Ah, the Passing of Time...

Why can't the Facebook Mini-Feed be more PRIVATE??? BIG BROTHER is watching us and we're allowing him...

I'm still at Grandma's as I type this and I'm using dial-up and can't be too long.

Anyway, I'm just wondering why can't the FB mini-feed be more PRIVATE. I've had the ability to look at my own profile from another's point-of-view and have seen how much stuff I do is on the mini-feed EVEN when I take things off my wall. Also, I've seen my live feed...and it details everything...again, when I might "erase" what I've done. Not that I'm doing anything illegal or whatever. (For example, if I change my profile picture five times within five minutes, the live feed says that I've done so. I can erase it from my wall, but not from the feed.)

This really is becoming a concern for me and it seems as though BIG BROTHER (Orwell's 1984 type) is really coming into play now...and we've allowed it to occur through our FB profiles, cell phones, text messaging (which I do NOT do), online activity, etc. Does any of this concern you? I've been online for ten years now and FB is wonderful and great, but the feeds are beginning to concern me. I guess that regular email and even blogs might be safer than Facebook. (Yes, I know that I'm guilty. Just see how many photo uploads, etc. I've done within the past few months, etc.)

FB does have the feature of having certain things not being posted on the wall and mini-feed...but NOT everything. I do want to be able to share things, but NOT everything. Contrary to belief, I do not share everything....and I'm glad I don't. But, I'm alive and do have things to offer...at least, I hope I do in order to make this world a better place. Many of you do too and have been blessings to me. Thank you.

Well, I need to go now. Time to get ready to go back home so I can be at my job at 3:30 PM. I guess that's a good thing about the second shift. I at least got a chance to stay over at Grandma's last night.

I'm at Grandma's!!!

I'm at my Grandma Thelma's as I type this. I'm staying the night with her and it wasn't planned. As I probably mentioned in a note last week, one of her brothers (the youngest one) had a stroke and he's been moved toward the coast now. After going to church today (Sunday), I decided to make the trip there to see him and have Grandma go with me. I'm glad I did. Anyway, I'm tired and need to go to bed. Bye for now. (It's also good to see Grandma again. Haven't seen her since Christmas.)

The Day of my Actual Birthday - 2009 Style!

Well, another birthday has already come and gone. As for the actual day (February 19th), I woke up about 1 PM due to my work schedule which has caused my sleep schedule to be OFF. I went into to my job at 3:30 PM and stayed there literally with only ONE other person (practically alone, though!) from 8 PM until 1 AM.

So, I really didn't have as much fun and fellowship as I would like to have had. I can't do anything this evening (Friday the 20th) due to my work schedule and I have conflicts this weekend. Then I have to work every evening (as usual) next week. That only leaves me Saturday evening, February 28th when I'm hosting a private party for myself with a few friends. I hope my friends don't stand me up. I really wouldn't like that! I might then do some "unfriending" myself. (Just kidding.) :-)

I also had TWO people unfriend me on my birthday. I do know both of them are....and I have blocked one of them! (This person is still on FB...and I can tell that they did remove me. Can you say nerve? LOL! They probably were just culling their list.) As for the second person, they actually wished me a Happy Birthday...and they might've just disabled their account after the greeting. I can't find them anywhere. Oh well. I usually would be upset about it. (I'm smiling.) :-) (I know I am blessed just by reading what has been posted on my wall. I'm getting better at handling things.)

This is the "second" birthday I've "celebrated" on Facebook and I can say that Facebook birthdays are rather unique. Thanks for helping me have a great day even though I may not have a chance to literally spend it the way I want to in the physical presence of people. But, I will say that I feel better about this birthday than I did last birthday. May all of you have a good day as well.

PS - I did receive a gift card to the Cracker Barrel and did eat there on my birthday BY MYSELF (as usual). Oh well. I can't wait until the 28th!!! Life is good.

Might be taking a break from FB & disable my account for a while?

This needs to be a very short note since it's very late as I type this and I really need to be in the bed asleep so I can have enough energy and stamina to work and do all of that other crazy stuff life throws at you.

Anyway, I've been on Facebook since February 5th, 2008 and I'm very tempted to disable my account for a while. I've been unfriended a few times recently and it might be because I've been cramming too much stuff in the mini-feed of some of my friends. What friends they are??? Don't know. If I could separate the mini-feed from my profile, I would!!! Duh. (For example, this note might find its way into one of your mini-feeds even though I don't want it to.)

Maybe I've been posting too many pictures??? If people KNOW me as they do, then they know I do love photography even though at times the photography can be rather "whatever" to me too. (Does that sound cruel and harsh? I hope not. I'm just trying to sort more things out and not lose any more friends and sanity in my life cause I really do need it.) Better be glad that I don't have my status updates talking about LOST or 24. :-)

There are also certain FB features and other things on FB which I've found to be annoying...and no, I'll not share what they are. I will say that maybe a break from FB will be a good thing. I'm not sure when or how soon, but it might be within the near future. However, if I do disable my account, then it might appear that I myself have "unfriended" my friends...whom I would much rather refer to as followers because if I call them friends and they're not my friends anymore, should I freak out and even send emails to them asking them to remove my email address from their lists, etc.??? (Oops...getting off on a tangent.)

I guess that I just have to see what happens. It's a paradox of how I thought FB would make me feel closer to people and keep in contact with them better (which has been true) while at times I've been feeling distant. Fortunately, I've been readjusting my thoughts within the past few days...and I do feel better.

Oh, if I do go, I'll be back...I hope.

Peace!

[SANSDADDY] 2008 Christmas Holiday Greetings - SHORT!!!

I just wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of Holidays as well as a great start to 2009!!!

It's hard to believe that it's THAT time of year again...and I'm breaking a tradition of mine and NOT sending out a long email (post on the blog/notes) since some of you are on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and can read up on what's happening in my life there. (Same goes for the blog. I've also been in contact with practically all of you this past year too in some form.)

There also have been other "broken" traditions...such as me NOT driving my Dad's 1969 Scout on Christmas Eve. The Scout is in need of some repair to the exhaust system and the tires are getting shot. Oh well. I'll not share what more traditions have been broken out of respect to other people's privacy. But, change can be good, right???

Fortunately, one tradition will hold true and it's me spending time with my Grandma Thelma (Mom's mom) who's 93, still going strong, living in her own house, and doing as well as she can at her age. (I know she'll be cooking something as she always has.) It's good to be able to spend another Christmas with her because I know that these Christmases will be fewer as time passes.

Anyway, take care of yourselves, enjoy fellowship with family & friends, and be safe if any of you are traveling!

The 2008 Lake Myra Christmas Lights on Sunday, December 7th...

Ah...another chance and another VERY cold Sunday evening to see the lights at Lake Myra (http://www.lakemyrachristmas.com/) in Wendell, NC. I did take some pictures and if you care to view more of them, below is the link...

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http://public.fotki.com/rettaman/miscellaneous/2008_lake_myra_christmas/

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Again, still photography does NOT do this computerized (by one computer!) light display justice. Video would be an asset for showing these lights.

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Fortunately, this year my "new" Canon PowerShot G9 camera does have a video feature...and I did use it. However, the G9 is not as equipped as my Canon Digital Rebel XTi is to take non-flash night pictures such as this. The G9 does result in more of a grainy quality even with the high ISO, etc. But, the G9 still is a good camera. (Maybe I might go back before the season is over and use my XTi to take some pics???)

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Anyway, this year's computerized light show really was great. I stood outside in 30-degree temps for an hour and when my fingers were getting too frozen to hold the camera, I then got in my Jeep Liberty and turned on the heat full blast and the radio to 100.1 FM (Lake Myra Christmas' own station) and looked at the lights for thirty minutes. :-)

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Oh, as for the short video clips I took, I might upload them to my YOUTUBE account (username: rettaman)...maybe??? I'm not quite as adept at doing video as I am doing photography.

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I did take some pictures last year on Sunday, December 16th of Lake Myra Christmas (again a very cold evening)...and below is the link for those pictures.

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http://public.fotki.com/rettaman/miscellaneous/2007_lake_myra_christmas/

THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN WITH MY CANON DIGITAL REBEL XTi.

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Well, I need to close this post for now. I also just realized that it is just a little over TWO WEEKS until Christmas!!! Wow!!!