Stop Twittering My Facebook, You Plurk!

First, watch this. (But not at work or around curious children.) It’ll open up a new window.

Ready? Okay.

I can’t seem to make up my mind about technology.

I love discovering the joys of using new things, in due time. I’m not even just talking about microwave ovens, VCRs, Cuisinarts, computers, DVD players, or Nintendo, none of which were widely available (or in some cases, even invented) when I was a little girl but in the past thirty years have become mainstream. Whenever something new comes out, I love the idea of it. Normally (as an adult with a household budget to consider), I resist the cost of these new things as they come out until the next best thing comes along and I can get a deal on the last best thing. For example, my cherry-red Project Red Motorola Razr was purchased about a year after the Razr was in vogue. But I’m fine with that. The iPhone? First of all, my cell carrier doesn’t work with those. If I could get one, however, I definitely would still be waiting for the 3rd version. So when it comes to these products that make life easier–that can actually be held in hand or put on a counter–I may resist buying them as new releases but I absolutely love them once I get them. (And, alright: I’ll admit it…I also wonder why I waited.)

When it comes to computer-related applications and other miscellaneous technology, I seem to have a habit of digging in my heels. Even on the “free” stuff. While many things in this category are designed to LOOK like time savers, they are actually time suckers. Oh sure, I was fine when I started my first blog, Remembering Ruby. That was to promote the book that I published last fall (and that blog is currently sorely out-of-date: I plan to post there again soon). Then my sister advised me to begin another blog, to write about my personal stuff. No problem. Suburban Scrawl was born.

As I got more obsessed active in the blogging world, I started to get invitations to join various blogging social networks. I joined a couple (Hybrid Moms, Mom Bloggers Club, etc.), and then dropped them like hot potatoes. Too much work. The only blogging social network I have hung on to is Cre8Buzz, because I love the community “feel”. The problem is, all of this stuff takes time. Don’t even get me started on how much time I can spend sitting right here, reading other people’s blogs. It’s difficult to keep up.

My sister started using Twitter a while back. I thought it was pretty cool but had no interest in it for myself, really. I thought, “No way. I’m not getting all up in that.” Then, about six weeks ago (give or take), it occurred to me that Twitter is actually great for an obsessed active blogger. I have thoughts going through my head all the time (Stop laughing, Nukedad!) and how great would it be to be able to put a one-liner out there without having to do a whole post about it? Surprise! With Twitter, it’s possible! So, I signed up. And I love it. And it hardly takes any time at all. If you are on Twitter, follow me! (Click here) If you’re not on Twitter, I would highly recommend it. You don’t even have to have a blog to do it! (Ahem, Dawn/Anonymous!) So, score one for technology. I love Twitter.

Wait a second. I am being told by “the internets” that I’m not even using Twitter to its full extent. Apparently, I need tools. There are five that you can read about here, but there are also Twitpic and Twhirl. I’m sure there are more but since I’m resisting, I won’t search any more. Gawd, it’s dizzying.

Next? Facebook. I never wanted a MySpace page because, well, that whole thing just seems like a free-for-all to me. Nothing against any of you who have a MySpace page; I am just not interested. Facebook? Hmm. I didn’t know anything about it. I figured it was alot like MySpace. And, for the record, my kids are not on MySpace (we won’t let them) and they don’t chat on the internet, and they don’t IM. Time sucker. There are better things to do, like read. Or play guitar. Or practice Lacrosse.

Facebook is not like MySpace, though, because you have to approve people before they can look at your page. Nice feature.

Cut to several weeks ago. My sister suggested that I start a page. (are you noticing the trend that I am noticing?) I told her, “No way. I need that time sucker like a hole in the head.”

THE VERY NEXT DAY, my friend Debbie sent me an invitation to join Facebook. I thought, “Huh. that was strangely coincidental, since I just talked to Julie about it yesterday.”

I signed up for Facebook.

I love it. People from high school started finding me, and me them. The more information you put in there about yourself, the more people from your past pop up; seems as though a good part of the population is on Facebook.

The sixteen-year-old found out that Julie and I are on Facebook and had a cow. He was visibly disturbed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Sputtering, he exclaimed, “You two are TOO OLD to be on Facebook!”

Ouch. That one hurt, because I’m still in my twenties…in my own mind.

The three of us (okay, us two against him) argued back and forth about how we are definitely NOT too old for Facebook, and he finally dropped it. Before I go any further with my story, I have to add that now that I am “Facebook Friends” with someone I went to high school with who is on a television show–who the sixteen-year-old happens to adore–the Facebook thing is apparently fine now.

After Jim found out about the Facebook thing, I started an account for him. He has just reconnected with his best friend from high school. How fun is that???

The downside to Facebook (in my opinion) is that there are about a million “applications” you are always being pushed to download by all of these supposed friends of yours. I have Superpoke!, Wordscraper, The Never-Ending Movie Quiz, and a few others on my page but I refuse to install applications such as “Barbara Walters’ If You Were a Tree, What Would You Be?” or “Which member of Eight is Enough Are You?” (For the record, I don’t know if those two applications actually exist because I think I just made them up…but I bet if I did a search, they’re there.) The applications are fun, but suck more time. Ack!

And now? Plurk. I shudder when I think about it. The first time I ever heard of it was when someone–either Huckdoll or Piper–twittered that “all the cool kids are on Plurk”. Wow, no pressure there.

Then, I got a lovely e-mail invite from my favorite Scot. She (Siobhan) was trying to woo me over to Plurk! I’m being told that Plurk is “where it’s at”! It’s supposed to be AMAZING! It’s supposed to CHANGE THE WAY I NETWORK WITH OTHERS!

Last week, I received an e-mail from Angie (OMG!). “We’ve got to get you on Plurk!” she said.

I’m resisting. I still have Siobhan’s invite and Angie’s e-mail in my “keepers” folder, though, just in case.

What’s next? Who knows. In the last thirty years, we’ve been “given” microwave ovens, VCRs, Cuisinarts, computers, DVD players, or Nintendo. The possibilities are limitless, I guess. It would help if someone would invent some more time SAVERS though, that’s for sure!

By the way, if you want to follow me on Twitter (come on, just DO IT!) or if you want to connect on Facebook, I’ve got links over there to the left! Cre8buzz? Look in the right-hand column!!

Just do it!

17 Comments

  • Sarah Clapp

    I had a facebook account, but then made it “inactive” when for months, I only had “one friend”. I felt to much like a loser. lol!

    PS. I think your blog on celeb inspired dreams effected me, because last night I was going to meet George Clooney but my alarm woke me up. bummer.

  • House of Jules

    HAHA, sucked you into the Facebook wormhole. As for the FB applications, JUST SAY NO! I only participate in the applications that send virtual drinks to my peeps, because who doesn’t want a virtual drink. Everything else I resist. Good times!
    Jules
    House of Jules

  • abritdifferent

    Isn’t it all such a time suck?! One day I sat and realised how much time I was spending keeping up-to-date with everything. You’re right, reading others’ blogs is bad enough! (In a good way).

  • Michelle

    Ohhhh you made it sound so appealing! I’ve been sooo trying to resist Facebook because of the time suck factor, and people talk about how great it is all the time. People for the past three weeks keep trying to talk me into it, but I’ve held out. Really is it that compelling and great?

  • Anissa Mayhew

    Luvs me some Facebook…Luvs me some twitter (as you well know, you junkie!) but I haven’t even been brave enough to look into the Plurk thing. I know that soon my kids will just think I’m a voice that occasionally speaks from behind the silver box.

  • nukedad

    I’m not laughing. Just a slight guffaw. I did the Facebook thing for, like, 3 weeks. My neighbor got me into it, and I did reconnect with some people, then I started the blog and wanted to be somewhat anonymous, so adios Facebook. Also, I got “poked” by one of the most annoying people I’d ever known from high school. I didn’t poke back, but she poked me 3 more times! Then she emailed me! I shut it down that day. Whew!

  • GoteeMan

    I know – after a while, the whole thing can be mind-numbing… blogger, wordpress, flicker, snapfish, AIM, MSN, YAHOO, Skype, twitter, myspace, yourspace, notimeforanymorespace…

    Calgon… take me away…

    A few I stick with, and use all the time, and the rest have been fads for me… fickle for a bit, then pretty much ignore them….

    Pretty soon, you’ll just be able to snap in an earpiece and do it all verbally… and then change the toilet paper roll to get a fax…

    J/

  • Dea

    Oh god….not another one! LMAO!

    On FB, I avoid any and all apps that force you to invite people….it makes me NUTS….

  • angieGoff

    I am SO in the same boat with you on all of this. I spend more time reading blogs and updating social networking sites than anything else it seems. I just read a great article in WIRED magazine that profiled power bloggers. They admit to the same things two. One guy said he spend an hour and half alone just responding to peeps on the different networks he’s on. I lvoe the idea of always being connected which is why I try to stay as active as I can in the networks I belong to. I will say PLURK is now my fave opposed to tweetin’. You’ll see why when you sign up 😉 see you in Plurkville!

  • Colleen

    I’m so happy to have connected with you on 156 other levels. I’m personally OVERWHELMED with the amount of social networking being done online these days, yet I can’t get myself to stop!

  • Momo Fali

    I held out on Twitter for as long as I could stand it. Now, I’m obsessed with it. I will not Plurk! No! I won’t do it! Okay…maybe.

  • Sue

    OK, I have noticed many on Twitter, but I won’t do it. My 11 year old gives me enough crap already that I am “always on the computer, blogging”. The facebook thing may have to be investigated because I have gotten jabs from many different people. And some day I will have my iphone. That is when it is less than 100 dollars.

  • Andie

    i have a myspace. I used to use it a bit, but then people I know were getting OUT OF CONTROL with it, having full conversations back&forth on the myspace page, for the whole world to see, etc. and it was just SO ANNOYING to me.

    Facebook is ok, but I try not to spend too much time on it.

    I'm not sure about twitter… and how it works. I guess I should find out!

  • Melisa

    Sarah: George Clooney, huh? Good taste! Sorry you didn’t get to the end of that one! LOL

    Julie: I ended up taking some of my apps off because it was getting ridiculous. I’m going to stick with what I have for now unless I see something I just feel like I can’t live without. And frankly, if that actually happens, that will be a very sad day. 🙂

    Siobhan: I knew there was a reason why I don’t want to think about how much time I spend on the blogs. Thanks for doing it so I don’t have to deal with that.

    Michelle: Ooh, now I feel like a pusher. It’s fun, but there are indeed more fun things in life that don’t take place at a computer! Resist! Resist! 🙂

    Anissa: Takes a junkie to know a junkie! Tell you what. Let’s make a Plurk pact. If either of us feels like we’re weakening towards it, we Twitter a direct message to the other to get “talked down.” Deal?

    Nukedad: All good reasons! You can always go back someday if you lose your mind. Maybe on the occasion of your 200th post.

    Goteeman: I know! Sort of scary when you think about it! And changing the toilet paper roll to get a fax: ROFL! But you might be right!

    Deanna: Good plan. I just recently got that kind of restraint.

    Angie: NO, NO, NO!!! I won’t see you on Plurk! I won’t! (Okay, maybe I will. Someday. LOL)

    Colleen: Same boat, sister!

    Momo: Interested in a pact with me and Anissa? NO PLURKING!

    Deanna: Oh yeah. I forgot! Maybe over the weekend I’ll work on it. 🙂

    Sue: Budget-minded…a girl after my own heart. Let me know if you see a sale: I’m in!

    Andie: You MIGHT like it! 🙂

  • devilish southern belle

    I sign up for every social networking thing and blog publishing site I come across simply to keep my site name from being taken by someone else. The only things I actually keep up with (in order) are my blog, myspace, twitter, and facebook. Everything else gets a look every now and then.

    As for technology….I got my Razr about a year or so after the Razr was popular. And now that Verizon has come out with the Chocolate 3, I was able to get a Chocolate Cherry for free. I hope I continue to love it as much as I do now; I have it for the next two years!

  • Anonymous

    This all sounds like a cerebral wank to me. Time suck or Sucked in? Staying connected to what? To whom? I reckon relationships come in five forms. One-on-One, Internet sites, Email, texting, and post. What ever you do the most is directly related to who you are and where you rate in terms of the real stuff – getting what you need most!!!! Why settle for a computer screen!!! Duh.