Pinning Away!

Every blog I've read that talks about Pinterest, shares that the blogger doesn't need another time sucker at the computer.  Yet, there they are, inviting people to join them on Pinterest.

I, on the other hand, make no bones about my procrastination tendencies. It seems that I should simply share my tools with you. Pinterest is one of them.

For those who don't know, Pinterest is actually brilliant! My mind really starts to spin when I think of all the applications for it. Simply put, it's a visual bulletin board of all of your online bookmarks.  That alone will help so many of us who click "Bookmark this page" and seldom get back to that long list of treasures. Now, the more visual among us can glance at our "bulletin boards" and get a visual nudge toward what we thought was interesting that late night we were cruising the net for Christmas cookies, or home decor, or creative inspiration.  The added bonus is that you can "Follow" someone and see what THEY found on various topics. Soon, you'll know who shares similar tastes and you can can subscribe to one or all of their bulletin boards. It's a sharing opportunity that takes no time at all.  And you can look at other people's

Here's a screenshot of my Pinterest page. I have a bunch  of different bulletin boards which are basically categories for stuff I've found on the internet.

I think it's really interesting how quickly Pinterest is taking hold. I see the little red Pinterest logo popping up all over the place.  They make it so easy to add their "Pin It" to our navigational bar, and then when you just stumble across something interesting, you can Pin It to the bulletin board.
For some reason, when I first started using Pinterest, it reminded me of when my teens had Myspace. They'd upload banners and graphics to their pages. Sometimes it was some saying, other times a picture.  And even with early Facebook days, we could share buttons with each other just for fun. All of this showed us heading in this very visual direction.  The best graphics or icons were very eye-catching, and so is Pinterest.

If I had had this while we were homeschooling the kids, it would have made it so easy to organize what interested each of them. I could put fabulous pictures up they could check out; if they were intrigued, they could explore some more.  I used to send them links in emails, but if I had something more visual, I think they would have liked it better.  I hope homeschoolers will take Pinterest and figure out great things to use it for!

I like it also for speed of use. I may not have time to look more into a website, but I don't want to discard it yet. Pinterest allows me to set it into a themed board, and get back to it when I have the time. In the old days, I would have probably just let it go, so as not to clutter up my messy bookmarks even further. 

The only drawback I  see is that the process for getting started is just a little bit tedious. You have to receive an invitation. I can send one to you, as a Pinterest member, and it just takes a day to get it confirmed. Let me know if you're interested.

C'mon - Get Pinning! Let's share cool websites!
Get inspired with me!

Lists! Lists! Lists!

Sometimes I feel like my To Do List is simply too huge. Other times, I get this feeling of accomplishment simply by creating the ToDo List.  What's that about? It's not like I completed anything on the list. But there I go blithely skipping through my day - accomplishing nothing really.

That's not altogether true.  I just don't get around to the things on my list.  How could a person be so good at procrastinating? YEARS of practice!  I don't even realize I'm doing it. Until about 4:30, when others are about to come home and I'm still in PJ's!  So. Now you know.

Perhaps I should do two lists. (Can you tell making lists simply makes me happy?)

So my Big To-Do List includes:
1.) Finish cleaning my room and move the furniture to the better location
2.) Gather the stuff for the Salvation Army pick up
3.) Get the measurements and replace the drapes in the upstairs game room
4.) Poke around fabric stores and get ideas for drapes in the living room
5.) Figure out a way to get more homeschooled teens to complete my survey for my book
6.) Clean out my closet and put clothes that don't fit in Rubbermaid tubs.
7.) Clean out from under the stairway closet

8.) Scan the Christmas pictures for the video I want to make
9.) Build the greenhouse for the backyard
10) Gather up the huge acorns from my front yard to make some beautiful Fall arrangement

My more realistic, less monumental List:
1.) Make soup for dinner (simmering on the stove now - I love putting things on the list that are already done. Does it count though?)
2.) Run a load of laundry (waiting on the bathroom floor now)
3.) Go to water aerobics (trying to think of reasons not to go)
4.) Blog something wildly interesting and engaging (yeahh right. If only that was my style!)
5.) Help Cydney with her bio (she is such a good writer, why she needs me I have no idea!)
6.) Take Alyssa to get her hair cut by Matt on 6th Street (Yes, she goes to Cosmetology school but really doesn't trust her classmates with her OWN hair)
7.) Get the plants into the ground that were purchased LAST weekend before they dry out. (Really I should water the WHOLE yard. Just because temps have dropped doesn't mean we're not still in a drought here! Just look at my drying up plants!)
8.) Talk to Pam about our projects (NHEN, Learning International, coming here for a board meeting, future books)
9.) Chat with friends (Facebook walls, in email messages, on the phone - that takes up a LOT of time)
10.) Read the blogs at the November BlogRoll on Blogher.com (I really love that website and haven't gotten a chance to look at everything yet! Did you see that I'm #1470 on the blogroll? Of course you didn't, but I'm still soo excited to see it there!)

I didn't add Oprah's Life Class on my list, but I probably should have. Even though it's on the DVR, I seem to be adding it into my daily "routine." I love her new shows.

Then again, looking for cool stuff on Pinterest is calling me!