Where Should A Mom Go For Her Online Chatting?

I decided to do a social experiment and stopped using Twitter for the last few months. There was no huge loss in my life, and I keep busy with the blogosphere.  Then suddenly all of my blogging friends were talking about Twitter, and I started to feel like I was missing out on conversations. I have a BlackBerry to email and IM with my friends while waiting in line at the grocery store or waiting at the school carpool  lane, but should I have been reading my friend's Twitter conversations on my phone? How about the old fashion phone call to have a live conversation? Or even more old fashioned - how about saying hi to the person next to me in line (does anyone do that anymore)?

All of this made me wonder where my social map should be? Isn't it enough to read people's blogs anymore or is Twitter taking the place of the dialogue that goes on through blog comments? And what about social networks like Facebook? Isn't there one stop shopping for online social networking or do we have to juggle multiple sites?

The Loic Le Meur Blog had a post titled "My social map is totally descentralized but I want my blog back" that suggested blogs should be the main source for a person's social maps. I would like to see blogs and "one" social network as the place to park social maps and conversations. We can add "buttons" to take our readers from our blog to our other hangouts. Or maybe that means adding Twitter like functions to Facebook or onto blog sidebars? Friendfeed is a nice concept, but it is another stop online and I just can't handle anymore!

For now, I will juggle. After I finish this blog post I am off to check my Facebook profile and then twitter (TechMama) that I am reading the Loic Le Meur Blog post. 

Of course, all of this before making breakfast for my boys, no problem....

Click on this link to check out the discussion on Techmeme

As always, I find most of my answers from Charlene Li. Click here to see her relevant posts on Social graphs:

• The "open" social graph on the horizon
• The future of social networks: Social Networks will be like air

Comments

[Sarah the Spunky Mommy]

This is so interesting - I am amazed with the number of ways to stay in touch electronically and exicted about the future of the technologies - what will merge, what new services will be offered, etc. Just sent a twitter request - hope to learn more from you in the future! Keep up the great blog.

[Momo Fali]

The best social networking site I've seen is cre8buzz. It's decidedly adult (as in mature) and I've met some great people.

[Greg Wu]

Twitter is fantastic. There are so many uses for it. I feel like I'm discovering new ones everyday. I use Twitter to create a To Do list even. You can actually tweet over the phone now!! - I just speak my "tweets" over the phone using Jott. lol.

See http://jott.com/jott/twitter.html for an example of how to do this.

I also use twitter to keep me organized - but that's a whole different system.

[Kim/hormone-colored days]

I have a lot of friends Twittering now, too. I can barely keep a handle on my e-mail and blogging along with a peek here and there at LinkedIN, so I'm staying away from tweets, tempting as the are.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one feeling stretched by all this.

[Greg Wu]

I absolutely agree with you!!

I don't Twitter either because then I would have no time to do anything.

LinkedIn is a priority and so is obviously e-mail. I started a blog and now that is taking up so much time.

Where is Techmama anyway. I feel at home on this blog yet nobody seems to be home. Post something Techmama! we miss you.

[Andrea]

I can definitely relate to the social networking fatigue. I can't keep up with them all!