This morning I sat at my desk at work with a smile on my face all morning.
This attracted quite a few strange looks from my colleagues, but what the hell, they think I’m crazy anyway….this just puts me one step closer to their rehabilitation programme. I generally like to think of myself as quite a smiley, happy person anyway (I even got a fake award at the works Christmas party last year for leading the office giggles every day) but there are some days like this when I literally love my life, even when I’m at work. And the reason is you. My lovely Twitter friends from home and abroad.
Now, before you get all bigheaded and start thinking this is a declaration of love, it is not. Well, it kind of is, but not in a soppy Hollywood movie-type way. I just felt compelled to write a post about the all-encompassing awesomeness of social media. A year ago, I had only heard mentions of Twitter in terms of hugely famous people such as Barrack Obama and Stephen Fry, all of whom seemed to be tweeting their daily routine to the world (and anyone else who would listen). “Why would I want to know what Barrack Obama is eating for breakfast?” I thought; content to plod along with the old faithful that was Facebook. Then one day I was forced to create a Twitter account for my job and that is when I started to get sucked in. The Twitter feed became more and more addictive, constantly drawing my attention away from my more mundane tasks and allowing me to read about the experiences of others through their travel blogs. Having already started my own blog about my travels last year and my upcoming itineraries, I knew I had to get in on the Twitter action for myself.
It was then that I truly begun to appreciate the greatness of this new invention. Having initially scoffed at the idea of being restricted to 140 characters, it became somewhat of a challenge to find new and interesting ways of expressing yourself without boring the pants off people with long statuses (Facebook friends take note). Twitter also opened up a whole new social circle of amazing people all with similar interests to me (mainly travel) whom I could communicate with on a daily basis, no matter where in the world they lived. Why has no-one thought of this before? An open arena in which you can discuss whatever you want and make new friends in the process. It seems so simple when you say it like that.
As the months have progressed and I’ve encountered more new and exciting people my love of Twitter has increased tenfold. I have met people who have literally made me laugh out loud with their comments and musings and hope to meet many of these people in the future. I have sympathised when others have expressed their concerns over something I can relate to and have provided a listening ear for others’ opinions of everything from world politics to soap operas to musical tastes. I also hope I keep in touch with several of these people for years to come and can only hope that they eventually become good friends whom I can look back with and muse “Remember that day we started following each other on Twitter and you said such and such?” (At which point we will roll around laughing at the memory of how hilarious we were). Who would have thought that such a simple concept could have changed the world I know so dramatically.
So, in the style of Twitter, I shall leave you with a 140 character sentiment to sum up all that this post is about:
Screw you, Facebook. I have bigger and better fish to fry now. And I love all of you, my little fishes. Go forth and tweet. And I will RT.
That is great. I was very hesitant to get sucked in as well, but sadly here I am. Hoping I am one of the ones that made you LOL!
That is great. I was very hesitant to get sucked in as well, but sadly here I am. Hoping I am one of the ones that made you LOL!
What do you mean ” laughing at the memory of how hilarious we were” we WILL always be hilarious.
You just need to make time to meet us, I mean we came to your town and you couldn’t be found.
What do you mean ” laughing at the memory of how hilarious we were” we WILL always be hilarious.
You just need to make time to meet us, I mean we came to your town and you couldn’t be found.
@Scott You know you have made me LOL many times and I am eternally grateful 🙂
@aussienomad You really aren’t going to let me live that down are you?! Haha. And yes, we will always be hilarious. Long live the Twitter massive.
@Scott You know you have made me LOL many times and I am eternally grateful 🙂
@aussienomad You really aren’t going to let me live that down are you?! Haha. And yes, we will always be hilarious. Long live the Twitter massive.
If you had asked me exactly 1 year ago today if I would ever join Twitter I would have laughed at you. Now it’s one of the most important things in my life and some of my closest friends have come from it. I love when life surprises you like that!!! Much love!
If you had asked me exactly 1 year ago today if I would ever join Twitter I would have laughed at you. Now it’s one of the most important things in my life and some of my closest friends have come from it. I love when life surprises you like that!!! Much love!
Ha, I’m the same – never thought I’d get my head round Twitter but here I am! 🙂
Ha, I’m the same – never thought I’d get my head round Twitter but here I am! 🙂
I never used to bother using it because I didn’t think there were that many people on it – oh the naivety of it all! I’ve totally been sucked into the Twitterverse now, especially after this morning and chocolate boobs! lol. #nowheresmycheesecakejulia?
I never used to bother using it because I didn’t think there were that many people on it – oh the naivety of it all! I’ve totally been sucked into the Twitterverse now, especially after this morning and chocolate boobs! lol. #nowheresmycheesecakejulia?
“This attracted quite a few strange looks from my colleagues, but what the hell, they think I’m crazy anyway….”
I can relate to that, I love twitter my whole friend network in Bangkok is twitter related and I have great friends.
“This attracted quite a few strange looks from my colleagues, but what the hell, they think I’m crazy anyway….”
I can relate to that, I love twitter my whole friend network in Bangkok is twitter related and I have great friends.
Looks like so many can relate to the joys of Twitter!
@Toni – I told you, it must have got lost in the post?! Bloody Royal Mail….
@Rob – Good to hear someone else is as crazy as moi!
Looks like so many can relate to the joys of Twitter!
@Toni – I told you, it must have got lost in the post?! Bloody Royal Mail….
@Rob – Good to hear someone else is as crazy as moi!
I agree with every word!!! I am pleasantly surprised with Twitter and I too reluctantly joined.
I agree with every word!!! I am pleasantly surprised with Twitter and I too reluctantly joined.
I miss these days of twitter. Before it became just a link dump or promotional space. The golden age, amiright?
Definitely the golden age. Sad because it was my favourite form of social media and now I can barely muster the enthusiasm to use it.