Hippies Over Cell Phones

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Secret Sunday is now a linky!

Please check out the linky info below & join me! :)

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When I saw this Post Secret submission, I knew it was the one I just had to write about!  I catch myself thinking about how differently my mother grew up than I did, and in return, about how differently my son is growing up than I did.  

My six-year old can't comprehend a world without cell phones.  (Mom, what's a phone booth?)  In fact, he can't comprehend a world without smart phones.  Off the top of my head, he is exposed (in some way or another) daily to three smart phones, two laptops, two iPods, an iPad, a Nintendo DS, and a Nintendo Wii.  

Technology is great.  Don't get me wrong, I love it.  But you have to wonder just how big of an impact it's having on your child's life when he asks you if he can bring the DS with him for a car ride to the store.  

I want his passions to be about politics and current events, not a video game.  And when I think of hippies--true hippies--I think of the reasons for their passions and reasons behind their "rebellion" from the norm.  

So, although technology is a blessing in many ways, it can also be a very powerful force in our lives that we need to stay conscious of.  As many other parents probably know, it can be hard to combat the prevalence of electronics in a child's life, but we're trying to do our part.  

In fact, just two weeks ago I announced that one of my resolutions is to designate at least a one our period per day where no one is allowed to use electronics.  This "rule" applies to all of us, not just my son.  I want to make sure we all stay conscious of how much we're plugged in.  

Although I can't bring back the 60s and the 70s for my son (or me for that matter), I can make sure that he realizes that he can survive without electronics, and I know I have to start now.  I have to start now while electronics aren't a "must" but are just something we do to have fun.  So, continue to wish me luck with my resolution!  

Secret Sunday is a series of posts inspired by the weekly submissions to Post Secret.

Click here to visit postsecret.com OR click here to visit other posts by this author in this series.

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Now for the Linky info!

I am a huge fan of www.postsecret.com.  In case you're unaware, Post Secret is a blog that is comprised of anonymous secrets that are mailed to the blog owners address each week in the form of post cards.  New submissions are posted each Sunday.  

I started Secret Sunday four weeks ago, after realizing that I should be writing about how much I'm inspired by the submissions.  There's not a single week that I am not inspired or touched in some way.  On many occasions, I can also relate to some of the submissions on a personal level.  

So, each Sunday I post the secret that stood out to me the most, and I use it as a writing prompt.  Now, you can join me!  

How to Link up:

1. Go to http://www.postsecret.com and check out this week's secrets.  [Optional:  Save the image of the submission you choose to write on, and include it in your post.]
2. Write your amazing blog post.  Please be sure to mention that it's for Secret Sunday.  :)
3. Link up below!
4. Visit the link of someone else to see what he/she wrote about and share some bloggy love!

Share your secret below!

One iPhone App That You Just HAVE to Have

The other night I stumbled across an app that is probably one of the best iPhone apps of all time and best of all, it's free!

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It's called Apps Gone Free.  Basically, the geniuses behind this app list about 5 new apps everyday that have temporarily (usually one day only) made their app free.

I love this app for so many reasons!  This obvious one is that I'm saving 99¢ to $1.99 per download.  But, I also love that it lists free apps for the iPhone and the iPad!  Not to mention that it's a great way to download new apps and not feel guilty when you never use them.

Of course you won't be interested in every app posted on AGF, but in just two days of having it I've downloaded three apps for my son: Fish Fury, Cover Orange, and Doodle Fit.

I purchased Cover Orange and Doodle Fit for the iPad about six months ago and we all love them both, so I know when the time comes to whip out the iPhone to entertain the kid, he'll be excited to see they're on there!

Although I don't let the kiddo make a habit of playing on my iPhone, it's nice to have apps that I know will bide me time when it's needed.  And of course, since this app also lists temporarily free apps for the iPad, maybe we'll discover some new favorites as well.

It's 20 Freakin' 12 Y'all!

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It's 20 freakin' 12 y'all.  That just sounds so futuristic.  I feel like I should be teleporting the cookies I'm craving right now from the fridge directly into my mouth.  But instead, I guess I'll have to get up and get them myself.  LAME!

Honestly I don't even KNOW what all of my New Year Resolutions were last year.  But, if I had to guess I'm sure one of them was to lose weight.  #fail

One awesome thing that DID came into my life in 2011 and stick around to ring in the new year with me was this blog.  I started it in March of 2011 with a post entitled 'I Feel Nakie'.  And, although this blog wasn't part of a New Year's Resolution, as busy and chaotic as 2011 was at times, I'm thankful to be celebrating my one-year bloggy birthday in just two and a half months!

This year, my New Year's Resolutions are pretty normal, which is pretty strange for me.  After all, you're reading the chick's blog whose past resolutions have included things like 'to open all of my chip bags upside' or 'to find a way to work the word echelon into a sentence at every opportunity possible.'

So, back to 2012:

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Not yet, but it could be if I don't get it together....

One of my main focuses will be to make organization a priority.  I'll be *cough* starting my own business this year and running it from home so organization will play a big part in my sanity during all of this.

To help me get organized I'm taking part in the 52 week organizational challenge at Home Storage Solutions 101.  I've already done about 80% of week one (holla).  Did I mention how extremely thankful I am that someone took the time to break household organization into 52 easy steps so that it might actually have a chance of getting done?  Because I am.

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I want to purposefully turn off ALL electronic forms of entertainment for one hour per night on weekdays--not just my electronics--all of them.  Honestly, I'd love to get that number to two hours a night, but I'm planning on starting it with 30 minutes beginning next Monday, after the kiddo has been back in school from the break and we have more of a routine.  (Note--No, electronics are not always on at my home.  That's not what I'm saying.  I'm talking about designating a specific time that they are not allowed so as to facilitate more talking, family time, and togetherness.)

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Another obvious resolution is weight loss.  *yawn*  I love My Fitness Pal and have been using it off and on for quite a while.  I hope to use it a little more religiously throughout the year and to shed some excess poundage.  {Oh, and if you're using MFP email me and I'll give you my SN so we can like, totally be MFPBFFs!}

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What else?  What else?  Oh, I'm also (of course) hoping to knock out some more of my 30 before 30 list.  I also want to live more in the moment (which is very hard for me and I hate that.)

So, yea... 2012's goals are pretty calm but they'll be challenging in many respects.  Above all, so long as my my family, friends, and our health greet me as I welcome in 2013 in a year I can't say I'll have too many complaints about what happens with much else.  It's the little things people.

This post idea came from Mama Kat's Writing Workshop.  Be sure to stop by there for creative inspiration!

How To Create a Facebook Page for your Blog & Import Your Posts

Today I set out to create a Facebook Page for my blog and to import my blog posts onto my Page.  Unfortunately, this was slightly more complicated than initially anticipated.  But, after searching Facebook (and the internet) for a little while I was able to figure it out.

If you're interested in setting up a Facebook Page for your blog and/or having your posts imported never fear!

I'll walk you through it!

How to Set up a Facebook Page for Your Blog

1:  Log out of your personal Facebook Account.  This will take you to the home screen.  Toward the very bottom, right below the green "sign up" button, click Create a Page.

2:  Select Brand or Product.

3:  Select Website and enter your blog name (which will be the name of your page).  Select Get Started.

4:  Then you'll be asked to create a Facebook account.  If you have one already, simply enter your login information.  If not, take a minute to create an account.

You'll then be directed to your new Facebook Page (yay!) where you can upload a picture, enter your basic information, etc.  Your page is now officially set up.  

Importing Your Blog Posts to Your Facebook Page

But now, it's time to add your blog to your page so that when you publish a new blog post, it's automatically updated on your Facebook page.  (This was the part that made me want to pull my hair out.  But now that I know how to do it, it won't be difficult to explain.)

1:  Click Edit Info.  (It's difficult to see, but it's directly under the words "Get Started.")

2:  Now, on the left-hand side of the page, select Apps.  

3:  Under the Notes heading, select Go to App.

4:  Then, on the left-hand side select Edit Import Settings.

5:  Then enter your blog URL.

6:  And confirm, and you're good to go!  Your previous blog posts will begin importing.  And from now on, your posts should automatically be uploaded to your Facebook page!  YAY!!

{Edit on 12.01.11:  It seems that sometimes Facebook is super fast about importing my posts and other times it takes it a bit.  Nevertheless, looking back it does appear that they are all importing on their own.  So, for me at least, the process explained here has been successful and it should be for you as well!}

{Edit on 01.17.12:  For some reason my last few posts have not been automatically importing.  I'm sure this has something to do with the fact that Facebook is--yet again--making changes (rolling out Timeline).  I'll keep paying attention to see if this is a problem that's only temporary.  Hopefully it is.}

Okay, so now is the part where I ask very nicely for you to LIKE My Facebook Page!  Pretty pretty please, with sugar on top?  I'll be your best friend!!  :)