I’m very sorry to hear about your cats. I’m hoping that no mention today means Sam continues to improve.

I was quite relieved to read your assessment of Twitter. I put one toe in the water and just didn’t get it. I continued to see little use for it even after attending a presentation where a whole gang of people were avidly twittering. I worried that I have been getting a little too in touch with my inner curmudgeon. So your trial (and trials) was very reassuring. I am perfectly happy for some to love Twitter. I will stay content and connected other ways.

I’m very sorry I didn’t get to see you at ALA. I would have liked to say hello. I was there, but a rotten stomach flu meant I only went to a few sessions, and no social events. I doubt I will go to Philly in January. My ten years of Philly Januarys says “you’ve got to be kidding.” After this year, I am not sure I will do Annual again. I am hoping to put more effort into my writing, and reading! Fortunately, I know some really good people and places to turn to for nice, crunchy thoughts.

What I’ve noticed recently is getting friended by twitters in totally different languages that appear to be commercial messages. At least that’s what my weak command of Spanish and even weaker command of German is telling me.

As far as total shameless self-promotion, I seem to get more of that at Ning where people I don’t know who are NOT affiliated with Library 2.0 try to “friend” me for no discernable reason.

I’m still using Twitter, but not by any means addicted. I’m lowering my expectations for using it at AALL next month–and in any case, I don’t think I have more than a handful of law librarian Twitter friends, not all of whom are attending.

“why on earth would you be friending me on Twitter if you don’t read my blog?”

I’ve gotten several of these that seem to be from people looking for publicity, who are hoping you’ll automatically friend them back to be exposed to their shameless (self) promotion. One I found particularly annoying was a breast cancer fundraising/awareness group. It was very corporate, and while I support the goal of raising money for cancer research, all this did–the mere concept, since I didn’t friend it–was annoy me.

Rikhei, Daniel: The elder cat isn’t going to get well–it’s just a question of whether it’s a few months or a year or more. Actually, he’s pretty stable at the moment as long as we give him six medications a day (altho’ that pretty much limits vacations…) Dickens, at 18, we’re more or less prepared to see pass away at some point.

The younger cat, Sam, the one we’re absolutely not prepared to see go (he’s only 7 or 8), seems to be doing some better today. If he’d eat more (and pass more), we’d be greatly relieved. But today he has been sneaking in and eating a bit at a time, where yesterday he was refusing any food. (Actually, he’s even back to eating his dry food.) And he’s being more “Samlike” (which is a very good thing–he’s a very sweet if also intelligent and utterly disobedient cat). So we shall see…basically, if he starts using the box for both functions, he’s probably recovering. I’m hopeful.

Daniel: I’d “unfriended” you before ALA because of the blog link, so that wasn’t a problem. The problem was actually with people who were at ALA–and, really, with me (and the equipment).

Figuring out our own comfort levels for connectedness and interruptability is a tricky process. It was definitely worthwhile for me to try this. It just isn’t worthwhile–for now–to stay. As with Steve’s experience, that could change.

Like Rikhei says, I hope your cats get well soon.

And as one of the twitter folks almost certainly driving you mad with automated updates, please accept my apologies. If you had dropped me w/o leaving Twitter, I’d certainly understand.

For Twitter itself, I’m still agnostic. I hooked it up to the group gov’t info blog I contribute to and to my Google Shared items because I really like sharing stuff with people even when I don’t have time to blog.

And there are a few people who are doing the TMI on personal stuff, but I also picked up a new contributor to a new project I’ve started. So I don’t know.

Can’t say that I’ll definitely be using Twitter or similar services six months from and can’t say that I won’t be.

And as usual, you’re right about saying YMMV. That’s how I feel about MySpace. It works for some librarians, but not for me which is why I cancelled my account there yesterday. Until Twitter, it’s not:

“the Hotel California syndrome–you can check out any time you like, but you can never really leave.”

Of course, since then, I have re-registered. My problems with Twitter had more to do with personal/private/public boundaries. Taking a month off (or whatever it ended up being) gave me a chance to re-think what I wanted out of Twitter and also gave me a chance to miss it. When it isn’t driving me nuts, I find it a fun and useful way to keep low-key tabs on a smallish group of friends and acquaintances.

And people who aren’t already my friends and acquaintances are welcome to listen in, but I’m not adding them to my list of friends. Anyone who gets “Twitter-happy” will get cut, no matter how well I know them.