Who’s got time to be addicted?

"There's another new social networking site that I'm supposed to join?!"

So here it is, friends.  I am struggling with the rat race that has become social media and there is one reason for it:

I don’t flipping have time.

I love blogging.  This here little space of mine is where I often times work out what’s swirling around inside my head and heart.  I don’t organize and plan my posts ahead of time.  Maybe I should, but that’s not really how my brain operates.  I process my emotions through the melodic clicking of the keyboard.  It’s where my heart flows.  And you want to know what?

Sometimes I don’t share everything I write.

Sometimes the emotions are too raw…too personal.  But many times I can’t voice my heart unless I’m writing it out.  So blogging?  I totally get it.

Everything else?  Exhausts me.

Amber from Crappy Pictures wrote about why being a mom makes her suck at Twitter. Through my tears of laughter I’m pretty sure I uttered a hearty “Amen” or two as I read her post.  I can’t get into Twitter.  My posts usually go like this:  “I’m baaaaaack. How’s everyone doing to tonight? #finallybackontwitter”

No one will respond to this tweet, of course, because no one knows me on Twitter.  And because, unless I’m writing an article that needs to be promoted for someone else, I usually only tweet about once everyone two weeks.

Because that’s all I have time for.

I mean, I guess I could check my twitter stream a little more every day and try to converse, but I never really know how to converse with Twitter followers without feeling like a creepy cyber-stalker.

I like Facebook…because I get it.  I know most of the people on Facebook and they know me.  I can post something on Facebook and come back hours later and respond to any comments, whereas with Twitter it seems you need to respond right away or else you’re like the rude neighbor who walks away mid-conversation and never returns.

The frustrating part in all of this is that marketers and others who may want to hire your services in social networking or online writing often look at how wide your impact is, and part of that is your activity on Twitter.  They also look at how many Facebook friends you have, how many people are reading your blog, how many comments you get and what kind of toilet paper you use.

Hmph.

It starts to feel like a nasty competition and in the midst of all the running, I can easily lose focus on why I’m doing what I’m doing.  I’m writing because I love it. I’m writing because I’m good at it.  I’m writing because I believe it is a form of praise, an offering back of that which I have been given.

I’m writing because it’s fun.  Trying to keep up with the pack detracts from that and every once in awhile I have to tighten the reigns and remember what life is all about.  And with so much to keep up with, it helps to simply unplug every once in awhile.

Part of the online madness stems from the fact that there is just so dang much to keep up with anymore.  Now there’s Instagram, which sounds totally fun…if you have an iphone, which I don’t so I’m off the hook with that one.  No temptation!  Guh-lory!

There’s also StreamZoo and Google Plus and LinkedIn (yes, I know I have several invitations to Link up on LinkedIn, but I can’t remember my password so there’s a good chance I’m never going to accept those invitations for which I hereby sincerely apologize), and a whole host of other networking sites that are cropping up and my head just exploded.

I just want to make my kids a sandwich.

And write.

And maybe, just maybe, keep up with the constant flow of online craziness so that in a few years when my son comes prancing in the door and announces he wants to open up a ShowMyLifeToTheWorld account, I’ll know what it is and whether or not I want him partaking.

I’m trying to stay cool, folks!  I mean, aside from my rockin’ minivan, I’ve got very little left with which to garner cool points.

So here it is, social media overwhelms me. Sometimes it’s just too much.

What are your thoughts?

Remember when I said…

That I wouldn’t sleep this week, but would just power through until next week?  Yeah, what was I thinking?

I was up until 1:00 last night writing up this post.  There are some fascinating things happening in the world right now and Twitter is capturing all of it in real time.  (Go to Twitterfall and type in #iranelection.  Updates will automatically pour in without need to refresh.  So cool.)  Who needs the news when you can get up to the minute accounts from people who are actually in the line of fire?

This was the most journalistic post I’ve written since I began blogging and, I’ve got to say, it was a lot of fun.  But, it also reminded me why I did not major in journalism in college because the stress, Oy! 

I also had to complete a review for 5 Minutes for Mom, which should be posted in the next week or so.  Can I just say that I love writing?  Like, I really, really love it.  I always knew I liked it (heck, I’ve made a profession out of it) but the doors that are opening up through blogging are so exciting.

For the first time since becoming a mom nearly six years ago, I feel like I have something that is mine.  I’m interacting with people that don’t know me as Kelli the mom, but as Kelli the writer.  It feels good.  I feel energized and excited.

I also feel tired, though, so I’m going to turn off the computer, fold a load of laundry and take a nap while I have the chance.  Or maybe I’ll skip the laundry and just take the nap…Yeah, that sounds like more fun. 

Oh, and to the person who found me via Google by typing in the phrase “firm bottom wife tube”-Ummmmmm…did you get what you needed?  Yikes.