Im a 2013 Disney Social Media Mom!

I have a princess.

Since she was tiny she’s longed for her tomboy mama to be more…princess’y too.

LONGED.

She’s a seven year old who still adores all things Disney and pink.

Her smittenessment (technical term) began when she was a toddler:

And we humored her:

Even when we werent really feeling it (YES. I am in the role of the witch…):

Not surprisingly, she also loves all things PRINCES.  If by PRINCES you mean her DADDY–which we do:

I let her borrow him–although really he’s MY prince:

And, while Im not princessSMITTEN, I LOVE me a tutu or twotwo.

A lot.

All of these PINKrambles as lead up to say how sad we’ve been the Tornado hath never seen DISNEY.  

World or Land.

And yet that’s still only reason number 349 Im honored & EXCITED to be selected as a 2013 Disney Social Media Mom.

She’s finally getting to go (shhhh! as she has no idea yet) & Im getting *personal* with Rene Syler about it over at Good Enough Mother.

Join me?

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My social media love story.

Filled with love.

We’ve chatted about how EXHAUSTING and depleting social media can be.

We text, email, phone-chat, face book discuss and tweet about how it is simply impossible to have it all and how we’re all a weetad WIPED from the attempt.

Today, however, we’re getting all kinds of thankful for Thanksgiving & focusing on the *social* side of social media.

Ive been truly engaged online for only a handful of years.  Maybe seven?  And in that short time Ive fallen in love.

Completely, wholly, utterly and gratefully.

Before I share a few of my love stories, however, allow me one diZclaimer:

the below is symbolic of many relationships Ive found, fostered, nurtured & nudged into existence. one person representing a category of interaction. in no particular order and Ive left out many many many specific individuals. 

My first type of social media love is the ‘takes time to develop’ love.

I met Miss. Kelly Olexa years ago.  I can not recall where or how—but I immediately recognized her balls to the wall work-ethic and unapologetic love of the Mommy Merlot (AKA Diet Coke) as a kindred spirit.  Ahh how we’ve matured from our first vlog together to our latest hotel room workout.

My social media tip here is if you see someone regularly on a social media platform & wanna be her friend—reach out.  Take risks. Sure it wont *always* result in friend-love, but you wont know unless you try.

All growed up & speaking on panels together!

My next type of social media love is one I STILL reflect upon and think: “dang Im so so glad I reached out.  what if I hadnt?”

The fabulous Joyce Cherrier & I worked together back-in-the-day.  Not so much togethertogether but for the same brand. I liked her. I wanted to know her better.  I direct messaged her on twitter & she messaged me back her digits (!).  She’s been an integral part of all facets of my life ever since.

My social media tip here is put yourself out there. All of life is like dating.  I wanted to date Joyce I wanted to get to know Joyce & I put myself out there. Life is too short to wait.

With this one social media was JUST LIKE DATING!

GROUP LOVE is another kind of social media smittenhood as is my LOVE LOVE LOVE AFFAIR with a group whom I call the Original Gangsters (OGs) of fitness blogging.  Workout Mommy, Charlotte, Cranky Fitness, & Roni.  There are no words for my adoration & appreciation for these women.  They are my virtual water cooler peeps.

My social media tip here is to create a network of virtual coworkers.  Ours happened by accident.  There are no accidents.

Crabby McSlacker & me in 2008 (!).

There are no words/classification for the SOCIAL MEDIA & overall LOVE I have for Ryan Sullivan and his family but I shall give you six: Id. Not. Be. Blogging. Without. Him.

My social media tip here is dont be an island. Ask for help.

These two define the words GOOD PEOPLE.

My next classification of social media love began as the AWKWARD, PLEASE BE MY BFF, I ADORE YOU love.  I read her book. I longed for her to be my BFF.  BingBangBoom (I seriously cant recall precisely how–can you, Shauna?) a friendship & a podcast was born.

My social media tip here is sometimes–just occasionally–when you read a book and think DANG WE COULD SO BE FRIENDS! it really is true.

Yep. I made her be my friend!

Which brings us to the social media version/reminder of the fact true love is lasting.  Mrs.Fatass and I became cyber-bffs YEARS ago.  Life, work and crazinessment has butted into our relationship yet we can still pick up where we left off as if no time has passed.

My social media tip here is sometimes social media love can seem ephemeral and fickle.  Look again. It is not.

Blurry love.

And then we have the Seriously, you’re a ROCK STAR. I cant imagine knowing you love.  I give you Bitchcakes. (I love love love I knew the News Radio reference immediately.  Still. I never thought I could call her friend.)

My social media tip here is dont ‘pedestal‘ people.  ’nuff said.

I never thought I’d meet Sheryl!

Ive only fallen in this LOVE once—but it’s still worth a shout out.   The I met you only once yet thanks to social media we shared an experience none of us will ever forget! love.

My social media tip here is to take risks! Feel the fear—do it socialmediaANYWAY.

What an amazing experience!

My final type of social media love is the love which takes you by surprise.  People whove become shockingly important on a day-to-day basis many of whom Ive yet to meet in person.  All represented by the photo at the top of this blog post. 

My social media tip here is to be yourself.  Be authentic. Be vulnerable. Be real. Tone down the sales pitch (be it items or your brand) and connect on a deeper level.

Those are my NINE (!) TYPES of social media smittenhood & all the people/representations of people Im uber grateful for during this month of thankfulness.

And you?

Do you have a different type of social media love so we can make this an even ten?
Who would you like to shout out to & thank for being a love’ing social media force in your life?

 Longing for a more traditional, tips-filled Thanksgiving post? Wanting some help for navigating tomorrow healthfully? I give you A MizFit Thanksgiving…

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Social Media ANXIETY!

Please to enjoy another AT-REQUEST guest post. I read this on Cynthia’s blog. Adored it. And asked to reprint it here.

I’ve dealt with anxiety since I was a teenager.  Debilitating panic attacks were common until I was 20 years old.  With the help of a wonderful counselor and psychiatrist I learned new coping skills and adjusted my medications.  It’s not uncommon for a person with Bipolar Disorder to have anxiety.

Today I cope fairly well.  I get anxious in new situations, like meeting the mother-in-law or high stress work events or blogger meet-ups…nothing more than normal.

The area I struggle most is social media anxiety.  I am anxious and awkward in real life…why would I want to be the same on the internet? I avoided social media until my friends pestered me enough and now I’m a Social Media Believer.

Thanks to some wonderful friends, I’m fully addicted to social media.  With this addiction comes a whole new set of anxieties.

I admit to frantically checking Facebook, Twitter, Message Boards, Blogs and blog comments to see if there’s something new.  I’m afraid to turn off or tune out for fear of missing something.  Heather and I were out to dinner when the Marie Claire debacle went down.  I felt so out of the loop – although dinner was fabulous and I wouldn’t trade the company for the world.

I hate “Mark All As Read” for the same reason.  I only subscribe to blogs I love to build friendships and stay in contact.  My Google Reader has to be at zero before bed so I can relax.  Neurotic? Yes…but it’s a small comfort after a long day.  When I don’t read, I’m lost.

I tried to “mark all as read” once and only once.  After a long work trip one of my favorite bloggers had a lot of posts to read so I clicked that magic button.  Guess what? In those “read” post I missed that she bought a house!  I had to read all the posts to find what I had missed. Talk about anxiety!

The worst is twitter anxiety.  Is it possible to tweet too much or too little?  Are others interested in me and my life or do I need“something to say” ?  If I tweet and not a peep tweet is uttered in response did everyone else think it was dumb?  Do I spend too much time online to see what’s being said only to suck time away from real life?

Social media brings such wonderful connections and helps me to stay in contact with friends both near and far.  I even made new friends and blends.  I live in the boonies and work strange hours so this is a big perk.

I don’t have a lot of answers to this problem of Social Media Anxiety.  Here are a few guidelines I’ve set for myself and try to live within.  Perhaps they can help you too.

Set a bed time and keep it. My Google Reader does not need to be at zero.  The posts will be there tomorrow.  If I need to, I can read them later.Use Online-Stopwatch. I love this too and am indebted to Caitlin for mentioning it.  I set the timer for 30 minutes or an hour.  I read or talk until the buzzer, then shut the darn computer and go enjoy life.  If I get anxious I remember “they’ll be there later.”Practice Skimming. That trick from high school English works great for post reading.  You don’t need to read every word, every time.  Skim through the post to see if you want to read more later.  Then mark it as a favorite to go back.Use Twitter Wisely. If you spend every waking moment on twitter (or Facebook or any social media tool) you miss the purpose.  It’s about being social.  Focus on building relationships with others.  You may not talk to everyone but you can build strong relationships that turn into real life friends.Use Google Reader into categories. This trick saved my sanity.  All the blogs in my reader are divided into categories based on how I read them.  On my busiest days I can choose the blogs that are most important for that day and try to Mark [the others] as Read.

I’m in control of what I read for the day and not my anxiety.

These are tricks I’m trying and they may not always work.

The anxiety isn’t going to go away if we sit around and do nothing…so why not try?

Do you get anxious with social media?

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Sling Media Slingbox AV (SB240-100)

Amazon.com Product Description The first generation Slingbox was a big step forward for so-called "place shifting" technology, a device that allowed you to view incoming TV signals on any TV computer in your home, or on any Internet-connected PC around the world. Sling Media is now introducing the successors to this groundbreaking product. Now there are three Slingboxes to choose from, each with features that make it easier than ever to bring your TV and other media with you wherever you roam. Choose from the Slingbox Tuner, AV, and Pro models depending on your entertainment needs. Compare Slingbox models.

The Slingbox AV offers S-video and composite video connections.

Slingbox AV
The Slingbox AV is the perfect companion for your DVR, digital cable, or satellite receiver. With the ability to watch and control your favorite TV source, the Slingbox AV ensures that you can enjoy your TV entertainment--anywhere you go. Using an Internet connected computer or compatible mobile phone (with purchase of SlingPlayer Mobile software), you can watch and control your home TV, DVR, digital cable box, or satellite receiver anywhere around your home or around the globe. With a Slingbox AV you will never be separated from your favorite TV shows, sports broadcasts, breaking news stories, digital video recordings, or video on demand.

The Slingbox AV also includes the free Slingbox Finder service to locate a Slingbox from any network location, in or out of the home.

How it Works
Slingbox AV is a small device that connects to your cable box to redirect the TV signal to the computer of your choice--providing high quality video, no matter the distance, so long as there is a high-speed Internet connection. This technology also allows you to access and control your TV from anywhere--and your TV doesn't even have to be on.

You can enjoy signals from a digital cable box, DVR, satellite receiver, or DVD player on any computer at home, on the Internet, or on a compatible mobile phone.

SlingMedia's patent pending SlingStream technology delivers the smoothest and best video quality possible. SlingStream delivers up to a 400 percent video quality improvement over the original Slingbox. SlingStream is powered by a programmable engine that is capable of running the latest video compression algorithms. SlingStream dynamically adjusts to changes in network conditions, video content, and Internet bandwidth.

At Home, At Work, or on the Go
At home, Now you can watch TV in whatever room in the house you choose. Say goodbye to the days of having to watch your child's favorite DVD over and over again. Now you can watch your soaps in the laundry room. You can watch your fix-it shows in the garage. Or you can watch your cooking shows in the kitchen. You'll never get stuck having to watch shows you don't want to now that you're in charge of what's on, when it's on, and where it's on.

Now that you can access your TV wherever you have your computer, the clock won't be the only thing worth watching at work. You can watch your news and business channels to stay updated. You can catch the big game while tending to business. Or, you can watch your favorite shows during your downtime. In any event, work will never just be business as usual.

With the SlingBox you can travel to another country and actually understand the programs. You can visit the in-laws and not get stuck watching The Weather Channel. No matter where your journey takes you, one thing is certain: You'll never have to take up an extra seat to bring your TV with you.

You can change channels and control your TV on your computer just as if you were in your living room. The AV and Pro models add remote control options for your home theater devices. Smartphone support is available with purchase of SlingPlayer Mobile software.

Ready for Vista
SlingPlayer software is compatible with Microsoft's Vista operating system. Vista-specific enhancements are expected to be available in early 2007.

What's in the Box
Slingbox AV, SlingPlayer CD-ROM, AC adapter (100-240V 50-60Hz), ethernet cable, composite AV cable, S-video cable, remote control IR cable, quick start guide.

Price: $129.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

An Introduction To <b>Weight Loss</b> Programs - SciAnswers Social Media <b>...</b>

Weight loss programs offer a process to safely and effectively loose weight according to a plan. Weight loss is achieved when the calorie intake is less than the calories burnt. Weight gain or loss largely depends on the lifestyle of an individual. An effective weight loss program is required to attain weight loss. A person with a sedentary life style needs lot of efforts to lose weight as compared to a person with an active lifestyle.

Ideally, weight loss programs should aim at weight loss as well as waist inch loss. A person with proportionate weight but a big tummy will also require a specific program to attain the right balance. It is advisable to have smaller attainable targets initially. The chosen weight loss program should be safe and consistent. It must be carried out under professional guidance. People with ailments like diabetes, heart problem and high blood pressure should consult their physician.

There are a multitude of weight loss programs to choose from. Some programs can be carried out with friends who have the same goal. Some people depend on websites, diet books and videotapes that contain various exercises. They set goals for themselves and use their own instincts while selecting a program. Non-clinical programs are the ones devised by fitness experts and gyms. These are usually customized programs. Clinical programs are carried out in a medical setup like a clinic under the supervision of health experts. These are usually a combination of therapy, massage, exercise and diet. These programs are very helpful for severely obese people.

A weight maintenance program should follow a structured weight loss program. When a person loses weight, the fat cells are only temporarily compressed. When the person resumes normal routine, these fat cells start expanding again. This would prove to be a wasted effort. Hence, weight management steps should be inculcated in daily life. Weight management is a lifelong process. One of the ways to maintain weight is by increasing the physical activity in an individual’s daily routine.

Weight Loss provides detailed information on Weight Loss, Weight Loss Pills, Weight Loss Programs, Weight Loss Products and more. Weight Loss is affiliated with Safe Weight Loss Surgery.

Author: Kent Pinkerton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Pressure cooker

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