Out There

One of my favorite bloggers is shutting down her blog for good. Good thing I know her in 'real life'!!

And this got me to thinking once again about web logs.

The other day I was helping a friend set up a blog. She chose a username and password, she chose a template and a title, and then I showed her how people could 'follow' her by clicking on the Follow icon. "See?", I said, as I clicked on my little picture/avatar, "And when you click THIS, you can find out who's following you." Up came my profile, listing this blog and... one that only I am supposed to be able to access! But there it was for her to read! Now, this one is where I've been writing some memories of growing up, etc.. to be used as part of my memoir writing (which I've been terrible at lately). And it was for my eyes only! Panic set in as I wondered how long it's been accessible. I really don't understand what happened there. Anyway, this led me to save the blog entries  in a personal file on my computer and then I promptly deleted the blog (despite how pretty it looked ;). I mean, if I'm THAT concerned about others reading it, well, then it probably shouldn't be on the internet at all.

This reminds me of a blog I  (saved and then) deleted a few years ago (Lifelines). One day I realized that  all the pictures I added to that blog were still on the 'net.  Not sure what photo sharing site that was, but they are there. To this day.

Wow, I sound paranoid (again).

Anyway, I've purged any extraneous blogs from my system. I will continue with my 'school' one and maybe the 'book' one (we'll see how that one goes).

Perhaps returning to the antiquated idea of journalling with a real pen and real paper makes good sense. Sure, you have the risk of losing it in a fire or someone reading it without your knowing. But I am now thinking the benefits may outweigh the risks.

I'll be thinking more about this, to be sure. Because there really are pros and cons to blogging.

Welcome!

To those of you who have requested access to my private blog, I thank you! I hope that I will make that extra step you must take to read my blog, worthwhile.

And I hope you keep reading. It's not THAT much fun to blog if nobody's reading, right? Mind you, I journal sporadically, so I must get something out of writing just for writing's sake.

Anyway, we all know that comments make a blogger happy, so I hope you will drop me a line now and then.

You're probably wondering WHY I switched to a private blog? I probably wouldn't have switched if I didn't have a 'professional' presence on the web, too. (teaching with an online school and another blog for the official 'teacher' side of me).

Maybe I have a few privacy issues (Dave would say I do!), but it just feels weird thinking that possibly the families and colleagues I work with could read my personal blog.  Chances are, they haven't, wouldn't, and would probably glance at it and never return. BUT, it's the 'not knowing' that kept on rearing its head like a gopher out of a gopher hole. So, I put an end to that naggy feeling that kept me awake at night (not really) and decided to go private. Now I feel like I can stop wondering so much if/who is reading. Call me paranoid, if you'd like. Just not to my face!! ;)

Funny thing is, I don't mind at all if strangers read my stuff. The more the merrier. I like making new friends.  It's the people who sort of know me, but not really!! What does that say about me, any of you wannabe psychologists out there?

Anyway, now I can share all about my very personal issues... ha!! Probably not, but at least if I spill the beans on something a little more personal at times, I won't have insomnia over it. I'll just have supportive group of blog buddies to say "Yeah, I know what you mean, I'm with ya", or "what the ?? You crazy woman!!" or something like that.

Anyway, I won't be blogging too much in the next week or so, because I am in my CRAZY time with work (report cards) and Jill is flying back to Vancouver next week from her European escapade and we're going to take a couple of days to have a little get away (maybe) and go pick up our girl, and I'm away for 2 days this weekend, taking an out of town course on Irlen testing (I'll leave you guessing what that is, but it's going to be interesting!) ;)

Hope you're all enjoying the first days of summer. Hurray for school being OUT (almost!!)

Disappearing Act

Just giving y'all a heads up that my personal blog is goin' undercover, so to speak, in the next day or so. . I've thought about this long and hard (well, not really that hard!) and have decided to make this a 'members only' blog. I know it's a pain to have to sign in, but no pain, no gain, as they say! ;)

So, IF you would like to continue to follow this random blog of mine, just shoot me an email. notesforneta AT gmail DOT com. That's it. That's all you have to do!!

We'll see how it goes. If I decide that it feels claustrophobic, I'll reappear at some point. And I'm planning to start a book-focused blog at some point in the near future. That one will be public.

Thanks to you all for popping by this blog now and then!

Take a Moment to Relax!

Thanks to fellow blogger Sonya for letting me know about this cool site!

the Hoax

http://www.prowomanprolife.org/2010/11/24/yes-it-was-a-hoax/

Apparently, the internet vote for whether to abort or allow their baby to live was a HOAX. It did get people thinking, though. And it reminds us that in Canada there is no law in place to protect unborn children. At any stage.  That IS troubling.

 Still, I apologize for raising your blood pressure a few notches the other day.

I Write Like

I came across this interesting site called I Write Like. Just plug in a writing sample-- a blog post, a journal entry, or whatever you choose, and it will analyze your writing. This is what came up after I plugged in a few paragraphs of my Nanowrimo novel of a few years back. I've heard of Kurt Vonnegut but know nothing of him or his writings. So, I don't know what to make of it. Perhaps I'll read one of his books and see if his style is like my own. I don't know how accurate this is, but it was fun.

I write like
Kurt Vonnegut

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Almost There

Remember those resolutions and goals you set for yourself (or at least considered setting)  last New Year’s Eve? Well, at least one of mine has almost been achieved. And it’s not of my doing. It’s because of YOU, my faithful followers! D’ya think I’ll be successful? Will I have 20 followers by year’s end? Or **gasp!**….even more? Dare I hope or dream?
Anyway, lame post.. but it is a good thing to revisit those resolutions. How are you doing on yours?

Big Brother?

“[Facebook’s engineers] can track a user’s every keystroke and mouse click on the site. They can see whose profiles you’re looking at most often, whose photos you’re lingering on. The ways to see into users’ lives are endless. Not only do they know far more about you than you likely realize, but Facebook might even be able to recognize things about yourself that even you have yet to realize.” – Tracy Clark-Flory, writer for Salon.com
I’m sure Google can do the same with blogs. Which ones we follow. Which we comment on. What we comment. Is anything really hidden when it’s on the internet? Our history is there for the powers that be to scrutinize, if they care to… or have the time to.
I wonder if 10 years down the road, we will all realize we really gave up a lot of our private lives to those with power to use it for or against us.
Not that I’m a conspiracy theorist or anything.

Just wondering..

You know those blogs where the writer gets at least 153 comments for each new post? I’m wondering if the blogger really reads each comment. If not, what really is the purpose of commenting? It’s like being part of a crowd of chattering people, attempting to talk to someone, thinking or hoping that you are actually being listened to, but in reality he/she is distracted and not even looking you in the eyes to acknowledge you.
All I’m saying is…if you comment on my blog, KNOW that it is being read! Now don’t you feel special? ;)

I am Second

Yesterday my girlfriend mentioned an interesting website her husband had discovered called I am Second.

Then today, I was listening to a program on the internet and one of the hosts mentioned the same website. So, of course, I had to check it out.

It's really neat. Here is the write up on it:


I am Second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next-door neighbor. People like you. The authentic stories on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled. You’ll discover people who’ve tried to go it alone and have failed. Find the hope, peace, and fulfillment they found. Be Second.

Thought you might be interested. 

The Waney Season

Maybe people just  have better things to do.  

I've been feeling less like blogging as well, lately. But I know my interest peaks and wanes when it comes to this social networking thing. It's in the 'waney season' the last little while. When it becomes a chore, it's better to just back off until the excitement returns. Or something so exciting happens in my corner of the world that I just can't help blogging about it. I'll let you know. Maybe.

I Like Free Stuff

So when I came across this Christian Audio website, I decided it's one worth checking out regularly.

https://christianaudio.com/audiobooks

This month's free download is Stuff Christians Like by Jon Acuff. If you follow his blog, you might want to get the audiobook,too!

This is what I saw when I linked to a website this afternoon

It was all black, except for these words..

We are closed from 8:30 to 9:30 pm in honor of Earth Hour.  We encourage you to turn off your computer and your lights, unplug, and relax.. 

I am going to insure that all unnecessary lighting and power is off in our house tonight (which is what we should be doing every day, I know). Then I will, with minimal lighting, knit , read, write, or even watch TV or a video, or maybe just chat with my family as we enjoy apple pie that was baked earlier in the oven. So, in actual fact, I won't be totally unplugged. The Earth Hour organizers may not be pleased with me.

Earth Hour is a great reminder for us to think about how much energy we unnecessarily consume in our society, and then change our daily habits to make a change for the better.

So, what will or did you do during Earth Hour today?

Need A Little Levity in Your Life?

Check out this cool little video. It's part of The Levity Project, where the name of the game is injecting a little silliness and lightheartedness into your life.
  
http://www.jungleoflife.com/2010/03/17/car-dancing-the-video/

Have you ever car danced? Have you ever danced down the street?

I remember when I was about 19 years old, my girlfriend and I linked arms with a guy friend of ours and hippity hopped down a Vancouver Street together. Yes, I really did. It wasn't my idea, but  I remember that it was so much fun. You can do anything silly as long as you have at least one other person as your accomplice. It would feel much more awkward going it alone, I must admit!

Last Fall, when my sister and I entered a 21km race (which we walked more than ran, but it didn't really matter), there came a point where we had to inject some more fun into the run, so as we were listening to our iPods, we began acting out the songs. What a hoot. We laughed so hard, and it definitely took our mind off our weary bones. We didn't make eye contact with too many people, though. ;)

How do make sure you don't take yourself too seriously?

Random Dozen

It’s that kind of afternoon…time for a random blog post, thanks to 2nd Cup of Coffee.
1. How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?
To be honest, I don’t really know. What I do know is I tend to buy cheap shoes or used ones, so if I do get rid of them, it’s not a big deal.
2. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year? If so, what variety?
No, I probably would have, just to be nice to the girls who came by, but they ARE a tad expensive, don’t you think?  I would probably buy chocolate.
3. . Do you know how to ballroom dance? If not, would you like to?
Even though Dave and I took 4 weeks of lessons a couple of years ago, sadly, we haven’t retained much. (If you don’t use it, you definitely will lose it!)  We did have some good laughs taking the lessons, though!
4.Were you a responsible child/teenager?
Definitely. I used to gauge my choice of activities by, “Would this disappoint my parents if I participated?”. For better or worse, it’s true.  In other ways, though, I was immature… I guess that’s not surprising.
5. How many of this year's Oscar-nominated movies did you see?
The Blind Side, Avatar, Up, District 9  --and I enjoyed all of them for various reasons.
6. If you're going to have a medical procedure done, such as having blood drawn, is it easier for you to watch someone else having the procedure done or have it done yourself?
If I had to watch, it would be easier to watch someone else.  I don’t appreciate observing needles or incisions. Ew.
7. What is your favorite day of the week and why?
Saturday. Hubby’s day off. We get to sleep in and have a leisurely brunch. I don’t feel guilty for ‘wasting’ the day.
8. Do you miss anyone right now?
I haven’t lived near extended family for years, so I’m very used to being far away from family. My own children all live nearby, so I don’t miss them right now. ;)  I’d have to say my sisters – a good long Tim Horton’s coffee time with my sisters (or brothers, for that matter) would be really nice right now.
9. Do hospitals make you queasy?
Hospitals make me nervous. Why is it that every hospital has that eery feel to it.?  I guess I’ve watched too many movies or heard too many stories about  negative experiences in hospitals.
10.  At which store would you like to max-out your credit card. Not that you ever would, you responsible person, you.
Oh, this is a toughie, because I’m really not a shopper.  Probably a department store  where I could buy a variety of items – furniture, clothing, household stuff. I’m much too practical, really.  Either that or a clothing store like Cleo. I’d hire someone like that woman on What Not to Wear, and have her put together an entire wardrobe for me.
11. Are you true to the brand names of products/items?
No. Price matters. The exception: I will not purchase no-name cereals. Cereals must be name brand.
12. Which is more difficult: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when he/she is telling you how he/she feels?
Definitely telling someone how I feel is harder for me. Let me write it down and hand it to them in a brown envelope, and I would be much more comfortable.  I do appreciate listening to others and how they feel, though. I can do that.

Would You Tattoo?

Personally, if I DID do a tattoo, it would be very small and personal. Maybe a Bible verse or a little picture of a heart or something, with my spouse's initials. . Nothing that would take up an entire arm! But this guy's tattoo is cool, I think. And he's got a good story to go with it.

  What would you tattoo?

The Strong Life Test for Women

http://www.stronglifetest.com/

I was surprised how accurate the results were, even though I wasn’t sure I was picking the right answers. Try it and let me know your results, too.

“Discover the role you were born to play

The Strong Life Test presents you with a number of scenarios and then challenges you to identify which decision you would make. Be sure to go with your top-of-mind response; your immediate, unfiltered reaction is always the most revealing.
Of course, your test results will not define you completely--there's a good deal more fine-tuning you'll want to do on your own to add detail and specificity. But what the test will do is show you where to start your search for a strong life.”
Show me my Lead Role

Your Lead Role : Teacher

You begin by asking:
'What can she learn from this?'
To learn how to make the most of your
Teacher
role, buy Find Your Strongest Life.
Your focus is instinctively toward the other person. Not her feelings, necessarily, but her understanding, her performance, her skills.
Your best quality:
Your faith in the others’ potential
Always:
Tailor your style to each student
Be careful you:
Don’t come to believe that everyone is capable of everything
Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to facilitate the success of others.
Show me my Supporting Role

Your  Supporting Role : Equalizer

You begin by asking:
'What’s the right thing to do?'
To learn how to make the most of your
Equalizer
role, buy Find Your Strongest Life.
You are sensitive to how everything in the world is connected, how movement in one part of the world causes everything else to move as well. Alive to this inter-connectedness, you feel compelled to keep everything aligned.
Your best quality:
Your innate sense for what is right
Always:
Lead with your values
Be careful you:
Don’t become too obviously defensive when your values are challenged
Your smartest career move:
Any job where you’re paid to speak up for people who’ve been wronged.

No One Else

RULES:
1. Put your MP3 player, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag at least 10 friends
5. Have Fun!
IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?
”Let your mercy rain”-  by Chris Tomlin (not a bad response)
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF
”Love like you”  by Amanda Falk (this is too deep for me)
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
”The first noel” (piano) by Matt Day (huh?)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
”Lost” by Coldplay (wow… that could very well be true on some days!)
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
“Amazing Grace” by Tree 63 (I thought I was still trying to figure it out..thanks, game!)
WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
“Beautiful” by Amanda Falk (mmm… )

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
“Blessed be your name” by Tree 63 –( hey, I LOVE my friends!)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
”Step by Step” by Caedmon’s Call  (hopefully they see these steps as upward and onward!)
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
”Glory to your name”  by Robin Mark (wish I thought that more often!)
WHAT IS 2 + 2?
“The gathering”  by Sara Groves et al (well technically, it is a gathering of objects)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
”My Jesus,  I Love Thee” by Amy Grant (I’m NOT kidding!!! This is the song that randomly played! )
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
“Bring Me to Life” by Bebo Norman (love it!)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
“I am a Man of Constant Sorrow” by The Soggy Bottom Boys (I DON’T THINK SO!! stupid game!)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
”My Deliverer” by Chris Tomlin  (especially if that person has chocolate!)
WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
”Who are You” by Dave Lubben  (probably not a great choice)
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
“The Unknown” by Athlete (yes and no)
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
”Prayer for Home” by Fernando Ortega (that, and blogging)
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Wake up, Oh Sleeper by Jason Crabb et al (well, there are some dreams I don’t want to wake up from!)
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
“Beggar’s Heart” by Bethany Dillon  (well, now the cat’s out of the bag!)
WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
”Oh My God”  by Jars of Clay (I’ll take that)
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
”God of This City”  by Chris Tomlin  (huh?)
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
”No one else” by Fernando Ortega (yep, it’s me and no one else!)

If you read all the way through, and nodded or chuckled at least once, you’re tagged!

Vulnerable

Speaking of transparency, my good friend just started a blog. I’d love for you to visit her and encourage her on her  journey!

Too much of a good thing

I have had to put myself on severe restrictions for the next few weeks. No, it’s not sugar (although I am cutting back on that, too)..it’s blogging! I love to read others’ blogs and enjoy writing posts, too. I think it’s actually a hobby of mine. I enjoy reading other people’s thoughts on life. I like how blogs turn everyday words into things of beauty. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration, but it sure looks prettier than scratched down on paper, don’t you think?
Anyway, because I am in my ‘busy season’ with my online work, I have had to take myself by the scruff of the neck,  wag my finger at myself, and say “No more blog readin’ or writin’ till after 3 pm every day!” Then I’m giving myself about an hour.  And today I was successful (takes a bow).
I wouldn’t say I’m in need of a 12 step program , necessarily, but there’s something about me and  keyboards ! You know, I remember when I saved up my hard earned mushroom-pickin’ money at the age of 15 years  ($350  at that time was a LOT of money, when you were getting paid $3 an hour). MY brother took me to the department store where I studied all the available electric typewriters behind the glass  and, hardly able to contain myself, I chose one for my very own.  Oh joy!! It was a cool trendy brown color and had rounded corners and the clickety clack  keys sounded so wonderful when pressed. So, I guess my fondness for typing and writing stretches a looooong way back. I miss that typewriter.
But all things in moderation, right? Well, I don’t necessarily believe that for everything, but for right now, I really must discipline myself. I could feel it getting out of hand, and it wasn’t pleasant. I even had to get my husband to check up on me! 
I feel much more in control now, thanks for your concern. ;)