Facebook lives.

On CBS this morning, they profiled a study that showed people became depressed and dissatisfied with their own lives when comparing them to the their friends' lives on Facebook. Their study showed that users overestimated the happiness and satisfactions of their friend's on Facebook by a very large percentage. Of course, most people don't post horrible or depressing things on Facebook. And I admit, sometimes, my life looks a little small compared to that of a few old high school friends who seem to be all over the world all of the time. But it appears that Facebook has taken , "Keeping up with the Jones" viral. Vacation Pictures, party pictures, concerts, ect. It could make you feel cheated. But if you were friends with real friends, wouldn't you know all of this stuff about their lives anyway?

There is a country song I have heard with a refrain "I am so much cooler online" The song is about a socially awkward guy living with his Mother, who had a dead end job. But on line, he chats as someone who is rich and handsome and successful.

I wonder what the demographic of the study was? Who is more honest on Facebook? Guys or Gals.... Teen or Adults?
I don't know, but I will try not to make any of my friends eat their hearts out when they read my posts. Well, at least not the ones who know me.

It is nice to be needed.

Clay is sick. He has missed two days of school and has been lying around and coughing his little head off. Other than Sunday, I have been at work. I make sure to set his medicine out before I leave and to place sticky notes telling him what times he can have a dose. I call and text throughout the day to check in. I leave lunch options out on the counter. (I should mention Todd is working from home and is in the basement) Before bed, I make sure that his vaporizer is all set, he has tissues and water. Clay loves the attention. And as soon as I am home, he is ready to ask for jello, grits, sprite or whatever else I can bring to him. Of course, I love it. I remember teasing my Mother as she broke up the Frosted Wheat for my brother into the cereal bowl when he was home from college! My brother was not protesting.

We all need a little attention and nursing from time to time. We all need to be the caregiver. We all need to let someone care for us too. And we should be grateful for the people we get to care for and who fuss over us. I am not sure what would be worse. To have no one to care for me when I was down....or to have no one to care for.

So use this cold and flu season to spread a little love and collect some too.

Another New Year flying by.

I haven't even had time to make New Year's resolutions. How is it January 19th? My calendar is getting so full. It will be spring break before we know. I have a new lens for the camera, my account set up on Flickr, my blog of course, plus a new autobiography by Mark Twain. Of course, I do need to finish putting up the Christmas boxes, clear the garage storage room, clean my closet, go back to eating healthy and exercising, get dentist appointments, ect ect.

But I still want to fill my weeks with a little creative fun that is unrelated to my work and separate from all of my family fun. My Dad keeps telling me Frank Lloyd Wright did his most famous buildings very late in life. Matisse felt he was just starting to understand how to paint near his death. That may be true, but they were both painting and designing long before. So he actually just makes me feel more behind. Stephanie keeps telling me I dont "need" to do anything. (Maybe I should act like a teen some days)

In 2010, I got in many more concerts and shows than years before. this year, I just need to watch a little less and create a little more. You guys just remind me before I volunteer for something else.