Social Networking: The "Other" Significant Other

My parents had it easy. They really did. After a day at the office, Dad came home and had the role of Jim Anderson in "Father Knows Best". Smart, never raised his voice, always dispensing tidbits of wisdom, dad, a general contractor, left the office behind at the office.

My mother, a June Cleaver type, ("Leave It to Beaver"), was patient, a great home maker, and always telling us to 'wait until your father gets home'. Her two pieces of advice, God bless her, were "Always look nice when your husband comes home" and "Always have a bank account that your husband knows nothing about". I know that I am a BIG disappointment to her.

There was a time when my mother worked outside of the home for the Ministry of Tourism, but even with her "career", she just didn't seem to be as busy as I see myself today. How is that? She didn't have a microwave, electric rollers, Starbucks, and I remember we had a sit-down dinner cooked from scratch at 7:30 PM every night.

I am busy trying to grow my real estate and sales and marketing businesses. Two separate things, yet they are one: just two revenue streams. Both are tied to the housing industry. (What was I thinking?)

As a marketing professional, I recognize the importance of Social Networking. After all, it's free publicity, it expands my web of contacts, and while I can't quite attribute any income to it yet, I know that eventually it will pay off. Besides, this beats standing at the corner of Baymeadows and Phillips Highway in the hub of Jacksonville Florida with a sign that reads "Will Market Your Home for $695".

However, that being said, how on earth do people find the time to 'touch' each one of these social networking interfaces on a daily basis?

I am twittering (@DeborahFisher), Blipping (@FishCO) on Blip.FM, raining on ActiveRain (debfisher.activerain.com), and I am now hooked up to SalesBlogcasting. Okay, so I like Blipping because one of my childhood dreams was to be a DJ. (The other was to be a black gospel singer, and I just don't see that happening, do you?)

So, social networking has become my "significant other". I am not sure if I can claim an extra dependent deduction on my taxes, but social networking has become such a chunk of my time that I am questioning my legal marital state and wondering if this "marriage" is illegal in all states except Nevada.

To quote an illiterate friend with a Phd . . . "How do one do it?" In the meantime, I am going to pop over to Hallmark.com and order a special e-Valentine for my "significant other". Preferably one that is easy to download.