The Sensitive Souls Network

Before I talk about The Sensitive Souls Network, I have to update you all on my “writer’s block” because maybe I wasn’t so honest about my problem. I believe that I hit that middle aged “wall” (crisis of sorts) and I’ve become quite introverted and introspective. I guess that comes with the territory of getting older. I know I’m being cryptic at this point especially since there are MANY things that I would just love to spill my guts over, but it would be in incredibly bad form to do so.

We’ve been here in New Mexico for one year now, and I must say I truly love The Land of Enchantment. I took a trip this past weekend back to New Jersey and I couldn’t wait to get my ass out of there and on a plane back home. There were only four things great about that trip and it had NOTHING to do with being in The Garden State! I got to visit with my daughter, spend some travel time with my son (who came with me to NJ), I got to meet up with a good friend of mine and spent some time with my dad. That’s it! Beyond those things, there was absolutely nothing redeeming about being there. My patience and tolerance (this past weekend) of extremely self serving people is wearing extremely thin (of course I’m being cryptic again!) and I find I now blame myself for creating any assumptions of decency in these types of people…there really is no decency at this point. I really kick myself in the ass for wanting to believe that certain people I’m in contact with are generally good in nature, when in fact I merely allowed the illusion of them being “good” to cloud the truth of the matter…they are self serving, ego-vested, mean people to the core of their being, and no matter how much they want to cover that up with “appearances” they will always have to live with who they are! The experience of my shattered assumptions was enough to make me sick to my stomach. Not because they made me sick in the least, but because I allowed such “good assumptions” to exist in the first place. What does that make me? A sucker? Yup, I’m a sucker! I duped myself into believing things that were only half truths and partial realities. BLAAAA! Introspection is a bitch. But I’ve learned some very valuable lessons about myself and I feel I’ve grown quite a bit as a result of it. That was just a little update on my own emotional state of affairs. Now I’d like to switch gears and tell you all about something I’m pretty excited about:

I’ve been busy building a new social network that I just launched. It is a Network for families with disabilities. I announced the launch on my other blog site Loving Simone, but I’ll also copy it here.

In March 09′ I created “Loving Simone” as a way to reach out to others who may be struggling with the same types of health and neurological issues Simmi is faced with. I also joined several different message boards, groups, listserv’s, as well as social networks trying to get a handle on what was happening to Simone. What I found were some of the most generous and beautiful families struggling to give their disabled children a better life. What I also discovered was that all of us are so scattered across the internet in little micro groups and categories without any place to connect us all.

There are parents out there that may have children suffering with a single food allergy and others on the other end of the spectrum holding on for dear life as their child struggles to live just one more day. No matter how mild or severe the problems are, we need to gather strength from one another and blaze forward in search of the answers that we seek. I believe that The Sensitive Souls Network can be a tool in connecting us with one another easily. I created this Network to be a stepping stone to providing a better quality of life not only for my own grand daughter, but also for all children suffering with a disability.

Reaching out to parents who may have a child with problems but is undiagnosed is another important goal that is very close to my heart. Parents often feel very alone as they take their child from one doctor to the next trying to figure out what is wrong with him or her. It’s frustrating to say the least, and when a child doesn’t fit into any one diagnosis OR has multiple unrelated health problems, parents can feel “left for dead.” I want this Network to be a place of comfort as well as a way to receive much needed resources, wisdom from experienced parents, and a place to grieve if necessary.

I was going to wait till the new year to launch The Sensitive Souls Network, but as I thought about it, I realized that this Network will always be a work in progress with new things to be added daily. The site is kind of empty right now and I still have a lot of resources and information to add, but I would like to open it up and invite you all to become members. Its free to join.

Here are some of the features I put in place, and there are more to come in the future:

• Personal profile page- You can set up your profile to let others know who you and your child are
• Blog- Blog as little or as much as you’d like. The thing I love about this feature is that it can help chronicle your life and keep everyone updated about how your child is doing (or you). I’m a part of a few different message boards, and when others inquire about Simmi, it can become frustrating to try and retell a story over and over. With your own blog on the Network, you’ll be able to write it once and then refer others to your blog about what’s happening so you won’t have to retell a story multiple times.
• Groups- You’ll be able to create your own groups and/or join an existing group.
• Forum- I’ll be adding the Forum in the next few weeks
• Video chat- You can start a private video chat with other members or simply instant message them
• Add photos and videos

Here are some things still to come and in the works:

• Resources
• Main chat room
• Facebook application- you’ll be able to keep your peeps on Facebook up to date with your latest blogs as well as signing in to the Network through Facebook
• Lots more!

As I said earlier, the Network is a work in progress. I value feedback and suggestions! If you have a link, resources or information that you feel would help add to the site, leave a comment on my profile page or send me a private message there.

http://www.sensitivesoulsnetwork.com

Thanks for reading!

Sarah Palin Maddness

I’m not quite sure of what to make of Gov. Sarah Palin. I have tried very hard to stay away from this topic, but I guess I am just one of those bored bloggers that has nothing better to do with my life than to write about her. So here I am writing about the ever so “popular” Sarah Palin. People either love her or they hate her. It’s funny because I don’t love her or hate her. I’m indifferent. I would never in a million years vote for her though, I can tell you that much.

What is the great appeal with her? Is it her looks? She is a beauty to be sure. Great legs, great hair, awesome smile and that “winning” personality. Boy, she should have won me over with her first “you bet’cha.” But in an age where substance is just as important as style, I’m afraid she lost me even before the press catapulted her to the “celebrity status” she now loves to bask in. Do you really believe that she reached that celebrity status on the merit of her work? Uh, no way. It was the clothes purchased for her, her stylist and lots of media coverage that made her what she is. Did anyone really know who she was before John McCain announced her? It was that awful liberal media that went and made her so darn adorable.  Oh…it’s a love-hate relationship she has with the “liberal media” and one that has me scratching my head most of the time saying, “HUH?” Which is it Sarah? Do you love the liberal media or do you hate it? I guess she loves it when they portray her in a positive light, but as soon as she opens her mouth to speak, all the sudden it seems like she is crying that something was taken out of context. Blaming anybody but herself shows incredibly poor judgment when it comes to how all of the media coverage played out. She is not a victim, she is a barracuda remember? I wasn’t aware that barracudas cry on a daily basis that the liberal media just isn’t being fair! Give me a break. How sheepish does she think the American people are? Well, there are actually a lot of sheepish people out there and if you go to the TeamSarah.org and sign up, you can get your fill of people just-like-her! I was in my glory the first day I signed up. I can’t tell you what an eye opening experience it was to read the comments, blogs and discussions. Of course since I joined they made it private so you will have to sign up to view anything. It seems that Team Sarah was getting a lot of negative press coverage from that awful liberal media…particularly The Huffington Post. This social network dedicated to Sarah Palin started crying “foul” the moment the Huffington Post wrote a scathing article about some of the less than savory characters that are members of Team Sarah. They have followed Sarah Palin’s example by claiming that things were taken out of context. It’s quite laughable actually. I am amused at how ostrich like they are, gobbling up every bit of misinformation, half truths and downright lies and then burying their heads in the sand of their network. I don’t know if there is a single fact checker on that network! Some of the crap they have said about President Obama is ridiculous, and they are really walking a fine line with a lot of other stuff they espouse. Of course there is freedom of speech to consider, but that freedom isn’t free folks. There is a cost to be paid every time we open our mouths. Sarah Palin should know that. I find it laughable that Team Sarah needed to beef up their security on their network. They are convinced that people have signed up and decided to be racist or plant inflammatory remarks just so the liberal media could pounce on this social network that borderlines on “Sarah Worship.” One woman even felt that if someone made a movie about Sarah’s life that she would definitely get elected as president. I won’t say that all of the people on Team Sarah are fruit cakes and half wits, because I have witnessed true caring people on there too. It’s a real mixed bag. Some still think the President is a Muslim or that he isn’t a real citizen and they just keep circulating the same old stuff around and around. They have called for silencing negative bloggers and people that spread “nastiness” about Sarah, but why not just keep Team Sarah open for all to see? I guess they don’t want anyone raining on their little parade. They want to stay in their own little comfort zone and then come out for the attack when someone rails against their goddess. They are under the impression that the reason liberals pounce on Sarah so much is because she is a threat to them. I nearly peed my pants laughing so hard when I read that. Delusions of grandeur…that’s all I can say! They want to boycott CNN and advertisers too and the only real news source for most of them is FOX. The whole thing is kind of creepy. I wonder what I will find when I sign up for a social network dedicated to President Obama? I’ll have to start a search and get back to you on that one!

Now for some total randomness:

Is it me or is there a resemblance between Todd Palin and Joe the Plumber?

What I Look For in a Hair Loss Support Site

Looking for a good support site is important, especially when it comes to the subject of hair loss. Hair loss takes a great emotional toll on those affected by it, and choosing a site that is supportive and helpful is an important part of the healing process emotionally.

Hair loss causes us to feel very vulnerable and alone, and when we begin to reach out to those who can perhaps answer some of our looming questions, it’s essential that we find a site or two that can feel like “home.”

So what does “Home” feel like? I don’t know about you, but “home” to me feels like comfort, patience, encouragement, peacefulness and love. It is the place that I can’t wait to go to because there are people there that love and care for me. It is a non-abusive “safe-haven” where I can be free to be myself without fear of rejection or ridicule. It is the same with finding a good hair loss support site. Whether it is a social network or a forum, here are some things I always look for:

1. The creators of the social network or forum are a positive force that do their best to welcome and provide me with answers the best that they can. No one is perfect nor do they have all the answers that I may seek, but they are there to support and listen to me and perhaps direct me to someone that can help.
2. The network or forum is not full of negative, abusive and demeaning comments from the administers or other members. This is SO important! We are all vulnerable at different times in our lives and there is nothing worse than hearing negative feedback about other members or even other websites that provide support to hair loss sufferers.
3. Who are the experts available on the site? Are there reputable doctors in the network or forum? If so, are they a part of a negative network or forum? A good doctor or specialist does NOT need to be on a negative and demeaning site. In my opinion, since their oath is “First do no harm,” that should be reflective in the site they choose to be a part of.
4. The network or forum will not hesitate to remove negative or abusive members from their site. I find this to be a great comfort because it shows me that they are looking out for me and others on the site.

My hope is that all hair loss sufferers will find the most positive and helpful information and support available to them to help them move forward with their lives. Listed on the right side of my blog are links to my favorites sites that I have found reflect what I look for in a social network, forum or hair loss information website.