I am sorry that I don’t follow you on Twitter.
It was funny at first. I even jokingly called myself a Twitter Diva because I don’t follow many people.
Recently, some people have actually sent messages that their feelings are hurt because I don’t Twitter.? Someone actually found my blog by typing “Anne Jackson Twitter Diva!”
I’ve been accused of only using it to market my brand, or my book, or my whatever.? So, I thought I’d go public on two big reasons why I don’t follow many people.
Direct Messaging to me = another inbox I can’t keep up with. I already have two email accounts – work & personal.? You can always email me. I prefer it that way anyway.
I’m a very private person. I keep my cell phone number held very close to my vest.? And since I’ve started traveling more, I use my phone for Twitter more than I use my computer.? Even if I used TweetDeck or another third party app, it wouldn’t work for my schedule.? Since there’s no way for me to group or sort things the way my funky little brain needs it on my phone, I have to keep it super simple.? If I follow everyone, that would pretty much mean everyone could send me a DM, which would mean everyone is texting my phone.
And I’m sorry, but I love my down time too much to have DMs going off all the time.
Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE Twitter. I LOVE the interaction. I LOVE you!
Let me prove my love.? I have searches set up through my RSS feed with keywords I like to follow so I’m able to have conversations with people I don’t follow.? Don’t believe it?? Click here and you’ll see I’ve been pretty consistent with @-responding to people across the board.
Do I wish I really could follow people and not have my brain explode.? Sure. Hats off to the people who do it and do it well.? There are many. I am not one of them.? And aside from the fact this whole post reminds me of high school drama, if I’ve ever offended you by not following you on Twitter.? I’m really sorry.
Know that I’m still reading…I’m still here…even if I don’t follow you on Twitter.
Comments
42 responses to “I love you. I really do…but…”
way to go, miss anne. i dropped twitter too…between my cell and my email and my facebook..its just too much ‘pluggedin’ time. ever since i started working for CCM, i feel like i live virtually through this ridiculous barrage of technology. its just not me. and its freeing to sit down, face to face with people and hear their voice! so bravo, for stepping out too :-) thanks for this post, i appreciated it greatly (maybe someday you and i will get a face to face chat :-)
I’m the same way Anne! I think you’re right on.
P.S. I’m loving MCD!
You are a sensible person !!!
I have never twittered! Call me old fashioned…but I like hearing a real live voice on the other line! I only started texting about a year ago! How you manage keeping up with it all!! I don’t know how you keep up with this blog alone! :) I love that you are drawing boundaries! If you don’t have them…you might have to read your own book! :) (I am loving the book by the way!) I love you girl! Hope you have a great month of traveling!
I follow who I want to follow on twitter. The ones I’m really interested in I have sent to my cell. Even at that I still get run over and rundown sometimes by the constant barrage of texts. I think it would be impossible past a certain number of people so I don’t blame you. I feel worse that you have to make a public apology about it. I’m sure that @pwilson does the same thing that you do because I have received responses from him on things that I’ve tweeted and I know he’s not following me. I do appreciate that he takes the time to drop a line. I’m sure you do the same. I’ll have to test it out though, lol!
sorry anne, i just don’t buy this bunk of a story. you can’t fool me at all about the twitter thing – it’s just a lame excuse to push those ‘below’ you in the blog/author world down and out of your sight. outta sight = outta mind
do you really expect us to believe this high and might garbage? you preach love and acceptance to those less fortunate and to the little people. you get on oyr soapbox about forgiveness and healing and all that stuff. then oyu simply turn your published author nose up and walk away from the average joe – snap, just like that
don’t know who in the world you think you are but you’re just like all the rest – no difference at all
boy, that was really fun – and i don’t mean a dadgum word of it!
people really get mad at you about the follow me on twitter thing? that’s just almost scary, like there is an unhealthy kinda ‘follow me’ thing goin on. ewwww!
wow
i mean WoW
people really care about twitter?
lol
i mean LOL
what a life
or should i say “get a life”
So, if I have your cell phone number I am like REALLY FREAKING SPECIAL? Nice…
BTW Anne, I agree 1000000000000%
I keep my follow list to about 80.
Come to think of it…probably time to go trim a little.
So, I follow a bunch of folks. Do I read them all? Uhhh nope.
And on that note, a blogger I know wrote about the very reason I’m having to just shut down more: https://annemariemiller.com/2009/02/01/im-guilty/
One one you, Anne.
P.S. Did you get my e-mail? :-)
I wondered why you didn’t follow People on Twitter..( me being one of them! *pout*). LOL No, Seriously I am Just kidding about that last comment..Anyway, Like i said on Facebook,I understand, and now that i have read this Blog Post, I understand more!:) Still Love This Blog:)
I follow a Bunch of folks also… don’t always read them…hmm…is that selfish??* thinking* I like the info i get from them sometimes… I tried getting texts to my phone it was WAY too distracting for me! *shrugs* Oh well, now that i have rambled on,Just wanted to say, in my circular speaking way.. still love ya anyway.You inspire me. thanks for Sharing:)
It’s all good dirty flower. :)
@portorikan from twitter here…. um… follow me?
I used to follow everyone who follows me….it got to be too much. my timeline was cluttered with peoples updates that i didnt really care about and people would DM me. I am just not a fan. i am starting to take your rule of if i dont know you or we havent met i wont follow you. haha! I totally, 100% agree with your stance….i tried the other way and have come back to your side.
dang, i thought you were about to say you were quitting twitter… whew!
I totally get it, I am not offended.
I don’t follow everyone who follows me because I don’t care what everyone has to say. Some people follow me and I have no idea who they are or what they will twitter about.
I feel like having interactions with people I like and have stuff in common with.
Not everyone is into Twitter to grow massive communities and make cash. It’s there to interact with friends if you wish.
I honestly have no idea how some people follow 1000’s of others. How on earth do you not miss things that are important? How do you read it all? Is that your life? Twitter? Really?
I follow 101 people and two days ago I missed a vital prayer request that I only saw a day later because of a follow-up Tweet.
I think maybe I’m following too many people.
I find it a bit weird that people could get offended by this following thing? I’ve had fun playing and experimenting, but there’s a lot of guff to sort through. I think your RSS search is a great idea.
My only suggestion to improve your Twittering (or rather, your impact on our Twittering) might be a new avatar. There’s gazillions of great pics of you Anne, I just don’t think the one on your Twitter page is one of them. Maybe I’m wrong, that’s fine, just thought this was a good opportunity to say :)
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaang
I get you!
I don’t twitter out of desire for more time with my husband and children, and I am terribly behind on my blog reading for that same reason. Sometimes I have the time to do more online, sometimes I don’t.
You don’t have to respond to this ;), but please sniff the salty air a little extra for me in San Diego! I miss it so much and you are going on two big days for me (Feb. 10 and 12). If you feel a great desire to post SD pics on your fb, don’t hesitate on my account.
Take care, and stick to your guns! You can’t give your life away to your blackberry!
Don’t feel the need to apologize for not following everyone! I applaud you for having the guts to set the boundaries you need.
Anne- Forgive me if this sounds mean, but i have known you for more then half my life and it bothers me, i think just a little, when people take it personal when you don’t show them attention all the time, because you are an extremely good friend and show attention when needed. Didn’t you just write a book about BURNOUT? Did any of these people READ IT? I think you upgraded the drama a little because this reminds me of middle school! SERIOUSLY! It’s people like this that are part of the reason why people that are in a position such as yours get BURNED OUT! Please don’t apologize for having your priorities in the right place…maybe the people that are upset at you for not following them should re-evaluate!!!
I totally respect your decision. I’d probably do the same if I had a phone that utilized Twitter. As it is now, I simply read the twits using my RSS reader, so it’s on my time.
I can vouch for Anne being completely available and transparent!
BTW, finished your book this weekend and passed it along to my mom. Hopefully it will be read by my whole family before the end of the year. Great stuff Anne!
no apologies necessary – honey, it’s your life! do what you have to do. I doubt my life is THAT interesting anyway. :)
I think the point is defining what you want to do with the space. I follow a few people (almost 900), but I look at twitter as my favorite coffee shop. I stop by, see who is there, and maybe get into a conversation (or 2, or 3). Maybe I just quietly sit at the bar working, keeping an eye on the stream to see what’s going on. I have my favorites and my friends that I watch for extra careful.
For me, I define my social media space as follows:
Twitter is for conversation (coffee house).
Facebook is for friends/people (I am extremely discriminating about who I let in).
Linked-In is for business connections.
Some people open up their Facebook to anyone who wants to “friend them”. Others open up everything. Others close off everything. None of these are bad options. Just define your spaces and use them accordingly.
BTW… I use search.twitter.com and tweetlater to monitor my @cruciformity messages. Tweetlater sends me an email with every @cruciformity reference, not just ones that start with it.
Don’t sweat it!
I’m small time and I can’t follow everyone on Twitter.
Its great you know your limits.
There was an interesting discussion about Twittering over on Deadly Viper a few months back, but maybe I’m even more old-faashioned than Ally.
I don’t facebook, I don’t twitter, and my Linked-In is just for business, and even then, rarely used. I don’t IM on my Blackberry because I get too much work email on it anyway. Even wit hunlimited texting,
Maybe I don’t have as many friends or contacts as ya’ll do, but I try to protect my family time in the evenings. It’s only about 4 hours (6-10) each weeknight, and it flys by so fast anyway, with dinner, dishes, etc.
I guess I’m a minority…
First, let me say I agree with you. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with choosing for yourself who you will follow.
I do have a question about it though… why is it OK to ask people to follow us if we don’t plan on following them? Why do we put links on our blogs and tell people to tell people to follow us? Is it that we think we have more important things to say than them? I’m just curious what people think.
Notice I said “we” in the above paragraph… not pointing fingers here.
Karen,
I don’t know why :)
I figure if everyone makes the opportunity available, we’ll each just do what we want :) follow or don’t! :)
Wait…what? I am so confused.
Oh girl you shouldn’t even have to give an explanation. Twitter has a million uses and if all you ever did was mention your book, serving opportunities(Compassion etc) or schedule etc., so what? Who follows who and do you like me check yes, check no stuff is too junior high. But you really should follow me. ;) Totally kidding.
Sorry about the last line about following me. I just went back and read the comments and that was so unoriginal. I am ashamed.
I’m SOOOO offended and hurt!!! Okay, maybe not. I actually feel somewhat the same regarding DMs. Unless it’s something that can be answered quickly and snappily, don’t send me a DM, tweeple!
I actually wanted to publicly thank you for your encouraging emails. I’m kinda flattered that you’d take the time to connect with a far more inferior blogger. When I grow up, I wanna blog like Anne!
I cannot believe this is a real topic that you had to address! You’re right with your last comments- it’s like high school.
come on, people!
LOVE this post and your perspective. It mirrors my opinion perfectly. I really do wish I could follow more people but I have a hard time keeping up with the ones I already do follow. Every so often I have to go through and weed out people that I just haven’t had a lot of interaction with.
Keep up the great posts/tweets/everything Anne!
honestly, if you were just being a self-promoting-twitter-w*&^% you’d probably be following everyone who followed you, and ignoring 99% of them, like the rest of the SEO obsessed people on twitter. To me, being discriminating in who you choose to follow shows that you’re actually paying attention and trying to contribute to what’s going on.
anyone who is slighted by you not reciprocating a follow, is either placing too high a value on their own updates, or just really insecure.
Good on you, Anne. I just deleted my Twitter account yesterday, after tweeting for about two months.
I don’t really get all the hype re Twitter. Every time I went on, there was far too much information to keep track of or care about. It’s like being at a loud party where everyone is talking (saying nice things, mind you), and you end up listening to no one. ‘Look at this news story!’ — ‘look at this shot I took in Chicago!’ — ‘read these 5 tips on productivity!’ — ‘Look what [Christian speaker] just said at [Important Conference]!’
I coudn’t take it any longer.
I think you’re wise in limiting it to just folks you know well. And I actually think Twitter would work best if people just stuck to telling you what they’re up to — even if it’s mundane — rather than trying to harness Twitter to promote something or educate people.
I am very much with you on the I-don’t-want-another-dang-inbox thing. That’s what email is for!
@chris Yay someone else :-)
im glad everyone is on board here…i felt like twitter was turning into myspace for adults. it felt like high school all over again!
Like blogging, there are some people who see twitter as being a reciprocal relationship. So if you have something on your blog that says, “Follow Me on Twitter!” they are surprised if you don’t follow them back. I say this, b/c I have friends who complain about this very issue.
So I do think your “apology” (not that you have to apologize…clarification might be a better way of putting it) was in good order in that it should clear things up for people who honestly feel that way about Twitter.
I feel so sorry for you! I think you do amazingly well keeping up with everything. You amaze me in fact.
I am quite often jealous of your opportunities (you have earned them of course!) and connections. In my little blue collar town our ministry of 2,500 is quite an unusual ministry, but money is so tight that I haven’t been able for years to attend a conference or anything…so I feel so alone!! But, that’s ok, I’m fully convinced this is where God want me, but to connect with so many others like you do ….aaauuuu I would give anything.
Keep up your amazing work and connecting, and don’t listen to the negative stuff!
That is a good boundary to set. It is very easy to get over connected. I think a blog and a cell phone is more than enough!
I think that it’s great that you have a boundary and are sticking to it. Knowing who you are and how you best function is being a good steward of the things that God has given you.
Keep setting the example. I know I appreciate it!