I've Been Pinned

I realized I have been on Pinterest for almost three years now.  When I first got the beta invite I was instantly hooked (or pinned?). The first thing I pinned and made was Lemon Crinkle Cookies. I baked a batch and took them to work and told the guys about my new obsession, Pinterest.

The guys had no idea what Pinterest was, but the cookies were a hit.

Some of the things I have learned on Pinterest:

1.      Re-finish a dresser. I gave a 1950’s Danish modern blonde oak chest of drawers a sleek espresso finish.

2.      Make my own shaving lotion. Just buy the cheap shampoo and conditioner, add some hand lotion, put it in a re-purposed hand soap pump bottle and you have the best, cheapest shaving lotion ever.

3.      How to make my own laundry detergent. This one was a pin fail for me, I couldn’t get the consistency right so it was more like laundry paste.

4.      Bake macaroons.

5.      Sneak a bottle of alcohol on a cruise ship. I haven’t been on a cruise yet but it will come in handy someday.

6.       Hem jeans and keep the original hem. I’m not quite tall enough for a 34” inseam.

7.       Clean a Clarisonic.

There was a recent article about wedding boards on Pinterest. The article discussed how women who aren’t engaged or in relationships have pin boards dedicated to weddings, and whether that is a little odd, or even offensive.

One of the first boards I created was a wedding board (it’s called “Someday”). I created it, put a few pins on it, then felt a little weird creating it. I was not then, and am not now, in a relationship, so would my followers who know me think I was getting secretly married, (the first pins on the wedding board I put on the caption “Don’t get excited, I just like it” just in case someone took it the wrong way) or would they just think I’m a sad and pathetic singleton? I would add to the board now and then, but always with a twinge of not feeling quite right.

However, I have been planning my wedding since I have been five, (it’s amazing how my tastes have changed with the times) and I have bought bridal magazines before, why was this any different? Is it no different than me paging through travel magazines, dreaming of the trip of a lifetime to Europe, or me subscribing to Southern Living when I live nowhere remotely south? Or how about going to the auto show to sit in a Ferrari? No, it’s dreaming, it’s finding a visual of something that you find appealing.  The only difference is Pinterest is out there, for friends and strangers to view your dreams (and some pretty good hot dish recipes). There is the option to create “secret boards” only you can see, and make them public. I do have one secret board, I would tell you what it was, but then it wouldn’t be a secret!

My new obsession is no longer new, with almost 5,000 pins and 122 followers, so it is just an obsession at this point, and the ultimate time waster. But I love it.

Take It Down

Yesterday I had my usual 3:30 AM wakeup. Usually I try to stay still so Macy doesn’t come in and bother me and keep me awake. This morning it was one nagging thought and not the cat that kept me awake.

Charleston.

I question why I am writing this, why I put this in a blog that I started six years ago and haven’t touched since then. Part of me really compelled to put my thoughts down and share them. I realize they may be half baked, I realize many may not agree with me, but it’s something I feel like I have to do. Something woke me up at 3:30 this morning, put this thought in my head and wouldn’t let off the hook without putting down on paper.

I was fortunate to be able visit Charleston this spring. It was one of those “bucket list” places that I wanted to experience. As a lover of history I wanted to see the graceful antebellum houses on East Battery; stroll down King Street, visit the historic Charleston City Market, and experience Low Country cuisine. I did all that, and was charmed by the beauty of the azaleas, the architecture, and the friendly people that call Charleston their home.

When I heard about the shooting it was that initial numbness of disbelief. “Oh, God, not again,” I thought. As more and more news trickled in via Twitter and the Facebook during day the numbness was chipped away bit by bit and replaced with sadness. When I got home that night I looked on the map to see where the church was located. I have to admit I don’t remember seeing it, but probably drove by it, and the fact that I was there made the event more personal to me.

It made me sad that a city I enjoyed and had wonderful memories of was now a synonym for violence and murder. The murderer took that Charleston away from me, which I know is nothing compared to the loss of life and the grief of those left behind.

Jon Stewart’s monologue after the shooting really hit it home for me; I must give credit where credit is due. I have to admit I was skeptical about the emotions around the Confederate flag. I would tell myself it’s just a flag, it’s an important part of a culture, and it’s just unfortunate that some people chose to use it as a symbol of hate and ruin it for others. It’s just a flag, I told myself, people add meaning.

I no longer think it is just a flag. I can’t image walking under and seeing something every day that has been used by a group whose main purpose was instill fear and even kill a group of people.
Furthermore, the fact that South Carolina has the Confederate flag flying at the state capital is a tacit approval of those actions, furthermore a wink and a nod to the shooting.

Yes, it is part of history. Yes, it is part of a culture. But it’s time to move on.

Take it down.