social networking

So, I am enjoying Pinterest.com. Friend Donna Goff introduced it to me about a month ago, so it is all her fault. It is a social network of virtual bulletin boards. I was hesitant to introduce another possibly addictive time sink. But after a while, I indulged and I am glad. I have many ideas and plans for many topics and interests. It is nice to be able to put them all in one place. Maybe as I collect my thoughts, it will be easier to create. It might even help me become more organized and purposeful.

Donna gave me a good tip though: things that are important, I should print out and keep. Websites die and the information may become irretrievable.

Another unexpected benefit is that my pin boards are essentially a collection of things I, personally find beautiful and interesting. When I open up my page it fills my heart with peace. It is an interesting view into a part of me that doesn't show up very often.

Sage is all proud of me because I found something all hip and techie before she did. Silly girl. I don't browse much; it is too easy to find inappropriate images and I often have a child near by.

I think I like it better than facebook; it is a little more useful for me. I do use facebook for my news and organization announcements and I enjoy being kept up on family and news updates. I have purposefully kept my "friends" down. I even have my own rule not to befriend a man to whom I am not related. This may perhaps a little overboard, but it this has also kept my facebook friend list low.

Both can be big time wasters though and I need to limit my time there.

p.s. ya know what I might just do? I think I will play with pinterest for a while, it is easy to set up and use. Then after I have my categories and a decent collection of pins, I think I will move it all to Office OneNote. OneNote is a fabulous little thing in the Microsoft Office collection. It is essentially a digital file folder; you can copy images, posts, etc. My journal and commonplace book is there right now. That way I can wean from the social network. I suspect that as pinterest grows, more and more inappropriate stuff will end up there. I don't want to encourage my children to patronize the world or casually invite the world into my home. But I never would have thought of using OneNote for this type of thing if I hadn't used pinterest first.

New Year

It is new year time. It is time for me to think about where I have been and where I am going; time to ponder on my blessings and thank my Father in Heaven.

This last year has been a tough one for me (well, the last too actually). I have struggled with anxiety and depression like I never have before. I have been forced to humble myself and ask for help from my family, neighbors, and Savior. I have had to organize my time and efforts: something that I have needed for a long time. I have had to simplify and say "no" and to say "yes." I have had to reprioritize. I have learned to better recognize the promptings of the Lord and Heaven's help. The Lord has continued to sustain us.

I am excited for this next year. I know that more growing pains are on the way (and I am trying to be willing without cringing too much). But the result of growing pains is growth; that I look forward to.

Happy New Year Everyone.

A New Adventure

As if I needed another one.

Last Thursday, my good doctor informed me that I now need to "avoid gluten." My test numbers are not quite Celiac Disease, but pretty close. I am still trying to figure out what this means.

There is gluten in just about everything: processed meats, colorings and flavorings, all sorts of things you wouldn't expect. Grains are easy: wheat, barley, rye, and spelt. Oats too but only because they are processed in the same plants as wheat is. Well, that is fine. I have been playing with grains the last few years and they don't really scare me. Besides, there are plenty of yummy non gluten foods to eat. But I have to wary of everything processed. I guess I have more food experimenting ahead of me.

What I didn't know was how easily gluten can be transferred. Cross-contamination is a huge deal. The gluten sticks to everything. If I cut a piece of bread, I need to wash my hands and all utensils before I cut my apple. If, while pouring the spaghetti sauce, the spoon touches the noodles and then goes back in the pot, the whole pot of spaghetti sauce is contaminated and is no longer gluten free. Gluten is that sticky. I have to now pay attention to the order of my preparations. That will probably be the hardest; more than preparing foods for my family that I can't eat, checking labels, and worrying about what to eat away from home.

Avoiding gluten is not like avoiding a particular food. A little bit does matter. It is more like an allergy. You have to stay away completely.

It wasn't until Saturday night that Jonny mentioned the Sacrament and what to do about that. I hadn't even thought about that. I skipped it this last Sunday and we will have to figure out what to do after this. We have been in several wards that alternatives were provided. Jonny forgot to ask last Sunday; I'll have to get after him about it.

I guess I am now officially high maintenance.