My name is Barbara. I just joined Twitter. And I’m an addict. Kristen Lamb cautions about the time-stealing dangers of what she calls Twitter Attention Deficit Disorder (TADD), and you better believe I’ve got it bad.
Yes, it happened after only about 25 tweets in. Now I’m logging into Twitter on my laptop. I’m using the app on my Galaxy Tab. I got the great app TweetDeck (setup for use both on laptop and Tab), but am abusing my eyes wading through my multiple columns. I’m reading bios and lists and links and trending topics. Then there are the texts to my phone. And the obsessive reading of everyone’s “follow” lists. And the hashtags. So many hashtags.
Oh I fought the Twitter draw for a while – just as I did with Facebook, getting an iPod and even CDs back in the day. I’m not what one would consider an early adopter. I sit back, research, watch and analyze. I hear the fans share about the fantastic pluses and read the tech experts balance out the cons.
But for Twitter, oh my sweet sweet Twitter, the articles did you no justice. One must be fully immersed (or so I delude myself) in the real-time dialogue to understand the golden treasure that you are. I hear the blips in my sleep and wonder what nuggets of breaking news knowledge I’m missing. I sound I bit crazed I know so maybe if I hunker down, the frenzy might eventually pass?
How do you balance your use of Twitter?
Does this newbie obsession to tweet and read tweets ever end?
Who are some of your favorite people and groups to follow?
Barbara McDowell 
Awsome post, Barbara. Now I know what I’ve got – TADD!!! Yikes!
Thanks Angela! Yes the Twitter draw is no joke. So much to read, so little time.
Great blog! Be sure and let us know when you find the answers. I know I could use them.
Thanks Cheryel. I’m thinking setting up Twitter reading time might work.
It must be viral cause it just passes from one twitterite to the next….
Funny Lesann! It passes and circles back with no sign of a cure.
It’s hard to close up Twitter, thinking that maybe, just maybe I might be missing some wonderful nugget of information or something funny. Maybe I am missing an opportunity to hook up with a new Twitter friend. And now, knowing all of you, it’s even worse…LOL. I usually have Twitter running in the background, checking in all the time, and although I don’t always take the time to respond, I’m taking it all in. I haven’t yet found the secret to balance….Great post, Barbara.
Yes Diana! I’m also reading it like a newsfeed where I don’t want to miss a great article or tip. If I’m away too long, it take a little time to scan my home list.
AH ha ha great post, found while scanning the #wana711 column, WHICH I do SEVERAL times a day. Problem is that amid the people tweeting about cookies and dead squirrels, so many people have such wonderful things to say! (See what I did there? Deflecting my problem onto others? Signs of a seasoned addict…)
Ah yes, Naomi, that deflection is a give away. Ha. Ha.