Because of my job as a Momspotter for BlogHer, I spend more time on Twitter than ever before. At first I was intimidated. Y’all know how WORDY I can be. How can I possible fit a thought into 140 character.
Not words.
Characters.
And I’ll admit that my 10 yo has attempted to educate me on text-speak. I have no idea where she picked up this foreign language, since she is not allowed to TEXT, but she has some interesting shortcuts.
And recently when she tried it out on an English assignment, she was gently reprimanded by her English teacher. Who also told her to eat her vegetables.
Texting takes me a sweet FOREVER, since I insist on adding semi-correct punctuation and applying most spelling rules.
So it’s an absolute miracle when I post a Tweet on Twitter AND can cram a complete thought into my allotted 140 character limit. Although a few have @Fiddledee’d me with a WHAT ARE U TALKING ABOUT?
The greatest surprise that I’ve found about Twitter, is the wonderful community. IN REAL TIME.
I would never ever give up blogging, but I’ve found Twitter to be an extension of a wonderfully supportive blogging community. (And you don’t even have to have a blog to play.)
So. Twitter has recently created a LIST function. I am able to group people to help keep track of Tweeps that I’m following. I have a LIST called “gurlfriends” that I’m still putting together. Get it, G-url-friends.
I slay myself.
This list is basically you all. I want to make sure that if you Twitter, I’ve got you in my list. So, I’m going to put Mr. Linky up below, and if you have a Twitter account (go here to find out how to set one up if you want to play), please link up. And btw, Jo-Lynne of Musings of a Housewife has a WONDERFUL crash course on the basics of Twitter. Go here to read it.
This will be a fun way for all of us to keep track of one another, and meet new peeps.
A Twitter Party, as it were.
Type your name (or Twitter handle) in the first blank, and put your twitter URL in the second. For example, here’s mine:
Fiddledeedee (1st space)
http://twitter.com/Fiddledeedee (2nd space)
{ 21 comments }
I posted my Twitter in the Mr Linky thing my twitter name is TRCHEEK68
i like this idea so you’ll have a list for people who read your blog, who know you, so to speak. i may have to copy this.
Yay!
That was easy! I’ll have to come back in a couple of days and search out some new friends! Any friend of yours is a friend of mine.
I’m not much of a blogger anymore, but I’m on twitter a lot!
I love twitter too!
Trying not to sound dumb here, but how do you put a link to a blog post in a tweet? I’ve searched the help section and I’m not getting help. Am I just dense?
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Karen,
I went through the same ordeal!!! I kept trying to use the entire URL to a post, and that took up all of my 140 character limit!
What you need to do is make your URL smaller. And how you do that, is you go to http://www.tiny.cc/ (Tiny URL) and copy and paste your URL into the space provided, and it will give you an abbreviated URL that you can use in your Tweet.
Also, if you have a service like HootSuite (http://hootsuite.com), it has a space for you to shrink a URL and it places it into your Tweet. I use HootSuite and love it. It also has an app for the iPhone now.
If I’m not making sense, let me know!
DeeDee
I LOVE this idea! Thank you so much Miss DeeDee, I may borrow the idea (w/proper credit of course) if that’s ok?
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Crystal,
Absolutely!
DeeDee
I linked up. Although I saw the other day that I was already on your gurlfriends list. I remember because I think I squealed a little, did a happy dance and called my hubby over to see.
I linked up but I think I’m already on your gurlfriends list. and can I tell you how glad I am that you are tweeting more? I love your wit in 140 characters!!
I don’t want a Twitter account!!!!!
So, kind of sad I won’t be one of your gurlfriends….Have fun at your party, (flashbacks to high school), LOL.
Does LOL count as knowing how to text?
sometimes I twitter, sometimes I don’t, but if I’m not already on your gurlfriends list, I’d be honored if you would add me.
I think I already made your list- I was SO happy when I discovered it.
By the way, I tried to contact you through your “contact me” form- did you get it?
….and now you know why I have become addicted to twitter. Glad we’re “friends”.
#7 Karen – if you want to link to your blog you can paste the full url into your tweet, but I like to use tinyurl (www.tinyurl) to shrink it down & make it more managable with the character limit. Hope that helps!
I just joined twitter, so I’m a newbie to it. I’m still learning how to navigate
Fun! I’ve seen these lists before, but I’m not really sure how they work. I’ll have to check it out!
I need to read the how to’s as I don’t get a lot of it.
Glad to be part of your party!
I refuse to Tweet. I know it’s weird, considering I’m constantly on FB, but I’ve been on Twitter before and was not impressed… Perhaps it’ll catch on a year-and-a-half from now. Whatever. I just wanted to encourage you in your backwards texting ways. :O) I’m TOTALLY the same way. I frustrate and irritate everyone I text, and I love it! I don’t even use “LOL” (because I find it overused and inexpressive). The closest I come is using “thru” instead of “through.” And that’s ONLY if I’m completely out of space. So rock on with your long and grammatically-correct texts, woman! I’m right there with you! We could form a club, start a movement… It’d be awesome! :O)
Aww, I’d love to be part of your gurlfriends list, but I don’t Twitter. Sigh. I, too, am a proper English texter — when I text.
Does this make me old?
I love your blog, but have been behind in reading lately. I missed your linky but I am on twitter as
tdlough
http://twitter.com/tdlough
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