"Going Dark" on Twitter

I have been actively using Twitter for about three weeks now. My initial thoughts were, this is great, I can now actively "chat" with a wide selection of colleagues and friends from around the world. Because of Twitter, I was able to catch Jeff Utecht's speech, on uStream, in Singapore to a group of school admins. Because of Twitter, I was able to participate in a geography lesson in Canada via Skype.

Because of Twitter, I think I have worsened ADD.

For some reason, over the past three weeks, I feel like my production had progressively declined. I feel like barbs I toss at friends were a signal that everyone could then pile-on that person. I feel like the more I was connected, the more I was disconnected from the world I work and in which I live.

So, for a time, I have decided not to Twitter, or Twitter in limited time. What I am giving up is the ability to instantaneous garner feedback on ideas, or participate in discussions. What I am gaining is a sense of focus. And to me, that is more important.

So, I ask you. Has Twitter, really made your life better knowing you are connected into a broad network that places the available resources of many at your fingertips, or has it just made your life that much more complex?

Update: I realize that by not participating in Twitter sort of defeats the purpose. By just using it when I need to use it goes against the communal aspects of Twitter. Then again, I have always tended more libertarian versus communist, so I guess this makes sense. Ron Paul in '08!