Creepin on the ole facebook

I have always been a stalker of social media, particularly facebook. My husband calls me a "creep"- I wholeheartedly admit it and embrace it.

But.....one article seemed to get a lot of attention lately. Read this, or don't. It's up to you

http://wellbehavedmormonwoman.blogspot.com/2014/02/movie-frozen-gay-homosexual-agenda.html#.UwV1OPldXWg

Also, again. I don't spout my political beliefs and I'm sorry if this looks like something that's really heated. It is - but I am also most recently from Chicago. So maybe that gives you some insight to what my facebook newsfeed may look like. Very different from your conservative states.

So, ANYWAYS, Yes, yes, yes. It's a frozen article but this lady is crazy. I'm not really sorry that I think it's crazy either. She just- ugh. It's one of those situations where you go..."...what...where did that come from"-- Honestly. I could barely read the entire article without laughing.

This is the thing that bothers me about social media. Crazy people go crazy and ---other crazy people go crazy on the crazy people. Lots of crazies, I know. But seriously, sometimes there is so much crazy on facebook I just have to shut it off and rest my brain for a second.

I wish sometimes that social media, facebook in particular, remained a place where people could just share things about their lives. Instead it's turned into this place where people get on and spout off their beliefs (which more often than not come across really extreme..) and they more often than not intentionally/unintentionally hurt other people (to me it does not matter, one is not "better" than the other--- but that is a whole other topic) ....

I guess I'm crazy but I'm really careful about this crap. Like I said in a prior post- I like my facebook to be a happy place, free from contention. Mostly, I really don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Unintentionally or Intentionally. I know that's sometimes impossible but I do my best to control it and facebook is one of those places I feel like I can.

I also have a high respect for differing opinions. I thoroughly enjoy hearing opinions. I'm not much of a responder. Not to be cheesy, but I think it's an awesome thing that we are all different and I respect it.

So I have a question for you all if you feel comfortable, I'd love to hear your opinion---

How do you determine what is ok and what is not ok to post? Do you stay away from controversial posts or do you engage?

Winter Blues

I HATE WINTER SEMESTER. Seriously. No spring break and it just feels like all the energy is being sucked from life. It also feels like everything is wet and muddy all the time. Not to mention my dogs bring in all the dirt. I'm slightly obsessed with cleaning (I get a big kick out of it for some reason) and this time of year it is hard to keep up with it and I get just angry that my house is not clean. Yeah- I get angry. Sigh. 1st world problems right?

The only thing that gets me through winter semester is pinterest. I am slow comer to the pinterest world. I just started like a year or so ago and I don't think I had more than 60 pins in December- but this semester I have become slightly obsessed. Especially because there's an app on my phone and I can sit there and look at it whenever I want. ahhh

I am not a crafty person. Not at all. I am more a connoisseur of good photography. architecture, traveling and interior design. So that's mostly what's on my Pinterest.

So Media- Pinterest- It's great. I'm feelin' it, I'm lovin' it, it's great.

I LOVE the Caribbean. I have had the privileged to be able to travel there a couple times and I absolutely love the culture, the humidity, the history, the colorful buildings, the water, EVERYTHING.

Here's some pictures I found this weekend if your feeling blah like me.

    
   
     
     


From: http://www.pinterest.com/kelsilynm/

Coca-Cola Ad- Super Bowl

So, this ad that Coca-Cola did for this year's super bowl is ALL OVER my facebook news feed. Just goes to show how much of an impact advertisements have on social media.

I did not watch the super bowl. I rarely do, but I enjoy watching newsweek's ranking of the top best and worst advertisements after the bowl is over.

I was able to watch this ad and I thought about how, in class, we talked about how some ad's have nothing to do with the actual product. Like Budweiser's ads rarely ACTUALLY talk about the beer itself. This ad doesn't talk about Coca-cola but they do make an incredibly strong statement.

First off- Well done Coca-Cola- well done. Mainly because they sure did hit all the sore spots.

Sometimes I feel pretty lame because I always seem to have a strong NEUTRAL side on arguments such as these. I don't have a statement like "You crazy people for boycotting Coca-Cola, do we still live in the 50's" or some general authority statement about how the world is disintegrating into evil doings and one day the world will end and everything will be holy again. Not to be harsh to either side, it's just not the way I run.

I don't share any of this controversial crap on facebook because I don't care to see people argue with each other on my wall. I'd like my facebook wall to be a happy place free from contention.

However, since this blog is for discussion, I will share my thoughts.

I particularly liked this commercial because, even though it wasn't about the drink itself, it was a message. I won't spill all my political beliefs so I will just leave it at this----I did not take it as a message that we should all go legalize gay marriage or pass that act for immigration or whatever (sorry I really don't know anything politically) but I rather looked at it as an ad saying "hey, America's a melting pot people and we need to be nice even if we are different"  As Ellen would say, "Be kind to everyone" And that's what we should do.

In class we talked about how maybe we should ban particular advertisements. About how freedom of speech plays into things.

Well, I don't believe we should ban advertisements. I do believe it infringes on freedom of speech. "Freedom of speech"--- there's always a positive and negative that goes with anything you do. Freedom of speech is wonderful, we can say what we want.....freedom of speech is also sucks because we can say what we want.

So I believe in regards to advertisements and family/children/etc. it is up to us adults/parents to teach about beliefs/values/etc with regards to advertisements. Like Dr. Coyne said how she taught her kids the phrase "don't get sucked in"----well we teach that stuff. The world is changing whether we like it or not and it's not going to stop for us.

I feel so puny and when I think about that thought I get super depressed, so the only thing that keeps me happy and motivated is that I have control over my example. I have control over what I teach my children and I have control over my own thoughts and what I believe in. Nobody can take that away from me and I can't take that away from anyone else. People can have their own beliefs just like I can. And one day, I am sure advertisements will only get worse or maybe they'll stay the same- but either way- I know I'll have that moment, that "teaching moment" and I will use it and I will do my best to be a good example of what Jesus would do.

So advertisements have a powerful influence but they aren't the end all. We have a lot of power too.

I have no idea if this blog post makes ANY sense at all and it's getting late so I will leave you with something that makes EVERYONE happy. My puppies. I love them more than life itself

Zeus- because who doesn't love a 10lb poodle named zeus. And he's wearing a bowtie- Come on now.



And our newest edition- Abbey- the Goldendoodle- I can't even handle this picture

Nursery Time

For my last post of the week I was having a hard time deciding what I wanted to post about and then I was preparing for our lesson in nursery today and I remembered an experience from last week. This little boy wanted this little girl in a basket and he wanted us to push them around like they were in a boat. He was like "we have to go through a storm and I am going to save her" --anyways it was adorable

So luckily I had my phone and I was able to snap a couple pictures and the thought occurred to me that cameras and picture taking is media and I love taking pictures. I am not professional or anything, I just like to take pictures and I am grateful that, even on our phones, we have the ability to quality photos and we can keep them and share them.

Needless to say, the little boy's dad was so proud haha. It was a good moment.


Here's one of the pictures. They are adorable.