Terrifying Stories...Lessons for Facebook Users

It all sounded great in the beginning...let's have a social network and find friends from school and the old neighborhood. Let's put the word out there that we went to Hawaii or we are going on a cruise. Your life can be documented in other ways!

"I'll keep in touch...are you on Facebook?" is often echoed as friends leave a party or a family reunion! Harmless camaraderie or invasion of privacy?

After reading a blog about parents posting everything about their newborns on Facebook, I began to see how too much information can destroy the privacy and security of the family.  Facebook is like taking out an ad in the classifieds...who knows who and what is being exchanged with no idea of the malice being caused.

Being so open on Facebook can become  a horrible situation and it opens us up too many terrible scenarios. Future educators, future bosses and future spouses can be lead into a frenzy when they read the timelines being put out there. Sometimes it is not only what we write it is the "friends" who write profanities and unacceptable scripts on our timelines.

As soon as you answer the few "about you" questions...name, marital status, school and work, you are setting the stage for those other folks to friend you. Do you really know that person?

At one point, I blocked a friend that I felt was going over the edge...she thought all guys are into Internet porn and that is not my view. I definitely didn't want to have her "porn-inclined" husband's view coming out in something she wrote to me.

A relative or two have crossed the boundary line with suggestive language and I have blocked them. The younger of the two received an email telling her to clean up her act.

When I see the damage caused by some Facebook dealings, I ask myself: What the heck?  Is this social network really worth it. Does it provide more good than bad. Want a picture of an event?  Go to the event. Want a baby picture of your cousin's new baby? Call and ask her to send you the hard copy.

What happened to birthday cards brought by the mailman?  The whole network doesn't need to celebrate with you.  Send an eCard if you wish or call your friend and send the greeting.

Today I heard a story that has convinced me to keep my information private.  I don't want my grandchildren to be too casual about what they write on Facebook. It can bring terrifying and haunting situations into your life. Be safe and talk face to face when possible!

DON'T TAG PEOPLE IN PHOTOS.  DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS? KEEP YOUR CHILDREN, FRIENDS AND RELATIVES SAFE.  DON'T TAG!!!!!

October...the pink month...the month to get a mammogram!

                                Mammogram

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IFcaOy4nhQ

What the heck?  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Do it for you!

The rights of our children?

Excuse me, but if our children have rights they are the rights of parental protection, safety in school and the right to be protected from predators.

I heard today we don't want to invade the privacy of our children by checking their text messages and their emails. Perhaps had a parent been checking the computer storage and emails of the most recent characters who have brought terror into the schools and the movie theater, some parent could have found a way to help  the offender.

Home life is very different today. Moms used to rush home from their jobs to relieve the babysitters and then cook meals and help the children with homework. The more our economy has changed and the more eager families are to live the "good life" running themselves into debt, the more children are left alone. This disastrous cycle has hurt all of us!

What makes a good parent? A good parent is created through the task of assuming responsibility. If an adult cannot be accountable to fill the role of the parent, there is a definite problem. Children do not know how to be responsible unless they are taught and have parents who sets the example.

So, what the heck? Do the rights of children trump the moral and legal obligations of the parent who must guide and protect?  In my opinion, it takes a lot more than money and status to mold a child...it takes a good parent. Privacy is not for the growing years when a child lives under the roof as a family member!

Privacy is for the adult life of a person. Once a person has learned to do the next right thing and to conduct himself or herself in an acceptable manner, privacy has been earned.

Does that make sense to you?

What the Heck?

Rambling through Life is a matter of brainstorms and heartbeats. Sometimes I realize that my life is headed towards the Light, but it is unbelievable the paths I take. For so many years now, I have found great happiness in creating a good life...not one without pain. That would be seriously impractical and crazy!  Reality is not perfect because we are all humans; however living through Life with the support of Faith has proven to be very comforting in the good and not so good times.

Finding the One who has all power has been a journey! There is One who knows what Life is all about and Faith tells me that there is a reason for every scattered thought I have.

So when my blogs seem to be all over the place, remember that for me, Life is a matter of brainstorms and heartbeats. It is just that simple, because I feel today. What the heck do I feel? I feel hope. It is a great feeling. It is wonderful to brainstorm about things I love and want to be a part of and with each heartbeat, I will leave a memory for someone....