Fake News & Alternative Facts

First, let me start by saying this is NOT a political post.  Having said that, a year ago who ever heard the term "fake news" or "alternative facts"? Today, we know these terms all too well.  Just in case you've been on the moon for the past 6 months, "fake news" is an article that grossly exaggerates, and in some cases, presents false information.  "Alternative facts" are actually defined by a particular event (look it up on Wikipedia), but generally are statements presented as facts, without evidence (and maybe evidence to the contrary) to support them.

I am soooo over fake news and alternative facts. So what do you do to avoid this stuff?  Facebook is working on a filter which is good because most of this stuff is on social media. If you need relief before that, here are my rules:

1.  If the title leaves you hanging ("...and You Won't Believe What Happened Next!"), it's probably a ploy to get you to click a link to a story that has very little or no content.
2.  If there is a sensational photo attached to the title, especially if the title suggests something that seems implausible, it's fake news.  You may end up looking at stock photos with lots of ads.
3.  Look at the name of the website associated with the link.  If you've never heard of it before, it's probably not a reliable source of news.
4.  Finally, if no mainstream news sources are reporting a fact, it's probably "alternative."  You can also use Google and confirm that if you don't see similar information from reliable sources.

We are living in some strange times, and there is enough craziness out there without dealing with fake news and alternative facts.  Just say no to the clicks and keep your blood pressure down!

cindy

Try it Tuesday - Lemon Crinkle Cookies

For those who follow Straddling the Gap on Facebook, I have been saving lots of those "Facebook" recipes to test out on my family (and you!).  I tried this recipe for Lemon Crinkle Cookies a couple of weeks ago.  These are FAST to make because they only have 4 ingredients and allegedly, they are low fat.

WARNING - My attempts at food photography suck.  No, really.  I would steal the picture from the recipe on Facebook but that would be blatantly wrong (and you would know it).  So, here are my pictures.  In my defense on these cookies, they didn't even make it off the cookie sheets except to go in my family's mouths!  For whatever it's worth these cookies were very pretty - yellow and well formed.

Here's the recipe:

1 box lemon cake mix
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups (8 oz container) Cool Whip
1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar (enough to roll through)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine everything in large bow EXCEPT powdered sugar.  (I can confirm that, consistent with the Facebook recipe, the dough is sticky!)  Form dough into tablespoon size balls and roll in powdered sugar.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are golden.  You might want to consider even a little longer if they aren't getting too brown because these cookies don't get crispy.  Allow to cool.

So, how did they do?  The recipe yields about 2 dozen cookies and there were none left when we went to bed that night.  They are chewy more than crunchy but they are lemony and yummy.  I always try to have a "takeaway" thought of how I could do a better job next time with this recipe.  For this one, I would try baking it a little longer.  I'm curious to see how much crunchier I can get these cookies without burning them.  

These cookies are so easy and great for a quick desert or after school snack.  Thumbs up from me!

cindy

Days 8-9 Great American Road Trip - Yellowstone

During the next two days at Yellowstone, we saw some of the more familiar sites - geyers, fumeroles, mudpots, sulphur springs and other volcanic activity:

Very pretty and interesting, but not as good as the flora and fauna that make up the rest of the park.  We did see Old Faithful, but it wasn't as impressive as good old Fountain Hills.  The highlight of that particular experience was gathering with the rest of the crowd on the edge of the "boardwalk".  Kent took some video of Old Faithful erupting, but all you could hear was the female park ranger screaming at the lone man who wouldn't get back on the boardwalk:

The kids think Kent should remix the video to a rap beat so it will go viral on YouTube.  We don't know how to do that, but our 10 and 12 year olds could easily figure it out.

We're about a week into the trip now and living in a RV together 24/7 is beginning to make tempers fray.  This was heightened by the lack of internet connection - no Minecraft or Instagram!  Mom and Dad weren't so cheerful either without cell service or Facebook.  The general complaint was about the poor WiFi at the KOA.  We did manage to muddle through without hurting each other too much, but some days are better than others.  Here's to another day in Paradise!

cindy

Social Media!?#%!

One of my blog resolutions for 2013 was to increase my use of different kinds of social media.  Just in case you don't read the right column on this blog (c'mon, you know I'm talking to you), I'll tell you all my social media outlets:

• Etsy - Pretty Pretty Cindy 
• Facebook - Straddling the Gap
• Twitter - straddlinggap (notice the shortened name)
• Instagram - straddlingthegap
• Pinterest - ccisme
• Flickr - straddlingthegap
• I'm also on Hellocotton, Blog Frog and Bloglovin
• Google +

I've added a place to subscribe by email or RSS feed (I actually had someone complain that I didn't offer that!).  I try to keep up with each of these by following a lot of people, adding pithy comments to each one, visiting other blog advice blogs (Really, there are blogs to give advice on writing a blog.)  I'm excited to say I'm going to Bloggy Bootcamp in April to learn how to monetize a blog (uh huh).  Did I mention I work full time and am raising two tweens who seem to always have someplace to go every evening?  Did I mention I have a husband?

I'm exhausted.  I love blogging and I am interested in being better at it, so I want to do all of these things.  Problem is, every time I think I get a tiny grasp of one social media tool, another one comes up!  It's like playing Whack a Mole.  The new one is Twitter's "Vine", but I hear it has pornography problems so I think I may have a reprieve from that one for a while.  I tried Tumblr but ultimately gave up.  I'm still new to Flickr (but I am enjoying it for photo storage).

Photo attribute Momastery

What's a girl to do?  

I know one thing - it won't make any difference if I master the tricks of social media to promote my blog or Pretty Pretty Cindy on Etsy if I don't have enough time to write the blog or make the stuff for the store.  I'm going to keep chipping away at it, so if anyone out there has any suggestions for how to conquer this, let me know.

I have an idea - maybe I should develop a new social media tool (including a smartphone app) to manage all my social media accounts!  It could keep me actively engaged in all media, including writing little pithy comments, reading others' blogs and pithy comments and following and including others in my circles.  Now that would be something.

In the meantime, come visit/follow/pin/tweet/subscribe/like/favorite/circle me.  I promise to do it back to you.

cindy

Blog Resolution

Yesterday I talked about how most New Year's resolutions die very quickly and I offered a SMART method for setting goals and sticking to them.  Now it's time to apply it to myself.  I have some blog resolutions.

Obviously, I have the same resolution of most bloggers - to get more traffic, write more interesting content, develop a following and maybe monetize.  Great resolutions, but are they SMART?  More traffic - is that attainable?  How do you gauge that and more importantly, how do you control it?  That's just an example of why these broad open ended resolutions won't work.

OK, let's turn to my resolutions.  Well, they are exactly SMART just yet.  In fact, I haven't passed the S yet.  So here are my non-specific blog resolutions:

1.  Get myself on a regular blogging schedule and plan ahead.
2.  Increase my traffic by 25% over the year.
3.  Get involved in a community - see this great article about that from the SITS Girls
4.  Improve my social media skills generally.

I will readily admit these are not yet SMART goals.  However, here's what I will do.  I will spend the month of January researching each of these general resolutions and come up with a SMART goal with a plan.  Hopefully, I can transform each of these into a SMART goal and blog about it once every week beginning next week.

Yikes - this is scary stuff.  Now that I've put it out there, I have to at least carry through to February - or maybe through next Tuesday.  Baby steps . . .

cindy

Who Will Be Little Miss Coppertone?

If you are of a "certain" age, you remember the iconic "Coppertone Girl"

I'm not really that old, but I do remember a slightly updated version of this image when I was a kid.  The Coppertone Girl represented a "healthy tan."  Now we know Coppertone has always protected us from the harmful effects of the sun.  Actually, Coppertone has been a staple in my beach bag since I was a kid, once to get a suntan and now as a sunscreen for my children.  

Now Coppertone is looking for a new little girl (ages 2-7) to be Little Miss Coppertone.  Don't worry - there will be no dog pulling off swimsuits or revealing pictures of your child.  In fact, they are not replicating the iconic image, so your child doesn't need to look like the little girl or even wear a swimsuit in the picture.

Here's how it works:  You submit a picture of your little girl, ages 2-7 on Coppertone's Facebook page.  No purchase is necessary.  Contest ends June 22, 2012 (6/22/12).  Click HERE for official rules and FAQs about the contest.  Allison Sweeney will be one of the guest judges who will determine the finalists.  On or about July 13, 2012, voting for the finalists will begin on Coppertone's Facebook page.  Be sure to see the FAQs and official rules so you can send in a picture that meets the requirements of the contest.

I'm sorry to say my Little Miss Coppertone is too old to enter, but Coppertone is the only way I can leave her in the Arizona sun in the pool.

If you do enter and your little girl becomes a finalist, please let me know so I can vote for her on Facebook!  I can't wait to see the next Little Miss Coppertone!

Disclosure:  I was entered for a chance to win a gift card in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place.

cindy

Social Media Maven?

Hardly.  But I have spent a good deal of time recently getting plugged into all things social media.  It started with the SITS Girls Spring Fling, in which the amazing ladies of blogging showed us how to spruce up our blogs and become social media mavens in just two weeks.  I didn't keep up, but I did get connected with a bunch of social media.  Here's my list.  I would love if you would "like" "share" "Tweet" "pin" "join" "become a fan" "include me in your circle" or "follow my blog" (or two or three of them!)

1.  Facebook - My favorite and best (other than my blog).  Now, I'm not only me, I'm "Straddling the Gap"  This is the easiest one and I'm having a good time with it.  Click and like me.



2.  Twitter - I'm just starting to get this after my initial confusion.  I have a few friends who actually talk respond to my tweets.  I'm starting to build some followers.  I irritated some atheists the other day and I wasn't even trying.  (See below)  If you would like to be one of my followers, I'm straddlinggap or you can just click this link and follow me too.





3. Pinterest - No one had to tell me to do this.  I've been a Pinterest fan for a long time.  If you are one of the 5 people who hasn't joined yet, let me know and I'll send you an invite.  Or you can check out my pins by clicking below:



4.  Instagram - I have yet to take a picture because I have a little cell phone issue (I'll get to that tomorrow), but I do have an account and I'm really looking forward to using it.  I should have some pictures later this week.  In the meantime, I am straddlingthegap (notice a pattern here?)



5.  Google +  I signed up, but I don't really understand this quite yet.  I'm trying to click on the plus button when I like a page, but I'm not sure what else to do with it.  If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them.

6.  Klout - I'm in, but this one feels like watching the stock market.  My score is up, my score is down.  Heck, Klout thinks I'm an influencer on Atheism because I made one comment on Twitter and was spammed by 10 atheists.

7.  Tumblr - Again, something I have, but I'm still not sure what to do with it.  I think the tool is for following blogs, but maybe there's more.  I use Bloglovin and like it very much,

So, that's my resume for a social media maven.  I doubt it will be a profitable career, but I'm giving it the old college try.  I'm sure I will stick with some of these, especially the mainstream ones, but who has enough time in the day to work with these and write a blog too?

Just my 2 cents.

cindy

Spring Fling With the SITS Girls

I'm participating in the Spring Fling!  It's sponsored by the SITS Girls, which is a collective of over 40,000 bloggers who work together to promote each other's blogs.  The Spring Fling is a two week effort to help participating bloggers (like me) to improve our blogs and traffic. 

What does that mean to my readers?

Well, you should watch for some subtle changes coming to Straddling the Gap.  I will be fully using social media, including Facebook (getting my own STG page), Twitter (I'm already there as straddlinggap), Pinterest (there as Cindy Campbell) and even Google + (which I know absolutely nothing about).  I'm going to work at sprucing up the look of the blog.  I might even host a linky party or blog hop.  (For those of you who are not bloggers, don't worry, it's cool stuff).

What's all the fuss about?  Well, Straddling the Gap is celebrating its one year anniversary next month and I want to make it big.  I also may be taking another internet step that I don't want to talk about just yet, but hope to reveal in June. 

Hopefully you will like all the changes and improvements.  Stay tuned.

cindy

Share the Gift

Santa was good this year.  No matter what your religious persuasion, during this holiday season it is likely that you gave or received a gift from someone who cares about you.  Last night my wonderful sister-in-law and I thought of a novel idea - what if every person who received a gift this season gave 1 penny ($0.01) to a children's charity?  It's a simple idea - but imagine how powerful it could be!

We're calling this "Share the Gift" and I would love my readers and Facebook friends to get in on the "ground floor".  Go to your family, church, school or community and start a small "Share the Gift" drive.  Collect a penny from anyone (adult or child) who received a gift.  When you finish your drive, pick a children's charity (Ronald McDonald House, UNICEF, Heifer International, Boy's and Girl's Clubs, etc) and DONATE.  Better yet, PASS ON THE WORD!  Tell your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, church members and anyone else who will listen about Share the Gift.  Tweet!  Post!  Blog!  Let's put social media to work.  I would like to see this year how well this idea is received and if it is, perhaps make it even bigger for next year.

Please note - I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO SEND ME MONEY.  I would prefer you put together your own little collection.  What I am asking is that you SHARE YOUR RESULTS!  Send me a comment here or post on the Facebook page "Share the Gift".  Tell us how you raised the money, what you raised and what charity received it.  If you don't want to organize a full blown campaign, you can contact me and I will give you information where you can send your donation (no matter how small).  Remember, it's just a penny.  "LIKE" the Facebook page so you can see the updates.

Let's see if we can Share the Gift.

cindy

Twitter Twerp

O.K., I've been testing Twitter (@straddlinggap) for some time now, and I must be tweet challenged, because it's a trial.  I'm following some Tweeters and some Tweeters are following me, but where are we traveling??  I need a Twitter tutor to think of what anyone is trying to utter.  I see some posts that begin with "RT" and I've been twisting my brain to think of what that means.  I've also realized that Twitter Tweeters don't talk to each other.  They tease their blog, and tantalize with giveaways, twitter event, etc.  It's tiring to watch the solitary who tweet on Twitter to TELL something.

I'm troubled by the use of @ and #.  These twins of tweets test my patience.  Tell me, what do they entail?  I would be traumatized to trip up and try the wrong type.  It's tiring to try to tweet when your trilling isn't thrilling.

There have been some timely things about Twitter.  We're traveling to a gratis movie tomorrow at the AMC Esplanade theater (and the public hasn't been treated yet!).  I'm testing samples, and tragically, I "liked" so many Tweeters on Facebook, they are taking up my time (and space!). 

This twit will keep training on Twitter in anticipation of teriffic tweets.  If any of my peeps have some positive problem-solving possibilities for me, it would please me to peruse them.

cindy