The World According to Jos: So, here's the deal...

First I took a break from blogging.

Lots has happened since my December 23 post: My grandma passed away the next day (Christmas Eve), there was Christmas and New Year's, we've been skiing, school concerts, sickness, family members visiting, a memorial service, Kirk's been building things, etc... Oh, and I STILL haven't found the USB cord to my camera so I haven't even looked at Christmas pictures.

Now you're caught up.

Then, last week I was suddenly totally disinterested in Twitter and Facebook. I'm usually pretty good about posting updates there, but then something in me went *SNAP*, and I wondered why I would tell people things like, oh, I've wasted 2 dozen eggs trying to make egg salad... or random musings about my ongoing battle with laundry. Not that there's anything wrong with people posting that stuff, I just felt, FOR ME, it was silly to share the minute details of my day.

Another thing with Twitter that's really started to bug me is that it's a numbers game. Plain and simple. For example, I came across a person on Twitter that has over 4,000 followers, but doesn't follow ANYONE. NOT ONE PERSON. That is the most narcissistic thing I think I've ever seen. Really? You're so special that you want to share every breath you take with the world, but no one is worthy of your attention? UGH. Welcome to the world of everyone wanting to be famous. It's a nasty snapshot of where society has placed it's priorities.

Personally, I also don't understand why you would want to follow more than say, 30 people on Twitter. How on earth could you manage to keep up with updates if you have 100 or more people that you follow? Or maybe the point isn't to keep up with all of those people... Again, it's a numbers game (see above paragraph).

Facebook is a little different - because it's not so one-sided. You can see pics of your friends and their families/activities/interests and reconnect with long lost relationships... but again, I wonder about the idea of sharing EVERYTHING about my life and my family's life on there.

I'm not saying that it's wrong to use those platforms, just for me it's not workin' right now. Plus, now that I've backed off of that stuff I have SO MUCH MORE TIME to do things. I'm not pre-occupied with "I need to Twitter this!". Now, I'm more checked into life, not my computer. I'm also not saying that I won't ever post stuff, but I guess I'll just be a little more selective. I need to try to blog more for our extended family so they can keep up with what we're doing, so that's where my energy will be directed for now.

The end.

*update*

Ok... It's not the end...

Below is my response to April following her comment. I'm posting it here because I think it gives some clarity to my earlier thoughts:

Thanks April! I know, I've totally done a 180 on my view about this stuff, but I also still see the value in it... like you, realtionship building has been the biggest "gain" for me. But, when I got to the point where I was putting whatever thought popped into my head on to twitter, I realized I needed to listen to the advice I give my kids, which is "you don't have to have EVERY thought in your head come out of your mouth" (or in this case, get typed on a keyboard).

A second factor was that I need(ed) to limit the things that I watch/read that get me riled up. There's a lot out there that can really piss me off if I let it, so I am choosing to extract myself from those situations in order to keep my (barely hanging on) sanity. I just felt that it was turning into tireless self-promotion, and frankly, I'm not that interesting :)

I love learning about people via Twitter and Facebook, and to know what they're up to, but when it turns into a love-fest with myself, I need to step back.

Of course, I won't stop altogether... but I need to be sure that I am RESPONDING more to other people, than just bathering on about "me".

BTW, you rock!

Comments

I totally get what you're saying to some extent. As you know, I only recently started twittering. I quickly realized that I needed to change my settings so that only people I approve can follow me. I too was weirded out at people just following for the sake of the numbers game. So, I've chosen only to follow or be followed by people I know on twitter, which basically amounts to you, Jill, Janet, Jay (ah crap...yet another "J" name), and Melinda. Personally, fb and twittering has really helped me get to know some people (granted on a more surface level) and begin to feel connected with people from church. I wouldn't know Melinda at all if it weren't for fb.

I'm learning that really the key to just about everything in my life is balance, and balance looks different for each person. If I understand what you're saying, you just realized that maybe for you, less twittering and fb will bring more balance to your life. I totally respect that. But just so you know, you sharing the minute details of your life via twittering 1.) makes me feel like I am connected to you since I am not otherwise and 2.) it sometimes brings levity to me when i need it most.

So, I hope you won't swear completely off of fb and twitter, but if you do, will you at least text me every once in a while? I want to continue to get to know you... :o)

Posted by: April Curtright | January 21, 2009 at 04:01 PM