Month: January 2009

Jeffrey’s Twitter Updates for 2009-01-31

  • The snow is sticking to everything; trees, the house, and fences. Appears about 3 feet deep, though there are packed down layers underneath. #
  • Cam’t believe the dogs got me up this early. Will need to do Saturday morning training with them. #
  • The last 10 miles was in snow. About 5 inches on the unplowed road. Outside, perhaps 3 feet? #
  • Need to get some fresh air this weekend. #
  • Leaving the office. Hurray for the weekend! #
  • Is anybody planning to submit a paper for the AoIR Internet Research 10.0 – Internet: Critical conference? http://ir10.aoir.org/ #
  • It has gotten colder and more raw outside as the day has progressed. #

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Jeffrey’s Twitter Updates for 2009-01-30

  • People watching during the first Intermission. Some lady in a box is knitting. #
  • Fell asleep during Act I of Lucia di Lammermoor. Why can’t they sing more loudly? #
  • Just sat to see Lucia de Lammermoor at the Met Opera. #
  • Meeting friends for dinner before the opera. #
  • I am working on a proposal for the AoIR 10 Conference http://ir10.aoir.org/. Anybody else submitting a proposal there? #
  • Worked with a colleague to build an Intro to Instructional Design presentation for our OD Department. #
  • Listening during the #waatwaat conference call. #
  • Just joined the #cp2 conference call. #
  • Getting a sandwich and latte. #
  • Fell off a chair at work. What a day. #

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Jeffrey’s Twitter Updates for 2009-01-29

  • Think I am not going to be able to attend the #AHRD conference in February. Though I had a paper accepted, the economy . . . #
  • I just had two proposals accepted for #QI2009! #
  • I am FINALLY cleaning up (cf. deleting) the many rss feeds that have clogged my feed reading habits. Perhaps now I can comment more? #
  • Dark and rainy and snowy outside this morning. Glad I did not need to drive to the office. #

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Focusing on Friends (vs. unfriending)

The New York Times (yes, I enjoy reading a paper newspaper in the morning over coffee) has an interesting article today, Friends, Until I Delete You. It was about protocols, or the lack thereof, regarding dropping / unfriending / blocking / unfollowing / defriending people on Facebook (and by default even on Twitter, my primary networking hub, as well as rss feeds and blogrolls). Getting a free Whopper from Burger King aside, this issue will only grow in discussion as the general trend toward Managing Multimembership increases.

I used to accept all invitations, though find it increasingly difficult to keep up and communicate with the people who I am really interested in following and engaging in ongoing discussions. Currently, I do not accept all invitations in Facebook or even return following in Twitter. Let’s face it, if I have not spoken to somebody since high school or college or for ten years, is there much evidence I really want to suddenly start now? There are often reasons why we lose touch (as well as some good reasons for begining again, I suppose).

I often do accept if the person appears interesting, but tastes and needs and wants do change and develop over time. 

Don’t get me wrong, this issue is not necessarily a personal one; it is more a recognition that I have limited time and resources. I am simply not able or interested in following or reading people who, ultimately, do not meet the WIIFM? (What’s In It For Me?) factor.  Very subjective, but then again what isn’t? (Ahh, I love qualitative research!)

I wish I have more time and energy, but there is a limit. Thus, instead of my own focusing on particulars about unfriending, I prefer to focus on following those who really make a difference in my life, work,  and research.