Did You Get My Message?

So, some of my friends found this new place to hang out. I was invited to check it out, and have stopped in a few times, but so far I'm nonplussed (that was pretty clever dumb, right?). It seems like a nice enough place -- reminds me a lot of a few other places I like to visit from time to time..

Google+ is the next big thing. Or so some "experts" are telling us. It's Google's attempt at a social networking site. It's part facebook -- you can share photos, videos, status updates, etc. and comment on other people's posts. It's part twitter -- you can "follow" people without having to ask permission to "be their friend." And there's a little tumblr in there, too -- with people reblogging and sharing others' posts.

What's nice about Google+ is the way everything is linked together. Picassa, YouTube, Blogger, etc. are all Google-based. I also like the "circles" feature -- you can put people you "follow" in categories and send your posts to a specific group. That's a cool feature -- though, I'm not gonna lie, it's stressing me out a little bit. Are you an acquaintance or a friend? Do I like you or do I "like you, like you"? What I don't like is how a post streams, so that a new comment will push an older post the top. I feel like I keep seeing the same things. But maybe that's because we're all just getting started and I'm not following... or friends with... or acquaintances with... enough people.

The reviews from really "plugged in" tech people have been very positive. To them, Google+ is the place to be. They never liked Farmville or Mafia Wars or whatever game du jour people were playing on facebook. And, quite honestly, they were kind of freaked out when their parents and grandparents joined. The reviews from friends -- or acquaintances, I'm not sure what to call them -- is undecided. These networks take time to develop. I feel like G+ has developed pretty quickly -- I've only been there a week. I figure I'll stick around, in case it truly is the next big thing. But I don't see a mass exodus from facebook or twitter. Not yet anyway. 

Oh.. and it's summertime. I'm not going to be spending long stretches of my days sitting on the computer or staring at my phone if I don't have to! I'd rather be social and network on the beach or at the park or at a BBQ.

Today's Title: Did you get my message, because I left it in, like, 20 places!