Blogging is for old people...

Just when I think I'm hip and keeping up with the youngsters with my Twitter and Facebook accounts, they throw this at me: Blogging is for old people, Pew Study says.

The study goes on to imply that one of the reasons Facebook has beaten MySpace as the social networking of choice is that MySpace encourages blogging. And today's younger set does not like to blog.

That says one of two things. Either 1: most of our youth are too illiterate to actually write a cohesive paragraph of more than 140 characters or 2: they just don't want us to know what they are really thinking.

That sounds like teenagers.

This brain was made for writing

I blogged twice in January - sweet. I'm ahead of the game. Okay, maybe not.

I do feel like I write all the time. My job - I write (not all the time, but a whole heck of lot of the time) news releases, web articles, blog posts, speeches, talking points, fact sheets, media plans, tweets and on and on. My life - I write blogs (obviously not this one) and work on my book and work on my screenplay and tweet and etc. etc.

But that's all good. I'm lucky that I get to do what I love for a living.

Only sometimes is there a glitche. Take this morning for example. I'm in the middle of getting ready for work. When something catches my eye that reminds me of a scene I'm working on. I stop and evidently stare into space for sometime because my husband shakes me out of my reverie -- "Are you ok?"

"Oops, sorry, I was writing in my brain."

"You need some paper."

Together - yet not

We spent a nice evening at my daughter's house celebrating her birthday. She and her sister, (our other daughter) spouses and friends wanted to have a few drinks and crank up the music. But we called it an early night and brought our grandson home with us so they could have some adult time.

So we're sitting in the tiny living room of our beach cottage. I'm on the Internet. My husband is doing his daily puzzles from the newspaper. Mason? Well, he's 8 -- and wired. He brought with him: a laptop, a PSP, a Nintendo DSI, and a bag full of games, movies, cords of all kinds. He switches between the computer and the PSP, wearing his head phones most of the time.

On the flat screen T.V., Tim McGraw is singing his way through all of his hit songs. So we sit close, enjoying being together and enjoying our own thing.

Ah, technology.

Time keeps on slipping, slipping...into the future

Wow, it's 2010, and I haven't even made a New Year's Resolution. So take 2009 and ditto.

Actually, this year I've decided to work on the "bucket list" again. Time is going by too fast and I can't help but feel like I'm on a deadline. (I guess literally)

So on this year's bucket list:

Mardi Gras (Hubby's bucket list includes Daytona 500 and I think these conflict, so I might be doing "speed week" in Daytona, instead.)

High school reunions (reconnecting with old buds)

Dallas Cowboys game on Thanksgiving

Finish a screen play and a book. (This might happen -- I'm close!)

Run a marathon.

Celebrate 25 years of marriage!

There's so much more, but I don't want to get too crazy.

So bring it on, 2010. 2009 pretty much sucked, this year: It's going to be better.

The truth about YoVille

I'm addicted to Facebook games. There, I said it. That's the first step to recovery right?

What I'm really trying to do is manage the time I spend on such applications. They are fun, and they are stress relieving. But like with any other electronic toy or activity you can spend too much time on it.

So "they" say.

Maybe I'm just bowing to the pressure from the pious folks who claim they've never ever succumbed to a Facebook request to send a drink or poke someone, much less play a game. On FB, they grouse about such folks as I. Some columnists in the paper even call the millions of people playing FB games "losers."

Really?

Hmmm. A recent study showed that playing games like Bejeweled, which apparently requires the use of both sides of your brain relieves stress. Considering our current economic state, two wars and the ever-growing concerns about climate change, I'd say relieving stress is a pretty darn good idea.

And, I have another theory on some of the games like Farmville and Yoville. Farmville and Farmtown allow us to escape to a simplier time. We plant, we grow, we harvest and all is well. Ever notice there are no droughts or hail storms to wipe out your crops in Farmville?

This past year when I was first kicking off the freelance gigs and was making only enough to pay the basic bills, it was a tough adjustment from the substantial salary from the year before. Savings were dwindling, so there was no "shopping" or money for Starbucks even. We went from a gorgeous pool house to house sitting other folks' gorgeous homes while our stuff sat in storage.

It was hard. Then, I discovered Yoville. In this virtual world, I could spend as much money as I wanted. I lived in a nice loft, so I spent time decorating. I learned to increase my fortunes. Then I bought a beach house, and then a nice house in the suburbs. It was only later in the year that I realized that this virtual game had helped me survive a year with little shopping and not having my own home.

I still occasionally play the game. I never let it consume me, but I think it was an important piece to my emotional well-being this past year.

The truth about Yoville and all games is that if it helps you cope, then play. The only "losers" in my book are the people who think they are superior to the rest of humanity.

For the rest of us humans, I'll see you in Yoville...

Dear Santa

I realize my list is a bit early this year. I'm usually a procrastinator and wait until the last minute. But I need to get a head start on the gift requests this year because I don't know where I might be come Christmas. So you might have to plan for early delivery. Thank you.

This year I want:

To quit wasting my time growing virtual fruits and vegetables and more time growing the real thing.

A full-time job for my husband who desperately needs one for his own mental well-being.

A permanent abode filled with my furniture and stuff, preferably with a large workshop/studio area (see below.)

For 60 pounds to magically drop off my body and 10 years off my face -- you can do that right? You having that Christmas magic and all?

To spend more time on my writing. There's so many books in my head, now just need to get them to paper.

More time with friends.

More time alone with my hubby.

And now the greedy list:

Tickets to MLB GAMES

A Table Saw

A jig saw

A router

An easel

A great video camera.


Of course, if you could give me the winning numbers for the next maga-jackpot lottery, then I'd take care of the rest of the list.

Thanks Santa, I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Hymns

Every Sunday morning growing up, I would be in church. The Southern Baptist preacher would have a scary fire and brimstone message, but the hymns were always more gentle -- well all but that "washed in the blood" one -- a visual concept a little too real for most kids.

I've always found a great comfort in hymns. And, anytime we move and we have to find a new church home, I always listen to its music.

A lackluster performance by the congregation who mumbles instead of sings, usually indicates a church in need of spiritual renewal. That's not a fact -- just my opinion.

Whether at home or in church, I always feel closer to God, when I've sung a few hymns praising His glory. Hymns that remind me of those long ago Sundays. I guess it's just my concept of "worship."

So regardless of what your faith is -- sing on my brothers and sisters. Sing on.