Hey You - Why Aren't You on Twitter?

I originally thought Twitter was a waste of time (something I have precious little of anyway), but my company asked me to set up an account so I could keep an eye on some of the brands that we have that started "tweeting". At that time all I knew was Ashton Kutcher apparently is God of Twitter and you only have 140 characters to say what's on your mind.

 What I've found is Twitter is an addictive little bugger. You don't even have to tweet (post) but there's value in just following others. Companies like Safeway, Lowe's, United Airlines, etc. have set up shop on Twitter. You can get updates on sales and promotions, participate in contests, and receive notifications on flight delays, special events. It's free, so what do you have to lose? Let me know if you are on Twitter or interested in starting out. You can follow me there too - I'm not quite the social commentator that Ashton is (and he has 5+ million followers to my two dozen) but hey I'll stack my geekiness against his any day!  :)

Some Interesting Folks I'm Following (in no particular order):

1. @VikingsFootball - my favorite football team.
2. @UnitedAirlines @SouthwestAir @JetBlueCheeps @VirginAmerica - one of these days, I *will* take a spur of the moment trip!!
3. @flyfromSFO - this guy tracks all the specials out of various airports around the country.  If you know your 3-character airport code, just replace the last 3 to get info specific to that location.
4. @Safeway - notifications on special deals, lots of RT of people that are following them.  You can always search for your fav grocery outlet and they may be on Twitter too.
5. @RedTapeChron - this is Bob Sullivan from MSNBC.  He writes about consumer topics and is a great resource.
6. @wilw @sheldoncooper @rainnwilson - remember, I'm a geek at heart.  I don't follow Lindsay Lohan, Kardashians, or any "celebrities" whose claim to fame involves a sex-tape, a reality show, or marriage to someone who has a sex-tape or a reality show. 

Learning to Practice What I Preach

Some of you may remember last year the controvery over a digitally altered Ralph Lauren ad with a model so Photoshopped, it was laughable.  Well, laughable and at the same time sobering.  Recently the model, Filippa Hamilton, was being interviewed over the whole broohaha and while sometimes it's hard to feel sympathy for an obviously gorgeous woman, in these circumstances I did. I also thought: damn, if she's not good enough, what about us mere mortals?

I've had a couple of recent conversations with some girlfriends and the topic of weight and body shape and expectations came up.  It seems like on one hand we are trying to educate our daughters on being healthy and that beauty comes from within, and yada yada yada.  On the other hand, there's a lot of us that are beating ourselves up because we don't look like what we see in magazines.  For me it's a constant battle, because since I was in high school I've struggled with eating disorders.  I'll skip over all the history and the why's and where-for's, but I'm acutely aware that while I'm preaching to my daughter a postive message, I haven't internalized it myself completely. 

So I was surprised during a chat with my friend that I made the comment about a thin celebrity: "That can't look good naked.  Seriously, would a guy find that sexy?" Then while browsing about the Ralph Lauren ad, I came across a discussion board: www.boingboing.net comments where a male poster wrote:  "Anyone who browses porn magazines or videos for five minutes will quickly realize that the US male ideal of feminine beauty looks nothing like the anorexic women portrayed in women's magazines. By and large, women are responsible for making other women feel bad about themselves in this country." 

Ok, leaving off the whole *porn* thing, that comment really resonated with me.  I'm a 39 year-old 5'1" mumble-mumble-lb woman.  I've had three kids and unless I undergo plastic surgery, I will never have Double-D's or a Brazilian butt. I will never have a super-model's lengthy legs or saucy pout and perfect nose.  My goal is to accept that and be the best *me* I can be, in a healthy way.  I pledge to stop nit-picking every flaw I see in the mirror - especially in front of my daughter.

I need to practice what I preach.

This Ain't Rocket Science...

A lot of people are still intimidated by technology but with tools today, you really don't have to have be a geek like me to get rolling on the 'net. A few essentials, a good search engine and you can pretty much do anything I can...

1. A decent computer with an internet connection.  Don't get conned by the GeekSquad at Best Buy, you don't need to spend a truckload of $$ for a computer that will pretty much suit your needs.  And you can always ask someone non-partial.  Oh, say... me :)
2. Google.  Don't know the answer? You can probably find it here. 
3. iPhone. Yes, I was late to the game on this tool, but I wouldn't trade this for any other tech tool I have.  The AppStore is incredible.  There's apps for just about everything!
4. An open mind and a fearless heart.  Don't let anyone say you can't learn or do something just because you haven't in the past.

Evolution...

A good friend and I were IMing today and I realized that there's a while world of content out there that I want to share, but I've kind of pigeonholed myself into just speaking to one facet of my life.  Well, I'm going to change that, starting today.  Let's lighten things up, let's provoke, let's *live*.

How a Broken Dryer Provides a Lesson

One piece of advice that I'll offer up to those facing a property settlement: don't leave major appliances on the table. Especially if you end up with primary custody of kids. I left behind a very nice Duet front loader (with pedestals) set when I got divorced. I didn't want to argue over anything and hey, the rental house came with a usable set anyhow. Fast forward a year and a half later and I was cursing that decision as the dryer crapped out for the third and final time. Which left me at the laundromat. Which is only fun in sitcoms.

I knew my original set was gathering dust in a storage unit so I swallowed my pride and asked to borrow them. Big Mistake. I was expecting graciousness from someone who hadn't shown me any in years. I was giving him another chance to step up when he's failed again and again. What was I thinking?

I don't think it's in my nature to expect the worst in people but I do need to do a better job at protecting myself when people take advantage of that. What I should have done in the begining is what I did in the end: push those shoulders back, grab the checkbook and take care of my business by myself. I need to remember (and celebrate) that I've been doing a damn good job of that for the last two years.

Another new toy to take mind off of...

100% On Me

Friday I got a text from my ex asking if I could take over paying the rugrats cell phone bill.  I actually had been expecting this for a while, but somehow the knowledge that I was responsible for all expenses for my children hit me in a way I hadn't anticipated.  It was like the last thread holding any respect I had left for someone I once shared a life with was snipped away.  I know the job market is tough out there right now, but everyone makes choices.  It's not even the money that I care about (he's right, "with what you make, you should be able to pay for it no problem").... it's more the principle of the matter.  Live up to your responsibilities. 

So now I need to take a hard look at myself.  Am I making wise choices?  Do I really have my act together?  In reality I tend to dodge those questions and just go with the flow.  My kids deserve at least one parent who is a grownup.