Too much of a good thing?

Dear Readers,

I am exhausted. At a time, when I am drowning in work, am travelling a bit and have little access to personal emails, I feel rather exhausted when I open my gmail account. I get random invites to FaceBook, Twitter and what have you. These invites come not just from close friends/cyberfriends but from people I have only randomly interacted with on LinkedIn (not LinkedIn friends) or met just once, only once at a networking event and exchanged cards.

Why on earth would I want to follow you on Twitter if you are not a friend. Perhaps I will just join Twitter and put a stop through twitting with a single message: Sitting on potty, am constipated. I do not see any sense in knowing whether A is stuck in traffic, or B is having a chilled beer, or C is working over the weekend. All that in 144 (am I right) words.

True, Twitter has its uses. Such as when Mumbai was taken over by terrorists. Then a minute by minute twitter update would have been invaluable. But to tell me that you are in a crowded local train - big deal!

I am active on LinkedIn. In fact, I have a lot of fun on one or two fun groups, I exchange views on writing on "writers groups" and learn and share on "tax groups". So yes, it is nice being on LinkedIn. Apart from that I cannot handle anything more.

Is social networking becoming too much of a good thing? I know years ago, I had mentioned on how I have reduced my personal emails and in fact catch up with friends when they pop up on gmail chat.

Just today I wrote to a very close friend with whom I haven't interacted with for several weeks. Her story - she now meets people only on FaceBook Walls/Scraps or whatever it is that they are called. Of course I know she is there, if I need her.

It is just that social networking is changing our lives completely. I had raised this topic earlier and can see the situation worsening. I am not sure whether I like it.

It is nice to interact with new people who share your interests and I have many friends whom I met through blogs or LinkedIn, but at the same time, I think social networking is taking over our world.

So even though work is taking over my life right now, I will make sure to meet some friends, actually meet them, even if for a quick cup of coffee.

We often talk about worklife balance. Perhaps it is now time to deliberate on social networking v/s real life balance.

And isnt' it ironical that I am sending this message through another social networking tool - blogs.

PS: I need to apologise. There were two comments to my earlier post (don't remember whose) and instead of uploading it, I accidentally deleted them. Sorry.

Promise not to repeat this error, so your comments are more than welcome.

Have a good Sunday.
Best,
Lubna