How Twitter Changed My World
I know we are all tweeted out, Twitter this, Twitter that, but I can’t help but continue to be fascinated. Bryan said something the other night that really tripped me out: “Imagine how Declan’s first year would have been different had Twitter been around then.”
See, if you didn’t know, Declan was a 32 week preemie. Born in September. The beginning of flu season. RSV season. The first time he ever went to a grocery store was MAY. Of the next year. That’s right, eight months later. That first winter was all about hibernation and $1,000 shots to ward off RSV.
And all the while, Bryan was staying home with our infant son.
And going slowly crazy in the solitude.
Imagine how nice it would be for Bryan to get tweets from James throughout the day? From Ray? From Gerhard? OK, maybe not Gerhard.
But just a little buzz in and out to keep connected with the outside world while he sat in the 4 wall prison that was our house that winter.
And even now, if I don’t hear about it on Twitter, it didn’t happen. Like when my friend Jenny was thinking about buying a 3G iPhone. She made an offhand comment in email that she was “just going to wait till Apple broke off from AT&T.” Something she heard “somewhere.”
I immediately pounced on her like a rabid dog. What the hell was she talking about? We are stuck with AT&T for 4 more years, dude! And moreso, if such a thing were happening – at least in the near future – IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL OVER TWITTER. (Um, and for the record, I was totally right.)
And when the Sarah Palin news broke, where did I go? CNN? Hell no. Twitter. And when the speeches blathered on during the RNC, did I have to watch? Hell no. The commentary on Twitter was far more entertaining, still gave me the gist. And I got some work done rather than foaming at the mouth for 2 hours straight.
Admittedly, it’s a skewed view of the world sometimes because it’s shaped by the people I follow, but who cares? It’s a fucking awesome world!
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I guess I need to check this Twitter out. I have an account but have no idea what I am doing.
I started getting my news off of blogher.
It’s so funny… I don’t know that I would be as productive if I wasn’t tweeting. I know that sounds exactly opposite of what should be, but the thing is, I feel like I need to have my new photos or posts up in order to share with my new “friends” on Twitter. It’s also pretty fascinating getting perspectives from all over the country and Canada. Add the Tech Scoop and I hardly ever have to run around the internet for solid information. LOVE me some Twitter!
Amen!
I LOVE TWITTER!
It’s definitely a good thing!
And what is the AT&T news you have? Please share 🙂
Oh, I loved all the RNC coverage on Twitter. And especially FakeSarahPalin.
Kath, no I meant that there was *no* breakage of the Apple/ATT deal. 🙂
I’m the mother of a preemie (23 weeks) and I remember RSV season all too well. Twitter would have been AWESOME back then. Hec, having a blog back then would have been awesome. I did have a sad, static website with horrid graphics though…circa 1997.
Lisa, totally! Same with me and Dex was born in 2002 too.
And Gerhard, you are ZEE MOST FUN to razz, that’s why!
I get all my news on Twitter now. And with the Sarah Palin debacle I turned my husband onto Twitter Search. It’s changed my life too!
I have not done the twitter thing yet. I guess I really should check it out…. Or, not.
Really there is a ton of bloggy, techy stuff I just don’t know about.
What fruitlady said re the earthquake. I get more news from Twitter than anywhere else. And the best part? Scooping Kyle.
I am totally crushing on Twitter. And your tweets about the DNC and RNC were spot on.
I am weirdly fascinated by following the conversations on twitter. For the most part, I don’t even know most of you out there, but I’m intrigued and interested and checking in like some kind of addict. And it’s strangely fun to jot down your 140 characters of thought.
Newcomers beware – you’ll be hooked!
Oh my yes! I have been extolling the virtues of Twitter for the last 6 months and I’ve recruited quite a few friends! It was so so beneficial during a convention I went to in July. So much easier to just send out one message and let everyone know where to meet 🙂 Or if we were in different sessions, to pass on gossip! I did heed your warning and turn off direct updates to my phone when you were at a concert – but damn you were funny!
cln0103 on twitter 🙂
I guess I really should get on it- m
Twitter? Damn, I just wish blogging had been invented way back when I was a new mum in 2000Well…not invented as such, I just wish I knew about it!
why not me? i can has good twitters companion for the bugfrog.
Totally with you. I’m loving keeping track of Fern’s little daily quotes, too — too quick for a blog post, and why would I need a notebook?
The link-barrage is the best aspect of Twitter. I still use Google Reader to gather info for myself, but am relying more and more on my Twitter account as a live-linkblog.
theBryan loves the Gerhard tweets! theBryan lives through the Gerhard and the Kary. They do and tweet. I read, and feel like I read something about do. Or something.
And in these torrid political times, I find out who I really want to be following on Twitter or not. I believe we all heard about the earthquake in LA way before the news picked it up. A shaky lady at a laptop gave off a “Holy Shit, there’s an earthquake in LA right now!” tweet and we all were immediately on it. I love that!! Talk about instant gratification.
I really don’t know what I’d do without FakeSarahPalin these days..
sooooo true.
Now see, I’ve gone a whole week without feeling guilty about not having a Twitter account – and you’ve ruined it. I really just need to get over myself and join already huh?
I tried to do Twitter but I don’t get it. 🙁
I just heard of Facebook this morning. COULD YOU ALL PLEASE JUST SLOW DOWN!
I haven’t tried twitter, but I keep getting these emails that “XYZ is following you on twitter.” It kind of scares me, like there are stalkers out there in this gang or something. And getting my news from them? That is only slightly less scary than getting my news from FOX.
When the earthquake in CA happened a few weeks back, I heard about it WHILE it was happening because of Twitter.
And I feel less alone during these trying political times with my Twitter friends around me.
i just had to block my first follower on twitter. Someone spamming me with porn. yay.
That’s hysterical! I signed up for Twitter, but honestly, I’m too much of a moron to get it. I did join Facebook recently though–talk about obsessed! I am A-DICC-TED!
I read several twitterers. A good way to keep up with you, and a couple others. Maybe I’ll twitter someday soon. But not now.
Someday I’ll do Twitter… just not yet. 🙂