In defense of Twitter

So when Twitter started, I thought it was pretty dumb. But I read a lot of blogs, including the blogs of my favorite published authors, and they all had Twitter. Some days they wouldn't post any new blog content, but they were so clever and witty and utterly fascinating that I wanted to know what they were up to. Thus, I made a Twitter account just so I could keep track of them.

The difference between Facebook status updates and Twitter is, if you sign up to follow someone on Twitter, you are admitting that you actually think it's interesting what they do throughout their boring day. On Facebook, people's lame status updates just plague you, and you can't really control it. I feel like you can't really criticize Twitter, because if you think someone's posts are lame, you just don't follow them. Don't have a Twitter account.

While mentioning Facebook and lame status updates, I would like to make a short tangent on the topic of "vague-booking." This is a term I heard my clever friend, Leslie, use last Thursday. Vague-booking is when you post really vague or cryptic status updates, such as "My heart hurts so bad. When will this be over?" Because you are aching to tell us you just broke up with your boyfriend. Or someone might say "Only 476 days left until my life changes!" Okay, so what is happening? Might as well tell us. Do us a favor and stop the vague-booking.

Back to the Twitter subject.

I follow a total of 26 people on Twitter, most of whom are my favorite published authors or bloggers. I follow a few musicians so I know when they are doing new songs or whatever, and that's it. I do not understand the people who follow like, 689 people. Like you actually are reading what they write. The people who follow a thousand people just want a thousand people to follow them.

At first I would only read other people's Twitter updates. But then I started tweeting a bit myself. You know, like a little blue bird. I figured, if anybody is actually following me, hey, they signed up for this. It's not like I'm annoying you on your Facebook News Feed every five hours.

I then put my Twitter feed on the side bar of my blog, so that way on the days I am too lazy/busy to post, I can say something on Twitter. Because everyone has that one stalker reader who is dying to know what is happening, so I had to feed them something. I mean, that was the whole reason I joined Twitter. I couldn't get enough of my favorite clever authors. So maybe there is some reader out there who is just utterly fascinated with my daily happenings. If you don't care, then just skip over the side bar. I do sometimes.

This is basically my lead in to tell you that I may start using Twitter a lot more. I finally caved to the technological communication of this world and added a texting plan to my cell phone. Then I figured out how to send Twitter updates from my phone. Now when I'm someplace without a computer and internet, I can let you know what is happening. I am sure you are just dying to find out everything. My first mobile tweet was done in the waiting "relaxation" room before I got my massage on Friday. The lights were all dim and nature sounds were playing, but all I could think about was how I didn't want to forget that Drew told me about how he watches Jersey Shore and Snooki was really drunk on last night's episode or whatever. I think it's terrible that a 4th grader watches Jersey Shore. But it's also 1% funny. Anyway, as I am texting in the relaxation room, I start to think about Sophie Kinsella's character from Undomestic Goddess, and how she's so obsessed with work that she sneaks her Blackberry with her under the sheets when she's at the spa. But the masseuse will have none of it.

I don't take my phone with me to the massage table. I'm not that Twitter dependent.