I’m on Twitter. You might say to yourself, frikkin geeksville. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am a bit of a geek. My name there is @Squidsquirt. I regret using that- but to start off with, it was a purely virtual existence, so you don’t think what it will be like to introduce yourself in real life (IRL) as your handle.
I went on Twitter originally at the prompting of my ex. Well- still my wife, but we have been separated for five months. A lot of you didn’t know that. I have avoided speaking about it, out of respect to her, and the desire to keep all that personal stuff about a separation and divorce private. Short story- we are getting on ok, and are doing everything humanly possible to make sure the children are ok, too. She remains my friend.
So after I left home, I needed friends, and went back on Twitter. What you do is follow a few people, whose tweets you enjoy. Soon, you see them mentioning other people, so you follow them, and people follow you back as you converse.
A lot of the people I followed originally are bloggers. Then I met a group of people who have made the leap into meeting up IRL. They organize Tweetups. The Cape Town people usually meet over something they call #pinkdrinks. Pink drinks are not just cosmopolitans, martinis or strawberry mojitos. When you meet for pink drinks, you are saying, ‘I am alive, I exist, and I am your friend’. I have met the most incredible people through some of these evenings, people I am proud to call my friends without reserve. Closer friendships than I, as a middle-aged man on his own, could hope to make by hanging out in bars or sports clubs.
We’ve shared so much, my friends and I. We rely on each other- sometimes overtly, sometimes just in secret, to make it through the day. Many of us are experiencing using Twitter as a tool for survival. And have been amazed to find it has taken us beyond that.
So. To the people I have met IRL : @al_ice @Ann_Wilson @kambabe @cc_monkey @anib @pinkhairgirl @MajorProblem @andrevr @Wenchy @Tertia @Riven16 @Rhettroberts @MikeTaberner @evregirl @cow_grrrl @cathjenkin @biggestmullet @ChristopherM @blindcripple @sezleigh @za5 @acidicice @rudicowboy @SamanthaPerry @fionaby @cazpi
What amazing people. And there are dozens more whom I have yet to meet, but all of you have helped me through what is one of the most difficult times in my life. I’m beyond being polite, so I want to offer my love and friendship to you, in the same way you have given it to me, whether through silly jokes or actual hugs in person. Forgive me if I missed you from the list…
Awesome friends. No hyperbole.
You can find us at http://twitter.com/
I went on Twitter originally at the prompting of my ex. Well- still my wife, but we have been separated for five months. A lot of you didn’t know that. I have avoided speaking about it, out of respect to her, and the desire to keep all that personal stuff about a separation and divorce private. Short story- we are getting on ok, and are doing everything humanly possible to make sure the children are ok, too. She remains my friend.
So after I left home, I needed friends, and went back on Twitter. What you do is follow a few people, whose tweets you enjoy. Soon, you see them mentioning other people, so you follow them, and people follow you back as you converse.
A lot of the people I followed originally are bloggers. Then I met a group of people who have made the leap into meeting up IRL. They organize Tweetups. The Cape Town people usually meet over something they call #pinkdrinks. Pink drinks are not just cosmopolitans, martinis or strawberry mojitos. When you meet for pink drinks, you are saying, ‘I am alive, I exist, and I am your friend’. I have met the most incredible people through some of these evenings, people I am proud to call my friends without reserve. Closer friendships than I, as a middle-aged man on his own, could hope to make by hanging out in bars or sports clubs.
We’ve shared so much, my friends and I. We rely on each other- sometimes overtly, sometimes just in secret, to make it through the day. Many of us are experiencing using Twitter as a tool for survival. And have been amazed to find it has taken us beyond that.
So. To the people I have met IRL : @al_ice @Ann_Wilson @kambabe @cc_monkey @anib @pinkhairgirl @MajorProblem @andrevr @Wenchy @Tertia @Riven16 @Rhettroberts @MikeTaberner @evregirl @cow_grrrl @cathjenkin @biggestmullet @ChristopherM @blindcripple @sezleigh @za5 @acidicice @rudicowboy @SamanthaPerry @fionaby @cazpi
What amazing people. And there are dozens more whom I have yet to meet, but all of you have helped me through what is one of the most difficult times in my life. I’m beyond being polite, so I want to offer my love and friendship to you, in the same way you have given it to me, whether through silly jokes or actual hugs in person. Forgive me if I missed you from the list…
Awesome friends. No hyperbole.
You can find us at http://twitter.com/
Posts
Nicely put this new meadium is a great safe way to get a nice circle of friends with similar interests.
ReplyDelete@Fiona: Twitter is very un-internet. In a way the people seem more real than virtual. And yeah- you can choose friends with similar interests, or meet people from diverse places whom you would never otherwise meet.
ReplyDeleteawe **blush** inky we love you too friend!!!! #pinkdrinks FTW
ReplyDelete@kambabe: Hmm, Guess I'm 'Inky' forever. *sigh* :-)
ReplyDelete#pinkdrinks #FTW We love you Inky! *huge hug*
ReplyDeletecheers Inky :) Luff you back hun :P
ReplyDelete@alice and Cazpi Thanks for being who you are.x
ReplyDeleteAw so very cool :)
ReplyDeleteTwitter really is more than just a website!!
Maybe one day we shall have pink drinks too!
just saw this now.. so.. thank you.
ReplyDelete*hugs*
What a lovely post, hopefully we meet one day over pink drinks:)
ReplyDelete@Laura and @lettice Looking forward to it!
ReplyDelete@anitab: Pleasure, friend :-)