Last week I read an interesting New York Times article and a similar post on Doni’s blog about your brain on computers, aka information overload.

It was scary how much I can relate to this. And how easily I feel myself burn out sometimes.

I’m online pretty much all day. Two years ago, I wasn’t on Facebook or Twitter and now, I can’t imagine how my brain functioned without them. I clutch my Blackberry, eager to see any new tweets or check-ins or Facebook status messages whenever my brain needs to be fed, which is pretty much every few minutes.

But the overstimulation of my brain online, constantly checking, searching and being notified of new DMs, @ replies and emails makes me feel like I’m part of a Pavlovian experiment. Ding! What? What am I missing??

Whenever I go out to eat, ride the bus or experience a lull in conversation, my friends and I are always checking our phones. I only have one friend who doesn’t do that and she’s nice and doesn’t say anything when I unconsciously reach for mine at dinner. I’m a little embarrassed by that.

The Times article talks about how this addiction can weigh on people around you too because you’re not present, part of you is always somewhere else. This is also true.

When I was in Nola, my Blackberry was a tool for maps, and I barely checked Twitter and Facebook. It felt weird…but kind of soothing. I was more relaxed and enjoyed what was around me rather than be distracted.

I need that kind of balance in my life more. I don’t need to be frantically searching for video to watch or stalking my friend’s adorable baby pictures. I need to GET WORK DONE and NOT die when crossing the street.

I’ve been so distracted by my Blackberry that I’ve nearly been hit by a car, twice. That’s really not that uncommon according to friends, but rather than look down at a screen, I need to look up at what’s in front of me.

I’ve felt this way about my love of photography too. I love taking photos and capturing memories but I need to find that balance between living through the lens and living my life. I need to soak in those moments that won’t be forgotten, even if it’s not on film.

So that’s what I’m thinking about today. I don’t think this will be an immediate change but something gradual. And I’m wondering if you also overload on available online content or if you’re even addicted to your Blackberry or iPhone? Are you guilty of behaving badly with it out in public with friends or family?

I’ve always had an uneasy feeling about using some public restrooms. And trust me, I have seen some nasty ones (cough golf course cough) but when nature calls, you have to do it.

And in Chicago, public bathrooms have to become your friend, especially when you’re out and running around all day. You cannot afford to be too picky, especially when you house can be a 30 minute bus ride away.

And yes, I’ve had to use some disgusting bathrooms in the city. I won’t even talk about those because it makes me shudder (still).

But the one public bathroom I fear the most is in the bar.

Many of them are just one room bathrooms with no formal stalls and one toilet and I’m terrified of one thing: that someone will walk in on me doing my business.

It’s not that far-fetched. People are drunk, space is small, the music is loud so you can’t really hear “someone’s in here” when the music is so loud you can barely think.

One bar bathroom was so small that when you opened the stall door, you had to sneak along the side of the toilet to close it!

On my epically bad online date last summer, in one of the larger, more disgusting public bathrooms, I found a girl passed out in the bathroom and had to kick the stall door in to get to her, so that’s an acceptable situation to have someone walk in, but in a normal situation, it’s super embarrassing, especially when she’s mid-wipe because, well it looks like something very different for women :)

Sometimes at the bar, I will have a friend stand outside or close so she can let people know someone is in there (like a bouncer) and/or I will sit and put my hand on the handle while using the toilet so I can pull it shut in case it opens.

I just really don’t want to be interrupted, especially when I’m trying to get my business done as fast as possible!

Yeah, I’m a freak. Are you disgusted or phobic about using public restrooms?