Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Disconnected

I’m not much of a people person. I’m okay with that. I could spend days upon days alone, not speaking to or seeing anyone and be perfectly content. I live inside my head a lot. I think more than I speak. I don’t do small talk. I would rather phone than visit. I would rather email than phone. I would rather stay home than go out. I would rather sit in my backyard than go on vacation. It’s a wonder I have a husband and friends. But, I have a blog, so I can’t be a total social dud.

There are just so many ways to be connected. The students around here are in constant contact with each other and, for many, with their parents. I had to make a “no cell phones” rule to keep them from chatting on the phone/texting while I was paying them to work. MSN messenger is not allowed on the office computers. I think it’s crazy that I have to explain to them why this is inappropriate. Why do they need to be so connected?

I’m sure I’m just showing my age, but here are some things I could definitely live without:

Cell phone: I now have one because my husband insisted. Two people have my number: my husband and my assistant at work. I don’t even know the number (I have to look it up on the phone, if I can remember how). Right now, it’s sitting on the kitchen counter. I am sitting at my desk at work. When I get home, there will no doubt be a message from Homer saying, “WHY DO YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE IF YOU NEVER HAVE IT WITH YOU?” Why, indeed.

Facebook: Even though I swore I would never have an account, I do. I mostly signed up because I was missing invitations to events, etc. because everyone (including MY PARENTS) is on Facebook. I used my maiden name and set my privacy settings so no one at work (i.e. students) would find me, but hadn’t counted on gooby guy that I rarely talked to in high school wanting me to be his friend. Many of my cousins are friends, which is fine, but I find I don’t really care that they “had a great time at Sherry’s party”. So, now I rarely look at it and I’m still missing the invitations.

Twitter: I guess it’s the “I don’t do small talk” thing, but I still don’t get Twitter. I’m on it, but don’t post anything, rarely respond to anyone who has posted and… yeah, I just don’t get it.


What about you? Do you like to be super-connected to the world, or are you content to unplug and miss some of the chatter?

16 comments:

Christina Schmidt said...

I am like you. I have a sad pay as you go cell phone that I do not know the number for and the thing is SO pathetic I am a bit embarrassed to take it out in public.

I like FB and it ebbs and flows. I moved far away from friends in California so I was super glad to reconnect with many of them but lately there is no time for FB.

Twitter - I do not get nor do I want to get it and I just keep hoping it will lose it allure!

I am mostly connected by email and would much prefer the non communication forms of communication. Oh and I blog too :)

Jess said...

I think I fall somewhere in the middle. I enjoy social media but I don't constantly tweet about everything that's going on. Sometimes I like visiting but sometimes I really just want to stay home by myself. I have a cell phone and it is in fact the only phone we have (no landline), but I don't often spend a long time having chats with friends or family.

Pickles and Dimes said...

I'm active with social media, but I enjoy it because it's on my terms. I'm not a very social person in real life, and if my cell phone rings, I'm annoyed. :)

I could go a month without speaking to someone out loud and be disappointed at the end that my time was up.

Sarah said...

I am not like you in that I think I would really miss talking out loud to people after a day or so. HOWEVER. I could not agree more about Facebook, Twitter, IM, texting, etc. There's definitely such a thing as excessive connected-ness, in my opinion. Also! I know that texting has its uses. But half the time when people text me they need to have an actual conversation and I'm all, "CALL ME ON THE PHONE SO I CAN STOP PUSHING THESE TINY BUTTONS!" It's like people have forgotten what a phone is FOR.

Nowheymama said...

My cell phone is always dead. I do like Facebook for keeping in touch with people who are far away. I enjoy reading Tweets on Twitter more than I enjoy writing them. It has been good for lots of food allergy info, though.

Fiona Picklebottom said...

You are me. In fact, I'm looking for me right now, wondering why I up and moved to Canada.

I have a Facebook acct that I find I mainly use to play Lexulous (basically Scrabble) with Jess Loulu, though it has been nice getting in touch with some folks with whom I grew up. I also have a Twitter acct that I haven't been on in ages. Lastly, I have the most ancient cell phone in existence and I only have it because they gave me a free one to get me off the old technology. I may be the only person left in the world on AT&T's $29.99/month plan (which hasn't existed in a LONG LONG time, but I'm grandfathered in and refuse to change plans).

ccr in MA said...

I'm a lot like you. My cell phone is a dinosaur to most people (almost three years old!), and I'm not afraid to turn it off. I like using it for long distance at no extra cost, but I'm not joined at the hip. I don't text.

I joined Facebook because I felt like I was missing family news. I mostly use it to play Wordscraper, and marvel at how much time some people have.

I have negative interest in Twitter.

Chantal said...

I am a sorta middle road person. I am by no way crazy on those things but I use them all. I am on twitter (every day at work, not weekends or at night) and I find it a bit strange still. I feel like the shy kid in the middle of a bunch of crazy twitter junkies. It will be interesting to see how I manage these things (and the blog) when I am on mat leave next year.

Tess said...

I cannot STAND using the phone and would never do it again if it were up to me, but I will text and email with reckless abandon.

I'm better in writing, I guess.

Um, actually, I KNOW that's true.

Astarte said...

I love the internet. I hate talking on the phone to almost anyone, but especially if it's a call I *have* to make to someone I don't know at all. Yuck.

I have a cell phone that allows me to text and email from it. I love it. It's a phone for emergencies, and a walking writer for everything else.

The thing I like best about when the kids are in school is that I will sometimes not say one word aloud the whole time they're gone. Well, that's not quite true - I talk to the dogs. But, I love the freedom silence gives me to just do my own thing.

Amreen said...

I have to admit that i love facebook. i love seeing people's pictures and updates, and it allows me to stay in touch with friends/family in a way that is comprehensive yet manageable. however, i hate cell phones. i detest always being accessible. I hate it when my phone rings when i'm out because i'm worried something bad has happened. i think today's youth share way too much of their personal information. I love my friends but don't care what they had for lunch. kids post pictures of everything they do...how much time are they wasting when they should be enjoying thise time in their life or studying or something....but i see the practicality in cell phones too. It won't be so hard to keep an eye and ear on our kids when they're out and about. there are many pros and cons.

Mandy said...

I dont like being with (most) people but I love being connected online .. however, its just too much to have to FB, tweet, blog, and whateverelseitisatthemoment .. so I tend to just do one or the other...

Amanda of Shamelessly Sassy said...

I'd like to think I don't like being connected, but really I do. I love being able to be reached at most times.

bananafana said...

I like to talk to people but really only face-to-face and I prefer to stay home if I can. Which is why we like throwing parties at home - but we hate cleaning so they're rare. I only have a cell phone because my office insists (and pays for it). the only person that calls it outside of work is my husband. Facebook makes me crazy since once I finally check it, it takes me hours to get through all the wierd plants, hugs, easter eggs and whatever else people have sent my way and I just feel meh about the whole thing . . . oh and TEXTING - acht!!!! hate hate hate

Swistle said...

I have a cell phone, but I have to have the number written on the back of it, and I only use it for TRUE EMERGENCIES such as calling home to ask if we're low on ice cream.

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