Otter!

One of the neighbors came out for a snack this morning! I quickly grabbed my camera and managed a few snaps before he slipped back into the water. It's not often they show themselves, so this was a rare treat! 

For more about river otters, click HERE!

Facebook Withdrawl

I accepted a challenge a few days ago to stay off of Facebook for a week. My two dear friends left that oh, so social site a couple of weeks ago much to my dismay. I stayed on. 

Why? I had to ask myself why as I listened to the reasons for the departure of my friends. Too much negativity, too much bullying, a platform for people to prove themselves to be smarter or better than others - all true from my own experience, too. Some reasons I stayed include:

- connection with my sister (we still message each other) and a couple of new found friends that I was just beginning to get to know (one I can see every day at work).

- connection with coworkers and people from other spheres in my life of which I am no longer a part.

- a way to see real news about topics that are important to me such as the pipeline issue in North Dakota.

- connection with distant relatives whom I've never met in the Cherokee nation (I rarely read any posts in those groups).

- a way to share my pictures and events in my life with friends (do they really care?).

- sharing articles that I find interesting (very few if any 'like' them).

- entertainment from the posts of 'friends' (cat memes, bunnies, and how awful the two candidates are).

All those sound good on the surface... but really? Really, I wanted others to validate me and feed that desire for drama that I tend to like. Actually, I never feel uplifted or like I really helped anyone. Just the opposite, in fact. I end up feeling like I have to 'like' things people post so they feel like someone cares.  It really is very unsatisfactory and unedifying, unuplifting (that isn't a real word, but it works). The last year or so, it's gotten so charged with this election - very polarized with lots of heated comments. It's not discussion, just people getting angry or judging others for not agreeing with their opinion, sometimes downright rude. Some have shown themselves to be mean and very self-centered. The drama I once 'enjoyed' no longer fills any need or desire (why did it in the first place?). It's just plain sad and discouraging (there was a time when it was fun and uplifting). 

So, here I am three days into withdrawl - yes, I feel the pull to go look. 

How do I spend all that Facebook time now, you ask (I know, you didn't really ask)? So far, writing on this blog for one. Reading, relaxing, meditating. I'm sure I'll find more to fill the time.

I have a feeling this will have a happy ending.  I'll keep you posted (if anyone even reads this! hahaha!).

**Update: For me, life is simpler and more wholesome without Facebook.

A Little Advice

The last few months, I've been poking around on a certain online dating site - meant for older folks like me, you know.  What I've found is extremely interesting from a sociological perspective (and highly entertaining...). There are some genuinely nice guys out there, but, in my opinion, there are lots that just need help. I want to take this opportunity to offer a little advice from a woman's perspective.

First of all, choose your online name wisely.  Do you really want to be known as Lubeman? Or how about hotmrvelvet?  Better yet, hogdancer and luv2cuddlehugkiss.  Really? Can I say that these are not monikers that attract a woman of quality?

Then there's the profile.  What do you want to convey about yourself?  Think about it...  Might I suggest avoiding the use of any of these statements?

~ "I have a high sex drive."

~ "I have sexy hands."

~" I want a woman who listens and takes advice"

~ "I am very sexual" (twice in the same profile)

~ "That one person who would like to do everything with me and not judge me or condemn whenever I may have poor judgement. ( which is rarely I might add)."

~ "fishng time is near the king salmon are going to start to show up"

~ "Most women nowadays are not ready for something serious, they only try to get to use you to satisfy their sexual desires and lustful acts. I am not down for that …"

~ "Someone who loves to cook and also someone who knows what it takes to make her man happy."

~ "A good kisser is a plus."

~ "She doesn't have to be drop-dead knock out,but if she scares small children,I'm not sure she's one I want to meet."

~ "A nice, good looking, kind lady that will make me fall in love her, she must be romantic and make me feel like we could fly to the sky from the magic feeling that love can provide us.!"

~ "Most women consider my best features to be: my smile and my butt."

~ "I can recite pi to 10 decimal places."

~ "I can throw a grape 30 feet into the air and catch it in my mouth."

~ "A woman that is comfortable with who he is.. I'm up-front and like holding hands and cuddling,would like a man with the same."

Again, really?!  Do these guys truly think a woman will be drawn to this kind of thing? (yes, these are for real!)

Now, one last suggestion - grammar, punctuation and complete sentences are important, contrary to the opinion of some - these are from actual profiles, too, amazingly:

“ i am very easly scared off as well weather it is a fwb or a ltr i would like to fall in love and see whare we go thank you i grow banana trees “

"A carrying women looking for love, Looking small a women."

I hope some of you out there will take the advice a very normal woman who, while not seriously looking for a relationship at this point (if ever), represents many, many other normal women out there not attached to a man for very good reasons.