Twitter. I don’t get it. Do you?
I first joined ages ago, after both of my brothers kept tweeting. I wondered what I was missing. I felt pressure to keep up with my siblings. But I didn’t want strangers reading what I wrote so made my account private and then what was the point? And I had nothing to say. So I tried again with a new anonymous identity and figured it would be a great outlet to vent about my life. But I rarely remembered to tweet and no one was following, so, again, what was the point?
Fast forward months later and I became a blogger. And saw that many blogs I read had a little cute bird link. The bloggers were tweeting. What did they know that I didn’t? Should I check it out again? My new blog format allowed me to show my latest tweets on my sidebar. I imagined tweeting about what I ate to keep myself on track and accountable. Mundane stuff that I didn’t include in posts. The possibilities were endless. And so I set up my third Twitter account, as my blog self. Found some bloggers to follow. Tweeted a time or two. Still didn’t get it. And there were so many tweets pouring down the page. How would I ever know if one was directed to me? And what did all the abbreviations mean? And still I was asking – what is the point?
Somehow I linked my blog to Twitter so whenever I publish a post it shows up as a tweet. Can’t remember how I did it… and mostly I forget it happens. And I forget to look at Twitter. Or to tweet. Days go by. I could easily and happily live without it. But in the back of my mind, every now and again, I wonder if I am just not understanding it. That there is something amazing to be had if only I knew how or what. Or why.
Can you tell me? What is the allure? Why do it? What am I missing? Am I just an old dog who can’t understand why I’d even want to learn this new trick? I’m just shaking my head here. Twitter. Sigh.
Waisting Time 
I don’t get it either, for the normal, every day person. If you are marketing something, I see it’s value, because the more times you get the product’s name out there, the more hype you potentially generate. Celebrities, of course, are marketing themselves, and any related products, so they Tweet away.
I have a friend who gets a lot of inspiration from fellow Tweeters, but I would think snappy acronyms and one-liners would get old after a while.
Tweeting baffles me, too. But I don’t IM either, although I’m told it will be my main means of communication when Sonny goes to college. Unless something else is invented in the next couple of years!
Heaven help me. I can’t even turn our big screen TV on and off….
Let me extol the virtues of technology and the internet when you have a child far away. I first got on facebook before my oldest went to college and it gives me the greatest glimpse into his life halfway across the country. And we text, IM, and skype. Love those!
I don’t get it at all. I don’t even have facebook though. The only reason I started a blog was due to watching Julie & Julia….and I thought….hmmm…that might be fun. I’m way behind on techy things 🙂
That movie really does make blogging seem easy and fun. But I always wondered how she got stuff sent to her at home! Facebook I love. But I spend way less time on there now and more on blogs.
I am so glad I am not the only one who doesn’t get it and doesn’t tweet!
I don’t understand how people have time to do all of that, blog, tweet,read other blogs, read tweets, post comments on other blogs, read Facebook, post on Facebook.
It takes so much time, when are they living their lives and engaging with the people around them?
I wonder about this too.
I don’t use Facebook but I use the other things. When I’m on the computer I’ll open TweetDeck and if I see a tweet pop up that I want to reply to then I do. Otherwise I’ll comment on 5-10 blogs and write my post and log off.
I spend around 3 hrs on Twitter a week and 1 hr of that is participating in a weekly group. I couldn’t be as hardcore as some of the people on Twitter.
.-= Adrienne´s last blog ..I’m Going To Be $50 Richer =-.
Tami – you cracked me up. I really did LOL. I wonder the same. I don’t have a job! Some of those tweeters are on there all the time!
Adrienne – I did discover TweetDeck and it helps a lot. But I still have to remember to check every so often. I did just see a group on there for the first time and wondered about it. And there do seem to be some tweeters who seem to have a circle or clique, for lack of a better word. Lots of banter back and forth.
I tried Twitter and while I adore my twitter friends, it’s just too much…clutter for me. And I really don’t want to spend the time trying to keep up with it all. Too much “butt time” for this active gal. Or, it could interfere with a nap. Depends on the day. 🙂
.-= Cammy@TippyToeDiet´s last blog ..Salad Dressing: Dip or Sprinkle? =-.
I get you – I hate the clutter of it too! I am one who has to quickly clean my email inbox for the same reason.
I so don’t understand the whole Tweeter thing. BUT I TOTALLY LOVE my facebook. I have way over 300 friends on facebook and its a great way to reconnect with family and old friends. Yes I am addicted to facebook and my blog.smile.
.-= Lesia´s last blog ..part 2 of IBTC post. =-.
I love facebook too. But just the real me. I haven’t put the blog me on there yet. That is another whole thing I don’t get.
Oh my gosh, that is so funny. I have done exactly the same thing and feel the same way. I had no idea that there were more out there like me. Thanks for posting this.
I find twitter utterly useless. It’s the same for me with facebook. I avoided joining for as long as I possibly could until someone told me it would help promote my business. So I finally gave in…USELESS!
I love blogging. That’s where it’s at for me. Maybe it’s because I like to fill a page with my rants and little tidbits of information. I don’t know. I like The Blog Nation. I must be an old dog too. 😉
Thanks for commenting Gina. I left a reply on your blog after I visited.
Replying to your comment on SITS. BTW, Happy Sits Day. I usually don’t post on weekends b/c readership is slow on weekends. However… I used to post recipes on Sundays and I always got a few more comments. If you decide to post on weekends, try a theme. People who like that subject will browse your blog on the weekends. I got my example for the wonderful Alaskan blogger, Scribbit.
.-= Laurie´s last blog ..Pure Funk and Gumbo =-.
Nice to meet you Laurie. I’m going to check out your blog.
“Am I just an old dog who can’t understand why I’d even want to learn this new trick?”
I’m a young dog, and I don’t understand Twitter at all. But to be fair, I’ve never attempted to use it. I have no interest in it at all.
But, you never know. I just started blogging and a few years ago, I didn’t really understand blogging!
.-= Barbara´s last blog ..Running: Part 1 =-.
Ah – you may discover Twitter yet!
LOL Great cartoon. I’m an old dog, too. Never have, don’t want to start something else that will eat up my time. Love FB, though.
.-= Tish´s last blog ..Temptation =-.
I love FB too. I used to hear people say the same about it – not wanting to have time taken up. But seems to me everyone I know who tries FB eventually comes over to the dark side:)
For me, Twitter is all about keeping connected to social and political movements that I care about. I re-Tweet only to keep info flowing and occasionally to yell at the one political figure that I follow just to keep aware of her/his outrageous comments. Original Tweets from me are rare because if I have something to say in those hot-bed environments, I will go post on comment boards, write e-mails, donate money, maybe even go volunteer to make a real difference.
I could care less what one person just ate for breakfast or how cute their puppy is – although I will read the same info in detail on a blog that I follow. Some blogs do use Twitter as a method to update followers that a new post is up. (Hint) 😉
I do that. You need to find me on there. MeWaistingTime. (I was so annoyed that my blog name was already taken.) When I first tried Twitter, I followed some authors I like and some celebrities. I am sooo not political.
It’s the verb conjugation that screws me up. I tweeted? I twat? I twoted. Either way it sounds dirty, which luckily is a good thing in my book. 😉
.-= Kirsten (Results Not Typical Girl)´s last blog ..be a pissed-off pigeon =-.
Tooooooo funny!!!! Thanks for the chuckle.
.-= Peacefulbird´s last blog ..Dance ~ Part 2 =-.
Oh me too! I am ROFL! See how I can learn things:) Stupid acronyms.
Comments like this are exactly why I am passing on a very unique award to Kirsten in a few days. Post is written… watch for it mid-week, I think.
I avoided twitter like the plague …. except to “follow” this person or that person in order to get an extra entry in a random contest I never win.
And then I found out that Simon Pegg tweets.
So I dusted off my password and jumped in. It’s fun “eavesdropping” on conversations celebs have with each other and the world in general … and I’ve gotten to be a lot closer to some bloggers because of it. I use TweetDeck to make sense of it all. Three columns are up at all time — one for twitter, one for tweets that mention me, one for facebook.
I just started following you. Next I am going to see who you are following yourself!
I’ve found that you can tell a lot about a person from who they follow on twitter. Me? A girl with weight issues who looooves Glee, mystery novels, Broadway, country music and whack actors 🙂
.-= karen´s last blog ..Wellllll fine then! =-.
When I tried twitter as the real me, I followed some celebs and some authors and some news updates. But not Ashton! I have to go against the grain sometimes.
Since I’m a peaceful bird (but not a twitterer), I thought I was going to read the comments to your post and all would be revealed… I don’t even “get” Facebook, although I do participate in a very small, irregular way. Tweet and twitter are not for me. I already spend more time than I want on my computer… alone, sitting, unengaged with my surroundings… Sometimes while on the computer, I’m creative with words (writing posts), sometimes real friendships develop, sometimes I’m learning meaningful things… but a lot of the time is nothing. Twitter seems to be vacant, empty, chattering nothing. Judgment! Many bird species congregate and twitter together; some do not. Odd…
.-= Peacefulbird´s last blog ..Dance ~ Part 2 =-.
Clever and funny:)
I admit that I like time on my computer because it is a little hobby that keeps my hands out of the cookie jar, so to speak. But I spend way less time on FB now that I found the blog community. Priorities.
I have a Twitter account and I’ve been trying really hard to get my blog name out there. I finally have over 70 followers and I follow over 180 people, but now I can’t keep up with everyone’s tweets! Someone above called it clutter and that’s kind of how I feel. So far I haven’t seen much of a benefit except each time I post it sends out a tweet (like yours). Other than that, I don’t feel like I really have anything “important” I want everyone to know. But I’ll keep trying!
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..I’m Too Young to Fall Apart =-.
I wonder if most tweeters are a little bit of an exhibitionist. But I guess you could suggest the same for bloggers.
In my art blog I admit to being a bit of an exhibitionist, but that’s only one small component of it for me. Words Paint? Is it self-indulgent to journal publically? Is tweeting self-indulgent?
Oh who cares! It’s all good… I guess…
.-= Peacefulbird´s last blog ..Dance ~ Part 2 =-.
Well that really makes me think. When I first started blogging and admitted to my mom that I was doing it, she commented on being of a generation that thought journals were for private thoughts. But the blog not only is for my thoughts, anymore, but for the community and interaction. Twitter feels much more one-sided to me… but I think that is me. I see others who seem to have back and forth interaction on there. Although limited by the character count. But most of what I see on twitter is more like “listen to what I’m doing” and “watch me” and the blogs I read seem a lot deeper than that. Of course, there are the other kinds of blogs too. But I don’t read them. I read the ones that touch me and inspire me and make me smile and bring me friendship. I don’t get that from twitter. But again, maybe it is out there for the taking. Oh – long winded. Sorry. But this really does make me think! Aha – another difference. Blogs are thought provoking and twitter… not so much:)
Hey, I don’t get tweeting either….sounds like alot of work. If the people close to me want to know what I am doing they can just call me and ask.
.-= Respectfully Yoursy ´s last blog ..I am not a Freak! =-.
When my brothers started, I knew it because they linked their tweets to their facebook status. And updated often! Going to this meeting. Sitting at this airport. Hmmm
I don’t get it either. It goes in shifts for me, sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t. LIke blogging, ha!
I hope you’re doing well! (reply to your comment is up on my blog!)
Hope
.-= Hope @ Hope’s Journey´s last blog ..Whoa. =-.
I also wondered if it was a age/generation thing. You young uns seem to take to new technology faster:) Usually.
I have been avoiding twitter and have not signed up or tried it out at all…I am already addicted to facebook so figure I didn’t want another site to be addicted to =)
.-= Katherine´s last blog ..How many texts do you send out a day? =-.
I sooo wish that facebook was around when I was still in school. How great it would have been to keep in touch with friends.
I use Twitter mostly to show that I have a new blog post up. When someone tweets something weight loss or fitness related, I might chime in with some encouragement now and again. But I don’t understand people that are on there all day long. I just don’t have time for it! And I also find that reading Tweets seems to shorten my attention span temporarily. If I’m on Twitter then I go and try to read a normal book or something, I find myself getting disinterested after a few lines! That can’t be good!
.-= Carla´s last blog ..A beautiful walk =-.
Oh that last part is interesting! I think you are one of the few people I have tweeted with on there. Whatever gizmo you use to update your workouts is pretty slick.
Hello! Just popped in from a Blog Hop. You have a nice blog. I am now following. I am not on twitter or even facebook as blogging seems to take up enough time for me as it is. I often wonder if I am missing out or should be doing those as well. But, I just don’t get it. Anyway, hope you have a nice day. Looking forward to reading more.
Thanks Kim. I have to admit I don’t know how a blog hop works. I added my name on one because I saw a lot of bloggers I follow on there but think I need a tutorial. Or blog hop etiquette lessons. More technology I don’t understand:(
I don’t get it either!
Oops mis-spelled my own name! ha ha, ah, as I said in my previous post….I don’t get it either!
.-= Natalia´s last blog ..This weeks goals! =-.
I was thinking about adding a plug in to this blog that lets readers edit comments. I am still a bit leery of the technology.
You are not alone! 😉 I’m very leery of it, because I don’t really understand it!
.-= Natalia´s last blog ..This weeks goals! =-.
I don’t tweet either, no one I know does. I also don’t really use facebook much. I have never had anyone try to find me and that is why I signed up…that and to easily share pictures with my kids.
.-= Brightside-Susan´s last blog ..CARROT ON A STICK =-.
Facebook IS a good way to share pictures. Funny how even what we do with our images from our cameras has changed over the years.
Answer to your question about the bras. Well not really having to wear one my whole life, it is different. They have to be snug to do their wonder, so it is a little uncomfortable. But way worth it, if I am just hanging out at home I don’t wear them. My choice which is nice. If I had a boob job I wouldn’t have that choice NOT to wear a bra. But I sure did get a lot of compliments today at church. Now I want to go buy some form fitting shirts, to show them off. All my shirts are baggy so I could hide the fact that I was flat chested. My favorite of is the miraculous bra. Way worth it. Who knew I could be a C almost D with what I had? And a REAL cleavage SWEET!
Very cool:) As you can imagine, I am a baggy shirt gal myself. Maybe some day I will check it out myself… se what miraculousness it brings to me.
Yup, add me to the list that doesn’t get it. I want to. I feel like I should, but I don’t.
Maybe I’m too old.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to tell kids to get off my lawn.
.-= Happy Fun Pants´s last blog ..I choose hope =-.
Funny:)
THIS LINK is all you need to know about twitter.
When you are watching the feed of everyone you can just jump in anytime. People want you to. Say something funny. Give support. You’re great at that. Then if you want to make sure you’re not missing anything click on the @MeWaistingTime link under your Home link on the right side. That shows you every single tweet directed at you. I think you’ve figured that out though. Given that you replied to mine. 🙂
.-= JourneyBeyondSurvival´s last blog ..Flaunting Traditions =-.
Thanks for that info. I did not know that link was there for me to look at! I only found tweets directed to me by using tweetdeck.
Looks like you touched a nerve here with this twitter thing, Karen! I’m on (barmitzvahzilla – duh!) because I understand I’m supposed to “brand” myself to be a successful writer (so cutthroat!) but I have no idea what’s going on. It seems like people are having conversations, just not with me. I have no idea what’s going on. I know what’s going on with FB, I can follow a thread easily, though it doesn’t feel “safe” to me anymore, but I agree with you. I don’t get Twitter.
.-= Linda at Bar Mitzvahzilla´s last blog ..The Plastic Oy Award =-.
I learned a bit more from this, especially from JBS above you, and actually looked for some online tutorials yesterday. Because so many seem to love it, I just still have that little wonder if I would enjoy it if I figured it all out. Not sure, but I am not giving up yet. I do feel the same – conversations going on without me. Going to find you now:)
I will never understand twitter- I think at some point we have to get over ourselves lol. Seriously no one wants to read that we just took a poop lol.
.-= beerab´s last blog ..22 days and counting… =-.
Oh tell me you did not read that on there! LOL.
honestly I’m starting to dislike Twitter more and more. It’s a big waste of time for me personally and doesn’t give me that much benefit! It’s nice to talk with bloggers/readers there, but I have so many other means to do that.
.-= Mary (A Merry Life)´s last blog ..A Quick Guide To Healthy Skin =-.
It is interesting to hear you say that… that your thinking seems to have evolved about twitter.
Wow, I thought I was the only who didn’t love Twitter! I just really don’t get it. I signed up about a year ago because everyone was talking about it. Besides being confused about it and not really getting the short little “tweets,” another difficult thing occurred. I signed up with a fairly anonymous “twitter handle” (is that what you call it???) but used my usual e-mail address. Somehow that allowed people to find and “follow” me. Well, I wanted to use it mainly as my food journal so my tweets were something like “#tep apple 90 calories” or whatever. But my followers were people who knew me in real life and had no interest in weight loss and would probably wonder what the heck I was doing tweeting about food. I didn’t want to be rude and prevent them from following. Plus I didn’t really want someone I now in real life to see “#tep DQ blizzard 600 calories” or whatever. I don’t even know what TweetDeck is although I’ve heard of it a lot. And how to people possibly have time for all of this!? Whew, it’s too much for me. I gave up.
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