So, I’m thinking about disconnecting from the social media whirl, just pulling the plug. This is not a histrionic ohmigod I’m overwhelmed. It’s more of an I-don’t-quite-see-the-point sort of post. By now most people have figured out what their favorite social media outlet is – if they choose to partake. I’ve recently accepted that Pinterest is mine. I love Pinterest. It’s visual and reduces human interaction down to virtual nothingness.

That’s my kind of social media. (I know, it’s not very…y’know…social.)

Folks keep espousing the need to be genuine, to be themselves, to connect with folks in all forms of social media. I don’t think I’m very good at doing that. I want to connect with people, but maybe I need other methods than relying on social media interaction.

I like information. I like the curation and dissemination of data. Social media is good for that. Don’t like my approach? Well, that’s okay. Guess what? We don’t have to be one-size-fits-all. If I don’t like your approach, I have choices. So do you… which brings me back to my point.

I keep thinking about dumping most of my social media outlets. I have a Facebook author page that’s pretty stagnant. In the beginning it was a fun means of interacting with folks who were interested in my stuff but then things got complicated. Too few posts reach any audience. Facebook suggested I promote. Okay? I guess it’s a cool thing that they make the option available, but I’m not paying Facebook to reach folks who can connect with me in other venues. Besides, it was fun to chat and visit – now it feels like work and I already have a job, several in fact. We don’t all have the same goals when it comes to interacting – even as authors.

In truth, I’m just not a big fan of Facebook. If it weren’t for the groups I belong to and the enjoyment I get from watching memes scroll through my feed, I’d have already jumped ship. I know other folks love it – and more power to them for finding their niche.

Same thing with Twitter and Google+. Both are interfaces which have the potential to be fun and entertaining – but it’s not the way I prefer to spend my time. Interestingly, almost everyone I used to visit with in those venues is also no longer active. At all. Linked-In remains a mystery to me – one I don’t want to solve.

The times, they change.

On a related note, the universe has punctuated with startling clarity during the last year just how fragile and delicate is life. I’ve come close to losing a loved one twice and did lose a very dear one recently. In the hum of day-to-day living, through the passage of every twenty-four hour cycle, the strength of electronic social interaction grows increasingly inadequate for me. Unimportant.

So, there’re some thoughts about me stepping off the people-mover and walking by myself for a bit. Hooking up with old friends and re-connecting in person over a cup of coffee and a beautiful view offers a special kind of appeal just now.

Do you ever take a break and step back from it all? Does the intrusiveness of media and technology in our daily lives chip away at our collective peace of mind at the same time it enriches our lives? What do you think?