Facebook follies

I admit it. I'm addicted to Facebook. I haven't been a member for long, but rarely does a few hours go by without me changing my status or looking at what new and interesting things my "friends" have posted.

Today, a colleague at work posted a story about some teachers in Charlotte who apparently were addicted and outright careless with their addiction. Not only did they post totally inappropriate comments and photos, but they had public pages that could be viewed by anyone and they identified themselves as employees of the schools by joining the district's network.

Now, social networking is here to stay, whether we choose to embrace it our not. But I have to think that stories like this aren't going to help more companies embrace it. What those folks have to remember is that common sense should be used no matter what medium you choose for communicating. And unfortunately, some of us were born with more of it than others.

To my friends who haven't ventured into Facebook-land, don't be discouraged. Just remember, if it's something that you wouldn't be comfortable with your Mom or kids reading ... don't write it, post it or send it. Simple as that.

Sorry, Coach Spurrier ... it's all Preston's fault!

When I was about six months pregnant, Mark and I started checking out local daycares. It was a little scary, but when I took the first steps into that daycare that Preston goes to now, I knew it was the one. When we visited the baby room, there was a little boy in a crib with a Carolina jersey on. He was so cute! And I said to myself, my little boy is going to wear Carolina gear on Fridays, too.

And he did. He wore onesies when he was a baby. He had a sweatsuit, when he got a little older. Last year, he had a onesie that looked like a jersey. This season, he has a warm up suit, a jersey, a couple t-shirts and a fleece suit. And every Friday, he's worn something ... except for this past Friday.

The weather on Friday was weird. It was too cool for the jersey and too warm for the warm up or fleece suit. And I was tired and didn't feel like putting layers together, so he wore jeans and a blue and gold shirt. And the rest is history!

Now, I know that we've lost a few other games this year with Preston wearing his gear. But I have to believe that we wouldn't have gotten our butts whipped so badly if Preston hadn't broken the trend.

So, Coach Spurrier, no matter what the weather, Preston will be dressed appropriately before the Clemson game. And since we're doing our parts, we expect you to handle your business, too. We want a win!

A message for our Veterans

Columbia, South Carolina has one of the largest Veterans Day parades in the nation. For the last six years that I've worked downtown, I've never attended a parade or really thought about it.

Today while out getting a sandwich for lunch, I was able to catch a glimpse of the veterans, marching bands, active duty soldiers and Citadel cadets who were participating. The sub shop was filled with men in uniforms and veterans.

It was then that I realized that I had many veterans in my life that I should probably acknowledge, including a husband who served in Desert Storm.

I have to admit that I'm still a bit sheltered from the current wars, even though I have a cousin who has done several tours in Iraq, and there have been soldiers from my hometown who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I live in a world that is full of denial about lots of things ... the war, the fact that my grandmother is gone, the need to lose 40 pounds ... but all of those things are for another post!

So, today, I'm taking off my rose-colored glasses and I'm thanking everyone in my life who has ever served in a branch of the military. From my father, who was a private in World War II, to my little cousin, Ravin, who just finished advanced training in Alabama ... Thank you for doing something I would never be able to do. You are appreciated and I love you all.

God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

Cross-eyed kisses

Being a Mom has been a wonderful experience. I think that I've always wanted to be a Mom, but as many of you know, there was always a little mini-me in those fantasies. Preston has been a big dose of reality. He's all boy and more times than not, I'm completely unprepared for what he's doing and even more so, how I'm going to react to it.

I'm doing much better than I thought. All the climbing and jumping that used to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, barely get a reaction now. I've even managed to stop complaining about the 4 to 1 ratio of girls clothing and shoes in department stores. There are enough options to keep me satisfied. (The poor boy has more shoes than his father!)

The one thing I never expected was all the love and affection a little boy has for his mother. I live for Preston's hugs and kisses. Recently, he's learned how to pucker up and give you a kiss. The crazy, and oh-so-adorable part is when he tries to look at his lips when he puckers. There's nothing better than those cross-eyed kisses.

I know there will come a time when hugging and kissing his Mom is going to be real low on his list. Until then, I'll just enjoy the loving that comes from those crossed eyes and wet lips.