Monday, September 12, 2011

A Valuable Waste of Time

Day in, day out, I accomplish a lot of stuff.

Blog stuff (my stamping blog happily consumes a lot of my time).

Family financial stuff (you try finding out how much you paid for Horizon Health Corp stock back in 1997).

Housewife stuff (I do clean, you know...more than I like to admit given the general chaos of my house).

Pet owner stuff (two vet appointments in one week at two different vets).

Volunteer stuff (meal ministry, Stephen ministry).

Bible study stuff (class most Tuesdays, lots of reading).

Mommy stuff (oy vey!).  

Good and important stuff. There's so much stuff, in fact, that some stuff (like housekeeping) falls short of my best work. Isn't it funny how we often admire people who excel at things we only wish we excelled at. I have a friend (Karen, you know who you are) whose house has been immaculate every time I've set foot in it...even when I once dropped by without calling. I wish my house were immaculate every time someone stopped by.

But it isn't because, as much as I wish it were, I simply don't keep it that way. I'm the only neat freak in a house of rampant hoarders and decided years ago that I would go insane keeping my house clean enough for me. So it's just clean enough.

What do I do that keeps me sane (or at least functioning) when I could be striving for a really clean house or for perfection in all the other stuff I do?

I waste time doing things that make me happy.

Which brings me to the point of this post: the website Pinterest makes me very happy.

Pinterest acts like a virtual idea board. People pin (upload) gorgeous photos of all sorts of stuff: nature scenes, interior decor, architecture, fashion, baby pictures, wedding announcements, artwork, signs, urban chic scenes...you know, stuff. When users at Pinterest see photos they like, they can repin them to create their own unique idea boards.

It's all an enormous waste of time.

And I love it.

You have to love a place where you can find photos with quotations and sayings like these.











That last one is particularly true for me. So very true.

Anyway, it's easy to sink hours into scrolling through hundreds of pictures looking for quotations and sayings that make me happy. In fact, I'm happier wasting time on Pinterest looking for quotations than I am doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, and reading murder mysteries combined.

I'm not sure what this says about me, exactly, but I have a pin that covers the situation:




I want this sign.

But I'm an English major at heart, and that means I can always invent an explanation when I need one. We English majors thrive on quotations that embody other people's cleverness. We mine for them like Snow White's seven dwarves mined for rubies and diamonds. We devour them like Grendel devoured King Hrothgar's men in Beowulf. We feel compelled to share them like Daisy feels compelled to share her glorious golden fur.

We're weird that way.

Of course, Pinterest isn't all quotations and sayings. It also contains visual beauty.








And humor. Lots of wonderful humor.








There are also lots of pictures of clever craft projects that I absolutely must make. Don't you think I need a Thankful Tree? Doesn't everyone need a Thankful Tree? I never would have thought up Thankful Trees on my own, but as soon as I saw this picture, I knew I needed to make one for myself. Because it's so me.




And these adorably simple gift bags...these, too, are so me. And I have that border punch. Oh yes I do!




And that, I think, is the appeal of Pinterest. You're bound to find stuff that is you: sayings that reflect your values and beliefs or tickle your funny bone, rooms that you want to live in, places you want to visit, projects you wish you'd thought of yourself, clothes you want to wear, food you want to eat, images that speak to your heart and soul and fill you with joy or peace or both.

And the fact that this stuff that is so you is presented in pretty pictures for your perusal in your pjs makes Pinterest just about perfect.

Whenever I think of Beowulf, I start getting all alliterative. Sorry.

You'll also find the occasional picture that helps you put your stuff--all the tedious, boring, important, interesting, daily stuff you have to do and want to do and dread doing--in perspective.



I can soooo live with that.

But I'd add the missing commas for clarity.

Note: Despite all appearances to the contrary, I have not been paid in any way to promote Pinterest. I'm just obsessed and hoping to infect others with my obsession so they, too, can waste time valuably.  

14 comments:

  1. I like the English major excuse. I'm going with it. :)

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  2. Oh my, the Abraham Lincoln quote made me laugh out loud. Oh dear, my two kids thought a roll of duct tape was the best toy ever. I'm pretty sure that big brother tried that trick on little sister. Thanks for a very enjoyable post tonight!

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  3. I just pinned half of these to my boards, thank you!

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  4. LOL... I definitely needed a giggle today - thanks for providing it!

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  5. I love Pinterest too! For all the same reasons. This post in its entirety could have been written by me, LOL!

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  6. Brilliantly written :) I'm with the singing quote myself. One day I'll be singing on key and what a day it will be LOL! I've heard so much about Pinterest...may indulge one day...if the lure gets to be too great...until then, I'll live vicariously though you and others :)

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  7. I am NOT going there. I already spend far too much time on the Internet. I'll just enjoy what you share, k?

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  8. Evil Temptress! Pinterest should definitely come with a health warning. I feel a new addiction coming on....tee hee

    Lx

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  9. The singing quote is for me . . . just talking in bible study today how I would love to sing praises and songs but that they'd all leave. I just hold on to the fact that when I get to heaven, I'll be able to sing!
    Did some bags myself here
    And talking of words, did a wonderful project on words (Big Picture Scrapbooking) which I thoroughly enjoyed here

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  10. The Comma Sutra. Omigosh. I may never recover.

    I can see why you find it so much fun.

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  11. Susan,
    I loved this post, but for all the wrong reasons! While I loved the quotes and photos (Abe Lincoln and Comma Sutra were my favorites), it was your Beowulf reference that grabbed me. My son is a senior and taking a British Lit course. Let's just say he will NEVER EVER EVER be an English major. He struggles with this subject while breezing through calculus. Go figure. Anyway, he just started Beowulf and I have been reading along with him trying my best to be the supportive mom even though the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Well, I felt super smart when I realized I knew who Grendel was (go me!). Thanks for making my day.
    Linda

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  12. How ironic is this- before I even knew your post was about Pintrest, I thought of a quote that I saw on Pintrest that I thought applied (this was as I was reading your list of what keeps you busy). That quote is, "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." Then, to my utter delight, you start sharing the awesomeness that is Pintrest. Then, I realize that you're the one who is responsible for my Pintrest addiction. Then, I saw your pin about irony. Stick a fork in me, I'm done!

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  13. OMG Pinterest!!! I was SOOOOO HAPPPY with craftgawker!! I really really was. And that was AFTER I was happy with Stumbleupon... after I was IN LOVE with Stumbleupon. I SWORE I would never darken Pinterest's door. EVER. NEVER EVER.
    And then, in a moment of weakness, I did enter Pinterest.... and I am a wanton woman. I want BIRDS and FOXES and TATTOOS and SHRINES... and I never tire looking through to the original website--like strolling through a thesaurus, word after delicious word.... sigh. I cannot even bring myself to type a 'p' in my browser because WHO KNOWS WHERE I WILL END UP!!!! (I'm going to look you up and follow you because I KNOW HOW!!!)

    Oh yeah, I wink at cats because I KNOW THERE IS A CODE!!!!

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  14. Robin, you of all people would know that there is a code. Thank you for confirming that for me! Did you see the pic of a fox in a tree?

    Thank you all for your comments!

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Thanks so much for taking time to comment!