Man Goes on Vacation, Doesn’t Tweet.

Social networking is big. Huge. Nay, it’s EVERYWHERE. Everyone seems to be blogging or on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, Virb, Kontain, Tumblr or one of the other 5 billion sites that are out there. Letting family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, and random followers know what you are up to at all times via a blog, pictures, videos or 140 character blurbs (or tweet) is the norm nowadays and it’s only growing. When do people use these social networking sites? The answer is all the time, for any and every reason. If you’re out with friends? Update your Facebook status. See something funny? Tweet about it. Flying somewhere for work? Update LinkedIn. Take a zany picture of your face? Put it on MySpace. Wanna write something that only YOU think is interesting? Start a blog *wink*.

So why would someone go on vacation and NOT update their social networking sites to show the world what their doing!? Sounds crazy right? I recently caught up with Frank Campanella. Frank recently went on vacation and, for some reason, did not update his web presences.

Frank Campanella, Question: So, Frank, I understand you work fairly closely with the web for your job. If you’re so web savvy, what sites do you belong to?
Frank Campanella, Answer: Twitter for miscelaneous commentary. LinkedIn for work stuff. Cargo for my portfolio. YouTube for some comedy videos. And MySpace for old comedy promo stuff… but I don’t update the MySpace profiles any more. I also have a flickr account that I never update and a tumblr account for pictures of my daughter (mostly for family only). The only thing I really keep updated is my blog (which is kind of new) and Twitter.

Q: …And Facebook.
A: I’m actually not on Facebook.

Q: What? Why? Is something wrong with you? Brain damage?
A: I might be a little brain damaged. I used to be on Facebook, not any more.

Q: But everyone is on Facebook!
A: Maybe that’s why. I don’t wanna be in touch with EVERYONE. That constant stream of content gets old after a while.

Q: Why?
A: Because.

Q: Lame.
A: So.

Q: Whatever, back to the main question… You recently went on vacation. Why didn’t you update at least one of the sites you belong to? Did your arms fall off?
A: No

Q: Do you not know how to read?
A: I can read.

Q: Do you have arthritis which makes it hard to type?
A: No.

Q: Did your wife not let you?
A: No.

Q: Well, then what’s the deal? Why no updates?
A: It never really occurred to me to update them. I didn’t bring my laptop either. I kinda wanted to GO ON VACATION. I’ll probably send pics of my daughter to some family members but that’s about it.

Q: You had your phone, right? Why not update via mobile?
A: Again, It just didn’t occur to me to update anything. I was having fun & relaxing. I guess I never thought to stop what I was doing, take a pic or video, upload it to the internet and update a site.

Q: It’s not that hard. Could it be your brain damage that got in the way?
A: I know it’s easy. I don’t think it was the brain damage. No.

Q: So why not let people know what you’re up to?
A: I guess I don’t want people to know what I’m up to all the time. It’s nice to be “off the grid” for a little while.

Q: Yeah, but isn’t it cool to show people awesome pics of the great time you’re having?
A: Is it cool? Or is it thinly veiled bragging via the internet? That’s what it seems like to me. It’s kind of a turn off when others do it. That’s just me though. Like I said, I might be brain dead.

Q: But when people you know go somewhere or do something cool, don’t you wanna know about it?
A: I guess. Mostly I just hope their having a nice time. I don’t need the actual evidence that someone is para sailing over the Pacific or posing in front of a monument.

Q: I see. It’s so clear now. You’re jealous when you see pics of someone you know para sailing over the Pacific or posing in front of a monument.
A: Not really. It just seems like people are always on the phone/computer trying to tell/show the world what they’re up to at all times. Get UNconnected for a while, folks. That’s all I’m saying. We should all have a break from the barrage of info. Aren’t you sick of everything on the internet (and even TV for that matter but that’s a whole different can of worms)?

Q: Listen, I’ll ask the questions.
A: I’m just saying people need to get away from the computer/TV… me included. There’s too much clutter and uninspired content and it’s easy to get sick of. It gets old. Plus, next time I see someone I haven’t seen in a while we’ll have more to share because I haven’t seen everything they’ve been up to via the internet… we can actually catch up… in person… whoa, right?

Q: Fine
A: