Update: Even Ike Pigott is claiming to be overwhelmed with "net debris," Brad Grier has also agreed to step away from the computer, Donna Pappacosta is going to work in her garden, Sallie Goetsch of the Podcast Asylum is already working on a cure and Lee Hopkins, also of the Podcast Asylum, included the symptom in his latest report.
Wondering where I've been? Well, I took a little bit of a summer hiatus to enjoy the rare 80-degree weather in Chicago. So the blog and the podcast have been sitting quietly by.
... but that's not entirely honest. I've been ill. I've had a terrible case of Social Media Stupor Syndrome, with underlying Microblogging Paralysis. And it's not just me--it's an epidemic. Lee Hopkins spoke about this in his latest vidcast, and Mitch Joel discussed this very serious issue on Six Pixels of Separation. I was in quarantine. Away from my iPod's podcast menu. My Newsgator feedreader sat neglected as over 800 feeds piled up unread. Flickr sat un-updated. Even Twitter wasn't allowed inside the no-media bubble due to danger of contamination. FIR's 250th episode came and went, and I missed it, as 100 unread (non-client) emails from its creators wasted away in my inbox.
It was a tough case, and I battled it for weeks. The first-round treatments didn't work--unplugging only called in armies of podcaster's guilt. But in time, the disease ran its course. The best treatments, I've discovered, are weekends spent camping barefoot and Sunday brunches with friends. Calling colleagues to meet in real life, sending promotional materials via snail-mail with handwritten notes and talking to unplugged friends also helped reduce the symptoms. Jumping in the pool several times a week and watching back episodes of things written by Joss Whedon were also helpful.
I took 200 mg of Perspective a day, and now, I'm happy to say, I'm doing much better.
So please, don't let this epidemic hit you and those you love. Social Media Stupor Syndrome with underlying Microblogging Paralysis is a serious condition that is devastating the blogosphere and podosphere. Don't let this happen to you or to someone you love. Wash your hands before using your keyboard. And go put a stamp on something you wrote by hand.
