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A pause...time for reflection.

Friday started pretty much the same as most days. Get up, get dressed, kids dressed, breakfast, shout, school run, chit chat at the school gate, back home, walk the beasts...then a quick glance at t'interweb. However, the quick glance turned into a marathon 6 hour visual, visceral, disseminating experience...and I'm not sure I actually enjoyed it.

You see, I have recently joined up to Twitter..(so I suppose I'm either a twit or a tweep), and let me tell you, it's shattering! Twitter is a social experience. Twitter expects interaction, after all that is its purpose, but I find  it has stolen huge chunks of my day. My phone receives tweets; my ipad receives tweets, but why do I feel this need? I've actually stopped answering my phone and text messages, in case I miss that tweet.  Why, for gods sake?  I didn't even tweet with anyone!.

For the second time this week, I've read a post which explained why they "unfollow" on Twitter. "Admirable," I thought.  "telling it like it is." There is etiquette, you see. Every single thing I did on Twitter, they despised. I would write inane comments, after all, that was what everyone else appeared to be doing.  They were amusing little tweets (or so I thought), but apparently, they are irritating!  They don't want to hear that I wondered whether the Fairies had left me any gifts.  They didn't even care about the size of Peewee's dog do (it's massive!), and they certainly didn't care if I was a bit reticent...it's a bloody social networking site for gawds sake! I have to be proactive, but by the time I've thought of a witty response to an inane comment , the moment is lost and they've actually moved on for a chat with someone else.   

Why I joined Twitter

Because somebody told me I should. Initially, that's all I thought I needed to do. Join Twitter and they will come.It felt a tad odd, so I followed a few people.  They followed me back. Had a bit of interaction. Nice, sane, intelligent people. Interested in education and politics.  Then, all of a sudden, I was followed by some others.  So I followed them back. Before I knew it, I was watching people chatter and I couldn't join in.

But it also made me think about the reason I joined Twitter. What do I get from it? Is Twitter working for me? At the moment I have to say no, I just don't have the time. I really don't interact...  just don't know what to say. I'm not normally a reticent individual...I'd go as far to say I'm quite gregarious.  BH tells me I'm invited to events for my entertainment value!

But it's also made me question, why I want to blog. All I want to do is write. I'm not even sure I wanted a blog, but I needed to write. Some time ago, someone commented "You're not just someones mummy!"  And she's right.  I'm not just a mummy, but my blog is about being a mummy.  But I'm so much more.  I love politics, I respect human rights, I relish civil liberties, am passionate about education and I adore travelling. So I think I may have lost my way.  Twitter has made me visit other blogs; blogs that I wouldn't have found in a million years, and for that I'm thankful. It has, in someways opened up the blogging experience. It's not all been fruitless.  I have "interacted" with and "met" some very talented writers, artists, and mothers.

So if you don't see much of me on twitter it's not because I don't want to play anymore, it's because I've realised that there is more to blogging than Twitter.  I want more. So Twitter, its "Sayonara" from me...just for a while while I tidy up the house and find something else to occupy my time...like living!

Postscript.  While I was writing this, I checked Twitter  7 times and I followed a further 5 followers who were following me! And I actually had a bit of fun!  How desperate have I become???

Comments

  1. I have just joined Twitter too. I have decided to wait a little bit to see what I get out of it...keep us posted.. If you like writing, why don't you join She Writes: it has really worked for me and I enjoyed the "friends" I have there! See u! Muriel

    ReplyDelete
  2. Muriel, many thanks for the advice. I've just this second joined She Writes, so maybe I'll "see" you over there. I'll probably dip my toe into Twitter every now and then. It clearly works for some, but unfortunately I found it all a bit overwhelming. So unlike me! x

    ReplyDelete
  3. lol Pretty Funny.. It has taken over for the back fence chats we use to have with our neighbors, it is kind of sad. I started it for business but I have to admit I really do not use it much.
    I started following you


    http://jpweddingphotograpy.blogspot.com/2011/04/one-of-reasons-i-love-living-in-florida.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. OMG blogging isn't as addictive as it should be for me as I'm so short of time, but Twitter? That must be like the crack cocaine of social networking. You are wise to approach with caution!

    ReplyDelete
  5. JIM, it is sad isn't it? I barely have time for the people I know, let alone the people I don't. I'm sure when I organise my life a little better, there may some extra hours in the day...somewhere. I quite like the blogging aspect and reading other material, that bit's been great.
    Zookeeper, I don't know what possessed me! It was like being on a ride that I couldn't get off...normal activities have now resumed...oh and I get to go outside too!

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  6. I agree. I had a twitter account for about a week and then lost interest. I started my blog as a "book blog" and then quickly realized I had more to say. I actually did a post to let my followers know that I was not just a book blog incase they wanted to leave and follow someone else. You should make your blog about whatever you want! To me those are the best blogs to follow. Variety is interesting.

    ReplyDelete

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