Since joining the active world of blogging, (reading, commenting, joining social networks, etc.) I’ve noticed that EVERYONE seems to be on Twitter. No, I’m not exaggerating. EVERYONE.
At first, I didn’t see why people would bother with it. Isn’t it the same as blogging? Isn’t it the same as commenting on other people’s blogs? Isn’t it just randomly talking?
Yes, yes, and yes.
But, according to the articles, posts, and tips I’ve been reading, Twitter is (apparently) the thing to do if you are a serious blogger.
“Wait . . . I want to be a serious blogger!” (That’s the excuse I’ve been giving my husband to explain away the HOURS I’ve spent in the blogging world the past two weeks)
The pressure was on. In an attitude of seriousness, cup of coffee in front of me and my hyper child finally asleep, I went to the Twitter site, ready to start twittering along with everyone else.
I’m not sure what I expected, but those expectations were not met. I signed up, uploaded a picture, told Twitter what I was doing, and then, after 15 exacerbating minutes of searching, found the code to add a widget to my blog.
Then, I waited.
Nothing happened. My little “what I’m doing” update sat all by its lonesome in the right hand column. I don’t need to know what I’m doing — I’m doing it. I know! What about all the updates I’m supposed to receive?
More scrambling across the Internet occurred as I tried to research how the heck this thing is supposed to work. Oh — I am supposed to go to each person’s site and tell Twitter I want to follow that person. Isn’t that what I’ve already been doing as I’ve spent the past days, weeks, and months LURKING????
I didn’t know it would be so much work.
To make matters worse, the twitter widget looks ugly on my page — just another bunch of words on an already gaudy blog site. This isn’t the best of experiences for this blogger, especially as I’d already committed myself to simplifying my site (which hasn’t happened yet).
So now I sit, seriously twittering by myself, debating whether or not I should “follow” people or just get rid of Twitter altogether.
(By the way, is it a sign I’m getting old if I can’t patiently figure out how to work a simple online application? I am a Myspace genius! I can manipulate css/html code! I showed my whole family how to myspace and blog. But I can’t learn how to twitter with the best of them???)
Great — I’ve just noticed that my updates aren’t showing up on my page. Anyone know where I can go to tell Twitter to “twitter off?”
