ARE YOU CONNECTING?

What comes to mind when you think of social networking sites? MySpace? Friendster? I'd like to introduce you to a few sites that I belong to, and am loving being a part of. I can truly say that belonging to the sites below have actually enriched my life.

Facebook 

I joined Facebook this year, at the invitation of a friend I hadn't seen in a number of years. Since signing up, not only has that friendship been rekindled, but my friendships with others have been renewed, as well. I am connecting with people I knew years ago, but never thought I'd see again. And people at church who were previously just acquaintances have also become my good friends.

I've also made new friendships and have "networked" with others in the writing profession. You may also be surprised to know that there's a growing network of homeschooling bloggers on Facebook -- many of them from right here at HSB.

If you're on Facebook, or want to join up, be sure to add me as a friend. (And please include a note to tell me you saw this on my blog.) 

Twitter 

Twitter is another fun networking site, but to me, is a little constrictive when compared to Facebook -- at least as far as having conversations. While Facebook is a leisurely walk in the park, Twitter is the Boston Marathon. No time (or breath) for talking -- just a quick little "tweet" in passing. BUT...there are those who absolutely love Twitter, and from what I hear there's quite a bit you can do with it, with all of the various websites out there that are dedicated to broadening the Twitter experience. I will say I've gotten some leads for my new website (mentioned below), but it's not as easy to make friends. One reason for that, I believe, is that on Twitter it's possible to get a lot of followers really fast, which makes it almost impossible to get to know more than a few of them very well.

Still, I think I've stood just on the top of the Twitter iceberg, and am looking forward to seeing what else lies below the surface. Are you on Twitter? Follow me, and I'll follow you!

Twitter Moms 

Twitter Moms is a site for...drum roll, please...moms on Twitter. It's more like Facebook, in that you can network at a more leisurely pace and really get to know others. I haven't done a lot with this site or the next one I'm going to list, but hope to once the hustle and bustle of Christmas is over. It's a fairly new site that is growing by leaps and bounds, so be sure to jump on the train! Once you do, send me a friend request. You'll have fun reading through the forums, blog posts, articles, and entering the fun contests. One caveat about joining Twitter Moms, though: You have to join Twitter first.

Cafe Mom 

Finally, I'd like to introduce you to Cafe Mom. This is yet another that I've yet to spend much time hob-nobbing at, but I'm excited to try it. After Christmas, of course. Why not sign up? You can join groups, write a journal and read those belonging to others, get answers from other moms, take polls, etc.

So there you have it. If you need something to do in the mornings while you wait for the coffee to take effect, join one (or more, if you're really adventurous) of the above networking sites. You'll like meeting new people and making new friends. You could also start a group just for your local homeschool support group. But, please, these sites can really be addicting. Homeschooling comes first on the list of priorities, but be sure to give yourself that "mom time," too.

BUSY? YOUR NEXT BLOG POST IS JUST A BUCK AWAY.

Believe me, I know very well what it's like to not be able to post on your blog as often as you'd like. I've been dealing with a weird vertigo for the past week and a half, which has left me almost incapable of getting anything done. Mainly, I think it was just from a lack of energy. That, and smacking my head into the wall whenever I'd try to walk. I'm feeling much better tonight (if you couldn't tell), though I'm still dealing with a good deal of dizziness. I'm just glad the room stopped spinning long enough for me to get off of my very own sideways ferris wheel.

Christmas is looming, too, and that makes finding the time to blog very difficult. Some bloggers just give up until after the holidays are over. Don't be one of them! I started a new website just for people who want to throw some quick content up on their pages, be they blogs or web sites.

InspireMe PLR, I hope, will be your new favorite place to get articles in a hurry. It's new, as I just said, so I only have two article topics available: Christmas, and Aromatherapy. The Christmas article pack is full of great tips for the season, along with some really great recipes (some are my own creation and tested happily by my family). You purchase the articles (it's called an "article pack"), then modify them however you'd like. Change them, rewrite them, put your name on them. Other people will also be buying the same pack, so modifying the articles is strongly recommended in order for you to give the articles your own unique feel. By all means, ask me if you have any questions. You can also go to the site and check things out for yourself.

The price is the best part: The articles figure out to be about $1-2 apiece. A steal, really.

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So, there you have it. Have a great weekend, my friends. We're covered in snow and -- according to the news -- are going to be facing down a huge windstorm this weekend. Please keep our area (Pacific Northwest) in your prayers.