Have you jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet?
I have had my Pinterest account for nearly 6 months but had not done much with it until recently.
For those of you who don’t know what it is, allow me to give my Cliff’s Notes version.
First, it’s sort of like one big cyber wish list.
Every time you see something you like, you can pin it (virtually) on one of your pin boards.
I created these boards: Chocolate, Cookie Dough, Desserts
You can also re-pin other people’s pins on your boards. Basically liking what they liked and pinning it up on your own board.
People pin everything from cool tattoo pictures they’ve seen to glass accessories for the home that catch their eye to favorite thrift store finds to decadent desserts to DIY projects and craft ideas to recipes to beautiful artwork or inspirational photography or cute puppies with pink collars.
I love old, rustic architecture. Weather-beaten windows, shutters, doors, old colorful buildings and created a Rustic Architecture board.
You name it, pretty much everything that you can think of under the sun can be pinned. And has been.
Some people have hundreds of boards (i.e. categories) and each board has dozens of pins in it. It’s mind-boggling, actually.
There’s also ways to follow others and you can follow all their boards or only certain boards.
You can leave comments or “like” their boards or like items on the boards
I think it’s one of the hottest and most fun pieces of social media that’s come around in quite some time.
It’s like your wedding registry, baby registry, Christmas Wish List, recipes you want to make, vacation destinations you have on your life bucket list, and every list of items and things you’ve ever wanted, liked, or dreamt about all in one place. Or haven’t even dreamt about but someone else has and you now like and want things you didn’t know existed.
The bright side to wasting time pinning things is that if someone ever asks you what you want for your birthday or a holiday of any kind, you have a built in and ready to go Wish List.
No need to say, hmmm, let me think about what I want.
Tell them to go check out your Pinterest page. And there will be an easy 417 options and gift ideas for them to choose from.
Not to mention, it’s really fun for me to look at things other than food blogs. I like reading about food, recipes, and drool-worthy desserts but it’s also fun to see some of the awe-inspiring boards that others’ have created that showcase their passions, hobbies, and interests.
Questions:
1. Do you have a Pinterest account?
2. How many social media accounts do you have? Do you use them all? Why or why not?
I am really digging Pinterest because it’s…
less random than Stumble
far more visually interesting than Twitter
more universally accessible than Instagram (not everyone has an iPhone)
more inspirational than Facebook
That said, there is so much social media!
There are so many ways and methods in which to communicate and forms of communication to check. Overwhelming much?
Between email, blog reading, (my Google Reader is the both a blessing and a curse at times), and keeping up with personal Facebook accounts, fan page accounts of your friends, Twitter, text messages, phone calls and voicemails, there are days I want to just chuck my computer, phone, email, and every other form of communication out the window.
Until I realize that I think I’d miss it.
Being in touch (electronically) with others in this very cyber-focused world in which we live is simply a part of our lives. And for better or worse, I think we’re all a little hooked on it. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a thing.
As long as technology isn’t cutting into other aspects of your life, i.e. family time, work time, workout time, pleasure-reading, cooking, keeping up with just life’s details, etc. I think it’s fine to enjoy technology and all the social media avenues. They have their place and can be wonderful but of course only each person knows if she’s on cyber-overload. We’ve all been there.
Everyone’s threshold is different but once you hit it, you know it. And just repeat the mantras, Step away from the screen and no one gets hurt.
A little unplugging can be fabulous. And necessary. Fresh air, exercise, reading a book, walking around, no Wifi, no phone, no computer, ahhh, deep breaths. Freedom from it all can be just what the cyber doctor ordered if that omg one more thing to check and respond to feeling hits. And then I find that after a little break, even two hours or 24 hours, I am craving it again.
What’s your take on social media and being connected vs. unplugging? Do you ever experience social media or cyber overload? What do you do about it in our very tech-oriented society?
Thanks for the NotNuts! Giveaway entries
I resisted Pinterest at first because I did not want to take on yet another social media-type platform that would eat up my time…
BUT…
of course, now I am OBSESSED with it! I get so many ideas for baking, crafting, home decorating, etc. I love it!
It reminds me of tumblr in a way ha :) Where you’re capable of reblogging, liking, posting, etc. I use tumblr, twitter, and facebook. Oh and Youtube! Those are enough for me :)
we have not got into pinterest yet, although you just have convinced us to think about it
it is crazy about all the social media type stuff out there, I cannot keep up sometimes
I am addicted to Pinterest, I spent a few hours there and got sucked in!
I do facebook and pinterest. I like them both for their utility – keeping in touch with friends really easily (facebook) and remembering all those things I want to make, food and otherwise (pinterest). I was hesitant at first, but I had a ton of bookmarks on my webbrowser all categorized, and I basically just made those into boards on pinterest. Its much better because when I am deciding waht to make, its like a bookmark with a picture. LOVE it.
I just discovered pinterest. I could spend hours looking I swear. I have both personal and work social media accts so I have a lot going on LOL. Personally I do twitter, FB, blogging, Google+, Linkedin.
For my blog, I just have my blog. I have a personal pinterest and facebook account. Never got into twitter. I have thought of doing a facebook page for my blog…not sure yet!
Brooke
http://www.TheAnnessaFamily.blogspot.com
Love love LOVE Pinterest, but I do also keep a massive bulletin board – a “mood” board on my bedroom wall that I change every now and then with different magazine clippings, inspirational quotes, etc. It’s nice to have a tangible thing to look at every morning that’s not necessarily on my computer!
That being said, I’m off to go waste some time on Pinterest now…
I have an account for pinterest but haven’t opened up that can justttt yet. I feel it coming though, it really looks like a ton of fun. Your boards are beautiful too- I love the rustic architecture one, awesome!
I’m into social media to an extent but I don’t tweet all that much and i check facebook pretty briefly- its my google reader that takes my attention… but I really enjoy reading blogs! And I try very hard not to let it cut into real life.
I love that you have a cookie dough category… of course you would! Just followed you :)
Haha, I love that you have a board devoted to pumpkin!
i have a pinterest account and have done absolutely nothing with it. i appreciate your quick notes because i don’t totally ‘get it’ yet. i have put off exploring pinterest any further because i don’t want any more computer time/online media to deal with right now! blogging, fb, emails, reading blogs is enough right now. i have twitter – read it but don’t tweet.
i just made a 100 item xmas list for my family!! how great if we all had pinterest and i could have given them a visual for each item!
some day i will get into pinterest…love the concept. glad you’re enjoying it!
I haven’t used pinterest, but I love the idea! It’s like virtual shopping … but with little actual buying. I do the same thing at Netflix, I go there and make huge queues of movies I want to watch, but then never do! The fun is in the list making :) As far as your boards, I’ll definitely take everything on the chocolate board, and the camera one, too!
Oh Pinterest……. I haven’t entered into that world yet. I’m too scared. I’m already spending way too much time on the computer. Maybe someday…. Your boards look fabulous though. :) I think I need to try editing photos first. ha!
Just got a pinterest maybe a week ago. Love the idea, but with schoolwork and housework…no time to browse! I also have a facebook and twitter, which I use more often.
I can’t complain about social media – my sister and I have both found family members on facebook that we never thought we’d find, and it’s been a pretty positive experience overall! I prefer face-to-face or phone calls/texts, but it’s a good way to keep in touch when you’re stuck in front of the computer for 40 hours a week anyway.
I just joined Pinterest a few days ago and its so fun! All the food pics make me hungry! :)