Facebook and its Tentacles

Lately I’ve been on the fence about whether my Facebook page is really a necessity.  While it’s really convenient to deal with all my classmates in my nursing program and see what my friends are up to, I’m finding that I’m more aware of the lack of privacy it actually has and how it’s changing our culture for the worst.

I wasn’t a child of the internet, so I’m well aware of what it means to have actual phone skills and be able to chit-chat with strangers in a friendly manner.  Basically, professionalism isn’t lost on me.  I also can go days without updating my status, because I’m really not into publically bragging about things that mean nothing or displaying pics of what I ate for every stinkin’ meal.

It’s also getting to the point where privacy is an enigma.  You already have Google tracking everything you search and then using that information to target ads at you.  It gets creepy when you were searching for specific item on a random website and then suddenly every website has ads for that item.  Yep, Google is my stalker.  Now, you have Facebook displaying everything and anything you “liked” by using that information to target ads at your friends.  There is even the option to share just about anything across the web on your timeline with the little Facebook icon that seems to be on any website known to mankind.

Facebook also creates problems I really don’t have the patience to deal with.  Say, for instance, one of your friends doesn’t like something you posted.  They comment on it, seem incredibly rude, and the silent war of words begins.  Yep, Facebook can definitely bring out the worst in people.  It’s like shoving hundreds of people into a little room, with a few people being as loud and boisterous as possible about religious and political views, and everyone just has to put up with it because you signed up for the torture.  It literally has created waves in my life that I don’t need and I have found myself defending my point of view when I really didn’t need to in the first place.

Then there’s the whole problem with employment.  While I don’t post risque or questionable content on my timeline (or anywhere), more employers are looking at Facebook profiles before offering jobs.  Even though I’ve protected my Facebook profile as deep as it can go, I always wonder what someone could really find out about me.  It also makes me wonder what is currently being compiled about who I am.  As much as I want to believe that the government has the best interests at heart, nothing about what they’ve done in the past five years has made me doubt that they’d track me in a heartbeat.  And, with the sudden emergence of agreeing with the Constitution getting you labeled “radical”, it makes me nervous.

While I don’t have any current plans to delete myself, it has crossed my mind… a lot.  The idea of just living a life outside my computer is freeing and has a beautiful undertone to it I wouldn’t mind trying some time.

Truth vs. Social Acceptance

If you’ve ever taken a history class, you’ll know that the world changes… drastically.  Each new year poses new discussions, landmark findings, scientific advances and social acceptance.  You can easily see these changes when you look at something that may have been seen as taboo in the 1950′s, but is seen as normal today.  Say, birth control or girls wearing pants.  Those two ideas may have been way out in “left field” then, but are common today.

In the same light, it’s hard for the world to grasp the idea of an absolute truth, when ideas and social acceptance change so quickly.  People wonder how something can be so “black and white”, and yet viewed as “gray” years later.  These giant fluctuations in our morals, creeds and beliefs roll with the social tides, and cause confusion and ambiguity.

The beautiful thing about God, is that He doesn’t change, and neither does His Word.  In fact, in Hebrews 13:8 it says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  Really can’t get more concrete than that.  This scripture, in itself, holds that everything we’ve been promised or been told in the Bible will not waiver or expire, including Jesus himself.  That means that everything Jesus called a sin and told us to turn away from is still a sin today; even if the world says that it’s socially acceptable.

My late pastor always use to say, “my best day in the world was my worst day with God, and my best day with God was my worst day in the world”.  This rings true, especially when you stand on what the Bible says and refuse to give in to what is currently accepted by others.  I’ve personally been called names and told I’m a horrible person because I refuse to jump on the gay marriage bandwagon.  It’s not because I hate those who choose to be gay, but because God’s truth says its wrong.  I’d also refuse to jump on a “smoking pot” bandwagon, even though it’s completely legal in my state, but no one seems to care that I believe God sees that as a sin also.

If you’ve ever heard of Rob Bell, you probably know that he is a bit controversial.  He’s a pastor of a mega church who incites shaking of heads on his interpretation of God’s truths.  His previous “Love Wins” controversy stirred outrage when he claimed that hell doesn’t exist and preaches his own style of universalism.  He, unfortunately, is at it again when his stance on homosexuality was finally nailed down, when previously he had side stepped the issue.  He claimed, “I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it’s a man and woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man.”  With that quote, he has led millions astray to the truth God has for them.  The Bible clearly spells out this matter, and Mr. Bell has refused to call it truth.  He, himself, is attempting to re-write the Bible to make it socially acceptable.  Yes, God still loves him intensely, but Mr. Bell is still very wrong.

To be frank, there are absolute truths, even if the world doesn’t want you to buy into them and even if people like Rob Bell try to remaster them.  Sin is still sin, even if it has a big red bow on it.  Don’t be swayed by others who are more concerned with “right, right now” then “right, forever”.

Teaching Sharing

Even though I don’t have children, and I’m not sure I ever will, I have a tendency to read parenting articles that present themselves on Pinterest.  My interest in them derives from being a nanny for many years, and child psychology in general.  Most of the articles I read make me laugh.  Not because they’re supposed to be funny, but because it seems like the authors are completely out of touch with reality.

My last nanny job was for five little girls, all under the age of 10 and all home schooled.  Normally when I tell people this, their eyes bug out of their heads.  However, these five girls together were easier to deal with than my three-year-old nephew.  Why?  Because their parents knew what they were doing when they raised them.  They didn’t parent out of a book written by a psychologist that tells them to ignore tantrums or not use the word “no”.  Instead, they had written rules for the house with consequences, which they never wavered on.  Telling a lie always ended in a spanking, even if you apologized.  Simple cause and effect.  And you know what, those kids are so well behaved it’s amazing.

Today, I came across an article on sharing.  Actually, the article is on why a parent doesn’t make their child share.  I wanted to post it, because I felt it was absolutely brilliant.  While you want your children to have a giving heart, forcing them to share doesn’t instill that.  It also sends the message to other children that they are entitled to something your child has simply because they want it.  I applaud the author because they hit the nail on the head when it comes to how an entire generation of children are turning out; horribly spoiled and out of control.  They took an age old theme that is thrust upon us, and spun it on its head.  It’s a beautiful thing.

 

“That” Moment

Have you ever just known you were meant to do something?  Yep… not me.  My mom can name the exasperating list of careers I had previously declared as loving.  On said list:  fisherman, pet store owner, ballerina, make-up artist, website designer, doctor, teacher and an astronaut (but my mom always made me promise I wouldn’t leave earth).  So, when I came up with being a nurse, I don’t think anyone really believed me.  Not because they didn’t think I was capable, but because I’m… well, a “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of person.

The amazing thing about the last few weeks has been that I had “that” moment.  I know, there are a lot of “moments”, but this one was the moment where I knew I had chosen the right career.  It wasn’t because I saw something amazing (though I did see some amazing things), or had a kind patient, it was because of the very clinical instructor who was supposed to be looming over me.  Okay, she didn’t loom over me at all, but I wouldn’t have blamed her if I did.

During my clinical evaluation she gave me the words I think I had been waiting my whole life to hear:  you picked the right career.  No, she didn’t say that word for word to me, she actually told me that I was going to be a great nurse, that I had good instincts, that she didn’t worry about me and that I was her top student.  My eyes literally welled up with tears in the middle of the evaluation.  I had never been anyone’s top anything.  Wow.  It was confirmation that I was exactly where God wanted me.  Wow.

All those moments of “can I do this” or “am I really cut out to be a nurse” melted away.  I could do it.  I am doing it.  I’ve arrived at that spot I longed so badly to be at.  The spot of knowing.  And it’s amazing.

One other thing my instructor told me that also threw me for a loop; you would be a great ER nurse.  I started the quarter not wanting to be at a hospital, entered the hospital setting thinking I wouldn’t mind neuro and now I’m entertaining doing my preceptorship in an ER.  I’m insane.  She told me that she knew I’d be board if I was just on a unit somewhere.  Obviously, she’s an ER nurse.  Maybe they can just spot them a mile away.  Either way, I’m considering it.

Pink Ribbons

 

For a while now I’ve been a vocal opponent of Susan G. Komen, Race for the Cure and other “pink ribbon” products.  I recently watched the documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc, and was reminded of how little the organization cares about finding a cure, over finding more money.

The main problem lies in who the organizations align themselves with and the people sitting on their boards; most of which are affiliated with pharmaceutical companies.  Ask yourself this:  is it in the best interest of pharmaceutical companies, who sell cancer drugs (radiation, chemotherapy, etc.), to help find a cure for cancer?  If they did, they’d be putting themselves out of business.  It should also be noted that organizations like Susan G. Komen are 100% against alternative cancer treatments.  They ONLY are for aggressive radiation, surgery and chemotherapy.  Why?  Because of who sits on their boards and the money they make.

These types of organizations aren’t concerned with doing research into the causes of cancer.  This is important, because only around 20% of women who have breast cancer had risk factors.  The rest of the 80% of breast cancer patients have no known risk factors, and yet still have the disease.  How are we to cure something we know nothing about?

I highly recommend the documentary, and others like it, in the search for what we are blinded by; pink.  I strongly believe that real answer to cancer research is making corporations accountable for what goes into products and actual research on those toxic chemicals we encounter in every day life.

 

Ditch Your _______ For ________: Part 2 – Shampoo

Let’s talk shampoo.

This gigantic industry is a huge money-maker, but it also full of ingredients you wouldn’t want to touch with a ten-foot pole.  Below are the most common shampoos on the market, along with great alternatives.

Pantene Pro-V Classic

Why you shouldn’t use it:

• Their fragrance is listed as a high level ecotoxin and organ system toxin
• Contains methychloroisothiazolinone, a known cancer causing agent
• Known to be contaminated with nitrosamines from the ingredient cocamide mea
• Contains large amounts of sodium laureth sulfate, which is a known organ system toxin, can be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 4-dioxane.

Dove Moisturizing Shampoo

Why you shouldn’t use it:

• Their fragrance is also an extreme ecotoxin and organ system toxin
• Contains DMDM hydantoin, which is known to be contaminated with formaldehyde
• Also contains methychloroisothiazolinone, a known cancer causing agent
• Known to be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane from the ingredient peg-5 cocamide

 

Organix Moisturizing Macademia Oil Shampoo

Why you shouldn’t use it:

• Contaminated with formaldehyde from DMDM hydantoin
• Contains PEG-23M, which is known to be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane
• Their fragrance has a severe organ system toxicity and ecotoxicity
• Known to be contaminated with nitrosamines from the ingredient cocamide mea

 

Herbal Essences Body Envy Shampoo

Why you shouldn’t use it:

• Their fragrance is also an extreme ecotoxin and organ system toxin
• Also contains methychloroisothiazolinone, a known cancer causing agent
• Contains large amounts of sodium laureth sulfate, which is a known organ system toxin, can be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 4-dioxane.
• Known to be contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane from ammonium laureth sulfate

Nature’s Gate Aloe Vera Moisturizing Shampoo

Why you SHOULD use this:

• Contains no reproductive toxins or endocrine disruptors
• Nothing in the ingredients is contaminated with formaldehyde
• Doesn’t contain sodium laureth sulfate
• Almost all ingredients are plant based

 

Hugo Naturals Smoothing and Defining Coconut Shampoo

Why you SHOULD use this:

• Contains absolutely no ingredients considered toxic
• None of its ingredients have contamination concerns of any kind
• Doesn’t contain sodium laureth sulfate
• All ingredients are plant based

 

Jason Natural Daily Shampoo

Why you SHOULD use this:

• Contains no reproductive toxins or endocrine disruptors
• Nothing in the ingredients is contaminated with formaldehyde
• Doesn’t contain sodium laureth sulfate
• Comes in dozens of different fragrances and uses

Because it’s Friday