Lies and Lying Liars!

You might think, at this time of year, that this post would be about politics...but it isn't. This post is about the Internetz and how easy it is to spread misinformation to the masses. I'm a big proponent of testing of internet theories (and Pinterest pins and FB posts and stuff people heard, etc). I already know not to believe pictures, but now you can't even believe videos.

These are some of my fave fake photos:

Wanna see a blue watermelon, grown especially in Japan?

Photoshopped,

Some baby owlets out in nature?

These are actually plushies!

One of my not-so-fave fakes?  This one:

Do Not Believe This, Please.

Now, I'm someone who works out, and I was actually very interested when I saw this pin. The more I looked at it, though, the more I rolled my eyes. They're stuck now, my eyes...way back in my head.

Why would someone do this? There is no way this workout burns 1,000 calories. A marathon -- 26 miles of sweaty, slobbery ambling along a hard surface -- 'only' burns 2,600 calories. People will see this pin and think they can eat a couple of brownies then burn everything off with this workout!  This plays on our need for a 'quick fix' and is something we all know and love: click-bait.

I guess my advice, should you choose to take it, would be to question everything more...oh, and don't fall for the 'iodine and baby oil mixture removes hair' myth. My early teen years were very informative, people.

Life and Loss

Sisters

I'm taking a turn from my usual perky self today to talk about loss.

Ugh. Loss.

I've experienced all kinds of loss, and it's horrid. There's no way to avoid it, of course, unless you shut yourself away from all humans.

Losses that 'fit the norm,' as it were, are still painful, but, sad to say, kind of expected. I'll take my dad's dad as an example. The poor man was 99 1/2 years old when he died and was pretty miserable, physically. His wish was to avoid 100...and he got his wish. Seriously, at my age, I can't even imagine myself at that age. I'm already crotchety! He wasn't, though. He had a ready laugh and a positive outlook, and I could sure learn a lot from that. Of course, I drive and he didn't near the end, so I'm blaming horrible drivers for my temporary moments of crank.

The other side of the coin is the unexpected loss: The loss that smacks you from out of nowhere and turns you inside out; the loss that has you asking over and over, why, why, why; the loss of the young. Even years later, you'll ask yourself what they would be doing, how they'd look, whether or not they'd have kids, if only...

I lost a cousin and a sister, both too young. Even after more than 20 years, I miss them. I cry and get mad all over again because the world won't have them in it. Both could make me laugh with a single look and/or eyebrow wiggle.

If this post serves you at all, let it be a reminder to stay in touch, tell people how you feel, stop competing for the all-important last word and, lastly, love your peeps.