It is the first day of school and though I’m not (currently) a student, this time of year still brings out the organizer and planner in me. (It also brings out my secret desire for a Trapper Keeper). I am baffled by the number of blogs, e-mail addresses and social networking thingamabobs I have. How did that happen? Once upon a time, I had an e-mail address where I received maybe one or two e-mails a day (usually from Jay) and that was enough to make me happy. Those were simple days.
Oh, the times they have changed! Now I have two Blogger blogs in addition to this blog. I’m on Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr (and MySpace, though I pretty much abandoned it for Facebook).
I share more than my words on the internet. I share my memories and my dreams, too. I have photos on Flickr and a long neglected wishlist on Amazon (and a pretty, shiny book!).
I have profiles on GoodReads, Shelfari and LinkedIn, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I was on any of them. One of these days, I’ll probably be more active on YouTube and whatever other current fads are.
I read this recently on Shanna Germain’s wonderful blog and nodded in agreement:
So, it’s a toss-up, I think. Where to put your time and energy. Where to put your trust. Where to meet your friends and readers. Sometimes I want to spread out, build a big wide web of resources and marketing and words from this tree to one on the other side of the world, catching everything I can. Other times I want to fold in, make a beautiful perfect little net in the corner and then see what marvelous delights come to me.
There are days when I just want to disconnect, shut it all down, go off the grid. Hibernate. I remember back to 1995 or so, and how I was quite happy without all of these distractions and I wonder if I’d miss it. I think I’d miss some of it. I think.
What about you?
at 03:46 PM 
Yes. I’d like to live a simple, offgrid life again.
Oh but then, if it wasn’t for all that whatnot, I wouldn’t know you, and we wouldn’t be having this c
Comment by on Tuesday, September 07, 2010 Every six weeks or so I experience an almost irresistible urge to deregister from all my social-internetty accounts - I take this as a sign that I need some head-clearing space and step away for a few days. It’s difficult, isn’t it? I would miss the friendships and the ready access to information, for sure, and that’s what keeps my finger off the fateful buttons in the end.
Comment by on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 I have kept my online presence down. I have a My Space that I visit once a month whether I need to or not, my blogger which I regularly maintain, and a Linkedin for my day job.
I wrestle with the benefits of joining facebook or the like from time to time. I’ve been on the verge of creating and FB account, but I keep pulling back. I hear information that comes from there, I know I have a number of friends out there, but I just can’t afford the distractions.
I’m sure I’m missing out on some stuff, but, as they say, “you gotta choose your battles.”
Comment by Craig Sorensen on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 Nikki ~ Ha! 
Excellent point. And since I firmly believe you have saved my sanity a time or two, I wouldn’t want either of us to go off the grid. At least not for long.
Justine ~ I think, as a writer, it’s also feeling the pressure to promote, promote, promote that drives me a bit batty. I don’t separate the personal and professional (for the most part), so when I’m whiling away the time posting baby pictures and music videos, I feel slightly guilty for not toting out the BUY MY BOOK propaganda. Sigh.
Craig ~ I still have a MySpace page, but I pretty much abandoned it a couple of years ago in favor of Facebook. (Simply because MySpace felt younger and wasn’t as interactively friendly at the time. I think they’ve made some changes in that regard.) There’s definitely something to be said for not spreading yourself too thin.
Comment by Kristina on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 I would miss my blog. I started blogging with huge reluctance - it was only because the Black Lace editor was leaning on us to promote ourselves more. Now I LOVE my blog. It feels like a part of me. And on those days when I’m feeling isolated and blue, it’s my blogging buddies who are there to connect me to the world outside my head.
But I’ve no intention of going on Facebook or Twitter. Like Craig said.
Comment by Janine Ashbless on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 I *love* your blog. Janine! I’m fascinated by so many of your posts ~ and then there are all the great pictures! I’m glad you have no intentions of giving it up!
Comment by Kristina on Thursday, September 09, 2010 
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