Thingy 3: Instant Messaging

OK, I've determined I'm taking the writing portion of this too seriously and pondering my words too carefully... thus not actually getting anything done! So here's to kicking my 10 Things process into overdrive, so as not to be a liaison who doesn't actually finish the 10 Things... (for shame!)

So, Instant Messaging: Well, we all know that anything "instant" is suspect. Instant cash, instant dinners, instant friends... I tried using instant messaging about seven years ago when I was a youth pastor, and then grew tired of holding 8 inane conversations at once. My brain just isn't fast enough for that much inanity.

Since I use Yahoo as my primary email, I set up an instant messaging account with Yahoo Messenger, stocked with those I've already coerced into being my friends. I then proceeded to have two conversations at once, by turns either ignoring one or the other or simply losing the thread of conversation. It is fun to see who's online, but I find that I don't like people to know that I'm online, so I sign in as "invisible." Which makes me wonder if others are doing the same thing, which makes seeing who else is online quite a lot more inaccurate and less fun. Hmm... it could be a great social tool, but you have to be feeling social to use it, apparently. As for me, I more so appreciate a good phone call, or email, or walk through the snow to actually talk with someone in person.

But I could see how this would be helpful for libraries, perhaps in a "Nightowl" reference capacity. People might be less intimidated to ask something by IM than by other mediums. Those crafty folks who comprise the 10 Things Team have already demonstrated the usefulness of this with the Meebo widget on the 10 Things blog.

So much for being brief! Now, isn't this much more fun than "instant"?