Steve Martin Cured My Twitter Addiction

Social Media 30 Day Experiment

I started this blog regarding Social Media and doing a 30 Day Experiment to uncover the uses of this thing called Social Media.  Started on August 3, 2010.
I have gone over my 30 days now, and coming up to almost 60 days.
Why have I not blogged and updated regularly?
Because - I HAVE NO TIME TO BLOG. Twitter, Facebook, DIGG. FourSquare, LinkedIN, YouTube, and following all the web links in each, responding to each post HAS OVERTAKEN MY LIFE!

This experiment was to uncover the how and why of Social Media for the 'average person'.
Not for Social Media Marketers or for Business - but why does Joe or Mary Everyday person want to get involved with Social Media? What do they follow when they do? Does it enhance their life?

I was already using several Social Media applications - Facebook, LinkedIN and Blogging. I had tried Twitter previously, but found it of little value at that time, and left it. I decided to give Twitter another try,  and really learn how to use it, as well as associated applications, as well as use Facebook for other activities than just family connections and viewing photo of high school friends. My plan was to find the good in all this Social Media hype, and be able to promote to family and friends.

Twitter is Evil

Yes, I said it - Twitter is Evil.

I began by finding people to follow by using the search tool within Twitter. I searched for personal interests and Social Media.

I have many interests:

Social Media
Cooking
Motorcycles
Cars
Kitchener - local city
Waterloo Region Election
Fibromyalgia
Weight Loss
Children - Mommy Blogs led me to their Twitter feeds
Writing
Book Reviews

This led me to follow other people that  and find other topics:

QR Codes
Cloud Computing
Web 2.0
Semantic Web
Work from Home
Happiness

I read hundreds and possibly thousands of tweets, posts, and websites with up to the minute information, joined tweetchats, tweetups, twitups, SM Meetups, LIKED business Facebook Fan Pages, commented and became completely engrossed in Social Media. Books were purchased from every Social Media Marketer and Expert - downloaded and hard-copies delivered to my door, so I could absorb as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

I even had to stop my life to connect to online tweetchat regarding breaking news on - #NEWTWITTER.
   I was as excited as .. I am not sure, but it was exciting!

I slept little.

I gathered followers - 500 on Twitter - and following 600 and their connections.
Facebook Fan Pages began to overtake my News Feed. 

I slept less.

I  became both addicted and overloaded!  Or as one person tweeted:

The information is giving me a raging brainer!

AND THEN CAME STEVE MARTIN TO TWITTER:

@SteveMartinToGo  started on Sept 10, 2010
From the beginning his tweets were humourous, and he has been one of my favorite comedians since the 1970s - yes I am that old and Steve Martin is 10 years older - at least!


I began noticing his tweets, and then started reviewing at the end of each day
- as getting the entire story was more amusing.

I laughed!! 

Out Loud!!

Sample Steve Martin Tweets - minus tweets by the  monkeys he hired, and other silliness.

He is poking fun at Twitter and how we can become addicted  - obsessing over how many followers, how our book deal is rated, and information itself. I am not sure he has any interactions with any of his followers, or just as running Twitter  background comedy routine.
This background noise - I began to notice.
I started paying attention more to his tweets than others with Social Media best practices and other ground breaking technology news.

I laughed.

I slept.

I began to clean up my lists, and followers and who following, and Facebook and email choked with notifications and links and and...

REASSESSMENT

Yes there is good to be found in  Social Media,
BUT  - to those that are like me and information hogs - BEWARE!


Tomorrow  - I will be back with Pros & Cons of Social Media and how to remain in control.
There are definitely benefits.

More to come, but back to Steve Martin:

 Laugh. Sleep.

Tweetback
@darleenw

5 Reasons Twitter like pregnancy.

Social Media Experiment, Twitter and Pregnancy 

New Blog name - Social Tweetle 
- due to fact I had chosen a trademarked title originally

The 30 Day Social Media Experiment has reached the 30 days. Next is for me to report on my findings thus far.  Please be patient, as my head is full of 'stuff' to organize into coherent thoughts and words. I shall be refining, and continuing to analyze the effectiveness and - who the heck should be using, and which Social Media tools and apps are for the different uses.

I was thinking  of how joining Twitter effected me, and found myself comparing joining and becoming accustomed to Twitter as very similar to going through pregnancy.  Let me explain 'reasons that joining Twitter is like pregnancy'.  Just to verify my expertise - I have been pregnant twice in my life (that I am aware of) - so feel qualified to explain this analogy.

5 Reasons Joining Twitter is Like Pregnancy:

1. Choosing a  name is nerve wracking.
   What shall I select? Should I use my real name? Should I have 2 names/ 2 accounts. What is the perceived message when I use my real name compared to a name such as @sexygranny? This is very similar to the many hours, days, weeks and months agonizing over selecting the baby's name. And equally the same as when verbalized the wonderful name of Abigail Aloysius (a deligtful sounding alliteration I thought) - to the spouse, and was subjected to being informed that pregnancy hormones had surely kidnapped my brain. Of course in the case of Twitter, it was allowing friends and T-Pals to voice opinion.
   
   In the end:I have gone with @darleenw and so far is attached to all my blogs on differing topics. Advantage to Twitter name - I can change it at anytime! As far as Pregnancy - somehow we did name 3 daughters with each 2 names, although I usually forget their names and call them all 'Hey You'.
   
2. I am voraciously trying to learn everything as fast as possible.
   When newly pregnant (about 3 hours after conception), I was buying books, asking every woman I came in contact with (that had given birth or might have even thought about giving birth) all the details. Details, about pregnancy, about giving birth, about being a mother and what university to enroll the most amazing child ever born. With Twitter, I have been following everyone with Social Media expert status, and those with lots to say on topics that interest me (all but gay grey apes), following every tweet until eyes bulging and bleary. Also reading as much data online, and purchasing books about Twitter until totally thinking of nothing else each moment of the day.
   Best Advice:
   You cannot possibly read all that there is online or printed re Twitter.
   For Pregnancy - relax millions have done this before you, without studying.
   
3. Sleepless due to being concerned with might happen.
   When pregnant I lost sleep due to imagining the worst possible scenarios, and every movement and twinge. With Twitter, I lost sleep due to first thinking I had to follow every tweet and respond ASAP, or I would fail and be excommunicated - or worse yet, lose followers. Gasp. What-if thoughts plagued me in both situations.
   In the end:
   Realized I could not possibly keep up with all tweets and is not expected.
   Pregnancy - well for most part (except when those said hormones clicked in) I relaxed due to realizing millions of women had done this before with great success.
   
4. Afraid no one will appreciate me.
   What if my child hated me, and my husband turned on me due to now being a mother , and lost all my friends since I now had a baby and they were still single and childless - I was not appreciated for being me? What if I was ignored? Same as joining Twitter and concerned that no one would follow me, and would not like what I had to say if they did - and thus quickly unfollowing.
   Best Advice:
   It is not about the numbers of followers, but engaging with those you connect.
   Pregnancy - Of course your child at some time will hate you, but it is too late to worry about that now. Do your best - and enjoy yourself.
   
5. Concerned that I really don't know what I am doing.
   Oh my, yes with pregnancy I was sure I had made a grave mistake to think I could be a mother. I could barely get myself out of bed in the morning, how could I go with little sleep with a baby? What did I know about parenting? What if I wrecked this perfect human being? With Twitter, I struggled with fact I don't yet have a niche, or specialty, or I am not a Social Media certified expert. Who do I think I am?
   In the end:
   No one really knows what they are doing!

For Twitter and all things in Life
- just do it, have fun, love what you are doing, do your best!

Show Up!

Tweetback

@darleenw


...darleen