Facebook....a Different View

Over the weekend...in between pricing, inventory and packing up things for the craft show this weekend....I managed to pop on and off the computer now and then. While chatting with my sister on Facebook I noticed a status that popped up and it was the name of the town we grew up in. I went over to take a look and I was immediately transported back the my childhood.

People had already posted pictures of Fox River Grove and comments were appearing. Of course, being a woman of MANY words....I piped right in. There were discussions about the Picnic Grove (our old amusement park), the Tastee Freeze, the candy store, the burger joint, the Marina,the castle, the ski jump and so much more.


I suggested my sisters that live in TN and SC join up and it turned into a weekend of the three of us, plus another old time "Grovers" writing about their memories of this awesome little town as well. We talked about so many things from our childhood like standing in the frigid weather at the ski meets every year (my brothers jumped when they were younger) to things like my sister buying angora at the dry goods store to wrap around her boyfriend's class ring.


There were moments when the tears filled my eyes as I remembered a gentler, kinder day when kids got to be kids. When you could run and play and just never worry about anything. Parents didn't worry either. It was a different world.

People use to make fun of Fox River Grove. Yes, it was a tiny sleepy little town with few people, but to us then and to us now...it was the greatest place in the world to spend a childhood!

Facebook is definitely a strange world in itself....with all of the games people play and hundreds of ads appearing that are soooo geared to your profile. Are you on Facebook? If you are, do you spend much time on there? Do you use a social networking site to keep in touch with family? Do you use one to reconnect with old friends? Has it had any kind of impact on you either positive or negative?I sure had fun on there this weekend. Please share your thoughts.

Bye Bye Summer Hours

Today was the last day of summer hours.....no, I'm really not sad. Believe me, I LOVE getting off at noon on Friday, but in all honesty, after a few weeks of it....I've had enough.

See, I work for a school district, which means our salaries are paid by tax dollars. So where most people just get off early on Friday, we have to work those extra hours during the week in order to leave early on Friday. I normally start at 7:30 a.m. and it takes me 45 minutes to get to work. For summer hours, I start at 7:00 a.m. meaning I have to leave my house at 6:15 a.m.

First thing I do as I am waking up is to check my 3 e-mails, my blog, my 2 etsy shops and pop in to say Good Morning on Facebook. Then I have to walk the dog one mile. Next, I have to get cleaned up, dressed, make up on and hair done. After that I need to make a healthy lunch and pack up lots of healthy little snacks since I am one of those people that have to be eating every hour or so. Then I can go to work. As you can see, if I get up at 5:00 a.m. and even spend an extra minute on anything....I won't be there by 7:00 a.m.

Did I happen to mention that I don't like to rush? I like calm and peaceful starts to my day. I like music playing as I waltz through my morning routine.

I actually have a plan in place for next week. I AM going to pack up as much of my lunch as I can the night before. I am NOT going to turn the computer on in the morning unless everything else is done. I AM going to work out instead. HAHAHA!! Wish me luck!

Are your mornings calm and peaceful? Just curious.

Kathy the Bull Terrier

Now that you all know about my new Facebook addiction as I confessed in yesterday's post, I might as well fess up and tell you that I have actually taken a couple of the ridiculous little quizzes that populate the Facebook pages.

One of the quizzes I took is called, "What dog are you?" I know, I know! I told you they were ridiculous, but it must be the mood I am in lately that I'm doing all of this stupid stuff! Anyway, I took the little quiz and up popped, "Bull Terrier"! Oh my I thought....I am NO Bull Terrier. I am gentle and kind. I am all about Peace and Love. Well, not always, but I do try.

After spending a few minutes in total denial, I read the detailed description of the Bull Terrier, and I started laughing because it's really pretty accurate! HAHA!

I certainly don't see myself as a GLADIATOR, but yes, I am very INDEPENDENT. I am not book SMART, but I do see myself as SMART in areas where I need to be SMART.


I am really not very INQUISITIVE as in someone that is improperly curious about the affairs of others, but I do try to stay on top of things that I feel are important to me and my life. I do question things I feel the need to question. I am PLAYFUL in my own snotty little sarcastic way.

Hmmmmm.....STUBBORN......uhhhhh, would that mean that everything has to be MY way and that I am ALWAYS RIGHT? Can't help it...MY way IS always the BEST way and I am ALWAYS right. Just ask Irv...he'll tell you.

Am I RELENTLESS in my pursuit to get what I want? If that includes crying and stamping of the feet.....that would be me.

I use to be ALERT....now I just do my best to stay AWAKE!

I am very loving and affectionate.. There are always a lot of hugs, kisses and I Love Yous around here, but like a Bull Terrier....I am not terribly CUDDLY. I certainly was when the kids were growing up, but now CUDDLING makes me claustrophobic! Give me my space!

LOYAL, PROTECTIVE and DEVOTED....absolutely, without a doubt.

As far as NOT LIKING PEOPLE TO BE MAD AT ME....I don't worry much about that. I don't really give people too many reasons to be mad at me. Like I've said before...I am the peacekeeper. I don't like conflict at all. I am the "fixer". I try to make sure that everyone is in their own little happy place all the time.

So....whether you have Facebook or not....what kind of dog do you see yourself as? What are your strongest personality traits?

My New Dirty Little Secret

Okay, so I'm doing really good at giving up my Starbucks....they made a Starbucks run at work yesterday and I declined! It took everything I had, but I did it. I am conquering the addiction...however, I have a new addiction now. I can't believe I am about to say this, but it's

Facebook

Shhhhhhhh.....please don't tell anybody. I'm a little embarrassed, so just add it to my addictions list, right under etsy and my blog!

About 6 months ago my son Matt signed up. He kept bugging me to sign up so that we could play Scrabble. I really don't have time for that kind of silliness, but after a while I thought....what harm could it do? It's just for Scrabble now and then.

Well, I will tell you what harm it can do....I can't stay off of it! I feel like the nosey neighbor lady always wanting to know what everyone is doing! And get this....Matt quit playing Scrabble after our second game, and you want to know why? NO TIME! HA....go figure!

The addiction just reared it's ugly head about a week ago. I was attempting to set up a Facebook business page for FourDogDay and I started reading the little blurbs my "friends" were writing. My friends were just my family members and a couple of people that asked me to be their friend that I didn't even know. I figured they couldn't be too dangerous since they were Facebook friends with my daughter, so I said yes.

Anyway, I set up my business page and then I found myself starting to comment on people's little blurbs. Then I found myself writing some little blurbs of my own. Then people started commenting on my little blurbs. Then I started searching for old friends on Facebook, and I found some! So, more friends meant more little blurbs. Then I posted some pictures which lead to "tagging" which lead to more little blurbs which has lead to my Facebook addiction!!

When I am at work, staring at my computer, I can hear Facebook calling me, "Check me, check me. You won't believe the great little blurbs you are missing Kathy!!!" I will admit to the old "CPC" method....oh, that's "Click....Peek....Close". I can actually "Click....Peek....Close", my blog, MyOtherShop, FourDogDay and Facebook all within about 30 seconds!! Really!

My name is Kathy and I am oh so messed up!