There’s a new time-suck out there on the interwebs, ladies. I’m sure you already know about it. I’m a little late to the party for this one, though I’m proud to say I slipped my name into the Sorting Hat at a very opportune moment that got me a “You’re IN!” email within 24 hours, and I didn’t need an invitation from someone already on the inside.
This new obsession is Pinterest, in case you couldn’t already tell from the hints I dropped above.
I’m kind of addicted.
Hitting up Pinterest for the first time was a little like the first day of school. The walls were clean & unmarred by thousands of small children. The crayons were all perfectly color-coded and sharpened just waiting for me to use. And there were hundreds of friendly-looking kids for me to play with right off the bat. Pinterest even introduced them to me so I wouldn’t have to take the first step.
That little habit of auto-following people is getting a little bit old now but I’m still happy to see the occasional new face on my dashboard so long as they aren’t tripping up and falling all over the other kids, you know?
Are you on Pinterest? Are you as addicted as I am?
For those of you not on board yet, it’s basically a virtual cork board like the one your mom or dad pinned your drawings to in grade school. You see a picture you like; you click the “pin it” shortcut you installed when you signed up; you select the picture you want to pin, the board you want it to go on, add a little caption and that’s it. You’re done. It’s there for the world to see.
I started out with the normal boards that Pinterest foists upon you with registration but quickly added more.
I couldn’t be without a humor board to share things like the photo of a baby I don’t know laughing maniacally at his own reflection with the caption, “AHAHAHAHA So we meet again!”
I wouldn’t be me without firmly embracing the “Books Worth Reading” board they gave me at the beginning though I’m beginning to think I need to go back and break it up a little. Right now it’s a dumping ground for anything and everything I love related to books, whether they are pictures of books, cool quotes or photos of someone’s literary tattoos.
And of course, I added a “Food Porn” board because, let’s face it, there are a lot of ridiculously beautiful (and to me completely unachievable) photos of food on the internet that I want to bookmark and refer back to at the height of my cravings when I need to torture myself.
These last few weeks, in conversations about social media, I’ve seen people waffle back and forth over whether there is merit in this new social forum. They’re calling it “women-centric” but I have to admit, the boards I love the most are run by geeky men or by websites who totally get brand-immersion on social media. Literary websites seem particularly good at this. Book Riot has a great Pinterest. So does Tattered Covers. If you want some incredible book images, you should check them out.
I’ve found Pinterest to be a great place where my geeky pleasures can come together with my girly pleasures, and I can get a nice little snapshot of ALL the things I’m interested in rather than just one or two of them. And it’s perfect for my ADD – I don’t have to read full-on articles.
One of my favorite things about Pinterest is its focus on me. It sounds narcissistic, I know, but a lot of what I share on social media has to do with things I care about or issues I’m passionate about. I’m treating Pinterest as a happy-place I can go back to just for some laughs. And if people follow me there, I hope they come and peruse my boards for the same reasons: a few laughs, a little beauty, and not a whole lot of stress.
Image is my own.
I like how easy it is to find a site or recipe by clicking on the photo. Plus it’s another great way to see what my friends are into, especially now that many of us live in different cities.
It will suck every moment out of your life. And you will love it. Plus, it rocks when someone repins you. And it rocks even more when you hop on and realize someone has repinned you NINE HUNDRED TIMES. That happened to me today. Right here http://pinterest.com/pin/60306082480155734/
PINTEREST IS RUINING MY LIFE… In a wonderful/horrible way. Every day is the same thing: Get on the internet. Read new HG articles. Pin for the next 3 hours. Look at clock, panic and think about all the things I need to be doing… but keep pinning anyway. I just can’t help myself! I finally figured out that I needed to create an ‘Accomplished’ board to re-pin the recipes I’ve tried, books I’ve read, movies I’ve watched and crafts I’ve made, or I would just pin EVERYTHING and never actually do anything. It has helped a bit, since I’ve started the ‘Accomplished’ board 2 months ago, I have managed to make 15 things I’ve pinned. I suggest it if you’re anything like me: A planner with big ideas but poor follow through.
yay!!! Im totally hook on it!!!
Love Pinterest!!!! It has everything!!
I totally agree I am so addicted. http://pinterest.com/zelina/
LOVE IT! I’ve had a Pinterest for a bit now, but I remember that it took me forever to get invited, but the day I was let in, I was so happy. It was like as if I was let into a secret society or something. Kind of. Sort of. Anyway, I’ve been hooked since & since day one, I’ve realized just how diverse an Oreo really is and how easily I can drool over anything as simple as a black & white cookie. I’ve gotta learn how to stay off of the Food boards otherwise, Pinterest will be the demise of my diet. I know this!
It’s totally dangerous to my diet.
Yes, Rachael, I am as addicted as you— and I love it! Pinterest is my favorite way to unwind after a long day and I can’t stop pressing “See More Pins”. Also, I have to admit- it’s a super awesome feeling when you get that email that says someone repinned your pin- almost exhilarating, embarrassing to admit, I know! See you in the Pinnerverse!
http://www.bundtsofsteel.blogspot.com
I love that feeling I get from an email.