Blogging for Endometriosis Awareness 2013!

Endometriosis Awareness Month is right around the corner!

A group of bloggers and myself would love for you to join in with us to help spread education and awareness regarding endometriosis! With 5.5 million women in North America alone being affected, there is a good chance that you know someone battling this often unrelenting disease.

To kick the month off, March 1st will be Yellow Shirt Day so sport your yellow loud & proud and we will kick off the month with a link of you lovely readers sporting your yellow! We would love to see social media turn yellow!

The Blogging for Endometriosis Awareness campaign runs throughout the month of March and provides an opportunity to share your journey with others and offer and receive some support and encouragement for fellow endo-sisters! Each week there is a different topic that discusses the various ways endometriosis impacts our lives. We all know that the physical aspects of the disease is just on facet of life and it impacts our lives emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

Here is a schedule of the topics:

Week of March 4th: Physical impact that endometriosis has had on your life
Week of March 11th: Mental impact that endo has had on your life.
Week of March 18th: Social impact that endo has had on your life.
Week of March 25th: Your favorite things/tips/coping tools that have helped you stay encouraged in spite of illness (suggestions: endo survival kit, advice for newly diagnosed, top 10 most annoying things you can say to someone with endo, etc)

You can post any time during the week and link up your posts here but don’t feel trapped with the list of topics. If you feel lead to share another post related to endometriosis awareness, please do so! This list of topics is just a general guideline! I hope having a list of topics provides enough inspiration to get writing but still be broad enough to allow for your creativity to let loose!

Another idea for the awareness campaign is to have friends and family members write guest posts for your blog so that we can include the stories and experiences of caregivers and loved ones! Chronic illness is obviously very difficult on the patient but also has a big impact on caregivers and loved ones and sometimes their voice gets lost. When I stop and put myself in my husband’s shoes I cannot imagine having to watch your spouse go into surgery not only once but often multiple times as well as having to watch them have pain and not being able to do anything about it. My husband is type 1 diabetic and it shatters my heart to watch when he has a bad day so it really causes me to step back and think about the hurt and the frustration he must feel about my illnesses.

Some possible topics for guest posts include:

What impact has the disease had on your life?
What is it like watching your friend/loved one suffer?
How do you offer encouragement?
If you could give advice to a friend or family member who is just
beginning the road of supporting a friend or family member with endo, what would it be?
If you have been the main caregiver for someone suffering from endo, how do you make sure to care for yourself too so you stay health?

If you could understand more about endometriosis, what would you want to know?

Plans are in the works for at least one (hopefully two!) twitter chats as well as a couple giveaways! If you are a business owner or know someone who might be interested in donating for giveaways throughout the Blogging for Endometriosis Awareness 2013 campaign, please send me an email! All giveaway sponsors will be given free ad space throughout the duration of the campaign!

You can also grab the Blogging for Endometriosis Awareness 2013 button to the right for your sidebar or posts! You can also join in the Blogging for Endometriosis Awareness 2013 Facebook event! The more we can spread the yellow love the better! Join in the discussion on twitter using hashtag #bloggingforendo2013! You can also add a Blogging for Endometriosis Awareness Twibbon to your twitter and/or facebook profile and join the Blogging for Endometriosis Awareness 2013 Facebook event! Please check back for updates!

Source:  http://www.anewkindofnormal.com/chronic-illness/bloggingforendometriosis2013

Here's how Facebook helps you fight hackers

Facebook is taking steps to educate its members about how to stay safe online and help them prevent their accounts from becoming compromised. 

The social networking giant has started posting security tips at the top of each user's profile page, with links to information about different types of scams they are likely to see. 

The first tip, "Know how to spot a scam," outlines common ploys cybercrooks often use, including requests to "please send money," emails asking for your password and notices that someone else registered for an account using your email address. 

[6 Steps to Staying Safe on Social Networks]
The scam-spotting section also informs users on how to keep their accounts secure, with helpful advice such as, "Think before you click," and "never click suspicious links — even if they come from a friend or a company you know." 

In a short video accompanying the tips, a Facebook security engineer discusses the "free airline" and " valuable gift certificate offers," which he says you should immediately recognize as scams. He also mentions scams that promise to show you who viewed your profile, and said, "It's just not possible on Facebook." 

If you spot a scam, Facebook's "Take Action" tips show you exactly how to flag the offending post and block a user. 

Facebook's second tip is an important one: Choose a one-of-a-kind password, and never share it with anyone. A weak password is one of the top ways accounts are broken into and tampered with. 

Facebook also sending more visible and frequent prompts to members asking them to confirm their mobile phone number so, in the event of your account is hacked or you forget your password, Facebook can text you. 

(That's called "out-of-band authentication" -- confirmation of identity through a medium other than the Internet. This is more secure than emailing a new password -- if someone took control of your Facebook account, they might have control of your email as well -- but it's not foolproof.)

These are all basic security tips, but with nearly a billion members worldwide, they could go a long way in keeping users safe from the hordes of scams that pop up on the network every day.

Source:  http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/heres-how-facebook-helps-you-fight-hackers-830265

3 Ways Facebook Hackers Target Your Account

Facebook accounts are an often overlooked gateway into an individual’s personal life.   

We, as social networking users, have few reservations about posting our photos, location, plans to travel, private outbursts, and information regarding friends, family and work.  We include names, phone numbers, email addresses, GPS coordinates and the list goes on and on.  But you ask “What’s to worry? After all, I am only posting this information for friends and family to see, right?”.  The simple answer is no. Facebook hackers want your information.

The truth is that many of your friends’ and family’s accounts are being hacked every day.  By successfully compromising your Facebook account an attacker has unlimited access to a wealth of information about you, your friends and your family.  In addition, if a hacker gets your Facebook password, I think it’s reasonable to assume that he could then take over your email accounts, bank accounts, and other private information as well.  The following 3 Methods of Facebook Hacking are something that everyone should make themselves aware of.  When you have learned the attacker’s methods you can begin to protect the information that you so freely give out on the internet.

1. Social Engineering:
Generally the first thing a hacker will do is to find a way directly to your inner circle.  One way an attacker might start is by  ”friending” some of your closest friends, family and coworkers on Facebook.   Once enough mutual “friends” are built up, they will eventually work their way up to sending you a friend request.  It may appear to come from a name that you know, or perhaps some curious account with a hot profile picture to grab your attention.  Either way, you look at all the mutual friends list and you click “Confirm” on the friend request, allowing the attacker access to a gold mine of information.Once the attacker is on your “friends” list he can see all of your photos,  friends and family that you talk to the most, your daily activities and more.  In addition, he may be able to access your email address, phone number, the schools you went to, and where you currently work.

Armed with this information the hacker can now move on to the next level of attack, attempting to access your login details and other private information.The lesson to be learned here is “Don’t accept friends requests unless you’re darned sure you actually know the person on the other end”.  Either confirm the friend request by phone, by sending a private Facebook message asking for some specific details, or by only adding friends where you have initiated the friend request.

2. Brute Force:
Once the hacker has gained access to the names of your cats and dogs, children’s names, birthdays, etc he will begin the process to brute force your Facebook password.  This means he will make repeated attempts to log in to your account using a list of words and variations taken from the information you post to your account.  If the information gleaned from your profile, posts and photos does not yield a hit, he will move on using automated applications and dictionary files to attempt to crack the password.  There are a bunch of tools that claim to do this automatically, one only has to perform a quick Google search to find a page full of options.

 A potential user of brute force applications can find unlimited tutorials on sites like YouTube.  With the availability of tools like this, I suspect anyone with a keyboard has the potential to get your password if you aren’t careful.  However, if you use long passwords, consisting of numbers, upper and lower case letters plus a special character (e.g.- %,$,!,@), I think you should be a bit safer from these brute force types of attacks.

3. Phishing:
According to Wikipedia, “Phishing is attempting to acquire information (and sometimes, indirectly, money) such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT administrators are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting public.”In layman terms this means phishing is the act of a hacker creating a clone of a well known website login page, such as Facebook or your bank, with the hopes of tricking you into inputting your username and password on the page.   Once you type your information into the login form, and click the submit button, your name and password are added to a database or sent to a fake email address controlled by the hacker.

A hacker can use any of several methods to grab your Facebook information through phishing techniques. The easiest way is to create a fake Facebook login page, put it on a free hosting service and then send you an email or Facebook post with a link to the page.  The problem with this method is the fact that the domain name in the link and your browser address bar should be a dead giveaway as shown in the image above.

Another, more popular method is to use a technique called “tab nabbing“.  Tab nabbing is an exploit where an attacker sends you a link to a regular looking web page such as a game or a video.  When you switch to another tab in your browser, the original page does a quick refresh to a fake Facebook, bank or email login page.  The tab-nabbing exploit takes advantage of user trust and inattention to detail in regard to tabs.  Many internet users don’t bother to look at the URL of a tab they’ve already been on.  Here is a video example showing how a simple tab-nabbing attack works.

When attempting to compromise the account of a more experienced internet user, hackers may utilize a combination of tools for a more sophisticated attack. Some of these tools include ettercap and the Social Engineer Toolkit’s Credential Harvester.  With this type of attack the hacker can manipulate your DNSconfiguration, the service that translates domain names to IP addresses.  Once your DNS has been changed all of your internet requests to www.facebook.com will go to a server under the attacker’s control.  This type of attack is very difficult to identify because the actual domain name Facebook.com will appear in your internet browser address bar.

6 Simple Steps To Keep Your Account Safe:

• When logging in to your Facebook account, always double check the URL in your browser’s address bar
• Use long, complicated passwords that utilize upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters
• Do not post personal information to your Facebook profile (e.g.- phone numbers, email address, etc)
• Review and adjust your privacy settings, in both your browser and your Facebook account, on a regular basis
• Only allow people on your “Friends” list that you have personally sent a friend request to, do not accept blind requests!
• If you do accept a friend request from someone, make certain that you have verified the person on the other end using some other means.

The internet brings convenience, business growth, and the opportunity to share your thoughts and memories with friends and family.  It also allows an attacker unlimited access to your life and private information.  By following a few simple guidelines, you can keep yourself  a bit safer on social networking sites like Facebook.com.

Source:  http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/01/3-ways-facebook-hackers-target-your-account-2540194.html

Kenneth Alan Herrlin, Nov. 22, 1972 ~ Jan. 18, 2013

In loving memory of Kenneth Alan Herrlin.

Kenneth Alan Herrlin, was born on Nov. 22, 1972, in Roseville, CA, he passed away on Jan. 18, 2013, in Shingle Springs, CA.



Alan graduated from Independence High School in 1990.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends along with camping, fishing and working out.

He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline; son, Alan Jr.; daughter, Paige; grandchildren, Aj and Abbygail; mother, Nancy; father, Ken; and sister, Heidi.

Services will be held at the Diamond Springs Firefighters Hall at 501 Main Street in Diamond Springs, CA, at 1 p.m., on Feb. 2nd. 

In lieu of flowers; donations can be made to “Kenneth Alan Herrlin’s Memorial Fund” 
at any El Dorado Savings Bank location.



Source:  http://www.mtdemocrat.com/obituaries/kenneth-alan-herrlin-2/

SEVEN STAGES OF GRIEF EXPLAINED. WHAT YOU ARE FEELING IS NORMAL. YOU ARE NOT ALONE, THERE IS HOPE!

Through the Process and Back to Life

It is important to interpret the stages loosely, and expect much individual variation. There is no neat progression from one stage to the next. In reality, there is much looping back, or stages can hit at the same time, or occur out of order. So why bother with stage models at all? Because they are a good general guide of what to expect.

For example, generally, a long period of "depression" (not clinical depression), isolation, and loneliness happen late in the grief process, months after the tragedy strikes. It actually is normal and expected for you to be very depressed and sad eight months later.

Outsiders do not understand this, and feel that it should be time for you to "get over it" and rejoin the land of the living. Just knowing that your desire to be alone with your sad reflections at this time is normal will help you deal with outside pressures. You are acting normally. They just don't "get it".

7 Stages of Grief...

1. SHOCK & DENIAL-
You will probably react to learning of the loss with numbed disbelief. You may deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain. Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once. This may last for weeks.

2. PAIN & GUILT-
As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. Although excruciating and almost unbearable, it is important that you experience the pain fully, and not hide it, avoid it or escape from it with alcohol or drugs.

You may have guilty feelings or remorse over things you did or didn't do with your loved one. Life feels chaotic and scary during this phase.

3. ANGER & BARGAINING-
Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame for the death on someone else. Please try to control this, as permanent damage to your relationships may result. This is a time for the release of bottled up emotion.

You may rail against fate, questioning "Why me?" You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair ("I will never drink again if you just bring him back")

4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS-
Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. This is a normal stage of grief, so do not be "talked out of it" by well-meaning outsiders. Encouragement from others is not helpful to you during this stage of grieving.

During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. You may isolate yourself on purpose, reflect on things you did with your lost one, and focus on memories of the past. You may sense feelings of emptiness or despair. 

5. THE UPWARD TURN-
As you start to adjust to life without your dear one, your life becomes a little calmer and more organized. Your physical symptoms lessen, and your "depression" begins to lift slightly.

6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH-
As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life without your loved one. You will start to work on practical and financial problems and reconstructing yourself and your life without him or her.

7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-
During this, the last of the seven stages in this grief model, you learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward.

You will start to look forward and actually plan things for the future. Eventually, you will be able to think about your lost loved one without pain; sadness, yes, but the wrenching pain will be gone. You will once again anticipate some good times to come, and yes, even find joy again in the experience of living. 

http://www.recover-from-grief.com/

Trying to bring a little Spring in to my blog!

  It's time to take the ultimate blogging challenge-changing the template...

 My fellow bloggers (unless you are a pro) know very well just how hard this could be. Trying to decide on what theme to go with for the new look you have in mind, key word there "mind" making it a constant work in progress as your mind changes so often. I always have great intentions and know exactly how it is going to look long before I start, unfortunately the final out come usually ends being completely opposite of my original mind plans and the project ends up taking about a month to complete.

So this time I decided to go with a Victorian Rose Theme, I can't honestly say it was my first mind plan but that's what happens when you look at hundreds of photos, clip art, backgrounds, fonts and color schemes day after day and many long nights just trying to get it just perfect. You really don't know what you are going to end up with until you are done, but you never really are done. I will be doing final little details for the next few weeks and hopefully by Spring my blog with it's new Spring theme will be finally final.

I hope my new spring look goes over well and brings some early blooms and sunshine into many homes around the world. Thank you to all my readers and followers, you are the reason I keep on blogging!