So, social networking. It's a topic I've not addressed for a while, mainly because I fear that when I state my honest opinions regarding one network or another--be they pleased or annoyed--I'll manage to piss off someone with whatever I said, for whatever reason. But I'm going to give it another go, because it's on my mind, and I've started to care less about pissing people off (as it seems inevitable, so who has time to care?).

I joined Plurk this morning. I don't know why; I have a hard enough time maintaining my current networks as it is. But you can find my profile here: /merrickmonroe. So far, well, I like it. I'm not sure if I really like it, or just kind of like it. The "really" would come from the presentation and versatility of it: I love visual-based anything, and the way information is organized here pleases that OCD quadrant of my brain (although the direction updates flow feels backwards to me).

Also, you have more options with what you're updating; Plurk recognizes that there are more verbs than "is"... verbs like "thinks" or "gives" or "will". Anyone who was using Facebook more than a few months ago will recall the trouble of always being "is": you end up with some very creatively structured statuses, like "merrick monroe is having gone to see a movie", which was very troubling to my inner grammar nazi. Oh, and the "kind of"? That's me thinking, "eh, it's just another social network"; there's a chance that I'll grow disinterested and forget my password within a few weeks time.

Much of the reason I lose interest in social networks is because, after a week or so of being all "woo I'm updated! I just updated! Current information that is vital!" I start thinking, well, do people need to know this? Do they want to? God, why would they even care?! Usually I end up thinking that no, nobody cares, because nobody is interacting with me on that network. And it's a lot of work to keep it updated, and that one updated, and oh right, there that other one that I don't need to update often but man, it's really out of date... It just never stops!

I don't recall how, but last night Makal and I briefly discussed the whole MySpace vs. Facebook thing. Oh, right, it was because of this video. Makal made a crack about how you should never invite Facebook and MySpace to the same party, and I replied no, usually people are either friends with one or the other, but rarely both. He responded, "Except you! You have profiles on both! For different personalities!" Ugh, don't remind me. It's hard enough to maintain any single network profile, let alone consider that there are actually two personalities I need to keep updated. Great.

Also, no, I do not hold a Facebook account under the name Merrick. I do however have one for my legal name. Part of why I don't have one for Merrick is that I keep those worlds more or less separate. I've mentioned on Facebook that I started modeling, and posted pictures, but they are very typical fashion pics, not the more... interesting stuff. A lot of my friends on that network are not necessarily the type of people who could understand or appreciate the reasons I do bondage or fetish work, like the guy studying to become a catholic priest, or the high school band teacher.

It's not that I'm ashamed--not in the least!--but I recognize that my life and leanings are not the way for everyone, and I would hate to lose friends over such a minor thing as boobs and vagina. However, there are exceptions. I do have a few friends on Facebook whom I know purely via my online dealings or digital activities. But these are people who have either known me through various online incarnations, or whom I've met in person (and was pretty sure wouldn't end up stalking me ;). It's not the sort of exception I'd make every day.

And yes, Twitter. I guess I like Twitter. It's calmed down now that people have gotten used to the flow of it, and don't just inundate their followers with 5 posts every minute. People have figured the format out, which is cool with me. What's not cool is, well, Twitter. Because every time I start to get into it, it stops working. And without fail, every time over the past several months that something has happened that made me go, "Wow, I really should Twitter this!!" I go to the site only to learn that their servers are down, and they remain down for the better part of a day. The failure of being able to make an update when it's actually relevant just makes Twitter no fun for me.

A couple weeks ago I forced myself to set up Twitter for IM, so that I could both get updates via IM and send them. It took me less than two hours to realize that I really liked that aspect of Twitter, and it altered my use of it greatly! I was twittering more, replying to more people, and having a grand time with Twitter again. And then the servers crashed. And IM stopped working... and hasn't started again since. How am I suppose to feel like this site is an integral part of my online life, if every time I want to use it, it doesn't work?

I like it when people invite me to new social networks, because it's interesting to see what formats communication and digital presence are taking. But I look at the site, think how neat it seems, and then think, "But, do I really need another profile to maintain? Another network to parse my email contacts for current users? To spend time reaching out to people I'll probably never meet?"I usually end up answering "no". Not that I don't want to network with said person... I just don't care. Yet. ;)