The Curse of Technology

Since I confessed my love for all things technological, I need to now confess my disdain for the same.

That's right ... As much as I love it, I hate it just as much. I've thought long and hard about why I am apparently a walking oxymoron or paradox or maybe both. And I think it boils down to this: Online, we are too gripe-y.

Today, a hot, trending article popped onto my newsfeed that was titled, "Dear SAHM: Shut Up" or something just as stupid. I didn't even read the article because it had the word Shut Up in it. That's just rude.

If anyone should have to shut up, it's someone telling someone else to shut up. (Did you follow that? I know what I'm trying to say.)

Then, I clicked through to an article about why Megan Trainor's song "All About That Bass" is body shaming. Um ... what? In essence, the author said she was offended because she tried gaining weight and it just didn't work out for her. The line "I ain't no size 2" hurt her heart. I'm not denying her feelings; if she feels that way, she feels that way. The easy thing to do would be to not listen to the song.

I'm typically offended by gangster rap; therefore, I don't listen to it. Ever. But, I'm not going to write an entire blog post about it.

Oh, wait...

See? This is what happens when the internet gets too loud and obnoxious: I become gripe-y as well.

Just think about how wonderful this entire world would be if we got offended at such things as hunger and abuse and homlessness. And, instead of griping about it, we donated food and money and raised awareness and helped a neighbor out.

Is this enough to make me give up my online life. Pffft ... no. I'll just look for the lovely.

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The lovely like my friend Jeanabec who just posted tonight a prayer request for a panhandler that was heavy on her heart. She didn't know him, but she wanted us to join her in prayer. Beautiful.

The lovely like my friend Alan who's turned to social media to send healing, comforting thoughts and prayers for his sick brother.

The lovely like my friend Katie who just gave birth to a darling baby girl today.

The lovely like my own kiddo who searches for the perfect quote to accompany her fun pictures on Instagram.

I'm going to sign off now and think about way I can make my little corner of the world lovely.

The Blessing of Technology

I love technology. I love social media. I love the interwebz. Really, I do. I know a lot of people host a lot of disdain for all things techy that distracts us from what's important in our lives, but I am not one of those people.

Thanks to social media, I have been able to stay in touch with cousins that I haven't seen in over twenty-five years.

Thanks to social media, I've gotten sweet friends that I adore and count as close members of my tribe and I met them through the interwebz on one venue or another.

Thanks to technology, I can instantly keep in touch with my long-almost-lost friends with just the taps of a my thumbs.

I have instant information (which isn't always a good thing, but more good than bad) at my fingertips, all because of technology.

Yep. Technology is a blessing to me. I love it all. I love Facebook. I use Twitter, but it's more like my elderly aunt Gloria--I like exchanging recipes and gifts with her on holidays, but I don't wanna go the mall with her. I adore Instagram--I like looking at everyone else's vacation pictures. (Seriously.) I love the notion that I can google any piece of information and find it in the blink of an eye.

Pinterest? Well ... Pinterest has led me down the wrong path one too many times.

I've made a burlap wreath based on Pinterest prompting and it looked like something a donkey hacked up.

I've decorated my home to look like a showcase with the help of Pinterest. It looked like a showcase for a mental institution's art show, but whatevs.

The thing is I know I don't have mad deco skillz--which is why I surfed Pinterest in the first place.

But, tonight, when I attempted to make queso blanca based on Pinterest recipes? Well, let's just say it wasn't my finest moment in the kitchen. 

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Here's what you need to know:

-The five minute recipe took me over a half-hour.
-The half-and-half to cheese-ratio was way off; therefore, I made about four gallon when all was said and done.
-I cursed like a sailor, and I'm not (too) ashamed of it.
-I contemplated throwing the entire pot of the cheesey-sauce-gone-wrong out of my front window ... and the window was closed at the time

Pinterest? We're breaking up. No one makes my cheese look bad ... not even Pinterest.

My Favorite Things: Goodness

This week's events involving Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson, GQ, and A & E have taken the top news slots on local and nationwide news venues. It's occupied 90% of my social media feeds, and it's a headliner of dozens of magazines in the checkout line.

Also this week, South Sudanese rebels kept US citizens from leaving their war-ravaged country, there was a(nother) deadly school shooting in Colorado, and US Troops were killed in action in Afghanistan.

Still, the top story was the whole Duck Dynasty /A & E diatribe.

I really have nothing to say about the aforementioned debacle--everything's already been said. I do however want to share some good news with you:  

Goodness is still happening.

A stranger paid off $10,000 worth of Kmart layaways for strangers this week because he wanted to.

Seventh grade students collected boxes full of goodies to send to Afghanastan, specifically to two of their classmates's dads who are deployed there.

An individual found himself with an unneeded trailer home, fully furnished, and gave it to a homeless family.

Goodness and good news exist.  This week when my faith calls me to celebrate the Good News incarnate, I'm choosing to look for goodness. 

It will not be found on the television nor the news papers and probably not in my Facebook newsfeed. But, I'm confident in the fact that I will find goodness in my life. I hope you find it in your life this week, too.