22 Pearls of Wisdom From The Ladies Of “Girl Code”

The bossy gals of MTV's Girl Code aren't afraid to say what needs to be said, whether it's about sex, taking control of your own body, pregnancy scares, or body image. Here are just a few of their very hilarious and very relatable quotes:

1. On unrealistic beauty standards:

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2. On ex-sex:

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3. On friendship:

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4. On how not to be a raging lunatic on your period:

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5. On women drivers:

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6. On dieting:

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7. On understanding feminism:

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8. On slut-shaming:

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9. On embracing your weirdness:

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10. On carrying condoms:

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11. On counting calories:

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12. On guys who call you "crazy":

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13. On feeling ugly:

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14. On how not to go all Fatal Attraction on a guy:

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15. On penises:

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16. On being with someone who treats you right:

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17. On knowing how your body works:

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18. On masturbating:

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19. On our ever-changing hair styles

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20. On the struggles of dieting:

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21. On the types of men you should be dating:

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22. On chasing perfection:

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Best and Worst 'Mario Kart 8' Tracks

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Released on May 30, 2014 in North America and Europe, Mario Kart 8, the latest installment in the ever popular Mario Kart series, is exclusive to the Wii U. Mario Kart 8 features 32 tracks in all, 16 new and 16 returning. The following are my favorite and least favorite tracks. I've spent a significant amount of time playing (okay, mostly watching) this game so I can confidently state I am somewhat of an expert on this topic. 

First, the best:

1. Sunshine Airport

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Sunshine Airport is so much fun because you're racing all over an airport on an island, driving between the wheels of airplanes and conveyer belts on the tarmac, and then through the terminal. The best part is the giant planes that take off and land directly above you throughout the course.

2. Twisted Mansion

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I may be biased in choosing Twisted Mansion as one of my favorite tracks because I really want to live here. In the Twisted Mansion, I mean. The music is spooktacular, the dark red carpets in the home are beautiful to race on (velvet, I like to think), and the short-cut between the bookcases in the library and across the lawn at the end to avoid the hammer-wielding knight statues, when executed properly, are brilliant.

3. Mount Wario

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This track is probably my absolute favorite because it's a 3-stage race and each section is completely different. You start off the race by jumping out of a helicopter and then make your way down the mountain through various terrains including ice, snow, ski jumping ramps, and moguls, while Toads, Yoshis, and Shy Guys cheer you on. You basically feel like a Winter Olympics athlete the entire time. It doesn't get much better than that.

4. Toad Harbor

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Toad Harbor is tied with Mount Wario in being my absolute favorite track. Located by the seaside, the town has a strong resemblance to San Francisco, which may be why I love it so much. With a vertical wall section with anti-gravity and plenty of boost pads throughout, racing around cable cars and down steep hills is a blast and I kick ass in this track.

5. Wario’s Gold Mine

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Wario's Gold Mine is a serious thrill. There's not much going on in terms of color but you're able to get a lot of speed early on, you feel as though you're on a roller coaster, and the music is ridiculously catchy. I especially love the part inside of the mine where you feel as though you're riding in a simulation minecart. 

And now, the banes of my existence:

1. Rainbow Road

computerandvideogames.com

Not to be confused with the  mesmerizing N64 Rainbow Road in Lightning Cup, SNES Rainbow Road in Triforce Cup drives me insane with frustration. I will take the point loss and exit the race if this track is selected as I hate everything about this course. I hate that I'm just driving around in a weird sort of indented square with no rails whatsoever and only 90 degree turns, coming dangerously close to being crushed by Star Thwomps, and spending the majority of my time falling off the edge and being saved by Lakitu.

2. Bone Dry Dunes

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I hate this track just as much as I hate SNES Rainbow Road. You spend the majority of the race trying to stay on the road but instead end up getting stuck in the sand. You never quite pick up speed, you're constantly being slowed down, the curves are too sharp and tricky to even be fun, and again, what is with ALL OF THAT SAND?!

3. Dry Dry Desert

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Same as above.

4. Yoshi Circuit

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I find it unfortunate I hate Yoshi Circuit so much as I really enjoy racing in Yoshi Valley. The entire track is in the shape of Yoshi which seems cute at first except my blood pressure quickly rises when I'm trying to drive down the back of his head. Do you SEE those turns? I feel as though my drifting game is relatively strong but it takes serious skill to be able to quickly navigate this course without getting stuck on the grass.

5. Dolphin Shoals

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I'm not sure what it is about Dolphin Shoals I hate so much because aesthetically, it does everything for me. I love dolphins and the underwater parts of the course are incredibly well designed. I especially enjoy the part of the race that takes place on the back of what I thought was a leviathan but apparently is a Mega Unagi. I think the reason this falls in my worst category is because I spend so much of my time trying to figure out where the road is. All of the ramps, blowing bubbles, and boost platforms together are distracting and I end up going the wrong way or continuously falling off.

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Barney Stinson’s Motivational Wall Posters

For those who have been curious what the posters that cover the walls of Barney’s office at GNB say. Motivation from the legendary bro himself.

1. Courage – “True greatness comes when you’re tested.” – Theodore Roosevelt

2. Opportunity  – “You will always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

3. Perseverance – “Continuous effort is the key to unlocking our potential. – Sir Winston Churchill

4. Lead with vision – Leaders keep their eyes on the horizon, not just on the bottom line.

5. Greatness – “Great work is done by people who are not afraid to be great.” – Barney Stinson

6. Discovery – “To reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

7. Conformity – “It’s the one who is different that gets left out in the cold.”

8. Strength – “What the mind can conceive, it can achieve.”

9. Challenge – “We will either find a way or make one.”

10. Teamwork – “The chain is only as strong as the weakest link.”

11. Awesomeness – “When I get sad I stop being sad and be awesome Instead. True Story.” – Barney Stinson

12. Perfection – “It is not good enough to win, everybody else should lose.”

13. teamwork – “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford

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Happy Birthday, Mr. Edison!

Thomas Alvin Edison, the iconic American inventor of the light bulb, the phonograph, and the moving picture (and nemesis of Nikola Tesla), would have been 168 today. Born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, Thomas Edison was a hyperactive child and prone to distraction. Deemed "difficult" by his teacher, he was pulled from school and home-schooled by his mother. At a young age he developed a process for self-education and learning independently that would serve him throughout his life. 

Edison rose from humble beginnings to work as an inventor of major technology, quickly gaining fame by his 30s and acquiring a reputation as a “wizard.” In addition to being a brilliant inventor, Edison was also a successful manufacturer and businessman who was highly skilled at marketing his inventions–and himself–to the public. By the time he died on October 18, 1931, Thomas Edison had amassed a record 1,093 patents: 389 for electric light and power, 195 for the phonograph, 150 for the telegraph, 141 for storage batteries, and 34 for the telephone.

Through Edison’s numerous quotes we can see this was a man who worked tirelessly and relentlessly, never taking no for an answer. He persevered, perspired, and worked through trials and tribulations to achieve success.

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“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

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“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

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“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

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“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”

“I never did anything by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.”

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“Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.”

Thomas Edison— America’s first hustler.

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Swanson Pyramid of Greatness

Needing a little inspiration to get you through the day, work week, or just life in general? I give you the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness which has been developed by Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation over the course of many years. It's a "perfectly calibrated recipe for maximum personal achievement" — Swanson's personal guide to successful living.

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NASA Reveals the Dark Side of the Moon

Because the moon is tidally locked to Earth, there is one side of the lunar surface we never see; what was once known as the "dark side of the moon."  NASA has revealed the far side of the moon in a video which takes a look at the moon from the perspective of its far side.

NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio has taken nearly five-years of mapping data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to create a stunning animation video. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a robotic mission that set out to map the moon's surface, was launched in 2009 from Florida. Since then it has beamed back hundreds of terabytes of data, giving scientists the ability to develop the images.

"It lacks the large dark spots, called maria, that make up the familiar Man in the Moon on the near side," a NASA spokesperson said. "Instead, craters of all sizes crowd together over the entire far side. The far side is also home to one of the largest and oldest impact features in the solar system, the South Pole-Aitken basin."

A number of people who've seen NASA's annual lunar phase and libration videos have asked what the other side of the Moon looks like, the side that can't be seen from the Earth. This video answers that question. The imagery was created using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data.

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Fitbit Flex

My brother-in-law bought me a Fitbit Flex because he’s awesome like that. My fitness levels have been virtually non-existent for the past few months so this is exactly what I needed to jump-start a more active lifestyle. Not only because being active provides numerous benefits towards my mental and physical well-being, but because bikini season. I’ve been looking into a wearable activity tracker (FitBit, Jawbone Up, Nike FuelBand, etc.) as they’re becoming increasingly popular and I felt it would help in providing accountability and motivation. The Fitbit Flex consistently has the best ratings and reviews across tech websites and I’ve found the price point at $99 to be friendlier than its counterparts.

The Fitbit Flex tracks steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, hours slept, and your quality of sleep. In addition, you can monitor your calorie and water intake through the customizable dashboard on the Fitbit website. I think one of the best features of the Fitbit Flex is that you can wear it 24/7; it can be worn in the shower and when swimming as it is water-resistant. The Fitbit Flex syncs data wirelessly with PCs and Macs automatically via the USB dongle, and can communicate directly with iPhones and select Android smartphones. Fitbit also works with several popular health apps such as Lose It!, MapMyFitness, and MyFitnessPal that let you export your Fitbit data.

Unpacking the Fitbit Flex from the packaging and the subsequent set up was easy. The box includes two rubber bands to fit all wrist sizes, a removable tracker which slips inside the rubber strap, a wireless dongle which enables automatic syncing, and a charger for the tracker which I’ve read takes one to two hours for a charge that will last from five to seven days.

The Fitbit Flex is able to provide a slimmer and more stylish design in comparison to its counterparts due to the fact that it doesn’t have a traditional display. Tap the module twice and the lights will tell you how close you are to your step goal. Each of the five lights represents 20 percent of your target number of steps (by default it's 10,000). When you reach the goal, the band will vibrate and the lights will blink to congratulate you. Tapping the module five times puts it into sleep-mode, and you tap it five times again when you wake up to start your day.

I’ll provide an additional review once I have a chance to fully utilize the Fitbit Flex. In the meantime, I’m having fun playing around with it and trying to meet my short term daily goal of 10,000 steps. 

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Mixtape » Vol. 1 - S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

1. Ludovico Einaudi - Una Mattina

2. Birdy - People Help The People

Birdy's "People Help The People" from her self titled debut album "Birdy" out in North America on March 20th! Pre Order Here: http://bit.ly/BirdyAlbum

3. Sia - Chandelier (Piano Version)

Available on iTunes + all digital retailers on 9/9. "1000 Forms of Fear" out now! Download on iTunes bit.ly/1kwammC Amazon amzn.to/1mvfWGq or listen on Spotify spoti.fi/1zdiMWn Website: siamusic.net Sia Selfie: siaselfie.com Twitter: twitter.com/sia Facebook: facebook.com/siamusic YouTube: www.youtube.com/sia Spotify: spoti.fi/1fKpbS0

4. Stateless - Bloodstream

5. Cat Power - The Greatest

Beggars Music is a UK-based music publisher boasting a remarkable catalogue of artists including Glass Animals, SBTRKT, Cat Power, Yo La Tengo, Warpaint and Kurt Vile. It's represented in Australia and New Zealand by Gaga Music. For licensing enquiries in AU/NZ, email licensing@gaga.com.au.

6. James Morrison - The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore

7. Birdy - Skinny Love

Birdy's "Skinny Love" from her self titled debut album "Birdy" out in North America on March 20th! Pre Order Here: http://bit.ly/BirdyAlbum

8. Band of Horses - The Funeral

9. Sara Bareilles - Gravity (Live at the Fillmore Version)

10.Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Runaway

11.Sia - I'm In Here (Piano/Vocal Version)

12. Des'Ree - Kissing You

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Just Say No To Vaginal Steaming

In a recent post on Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle website, GOOP, the consciously uncoupled actress recommends women steam out their vagina. No, she insists you do it. “If you’re in LA, you have to do it,” she proclaims. Specifically, the Mugwort V-Steam procedure at Tikkun Spa in Santa Monica, California. “You sit on what is essentially a mini-throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus, et al,” the Oscar winner, not a doctor, explained. “It is an energetic release—not just a steam douche—that balances female hormone levels.”

My uterus, et al.? As in, literally, my uterus “and elsewhere”? I’m not a doctor but even I, a mere layperson, can tell you that you should not be steaming your vagina “and elsewhere” parts of your reproductive system. Need to hear it from a doctor?

Well, there’s this certified obstetrician and gynecologist, and expert in vulvo-vaginal disorders, who wrote in her own blog post that, “Steam is probably not good for your vagina. Herbal steam is no better and quite possibly worse... Steam isn’t going to get into your uterus from your vagina unless you are using an attachment with some kind of pressure and MOST DEFINITELY NEVER EVER DO THAT. Mugwort or wormwood or whatever when steamed, either vaginally or on the vulva, can’t possibly balance any reproductive hormones, regulate your menstrual cycle, treat depression, or cure infertility.” 

Then there's this OB/GYN at New York Presbyterian Hospital, who told the NY Daily News, "I would never tell anybody to do this because the potential risks are much higher than the potential benefits.” Worst case scenario? Oh, I don’t know. Just DEATH. Dr. Grunebaum told the Daily News that there have been cases of women dying after filling their vagina with water or air pressure. I’m not even going to ask. 

And this OB/GYN at Columbia University Medical Center and author of Pleasure: A Woman’s Guide to Getting the Sex You Want, Need and Deserve, who tells Health.com, “It probably feels good because the heat increases blood flow to the whole vaginal area, including the clitoris, which could turn some women on. But if you got too close to the steam, you could end up with second degree burns down there.” 

Oh, and this OB/GYN at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City who also tells Health.com that, “The steam itself can increase moisture in and around your nether regions, making you more susceptible to the growth of yeast and unfriendly bacteria. Not to mention the fact that there’s no way for the steam to actually reach your uterus to supposedly cleanse it, and your vagina takes care of cleaning itself.”

#Doctored

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6 Healthy Weeknight Dinners

After a long day of commuting, meetings, e-mails, and phone calls, often the last thing you want to do when you come home is cook dinner. You know you need to eat but you don’t feel like making anything so you pick up something on your way home or order take out. Doing this every once in a while is fine (you deserve a break!) but eating out, unless it’s a healthy salad, is always unhealthier than cooking at home and definitely adds up (both in calories and costs).

Next time you feel like digging into greasy Chinese food, put down the phone or close out that GrubHub tab. Try turning on some music, pour yourself a glass of wine, and take the opportunity to unwind and have a little you time while you cook yourself a meal. Make cooking a therapeutic activity for yourself. Here are six, healthy, weeknight dinners that aren't too complicated and delicious:

6. Brown Rice Bowl with Lemongrass, Tofu, and Cashews                  

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5. Almond-Crusted Halibut with Vegetable Curry

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4. Barbecue Pineapple, Jalapeño and Feta Pizza

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3. Soba Noodles with Wilted Bok Choy

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2. Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato and Broccoli Pasta

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1. Herb-Roasted Salmon with Fingerling Potatoes

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GrubHub: Take Shark Fin Soup Off Your Menus

Most of us have used GrubHub or one of its subsidiaries, Seamless, All Menus, and Menu Pages, at some point in our lives. Whether you’re craving pizza, Chinese food, Thai food, or a late night sub, chances are you’ll be able to find what you want on any one of the previously mentioned sites. One dish you probably never expected to find on GrubHub? Shark fin soup.

Shark fin soup, a popular dish at weddings and banquets in China, is a symbol of wealth in China and other parts of Asia. Its demand skyrocketed and illegal poaching increased by shocking numbers as China’s economic growth made this ‘delicacy’ more accessible to the middle class. Shark fin soup has been associated with a variety of benefits from increased virility to longer life. However, as the fin is purely cartilage, it has zero nutritional value. 

According to WildAid, the trade in shark fins has led to the decline in some shark populations by up to 98% in the last 15 years. An estimated 100 million sharks are killed each year with up to 73 million used for their fins. Poachers hunt sharks, cut off their fins, and having no use for their meat, throw them back into the ocean, usually still alive. Without its fins the shark simply sinks to the bottom of the ocean where it suffocates and dies.

China’s consumption of shark fin soup has been declining rapidly these past few years as young Chinese become more environmentally conscious and government campaigns pledging to ban shark fin soup from official banquets have been implemented. However, the fight to spread awareness and completely eliminate this cruel practice isn’t over.

Apparently, GrubHub doesn’t care about the exploitation of these majestic creatures as they still offer shark fin soup on their menus, despite Oceana and its supporters urging them to stop. Actress January Jones is a celebrity advocate for Oceana, the largest international organization focused entirely on ocean conservation. She wrote an article on Huffington Post, urging people to spread awareness of GrubHub’s practices by donating a Tweet, Facebook or Tumblr post on Thunderclap that tells GrubHub to remove shark fin soup from the menu.

You can sign up and join the campaign on Thunderclap till 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 28, 2015. Then, on January 28 at noon, an automated post will be sent via the social media account you signed up with, urging GrubHub to take shark fins off the menu.

Reading this article after the deadline? Continue to spread awareness by sharing this article (below) or by writing a letter directly to GrubHub.

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Work Out Like You Mean It

I have a love-hate relationship with the gym. Mostly meaning that I love hating the gym. What I do love about working out, however, is that I feel it is one of the few times in my life I get to be completely selfish without any consequences. Working out is entirely for myself. No one reaps the benefits of me working out except for, well, me.

We’ve all seen the person idly flipping through a magazine as they walk 2 mph on the treadmill; the person taking mirror selfies; the person having a loud conversation on their phone while on the elliptical. Don’t get me wrong. I commend the act of even being at the gym. Congratulations! You’re already doing it right. The thing is, if you are already there, you’ve already committed to the act of working out. So actually do it. Whether she's trying to lose weight, build muscle, or get healthier, a bossy gal works out like she means it.

A bossy gal shuts it off—her phone, work troubles, personal issues, and for the next hour or so, focus entirely on herself. Unless you’re a model or a personal trainer it’s unlikely you are being paid to work out, which means it’s in your best interest to maximize your time and be as efficient as you possibly can. If you could purchase something for half its cost, would you choose to pay full price instead? Why then, would you spend more of your time than necessary when it is infinitely more valuable than money?

We already waste enough time throughout our days half-assing at jobs we don’t care for, having conversations with people who bore us, surfing on the Internet looking at pages we learn absolutely nothing from, etc. Those few moments during the day you choose to do something for yourself? Mean it.

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2015 State of the Union

On Tuesday night, President Obama delivered his 2015 State of the Union address. The State of the Union is an annual address given to a joint session of the Congress, including Supreme Court Justices (the ones who decide to show up) and almost all of the members of the president’s cabinet (minus the “designated survivor”). It contains a report on the condition of the country and outlines the president’s legislative agenda for that year. Every major news outlet and political website has been fact-checking and analyzing the President’s address, so I’ll leave sifting through the 6,000 plus word speech to them. The part of the address that really stood out to me was the President's remarks on the pay gap between men and women.

“That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. Really. It’s 2015. It’s time.”

Did you know that women make up nearly half of the workforce but they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns? And according to the National Organization for Women, the gap is even wider for women of color. In comparison to a white, non-Hispanic man’s dollar, African American women earn only 64 cents and Latinas just 55 cents. Unacceptable! Bossy gals know they deserve to make the exact same amount, if not more, than men do for the same work. Which brings me to an important rule: Bossy gals negotiate their pay.

I’m always surprised at how many smart and accomplished women around me have failed to negotiate their pay when accepting a job offer. A job offer is just that, an offer. A bossy gal knows that everything is negotiable. She does her research by diligently scouring websites such as GlassDoor and PayScale, knows her market value, and pushes for what she knows she deserves. And once she’s negotiated her salary, a bossy gal negotiates other benefits. These could include, an earlier annual review, flex-scheduling and telecommuting, professional development courses, a better title, transportation reimbursement, guaranteed severance package, and/or additional vacation time.

Bossy gals do their homework, negotiate like a boss, never take no for an answer, and know they damn well don’t deserve 77 cents, 64 cents, and especially not 55 cents for every dollar a man earns.

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