I can't believe how fast time is moving. It's been a couple of weeks since my last post. I have been extremely busy, and admittedly re-thinking my use of certain social media sites. If you follow me on facebook, you may have noticed my post this morning about stepping away from the platform giant.
As the famous saying goes "with great power comes great responsibility". Facebook (Mark Zuckerberg) has a business model that I consider is unethical and immoral. They collect what we consider to be private information from all their users and sell to everyone and anyone; not caring how it is used. FB users were/are being targeted with fake news, content which is specifically designed to mislead, harass, create anger, anxiety and fear. This information is being used to select and exploit the most vulnerable amongst us.
I highly recommend The Great Hack, available on Netflix. It details the dark world of data victimization and how it was used to influence the 2016 presidential election. To me, it is just as disturbing as it is fascinating. We are shown by insiders how companies like Cambridge Analytica operate. This is something we need to all be aware of as the world around us becomes completely digitized. The more informed we are, the better equipped we are to pressure officials to enact legislation that can protect us and hold those responsible accountable.
In addition, the social media giant has continuously dropped the ball on banning hate speech from their platform. The site remains a safe haven for bigots and extremists of all varieties. This week, major companies such as Coca-Cola, Verizon, Starbucks, Honda, and many others have decided to boycott the platform. Marketers have voiced and acted on feelings of unease with how the social media company has failed to handle misinformation and acts of hatred. I too am on the 'boycott facebook' train and will be veering to Twitter for now. If you aren't following me yet, you can find me here.
Day to Day
Now onto to the lighter fare... We have been running around the Central California Coast the past couple of weeks, and boy does it shine bright during the summer months! Finding hidden coves to explore is a favorite pastime.
The views while walking or hiking are breathtaking. It is easy to see why Colin and I care so much for conserving areas such as these. We even had the lifeguard helping us with a cleanup at Pismo Beach! The old campsite rule rings true: always leave an area better than you found it.
We caught this gorgeous path while on one of our many beach walks and when I tell you the landscape here is straight out of a fairytale, this is what I mean:
If the views of sprawling beaches and coastline aren't majestic enough, consider the plethora of wildlife we have encountered on our adventures. I'm starting to feel like Snow White!
This beautiful Blue Heron's environmental adaptations were on full display as we noticed how perfectly it blended into the the gray rock beach below the washed up tree trunk where it was perched. Hiding in plain sight from any potential predators.
Not only are these two male elephant seals shedding their fur, they're also fighting each other for territorial rights. The largest males are the ones the females are most drawn to though they have to compete first. What we were not aware of but learned some of these battles end up to be fatal!
This king snake invited itself to join our hike last week. We politely declined its offer and made our way safely passed it. I mean c'mon, he wasn't even wearing a mask!
Are we on Safari? Nope! Just driving by the Hearst Ranch. Nothing quite like seeing a zebra family grazing in the middle of California.
As you can see, this is my happy place. We have had some ups and downs the past few weeks but it's never anything some time outside can't fix. Nature lends us so much perspective and reminds me to let go of that I cannot control. What is meant to be, will simply be.
We managed to connect with some human friends out here as well. World renowned architect, Tom Kundig, an absolute gem of a person, spent a couple hours with us since he was in the area. If you aren't familiar with his work, take a moment to look at why this man has the reputation he does. His work has received some the highest design honors the world has to offer! We took our masks off for a quick photo.
I'll Check in soon
That is all for now, folks! Remember to follow me on Twitter, as I will be shifting gears to primarily use that social media platform. Now is a better time than ever to subscribe to my blog posts so they can be sent straight to your email when they go live.
Look out for another update in about a week or so. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the 4th of July weekend and perhaps you'll think about what Independence means to you.
Thank you for reading. Remember to be kind to yourself, and others.
In good health
xo
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