It's been about a month since Eugenia Cooney posted. Is she still alive? Is she actually in treatment, as widely reported? No clue. I don't regularly follow a ton of YouTubers or Instagrammers, but I first became aware of Eugenia a couple years ago and I've noticed her deteriorating condition ever since.
When I was a young journalism student, one of my first published (and paid) articles in the Colorado Springs Sun was about Anorexia Nervosa. I interviewed a local mental health professional about the condition. Bullying a person or telling them, "Just eat!" doesn't work. It's not that simple, folks. It's called an eating disorder for a reason.
My previous research on Anorexia Nervosa and ongoing studies in psychology are two reasons why I ended up finding out more about Eugenia and hoping she would get treatment. Over the months, she's lost even more weight despite her already extreme appearance.
Eugenia seems like a sweet young woman. She's about my daughter's age. The optimist in me hopes she can somehow turn her situation around and come out of this to live a healthier life, both physically and mentally.
The realist in me understands how the odds are stacked against her at this point. The memory of Karen Carpenter keeps popping up in my mind. What sad circumstances indeed. ðŸ˜
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Sunday, May 17, 2015
But why are you so angry...?
Here's something else I've noticed: when a man rants or bitches about something on his FB profile -- or anywhere, actually -- I don't see people asking him, "Gee, Bob, why are you so angry?" or, "Why such an angry post, Bob?" If a woman posts the same, she's automatically a bitch or some other word and probably -- GASP! -- an angry feminist (or feminazi) instead.
Let me assure you, I get riled up and outspoken on here. I get irritated and blunt at times. On occasion, I get annoyed and outright angry. But despite my posts, you have never EVER seen my full fury. You do not want to see that, and I do not want to unleash it. That is not bullshit talk, that's fact. It's not pretty and it doesn't make anybody feel good or happy, so I'd prefer not to go there if possible. Unless I'm in an Avengers movie, of course :-).
In my posts, on FB and my blogs, I will:
...say or write what I want, when I want, to whomever I want.
...say or write things that will piss you off.
...say or write about things that will make you think.
...say or write about things that make you NOT want to think about certain things.
...speak as a human being, not just as a set of boobs or a vagina.
...provoke and evoke feelings you may or may not like.
...say or write things you, yourself, are too shy or chickenshit to say.
...say or write about things you're to afraid to say, either because of yourself or because you're afraid of offending your relatives or friends (in other words, they OWN you on some level because you allow them to muzzle you).
...say or write about things that you do not understand, or that you don't *want* to understand.
...say or write about things that confuse or confound you (I'm under no obligation to make full and complete sense to you; that's why I'm ME and you're YOU!).
And much, much more.
I have a voice and I will use it.
You cannot stop me.
I will not let you stop me.
Because I'm here.
I'm alive.
Because my voice matters.
Not MORE than anyone else's, but just as much.
Let me assure you, I get riled up and outspoken on here. I get irritated and blunt at times. On occasion, I get annoyed and outright angry. But despite my posts, you have never EVER seen my full fury. You do not want to see that, and I do not want to unleash it. That is not bullshit talk, that's fact. It's not pretty and it doesn't make anybody feel good or happy, so I'd prefer not to go there if possible. Unless I'm in an Avengers movie, of course :-).
In my posts, on FB and my blogs, I will:
...say or write what I want, when I want, to whomever I want.
...say or write things that will piss you off.
...say or write about things that will make you think.
...say or write about things that make you NOT want to think about certain things.
...speak as a human being, not just as a set of boobs or a vagina.
...provoke and evoke feelings you may or may not like.
...say or write things you, yourself, are too shy or chickenshit to say.
...say or write about things you're to afraid to say, either because of yourself or because you're afraid of offending your relatives or friends (in other words, they OWN you on some level because you allow them to muzzle you).
...say or write about things that you do not understand, or that you don't *want* to understand.
...say or write about things that confuse or confound you (I'm under no obligation to make full and complete sense to you; that's why I'm ME and you're YOU!).
And much, much more.
I have a voice and I will use it.
You cannot stop me.
I will not let you stop me.
Because I'm here.
I'm alive.
Because my voice matters.
Not MORE than anyone else's, but just as much.
Silence is a painful option for me when words must be spoken or written.
First and foremost, I'm a writer.
We all are, in fact.
We are all writing our own narratives in this journey called life.
I write a lot of things.
I write long things.
I write to keep myself sane.
I write to keep myself from taking out my full wrath on people.
I write as a means of therapy.
If my posts are too long or challenging, don't read them.
But if you do, thank you.
I can be verbose.
I can be brief.
In the end, I make that decision.
And I'm NOT Silent, because
In the face of wrongs that should be righted:
Silence is a killer.
Silence allows wrongdoing to grow and fester.
Silence is the accomplice of injustice.
Silence is cowardice and complacency.
In the end, Silence shackles us all.
Do not hand Silence the manacles and keys.
Stand up and SPEAK, even if yours is the lone voice of sanity and reason.
But please, for some of you who have mentioned that I seem angry or that my posts are sometimes angry, so what? I post what I want and it may seem angry or oppositional to you, but that's your take. I'm responsible for my posts and the emotions I feel when writing them. However, YOUR reaction (and mine to YOUR posts) is YOUR responsibility (as it is mine as well).
Furthermore, don't question, shame, or condescend to me about an angry post unless you will also confront your male friends or family members. Even then, they have a right to express themselves if they're angry. You don't have to agree and neither do I. But in particular, don't indicate, especially in a passive-aggressive way, that women -- or females in general -- should always play nice. Because we don't, and we will rip your ass to shreds if you test us.
Feminist? Yes, I am one. But so is my husband and he was a feminist BEFORE we met. Learn the definition of 'feminist' and realize that not all feminists are like -- neither are they ONLY female.
Nope, I'm not angry right now.
We are all writing our own narratives in this journey called life.
I write a lot of things.
I write long things.
I write to keep myself sane.
I write to keep myself from taking out my full wrath on people.
I write as a means of therapy.
If my posts are too long or challenging, don't read them.
But if you do, thank you.
I can be verbose.
I can be brief.
In the end, I make that decision.
And I'm NOT Silent, because
In the face of wrongs that should be righted:
Silence is a killer.
Silence allows wrongdoing to grow and fester.
Silence is the accomplice of injustice.
Silence is cowardice and complacency.
In the end, Silence shackles us all.
Do not hand Silence the manacles and keys.
Stand up and SPEAK, even if yours is the lone voice of sanity and reason.
But please, for some of you who have mentioned that I seem angry or that my posts are sometimes angry, so what? I post what I want and it may seem angry or oppositional to you, but that's your take. I'm responsible for my posts and the emotions I feel when writing them. However, YOUR reaction (and mine to YOUR posts) is YOUR responsibility (as it is mine as well).
Furthermore, don't question, shame, or condescend to me about an angry post unless you will also confront your male friends or family members. Even then, they have a right to express themselves if they're angry. You don't have to agree and neither do I. But in particular, don't indicate, especially in a passive-aggressive way, that women -- or females in general -- should always play nice. Because we don't, and we will rip your ass to shreds if you test us.
Feminist? Yes, I am one. But so is my husband and he was a feminist BEFORE we met. Learn the definition of 'feminist' and realize that not all feminists are like -- neither are they ONLY female.
Nope, I'm not angry right now.
But I *could* be if you wanted it.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
New FB page: The Art & Science of Life
***NEW PAGE JUST LAUNCHED***
The Art & Science of Life is a page that celebrates both the art and science of life, here on this planet and beyond. Art and science are integral to the growth and education of humanity. Without either, we are intellectually impoverished.
**This is NOT a religious page. Please do not post scripture or religious quotes of any kind. People of all faiths are welcome, as are atheists and agnostics. We will not tolerate preaching and/or proselytizing. If you appreciate and are moved by art and science, this may be a page for you.**
This page will celebrate the natural beauty and wonder of all aspects of the experience of existence. To us, science is art and art is science. Let us admire and all the gifts we are given and shown. Feel free to share, discuss, and discover.
Any questions? Drop me a line at scribequill@gmail.com with The Art & Science of Life in the subject line of your message.
Bev Sninchak, Page Owner & Moderator
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Facebooking My Life Away
I'm Facebooking my life away—literally.
The other night I read an article about how much time people spend on Facebook. Most of the time, people may underestimate how much time they stay on the popular social media site. A link in the article led me to an app that would calculate how much time I'd spent on Facebook. I knew I'd languished in the pages and profiles of FB for hours. I also knew I was on Facebook most every single day. Still, I decided to check out the app and get an idea of just how much lollygagging I'd spent on Zuckerberg's addictive social media haven.
To put it bluntly, I was stunned. Taken aback. Actually, appalled might be a better word. Or perhaps horrified. Any way you cut it, I knew the calculation would be high, but until I saw the final total, I didn't realize just how high it was. Ready? *deep sigh* According to the app, since November 2012, when I launched my new personal profile, I've spent 173 days on Facebook. Yes, you read that correctly—DAYS. In more eye-opening terms, over the past two years, I've spent a full six months of my life on FB, posting statuses, replying to comments, returning messages, writing messages, sharing photos, and on and on. SIX months of my life, and for what? I'm still stunned over the results. I knew Facebook was a regular, almost daily, part of my life. I knew I spent way too much time over the site. But until I saw the actual figure, it didn't sink in just how much time I'd wasted over the past two years.
What could I have done with that extra six months? Almost anything, but specifically, I could've been writing my next book (or two). I could've read more books (I read about 50 to 80 a year, but imagine how many others I could've consumed!). The beginning of 2014, I took up crocheting once again after a 24-year absence; I could've learned quite a few new stitches or learned to crochet several new items. I could've taken more online college-level courses. Let's face it: I couldn't done a heckuva lot more interesting stuff than stare at Facebook for hours, refreshing my feed over and over again.
Now, I'm not saying you should be busy all the time, producing nothing but work. That's silly. I'm not saying social media is terrible, because it's not. But what I am saying is that six months of one's life spent on Facebook over a span of two years is a ridiculous amount of time pissed down the toilet. Time most often spent arguing or debating about politics or religion. Time that could've been more emotionally, mentally, and creatively rewarding (with more to show for it!) Six months of my life is too much of a chunk of that two years. Way too much.
By comparison, I spend much less time on Twitter. It helps that Twitter restricts your updates to 140 characters—unless you cheat and use Twitlonger, which I've done on occasion. With Twitter, I've found it helpful and informative when it comes to developing and/or breaking information on a global scale relating to science, global events, literature, tech, and countless other subjects. You will uncover information much earlier than you will at the major new outlets, such an CNN. I've seen it happen numerous times.
The best part is that Twitter takes up less time in my day. A single visit (or perhaps two) in a day usually suffices. Sometimes I won't check Twitter for days, though. But when I do, it's a quick visit that is a lot shorter than lingering for hours on Facebook. What's more, my blood pressure doesn't shoot up to dangerous levels over political and/or religious posts. Most of my feed is populated by people in the publishing industry, which is nothing but advantageous if you're a professional writer, blogger, and copy editor like I am.
So, having discovered the horrible truth of just how much I've lingered on Facebook over the past two years, I decided it was high time for a break. I won't deactivate my account, but it's clear I need to use it less often. MUCH LESS!
For now, I'll be hanging over here on my blog or on Twitter at @Mother_of_Crows if you want to connect. Or follow me. I'd like that. And hey, I'll follow back if I can. I'm at the limit right now, but I usually clean out my list every couple of months, if not sooner. Following the self-aware Roomba is interesting, but I'm sure you're much more so...right?
In the meantime, I'll devote more time and energy to my writing and fewer days to feeding my (obvious) FB addiction. I doubt most people will notice anyway, and that's another win for me.
The other night I read an article about how much time people spend on Facebook. Most of the time, people may underestimate how much time they stay on the popular social media site. A link in the article led me to an app that would calculate how much time I'd spent on Facebook. I knew I'd languished in the pages and profiles of FB for hours. I also knew I was on Facebook most every single day. Still, I decided to check out the app and get an idea of just how much lollygagging I'd spent on Zuckerberg's addictive social media haven.
To put it bluntly, I was stunned. Taken aback. Actually, appalled might be a better word. Or perhaps horrified. Any way you cut it, I knew the calculation would be high, but until I saw the final total, I didn't realize just how high it was. Ready? *deep sigh* According to the app, since November 2012, when I launched my new personal profile, I've spent 173 days on Facebook. Yes, you read that correctly—DAYS. In more eye-opening terms, over the past two years, I've spent a full six months of my life on FB, posting statuses, replying to comments, returning messages, writing messages, sharing photos, and on and on. SIX months of my life, and for what? I'm still stunned over the results. I knew Facebook was a regular, almost daily, part of my life. I knew I spent way too much time over the site. But until I saw the actual figure, it didn't sink in just how much time I'd wasted over the past two years.
What could I have done with that extra six months? Almost anything, but specifically, I could've been writing my next book (or two). I could've read more books (I read about 50 to 80 a year, but imagine how many others I could've consumed!). The beginning of 2014, I took up crocheting once again after a 24-year absence; I could've learned quite a few new stitches or learned to crochet several new items. I could've taken more online college-level courses. Let's face it: I couldn't done a heckuva lot more interesting stuff than stare at Facebook for hours, refreshing my feed over and over again.
Now, I'm not saying you should be busy all the time, producing nothing but work. That's silly. I'm not saying social media is terrible, because it's not. But what I am saying is that six months of one's life spent on Facebook over a span of two years is a ridiculous amount of time pissed down the toilet. Time most often spent arguing or debating about politics or religion. Time that could've been more emotionally, mentally, and creatively rewarding (with more to show for it!) Six months of my life is too much of a chunk of that two years. Way too much.
By comparison, I spend much less time on Twitter. It helps that Twitter restricts your updates to 140 characters—unless you cheat and use Twitlonger, which I've done on occasion. With Twitter, I've found it helpful and informative when it comes to developing and/or breaking information on a global scale relating to science, global events, literature, tech, and countless other subjects. You will uncover information much earlier than you will at the major new outlets, such an CNN. I've seen it happen numerous times.
The best part is that Twitter takes up less time in my day. A single visit (or perhaps two) in a day usually suffices. Sometimes I won't check Twitter for days, though. But when I do, it's a quick visit that is a lot shorter than lingering for hours on Facebook. What's more, my blood pressure doesn't shoot up to dangerous levels over political and/or religious posts. Most of my feed is populated by people in the publishing industry, which is nothing but advantageous if you're a professional writer, blogger, and copy editor like I am.
So, having discovered the horrible truth of just how much I've lingered on Facebook over the past two years, I decided it was high time for a break. I won't deactivate my account, but it's clear I need to use it less often. MUCH LESS!
For now, I'll be hanging over here on my blog or on Twitter at @Mother_of_Crows if you want to connect. Or follow me. I'd like that. And hey, I'll follow back if I can. I'm at the limit right now, but I usually clean out my list every couple of months, if not sooner. Following the self-aware Roomba is interesting, but I'm sure you're much more so...right?
In the meantime, I'll devote more time and energy to my writing and fewer days to feeding my (obvious) FB addiction. I doubt most people will notice anyway, and that's another win for me.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Are you on Tumblr?
Are you on Tumblr? Follow me and I'll return the favor:http://elementalmuse.tumblr.com/
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