Saturday, February 21, 2009

Goodbye, Facebook (kind of)


It's official: I'm over Facebook. I still think it's a great time-waster and reunion place for people I've lost touch with since elementary school. But I no longer feel compelled to update my status or check FB compulsively.

I read this great blog post about why this woman left Facebook and found myself laughing at how funny and yet true it all was.

Several people I know, including my hubby, have voiced their privacy concerns about social networking sites like Facebook. Seriously, I think the idea of Internet "privacy" is overrated! I have no problem putting my information "out there" in exchange for the privilege of shopping, doing research and generally being entertained by various websites and blogs online. I'm not a famous person and likely won't be, so I doubt there is a whole lot of interest in my personal information anyway. So I'm not shying away because of privacy issues.

My real reason for taking a break from Facebook is just because I'm kind of bored with it and would like to meet people in person for a change! Or maybe just through other venues besides FB. Time spent online in general is time sucked into a huge vacuum and I can't ever get it back. Time that possibly could be spent on other things. Like hanging out with my husband and kids (who are not on FB), enjoying the all-too-short spring Texas weather, planning my upcoming vacation, etc. I'm sure I'll fill up that time with something!

I'll be checking my account now and then because now that I've reconnected with so many people I had missed for so many years, I still want to stay in touch. I've really enjoyed meeting for lunch with my found-on-Facebook friend from high school, for example. And catching up on another found-on-Facebook friend's awesome foodie blog. Facebook began as a really strange thing for me because I had to lie and say I was a college student in order to get an account a few years ago, and then everyone and their dog showed up and it got really fun, for a while, but now it's time to move on. I may have to sneak back in too for a round of Scramble or such; I think I might miss those games most of all!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A Rotic Invitation

Happy Valentine's Day, 3 days late! I never thought I'd say this, but I am heartily sick of chocolate, candy, cookies, and other sweets from this past holiday. Ugh.

Last Thursday I picked up a flyer at Nordstrom's shoe department, where I treated myself to some cute pre-spring shoes in honor of Valentine's day (yes, any excuse will do). The flyer was an invitation to a shopping event at Nordstrom on Valentine's Day:

Join us for a "Rotic" Evening
What's Rotic?
It's Romantic without the man!! Do you have plans? If not join the gals for a night of shopping!! Enjoy treats & a movie while shopping the latest trends!!

At first glance, I thought I was reading the word "erotic"! But instead "Romantic without the man"! I love it! As it turns out, I've had a standing "date" on Valentine's Day now for over 17 years, but if I didn't, I would have been at the Rotic event in a heartbeat. A shopping party! Seriously, who needs a man when there's shopping to be done?!

Valentine's Day is a fun holiday for kids--valentines and treats for everyone, no one gets their feelings hurt anymore. But no so for grown-ups, especially those who are still looking for their one and onlies. I'd be lying if I said I'd never been disappointed on a Valentine's Day. But then again, it's just a day.

In fact, I may be the first one in line at the next Rotic Valentine event.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

25 Things: Redux

Yes, they're everywhere! The 25 random things about me/you/your dog that no one wants to read anymore on Facebook and everywhere else! haha But just for those of my pals who aren't on FB, here you go:
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

1. Between Kinder and 12th grade, I attended 7 different schools. And no, my father was not in the military. He just loved to move around.

2. I like eating sour cream just by itself.

3. I absolutely love to read. In 9th grade, my English teacher said something like “A person cannot consider himself well-read if he doesn’t read at least 2 books every month.” With the exception of college, when I had to read too much for all of my classes, I have consciously tried to meet and exceed her standard for the past 23 years.

4. I have 3 college degrees, all from the University of Texas at Austin. None have been particularly useful in my daily life, but I loved being a college student.

5. People who walk around with very expensive designer purses/shoes/whatever but complain to me that they can’t pay their mortgage/car/utility bills annoy me. I don’t feel sorry for them at all. I thank my parents for instilling in me a healthy sense of establishing priorities.

6. I have been a cake decorating/sugar art instructor since 1998, with a little time off in between to have some kids.

7. I was excessively shy growing up, compounded no doubt by constantly being the “new girl” at different schools, and finally found my own voice in college.

8. I have a mild fear of flying now that only developed when I was pregnant with my first child and has not gone away. Prior to that, I would hop on an airplane going anywhere like it was a city bus.

9. I discovered when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child that I love to scrapbook! My child’s earliest memories from the womb are probably of me frantically scrapbooking until 3 a.m. for the entire third trimester. I’ve also taught scrapbooking classes for Michaels.

10. I think the Internet is the greatest invention ever in my lifetime.

11. For a long time I used to love to collect random little “things” for various reasons. Over the years I’ve grown to dislike “things” around me and have to restrain myself from taking beloved “things” away from my kids. Seeing 40+ years worth of collected “things” all over (taking over) my in-laws’ house has cured me of “collecting” forever!

12. I have lived in 4 cities/towns in Texas plus Chicago and Seattle in my lifetime.

13. I wanted to have 2 girls, and God blessed me with 2 girls. I just didn’t know that they would be extremely different from one another!

14. I love to give things away, to friends and total strangers who can really use them. I also love to give birthday gifts and treats at different holidays. I get this from both of my parents, who would gladly give you the clothes off their back if you asked. I don’t care as much about receiving gifts and encourage my kids to “be a giver” by having no-gifts-please birthday parties each year. And seriously, they don’t care/haven’t noticed the difference! Other people think we are totally nuts, however.

15. I wish I could sing better. I love karaoke, and have a typical Asian karaoke setup that we almost never use.

16. I have been a Girl Scout Leader, on and off, since 2000, before I even had daughters of my own.

17. I am an INFJ.

18. I have known my husband since we were 16 years old, over half my lifetime. We’ve been married almost 11 years after dating/living together for 7 years. We complement each other because he likes to look at the big picture, whereas I am all about the tiny little details of life.

19. Motherhood is absolutely the hardest job I’ve ever had. I simultaneously love and despise it daily.

20. I was a Financial Aid Officer many years ago which pretty much made me immune to (crocodile) tears on students’ faces. They cried all the live long day.

21. I have not cleaned a bathtub or shower in my house since 2000 when my husband decided the fumes were bad for baby in utero, said he would do it himself, and hasn’t stopped since. I love this man.

22. I am an exercise hater. I only do it so I can fit into my clothes. I hear people say that exercise gives them so much energy, but it just makes me want to take a very long nap afterwards.

23. I would love to live in another country, not forever, but just a little while, with my family.

24. I recently learned that I’m part of the new “Gig Economy.” Some “gigs” from the past 9 years: custom cake designer, stationery/gifts Internet retailer, teaching classes in the evenings and weekends in different cities, supervisor/reader for an educational testing company from my laptop. All stuff that looks really odd on a resume.

25. I love to make lists.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Kitty Kouture

If you've read my family blog, you might have guessed already that I heart Hello Kitty. Last month I was in the MAC store at the mall, and the salesperson mentioned that a new Hello Kitty line would be out at the beginning of February.

I had forgotten all about it until the other day, and rushed online to check it out, but they don't go on sale until next week. But I did get a sneak peek of the new line, and it's all soooooooo damn cute:


Photos from Temptalia.com

I think I'm going to want everything in this line. They even have non-cosmetic accesories, like a key clip and a bracelet too! Good think my birthday is just around the corner . . .

Monday, February 02, 2009

Just One Word


Cool time-waster lifted from my friend Shannon's FB page.

USING ONLY ONE WORD! It's not as easy as you might think! Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Be sure to tag the person you received it from!

1. Where is your cell phone? car

2. Your significant other? dylan

3. Your hair? ok

4. Your mother? active

5. Your father? working

6. Your favorite thing? reading

7. Your dream last night? none

8. Your favorite drink? coke

9. Your dream/goal? happiness

10. What room are you in? office

11. Your hobby? scrapbooks

12. Your fear? regret

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? austin

14. Where were you last night? home

16. Muffins? chocolate

17. Wish list item? time

18. Where you grew up? texas

19. Last thing you did? drove

20. What are you wearing? sweatshirt

21. Your TV? digital

22. Your pets? none

23. Friends? wonderful

24. Your life? good

25. Your mood? mellow

26. Missing some one? nancy

27. Car? volkswagen

28. Something you're not wearing? bra

29. Your favorite store? nordstrom

30. Your favorite color? pink

33. When is the last time you laughed? today

34. Last time you cried? thurs

35. Who will resend this? few

36. One place that I go to over and over? costco

37. One person who emails me regularly? dallas

38. My favorite place to eat? chinese

39. Why you participated in this survey? interested

40. What are you doing tonight? teaching