The Web 2.0 Syndrome

I'm addicted to online networking. Facebook and LinkedIn in particular. I use Facebook for more "social networking", although I belong to a former company's "alumni" group here (LinkedIn became too cumbersome for this group, especially when it came to mass e-mail distribution). I use LinkedIn for "professional networking", although I'll admit I try to "connect" with media hotties (Ginger Zee and Michelle Gielan, I'm talking to you). And, I can't seem to NOT be on one of these two sites during the day -- LinkedIn whilst in the office, and Facebook when I get home.

Both have provided some critical utility to my life. LinkedIn allows me to connect with old colleagues and maintain my otherwise gargantuan professional (and pseudo-social -- Yalile and Sherry I'm talking about you two) network of contacts. The "social" side of me (my sisters would argue that I'm hardly "social" and more of an angry curmudgeon who seeks new scapegoats for my otherwise miserable life) uses Facebook to "manage" the social web that I weave (metaphor: That Brown Man is an angry curmudgeon of a spider....oh never mind).

However, I have transcended the "networking" portion of our program. I am on LinkedIn pretty much all day at work. I'm always checking to see what my connections are doing, and what updates I can leverage. Sure, I have plenty of work to do...enough, in fact, for two or three people (I say that because I have three team members, and along with my own daily work, I'm constantly correcting theirs. * sigh *). But. I. Can't. Seem. To. Stay. Off. Of. LinkedIn.

Facebook just adds to the problem It is like the morphine to my LinkedIn cocaine in my Web 2.0 speedball. It started slowly. Just a few hits, err, I mean a few friends. Then a "friend" introduced me to an online Facebook game THAT I CHECK EVERY DAY TWICE, SOMETIMES THREE TIMES A DAY. (yes, "my liege", you know who I'm talkin' 'bout) And, I continue my search of media hotties on Facebook -- * knock, knock *, Michelle and Ginger, you still there? My laptop will have to pried from my cold dead fingers.

But wait, that's not all. It gets worse. I have Facebook for my Blackberry, so I can get my Facebook hit even if I'm not in front of my computer.

What the hell is wrong with me? Is there a cure? Somebody save me!