Family Friendly Through The Years

 If I said I had a family-friendly movie to bring to a family gathering, what do you picture? While I'm sure you don't expect me to bring Game of Thrones or Fifty Shades of Grey to the party, you definitely don't expect me to bring a 1930s short film showing black stereotypes in a blatantly offensive way. My point is this; it all depends on the year you are currently living in. 

Courtesy of weareunheard.com

Some films and cartoons age poorly as the culture changes. Most of us cringe at old media showing racial and gender stereotypes that no longer fit the culture we have been raised in. Fun for the whole family thirty years ago is different from what it is in 2023. Let's talk about the family-friendly rating and how it has changed. 

First, we all need to know what "family-friendly" is defined as. Law Insider says this:

"Family Friendly with respect to any Entertainment Property, Consumer Product or other Content, means that such Entertainment Property, Consumer Product or other Content is targeted to and reasonably appropriate for family audiences and consumers. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Motion Picture or a Television Motion Picture will not be deemed to be Family Friendly if it would receive a rating more restrictive than “G” or “PG” under the rating standards used by the Motion Picture Association of America (regardless of whether such Motion Picture or Television Motion Picture is actually submitted to the Motion Picture Association of America for rating)."

Short scan version, it has to be targeted to families and be no more than PG or G rated. G contains nothing that would offend the parents of the child and the child could watch it on their own with no worries about inappropriate content. PG means parental guidance needs to be exercised and some inappropriate content could show up, so young children may not be able to watch this without their parents. 

As you can see, what is and isn't offensive depends on the era and time period we are living in. This is why you should probably do research before you judge a generation's film you don't relate to. You don't know what they find shocking. The film trend I'm seeing is the trend of darker media. While I do think making media too brightly ignorant of the outside world is bad, the reverse of that is bad too. There is a spectrum of dark to light and I feel you need both to make a good film. That opinion aside, let's get into it. 

What was family-friendly in the past

Starting in 1920, we have the radio that the family could sit around. Everyone sat around and listened to it as leisure time became more common in the home. Shows like Amos N' Andy were well liked, but now we'd probably cringe at the negative stereotypes toward black people. Around this time there was also The All Negro Hour (the actual title, or else I wouldn't be using the word). This included all African-American entertainers, which was a step toward better representation of the black community. Speaking of, jazz and swing music started playing on the radio, along with the blues and ragtime. Same community, as you might have guessed. 

The radio was targeted at everyone. The media we have today is not. Radio shows and dramas were common forms of entertainment. Remember, your TV didn't exist at this point in time. The only films you could see were at movie theatres. What should be remembered is that they were also transitioning from silent to talking pictures, which means they added sound.  Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and several others took over the film stage. What a lot of families probably flocked to were comedies, epics, and westerns, as well as those new talkies. Everyone went to the movies. It was a fun activity for all ages. This era does have a category for dirty films, but I'm almost positive they were only viewed in private locations. I'm also pretty sure they wouldn't have let them play in a full movie theatre for all ages during this time period.

Next we hit the 1930s. The depression wasn't great, but families still had their fun. Radio and movie theatres were still going strong. The Talkies were beginning about now. To be clear, the TV is here in 1939. Sports games and fun contests were common ways to entertain the family. Media by our definition is limited. 

I'm moving to the 40s due to the fact entertainment didn't change much. Lighthearted films started to darken around this period of time. War does that. Artists began experimenting with new ideas. The film noir style made its way to theatres and was a hit. Radio was still major. Comic books and books, in general, are popular. Digital media changed, but the form they came in didn't. TV did exist, but it wasn't the most popular way to spend an evening, and it was probably expensive.

Noir style books and films have a distinct style, one that is cynical and sexual. It is all about suspense, shadows, and mostly pessimistic main characters. I love the Marlowe books. Philip Marlowe fits this style like a glove. The one thing that does bother me upon rereading the books is the way the women talk in the books and are portrayed. You can tell a man was fantasizing when he wrote it. Femme Fatale is the term for a seductive, dangerous woman. These characters show up and behave in scandalous ways. Case in point, Carmen Sternwood from "The Big Sleep" (1939) propositions Marlowe by getting into his apartment. He comes into his bedroom to find she's in it naked. He makes her leave, but she later attempts to kill him because he rejected her. Femme Fatales don't behave like most women you've met. In fact, I doubt most real women would do anything they do. Given that Noir films toned down some of the books, I'm sure kids could watch this. The scene referenced was never put in the film, but can be found in radio broadcasts of the book. All the same, this maybe shouldn't be marketed toward kids who might imitate it - both genders included. 

1950 is when the TV comes into play. Everything on that TV was seen by the entire family, so - much like radio and theaters - it was not going to publicly play pornography and graphic content (though I have no doubts about pornography being in existence). You'll notice a theme before computers, which is the fact most entertainments were in person and face-to-face. TV, radio, and movie theaters bargained on the whole family coming together. TV shows in this era included I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Price Is Right, Leave It To Beaver, The Today Show, and The Mickey Mouse Club. Westerns hit their peak at the end of the era. This development hit movie theaters and book sales hard. People worried we were becoming "couch potatoes". It isn't unwarranted to think that even today. Bring a book into a public space and see how many people come up to you thinking you are lonely or bored. TV still competes with book sales. 

I used to call this era "the groupthink era". The cold war was impacting entertainment, forcing comics to become more good vs. evil, rather than varied genres. It also limited what could and couldn't be broadcasted everywhere. People were actively being controlled by propaganda and the media gatekeepers (those that approve what is and isn't broadcasted). Creativity got held back and you can blame the red scare for that. 

Rock and roll took off as teens listened to it and parents tried unsuccessfully to stop them. The drive-in movie theatres were doing well, playing movies that teens liked. Some of those films fed right into the propaganda. After the devastation of war, everybody wanted normal, which led to rigid social boundaries being reinforced by all kinds of media. It was not a shock to see the next generation become so free-spirited post-cold war era. We cringe at 1950s media today and sometimes forget that people were being controlled by expectations, expectations media policed actively. We mock it, but it was meant to be serious.

1960s media completely let go of all the rigid social expectations and embraced freedom of thought, which means family-friendly is no longer a strict standard. Helicopter parenting was not common here. Parodies became a category of media. The western theme continued onward in Bonanza. People asked questions more and became more liberal. The Vietnam war and other factors from the previous era produced more rebellious younger generations. The media of the time reflects this. Politics were all over the TV content. Theaters were more or less replaced by TV living rooms. As politics swarmed the screen, drug use and freestyle living became more popular, since it seemed the world was self-destructing anyways (sound familiar?). Aside from that, you could also catch Star Trek, Twilight Zone, musical variety shows, sitcoms, old movies, dramas, or Saturday morning cartoons.

Let's talk parodies. I've watched one called Support Your Local Sheriff that made fun of the western trends and cliches. There is a whole list of parodies from the 1960s. The Pink Panther starring a character named Inspector Clouseau came out in March of 1964. We still watch these movies. Families were enjoying Mary Poppins, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Absentminded Professor, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and 101 Dalmations. All these are generally lighthearted and silly. Conclusion? People wanted to laugh and smile. Dark content was not in the family-friendly category as far as I can tell. A lot of adult jokes probably made it into G and PG-rated films.

TV took over everything by the 1970s. TVs were in color and music players (Sony Walkmans) were new. The civil rights movement made black entertainment in any form rise up. Except for the "blaxploitation" films, which were rejected completely by black communities. Disco and punk rock rose up from the New York Underground. The Godfather drew people back into theaters at a time when they were struggling (again, sound familiar?). Jaws and Star Wars dominated several other films at the box office soon after. Not much else to report on this era. Disney, as usual, made a killing in children's content. Based on what was rated G and PG I see musicals and comedy still reign supreme, as well as westerns. It is hard to say whether any 1960s standards changed, which is a sign that it didn't change much.

The 80s were a time of bright colors and parachute pants. CDs, which are now less popular than before, were new. They are still here with us, though. VHS was also a major source of entertainment. The idea of portable music became even more popular through more devices that were a bit bulkier. My family used to have a Blockbuster in our town. It is gone forever now, and to think they could have teamed up with Netflix. Anyway, Blockbuster debuted in this era. Home video marketing and special effects in films were getting noticed and loved. Movies got a boost in popularity due to the ability to watch them at home. (We just got lazier from here.) 

Sitcoms and the 80s go hand in hand. We are still entertained by those sitcoms. MASH, Seinfeld, Knight Rider, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Golden Girls, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air are all 80s sitcoms we still like to binge-watch. Another trend that continues is arcades, the elder relatives of modern-day video games. They were around in previous eras, yet here we find arcades are beloved hangouts. This was also the beginning of computers and cell phones. This era has what some people call the mooks and midriffs. It is a phrase used for boys acting like fools and women wearing half-shirts. It taught boys to be huge goofballs and women to wear less clothes (because they looked cool at party scenes in movies). The mook sometimes got the girl in the films, further encouraging the behavior (which may be in the 9o's too). It has gotten increasingly harder to pinpoint what is actually G or PG. Only one sitcom in the previous list is going to be marketed family friendly, maybe three. Nearly all of them include sex jokes somewhere in them. Subtle jokes were hidden for the adults and went over the heads of the kids, but yet some of these weren't subtle. Yet, families felt they could watch these together. Anything broadcasted over the air had to meet a standard. There is a standard for all these, thus they were all approved by somebody. 

The 80's blended right into the 90's, which held a particularly interesting cartoon called Rocko's Modern Life. The actual creators of the show have openly admitted that they made it a personal goal to cram as much past the censor as possible. You can tell the censor started to give up. Nickelodeon has tried to ditch and ban the worst examples of this lack of censorship. People, naturally, have found them anyway. 

Another note to be made is that Kim Possible and many women around her wear Midriffs. Ron and Kim fit the Midriff and Mook stereotype. I didn't think about that until today. Other shows include Recess, Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Ren and Stimpy, Doug, Catdog, Pokemon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Johnny Bravo, Arthur, Ed, Edd, and Eddy, The Wild Thornberrys, A Pup Named Scooby Doo, Cow and Chicken, and Captain Planet. I'm not even listing all of them. Cartoons took off like nobody's business. Most of the time kids watched these on Saturday mornings and after school. Some of these got weird, like Rocko's Modern Life. Courage the dog was something I was never sure of. Johnny from Johnny Bravo was constantly hitting on women and not getting any. Dexter and the Powerpuff Girls were kind of bizarre. I vaguely remember the character Doug sitting upside down on a park bench, but couldn't tell you much else about the show (I was far too young to understand much of it). Captain Planet is a weird superhero trying to save the planet in the cheesiest way possible (with kids that look like they came off the magic school bus and grew up into tweens). Recess and Hey Arnold were some of the staples of my childhood. In retrospect, a lot of these are kind of weird and explain why my childhood brain was so weird. Ed, Edd, and Eddy is quite odd - yet when you have no brain power it is still funny. A lot of these require no brain, which means the family can sit and relax together - unless it is just so odd you are not allowed to watch it (cough cough, my husband's childhood). In retrospect, history has shown us cartoons get a lot of dirty jokes past censors, especially in the 90s. 

Adult cartoons began here. Do you like Rick and Morty? You can thank the early adult cartoons for it. South Park debuted in this era.  Family Guy and Simpsons also came out. 

And now I stop here, because this is too long already. Oh, and I wrote a book! 

If you want to check out my book "Wrenville" the link is here. It is available in paperback and kindle ebook version. 

Sources:

Family Friendly Definition | Law Insider

Movie Ratings Explained and Why is a Movie Rated PG-13? (movieguys.org)

1920s Radio and Music in America • FamilySearch

Acting Career Highlights Then and Now: 1920s vs. 2020s Hollywood (academyart.edu)

Great Depression: Entertainment for Kids (ducksters.com)

Top 10 stars from the 'silent era' of the 1920s (thevintagenews.com)

The 1920s Arts and Entertainment: Overview | Encyclopedia.com

The 1940s Arts and Entertainment: Overview | Encyclopedia.com

The 1950s Family: Structure, Values and Everyday Life | LoveToKnow

1950s: TV and Radio | Encyclopedia.com

Entertainment | National Museum of American History (si.edu)

Key Facts About Family Life in the 1960s | LoveToKnow

The 1970s Arts and Entertainment: Overview | Encyclopedia.com

Family through the years - 1970's - Kids Need Both Parents (knbp.co.uk)

7 Entertainment Trends from the '80s (rediscoverthe80s.com)

Family through the years - 1980's - Kids Need Both Parents (knbp.co.uk)

The Best Parody/Spoofs of the 1960s - Flickchart

'60s Family Movies | List of Best 1960s family Films (ranker.com)

120 Of The Coolest '90s Cartoons You Might Want To Rewatch | Bored Panda

How to use social media correctly

 I feel like social media is not being used in the way it was intended, much like every invention in the long history of inventions. Today I revisit what it was for, as well as what we shouldn't be doing with it. 

Photo courtesy of dlpa.com.au

It was not intended as a way to attack people, harass people, stalk people, turn a country against itself, manipulate someone, or otherwise harm people emotionally. Yet, we can see proof of all this happening in our social media. Let's think about that for a beat. Pause and reflect on what we have recently used our social media to do. 

The intention was to connect with others and make it easier to communicate, all while sharing cute photos of animals and sharing about our lives. Connection with others was the original intention of social media. It has become entertainment, too, but depending on the entertainment form that isn't all bad. Hamsters, dad jokes, games, and other innocent forms of fun are not bad things. Jokes that harm others in the process, however, are not funny. Making a difference for a cause is not a bad thing, either, as long as you don't become entirely obnoxious about it, which actually harms your cause more than furthering it.

Why has it become a dangerous place? Simple, the human race has the potential to be good or evil and most are a mix of both (which is actually proven quite quickly by observation). We aren't perfect.  As a direct result, we see that some good things have become tainted and are used for evil rather than good. The anonymity of the internet spurs some people to do what they wouldn't ever do face-to-face. That isn't good. The deep web and a few history lessons can prove that there is nothing new under the sun. 

Social Media Ups and Downs

The original purpose was a connection, plain and simple. What we see now is not only scammers, politicians, and creepers, but the comparison game (which is yet another thing that isn't anything new to humanity). Cyberbullying is also in existence and they have to make new laws to adjust the legal system as a direct result. Law enforcement has a cyber division in place for stuff like this, and the law can't do all that much if you've been scammed. You can report scammers, though, and you should. 

The other issue here is addiction to social media. I use it for my blog and writing career, as well as connecting to my friends and family who live a distance away. I find that scrolling wastes precious time I could be using to do other things, like consuming my vast collection of books and enjoying my hobbies outside of my devices. Yet, I catch myself scrolling. It takes writing time from me. My resolution this year is to only use my devices when I need them for a purpose, which has resulted in me finding the time I didn't know I had. Try it and see what you think about it. I promise that it is indeed worth it. 

The different aspects of social media have bright and shadow sides. For instance, DMing (direct messaging) can be a positive way to plan an event with a friend and catch up with someone. Or it can be a way scammers take money from you, a bully belittles you, or you get hit on by people who friended you because you were pretty. Look up Charlotte Dobre on Youtube and you'll find the shadow side quickly. Apparently, the human race can use anything incorrectly (and I do include myself in that statement). 

What We Should Do With It

Most of us are on social media, whether we want new ideas for a crochet project, need character inspiration, or simply need to ask what yesterday's math homework page was. It is incredibly useful. We should be using it to encourage one another and connect with those we love. Keep sharing those art ideas and writing prompts. Keep those small businesses going. Share those small authors out on your social media accounts (hint, hint, wink, wink). Talk about your favorite moments and chat with your friends. Make plans with your loved ones. The point is this; life is too short not to love the people around you and encourage each other. 

Courtesy of Pinterest

We should all be careful what we post, too. There are people out there who are out to hurt you. Yes, that means you. Scammers exist, bullies exist, and predators exist. This is serious. Don't post personal information online for them to see. As for scammers, this is what experts suggest. Double-check your facts before giving anyone your money for any service or reading out any account numbers to anyone. 

1. Keep an eye out for any contact from businesses, especially the social security administration or IRS. 

2. Is it coming out of nowhere unprompted by you? Hang up/stop messaging and go to the official website of that business (or call). It will debunk the scammer quickly. 

3. Are they pushing you to do it NOW? Stop and think. Most scammers want you to rush and not think clearly. 

4. Be aware of misspellings and grammar mistakes. Yes, some people don't do grammar well, but broken English is a common trait of a scammer (though some people who aren't scammers do speak broken English).

5. Refusal to appear on camera or in person is never a good sign. You may be dating a scammer.

6. A price too good to be true can be just that. Verify what you are buying.

7. Easy money is never easy money. Don't deposit a check for anyone. Don't buy iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play cards for anyone. Lottery prizes that require payment upfront are a scam. 

8. Unusual forms of payment are a dead giveaway. Reread number 7. 

Report all frauds here: ReportFraud.ftc.gov

I do not suggest scamming a scammer back or messing with scammers. Just report them and block them. I know people do both of those things, but please don't risk it. The fraud division will handle it. 

 

Anonymity can shield the predators in the world. You can pretend to be anyone online. It is too easy to fake. If you think someone isn't who they say they are, go through that list of scammer signs and check all that apply. 

What You Shouldn't Do

Common courtesy says if you wouldn't say it to their face you shouldn't be posting it online. It is as bad as talking behind someone's back, only so much worse. You literally made a problem between two people everyone else's problem and humiliated the person involved. Don't throw more daggers in someone's back. Solve it privately and move on. 

Courtesy of pearlsandpantsuits.com

Arguing online is fruitless. Politics, taste in fashion, whether someone is vegan or not, opinions on literally anything... No one goes online for that, and if they do they are looking for content to react to. If you'd like to see yourself on Youtube go ahead, but I doubt that'll look good. Seldom does commenting with your own agenda in mind work out well. It never comes across the right way if you are pushy about something. That makes most of us take two or more steps back and distance ourselves. Calmly state if you have a concern in private, please. 

Posting any sort of relationship or family issue publicly is the wrong thing to do. Please remember that every passive-aggressive public post is another dagger in someone's back. That is another wrong you have to right later in life. Maybe at the end of all the drama, they cut you off, declaring you a toxic person. Do you want to risk that? No. You also make a fool of yourself in others' eyes by doing this. You don't need to be attacked by another person to make a public fool of yourself. 

It goes without saying that you shouldn't be using it as a weapon to divide or harm others. Catfishing (faking an identity online) is also wrong. Stalking online is a sticky issue as social media becomes easier and easier to stalk people with. The legal definition of online stalking is this according to Privacyrights.org: 

"Online harassment may involve threatening or harassing emails, instant messages, or posting information online. It targets a specific person either by directly contacting them or by disseminating their personal information, causing them distress, fear, or anger.

Cyberstalking is a type of online harassment that involves using electronic means to stalk a victim, and generally refers to a pattern of threatening or malicious behaviors.  All states have anti-stalking laws, but the legal definitions vary. Some state laws require that the perpetrator make a credible threat of violence against the victim. Others require only that the stalker’s conduct constitute an implied threat."

Look it up based on your state. A quick google search can give you everything you need to know, given that you read a credible website. Check facts. Make sure you are on a credible site. 

Social Media Addiction

An addiction to social media is defined by the Addiction Center as:

"Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction that is defined by being overly concerned about social media, driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social media that it impairs other important life areas."

Keep in mind, we all scroll at times. You say you'll give it a quick check in case your husband messaged back about dinner and suddenly you're looking at a cute video of a hamster in a doll house bathtub. If you looked at my social media you'd find more hamster videos like it because they are the cutest creatures ever, but that is here nor there. The point is addiction has to interfere with daily life. Me stopping to watch a hamster play in sand may derail my work day for two minutes, but it doesn't stop me from going about my day and beginning work again. 

Courtesy of adosefromdrdenise.com

Signs of addiction include mood rising while on social media (like a drug addiction), an abnormal level of focus on social media, using it more and more often, physical and emotional consequences when not using social media, interpersonal issues due to overuse of social media, and relapsing back into using it after abstaining from it for a while. Basically, it sounds like drug addiction, only you replace the word drug with social media. 

Social media is not a good thing when used to cope with stress, loneliness, and depression. Interpersonal problems can drive someone to use more social media to avoid their problems. The brain responds to social media as if it is a drug. If you want more information, click here. Get help if you need it. 

Courtesy of blogspot.com

I've got amazing news! I have released my novel, Wrenville. The link for the paperback and kindle ebook are here: https://a.co/d/4CtAXn3

Sources:

OPINION: Social media has completely lost sight of its original purpose – The Sunflower

History of Social Media: The Invention of Online Networking (historycooperative.org)

How to Identify a Scammer — 8 Signs You May Be Getting Scammed (rd.com)

ReportFraud.ftc.gov

The True Intentions Of Social Media (theodysseyonline.com)

The Right And Wrong Ways To Use Social Media - Bernadette Logue

Online Harassment & Cyberstalking | PrivacyRights.org

Social Media Addiction - Addiction Center

How Selling Homemade Goods Work

Have you ever thought "I'd like to sell my homemade (insert item here) someday"? You may find it a little harder than you thought, but it isn't impossible to do. What you have to understand about it is this; it takes consistency to make it a business and takes work to make an object worth buying (unless you are an adorable child). 

Courtesy of Chicago Tribune

So, you want to sell your handmade whatever for extra money. Before you rush into making ten million handmade whatever and expect major sales, you first need a vendor's license to go to craft fairs. You also need to take into account that there is sales tax to turn in at one point in the year, another thing to keep track of based on county and state. My dad does this as a side business, as a carpenter who makes toys, cabinets, and doll furniture. It paid for some of my wedding and the rental of his tux, as well as giving an extra boost to the family finances. Is it worth it? Absolutely, but depending on what you sell and where you choose to sell your wares success varies. 

One factor in success is how often you show up to craft fairs. Your first go at selling at a farmers market or flea market, when nobody knew you were going to be there, may not be the most successful. What you want to do is give it a month or two before you expect more sales. Again, it depends on your product, too. Also, your audience makes a difference. Some craft shows there are people who literally walk around and buy nothing, while other times you see people come to buy. Note the craft shows that few show up to and avoid getting involved with those shows. The more foot traffic, the better your chances of actually selling your wares. 

How To Get Started

First, the vendor's license. How do you get that? Let me help. Click here to go to the online process. This is for Ohio, because I write from Ohio, but I'm sure that you can easily find other states' licensing websites via google. Make sure it is a legitimate website before you put in all your information. 

Next, set up a way to track sales. Excel, notebook and pen, word document......As long as you have a way to track what you sold and for how much you are in business. Sales tax should be calculated after every craft fair based on county and state. If you need a basic guide on what sales tax is, start at this link. 

Courtesy of theneocom.com

To get into some craft shows you have to get on a waiting list (if it is a crowded, big show) or just keep your eyes open for the advertisements that say "vendors wanted". Keep in mind that foot traffic is a must if you intend to sell anything at all. If no one walks through everyone is in the same boat, and no one is happy at the end of the night. You can start with flea markets and farmers markets every weekend if the option is open to you. Once people start noticing you are there often they may come back to you. You have to pay a fee for doing a show, farmers market, or flea market to use the space. Keep that in mind. 

Pricing is another point that makes a big difference. How much do you charge for an item? As a general rule, it is this; pricing is how much time you spent and the resources it took to make the item. Keep in mind sales tax takes some of your gains away from you. It is a good practice to have some expensive items out, but to keep the less expensive items out on your display so that those with only a limited supply of money can still get something from you. You can negotiate prices if you want, just don't cheat yourself. You know how much time it took to make that. You should be paid for your time. 

What To Make and How Much

The items you are making may cost more to make. You could also take a long time to make something. Don't short yourself because one person thinks it is too expensive. The truth is that a lot of people will go by your stall or display and not intend to buy anything, or worse, say they can make it themselves. The majority of the people probably won't and you should never give them the pattern if they ask for it. You are selling it fully made. A lot of patterns also aren't free and forbid you from giving it away for free. 

That being said, what you make can either make you blend in or stick out as interesting. The more common the item you are selling, the less likely the people you are trying to sell it to will be interested. The unique items get more sales. Anything that someone can't commonly handmake is also a major plus. Is it hard to handmake and not many people have the time or tools? Then you should sell it. Given that, you can still sell your crocheted cats, hat and glove sets, wreaths, and knitted sweaters to your heart's content and make a living. It is more how you sell it in the long run, not what the item is. Sell what you want to sell. It may take trial and error to see what sells better. Determine whether you are doing custom orders or not and stick to your decision. 

Sell what you want to sell. Keep in mind that people want something that improves their lives. If it is easy to carry out the door (minus furniture that people get at flea markets), has a reasonable price, and is either a need or want you will do well. Reasons someone buys usually have to do with self-improvement, how we are seen by others, and purposeful products. It may benefit you to sell something easy to carry or offer to take it to their car when it is heavy. They can also pick it up from you at the end of their shopping trip. Again, put a range of prices out there. Some people only have a twenty left in their wallet or have bills to pay later. Focus on your specialty and go from there. You'll want to create a brand for yourself and not hide behind your table. Make your display look good and welcoming. Grab attention with what you put out in your space. 

What Crafters Hear and What Is A Problem

As someone who has several family members who sell craft items and someone who has put out crochet for sale, you hear a lot of things people should keep to themselves. This includes those that decide to say out loud that they could make it themselves or their friend could make it. Do they mean to insult you? Maybe not, but it doesn't come across well. Most crafters feel anger toward the ones that say it out loud and have to hold it in. 

Some people ask whether they can get a discount because they got there before opening, according to madeurban.com, but I haven't ever heard that one. Still, it isn't a good thing to ask. This scenario is when you aren't set up yet. 

When asked whether you could copy another vender's work, please don't. Anyone saying this should be pointed in the direction of the vendor that has that product made. It is insensitive to say the least. If you need someone to stop taking pictures at your booth say something. If they don't stop, you might want to get your hand in the way of the picture and warn them again. Keep getting in their way and they may give up. 

If someone wants to know how you made it, hesitate to answer unless you can give vague descriptions (ones that aren't enough to make it). If they are curious and don't intend to make it themselves it is not a harmful question. If they push for detailed descriptions, well, say you can't reveal all your secrets and stop talking. Also, speak up when they take pictures with intent to copy, even put up a sign that says please don't take pictures. 

Complaints about price are common. Some lowering of price may be okay. For instance, if a small child only has so much money to spend and you can lower the price slightly to allow them to buy it (without devaluing your item) it is probably okay. Manners also go a long way toward whether someone gets a discount. That is a scenario that depends on the item you are selling and the attitude of the customer. An adult trying to haggle lower than the lowest price you are willing to present is a problem. You can say no. You can say that is the price and it goes no lower. Your stuff is worth the money, if the price is set correctly. Don't let someone devalue your work or you. 

Requests such as whether you deliver, last minute shoppers asking how soon it can be done, and general discount questions are what you will find in the craft shows everywhere. Define what you won't and will do. Stick with the discounts you'll be willing to give and whether you do or don't do custom orders. The scenario and item being sold will adjust what you are willing to do. 

Another issue highlighted by many people is touching and breaking merchandise. Do exactly what the stores do in this scenario. "You break it and you buy it" will probably keep people from touching it, too. Speak up. It is your booth and not theirs. Touching with intent to buy is one thing, but touching with intent to break in order to get a discount is whole new issue. 

Courtesy of imgflip.com

I released my first novel Wrenville! If you'd like to check it out, here is the Amazon link: https://a.co/d/4CtAXn3

You can get it in Paperback and Kindle ebook form. 

Sources:

Business Formation - Choose a Business Structure: LLC, DBA, Corporation, Sole Proprietorship | LegalZoom

Craft Fairs and Sales Tax: A State-by-State Guide (avalara.com)

Craft Calculator – How To Price Handmade Products - Nevue Fine Art Marketing

10 Times a Craft Show Vendor should say NO - Made Urban

What you need to know about Craft Shows | Turning for Profit | Woodturning | Lathe |

Wrenville has been released!

 It is done, ladies and gentlemen! I released a book on Amazon after a year or so of editing and lots of pre-planning for promoting it. Today is a glorious day. 

Courtesy of Cathy Baker

Many of you have been following the saga of my getting ready to publish this novel. It is called "Wrenville" and will be linked at the end of this blog and on my website (which is linked to this blog website). Share this blog everywhere. Share the post that goes with it everywhere. Tell the world! I need your help, loyal blog readers. 

Do you want the plot? Here it is (without giving you spoilers). A private investigator named Jack Thomas moves into a small town in Illinois after he stumbles upon a complicated case. He thinks he's safe in this small town of Wrenville, but the case he ran from follows him here. From there you can check out the book itself. You aren't getting more than the teaser. 

This blog post is going to be super short. I have been editing and writing this for so long that I thought I'd never get here. Here I am! I am ecstatic to be here and be an author. Check out my book at this link. It can be bought in kindle and paperback form on Amazon.com. 

Courtesy of Pinterest

More Flower Meanings

 I did it before and I'll do it again for kicks. Flower meanings are back because I have gotten into darker topics and need lighter ones. I'd like to dedicate this to Mom, because this was a good idea that I can pull out of my hat whenever I need a lighter topic of discussion. Thanks Mom! 

Watercolor carnations courtesy of Pinterest

Gerbera, Carnations, and Peony are my focuses today. I'll go in just that order in this post. I picked 3 common flowers that get put in bouquets because almost everyone will know what they are.

Gerbera

Gerbera Daisy is found native to South Africa. The victorian meaning is happiness. Egyptian meaning is like it, but slightly different. They said it meant closeness to nature and devotion to the sun. Celts said it lessened sorrows and stress. If someone gives a gift covered in these it might be suspected they are hiding something. Mostly the meaning comes to the innocent happiness of children. These are playful and celebratory flowers that give energy. 

Gerbera Daisies courtesy of blogspot.com

Much like other flowers, the colors do matter. Orange represents the sunshine of life, red means unconscious in love or fully immersed in love, white means purity and innocence, pink is admiration and high esteem, and yellow is cheerfulness. 

Fun fact, a man named Robert Jameson discovered these at a South African mine while on a trip for mining. These also turn toward the sun, much like sunflowers. 

Carnation

Carnations are often dyed in all different colors all the time. They don't cost too much, either, and are used to fill holes in bouquets. This makes them popular and easy to work with in florist shops. 

Their mythology gets very weird, though. According to floraqueen.com, this is the myth they are attached to. 

One of the stories of the carnation comes from the tale of the goddess Diana. Diana, the goddess of the hunt, was out on an expedition when she returned home empty-handed. On her journey home, she came across a shepherd playing the flute. In her opinion, her prey was scared off by this music, so it was his fault her hunt was unsuccessful. She could not control her temper and attacked the shepherd, cutting out his eyes. Where blood was shed, carnations grew.

In a less gruesome tale, some scholars believe carnations history lies in the Latin word carnis, which means “flesh.” They believe this refers to the pink color of the flower. Some also believe that it comes from the Latin phrase incarnacyon, which means incarnation. In Latin, this means “God made flesh.” This may be a very fitting explanation because carnations are often called the “flower of the gods.”

I'm not too sure if that is their origin mythology. They were commonly used for garlands, too. 

Again, we dive into colors. I'll give you a chart because this might be a long one. 

light red - admiration

dark red - deep love and affection

white - good luck and pure love

yellow - disappointment and rejection

purple - given to sudden and unaccountable change

pink - the power of a mother's undying love or gratitude

This one we can dive into countries, holidays, and faith, too. 

Netherlands - (White carnations) opposition to WWII and to honor veterans

France - (purple) used in funerals

Spain and Slovenia - the national flower

Christianity - the virgin mother's tears as Jesus died on the cross

May Day - (red) the labor movement and socialism

Carnations are part of the beauty industry, medical industry, and floral industry. 

Peony

Peonies can mean honor through success (to families), wealth and riches, romance (with focus on love between strangers), all forms of beauty, and shame. Mythology says that Zeus had to turn a student into a flower when they surpassed the teacher and got his wrath. 

Peony courtesy of Flickr

Chinese tradition says this flower is an emblem of China. It ties to honor and royalty. The Chinese name translates to "most beautiful". 

However, the greek myth says nymphs hid their naked forms in Peonies, making the meaning shamefulness and bashfulness during the victorian era. If you dug up one of these shrubs during the middle ages it was frightfully unlucky because fairies weren't known for kindness. 

Colors are a short list for the Peony due to the variety of colors. Pink is the most romantic, ideal for weddings if you need a wedding flower suggestion. White or pale pink represents regret or embarrassment. Deep red conveys honor and respect, especially in China and Japan where it is also wealth and prosperity. 

This one is medicinal in use for the Paeonia herb, which allegedly purifies against evil spirits. It's also great for all kinds of other needs, but only in the pure extract form. 

Sources:

Gerbera Flower Meaning - Flower Meaning

Carnation Flower Meaning: Understanding this Common Flower | FloraQueen

Peony Flower Meaning - Flower Meaning

Further Updates on Wrenville

 As some of you know, I am releasing a suspense novel in January of 2023 - that's this month! I am ecstatic to inform you that I have created a website that links directly to my blog and social media accounts. 

Above you see the synopsis (with no spoilers) of the novel I'm releasing this month. It is titled Wrenville and takes place in a small town in Illinois. A private investigator named Jack Thomas is running from a previous case, only to have it catch up to him. Want more information? You'll have to buy the book when it comes out (or get it from the library if I can get it into the Stark county or Carroll county library system). 

The news this week isn't the actual release, since I am clearly teasing you with the vague plot line, but rather the creation of my website. I have it prepared for the release of my novel, Wrenville, and I will keep it updated on any projects I'm currently working on, including the editing of the next novel or novella I will be releasing, which will happen when it happens. I believe in editing thoroughly and making it look good. I will keep you all updated on the website. 

The website itself is this: cathybakerauthor.zyrosite.com   

If you would like to go see it now, click right here. I am going to say in honesty that it is nothing fancy. After the release of Wrenville the link to buy the Kindle version and physical book will be on the website. This is basically a place where I will have information on current projects, as well as a place you can easily find my social media links. Feel free to share it with others around you and on social media. I have a contact me page included.  

Without further adieu, I will let you explore the website. I made it super easy to navigate, so much so that it is hard to miss what you are looking for. 

Data most apps collect

 I was recently told that TikTok collects invasive data, but can we talk about how much data other apps also take? Truthfully every social media takes data from your devices and your own devices learn what you like and don't like. Let's talk about what data gets sent out from your device every time you log in. 

Courtesy of versedtech.org

So, I did in fact join TikTok to promote my future book, but one comment that sounded unlikely had me looking up if the Chinese stole TikTok data. There were articles about it, yet we all still sit on our social media platforms that also take our data. Really, we should be wary of all social media by that standard. The cold, hard reality is that we were made more for face-to-face contact than for online communication (although some of us prefer written messaging). 

Why am I on social media after knowing it isn't entirely healthy? You're reading the reason. I couldn't do this without my social media. I couldn't promote my future book without my social media. It is the way of the future, whether we like it or not. It has good qualities that allow me to communicate with friends and simultaneously can waste my time if I sit and scroll (which is not good for your brain in the long run). It is a balancing act. There are good and bad qualities about this technology and media, but it just is without human involvement, which is to say it is good or bad based on what is done with it. Keep that in mind. 

Apps taking data

What? Apps take data? Shocker! We should all know this by now. They ask our permission to get into our contact lists, sync our data, get our pictures, use our names, and use our emails. I hate to tell you that we've been tracked since we started using our social media a while ago, but it is absolutely true. TikTok is not the only one giving information to others. Sadly, our favorite webpage Google is tracking even more data. 

To put this in perspective, quite a few apps take down a few facts to function, including where you are (GPS on phones), your face and name, your activity on the app, your IP address, and your email. Your apps also track what you like and don't like, which helps them reel you into scrolling on various social media forms. We like when Youtube gives us videos we want and streaming services suggest shows we might want to see. In the process, they learn our habits to get that data. It is a trade-off in the end. 

Worried? Some of you might be. Most of us should be. Sadly the apps taking more data than they need are commonly used and used by all ages at that. Do they legally have to ask? Yes, they do. Regardless, some have not at times. Internet safety says don't give out personal information on the internet and especially if it looks a bit suspect. This is why all my blog readers didn't hear about my wedding until after and we were back from honeymoon by that time. This is why I don't go bragging about my address on the blog and have blocked some of the people who have messaged me inappropriately. Think before you give out personal info. Pushy people are often scam artists. If you are afraid to use the internet, go get a VPN to scramble your data and you'll be fine. It can even give you media from other countries, which is insanely cool.

Courtesy of cybersecurity.att.com

Why Apps Take Data

There are three main reasons that apps need the data, starting with identification. Why can your face or your fingerprint scan open your phone? It has the data to identify you, of course. If you want that you get some added security in case someone steals your device, while also trading some data in return with your permission. 

Reason two is simply that it requires something to work at all, like access to your pictures and camera to post TikToks and Instagram photos, or access to contact lists to send a message through a chat app. It'd be rather hard to call mom if the connection wasn't there. Uber can't get to your house without an address, much like pizza can't get to you without an address. You've got the point by now. 

The third is where you might want to be a bit more careful. They do track you and third parties get information from these apps. Those pop-ups from a website you just visited are not coincidences. This is called ad targeting. It doesn't need much explanation. Apple is famous for tracking data that it didn't need to track. Apparently, so it TikTok. Scarily enough, a lot of them do this. Count how many times ads from websites you visited pop up on your social media and Google homepage. Go ahead. You'll be slightly scared by Google's reach. 

There is a fourth reason, which includes marketing research, public relations research, and generally seeing if the app works correctly. So, general function is a factor and gets tracked. This is why they can fix the app and website when it goes down. They can also improve the app or website with this data, which is good. 

There Are Laws

You know what's great? Communication and transparency, which people want more of as the world starts to show its true colors. This is why you have to be entirely transparent about data use to get your app in an app store. That doesn't mean people don't track data on the sly (some do). It does mean that you can avoid data being stolen from you if you read the fine print. Most of us don't have the patience if we're truly honest. 

What isn't great is that selling to third parties makes money, which means the transparency we cry out for is not what the businesses want to do. Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Snap.......They all lost money due to transparency. Those transparency rules lead to a better internet and fewer invasions of privacy for us, though, so I'm all for it. Hackers can skirt this law, obviously, but hacking is a whole new issue. 

Courtesy of memegenerator.net

Is this data dangerous? Maybe if you don't have a backbone. People are out to influence other people, surprising no one who has ever encountered the human race. Fake news and personalized ads are out there. Some of us can identify it some of the time. Some of us just can't and look like total idiots after we find out we've been duped. Some don't even acknowledge that they were duped, which is far worse than admitting your imperfection. Do your research before believing any headline you come across online or anything that shows up online. Don't rush to believe what you've been told. Con artists want you to rush into things headlong. Slow down and check the facts before you react. Think, breathe, and then make decisions. 

               Some Data To Prove You Are Being Tracked

When you look at the data out there on who is tracking whom you might be forced to admit that you've been tracked since you started using social media, or since you went onto google or shopped online. The internet is tracking you. I'm sorry. TikTok could be taking data to another country, but they are not the first to sell your data and will not be the last. Facebook is actually worse than TikTok on this count. 

According to Artem Risukhin, who collected research on personal data on December 12, 2022, Google has eyes everywhere, as in 85.6 percent of the websites. There are google trackers on 85.6 percent of websites. Facebook has trackers on 33 percent of websites. Ad tracking is real. Also, google wants to show you personalized content. All analyzed social media forms also store and sell your information to advertisers, vendors, and business partners. Wechat and Facebook messenger are the biggest offenders of taking data in the messaging category. Wechat gathers content and media on your device.

The general things social media tracks include name, age, site interaction, transaction info, device info, location, search history, camera data, third party related trackers, and ad interaction. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok track all that. Youtube tracks all except camera data. Twitter tracks all except the device, third party trackers, and camera data.  Messengers take less data, but still take impressive amounts of data. If you need a chat app avoid Wechat, as it takes chat content, while other messenger apps don't. Stick to texting if you are legitimately nervous about chat apps. 

Third parties can include advertisers, ad-affiliated sites, law authorities, research/academics, data measurement companies, and vendors/service providers. Facebook and Instagram give to all these third parties. Youtube only gives to advertisers, ad-affiliated sites, and law authorities. TikTok gives to advertisers, law authorities, and vendors/service providers. Twitter gives to advertisers and law authorities. So far, Twitter gives the least to third parties and TikTok is not the worst social media when it comes to selling to third parties. It turns out that anyone on the internet using Google has probably been tracked. Now you know how they know you bought (insert object here) off of (insert website here). Mystery solved!

Sources:

App Tracking Transparency: what Data do Apps Collect and why? (apiko.com)

Your Personal Information: How and Why Social Media and Messengers Collect It (macpaw.com)

How your personal data is being scraped from social media - BBC News