It’s getting nigh on when I need to make a decision about the role social media plays in my life. At least when it comes to Twitter, whose 30-day deactivation policy draws a hard line on this experiment milestone. So why not check in, hey. Why bloody not!

I haven’t missed the Twitter app on my phone. Haven’t missed doomscrolling and idle-scrolling. Haven’t missed the DMs.

Without all this, I’m reading more, writing more, focusing better, and making more realistic plans for the future. I don’t think I was addicted to social media before, but neurological mechanisms underpinning addiction were probably forming in some fashion when I was at my most active.

That said, I do appreciate the value of having Twitter whilst not letting it devour so much time and attention. Incidental chatter with nice people is one upside. Letting others get to know you is another. Even if that version of you is curated, it’s still a way to break the ice hindering deeper connections.

Humourist Willie Handler recently asked whether you’d want to be a social media influencer or bookseller, which got me thinking more in terms of “who I am” versus “what I do”. I’m not a social media influencer and don’t aspire to be. And I’m not a great bookseller either, but I am a creator. I’m an artist and writer who seems to do better in the quiet.

On other fronts, I haven’t been missing Facebook or Instagram much. Pinterest has filled that gap with a delectable trove of interesting content minus the pressure to be on all the time. Friends have suggested Facebook Marketplace is where I may come back, but I’m quite happily not there yet.

Well, with my 30-day Twitter deadline coming up, I have reactivated my @jlperidot account to keep my handle. But I’m not planning to suddenly hang out there just yet, so how about we keep connecting without it 😊