I’m excited about Google+.  The concept fits perfectly with my personality. I don’t like big parties.  When I throw parties (which is rare) I don’t invite people from work AND friends from college.  I want most guests to already know each other.  That saves me the effort of having to introduce people and start conversations for them.  Besides, I can’t socialize with many people at the same time.  I am an introvert!

I failed as a Facebooker.  Every time I logged on I felt I was driving down the Las Vegas strip with 3-D glasses on:

“Julie Goolie ate pancakes for breakfast!  Eric Smeric scored 2 million on Mafia Wars!  You have 18 invitations to join causes you don’t care about!  David Creepy who used to look in your dorm window with binoculars wants to add you as a friend! “

It made me want to get off the cell phone/internet grid completely.  But here I am, thanks to Google, anxious to find a better way to have an online presence.

What will make this experiment interesting is my low tolerance for stimulation. I don’t want to see EVERYONE’S cat videos posted on my + page.  I want to control that page and keep it clean, yet full of opportunities to check in with people.

Can I interest my friends and business associates  in another form of connecting after I abandoned them over there on that OTHER social network?

I think so.  I will charm them with my best (virtual) Edie Brickell imitation…

“Me, I’m a part of your circle of friends…”

Joan