Thursday, June 7, 2012

Pinning the Blues Away, Unhappy News Away...



In case you hadn't noticed, Pinterest is the newest, space-age way to waste enormous amounts of time. What's more there's something about it that's so darned addictive that before you know it, you're glued to the site with no notion of how the hours in the day seemed to have disappeared and suddenly it's time to order pizza for dinner.

It is the strangest thing.

Now, I can't imagine anyone who isn't visually acrobatic liking Pinterest much - in fact they'd probably be disturbed by the whole idea - see no point in it whatsoever. (I know several people like that.) But for those of us who think visually, Pinterest is probably heaven sent.

I actually see it as a great research resource for artists, designers, decorators, photographers and the like. But also, no point denying it, it's a fabulous way to waste time when you're looking for relaxation and perhaps a way to disengage the brain for some periods of time. It's a great de-stresser.

Pinterest (for those few of you who don't yet know) is a series of virtual bulletin boards whose content you set up yourself - as many boards as you like with as many pins as you like. You set up the pinning apparatus (It's so easy even I was able to do it on my own.) then you're ready to pin away most any picture you find on any website. Pinterest automatically links back to the source from whence the pin came, but it's still best to type in the source or the artist's name if you can find it. (Do your best to find it.)

You can pin from the internet or repin from other pinners' Pinterest boards themselves. And you build up 'followers' sort of like 'friends' on Facebook. This is the least of my interest. I don't care to be the most followed or the most talked about or the most popular. I just want to have fun designing my boards and pinning whatever interest me. I have fairly eclectic  tastes, so you might imagine that my boards reflect this. And to what end - you might ask. Well, for me, it's like a scrapbook or bulletin board of visual ideas that might or might not spark a drawing or a blog post or whatever.Actually, I don't think I need a reason.


Pinterest for me is like 'esoteric checkers' in that I get to move things around and make visually pleasing boards of things that interest me in one way or another. It can be, at least in my case I like to think it is, a way to fashion virtual collages as well.

There are all kinds of copyright issues being bandied about re: Pinterest and in fact, someone said it can't possibly last much longer. But I don't know, it seems to be growing by leaps and bounds to me. Traffic to Pinterest's site is enormous. But maybe a class-action suit will put a stop to it - supposing one is in the works which I know nothing about.

It's best, therefore, to make sure to give credit where credit is due. I tend not to repin unless there's some sort of credit given. Though occasionally (more often than you would think) it is almost impossible to know where a pin came from originally. There are MANY sites which show a multiplicity of beautiful pictures with no artist or designer or photography credit whatsoever. Pinterest didn't start that and there's no point blaming them for it.

As with any new online experiment or venture, therer are growing pains and bumps in the road. Many sites are now installing a widget that prevents any pinning. Which, by the way, I think is extremely short-sighted of the website's owner. Pinterest should be looked at as a gold mine of opportunity. Another great way to spread the news about your particular talents.


Look, if someone is going to appropriate your picture of a basket or a necklace or a cupcake or a copy of the Mona Lisa, what exactly are they going to do with it? There are various artists online who allow their work to be pinned. They obviously are not inclined to think that showcasing their work is a bad thing. They're comfortable with the whole idea. But I've seen some of the silliest things made unpinnable by a site's owner - things I can't even imagine a nefarious purpose for. I mean, use your common sense.

And by the way - How can anyone have the copyright on a painting by an artist dead for two centuries? Just sayin'.

I will add though that there appear to be a lot of screws set loose on Pinerest. I can say no more. Luckily all you have to do is unfollow and all is generally well.

Maybe a bit more: It's no secret that there are some REALLY odd people in the world - and not always odd in a good way - many of them have discovered Pinterest.. There are people for whom 'taste' is a foreign word with no particular meaning.  There are people who don't quite understand that art, photography and design are ACTUALLY created by someone - artwork, etc, doesn't just spring into being by some magical wave of a wand..(I do occasionally despair over the educational system in this country and the product they're turning out.)

There are also people seeking answers to life's woes on Pinterest. Also lots of young gals planning weddings and lots of home-makers (are we still using that word?) exchanging recipes, household tips and whatnot. Not to mention a helluva lot of people who love shoes and are enthralled by braided hair.

Unfortunately, there are also people who have no clue that other people might not be enchanted by their stupidity. But as I said, you can dismiss with all that simply by unfollowing and/or not checking out 'everybody' when looking at pins. You can also report a pin if you like. I haven't had to do that yet.

The time is fast approaching too when there will be 'private' boards and a way to erase any follower you are disenchanted with. Right now you can simply erase the pins of that pinner, but not the pinner themselves from your master list of 'followers'. But that's okay, you don't have to look at the list unless you want to.

Pinterest, like anything else on the internet, is what you make it. So far it's been fun for me. A great way to relax and de-stress.

Years ago there was a magazine called VICTORIA which was one of the more visually pleasing periodicals ever published. (The current VICTORIA is only a shade of its former wonderful self.) I look at my Pinterest boards as my own way to bring VICTORIA back. Those of you familiar with the magazine will know exactly what I'm talking about.

12 comments:

  1. I love you, Yvette, but I have to say Huh?!? and What?!? to this Pinterest thingy. I must not be visual because it reeks of sensory overload to me. The whole thing makes me want to sit down with a glass of wine and read a good book. I think I'm getting old. Ha!

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  2. Oh Belle, it's not for everyone. Honest. I love you too, even if Pinterest is not your cup of tea. :)

    I can lead to sensory overload, I suppose, if you're not careful. I hope I'm careful. :)

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  3. Hello Yvette:
    We fully understand, and take on board, all that you say here about Pinterest. Sadly, it is not for us, or rather we must not allow ourselves to be seduced even further by all that the internet has to offer. Blogging we find, as you surely must do, is very demanding of time and Pinterest is something which could, so easily, become addictive!

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  4. I visited this phenom when Christopher Fowler alluded to it on his blog several months ago. Not for me at all. I enjoy design and layout, but I'm with BookBelle - sensory overload. If I'm going to waste time I'd rather be on my bike getting lost on the trails.

    But where's the link to your boards? I'd like to visit those. Or did I miss it above soemwhere?

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  5. Jane and Lance, you are both wiser than me. :)

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  6. John, there's a follow me Pinterest link at the very bottom of my Blog page. You have to scroll all the way down to the end.

    Don't worry, the 'follow' thing just allows you to view my boards, I think.

    I have a feeling you're going to enjoy most of 'em. :)

    I'm too old for a trail bike even if I knew HOW to ride a bike which I don't. Never learned. Of course you're perfectly right.

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  7. I'm about as addicted as you can get, though time doesn't allow me to have all the pinning fun I want to.

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  8. Huh?

    I spend my time -- aside from reading books -- reading the wonderful blogs written by excellent writers, reviewers, such as yourself.

    And, of course, watching movies on tv and catching up on the news.

    I have so much stuff to read and do that I try to limit all of this. I'm amazed at everyone's energy levels here.

    And what's with Google? Now, not only do we have to decipher hieroglyphics to make comments, now we have to create a blogger profile just to read other people's comments? What is Google doing to us? Yikes.

    For people of a certain age, this is tantamount to making us do 50 push-ups!

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  9. Wow! I want to use a stronger epithet but I'll resist due to your G (sometimes PG) rating of your blog. You were VERY busy, Yvette, when you took time off from blogging. 119 boards. Amazing!

    The Flea Marketing board takes me back to my days of haunting the Kane County Flea Market out here and all the antique malls I used to visit to find VERY CHEAP but wonderful old books.

    BTW - You loved Dracula so much you listed it twice on your "Books Not to Be Missed" board. ;^)

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  10. Ryan, me too. I spend way too much time over there. Though I must say that lately I've begun to get a little bored with the whole thing. But maybe that will pass...My favorite thing is pinning artwork and that can never be boring.

    I have fun with the Afternoon Tea board too.

    We'll see how it goes.

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  11. I know, Kathy. 24 hours is never enough. The more information google asks for, the more I resist. It's the only way. Though lately it all begins to form a giant blur. Ha.

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  12. Some people have twice that amount, John. So I like to think I didn't go THAT overboard. But I think each board has a distinct look to it. I love my art boards best.

    I told you I was having mindless fun when I wasn't blogging and having to pay strict attention. :)

    OMG, I'll erase that Dracula book cover immediately!! Ha!

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