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Unfriending Facebook: Why I Did It
I don’t think that anyone is unaware of what Facebook is. Even my Dad who just recently got a cellphone (yes, really!) is aware of the social networking giant. A week ago, I made the decision to remove Facebook from my life. WHAT? A blogger? Remove Facebook? I decided to remove it for a few reasons, the first being I was simply sick of the updates, terrible new mobile apps, and crappy interfaces. At first, I was just annoyed at all of the changes, but then I really started to look at the purpose of Facebook itself. To connect with friends. For me, Facebook became a collection of people rather than a means of connecting with people. The final straw for me was drama and the ease at which your business gets spread across the network like wildfire. Being a teacher, I never posted anything that was considered to be inappropriate, nor did I have my privacy settings weak enough to let everyone know what I had for breakfast. Truth me told, I got sick of being so “connected.”
One of my best friends has never had a Facebook. In fact, she has an e-mail address and a blog, and that’s all. She is a writer and has been able to network with agents successfully while having a trimmed down presence online. I took the initiative from her, and from one of my students who also removed Facebook from her life entirely. So without further ado, I made Keith the administrator of our radio show page on Facebook and deleted my account. In another 7 days I will be erased as if I never existed on their servers. I e-mailed family members with my cell phone in case they didn’t already have it and encouraged them to call, text, or e-mail me if they needed to contact me. The most interesting part of all of this is the people I see on a regular basis (and the people I deem as close in the flesh friends) didn’t even realize I had deleted my account. Why? Because they are able to interact with me on a regular basis OUTSIDE of the online realm. With 7 days under my belt of being Facebook free, I feel a mixture of both alienation and happiness. No, I didn’t get a chance to see the picture my cousin’s dogs dressed up for Halloween, but I’ll get to see them in two weeks for our family’s Halloween party! Yes, I might miss out on the Facebook invite to my friend’s 30th birthday party, but I knew about it BEFORE the invite went out online. What I’m saying is, if you’re doubtful about deleting Facebook because of missing out on things, don’t. I was concerned at first, I admit it, but if they are your friends (as my very, VERY wise student said), you’ll know about what’s going on.
In no way am I down talking social networking. In fact you can still find me tweeting, and google+ing on occasion. I love tumblr for finding inspiration, and Catster has provided me with amazing tips and information and the ability to communicate with other cat owners. I’m still online and connected, but I made the decision for myself that I don’t need Facebook to do it. I’d rather have my 30 friends on google+ than 350 on Facebook from high school and even some from elementary school. You didn’t talk to me then, I didn’t talk to you then–why are we going to start now? Maybe one day I’ll come back to Facebook, but for now you can find me elsewhere. If nothing else, it’s been a great conversation starter within the past week, and I daresay I’ve “connected” with more people in person in the past week than I have in the past few months. I’ll continue to update about this as I see fit, you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who have already asked me, “How did you do it??” I clicked delete. Simple.
Have you deleted Facebook? Thought about it? If you did, what was it like? I’d be interested to hear your experiences!
Morgan’s Boutique: 3 Step Skincare for Oily Skin
I have always loved my skin, and for the most part it’s in pretty good shape. I put my skin through a lot between trying new products and my long ex-love affair with tanning beds. Now that I’m older, I try to be are good to my skin as I can and it truly shows. My one gripe? OIL! I’m aware that most of my oil problem is hereditary. I’m Italian and Greek, and despite jokes from my friends about having Olive Oil in my blood I really do have to work hard to make sure that my face doesn’t double as a mirror during the day–while also not drying it out since many products for oily skin double as acne fighters.
Here is where Morgan’s Boutique blew it out of the park. While each of the above three products are for both Oily AND Acne Prone skin, the natural ingredients and soothing extracts make for a gentle, yet effective means of keeping your skin matte and clear.
The Cucumber Cleanser was my favorite product to try out because I was once DEVOTED to MAC’s Green Gel Cleanser which is made from cucumber extract. I used Morgan’s Cucumber cleanser twice a day, morning and night, and my skin felt smooth and clean after–not that tight feeling you usually find while using acne/oily skincare products. Cucumber extract is great for sensitive skin too because it helps to de-puff and soothe dry, tired skin. I continued on my skincare journey with a follow-up of Herbal Astringent which smelled fresh and clean. This astringent is made especially for oily skin, and I applied it on my problem areas only (forehead, nose, chin) before bed. I would recommend using it before bedtime so the herbs and sulfur have enough time to really soak in to your pores without makeup or other oils that might be present on the skin.
Last, but definitely not least, is the Oil Free Hydration Lotion. The biggest lesson I’ve learned over the years is that you MUST moisturize even if you have oily skin. You just have to find the right formula. Obviously, look for “oil-free” but also make sure that the consistency is lighter. I used this lotion both during the day as a base for my makeup and before I went to sleep. It has a light, milky consistency and literally slides on to your face. For me, it felt like my skin was drinking it in. I loved the clean scent, as many products can be a bit too strong for me. Overall, it’s a great moisturizer which left me feeling refreshed! This moisturizer also contains Collagen and Elastin to keep skin looking young and supple!
Overall, you’re getting an amazing skincare routine for a reasonable price (compared to department stores which can cost up to $50.00 or more!) Coupled with the 30% off coupon for the month of October (enter code: CSX110927190126), you really get a great deal. This skincare routine is gentle, effective, and doesn’t break the bank. Three reasons to try it out (and love it!)
Morgan’s Boutique: Iced Mint Mask Product Review
One of my favorite beauty products is the mask! I’ve always loved them, but was never able to find one that alleviated my oily skin AND left my face feeling fresh, soft, and generally amazing.
Elizabeth at Morgan’s Boutique gave me the chance to review some great, affordable, beauty and skincare products. This is the first of a three part beauty bonanza, so make sure to stay tuned. First up: their Iced Mint Mask. It’s developed especially for oily and acne prone skin. It contains natural peppermint oil and menthol which soothe and awaken the skin at the same time. As soon as I applied it to my face, my skin felt like it was zapped with energy. The formula is creamy and gentle and glides on smoothly–when it’s time to rinse the mask off, I used a warm wash cloth after about 7 minutes (or when you can feel to beginning to dry). It rinses easily and gently. No red blotches here and my skin felt smooth and looked matte and fresh.
The Iced Mint Mask is offered at a wallet friendly price of $7.99 for 2oz. You only need a scoop or two (about 3 fingers full) to cover your whole face, so you get a good bang for your buck, which I love. Their philosophy is that in this economy it is possible to look good and pamper yourself even if you are on a budget. I love their down to earth persona regarding beauty and skincare.
I find it important to mention here that my boyfriend, who has a downright dirty job (he installs burial vaults for cemeteries), also enjoyed a sampling of this mask. Working outside in the humidity and general dirt and grime, he ends up coming home with breakouts from time to time. While he politely declined a photo op on my blog, he did mention his face felt amazing, clean, and smooth after a long day of work. Nothing wrong with a guy who can admit that women know what they are doing when it comes to cosmetics.
Here I am enjoying my Iced Mint Mask–super minty and tingly!
If you order now through the month of October you can use the following code to receive 30% off of your whole Morgan’s Boutique order. Type in CSX110927190126 at checkout and visit their blog to receive even more discounts and giveaways!
Next up: A trifecta of oil blasting gentle skincare: Cucumber Cleanser, Herbal Astringent, and Oil-Free Moisturizer. Keep it here, ladies and gentlemen, the beauty bonanza has just gotten started.
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