I avoided Twitter in the same way that I avoided Facebook when it started. I thought it would be one of those time-wasting activities that would end up frustrating me beyond all reason. I was right. I joined one day because I could no longer resist the temptation: I discovered friends I haven’t seen since school, friends I’ve never met, and I discovered Farmville (told you I was right about the time wasting.) It was the same thing with Twitter. I was adamant that it wouldn’t suck me in as Facebook once did. Then I became a #Quinnycaster and I felt I needed to, to keep my end of the bargain. It was completely baffling. I found it baffling that it was baffling me. I had a moment where I worried that I had suddenly been left behind by technological advances. But then I took a deep breath and signed up.
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For days, I watched, trying to find the way in. I followed a few people. I was recommended more people by the automatic twitter thingummy, and followed them too. I read tweets that made me laugh, retweets that made me want to follow and posted the odd thought, not expecting a response. Then I worked out that I could tweet my blog posts. I plucked up the courage to remark on of Mocha Beanie Mummy‘s many, many posts. OK, I didn’t get a response, but I did feel good.
But there was still so much to understand. How did people respond so quickly? How did they post so frequently? What on earth are the hashtags for and how do they work? What was I missing that everyone seems to get? I’m not a completely stupid person, although I do have my moments. Fortunately a tweet about a post, a blog post about twitter, showed me the way. I realised that what I felt wasn’t unusual. I learned that it would come. So I relaxed. And it came. I retweeted, I entered competitions, I learned about hashtags and a few days ago got my first RT. From a complete stranger! How brilliant! I have set up tweetdeck, as advised by tiddlyompompom. OK, I need to figure out how to make the most of it now. There’s not a day goes by when I don’t gain a new follower. I still need to work on my twetiquette, but there is lots of help around on that. I need to understand #ff. I probably need to spend less time farting about online trying to figure it all out. But it keeps sucking me in. The tweeters keep sucking me in.There are so many people who are wonderfully diverting in a way that Farmville could never be.
Mocha Beanie Mummy: irreverent and completely unapologetic. Has a bizarre fondness for dipping chips in milkshakes.
Him Up North: always responds to tweets and my first #ff-er. Is witty and Northern. I might even forgive him for that.
Me, the Man and the Baby: my first follower. Fellow Quinnycaster and training to run the marathon. So bonkers.
Kateab: a raving tweeter. I envy her skill.
onlydanno: wonderfully acerbic wit.
Maison Cupcake: how I would love to cook like she does.
As part of my attempts at a better year, being a better blogger, I’m hoping to master Twitter, with the help of some of these lovely people. Then I’ll have to try and ‘get’ Stumble Upon. Before I get too old to understand technology.
Here are the other entries in this Twitter Carnival:
Nova at Cherished By Me posts Tweet Tweet
Hayley at Simply Hayley posts Twitter :: Tips to stay safe!
Heather at SAHM Loving It posts Twitter World – The Extended Friday Follow #ff
Cass at The Diary of a Frugal Family posts Twitterholics Anonymous….
Ghostwritermummy posts Twitter
Maggy at Red Ted Art posts Nothing To Do with Anything and Everything.
Ella at Notes From Home posts her Twitter for Beginners – 5 tips to getting started.
I avoided twitter at first but once it grabs you it won't let you go 🙂
So glad I'm not the only one to avoid the tweeting, but so glad that you are all there to tweet at me ;-0
Oh yes, I avoided it too!!! And now, life is rather different… isn't?! Funny ol' place twitter! But you mentioned some fabby tweeters above, so how couldn't you help but "fall in".
Maggy
I relate! It's baffling me a bit at the mo I must say. And r-e-l-a-x. 🙂 (Visiting you from Notes from home btw.)
Blog hopped here…lovely to meet you.
I'm a newbie at twitter and as if I didn't have enough to do, have become obsessed with getting to grips with it too! But I am getting to tweet with new people and I love cyber bonding!
Loving your blog BTW.xx
You'll be addicted in no time lol
This sounds like my experience when I first started!
Thanks for taking part in the Carnival and if you ever work out StumbleUpon please let me know! x
I love Twitter but it sucks you in and never lets go! 😉
London City Mum- I'm still a long way from being a tweethead
Kateab- raving. You're a raving tweeter.
Jay- Impressive reply skills
Sarah- I love cheese on toast;-)
HUN- bless you.
Tattie- it' very much a work in progress.
This is getting bad I really Do need to get my head round Twitter, this is the second brilliant post I've about twitter today!
It's always great to connect with new people. Twitter can be daunting and with us lot holding your hand you're probably doomed. LOL. Jump in, the water's lovely…
HUN x
Ha ha, Twitter is a terrible time thief but brings so many useful things with it too. I'm touched by your comment, that's so nice to hear… cooking like me involves relying on boxed pizza, microwave pouches of rice and lots of cheese on toast amongst the more fancy stuff!
Yeay!! And now I have replied to you too. On twitter AND on your blog. W000t!!
Welcome to the end of life as you ever knew it 😉
x
OMG. You envy my SKILL? Blimey. I have never thought of it as a skill before. Sometimes, I go to tweet and nothing comes out.
Thanks for calling me raving too. 😉
Welcome. Now you too can become a fully fledged 'tweet-head', as my OH so succinctly puts it.
Tsk.
LCM x