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Admittedly, I am 1 of the many represented in the 2010 study by Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research, and discussed in Mashable . I do in fact roll over to check my Facebook (FB) before getting out the bed in the morning. I also check two Twitter and email accounts, LinkedIn, and my blog stats. No I am not an addict. I am merely a vigilant community builder and social engager. #DontJudgeMe

Now for the shameful part, in case the before mentioned was not enough.

On occasion I dream in Twitter streams, seeing avatars and strands of timelines. I also have mild panic attacks if I am unable to see and touch my iPhone. It stays very close to mama’s bosom at all times. Once while at dinner, I spilled hot tea on my iPhone which trickled down to my leg and the only thing I could think of was saving my iPhone. OUCH! was a delayed reaction.

More shameful confessions: my mind breaks down conversations IRL (in real life) into one of two things: the potential for 140 character tweets or FB status updates … Every interaction has become an opportunity for engagement. Good or bad, this is where I stand. Again  #DontJudgeMe.

So this weekend I decided to unplug from my social networks, to be present in whatever moment I found myself and give my mental a break. “IRL” became simply “life”. Needless to say old habits are hard to break. I had to breathe through a strong desire to Tweet one of my tweeps to confirm our impending meet-up. Then there was the moment I heard a juicy news item on NPR that I knew would be of value to share. Oh, then there was the time I wanted to post a picture from my mobile for my friends to enjoy. In essence, I missed my community!

In the end, I refrained and found myself existing in a primitive, but “physically connected” world of no social networks. In all honesty, it was truly a rebooting of sorts, allowing my mind to rest and not process the world at an additional level. The moment was the moment and I stepped onto the next from there.

Perhaps this is a practice we should all implement, rebooting quarterly if not monthly to rewire?  Why not reboot? After all, we reboot our computers so that they are able to operate more efficiently … Brain maintenance. Think about it.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU UNPLUG?
Click here for a quick 3-question survey.

 [Real talk: *cough cough* Well I did check my LinkedIn about five times and one of my email accounts three times. #BabySteps.]

Politics aside, whatever you choose to coin these monumental turns of events, it cannot be denied that these are true teachable moments.

Bearing witness by way of real voices has been quite stirring. From real time images, to thoughts and calls for action, there is no longer a quiet corner for unrest to exist. For example, the days of Federal level mandates against showing images of casualties return home in coffins, and unwarranted tyranny on peaceful assembly are gone. Social media engagers are here to tell the story at its rawest and most honest levels without the “spin” we are largely accustomed.

The brave acts of those in Tunisia, Egypt and beyond have opened an empowering can of worms that if we are truly watching with all of our senses, we will find a model for fashioning a kick-ass movement in the 21^st Century before us. This is that teachable moment that should not go unnoticed by institutions nationwide, and should be discussed around the dinner table recognizing NOW as history in the making.

Social media is not only a tool for social engagement but one to ignite a people’s movement and the spirit of global solidarity.

A quote for Egypt from one of our taken revolutionary voices:
Time is on the side of the oppressed today, it’s against the oppressor. Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it’s against the oppressor. You don’t need anything else. – Malcolm X

Also glad to have discovered  Al Jazeera (@ajenglish) http://english.aljazeera.net

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Follow Ramy Raoof (@ramyraoof) on Flickr to witness his powerful images as it all unfolds in Egypt http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramyraoof/

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The recent dismissals of several media politicos cross-referenced with #SOTU (State of the Union) got my mind whirling around the word “curate”.

It’s cool how strategically planning tweets in order to produce a message to your Tweeps deems one a curator. It just sounds so sexy and next-level, doesn’t it? Needless to say, I was very deliberate in adding “social media curator” to my resume the moment I was aware.

The power of the term goes unnoticed. Think about it, to curate means to organize and choose items for display. Or rather, as related to the Twittersphere, organizing content in order to succinctly craft a message, or enforce a brand. So, through a series of planned timelines, we can embed a message into the psyche of our followers.  #Imaginethat

Side-bar: We need to rally the beloved Merriam Webster and other literary agents to expand the definition of “curator” (v) within  the context of social media, not solely art exhibitions.

Mainstream media is curating a stream of its own as illustrated by the dismissals of some politicos from various outlets. One removal at a time, a national voice is being fashioned due to the absence of a balance of opinions.

The present Administration, no stranger to social media, engaged in some curating of its own for the State of the Union. Key points from the President’s speech were posted via @barackobama and various staffers. The tweets were posted and RT’ed and MT’ed, providing a unique play by play. Tweet after Tweet were masterfully selected to hone their desired message to the Twittersphere.

Brilliance.

Though the infiltration of carefully weaved messages for the American public is nothing new, some of the tools have shifted given the insurgence of the lovely beast called social media (Gov 2.0!), coupled with BIG MEDIA flexing its muscles.

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t give due credit to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for paving the way for “One America: One Voice” via the approval of the recent Comcast/NBC merger, but details on this issue I leave to another time and blogger.

Yeah, good times ahead…Good times.

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Join me in reading up more on these issues by checking out the links below.

Post other resources in the Comments section.

•  Future of Social Media and Politics
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  via @Matt_Silverman  in @Mashable
• Government 2.0: How social media could transform gov’t PR
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  Rah’s Research
• Content Marketing: Definitions of Curation & Context
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  *Worthy discussion on the definition of “content curation”
• Content Curation: Definition before innovation?
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• 6 Content Curation Examples Illustrated
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  (ContentCreation.com)
• http://www.stopbigmedia.com
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There is a movement afoot only 30 minutes north of Washington DC. Either get on board or be left as an observer to something rare in the works.