Thursday, September 29, 2016

Runfessions for September

It's the end of September--can you believe it? But that can only mean one thing, right? I mean besides pumpkin everything. The end of the month means it's time for Runfessions, that monthly clearing of the conscience, hosted by Marcia's Healthy Slice. Have you runfessed lately? It feels great and there's no penance.

You would think that after my most recent runfession, I'd have nothing left to share. I thought about saving that story for this post, but it was like diarrhea. I just couldn't hold it in.

Have no fear. There's plenty more where that came from. The runfessional is open..

Runfessions for September

I runfess that my blog is in Blogger jail. Earlier this week, I received an email from Google that told me my blog was in "violation of Google Webmaster Guidelines". Apparently, some links on my blog have been spammy. I have no clue what links they are referring to nor do I know how this will affect my blog. I've spent a great deal of time searching for answers, but Google is not all that helpful. I'm not a big blog by any stretch of the imagination, so why Google is targeting me is a mystery. Nothing has changed. My analytics are the same. If any of you expert bloggers out there have any advice for me, shoot me an email. I'm all ears. And apparently I'm not alone. Seems like Google's hit a few of us...

Speaking of pumpkin everything...I runfess that I don't like pumpkin flavored things. I'm going to sound old when I say this, but back in the day, the only thing that was pumpkin flavored was pumpkin pie. Which I did not like, ever. To me, pumpkins were for carving at Halloween and the seeds were for roasting. But eating the innards of a pumpkin? Ewwwww. Clearly, I'm alone in my pumpkinless world since everything nowadays is pumpkin! And I do mean everything...

Runfessions for September
Don't get upset if your kid comes home with these in his trick or treat bag...
I runfess that I'm not much of a TV watcher. Never have been. Especially since I finished watching Breaking Bad. That show was so good, so out there, that nothing has come close. Until my sister told me about Shameless. OMG. Have you seen this show? It's on Netflix. Apparently, there are 6 seasons (I'm still in season 1) and I'm hooked. After working in healthcare most of my life, it's really hard to shock me, but I watch this thing with my mouth hanging open half the time. If you are offended by swearing, sex, and debauchery, this show isn't for you. This family is so bad. Truly. I really feel so much better about my own life now.

Runfessions for September
Frank (the dad) and Fiona (his daughter)
I runfess that I recently did a purge of my Facebook friend list. My feed lately was filled with posts from people I didn't know. I do love the ability to keep up with friends old and new. But I can barely handle the drama posted by the people I know, much less from those that I don't. I get friend requests from people I don't know and with whom I have no mutual friends. Am I the only person who finds that odd? In addition to that, I started to feel some discomfort with a follower of my page, who has a tendency write really wacky things in the comments on both my personal page and my running page. He also does this on other people's pages, so I've tolerated it up until now. It was a comment he made about my coach and my training that sent me to the unfriend button. From here on out, I'm going to keep my personal page personal. What I'd really like to see is the ability to have my running page but no personal page at all.

Runfessions for September
Oh, and then there's this...
I runfess that I'm still up in the air about a fall half. Do I or don't I sign up for one? I'm running fairly well right now, but with the Florida Half in December, do I want to risk awakening that sleeping plantar fascia in my foot? And if I pick one, which one? Naperville? Milwaukee? Madison? Stay tuned...

Runfessions for September

Are you a pumpkin spice fan or foe? What's the craziest pumpkin product you've seen? Any TV show recommendations? How do you feel about friending people you don't know on FB? Anyone running a fall half?

I'm linking up with Marcia, as well as Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia for Friday Five! 5 Runfessions, y'all...

87 comments :

  1. I get those weird friend requests as well. Not sure what they're after but I ignore if I don't know them. I'll have to check out Shameless. I haven't watched anything since Breaking Bad either. I can eat pumpkin pie or a PSL but they are by no means my fave. Are you using no follow links? That's the only thing I can think of that Google might be after you for. Crazy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought I was using no follow links, but I guess not always. I just put one in that SLS3 sock link. I think that may have been the offending one. If there are more, I don't know. We'll see.

      Delete
  2. I purged hundreds from my friends list a couple years ago...and election years make it super tempting to purge even more ;) I laugh though because basically the only thing I post on facebook is from my instagram (i.e. running related) or pictures from vacation. Nothing too exciting!
    Oh and Shameless is draw dropping and I refuse to believe that families are really like that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I purged one of my oldest friends from my FB when he started posting really racist pro-Trump stuff. I couldn't bear to read it plus I didn't want people to think I was friends with someone like that! The things you learn about people!...

      Delete
  3. What's really crazy is that Shanola Hampton, who portrays Veronica, is a childhood friend of mine...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've never liked pumpkin pie, but I do like pumpkin bread. I was amused today in the grocery store when I saw an end-cap filled with pumpkin EVERYTHING!

    Sorry I can't offer any advice about your blog, I barely manage to know what I'm doing over here!

    We just started watching Designated Survivor with Kiefer Sutherland. There have been only two episodes so far, but we like it so far...

    ReplyDelete
  5. The pumpkin craze is a US thing, it hasn't come to France but so many people mention it, it seems to be a bit over the top.
    My FB page is very limited to people I know and have connected with for a significant amount of time. I have unfollowed many people on IG though and don't hesitate to report those who like one of my photos or follow me but have a raunchy account. Is raunchy even a word ? Why did that just pop into my head ??? anyway, you get the picture...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think raunchy is a word, and yes, I get a ton of those on IG. Why? I block them all. I don't want to have naked people in my feed...

      Delete
  6. I'm not much help with blog issues and know nothing about blogger - sorry! I try to keep my FB friends to people I have a real connection with. Otherwise it's too creepy having someone I don't know know so much about me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You know me and politics. And let me just say that I am over the "Talk" and you can't discuss things via that medium. Good luck with the blog. I feel like that keeps happening to people!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it weird? Pretty sure I have next to zero SEO, so I have no idea why they targeted me.

      Delete
  8. Not a pumpkin fan either, though I do make pumpkin spice cupcakes with a recipe from Christine. I have no idea bout the blogger issue you were talking about. I can barely write a post, much less handle anything with the computer. That is left to my blogging partner. People wanting to be my friend on FB who don't know me also makes me uncomfortable I am ready to do the purge that you mentioned. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel like I need to do a second purge. Still too much crapola in my feed.

      Delete
  9. I love pumpkin pie, but the only "pumpkin spice" thing I indulge is this time of year are the granola bars...I stockpile those babies. I'm not a coffee person (love the smell, but cannot not swallow it without gagging). I've tried the pumpkin spiced latte's and they just taste like coffee (with a pumpkin spice aroma). Shameless? Hmmm...I might check that out. William H.Macy is such a talent. Agreed, Breaking Bad was da bomb!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh I am a huge fan of pumpkin things, but I agree, it's gone a little too far the past few years! That condom isn't real, is it?! I hope you get the Google issues sorted out, I have heard people having trouble with that recently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you even imagine that condom being real? I also saw Pumpkin Spice tampons (on Google images) which I'm sure aren't real either. Pretty funny, tho!

      Delete
  11. I am with you the whole pumpkin thing is so overdone. I don't even want to do any recipes with pumpkin at all. I never heard of google jail until this week. Hope you can get that figured out!

    ReplyDelete
  12. My fall half is coming up pretty quickly!

    I almost never friend people I don't know, and when I started with FB, I didn't want a personal page. Obviously I don't use mine a whole lot, but I have reconnected with people there so that's kind of cool.

    I do like pumpkin, including pumpkin pie. Which reminds me I used to make this chocolate pumpkin chia pudding and I think it's time to revisit that . . . I have some almost empty nut butter jars that would be perfect for it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. LOL at the pumpkin spice condom hahaha. I'm kind of a fan of pumpkin spice - I like certatin things but not everything!

    Sorry to hear about the Google issues. I hope that you are able to get it resolved!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Certainly then not the pumpkin spice tampons I saw during my search yesterday!

      Delete
  14. I think it has to do with nofollow links. Maybe???? So sorry that happened! It seems to be going around and I've been worried!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I"m sure it's no follow links. But I don't know which ones are no follow!

      Delete
  15. Oh geez I have seen it all with the pumpkin......too funny! I have seen pumpkin Chlorox. But that was on the Internet so not sure if that was even real.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I just don't know about this whole pumpkin everything thing. I tend to balk at the norm, so it wouldn't be unlike me to order a mocha during pumpkin spice season just to be rebellious (I'd never even order a mocha normally). I have daddy issues, eh? HA HA!!! I def need to check out that show. I really want my life to feel more normal and functional. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I have a lot of Facebook "friends" I could purge too. Especially noticeable during election season! �� I understand the Google thing may have something to do with not using "nofollow" links for sponsored posts and ads. I seem to remember Tiffany (Thoroughly Thriving) found that it came from an ad or link that was on her sidebar. It was weird, like a linkup or something similar. You should ask her. Good luck getting it sorted out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll check my sidebar too...I didn't think I had anything on my blog that was spammy.

      Delete
  18. My husband could eat an entire pumpkin pie, I'm good with a small slice. I prefer pumpkin muffins, it's a texture thing (I have issues!)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I only have my personal FB page, and I'm friends with some bloggers, but not a lot. I'm the (probably perceived) bitch who ignores friend requests from random readers, but I want to keep my blog persona separate from my FB persona. Which, if you saw my FB page, it's pretty much all running, so there's not that much different, LOL. I also "hide" a lot of people's likes on FB - just because we're friends doesn't mean I care about everything they care about. Geez, maybe I really am a bitch. ;)

    I haven't had any issues with Google and my blog, buy my personal Apple account was hacked earlier this week, so that was fun...NOT.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I do like pumpkin stuff but I am not as crazed about it this year.

    I don't un-friend people but I unfollow them That way I never have to see what they write. I don't friend people I don't know.

    I have a half next weekend. I don't feel very serious about it.

    I hardly watch any TV. The shows I liked like Downton Abbey & the Good Wife have gone off the air and I don't have Netflix.

    I like Call the Wife. I heard This is Us is supposed to be good.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ok. I'll talk about what everyone's thinking!! What the hell on the pumpkin flavored condom. Yuck! Does the flavor transfer? Puke.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So many thoughts going through my head right now. I can't put them into words.

      Delete
  22. Ok.... so another comment!!! Madison Madison. :) I get friend requests of people I don't know too and I think it's because of the other running Facebook page.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have to see how the training goes. That will really help me make my decision.

      Delete
  23. Okay, I am generally a fan of pumpkin things, but over the last couple of years, it's gotten out of control. My breaking point came with Pumpkin Spice Cheerios. I mean really? Unfortunately, I love TV, but try not to indulge too much. My latest fav is Ray Donovan, but I've been binge watching/running Downton Abbey when I'm on the treadmill :) Can't wait to hear what you decide on a Fall race!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Ugh, I had those spam link issues before and usually there were in my comments some where... I'd go through your comments in the dashboard and see if there is anything spammy that got approved somehow. Hope you can figure it out!

    I'm with you- pumpkin is okay in a few classics, but not in everything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've added no follow tags in a couple places...hope it's enough!

      Delete
  25. I have not unfriended anyone but I have hidden people. I bet some have hidden me. I am very outspoken on Facebook, much like I am on my blog. :)

    Wow if google sent me an email like that I would have no clue what they were talking about or even how to fix it! Good luck! I wonder what blogger jail is like?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think for us little bloggers, Google jail isn't a big issue. I think they don't let you come up in search results. IDK.

      Delete
  26. Ah... I could write a whole dissertation on pumpkin. I LOVE it in certain things, for example I make the best pumpkin chocolate chip cake ever (and a great pumpkin cheesecake), but I don't like a lot of pumpkin spice flavored things because the "spice" part is too much sometimes....When I unfriend and unfollow people of FB, it's 99.9% of the time over politics (other times it is because of their ridiculous vaccine beliefs and rants)

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am in google jail too! I got that email the other day. My blog is SO tiny I can't see it bothering anyone. I wish they could just tell me what link is causing problems, because I have no idea how to figure out which one it is.

    Also I don't think everything needs to be pumpkin. I'll never turn down pumpkin pie though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think mine might be that book club link on the sidebar? Idk.

      Delete
  28. OH MY GOODNESS NO. I cannot believe that pumpkin spice condom!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Way too much pumpkin spice if you ask me. I've been trying to keep my personal and running page separate as much as possible. Sometimes unfollow is releaving!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I do a purge of my friend list at least once a year - typically around new year's. I always feel weird randomly meeting someone then next thing I know have a friend request. I barely want to friend people i haven't spoken to since high school, I don't need random people I said hi to once on my personal page. You could always create a new account fresh and make yourself an admin on your page then delete your current account and just not add any photos/friends/posts so you can at least manage your running page. That stinks about Google. I have no clue how to resolve that but start by checking your stats and seeing if there are crawlers sending spam links your way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hadn't thought about just creating a blank personal page for my running page! For now, I'm going to continue the purge on my current page and try to keep it under control.

      Delete
  31. Oh my...Goggle Prison?? That stinks!! Glad it has not effected your blog traffic and you are still able to post. I can date myself as well and say that when I grew up Pumpkin pie was the only thing pumpkin...however, I LOVED pumpkin pie as a kid, so I think there is something warming about it in my psyche :-) So, you have hit the nail on the head with FB, yikes!! It was fun, then all of the sudden it is creepy and hard to draw the line with friend requests, etc. Anyway, I will say that at the end of the day far more good has come out it for me, than bad...BUT, I am with you that if I could keep my blog page as a stand-alone site, I would drop my personal page like a hot potato!! As a blogger, I am already maxed out on social media, so I would not feel like I am missing anything!! Phew...I could go on & on!! :-) Great post (as always)...forgot to mention that I love the picture of you "behind bars" :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the Google Prison only keeps me from appearing in search results, which isn't really a punishment since my SEO is low to non-existent anyways! Not sure why they are targeting small blogs--quite a few of us have been sentenced!

      Delete
  32. I get FB requests from ppl I don't know and I never accept. It's very weird!

    ReplyDelete
  33. That is so strange about google! And a few weeks ago I went through my FB list and hid posts from quite a few people. It seemed like I was always seeing posts from the same people who I dont even know that well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, Idk what was up with FB--I was seeing post from people I didn't know well either. Maybe they're trying to mix it up?

      Delete
  34. I'm ready to move on to Gingerbread flavored everything. I do like pumpkin, but enough is enough. I don't watch a lot of "regular" TV but did try This Is Us on the recommendation of my sister. So far, pretty good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're the second person to recommend that show. I may just have to check it out!

      Delete
  35. If it's pumpkin, I'm in. Yes, I'm one of those. If I could have only one dessert in my life it would be pumpkin pie, with just a dab of cream, so on that we diverge.

    I think I need to do a f/b friend purge, too. Too much in my feed. I could never cancel my personal page (I did take down my running book site); it's become my main form of communication and I've reconnected with some grand old friends who had drifted out of my life.

    As far as folks who send a friend request are concerned, if we have a mutual friend and I enjoy their posts I consider it. If they're out of the blue, of if I get one from someone whom I don't know at all who might have read one of my comments on a public post, that's a definite "No."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the thing...I do like connecting with old friends! So I'll stay put. And just be a little more discriminating.

      Delete
  36. That google thing happened to me a few years ago and I had to hire someone to fix it because I could not figure out the issue. Good luck with that. I get weird FB friend requests all the time and usually just ignore them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ugh to the whole Google thing. Not that it will probably mean anything to my little blog anyways.

      Delete
  37. A Facebook purge is always nice. I usually just unfollow people but stay friends, just in case I have the urge to look at their profile again in the future. Or if I actually am their friend, but I can't stand their political rants. Is that condom a joke???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope it's a joke, along with the pumpkin spice tampons I came across on Google images!

      Delete
  38. I love pumpkin, but pumpkin flavored condoms? Is that really real?! I've also been looking for a new show, so Shameless might be perfect! Thanks for the recommendation!

    ReplyDelete
  39. I also don't care for pumpkin flavored things. I've seen pumpkin flavored tampons (although I'm really hoping that was a joke because EWWWW). I love the smell of pumpkin spice candles, and I will eat pumpkin curry soup or roasted pumpkin seeds, but that's about it.

    I don't watch a lot of TV either. Game of Thrones is my favorite, but it's on winter hiatus. In the meantime, we watch Gotham, and a new series WestWorld is starting tomorrow night that I am recording (based on the Yul Brynner movie). I wish I could get more into shows, but I seem to lose interest in shows pretty quickly. Movies, on the other hand... I love watching movies.

    I try to keep my FB friends to people I know personally. I do have some blogging/online group friends, but those are limited. I'm sorry someone was creeping you out a little. There are way too many weirdos out there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's just a lot of strangeness on FB. I think a lot of us are kind of naive about it. Lesson learned.

      Delete
  40. I'm with you about pumpkin everything...pumpkin just isn't my thing. I can tolerate some pumpkin pie, but that's about it.

    ReplyDelete
  41. OMG I am on the floor seeing the Pumpkin Spice condom! WTH??
    Wow I have not seen shameless nor heard of it, and it sounds right up my ally!
    I'm glad to know I did make the cut from you FB friends! I'm with you too much drama, some things are not for FB! Heck, some people are not for FB!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, you never have drama and you are a lot of fun! My kind of gal!

      Delete
  42. Breaking Bad is pretty good! My brothers recommended Narcos, but I loved La Reyna Del Sur. It was pretty addictive, but I haven't finished it yet!

    I like your idea of cleaning out the FB friend list. I have this one "friend" who share the most picture perfect moments of her life, and she drives me crazy!

    I'm completely indifferent to Pumpkin Spice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have had a few friends mention Narco...I may have to check that out!

      Delete
  43. I am not a fan of pumpkin anything... (except for the seeds). Like you, I equate pumpkin stuff to pumpkin pie, which I have never liked.
    I really enjoyed Breaking Bad too, I will have to check out Shameless. I've been looking for a new series to watch.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I am not running a half until Panama City lady! How far is Madison for you? I am running a turkey trot in Madison for thanksgiving :) You do have the funniest runfessions- FB is a pain!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's about 2 hours away...I'd love to join you but that's a little far for a Turkey Trot!

      Delete