It's 12:28 a.m. and the huge list of things I wanted to get accomplished tonight didn't get accomplished. I was working through a section of my google reader (my new strategy!) and came across a post I found to be very interesting.
So....I threw the link up on Twitter to see if anyone cared to chat about it. Oh did they ever! A long chat ensued. While I enjoyed the chat, my to-do list gathered dust. I mean, I was still able to get a little done as I chatted, but it was quite the discussion!
This is the only downside to Twitter. For the most part, I'm a huge fan of Twitter. I feel like I've gotten to know other bloggers, authors, and bookish people so much better since being on Twitter. If I have a question, I almost always have an instant answer.
The downside is just how much time I can lose having fun!!
But the discussion tonight...it was an important one. It's the kind of discussion book bloggers and book reviewers need to be having. You can get the gist of the conversation by following the link at the beginning of the post.
Anyway, all of this reminded me of a video I've been wanting to share:
I hate this video. First of all, why does the guy that uses Twitter look like the dork and the guy that thinks Twitter is dumb look like the cool guy? (when are they going to get that Geeks rule the world??????)
Secondly, I use Twitter for conversation (over 80% of my tweets are @replies) and have never said anything to the effect of "cool tweet!"
Lastly, I use Twitter to talk to my friends...but I also use other means to talk to friends.
Right now Twitter is getting so popular I wonder how long it can last. I used to love facebook, too, and then they got power hungry. I fear Twitter shall charge down that path. But for the moment, I mostly love it even if I didn't get a darned thing done tonight.
(okay fine. I did laugh at the fail whale part)
Do you use Twitter? (if so, follow me)! What do you use Twitter for? If you don't use Twitter, do you honestly think we only talk about what we had for breakfast?
23 comments:
Whew. THAT was an interesting discussion. I just added my two cents.
I love Twitter, too, but it is so addictive! My mother-in-law signed up on Twitter yesterday.
This will always happen: new means of communication will be mocked and deemed "unhealthy", as if those who used them were incapable of finding a balance between them and face-to-face communication. And whatever is said there will be dismissed as trivial and useless. It was the same with blogging, though fortunately I think that attitude is starting to change. It's not the means of communication, but what is SAID, that makes a conversation meaningful or meaningless. Why is that so difficult to grasp?
I love Twitter. You know I resisted it at first (mostly because of how time consuming I feared it would be, but also because of my social anxiety), but I'm so glad I gave in and joined.
I am relatively new to Twitter but I think it's fun. Is it something that I could not live without? Certainly not, but since it's here to stay I enjoy reading other people's short thoughts and get involved in discussions from time to time.
BTW, I saw the video on J. Kaye's blog some time ago and I actually thought it was hilarious. I obviously had to approach it with a huge dose of humor and not take it personally. But it did crack me up.
Twitter is so addicting. I need to go to Twitter rehab.
It is time consuming but I enjoy chatting on Twitter. I've found books I wouldn't have otherwise.
I was so apprehensive about joining Twitter. I didn't understand it at all. It is so much more than posting what you eat for lunch. I enjoy it more as a chatroom. So fun!
"Geeks rule the world" LOL!
I like Twitter, but I TRY to limit it. I think it's great for, as you say, quick answers to questions, or online conversations.
I bet the conversation last night was interesting! I'll have to figure out how to go back and pick up the pieces (now, that's a downfall of Twitter, I shouldn't go back and read the archives, right!??)
Twitter is too addictive. I hate it for that.
But I have connected with fellow bloggers, fellow reviewers, authors, and publicists.
I have even gotten a couple of professional jobs from it.
If I could just stay off of it, I would get more work and reading done.
Interesting topic of discussion!
As far as twitter goes - I continue to resist its magnetic pull (for now). I don't even have time to keep up with my email, Yahoo groups and blog reading/writing. I am afraid if I joined Twitter I would sink so far into cyber space I'd never find my way out!!
Well, while I loved our conversation last night I, too, didn't get done what I was supposed to get done. I LOVE twitter. It's those type of conversations and network opportunities that I think are awesome. Tweeting about my breakfast? Ugh. Unless I'm tweeting about an author's recipe breakfast, you won't hear it from me! :)
I've seen that video before and thank goodness I don't follow those kind of people.
I'm on Twitter. Not a lot, but it's been nice to connect with other bloggers and folks I know.
I saw the beginning of that discussion before falling asleep. Twitter can definitely be a timesink, but a lot of good, important discussions have been had there recently.
Amy, I sometimes think you read my mind on posts...since I am in the middle of writing a Twitter rant. Ooops, I guess I gave away my point of view...lol
Not sure if I will post it or not. Being stoned is so painful. ;-)
I don't do twitter because I just don't have the time. As for the conversation, my first thought about the post was that the girl who does the snarky posts must be young. I could see why the person who wrote the letter said what she did. Maybe if she used different verbage rather than tween speak, she might be taken seriously. I checked out her website and was immediately turned off by the language. So unfortunately that gave me an instant impression.
Anyway if I received a letter like that one I probably wouldn't want to review books for them anymore. Either that or if I seriously wanted to work with them, would take it as educational and constructive criticism and try to use better language.
Sorry for highjacking your post about twitter.
So this is what everyone was referring to on Twitter today. Having missed the fun, I had no idea what anyone was talking about. That is the downside to Twitter. If you enter in the middle of a hot topic, it's hard to catch up.
I love Twitter because I feel like it's a little like a town center, where loads of people can go and just share. I've gotten some great book recommendations, have been sent a few fabulous books via publishers/publicists who hang out there, and have been encouraged on down days. Really, I just love it. But, it's a time suck, all right. Since we returned from vacation, I haven't spent much time twittering because I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but . . . well, I don't have to go there unless I feel like it. I do think it's growing way too fast and may lose its joy, eventually.
I missed that conversation. I'll bet it was an interesting discussion. You have quite a following on Twitter!
I do love Twitter, I've found so many great links on it and interesting things. I don't tend to chat on it though just the occasional @
It's all about Twitter!
I'm constantly telling people, "Twitter is not for telling people what you had for breakfast or that you're waiting in line at the ATM (though some people use it that way). Twitter is best used as an information exchange, and that's what makes it so great. Non-twitters still don't get it, though, and insist it's used for mundane things. :-(
Yes, that is the downside for sure! I think I kindof see another downside...sometimes getting too much interaction with someone that you don't know well enough to have that much interaction with. Okay, I don't know how to say it other than I think there is a lot of potential for interaction and therefore a lot of potential for irritation and hurt feelings. I wonder if I am the only one who feels that way.
Does it make sense to you?
I love twitter and I already follow you, as you know. I've seen that video before. I laughed but you're right, it did make me roll my eyes too. That fail whale is annoying though.
I have NEVER talked about what I had for breakfast and I just wish I could convince my brother to join :(
As much as I would love to Twitter, I just can't. I'm at work all day and unfortunately I just don't have the time. Not that I don't want to get to know you better, but it would just be too much.
I barely get done my things now. Someday I'll have all the time in the world....
Post a Comment