Google+Me-You=<3

Okay, this post’s title might seem a little harsh, but…let’s be honest. No one, and I mean no one, is going to try to talk you into joining Google+. Oh sure, right now, there’s the want of an invite, the desire to be included. But, once you get there, if you don’t immediately get it, good. Stay on Facebook. Revisit MySpace (Justin Timberlake might even be the new Tom). Chances are, you’re the type of person who joined Twitter to retweet Ashton Kutcher or one of those Kardashian thingies. That’s sort of not the point of social media, in my humble opinion, but the great thing about social media is that you get to use it however you want.

Google+ kind of gets that. There’s a wonderful separation of Church and State there, allowing you to group people into circles (Friends, Acquaintances, Colleagues, etc.), and select which broadcasts go to what groups. That’s the first drop of awesome sauce. The second? Hardly anyone is there. It’s just a bunch of tech nerds, savvy social media users and friends of theirs, like me, who were lucky enough to get an early invite. And, with the majority of my friends being slow on the social media uptake, I only have a handful of people in my circles.

And that’s where the avalanche of awesome comes in.

Oliver Reichenstein explains it best in his post Why and How Google+’s Interface is Kicking Ass. But if all you want from your social networks is to connect with old school chums, Facebook is the place for you. Stay there. Please. If you are bummed when you get to Google+ thinking, “Hey. Where’s everybody at? I have no friends,” you’re missing the point. And that’s fine.

Google+ is where social media turns a corner, and where users can redefine its use.

Which is what I intend to do. I’ve been waiting and waiting…and waiting for Diaspora to launch. I’ve long been over Facebook and their endless privacy gaffs. I’d really like another place to connect with like-minded people without the games and Farmville and noise from those who fancy themselves life experts. (Also, if I also follow you on Twitter, I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t repeat every broadcast on every social media outlet. I mean, really, what’s the point?) So, for me, a quiet little neighborhood like Google+ is just perfect. That’s sure to change. Especially if that damned Ashton Kutcher moves in. But, for now, Google+ is my happy place. It’s okay if you don’t like it, if you don’t see the point of it, or don’t want to be bothered with yet another social networking portal. You’re right. You’re absolutely right.