Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Latest Social Networking Addiction: Pinterest

For some, the gateway drug was their first tweet.  For others it was the constant poking on Facebook that nagged at them until one day they realized they had become become addicted to Social Networking.  For the afflicted, every desktop, laptop and smartphone screams out at them to "use me..."  Temptation is everywhere.  Even Twitter co-founder Biz Stone recently warned against becoming addicted to his own baby, Twitter.

So Many Followers, So Little Time

Since I launched Social Networking Rehab back in August of 2007 there has been no shortage of shiny new social networking services to fuel the pangs of the addicted.  While Twitter and Facebook may remain the cocaine and heroin of the socially addictive services, just as on the dark corners of cities everywhere there is always the threat of a new, more powerful drug making its way to the streets.  It seems the latest digital drug to feed the needs of social junkies is Pinterest.  In my humble opinion it is too soon to tell if all the interest in Pinterest is well founded, or if they are riding a wave of aggressive Facebook connecting and the early adopters' seeming obsession with whatever is perceived to be "the latest" shiny new object.

Anything Further For Fodder?

Not one to let the hype go unnoticed, Pinterest seemed like a ripe subject for me to tackle for a (long overdue) new post over at www.SocialNetworkingRehab.com, where the INVITATIONS staff will happily take the necessary steps (12 or more) to help folks overcome their uncontrollable passion for pinning.  Whether you are a true pinhead or not, I thought you might enjoy this (ahem) "news" story, re-posted here with permission.  :-)   Are you addicted to Pinterest?

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Acupuncturist Takes Pinterest Too Far

(Pittsburgh, Pinsylvania) February 20, 2012.  A 47 year-old Pinsylvania man has been arrested for aggravated assault after pinning 134 photographs to the body of an unsuspecting, but very patient, patient of the Always Accurate Acupuncture Center.  The suspect, Ivan Toopoke, is a licensed acupuncturist known for pointedly practicing his profession with piercing perfection prior to this point.  This is the first time he has been stuck with charges of needling a customer the wrong way.  

The patient, who's name has been withheld thanks to the privacy settings on her Facebook account, is a regular customer of the AAAC.  She dozed off during what was to be a routine session of stress relief sticking, only to awaken on pins and needles.  According to one witness, an apprentice acupuncturist, "I walked into the exam room with a cushion full of freshly sterililized needles, and there she was, covered head to toe with pictures of kitchen appliances, shoes, pasta dishes and Ikea Furniture, pinned to her as if she was a human pin-board.  It was shocking."

The witness's reference to human pin-board was on point, as it turns out.  Investigators who confiscated Mr. Toopoke's office computer found evidence of an obsession with the popular on-line pin-board,Pinterest.  Toopoke had set up more than 750 "boards" and had personally pinned or repinned more than 150,000 images since signing up for the sticky social network six days ago.  According to Detective Dick Richardson, "it appears that Mr. Toopoke was addicted to this Pinterest thing to the point where he could no longer distinguish between digital pins and real pins.  In his mind, his brutally abusive acupuncturing of this patient was merely a means of sharing the things he loves."

When asked about the source of the 134 images pinned to the victim, Detective Richardson noted that CSI's involved in the case had photographed for evidence a large refrigerator in the Acupuncture Office that was suspiciously devoid of any cut out pictures on it, despite the presence of a large number of small magnets.  The acupuncturist Toopoke may face jail time as well as revocation of both his acupuncturist license and his Pinterest account.  He has been sent to the prominent Social Networking Rehab facility,INVITATIONS, for observation.  The victim is expected to fully recover, and has asked if she could keep several of the photos of shoes and furniture for future reference.

A spokesperson for Pinterest was not available for comment on the incident.




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Friday, February 10, 2012

Don't Quit (And Why Giving Up Is An Oxymoron)



Don't quit.  Sometimes it is the overused, trite and true cliche that still says it best.  Don't quit.  Never quit. Don't give up.  Never give up.  It's all the same, and it is all the truth.  The real truth.  You can't quit.  We can't quit.  You can't let your kids quit, or your friends quit, or your family quit.  Lead them by example. Don't quit. Never quit. 

"Giving up" is an oxymoron.  If you give up, you are not giving anything at all... you are taking away.  You are taking away opportunity. You are taking away dreams.  You are taking away hope.  You are taking away the chance to be all you can be (yup, love those cliche's).  Seriously, the only things you should ever even consider quitting are those things that truly damage you.  If it is toxic, toss it.  Anything else, you have to hang on.  Hang on tight.  For the long haul.  Forever.

If you never quit, time is always on your side.  If you never give up, you always have more to give.  Another step, another try, another shot.  Better this time because you've done it before.  Better this time because you haven't quit, you haven't given up, and you've gained knowledge and experience along the way.  If you never quit your journey continues, and the journey is what you live. Getting to the goal is just the gravy.

Last year I started running, and worked my way up, slowly and surely, to be able to run a half-marathon in  October. It was an awesome feeling of personal accomplishment.  Then I had an accident in December and could not run for several months.  Now I am starting from the beginning again.  I can't do the distance yet.  What was becoming fun and easy last year, is hard again.  Really hard.  It would be easy to quit.  I want to quit.  I really want to quit (especially during those first few steps every time I run).  But I won't quit.  I can't quit. I've done it before and I know I can do it again.

Business is the same.  You can't quit.  Dreams are the same.  You can't quit.  Goals are the same.  You can't quit.  It is NEVER too late.  Anything you want to work toward you can start RIGHT NOW.  Or in an hour.  Or tomorrow. Or next week.  The choice is yours.  You have the power.  We have the power.

Just don't quit.




Photo Credit: © gunnar3000 - Fotolia.com