Category — Uncategorized

Write a blog every day, what?!

Happy New Year!

I know personally this year HAS to be better than last year, f’real.

And I will blog about it!

As Facebook now rolls out the “Timeline” to all its users, there are sure to be more than the usual fair share of complaints. And rightfully so. They have made it so it is easy for someone you just became friends with to navigate their way back to your partying college years, or your awkward haircut in middle school time (possibly for some younger teenage users). You can access past info by clicking on the year you’d like to see on the right side. And, you get the chance to decide what is public or private (and a whole other slew of option that are becoming increasingly complex (groups/acquaintances/etc…), before you “publish” your “Timeline” profile.

But a lot of people are not going to want to spend the time going back through and looking at everything. A lot of people are going to complain about that privacy issue, and more importantly, they are going to complain about the changes. And this “Timeline” change is not just a minor layout change, it is a huge difference in the way you view a person’s page. I personally like it, though it did take some getting used to. There are a lot of options you have, and I do think it will be better for people going forward to have control over what they post- what is featured or hidden, and who it is shared with.

If people spend a little time learning about it, I think many will find it preferable to the older version. And if you don’t like it? Too bad, it’s FACEBOOK, people! It’s not your life, and it is bound to change again as soon as you are used to the new style. For people who think Facebook is life? They’re most likely used to the changes and probably won’t even care that they’ve shared everything about their breakfast and many other meals, intimate clothing and relationship choices, their alcohol of choice and methods of consuming, and so much more.

The title of my post is misleading. If I were keeping up with this great blog, I would give you a few tips on How to Navigate Facebook Timeline. Instead, my best advice for anything in life is, if you can’t figure it out- GOOGLE IT! Next, after having made an effort at research, ask a friend. If that fails and you are completely lost, hire someone (like me) to help you.

I was going to take screenshots and make a great tutorial, but that’s been done. So instead here I will help aid your google search process to save time. You’re welcome!

Here is the Timeline Overview from Facebook.

Mashable made a great overview with easy-to-follow instructions! It’s called How to Install Timeline with One Click. They make it sound so simple!

This was released today, as millions of people become so scared and confused to see their beloved Facebook change entirely. Facebook Timeline – 8 Things to Know This article does have some really good tips! I even learned a thing or two, and I’ve had Timeline for months!

Here is a youtube tutorial to help you with Timeline. It’s from Facebook. They make it seem so epic. Makes me want to vomit.

Keep in mind, Timeline does not go public until 12/22/2011. So you have until then to try to figure out what the @#%$ is going on. I published mine before I really even realized what was happening, and, whatever! I never post anything too ridiculously personal and definitely not incriminating, so, I don’t mind.

Hope you enjoyed my tips for helping you navigate Facebook’s new Timeline – as always google on!

This man is AMAZING. Now he will go to be in heaven, and I have another guardian angel to look over me, inspire me, and help me get famous and save the world jk

pretty much my worst fears have come true in my life. a few months ago i was complaining alldistraughtly, WHAT THE @#$% WILL I DO, HOW WILL I LIVE, IF TWO OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS DIE IN THE SAME YEAR?! as my dear father is days from death (possibly hours…hard to tell!), much has changed in these past few weeks.

i am quite surprised at how things have changed so much. certainly after my dad passes, i will grieve. i will undoubtedly have times of great depression as well. and the ‘why/how/what/huh….’ will surely come and go too.

but i have had such powerful peaceful positive feelings lately. i can hardly fathom the power of the joy, gratitude, peace, love, and preciousness that has come into my life and the lives of those around me. my father is so much like an angel right now, so innocent and so deeply grateful.

maybe i’ll post a video to show you how amazing this tender man was, days before dying of (painful) cancer, describing a “game” with great elation. i think he is talking about life.

i am surprised that i find myself also grateful, comforted, and calmed…there is a huge clarity to me about what is really important.

LOVE

family and friends bring that, from the Greater Being, God is love, and loves us through other people. wow. all i can say is wow. yes, there is deep pain in me, and profound sadness…but i also feel so many overpowering positive things. so much so that i can surely shout:

“i’m an optimist in the prime of my life!” = optimisprime

There my life was, having some ups and some downs, and quite a few changes, actually, and then, something totally unexpected happened. And it was/is totally traumatic. Terrible.

My sister was killed in a car accident.

I have been through a number of things in my life, and I am accustomed to having and processing a plethora of feelings, but nothing has ever been or felt as s#%^&y as this. This takes all the cake, binges on the whole thing, then throws it back up on me, and then I get sick from it.

Part of the difficulty is that now I’m working from home doing something I did before, and it’s not teaching. It’s good I’m not teaching, because there is no way I could put on a happy face every day and pretend like everything’s ok. My entire future forecast has been dimmed, and mangled. Speaking of mangled, this is how bad the crash was:

Look at how beautiful the background is (that day looks so gorgeous as opposed to the flood warnings and rain and storm forecasted all up in my near future face), and it marks (what I hope will be!) the worst day of my life (or I should at least get a 20-30 year good-to-go no-tragedy guarantee).

My cousin committed suicide in August last year, and left behind my good childhood friend to raise their three young children. Then in November, my best friend’s brother died unexpectedly of an overdose. He was a similar age to my sister. I did grieve about that, because I knew that could have been my sister.

But she was doing well, and then that’s what happened?! And we’re still waiting to hear back about what made the guy cross over the median. Ugh. Swear words.

It’s been 12 days. The week where I went home to Michigan felt like several eternities. So if there is a heaven like I’m trying to still believe, maybe that overwhelming feeling that was enough to severely alter how time felt could conversely be a good thing, like, “Yay, someday I’ll get to go to Heaven and be with my sister to eternity.” But right now the rain and the wretched reality are sinking me into a sad stupor.

I have told my resilient persona that I will not allow myself to go into a deep depression where I don’t do anything and don’t reach out for help. And I won’t go there. But, I have had a pretty rough time since I got back home a couple days ago. Working at home alone, coupled with not being in the serious relationship I was in before, and combined with the density of difficulty associated with this death is oppressive.

She was doing so well, my beautiful sister. She had had a tough life, and had moved to be in a better place. She wanted kids. She was using her strength to make good judgments, and then God said, “Sorry, it’s time for you to go. It’ll seem like an extra-ironic-and-cruel joke!”

God wouldn’t say that. And I really do feel like how would/could a God ‘allow’ something like this to happen. The religion I was raised in talks about how sometimes God permits things to happen- there is a hierarchy, with good will (meaning, like, His blessing basically), and then there’s the lowest.

But this is beyond low.

Not even each day or hour, but rather each minute that goes by, I realize more and more that this did happen, and that my life will be forever affected. Time will not heal all wounds, because you never get over losing a sibling you’re close to, not so young, not so unexpectedly. I know it may will get easier. But it just sickens and saddens me so.

Nothing can make this pain go away, so I guess I will have to write that book. And maybe I’ll blog a little too. It’s ok if it’s depressing, maybe I can add a section to my blog on death in the family. I don’t want to take anti-depressants, but at the same time, who knows. I don’t know how strong my abilities are, with such overpowering dismalitude.

double yew tee efffffffffffffff.

At least I still make up words sometimes. Just not a good day today, or recently. Not good days.

I felt pressure to get in an end-of-year-looking-back-summary-blog, thinking I’d done that every year, but I haven’t. Only a few times. I’m more likely to discuss what is the world today.

Overall, 2010 was stellar. It was amazing. My personal life was swell, my job situation changed for the better, and I got good news about my dad’s health. I could have done things differently/better, but I also really realized I was placing too much of a priority on perfection, and stressing myself out with unrealistically high expectations. I came to see that making more time for spiritual growth and reflection would in the end give me more time.

There was some tragedy, more than I ever would have thought possible. Two very sad deaths. One of them being a cousin, married to a childhood friend of mine, leaving behind 3 children. The other, also unexpected, was my best friend’s brother. I still can’t really tell how they’ve affected me. Life goes on, but, it has led me to think I will probably leave the teaching profession in 2011. It’s too much to be so “on display” all the time. I need a lower-stress job, and, for me, teaching is very stressful.

But I had a lot of good interactions, great times (amazing vacations, getaways, and awesome weddings- including my brother’s!!!), and a whole lot of love.

I can’t complain. I really can’t. I’m very lucky, and very in love with life. I am glad that 2010 was way better than 2009, but also very different. Each year is an exciting, different path in the challenge of life’s ups and downs.

It’s an interesting experience, life. 2011 brings exciting possibilities for me. I have some goals, but, I’ll save those for next year.

a lot of people are on vacation. even more schools are on vacation. i must admit i’m sad that i’m not yet on vacation, and sometime around these parts of the year, my birthday happens. i’m happy to say i will be free-sailing soon. and i did get an observation at school that went pretty well. good times.

i could be doing a lot more, a lot better, but, i deserve a break. so i’ll start easing into it now.

too bad i can’t go away somewhere for the big C-mas. to help me get in a unique holiday spirit, i’m now going to go watch the “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Christmas Special”. reminds me of one of the first dates i had with my boyfriend, of almost a year now!

lots to celebrate, i guess. and once i’m on break, i’ll feel it. i’ll know it. i will love and cherish it.

This video is great. I love Taio Cruz’ “Dynamite”, but it did get a little tired.
But, it’s been a while, and, this goes out to all the Jewish people I know.

“Candlelight” – The Maccabeats

Great a capella, hilarious, delightful.

…but how could I inspire them if they beforst me had not inspired me?!

Except in the case of the kids, where I think it is a one-way street.

JK! Students teach me lessons all the time, granted, a lot of the time it’s sort of a what-not-to-do kind of instance.

Love the world! (Running makes me euphoric).

you’ve seen this, right?! i love when the green thing asks the carrots and green beans “why are you sad?” but it sounds like “sat”…it’s so gross and pleasant.

if you are sat, you should figure out if you’re just sad, or if you’re depressed. read this to help you decide.

i’m a little sat. i’m too scared to tell you why. ask me in person.