Savvy Women

I found this brief CNN video that profiles Rosena Sammi. In the clip, Sammi, once a corporate lawyer but now a jewelry designer, discusses her career change and why she gave up such lucrative work to start her own business. According to the now-ex-attorney, making jewelry, which she considers “wearable” artwork, provides her with a “creative outlet” that was lacking in her former job. Though she’s made a dramatic change in her work life, she believes that the skills she gained as a lawyer are helping her succeed as an artist and designer.

The whole subject of changing careers is one that I’m interested in because I sometimes think (more like fantasize) about what it would be like if I could get out of teaching and do something entirely different. (Actually, a few years ago, I did just that and worked, for a time, as the director of a nonprofit museum.) Anyway, all this writing about leaving one type of life behind for another prompted me to go online to see if I could find out how many people are truly happy with their occupations. My feeling, before even looking at what the stats showed, was that many feel that the work they do is not the sort that is conducive to self-actualization.

That’s my two cents.

I keep discovering these writers I should have already known about. My latest discovery of this type is Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia, a wildly successful memoir that tells the story of a year-long series of travels the author went on immediately following a very painful divorce. Now that I know about Gilbert and her story of self-discovery, set in three countries and on two continents, I’ve put it on my 2010 reading list.

Gilbert has many more interesting things to say about romantic love, companionship, and marriage, but I’ll let her speak for herself.

The advertisement you’ve just watched was produced to promote a competition called “Cougar Pride” which was sponsored by Air New Zealand and featured on the carrier’s Grabaseat site, a webpage which allows travelers to book discount airfares online. Though the contest ended a few days ago, details about it are still available on The Inspiration Room website, which describes the competition in the following way: “Grabaseat is looking for 60 of these exquisite creatures to join them at the sold out NZI Sevens in Wellington as their pride of cougar cheerleaders. Winning contestants will be given cougar costumes and the equipment to make enough noise to attract the attention of young males. And to make sure the pride doesn’t go hungry, 10 brave young men recruited by ZM will be thrown in as fresh meat to the winners in Wellington.”

As you’ve probably guessed, the “exquisite creatures” mentioned in the previous paragraph are “cougars.” If you’re not familiar with the latter term, it refers to “mature” women who are sexually attracted to younger men and pursue them just as cougars do when they go after prey.

Here’s the rub, though. The ad caused such an outrage in New Zealand, especially among rape victim advocacy groups, that Air New Zealand was forced to discontinue it before the contest deadline expired. From what I’ve been able to find out about the controversy, these groups argued that it was irresponsible for the company to air an ad that made light of sexually predatory behavior.

I certainly understand that those who have been victimized in this way might have an entirely different way of viewing it in light of their tragic experiences. With that said, here are my thoughts on the ad. Firstly, I think it is super funny and ingenious. The whole mock nature documentary approach really makes it. Secondly, I’m in favor of anything that challenges stereotypes and pokes fun at what are normally considered taboo subjects, like human sexuality. In my opinion, sex is already way too hush-hush. Let’s talk about it and show it and make jokes about it.

I’d like to hear your thoughts.