Social Networking - It Can Be Good

Hilarious, isn't it? That I, of all people, would come here and talk about social networking... I'm sure you're having a laugh over it. But recently I heard someone say something about the general population of Facebookers and I've spent a few days brooding over it so I decided I would get it out of my system by blogging about it.

"What on earth could someone have said that you spent days brooding on it?" you ask me...?

Well, I had just sat down on my break at work, pulled out my phone to write an email, when a man who works maintenance at my employment walked by and said, "Oh, she's going on Facebook now!"

Instantly I felt defensive, like I ought to correct him. You know the feeling when someone accuses you of doing something you’re not actually doing? And you can’t help yourself, and words tumble out of your mouth before your brain filter kicks in, and suddenly you’re saying, “No I’m not,” and you sound guilty but really you weren’t doing the thing you’ve been accused of? Yeah, that happened…

So I quickly tacked on the line, “I’m writing an email,” and I showed him my phone as proof.

Then he said, “Oh, well, it seems like every time I see someone with their phone, they’re on Facebook. And I always just want to tell them, ‘Get a life!’”

Well, Mr. Maintenance guy who I don’t know the name of… The world is full of technology now, you see? We’re not living in the age of dinosaurs waiting for a meteor strike to wipe us out. We’re in the age of the geek waiting for a massive electromagnetic pulse to wipe us out (and when it does, we won’t know how to function and stamp prices are going to rise astronomically so stock up on Forever stamps while you can…).

And within the age of the geek is a factor that you, Mr. Maintenance, must be made aware of. Facebook isn’t just about checking dating statuses and making sure your girlfriend isn’t posting pictures of her with some other person she may or may not be having an affair with. No, we’ve come to a cross-roads where social networking is being used for - gasp! - networking!OMG.

People all over the place log in to Facebook and they’re not posting pictures of themselves on nude beaches. They’re using it respectably to create accounts for businesses, or professional profiles to help boost their visibility in a world that’s starting to forget about newspapers. Famous artists like Josh Groban, singer and songwriter, with more than two million followers to artists like Cris Ortega, a Spanish artist, writer, and designer with a more modest following of more than twelve thousand use Facebook to connect with their fans. And while I say twelve-thousand is modest, it certainly isn’t easy to achieve such a number! You have to work hard to get your name out there.

What, did you think that people simply used Facebook to post nude pictures of themselves on a beach in the Caymans, living the luxury of an ultra secret bank account full of stolen money scammed from your Nana? Sheesh, apparently you know all our tricks. We’re going to have to work a little harder at this stuff, aren’t we? I’m kidding. I joke. Poorly, but I try…

Facebook, twitter, even YouTube are all being used to run businesses and gain attraction now. Business owners like those in downtown Ripon, Wisconsin (population less than 10,000) are able to connect with their customers and give them news updates (New dresses in stock - here, have a coupon! And by the way, come for the dress, stay for the tea!). In the ever changing business world, where small businesses continue to get smaller while big box grows more dominating, local business owners need to take any advantage they can get to be noticed.

Josh Groban began his singing career long before Facebook first launched, and now he has millions of followers because he changed with the times. He wasn’t too stubborn to accept that there could be other ways to get his name out there. Now he has sold more than 22 million cds. Can that be attributed to Facebook? Not entirely, but by keeping in contact with his audience, he generates a renewed interest in himself, which fans love.

Facebook, twitter, Youtube, and all other social networking sites play a role in the modern lifestyle by connecting people with similar minds. Writers and readers can connect through wattpad to share or read various different types of writing. GamerDNA and Gaia Online are popular online communities that connect (can you guess it?) gamers. Hr.com is a networking site for professionals in human resources, LinkedIn is for business and professional people, and LibraryThing is for us strange people who like books more than TV (I can’t imagine why, though…).

There are an unbelievable amount of social networking sites out there. Some are just plain obsolete now (I had a myspace account once, but the site was so uncool I forgot about it the same day I made the account). The trick with these sites is finding the one (or many ones) that suit your needs best. If you want to have a profile for your artistic side to be judged by fellow members of an artistic community, then taltopia is the place for you to go and do your thing. If you want to share projects and ideas on knitting and crocheting then head on over to Ravelry where you can knit up a storm without having to leave the house.

Without Youtube, artists like The Piano Guys would have taken a lot longer to be quite so noticed. Without Youtube, the little shows like The Lizzie Bennet Diaries would have had a harder time being noticed. Or, you know, maybe I’m wrong on both counts… Maybe a site like Youtube could disappear and these people would still have reached enormous popularity.

The internet has allowed ideas to form and grow roots. Has the internet (and social networking) ever been taken too far? Yes. Of course it has. People like dirty stuff, and the internet makes it easy for them to google it. People like to post pictures of themselves on nude beaches having affairs with the pool boy and then they wonder why they’re going through a divorce. Well - maybe next time you won’t go cheating on your wife with a guy who wears stripper shorts. (Not all pool boys want to dress like that, so please don't attempt to get yours to do it too.)

But good things have formed too. For me, one good thing to form was the Suikoden Revival Movement (an old game series for the PlayStation which the movement is aiming to revive). Facebook connects me with the people who made the writing software Scrivener (which I am proud to say I’m using to write this blog post… in a blank sheet directly in my Scrivener trash can - go ahead, laugh hysterically… I should probably not blog in my novel project but I was lazy!) so that I can see what other users are doing with the software and get hints and tips at how to use it. By the way, the Suikoden Revival Movement AND Scrivener are both worth your time, so you should probably stop reading this and go to them now.

If you haven’t left, let me try to get myself back on track. I should call this blog “Written to Rant” instead. My point is that just because a few, a bunch, or a lot of people use Facebook to replace a social life (I probably do), there are also people who use Facebook to enhance their life. So you have two or fifteen minutes to take break from work and you go on Facebook? Does that mean you don’t have a life? No, it means you’re probably bored and short on time and you didn’t have time to do much else. Could you have continued working, or perhaps organized the screws at your work station for optimal usage? Maybe. But if break time is for relaxing and relaxing is done best if you’re away from work… then it seems to me that it would make sense if you slipped for a moment or ten into something else.

Of course, sensibility hasn’t always been my strong suit…

You probably needed to see that picture of Johnny popping a pimple.

Probably.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this article! Let me know what you think in the comments below! Here’s a few things to get you started, but of course say anything you want.

Do you agree with what was said in the article?

How have social networks helped you connect?

Do you disagree with what was said in the article?

Did I miss anything in regards to this?

4 Decent Lotions To Use For Dry Skin

There are a lot of good things about winter... Most of them can be found in warmer climates. Lovely temperatures on the beach, no frozen polar plunge challenges, and best of all no white-out blizzards to hide stupid drivers going over the speed limit on the wrong side of the road.

Wisconsin winters can be pretty harsh. The frozen temperatures and dry air can create an exceptionally annoying amount of static that makes you afraid to pet your cat or turn off the lamp in your bedroom. Hidden below those minor annoyances is something far worse that affects people with sensitive skin (and can be dangerous for those with fragrance allergies).

I'm talking about dry skin. It hurts. It's itchy. It can flake unattractively especially around the nose when you have to blow your nose eight billion times an hour. If you have a skin condition such as eczema (which is a fancy way of saying you have chronic dry skin or your body doesn't produce enough oils naturally - but don't worry, eczema is not contagious) it becomes harder to care for. Everyone likes staying out of the hospital for silly reasons like, "I scratched so much that my damaged skin became infected with ew."

Not that anyone really wants to go to the hospital... But that's why skin care is important, and why it's really nice to have options! But when you go to a store, there are always so many lotion options to choose from and you don't always want to pick the cheapest, nicest smelling bottle you can afford. Maybe some people can buy their lotions like that, but I can't because I have eczema and a skin allergy to most fragrances. This means that I've had to try tons of lotions and if they don't work, I pass them to someone else (and they usually wonder what's wrong with the lotion that I'm giving it to them). With dry skin, my allergic reaction to fragrance is worse.

So, through trial and error, I've come up with a list of four lotions that I've found to work for me. I hope this list will make it a little less intimidating for you when you enter the lotion aisle at the store.

1. Eucerin Eczema Relief body creme
   - this lotion has oatmeal, ceramide-3, and licochalcone. I can't say I know what those second and third items are, but when the back of my hands were itchy and and dry, I put this stuff on and it has an effect similar to putting on cortisone cream. It relieves the itch, adds moisture to your skin, but doesn't last long before you find yourself needing to apply it again after an hour or so. Regardless of how many times you might need to reapply it, it is fragrance, dye, and steroid free. Those of us with allergies have a reason to thank Eucerin for this lotion. I know I find it very frustrating when I go to put on lotion for a bit of relief and less than a minute later my skin is all red and feels like it is on fire.
   -This lotion can feel sticky on the surface of the skin for a while, but you get that with most of the eczema cremes that I've tried. The scent of this lotion can be described as clinical.
   -Note that while this is a body creme labeled specifically for eczema, you should still see a doctor if you have a skin problem because you might require a medicated creme.
2. St. Ives Naturally Soothing Body Lotion, Oatmeal and Shea Butter
   - This lotion is hypoallergenic and designed for dry and itchy skin. It does have fragrance in it, but I found that this lotion works for me as long as I keep up with my skin care. I can typically use this in the summer time when my body manages to produce more oil on my skin and my skin is less sensitive to fragrances.
   - This lotion goes on smoothly and absorbs quickly which is one thing I like about it. It smells nice which is always a plus.
   - For those who prefer to support U.S. made products, this lotion is made in the U.S.A. and the bottle is made of 20% recycled material. 
3. Udder Butter
   - I know what you're thinking... "Udder Butter? What the heck..." But if it's good enough for cow nipples, why not try it out? I used it for a very long time and at first I had the same hesitations, but it was developed originally to keep cow nipples from becoming cracked, irritated, and infected from frequent milking. People all over the world now use it for dry skin. It can come with fragrance or unscented (unscented is a little more expensive).
   - This lotion goes on smoothly, but has a moderate drying time. It won't discolor your skin or be overly greasy or sticky.
   - Guess what, U.S.A. supporters (and cows)? This lotion is made in the U.S.A.! So if you've got U.S.A. nipples that believe in supporting American products, and you aren't silly enough to fall into the mind-trap that believes animal products and human products must remain separate, then this is the lotion for you. (And once you try it, you will be satisfied, even if you don't like advertising the name.)
4. Hand-made lotion by (YOU)
   - All natural, 100% made in the (insert your country)
   - This lotion requires very minimal effort on your part, but clean up from the project can be tedious.
   
   • 1 part* cocoa butter**
   • 1 part shea butter**
   • 1 drop Vitamin E oil (add more vitamin E if you are making more than 6 ounces but don't add too many drops because too much will prevent the butters from solidifying)
     
     * a part refers to a ratio. So if a recipe calls for 2 parts total and you use 1 ounce of butter, then your next part would be 1 ounce.
     **can be replaced with mango butter, avocado butter, coffee butter, or any kind of lotion making butter (these butters are not the same as the kind you put on toast)
     
     Use a double boiler to melt your parts of butters until they are fully liquid. Add your vitamin E and stir it up. The Vitamin E adds a nice scent to compliment the butter smells, and also adds additional moisturizing power. Once stirred in, pour the mixture into molds of your choice and let it cool and harden into soap-bar like bricks. Pop the bricks out of the molds and store in air-tight baggies when not in use. Give extras to friends and family, or sell them if your jurisdiction allows it.
     
     To use, hold bar in hand and let your body heat melt it as you rub on your skin. 
   • For purchasing lotion making supplies, visit your local crafting store or visit websites like Bramble Berry.
   -Note, this lotion will be greasy but will absorb into your skin and leave your skin feeling younger and healthier.

As a last note, please remember that all lotions work better when put on damp skin. The best time of the day to use lotion is after you shower or after you've washed your hands. If your hands or skin in general are really suffering, double-check your soap. It is possible that your soap is part of the problem.

Do you agree with this? How about disagree? Did you find something here interesting? Have you found different lotion that works? Why not tell me about it in the comments! I'd love to hear different viewpoints.

If Game Antagonists Became Disney Protagonists...

I know what you're thinking... "What the hell is she on about now?" Well, let's just say that I've over-done the caffeine thing today to the point where the only possible next step up would have been getting the caffeine through an IV drip. And I'm tired. And I had lots of caffeine, got up too early, and didn't sleep well. It's all around a very bad combination... So... without further ado, here's a fun little list of game villains who would star splendidly as Disney heroes/heroines... 
 In no particular order...

1. Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII starring as ... BAMBI. His favorite line would be, "MOTHER... MOTHER!! MOTHER!!" Sephiroth has mommy issues... But then again, don't we all?
2. Luca Blight from Suikoden II starring as Aladdin. His favorite song would be:

   "I can show you the world...
   Bloody, Burning, and Dying...
   Tell me Jowy now when did you last slice some~one in half...?
   I can kill an ar~my...
   Take a village and crush it.
   Torch it, Trample it, Smash it
   all while collecting arrows like a cushion"

   Oh, and his favorite part of the song would definitely be the chorus...
   

   "A destroyed world...
   A hundred thousand people dead...
   If anyone tells me no
   They're bound to go
   To a world where there's no dreaming..."

3.  Lord Burroughs from Clocktower 3 starring as Ariel from The Little Mermaid... His favorite line (after killing 115 people, being sentenced to more than 2,200 years prison, and becoming an evil spirit that can possess bodies and make giant towers grow from the ground) would be, "Wish I could be... part of your world!" 
4. Bowser from various Mario games starring as Peter Pan... Habitual kidnappers unite! Perhaps our dear friend Bowser needs help... But you know what? He can fly, he can fly, he can fly, he can fly (in a flying boat...?) I'm still not sure how he manages to stay alive after he gets dropped into a pit of lava. Bring on the plot armor!
5. PLAYER/CREATOR from any of The Sims games... You, yes you... starring as Beast from Beauty and the Beast.  It's your way or the highway... or rather, it's your way, or you'll take away the doors and the swimming pool ladders and torture the heck out of your little painstakingly crafted simulated human, who you spent more time designing the initial appearance and naming than you spent playing in a week.
6. Hero from any Harvest Moon game starring as Mulan ... The game is all about getting a job, maintaining a job, maintaining a social life, and suffering consequences if you miss a day or stay up too late. Guess that means we might make a man out of you! I dare you to see what happens if you use your scythe too close to the cow.

What do you think of this list? 
Would you change anything? 
Do you agree with anything? 
Do you have any alternative villain-as-Disney-star suggestions? 
Let me know in the comments below! :)