Guest post by Aniqa Feerasta, intern from The University of Akron

Unless you live under a rock, you probably have heard something about the history making Iowa caucuses last week and today’s New Hampshire primaries taking place as I hammer away at the keyboard. And chances are, you probably have something to say about it.

If by chance you do live under a rock, Barack Obama (a Democrat) and Mike Huckabee (a Republican) won in Iowa. Obama, the son of a Kenyan man and a Kansan woman, is the first African American to win the Iowa caucus.

I must admit that I am one of those very opinionated individuals and nothing fires me up like politics. (C’mon, I know you know someone like me…or maybe you are like me). Even if you don’t care much for politics, it’s hard to miss this year’s election excitement. A woman, an African American, and a Mormon as front runners in the same election is mind blowing.

Pundits are already predicting record voter turnout…but whether the media buzz translates into more people at the polls remains yet to be seen. However, if the chance to pick the next person to make crucial decisions on behalf of the entire nation isn’t motivation to cast a vote, perhaps the chance to make history will be.

Looking for a new downtown lunch spot or after work hangout? Check the new downtown restaurant, Lockview! I enjoyed lunch there on Wednesday with three friends, and we all raved about our meals. Lockview specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches, with nine different varieties on the menu, ranging in price from $4 to $7. Cole slaw and goldfish crackers (a nice twist!) are included. French fries, sweet potato fries, or tater tots can be added for a mere $1.50. We tried the sweet potato fries and the tater tots, and they both rocked!

Lockview also has some great appetizers (including the aforementioned fries & tots), extensive beer and wine lists, and a full bar…perfect for after work or after ice skating! Happy hour specials include $2 off martinis, $1 off draft beers (except Bud Light), and $1 off glasses of wine.

Lockview is located at 207 S. Main Street, across from Lock 3, in the space formerly known as the Lime Spider. Phone is 330-252-5128. Website, www.thelockview.com, is currently under construction.

The Greater Akron Chamber is excited to announce the debut of a new programming series targeted toward young professionals. Marketed under the name "Young Professionals Network," YPN for short, the series features networking and professional development events designed to bring together YPs from throughout our region, regardless of affiliation with any particular YP group. Membership in YPN consists simply of joining our mailing list, and is open to all interested parties. Click HERE to join YPN's mailing list.

Click HERE for more info and to check out YPN's 2008 Calendar of Events. Due to limited space available, reservations and pre-payment are required for all YPN events. Reservations may be made online or by calling (330) 237-1244.

YPN is a program of the Greater Akron Chamber, sponsored by FirstMerit Bank.

Are you thinking about your New Year's Resolutions? I know I am. It be New Year's Eve if I wasn't. I start each new year with such optimism, and at the end, I'm inevitably left trying to figure out where I got off track, wondering where the year went, and vowing to do it right next year. I try to have at least one resolution in all major areas of my life: family & friends, love, health & wellness, finances & work. In 2008, in no particular order of importance, I resolve to:

• do a better job keeping in touch with my family and friends, especially those who are not here in Akron.
• make new friends by taking the initiative with my colleagues and other great people I meet.
• make more of the time I spend with my husband quality time.
• exercise 30 minutes at least 4 times a week.
• cook dinner and pack lunch, instead of going out to eat, at least 4 times a week.
• keep my "spending" to $40/week.
• balance my checkbook.
• successfully launch new programming series for young professionals.
• increase attendance and participation in my 2008 events by 20%.

Now that I have my resolutions down on paper, so to speak, and I've shared them with others, they somehow seem more real. Wish me luck!

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a happy, safe, and prosperous 2008!

GUEST BLOG BY ANIQA FEERASTA, INTERN, THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

“…workers ages 18 to 34 are more 'extremely dissatisfied' with their jobs than any other age group, with nearly half feeling burned out and one in four seeking an entirely new career” reports a news article entitled Young job seekers facing “quarterlife crises.”

Why? According to the article, studies report that fresh grads have unrealistic expectations of high salaries, quick promotions and moderate work hours upon entering the workforce. The article does not explain what exactly qualifies as an “unrealistic expectation,” but it still left me pondering a few interesting points.

The “younger generation” is often accused of having a sense of “entitlement” in all aspects of life, including the workplace. Granted, it is probably unrealistic to expect to start anywhere other than the bottom of the ladder upon entering the workforce. But doesn’t the significant college debt that burdens many of today’s young professionals give them the right to expect a little more from their jobs than their parent’s generation expected? There is no doubt that four or more years spent studying hard, surviving on a meager budget, and accumulating thousands of dollars of debt should be “worth” the sacrifice in the end. But clearly, employers and young workers have different ideas as to what should constitute this “worth.”

However, high expectations are also reinforced by job recruiters at career fairs promoting their companies as offering high salaries, moderate work hours, and the chance to rise quickly in the company hierarchy. So who, if anyone, is to blame? Are these recruiters deliberately telling college students what they want to here, or is it a case of miscommunication on both sides? Are young workers simply too naïve and expecting too much?

I play the Gridiron Challenge on ESPN.com. It's fantasy football for dummies, and I love it! The basic premise is similar to other fantasy leagues, where you pick your team consisting of 2QBs, 2RBs, 2WR, TE, K, D/ST. What sets Gridiron Challenge apart is that I get to change my entire roster every week, as long as I stay in my salary cap of 50.0. It's perfect for someone like me who doesn't have enough background knowledge of any team or player to participate in a fantasy football draft and come away with a decent team.

This is my second year as the GM of my fantasy football team. Last year, I came in first in my league…an all-boys club, except for me. Needless to say, that did not go over well. This year, I've held 2nd most of the season. The guy in 3rd is just 9 points behind me, so I've got to make it happen this week.

Throughout the season, I've sought advice from the guy in the next cube, but he's on vacation this week, so I need some advice from others. With the playoffs on the line, I think it's better to select players from teams that still have something to play for, but I'm not sure if that's the best strategy. Your thoughts?

GUEST POST BY ANIQA FEERASTA, INTERN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

“Yuck!” It’s the only word that comes to mind when I glance out the window.

I hate to sound like the Grinch of Akron, but the magic of the season’s first crisp, white snowflakes has long turned into a gritty mess. Add the grey sky and bitter cold, and you can see why “winter wonderland” is not how I would describe the city this time of year.

Like me, you might have forgotten that we like having four seasons in Akron. It is one of our bragging rights. So what to do when you have the winter blues? Luckily, there are some ways to reclaim the magic.

Here are some of the things I think make Akron special in winter. What do you think? Feel free to add your suggestions and help cheer up the Grinches among us.

1. Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens: The grand estate is made grander with sparkling outdoor lights beautifully strung throughout the grounds. Inside, it’s still not too late to enjoy Deck the Halls, which transforms 16 rooms in the manor house into scenes from the story Babes in Toyland.
2. Lock 3: some old world charm graces the downtown park, with vendors from Akron’s German sister city, Chiminitz, selling handcrafted goods out of cottages. Step indoors to feast on a traditional German menu including frankfurters, potato dumplings, sauerkraut, German beer, and hot chocolate before heading back out to enjoy the adjacent Ice Rink.
3. Old Fashioned Fun: For creatures of comfort, there is nothing like curling up with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate, and warm fuzzy blanket. For the more adventurous, Boston Mills Ski Resort is only short drive away. And for those seeking a trip down memory lane, who says grown ups can’t build a snowman?

I had my annual performance review yesterday. For some reason, I always get really worked up prior to my review, and I'm not sure why. I know myself pretty well, and I'm honest with myself about what I'm doing well and what I could do better, but I always freak out before my review.

Yesterday was no exception. I watched the clock all morning, dreading the arrival of my 10:30 appointment. I felt nauseated, and I kept having weird hot flashes, then cold flashes, then hot flashes…almost as if I had a fever. I went to the bathroom in 10 minute intervals. Luckily, Becky (my boss) hates giving performance reviews about as much as I hate receiving them. We are a good pair. I was in & out of the meeting room in 20 minutes flat. Becky was quick and to the point, and she knows me better than I know myself in some ways. Despite the fact that my review was much less painful than some of my past reviews have been, I couldn't be happier that I don't have to go through that again for at least six months, until my mid-year review.

For those who are also performance-review phobic, I wish you luck. If you ever want to commiserate, drop me a line!

Also, I want to apologize for my long absence from posting. So sorry about that. Lately, I just don't know what to say, so please, please, please e-mail me any thoughts you have for topic suggestions or issues that should be brought to the attention of our YP community. And I welcome guest posts, so please let me know if you have something to post.

GUEST POST BY CHAD W. LUTZ, KSU INTERN

It’s that time of year again, where leaders and the prominent all make their last vying attempts at swaying our votes before we take their fates into our own hands. No, I’m not talking Enron. It’s Election time, the one time of year where the lines between the upper crust and the lower peons blur exposing a level playing field. However, as a college student, whose life consists solely of mid terms and research papers, I have had little time this year to do any research into the issues on the ballot. This is what bothers me though. There haven’t been any speakers on campus, nor candidates handing out literature, signs or posters that explain where their party representatives stand.

When sitting around with friends the other day, I remembered suddenly that Election Day was coming up and the response I got from the rest of my peers was startling. Most of them didn’t even know the day was approaching, and the rest didn’t care. I, for one, have voted in every election since I was given the right to when I turned eighteen, I think it’s senseless not to. But I noticed that the lack of awareness about the issues was among many of the complaints my friends had. Some used the cliché and tried to tell me their vote didn’t matter, which I dismissed and tried to pull more out of them to try and understand their lack of interest in how their future is shaped. Others said they only vote in national elections because those are the only ones that actually impact their lives. It seems as though both sides have taken a back seat approach to the Democratic process, with neither side feeling as though the other cares what they think or do, leaving a mess of confusion in the middle ground. I believe it is on both parties to get up off the couch or come down from the podium to meet halfway and clear some of the debris before it builds a wall that no one can scale.

"Younger Job Applicants Want More Paid Time Off" is the title of an article in today's e-newsletter from ERC (which I think stands for Employer's Resource Council, but I'm not sure!). From their website: "ERC is Northeast Ohio's largest organization dedicated to HR and workplace programs, practices, training and consulting."

According to the article, a survey of 70 NEO employers found that job seekers in their 20s are requesting, on average, 2.5 weeks of paid vacation per year. Older, more experienced workers in their 30s and 40s request, on average, 3 weeks of paid vacation per year. Those same employers, on average, offer their least experienced applicants only one week of paid vacation annually. The statistic that I'd like to see is: What percentage of the companies offering one week of vacation are having a hard time attracting and retaining talent? I'd imagine that percentage is pretty high. Is a shortage of vacation time (or paid time off) a dealbreaker? I have to think that for most YPs, it is.

The article closes with a quote from Tom Tomasula, Senior HR Consultant at ERC, “Paid time off is a great way for companies to differentiate themselves, especially for a new generation of employees that are demonstrating a commitment to working hard as well as enjoying their free time.” Are you listening, employers? Next generation employees work hard AND play hard. Want to attract and retain more young talent? Might be time to revise your company's paid time off policies.