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i Mr How a hashtag changed my philosophy on life Maria Hacket, 25 Likes Juice on Facebook Occupation: Financial advisor's assistant Twitter users have a way of self -identifying gratuitous complaints they make. They use the hashtag first-world problems. As in, "I can't believe Netflix is doubling what they charge for their service! The gall! firstworldproblems." It's a way of saying, "I have such a pert, happy, tidy, relatively stress-free life that my luxury items, indecision about luxury items, and indignation regarding luxury items have reached a distracting i 1 level." There are a few common categories of first-world problems: I lostbrokedislike something about my remoteiPodGPS system. "Ugh, my last Apple went bad and now I want one." Or social network Xthe Internetcable is down. You like "Two and a Half Men." Will you watch it with Ashton Kutcher? I'll watch the first episode to see how they fit him into the picture (possibly Charlie's From there we'll have to see.

I'm not a big fan of the actor, so the writers have their work cut out for them. You went on two runs and a walk one day last week, which seems crazy given the heat. How did you not die? I attribute my survival to two factors: First, I spent the first 22 years of my life living in an old Iowa farmhouse, which did not have air conditioning. Second, I use a Jeff Galloway running method which alternates running and walking. Last week you beat a storm home for cuddleNetflix time.

What did you watch? I've been streaming "Psych" episodes. You had family and high school reunions last week. Which was more fun? The family reunion by a landslide! ByCat Fecketship eyelash fitness really one of the priorities I have mental energy, money and time to spend on? No. I could be weeding my organic vegetable garden or sorting my recycling. OK, so I probably don't need to go down the road of It helps me white privilege.

Yes, a a my core needs are Pfcitivp covered and I do not P5mv have to worry for OUtlOCk. my health, food, And the shelter or safety as first-world-most of the world problems does. The luxury I live in is amazing, mentality but I've not yet n3s convinced myself expanded, that my best and I've taken only course of action first-WOrld is to use al of my probcmsoff resourcesto improve the world at Twitter and all costs. I am a Started person who needs applying it many naps, after all. esewhere.

If I threw myself into heroism it would be much harder to slip in siestas. Even stopping short of full-blown activism, the first-world-problems mentality has had a significant impact on the decisions I make. Most surprisingly, it has shined a light on how many messages I've bought into. Do I need the perfect shoe for every occasion? Will I be a complete person when my home looks like a magazine? Will that sports drinks will boost my peak performance? Over and over, we're fed ideas about ourselves what makes us better, cooler, smarter, or what we lack by companies with enough money and people to call our attention away from legit issues. I guess that is the first-world problem: We are easily distracted.

Not completely, not all of us, and not all the time, but distracted enough to hold us back. Cat Rocketship is an artist, co-director of Market Day (marketdayiowa.com), and managing editor of Offbeat Home (offbeathome.com). Read her columns every month in Juice. These are things that put us in a bad mood, make us feel uncomfortable or inconvenience us. We could usually reword these problems as, "This is a bummer, but I realize it's no big deal in the big picture and I won't let it distract me." I like to think of first-world problems as a nice daily reminder.

If I am grumping about a person online and someone Tweets, "Worst part about moving: No Internet for God-only-knows how long. Could be days. firstworldproblems," I think, "OK. That I have the time to sit at my computer worrying about this in an air-conditioned basement while I write blogs in my safe neighborhood means I have much better things to do." It helps me have a positive outlook. And the first-world-problems mentality has expanded.

I've take first-world problems off Twitter and started applying it elsewhere. I see a commercial telling me a mascara will give my eyelashes the new look. I think, dimly, "that sounds like something I need." I imagine how my eyelashes might be prettier with this product and, by extension, how I might be prettier and then it hits me: Is a iiiiinr i i i a LET'S BE FRIENDS: JOIN OUR NETWORKS ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND MYSPACE AT DMJUICE.COM FRIENDS DioTlTfntirtPl" dmJuice.com Wednesday, July 27, 201T.