A-Twitter over Twitter - "hoosiervess" (1st Web 2.0 project)

      The first thing I did before I set up a Twitter account was to look up the meaning of the word.   "Twitter" is defined by Merriam-Webster online dictionary as "to utter successive chirping noises" or "to talk in a chattering fashion." This definition seemed to be consistent with the use of the bird-like term "tweet" for each successive message.  With a limit of 140 characters for each message, one must be concise and to the point, or risk becoming prolific with your number of tweets.  I decided the name Twitter was an apt name for this rapid, quick and concise exchange of information.  So, why my play on words in the title?  Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines "a-twitter" as being nervously concerned.  That expressed perfectly my initial approach to Twitter.  Why in the world would anyone want to "tweet" information about themselves, and more importantly, why would anyone else want to read it!  Well, I quickly learned that Twitter is like any other social networking site - it has its share of narcissistic "tweeters" but there are also many more who are genuinely using it as a quick source of "spreading the news."  Here are some of the things I learned while I used Twitter:

•  Whereas I assumed Twitter was full of people sharing what they had for breakfast and where they were going, I quickly learned that if you don't want to read minutia, you can definitely be more selective in who you follow.  I tended to navigate towards like-minded organizations and groups - such as Focus on the Family, our local Tea Party, the Heritage Foundation, and of course Janet Evanovich. ;-)  I followed a lot of political and professional groups,  including the Librarian in Black (she was a riot) a library in Hinsdale, Illinois (where I have family) the Smithsonian and the ALA.  I really only followed 5 individuals, and never did I sense they were boring me to death with their tweets.  (or I would have "unfollowed" them.)
• I was fascinated with the way people were able to abbreviate their message into 140 characters or less and still make a point.  One person I followed was Michelle Malkin, an author and commentator on the news, and she gave a lot of tweets about her cousin who went missing.  It was days before I heard anything about it on the mainstream media, but I was following the progress, or lack of progress of the search by her tweets.  Unfortunately, her cousin is still missing.
• One thing that I noticed about monitoring Twitter sites is that the news is very quick.  I read somewhere that people were tweeting about the earthquake in Japan before it even made it on the news here, and I believe it.  For news and personal perspectives I think it is an invaluable tool.  I found I was more interested reading tweets than I was Facebook posts, because usually people were more selective with what they said when they had fewer characters to use.  
• The library sites I monitored impressed me because they used their tweets to introduce new employees to the public, and to advertise upcoming programs.  I was fascinated with a program the Hinsdale Library offered about learning what to do for your pet in an emergency. They called it "No Pet Left Behind."  Clever.   Their tweets "tweaked" my interest, and I thought they were effective.  The Librarian in Black allowed us to experience through her tweets a "Computers in Libraries" conference she went to in Washington D.C.  Truly, her tweets made me laugh outloud as she commented on everything from her pat-down at the airport, to the absence of the key-note speaker.  To get to the meat of that conference you need to check out her blogs - but her tweets enticed me to LOOK to her blog for more information.
• I was pretty amazed at the variety of people who were on Twitter.  My daughter casually mentioned a cookbook by "the Pioneer Woman" and I innocently looked her up on Twitter, and voila!  She tweets!  And she's pretty funny, too.  Sulu from Star Trek is amusingly sarcastic, although I don't follow him.  He just tends to show up whenever I do topic searches. 
• I was interested in the number of people who started to "follow" me on Twitter.  I didn't solicit anyone (ok, well, the two friends I sought out live in California, and she has a food blog I like, and he works for The Simpsons, so I got a kick out of his tweets to his Hollywood friends!) Anyway, local businesses in Kokomo became my followers, as did someone with "sexy" in their username.  I quickly blocked them from my account, but thought it was interesting that even on Twitter, you are a potential client, or, God forbid, partner.  You need to be careful who you open up to, even on Twitter!
• OK, so one of the things I expected to see on Twitter was a bunch of conservative or liberal thinkers flocking to like-minded people (I was right on that one!) as well as groupies who would hang on to every tweet from every celebrity, both present, past and has been. (not so right about that one!)  I suppose there was some of that, but I will confess to following my new TV obsession - Chuck.  What I found was pretty hilarious.  If you don't watch Chuck - he's a nerd who becomes a spy.  Anyway, with hesitation I became a "follower" of Zachary Levi, AKA Chuck, for the sole purpose of seeing what kind of groupies frequent a celebrity - and how a celebrity treats his groupies! I found him to be just as funny as his character on Chuck!  Apart from his tweet links to hilarious YouTube videos, he also encouraged support for Japan after the earthquake and generally seemed not at all what I expected of a celebrity who "uses Twitter."  Ok - so I confess, I became the groupie, and in this case, was pretty much pleased with the process.  I'm sure there are plenty of other not so normal celebrity exchanges.....just try doing a search for Charlie Sheen!  Ugh!!!!
• Speaking of funny tweets...if you are a Janet Evanovich fan, she tweets quotes from her books.  Really funny stuff!  
• By the way - Twitter can be a quick source of information!  I learned Butler lost on Twitter yesterday a few minutes after it happened!  
• Our library has a teen Twitter account, and I'm a bit discouraged that I was one of only 288 followers.  However, I must commend our teen librarian for the way she constantly gives updates and reviews of books on Twitter.  Eventually, I think it will pay off.

Any concerns I had about the appropriateness or inane content on Twitter was quickly dispelled as I became addicted to reading the updates of  all the people I followed.  They were short and to the point, and therefore easy to go through (I only followed 45 people...and only 12 followed me!)  I did find myself becoming disappointed when the same tweets showed up over and over...I mean, I'm sure that that sale at Victory Honda in Muncie is over by now!!!! ;-)  On the other hand, I did struggle with worthwhile tweets to contribute.  I only tweeted 9 times, and I stewed over what to say!  I find I am much more interested in reading tweets, than in writing them!  This assignment has changed my view of Twitter, and I am definitely going to keep up with it.  Check out my site and maybe I will follow you!    hoosiervess