Profile Tune-Ups

Every so often I get the urge to go through my online profiles and do a little tidying up. Taking an inventory of where I exist online is overwhelming, considering all the upkeep that needs to happen, and I am by far not as connected as I could be. Right now, you can find me on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Wikispaces, Delicious, Yammer, and more that I don’t even remember I have accounts to.

Some I use more than others. Some require more time than I often have to give. Some are so cool that I don’t care how long it takes, I just love them.

How do people manage? All the passwords and login names–I still haven’t master the art of this. Each platform gears to a different audience and therefore requires different content from me. Keeping track of who’s keeping track of me is exhausting. Mitch Joel described it pretty well, saying Facebook is your past, MySpace is your present, and Linkedin is your future.  I’d almost entirely agree with that, except maybe label MySpace as my music provider. But nonetheless, they’re all important.

Twitter is sometimes my feedreader, Delicious is often my research partner, and Wikispaces is my collaborator. My bet is Yammer will soon be my water cooler…but the verdict is still out.

So knowing all this, I take a few hours every so often and truly geek out. Tweaking settings and changing profile pictures and polishing everything up just so. Just the way my OCD-brain likes it in that particular moment.

And all is right with the world again.  

* Cartoon by Oliver Widder @ Geekandpoke.typepad.com