In April I shut my twitter account that had been up for exactly a year. In that year I had acquired over 700 followers (much less if you subtract the bots) with a reasonable number of tweets and had a decent followers to followee ratio. The number of guys flirting with me was a fair number too! But I couldn't care less.
When questioned regarding my motive behind quitting, I gave each person a different answer.
I was flirting too much. I'm too old for that.
Lie. You can never flirt enough, at whatever age.
I was investing too much into something that was just a sad way of telling myself I'm popular.
Partly true.
My work was suffering due to my tweeting.
If you'd rather tweet about how you hate work and your colleagues than actually doing some work...I contemplated deleting my facebook account too but there are way too many photos and videos there which can't be retrieved later :P Besides I love facebook. I can shut it out whenever I want. I don't have an incessant need to write something witty all the time. Then I pondered over the blog too...
A friend told me I was making a fool of myself on twitter.
Partly true. But I had decided to quit much before that. That comment formed the tipping point.
My real identity had been revealed onto a lot of people.
I have a rather "open" way of talking which if my (potential) employers ever found out may not approve.
I was constantly thinking of witty things to tweet.
The wittiness never really happened, which frustrated me.
Everyday it was the same people licking each others' asses, forming cliques and acting elite.
True to a large extent. But could occasionally be a "grapes are sour" situation.
The real reason is this:
I feel very strongly that I suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder. I have been struggling with it since school. When I reduce the number of things I'm pursuing to only the things that interest me, I'm able to do all of them more efficiently.
It was only when someone gave me the term earlier this year is when I could "tangiblize" it. I realized the reason why I haven't done as well in life as I could've is because of this.
So I decided to start reading instead. The first book I started took me A MONTH to read! And trust me however good the book was, I was constantly tempted to quit. Laptop for me has been a constant distraction and addiction over the past 3 years so I ensured I would shut my laptop at a precise time every night and spend a few minutes reading. I basically put myself through a self imposed rehab.
The second book took me a month to read too, but I started learning the piano and I spend considerable amount of time practising.
Currently reading the third - reading much faster, without distractions, longer sittings with greater comprehensibility. I feel I'm already working better, forgetting lesser things, able to articulate myself better at work, picking up the piano like nobody's business, taking a foreign trip alone so figuring out all details by myself. Blaming lesser people, depending on lesser people, not looking for constant validation and confidence boosting words from others. Eating well, sleeping well. Cribbing so little!
This is not really about twitter, it is infact about all the things that draw you away from what you really should be doing with your life. Eliminate the waste. Dive into the rest. I am instructed by a certain sweetheart of a friend to focus on myself for another couple of weeks still I start uhm...dating again. Hopefully my reason for wanting to date will not be "But I get so bored over the weekend!"
Maybe someday I will join twitter again, but only when I think I'm ready. The blog will always be there though :)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
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14 comments:
which books did u read???
American Gods by Neil Gaiman, White Noise by Don Delillo and The Girl with the dragon tattoo by Steig Larsson.
Nothing like books. And I can't curb the tendency to share.
If you are the kind who don't mind reading from screens (You might have better links/sources, this isn't bad ): http://nrsl.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/my-ebook-collection/.
The list is America-heavy and all of it is Twentieth-century.
Piano is so sexy. I envy you.
Best luck for date hunt :)
And if u get a chance , do read this book - If god was a banker ..I am sure you will like it.
I went off Facebook for about 20 days in order to balance work and an exam and I swear, I didn't miss it at all. In fact, I think I was happier and more focused - if not on my work or studies, at least on the people who matter, including myself. This parallel internet life does take away so much from what we could be doing instead.
Ok am a silent reader/admirer/stalker here.but couldn't resist commenting today.because.don't.read.whatever prasad recommended.pathetic book.3 hours wasted in reading.48 more wasted in thinking why did u read it!
@Prashant - I read mostly while I'm traveling so unless I buy myself a Kindle...Hmmmmmmm....Ze link hath been bookmarketh.
@Prasad - Haha thanks!
@Rini - I think I read sometime long ago that in China there started a console gaming rehab soon after the advent of the Playstations of the world. Funny, eh?
@Silent reader/admirer/stalker - Thanks for looking out for me! :P
Don't worry, I only take book recommendations from people I know personally. A stingy person like me doesn't like dropping money like hot cakes.
Dare I say, this particular blog post is as guilty of whatever you accuse your twitter account to be. Its all right. We all have been there.
And I agree with you, nothing irritates one more than the same people turning up and commenting.
Too much of commenting makes one doubt one's ability. The kick is in seeing anonymous commentators who may be really really good looking but too proud to leave their real names on a blog post. And what really would be avon, would be a single letter sign off like:
-R
PS- If God was a banker? No comments to the whoever has suggested that one, except - Go get a girlfriend. Or best, take one of mine.
Dear R
A blogpost is a rather deliberate and well thought out activity. If anything, it helps me articulate myself better with the written word. Also, my frequency is quite low! Twitter, however, seemed like much frivolity and unnecessarily time consuming.
But like I said, it's not really about twitter or blogs. It's still about all the things you can do without and function better.
P.S: Cockiness is not generally appreciated :)
Lady, below is the link to a Social Media Guide. the author, Sree Sreenivasan, is an authority on the subject and is the Dean of Student Affairs at Columbia University. Last evening I attended his lecture on the social media trends at the American Center, Bombay. He's really good. You may enlighten yourself on the subject in your free time.
http://bit.ly/sreesoc
"A friend told me I was making a fool of myself on twitter."
Your only friend?
Genuinely happy for you. You're a great person and its good to know that you're reading and doing what makes you happy and what makes you feel good. Take care.
@Nikhil - Thank you. Will definitely go through it :)
@gD - We bros *fist pump*
@A Well Wisher - Thank you, S-boy.
Incubus.com, eh? You could always make me laugh.
Just to let you know that it's been 3 days since I have been coming here in hope of finding an incubus post!
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