In the red.

I’m totally broke.

$21 in the red broke.

But it’s OK.

It’s OK because I went for an amazing four-mile walk today, and I took in 79 gulps of fresh air along the way, and it was warm outside, and there were like 30 hot guys randomly playing softball, and when I walked past them I felt pretty.

It’s OK because I just watched my super favorite show – GLEE! And it made me believe that I too could randomly dance to my favorite songs with all my friends at the mall.

It’s OK because I found out that a boy I’ve literally only talked to twice ever in my life thought I was pretty and wants to ask me to dinner, and I want to say yes.

It’s OK because I recently got all my student loans out of default, which means I’m no longer on the financial black list and can stop worrying that hit men are going to come and steal all my possessions  (including, but not limited: My picture of Johnny Depp and my Johnny Depp bag) because I never paid my student loans.

It’s OK because it could be so much worse.

Now here’s hoping I can make it to Friday $21 in the red.

I’m sure I’ll be OK.

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I need your help.

Hello all,

As many of you know, over the last year I have been the leader of the high school youth group at my church, First United Methodist Church of Woodstock.

That means, I’m the Bible-verse explainer, whip-cream supplier, mission trip-planner, pie-sale promoter, prayer intervener, God-related-game creator, church-politics-handler, Facebook-stalker, parent-newsletter writer, tough-times/any times-listener, and all-around nice gal.

I love every second of it.

I really, really do.

High school students have this mold-able quality about them that makes spending time with them refreshing and rewarding. They’re one-part adult, one-part idealistic child and one-part crazy-hormone mess. But when you mix all three, you end up with someone who can take advice, and offer their own opinion in response – all while thinking it is the most (insert: exciting/upsetting/great/awful/best/worst) thing ever to happen ever.

Of course, I couldn’t do any of my work with the students without God, so I pray every day he will help me reach them. Thankfully, (most) every Sunday, he does.

Now, I’m asking that you’ll help me and God with that goal as well.

We are planning a youth group trip to Florida, for the end of June. Twenty-five of us — four adults, 20 students and one amazing junior leader– will trek down there in two 15-passenger vans (I’m kind of scared to drive the vans) all in the name of God. While there, we’ll work with children, the elderly and the homeless.

But we need your support to get there.

First, of course, we need your prayer. Lots, and lots and lots of prayer.

If you don’t believe in God, then we need your happy thoughts. Lots and lots and lots of happy thoughts.

Also, we need financial support. We’ve baked pies, made pancakes and sold soup all in an effort to reach our goal of raising $10,000.

But, that’s a LOT of money.

A lot.

And we’re not quite there yet.

So, as the group’s leader I’m making a personal plea on our behalf for support.

If you feel God calling you to help us, you can send a check made out to: First United Methodist Church of Woodstock to: 971 Quill Lane, Woodstock, Il, 60098.

Any amount, big or small, will be really, really, really appreciated.

Seriously.

Also, the trip is at the end of June, and we’re in the final planning stages, so I’m kind of hoping God will compel you to help soon rather than later, if you get my drift.

I know many of you already are praying for me, and I sincerely thank you for that.

And for those you who feel compelled to help us out now, thank you for that too.

Thank you times 1 trillion.

Thank you.

I couldn’t do any of this without you or God, and I know that.

So, seriously, thank you.

Love,
Crystal Lindell

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I still like Facebook / Newspapers should learn from Facebook

Maybe it’s because I’m a blogger, or because I’m a journalist or because I already go around wearing my heart on my tank-top sleeve, but I just do not care if Facebook gives my information to everyone ever all the time.

I don’t.

I use the freaking site for free. FREE! As in, I pay no money to do glorious things such as but not limited to: upload 3,439 photos to the site; send out mass message alerts to my high school youth group kids; and post links to this here blog.

No. Money. At. All.

So, if Mark Zukerburg feels the need to tell Barnes and Noble that I like to read books about humor, fine. Actually, better than fine, because then I get ads that I actually give a crap about.

And if you’re randomly worried that Facebook is shouting from the Internet rooftops about your favorite movies and/or telling Pandora you only listen to country music, than maybe you should just not list your favorite movies on the site to begin with and take Shania Twain off your music section.

Duh.

And well we’re on the topic of things that need to make money, I think newspapers could learn a lot from Facebook.

Basically readers have been using them for free for decades. The 75 cents they charge is for the actual cost of the physical paper and wet ink. The content is all paid for by ads, as in, users get it free.

But the newspaper advertising model now totally sucks when you compare it to super sophisticated things like Facebook, where I only see ads for Taco Bell and Johnny Depp movies because I only like Taco Bell and Johnny Depp movies.

Why are there still newspaper sites out there throwing random ads online about how to lose 1 pound of belly fat each week by following one simple rule? WHY? They should be getting tons of information from their users and then selling it so they can go back to their real mission – gathering content about important things like political scandals, car accidents and parades.

Every reader should only ever see ads that are relevant to their lives and no reader ever should have to fund content.

Also, I just really want this whole “newspapers are dying” thing to get worked out so I can make a decent wage and pay off my student loans  and put aside a little extra cash in case Facebook starts charging me.

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