize it, but your ability to access your world through virtual means might actually pay off someday. Especially if you know how to do it right. Here are a few of our favorite tips from the blogosphere that can enhance your social media game:

1.) Do something socially constructive. (The Black Collegian): Don't be afraid to kill your time on the unemployment line by volunteering. Community service speaks to non-profits and start-ups that need malleable individuals who do good. By taking advantage and getting involved in your community, you're building material to blog or tweet about that builds your resume for you!

2.) Identify the tools to suit your needs. (PR Daily): Be aware of the platforms you use and their intended purposes. Many social media environments can be manipulated to serve in a variety of ways but be weary of posting status updates on professional sites like LinkedIn the way you would on Twitter. 

3.) Keep close tabs on your pages. (Business News Daily): Nothing is worse than losing control of your pages. Keep the number of profiles you manage to a responsible minimum and update them regularly. Information (especially pictures) that are outdated, discredit the owner's ability to successfully coordinate multiple tasks and ultimately speaks to your organization. Also, watch the comments of your followers. Crude or offensive remarks might turn your page into a red flag for potential employers.

4.) Know how you compare. (The Huffington Post): When it comes to real-life acquaintances, it's always better to believe in quality over quantity. Over the internet however, the number of friends or followers is what distinguishes successful users from their lackluster counterparts. Figure out what other people like you are doing or posting to gain traffic to their sites and follow their lead. Imitation is the finest form of flattery,  right?

If this looks overwhelming,
welcome to the big leagues!

5.) Leverage your network. (Forbes): If you're connect to a Blogspot account of someone who works in an industry you're trying to break into, ask them for advice. Facebook messages are another good way to reach out to people you admire. Don't forget to keep it professional and to not take it personally if you don't get a response. Advertising that you're actively job searching and have particular skills will also put you on employers' radar so joining LinkedIn professional groups is another good way to activate friends who can keep an eye out for you. 

6.) Maintain a smart online profile. (Monster.com): Kegstands might have been cool when you were involved in Greek life but now you're actively engaged in a job search and you'd rather be safely on your feet than with your life (literally) turned upside down. If you take pride in being successful, its probably time to untag and delete those pictures that aren't so flattering to your character. 

7.) Network wisely. (The Black Collegian): The best jobs are not always advertised in newspapers. This means that activating fellow majors in your alumni association, people who are career liaisons or college professors is a an integral part of your professional "attack plan". The more people who know you and can speak on your behalf to potential employers, the better!

8.) See yourself as an editor of your own suite of magazine. (The Guardian): We love our Tumblr, Twitter, Wordpress, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts as much as the next crop of social media mavens but there is a time and a place for everything and you can see the difference if you've found us on other platforms. Before you experiment with a new account, or think of re-purposing an old one, consider the functionality of the site and how you can make it work for you. If your Flickr is filled with vacation pictures then maybe its time to set the settings to private so that your future CEO isn't scrolling through pictures of you in a bikini (or worse, with a Spring Break sunburn)!

9.) Start a website/ blog. (Mashable Business): Take our advice and get passionate about something. For us, its a little bit of everything but there's a method to our madness. We don't average just under 700 hits a month for lack of trying so figure out what it is that makes you tick and get writing! The upside to this tip is that writing skills are invaluable and the more articulate you are about your passions, the more intriguing you become .

10.) Use your name as your brand, especially in e-mail. (Monster.com): It was cute in middle school but Pinkcutiexoxo@whatever.com isn't going to be eye-catching quite the same way a pink scented resume might be (see Legally Blonde). Keeping names consistent on your resume makes things easy and memorable for whoever is reading it. Also, if playing basketball isn't part of your desired job description, we suggest keeping any reference to a username including the word "hoopz" off the document as well.

Now that we've written the check-list, grab your favorite pen and start crossing out these steps. And don't forget to let us know how it works out for you! 

Good luck!

2012: The Year of Kony

The time to make a difference is now.

"Right now, there are more people on Facebook than there were on the planet 200 years ago."

This opening line of "KONY 2012", the newest campaign from the Invisible Children Inc. acknowledges the quantity of life across the globe. As the thirty minute video progresses, experiences ranging from first sounds to the dissemination of political uprisings capture what it is to be engaged in society.

If you've watched this video, or any footage from Invisible Children, you already know that its not only the quantity of life that should be of great interest but the quality. In Uganda (and other states where the Lord's Resistance Army, known as the L.R.A., has crossed borders to spread their terrorism), Joseph Kony, a rebel guerrilla leader and number nine on the world's Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives, is running rampant. His extremist ideals are rooted in the Christian Ten Commandments and his campaign involves strategies including murder, mutilation, rape and cannibalism.

What's wrong with this picture?

Thanks to Invisible Children, the time to "do more than just watch"has come. The mission of three young filmmakers in 2003 has exploded into a global movement. College campuses across the United States have witnessed the atrocities committed by Joseph Kony and his followers, including (but not limited to) his practices involving the forceful recruitment of child soldiers. Nine years ago, Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole and Jason Russell "stumbled" upon this war and have since created Invisible Children Inc. as a non-profit and informative resource to educate others and work to stop Joseph Kony through various media outlets.

As of today (March 8, 2012), the "Kony 2012" video has over 12.1 million views on Viemo and 37 million on YouTube. Along with a viral sweeping on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, celebrities such as Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Christina Milian and Nicki Minaj have endorsed the campaign. The message of this campaign, during a presidential election year that has been known for differing and controversial issues is that the eradication of the L.R.A. and its crimes is "something we can all agree on".

Joseph Kony: He can run but he can't hide.

This film was first posted on March 5th. 

If its message can grab the attention of almost 50 million people (a number equal to the total populations of such countries as South Korea or South Africa), what kind of impact will it have on the actions of those people? 

As global citizens, we are obligated to do our part in taking a stand in crimes against humanity. 

There are many ways to be involved in this movement to save the lives of innocent Ugandans and to contribute to the preventative measures being taken to alleviate this crisis globally. Along with the links included below, COSMOpolitique urges you to contact legislators and members of Congress and encourage them to be active participants in this war against Kony. 

This is the year for change at home and abroad.

Sign the pledge to stop Joseph Kony.

Donate to Invisible Children.

SHOP Invisible Children. (All proceeds are donations to the cause.)

Learn more about the cause.

Watch the video: "KONY 2012"

What will you do to help?

Fashion In Flight: Aviator Glasses

"Any of you boys seen a fashionista around here?"

Your winter wardrobe has become repetitive and dull. Your winter boots need a coat of polish. 

Your go-to A-line is more safe than spunky. 

You've hit that mid-winter fashion crisis.

Never fear! Spring is on the way!

For some, it's about time to book those mid-winter vacations to someplace warm...and for others, its at least time to pretend you're beach-ready. While it's still a little early for the seasonal investment of high-lights in your tresses, here's a fashion staple that can take you to new heights as you wait for the temperature to rise: aviators.

Taking another cue from our dear Nina Garcia, the aviator-style is an "eternally and universally fashionable shade that instantly brings out that cool factor".

Available in a variety of shades and styles, Nina says that "the classic aviator is the Ray Ban". She suggests staying away from too much shine so save your money and shy away from overly reflective lenses and shiny rims. 

The One Hundred even recommends that "the rims should be in a matte tone of silver or gold" if you want your shades to look authentic.

But don't just take it from us. Celebs have taken this accessory to new heights from films to street-wear. Here's are just some examples of this piece's rise to fame:

"Keep it as close to the original design as possible.
Michael Kors and Ralph lauren do it very well."-TOH

• Madonna 
• Kate Hudson, Almost Famous
• Marlon Brando
• Paul McCartney
• Tom Cruise, Top Gun
• Steve McQueen
• Lauren Hutton
• Brad Pitt, Fight Club
• Jim Morrison
• Ringo Starr
• Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
• Steven Tyler
• Jack Nicholson

Even if you're kicking around "in your oldest jeans or with your newest tailored YSL jacket", aviators will make you "look equally up-to-the-minute". 

Whether in the air or with groupie-flair, how do you rock this look? Send your street style pics to cosmopolitique@gmail.com, comment below with links to your gallery or post pics to our fan page! Maybe  we'll feature you in an up-coming post!

Until then, keep reading!

And don't forget to follow us @citygrlthoughts

How To: Have A (Real) Girl's Night

This wasn't the only thing that
made my Valentine's Day great!

After college, there are many times when the term "penny pinching" is a gross overstatement. True friends will remind you that you only live once. Even truer friends will ask you to be their Valentine's Day date and enthusiastically encourage you to indulge yourself. 

That's what I have my friend Megan for. 

With our S.O.V.S.' elsewhere on the planet, Megan and I organized for ourselves what would be the ultimate Valentine's Day...just for the two of us. We settled on sushi as our main event and selected the Back Bay locale known as Basho Japanese Brasserie. I coordinated our reservations and we settled on an 8:45 seating. Normally this would be unpleasantly late for me to be eating, but I knew Megan and I would pass the time with good conversation and some sort of adventure.

Megan, like me, enjoys a healthy tasting of beer every once in a while so it only seemed natural that we whet our appetites with some beverages at Boston Beer Works following our long days at the office. Megan met me at the Brookline Avenue location just a after 7 p.m. and we chose to sit at the bar. After we settled in, Megan informed me of a mini-sampling option they offer so that we could try a few different beers at once. When the bartender came to take our order, we instructed her to pick her three favorites from the menu and include the milk chocolate stout they were featuring. Once our "micro"-brews arrived, we began exploring the flavors of  Bunker Hill blueberry ale, Landsdowne lager, Patriot pilsner and the milk chocolate stout. Pretty soon, we were lost in conversation and our beverages but ordered one round of full-sized beers before we crossed Yawkey Way where our dinner awaited us.

This is my valentine with our sampling of beers, from light to dark!

Once inside Basho, we waited a mere five minutes to be seated. The lighting was dim with a pastel glow and Megan and I were seated towards the front of the restaurant by the windows which was both intimate and cozy. By this point, we were starving so everything on the menu enticed us. We settled on appetizers of gyoza and vegetable tempura (which we varied between sweet potato, avocado and cauliflower). Megan chose a Philadelphia roll as her dinner and I eagerly ordered my favorite, Spicy Tuna. Our cocktails came quickly which was excellent because I had been craving a lychee martini for some time. The service was friendly and attentive to clearing excess dishes. Even our dessert, a tart creme brûlée, was briskly whipped up and delivered to our table.

My favorite sushi roll thus far: Spicy Tuna.

Like any good date, we lost track of time and were likely laughing and smiling our way out of Basho sometime after 11. Pleased we had only spent about $50 each on the entire evening, we made a vow to try and repeat a girl's night tradition very soon! 

Basho's interior: Day light.

Did you spend Valentine's Day with someone other than your significant other? Tell us all about it! 

We'd love some recommendations and date ideas! Comment below, 'like' us on Facebook or find us on Twitter @citygrlthoughts

Can't wait to hear your ideas!