lol. thanks for making me think.

i think for me “out loud” and public do not equate to “heard by everyone in all publics.” like you, i have circles and compartments of my life where my thinking is differentially welcome than it is among the circles i’ve cultivated on Twitter. those publics are not equally interested in what i have to say. sometimes i’m pretty sure Twitter isn’t all that interested either, but there is still a compulsion to say it – whatever it is – “out loud,” from the quiet of my head to the performative space of 140 characters. even if no one responds – or even sees it – i am different for having said it. i make myself and come to understand myself in these acts. and also in the ones where Twitter gets all choral and speedy and ideas are coming at me faster than i can process and contribute and spit them out. i love and value both. except when it all drives me crazy and i wonder what i’m doing with my life. 😉

you make a really good point about Twitter allowing me to stay quiet in other contexts. i was in a meeting just today where at one point i had a moment of nearly opening my big mouth in a frustrated and unproductive way. but instead, i comforted the urge with “if this continues i will tweet it” and just the acknowledgement of the outlet valve made me remember i do not need to say everything i think at all times. and so i shut up, online and off.