For Twitter or Worse

Oh, hello everyone reading this blog. How are things going with you? Pretty good? Well that's nice to hear. And with me? Well, to be honest, I've got a lot on my plate right now. The days are just packed, and I've had scarcely a moment to stop and smell the blog fodder, if you will. Yesterday, in an attempt to nail down some fascinating topic, I went to the ever-handy TweetDeck, my go-to source for all that is of the moment and happening. As I browsed my various feeds, clicking links and trying to mentally mold multiple articles into one coherent subject, I realized that I was looking a gift horse straight in the mouth. Right? I've never been great at decoding proverbs, but I'm going to assume that's close enough. What I'm trying to say is this: I use Twitter all of the time to inspire blog content but, this time, Twitter is the content. That's right, I'm going to break the mold right here and declare this posting In Defense Of Twitter.

Like many people, I used to hate on Twitter, frowning upon the assumed self-centeredness of each and every ridiculous-sounding tweet. Ever the innovator, I made completely unique wisecracks about egomaniacs posting pictures of their breakfast cereal and the play-by-play of daily minutia that followed. But, I have since had to eat (and also to tweet!) my own words.

When I was hired by Berrett-Koehler as Digital Community Builder, I made a promise to spread the word about BK's books, authors, and mission through the use of social media. Getting us up and running on Facebook was no biggie, as I'd already been using "the social network" (as Aaron Sorkin would say) for years. But Twitter? This, I knew, was going to be a significant undertaking. Not only would I have to learn to simply use the platform, but I'd have to embrace it, as well. As such, I did my reading, tackling any and all Twitter guides I could find, then downloaded and immediately implemented TweetDeck, the personal real-time browser that was crucial in organizing my feeds.

As I learned more and more about Twitter, its add-on applications and -- most importantly -- its users, I had to come to grips with the reality of the situation: I liked this. I liked this a lot. Because, while there will always be those people posting TwitPics of their morning meal, I don't have to follow them. Instead, I can follow those users who choose to share meaningful information in order to create conversation, controversy, or just old-fashioned entertainment. I follow BK authors, staff members, and other publishing professionals to keep track of what's going on in my field. I follow tech specialists and communication gurus, so that I can learn from and eventually become one of them. I follow my favorite bloggers and major news media outlets, so that I know as soon as any story breaks. I follow celebrities -- actors, musicians, and mostly comedians -- to feed my love of all things pop culture. On top of all that, I follow my friends, especially those who are far away, because the snippets they share make it feel like they're sitting at work right next to me.

As you can imagine, this constant influx of information really does keep me in the know. Just today, I learned of the tragic passings of comedian Greg Giraldo, Texas teen Asher Brown, and Rutgers student Tyler Clementi (true, Twitter really has a knack for breaking obits); I engaged in conversations surrounding both America's current and next Great American Novel; wished Miguel de Cervantes a happy 473rd birthday; and first heard what might be my new favorite song - all via Twitter. And the best part is, I was able to instantly share this with millions (okay, maybe hundreds) of people!

So, that's my spiel. The fine folks at Twitter HQ aren't paying me to say this. It is my genuine belief that I am a more intelligent, more informed, and more involved person because of the direct influence of this particular micro-blogging platform. So, quick, get out there are tweet what it's all about!