What I’m doing, and what I’m not
Jan 2, 2009 Blogophilia, Futurama, Heart and spirit, Narcissus Rex, Nuvo-Techno, Social networking
Last week I laughingly linked to this post from last year wherein I asked myself, what on earth would I want to do with Twitter? I had ignored Dean Esmay‘s invitation to join Twitter, though a little later a mutual friend convinced me to give it a try. As I explain in this post from yesterday, I didn’t even really do anything with it until about six weeks ago, when I finally forced the issue on that friend’s urging as a way to increase traffic here.
I got the hang of it (update: linked to old profile, now deleted, showing massive teeming following — RDC).
In almost no time I had attracted over 500 “followers.” And, counting for “quality,” I now have at the time of this writing a score on Twitter Grader — one of several metrics, mind you, not of all of which would show as high a score — of 98.8 out of 100. By their scale, as of this minute I am was ranked 8,965 in the galaxy out of over 850,000 users. And that’s with being resolutely refused mutuality of followship by James Lileks.
With this, together with my mega-special Facebook page, I revealed myself to be, with my natural glibness, broad education and technological facility — yes, and of course that famous characteristic modesty – a true social networking genius. And blog traffic, as well as links and mutual blogroll relationships, did increase. I even got a couple of direct inquiries for legal services!
Today I deactivated my Facebook account.
And I’m doing the same with Twitter. Now, because Twitter is a little more personal and dynamic, I am going to take a couple of days before unplugging that… say some goodbyes to all that, at least goodbye to tweeting. We can read each other in the funny papers.
But this has taken over my life. The fact is, I’m too good at social networking for my own good. If eating all the candy you want means that you eat candy three meals a day, you have to be someone who doesn’t eat candy at all, no matter how much energy it gives you.
I have real things to do, and not nearly as much time to talk about doing them as I’m spending. And I don’t necessarily have any good reason for talking about those things, and other things, too, with some of the people with whom I’ve been talking.
I have a couple of good blogs, guest slots and privileges on some others, a lot of great clients, fine partners, countless friends, and priceless family members to live with. Not virtually, really.
That’s what I’m doing.
UPDATE: I reestablished my Twitter account as a place holder immediately after “quitting” Twitter, and merely used it as a feed for blog posts. I hardly expected anyone to follow me there, though a few have. I am only slowly beginning to, sparingly, utter any personal tweets, and I have structured my social cloud so as not become the sort of “social scene” it had for me last winter. It’s now social, but in the business social sense.
I also reopened my Facebook account but use it in a far more focused than I was doing last year. It’s something that exists in my life now — as opposed to being my life!
January 4th, 2009 at 1:06 am
oh well. :-/
it was nice while it lasted!
January 4th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Let me know whwn you give up e-mail and I’ll drop you a letter.
January 4th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Get a robot to manage your electronic interactions, to leave you free time.
January 4th, 2009 at 11:55 am
That is exactly why I’m afraid of joining Facebook! I opened an account 3 days ago and haven’t done anything with it – nothing – and already have almost 30 friend requests. The question becomes: is there really time to be this connected?
goldenrail’s last blog post..Look Ma, We’re Twins!
January 5th, 2009 at 10:51 am
I have found both Twitter and Facebook useful for professional writing reasons.
However, I fully appreciate that if you are not in new media or writing how it could be a serious time suck.
Andrew Ian Dodge’s last blog post..Follow me…please
January 5th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
If I had priceless family members maybe I could quit too! Au contraire, I twitter to flee them, me thinks.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I didn’t know you were a Twitter GOD. Had I known that, I’d have worn a tie when I met you.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Oh, wait. I’d only read the Instapundit intro. Now I see you’re quitting Twitter. OK, never mind what I said about the tie.
Actually, it sounds as if you’re doing the right thing. The guest privileges on other blogs, especially, are more substantial and meaningful. And I like the comparison with Twitter and candy. That sounds about right. Good for you and your balanced diet.
Mister Snitch’s last blog post..Cruelest Christmas message ever uttered
January 5th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
[...] What I’m doing, and what I’m not [...]
January 5th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Yeah – I’m having a similar experience. Minus the driving-traffic-to-my-blog bit.
I don’t know though – I’m getting a little frustrated learning from your experiences. I mean, I’m pretty good at making my own colossal mistakes… why do you have to go and pick the low-hanging fruit?
January 5th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
How sad that you cannot control your addiction
It really is a kewl little item for getting a good blog story wider view and meeting likeminded political people in your neighborhood.
Good Luck!
January 5th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
JBP, I also think Twitter is “kewl.” I like Twitter. I did control my addiction, of course — I gave up the narcotic.
January 6th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
[...] blogger has decided to pull the plug on his Facebook and Twitter accounts because he has “real things to do, and not nearly as much time to talk about doing them as [...]
January 7th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
[...] Coleman, who I’ve only recently met online thanks to Twitter, is leaving Twitter. I understand the reasoning: Twitter can be a huge time-sink, especially if you’re [...]