2.23.2009

Make Me Laugh Monday

Why Facebook Is for Old Fogies
By Lev Grossman

Facebook is five. Maybe you didn't get it in your news feed, but it was in February 2004 that Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg, along with some classmates, launched the social network that ate the world. Did he realize back then in his dorm that he was witnessing merely the larval stage of his creation? For what began with college students has found its fullest, richest expression with us, the middle-aged. Here are 10 reasons Facebook is for old fogies:

1. Facebook is about finding people you've lost track of. And, son, we've lost track of more people than you've ever met. Remember who you went to prom with junior year? See, we don't. We've gone through multiple schools, jobs and marriages. Each one of those came with a complete cast of characters, most of whom we have forgotten existed. But Facebook never forgets.

2. We're no longer bitter about high school. You're probably still hung up on any number of petty slights, but when that person who used to call us that thing we're not going to mention here, because it really stuck, asks us to be friends on Facebook, we happily friend that person. Because we're all grown up now. We're bigger than that. Or some of us are, anyway. We're in therapy, and it's going really well. These are just broad generalizations. Next reason.

3. We never get drunk at parties and get photographed holding beer bottles in suggestive positions. We wish we still did that. But we don't.

4. Facebook isn't just a social network; it's a business network. And unlike, say, college students, we actually have jobs. What's the point of networking with people who can't hire you? Not that we'd want to work with anyone your age anyway. Given the recession — and the amount of time we spend on Facebook — a bunch of hungry, motivated young guns is the last thing we need around here.

5. We're lazy. We have jobs and children and houses and substance-abuse problems to deal with. At our age, we don't want to do anything. What we want is to hear about other people doing things and then judge them for it. Which is what news feeds are for.

6. We're old enough that pictures from grade school or summer camp look nothing like us. These days, the only way to identify us is with Facebook tags.

7. We have children. There is very little that old people enjoy more than forcing others to pay attention to pictures of their children. Facebook is the most efficient engine ever devised for this.

8. We're too old to remember e-mail addresses. You have to understand: we have spent decades drinking diet soda out of aluminum cans. That stuff catches up with you. We can't remember friends' e-mail addresses. We can barely remember their names.

9. We don't understand. Literally. It makes no sense to us.

10. We're not cool, and we don't care. There was a time when it was cool to be on Facebook. That time has passed. Facebook now has 150 million members, and its fastest-growing demographic is 30 and up. At this point, it's way cooler not to be on Facebook. We've ruined it for good, just like we ruined Twilight and skateboarding. So git! And while you're at it, you damn kids better get off our lawn too.


More MMLM posts found at http://www.jennyonethespot.com/

2.19.2009

Reality Check 2009

Two nights and three days with seventy-one students in a pristine location equals blissful exhaustion. Fairborn Guy and I tagged along for our second year of chaperon/kitchen staff/do what needs to be done support for Reality Check 2009 (Youth ministry winter retreat).
The work is non-stop but the immense amount of energy I get from being around all the students is terrific. The worship also contributes to my energizer bunnyness...I could get a lot done in my day if I had a live worship band in my living room every day.

My favorite part of helping at camp is watching the emotional walls come down...as the kids move from day one into day two, vulnerability happens as trust begins to build with their peers and with God...it is a beautiful gift to witness.

The summer of 1978 I experienced a similar camp on a lake in Minnesota...it was Young Life Camp. It was there that I made a decision to follow Christ, though I had no idea what that truly meant, other than I had a deep feeling my life would never quite be the same. That feeling became truth for me in spite of the fact that I did not wear my new found title of Christ Follower as a dignified witness. Oh my....it took many years of stumbling and picking myself back up only to stumble and crash all too soon again, before I began to see the fruit of my life altering coarse towards becoming, what scripture calls, Christlike. I had such a wrestle with the hard reality of never arriving while still striving....resisting still rises up in me now and again...requiring a swift check of reality!

Any of you experience Church camp in high school?
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2.13.2009

Little Girls in Togas and Princess Panties

This year's Ya Ya getaway...10th annual btw, had to have a two-part theme!
"Leave your big girl panties AT HOME!!!"
Cindy had a great idea to award a pair of princess panties to Vonney in honor of our theme...she was the award recipient only because her life currently has the most cccccchhhanges occurring in it. This meant a quick stop at Wallyworld before we meet up at the first designated stop.



And the crown goes too....Bunky...formerly known as Vonney.
Bunky is her childhood nick name which has a sweet story behind it entailing an old commercial.
Shopping in the yard store...I did not abstain this time. I is going to knit my new great niece or nephew a hat! Wish me luck.

Our first morning we were greeted by this.

None of us had never been on the coast with snow before, it was breathtaking.


Time for some dancin!
We believe in phoning to get out of the Matrix
We enjoyed astounding taste sensations of great food and spirits, creative expression (more on that later), general girl-chatter, gut busting laughter, movie watching, all of which was topped with our finale performance..........
"TOGAs"

We celebrate US! Thank you Abba for these gifts, Vonney, Cindy and Melis...to
YOU be the glory!!

2.04.2009

Write On!

Sunday I was asked by a non-blogging girlfriend why I started blogging. I have been pondering the question, here are some reasons I came up with.

It is a room in my world that only I can mess up
It is creative...life without creativity is not life to me
It is therapeutic...yes I need therapy
It is challenging...hurray for brain power
It is free...except for my time
It is relational...duh Tink loves relationship
It can be done any time of the day or night...as long as there is power
It is similar to journaling...of which I have always been a fan
It is similar to a photo album...I love photo albums
And lastly I think the word blogger is just plain cool

I had actually read very few blogs before joining the blog community, I just dove in for the benefits that producing a blog would have on my life. It has taken me 6 months to actually allow myself the additional pleasure of reading blogs written by folks that I do not know. I tell myself it is just like magazine reading which is a luxury in my book, analysing that is another blog for sure.

Today I found myself here and here with Donna Mills Diva. I whole heartedly rally beside her in her "Write On! Respect the Blog" campaign.
You go Miss Donna whom I have never met, but now have a bit of relationship with.

2.02.2009

Make Me Laugh Monday

I could not resist stopping for this laughable shot a few summers ago while on a
road trip in SE WA and NE Oregon!!
More Make Me Laugh Monday posts here. :)