Facebook and Politics

Social media - it's so good for a number of reasons. Keeping up with family and friends, following news of the day, even promotion of a product. I love to blog and I love to follow facebook. Lately though, it's constantly been a source of headache and frustration and hurt (not for me but for others). I could go on and on, but I'll keep it simple. This is what I posted on facebook just now...

So...I've made a decision and we'll see if I can hold to it. I'm not so much frustrated by the multitude of political posts (because the civil ones do help me to learn and I have had a change of heart on some issues), but more by the meanness of not just the posts but also the comments and the arguing. I'm a peace loving person and I hate conflict and what I sometimes see as bullying bothers my heart to no end. I have always believed that the division and lack of respect really weakens our country as a whole and makes us look foolish to other countries. I know I'm saying this in a very simple way, but that's who I am.
I'm probably what you would call an active facebooker. I love keeping up with my far away family and my Laura friends and even my family and friends close by that I don't often see. I like to post snarky status updates and follow what's going on in the world, share some funny stories or old songs and my blog posts (and I will probably still do that). But I'm taking a big step back from facebook till the election is over. I will still check in occasionally (otherwise I would miss terribly the babies of facebook!) and I will still follow what's happening in my Laura-world on those pages, but my regular facebook will get a bit of a break. I'm sure some of you will rejoice in that. :)
My email address is jlwelser@ymail.com. If you really need me, you can find me that way. And I will still blog because I like to keep that simple and happy (for the most part). ♥

What say you? Agree or disagree. But please, I don't want to hear about your political views. :)

*Edited (9/6/12) to add: I ended up deleting this post this morning. It was long and rambling and I felt that it may have been misunderstood. My facebook is mine and yours is yours. If you choose to use yours to talk politics, that's your choice. I don't have to agree with you and I certainly don't hate those whose view I don't agree with. This is what makes this country great. We can hold different views and we can vote for whichever candidate we want. We are Americans and we are free! Yay!
My husband and I have different political views. We still can (and do) talk politics...without arguing. We respect each others' views and don't try to change them. We have often voted for different candidates for president.
The status above was all about the lack of respect, bullying, and just plain mean spiritedness that I've seen. And am tired of seeing. I am not giving up facebook completely, but am stepping way back from my time spent there (which was too much anyhow!).

Ready or not...

I'm coming back. I think.

I've been gone about two months, right? I didn't plan it that way. It just happened.

On our way to LauraPalooza 2010

Sometimes I feel as if I have to be entertaining or informative, but what I had to remember is that I started this blog as a journal of sorts. So, while I'm hoping that my day-to-day life is fun to read or teaches a valuable lesson :), I can't let the pressure to please get to me. Plus, this dang Blogger has been giving me fits. It either tells me that I'm following every blog that I ever followed (even those I long ago stopped following) or none at all. Therefore, I have missed some of your posts. And I miss you.

Here's a little bit of what's been going on:

My daughter and I are leaving for Mankato, Minnesota and LauraPalooza on Monday!  While we had planned to go to De Smet, South Dakota and Walnut Grove, Minnesota (two Laura homesites) and I am terribly sad that we're not, I made the difficult decision to cut those out of the trip. It was the right decision, but that doesn't make it easier. We are stopping in Pepin, Wisconsin on the way home (Laura's birthplace) while heading to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (one of my favorite drives). A few days at Jim's family cabin in northern Michigan will be a relaxing way to finish off our trip. Jim is hoping to meet us up there with Duke and Sosha and I'm really hoping that it happens.

Ice Cream Social - LauraPalooza 2010
Looking forward to seeing friends that I don't otherwise get to see
and missing friends who won't be there...

Although nowhere near where it used to be or should be, business has kept us busy lately. It seems to come in bursts, but no complaints here!

Did you know that by around fall Jim and I will once again be emptynesters? No, of course you didn't! Jamie bought a condo! Her first home. And we are so very excited for her. It's a good time to buy and luckily for her, her dad doesn't mind a little home improvement since the place looks like it stepped right out of the 70s. Jamie's got some great plans though, and the place will be so cute when it's done.

So...what else? It's been incredibly hot here in Michigan, as I'm sure it has been in many other parts of the U.S. It usually doesn't bother me unless there are several days in a row of hotness. And there have been. We're in for a slight cool down though. I'll take 80s.

Jim bought me a little laptop! And I'm taking it on our trip. I might even check in here so look for me.

Be safe, stay cool (if you're in a hot spot), and I'm excited to be back!

Another new beginning

I started a diet today! I honestly have not officially dieted in a very long time. Sure, I'd decided that I needed to make better food choices and take my daily walk, but something would come along and I'd stop paying attention. I haven't always been overweight. I have gained most of my weight in the first 10 or so years after I had my son 20 years ago. Then I seemed to settle in. Sometimes I'd lose a little, but when I gained it back I never went over this certain number. Well, this week I went over that number. Not sure why. I don't feel as if I've been eating more or that I've been less active. I started taking a new medication, but I only have to take it for a few days a month so - who knows. I just feel different lately. Like my weight is really affecting me. I know it has for years. I'm very overweight. But somehow it's just been different lately. I feel so heavy and doing things are just so much more difficult. My weight has never stopped me from doing life's everyday things. I feel like it is now, for the first time ever. It's time... I've said that before and have never stuck with anything. I'm hoping. I'm praying that this time will be different. I need to do this. I want to be healthy. I don't want to feel like people are staring at me and judging me. I don't want to have to worry about fitting. Those turnstiles that you sometimes have to go through to enter an event. I have to go sideways. Sometimes I have to squeeze into restaurant booths. When I have flown I've always worried that the airlines would tell me that I have to buy another seat. I can't find clothes that fit me that I like. I want to be normal. I just want to be normal! So, a while ago a friend asked me if I'd tried Weight Watchers. I had years ago when I had much less weight to lose. Things got busy and I stopped going to meetings. I checked into it a few weeks ago and just haven't worked up enough courage to go to a meeting. Yesterday, I decided to try it online for a while. I know it would be better to go in person and have that support and encouragement, but, I don't know. I want to say that this is so private for me, but here I am blogging about it! But it is. It's something I want to try on my own. If I need to I'll go to a meeting. For now, I figure this is better than doing nothing. I want to stick with it this time. I really do. I'm worried that I won't though. I know that there are triggers that cause me to eat. I really think mostly it's boredom. If I'm busy I don't think about it. If I'm working at my desk or doing housework I'll snack. Jim and I go out to eat a lot. I need to make better choices either way. Ha, maybe I'll blog whenever I get the urge to snack. There may be many, many blogs from now on, if I do that! It's time. It's really time. I've starting doing different things lately. Things that I've always wanted to do, but haven't taken the time. Jim and I decided that we wanted to do more things. Go to museums, concerts, local events, even travel a little by ourselves. I want to not have to worry about my weight stopping me and, most of all, I want to be here to do those things. I have allowed myself to be happy for the past few months. Losing the weight is just a piece in the puzzle. My happiness puzzle...