The Joy of Twitter

sols_5-years_w1 I'm writing every day as part of the March Slice of Life Challenge hosted by Two Writing Teachers. Stop by! 


“So, you are on that Twitter thing, huh?” followed by an eyebrow raised in my general direction.

Yes, I’m on Twitter. Okay, I’m also slightly addicted. Yet I firmly believe that Twitter is a blessing and a boon in my life. Let’s see if I can come up with ten reasons why I love Twitter. (After all, I’m pretty sure I haven’t done a top ten list yet).

10. Breaking News. For some reason, Twitter seems to have the ability to break any big news within seconds of its occurrence.  I don’t watch the news. I don’t listen to news channels. Last year, during our start of the year inservice days, my school building started to shake slightly. We were all told to exit immediately. I hopped onto Twitter. Sure enough, my feed was filled with East Coasters commenting on feeling the earthquake, links to geological sites that had information about the earthquake, and West Coasters laughing at us Easterners getting all worked up about a little tremor. (We kindly reminded them of the times they spaz out over a flurry or a small traffic jam and they conceded the point.)

9. Writing Opportunities. I would never have heard about Slice without Twitter - or Nerdy Book Club - or the chance to have my students contribute their thoughts on the Hobbit to the Sci Fi Now magazine (which is located in the UK!). I even collaborate on a story with a group of friends I met on Twitter. (Ooo… I need to sign up for the next chapter!)

8. Silly laughter. Yes, it’s a joke that Twitter is all about what you ate for lunch and pictures of cats. Still, many times the simple silly tweets of people I know only from Twitter put a smile on my face and help me see the humor in everyday living.

7. Geek Girls. Until I got on Twitter, I self-identified as a geek boy. My interests are shared by so few women that I know in my “real life” world. Twitter connects me with other women who love Star Wars, Comics, The Walking Dead, and more. I can proudly shout #GeekGirlsUnite and a geeky lady will answer the call.

6. Ideas for writing. I love following @dogtrax and seeing his writing ideas. #25wordstory , lots of haiku, great fun! I also get ideas from Twitter for my Star Wars weekly posts. Honestly, I’m finding more ideas than I can use.

5. Books, Books, Books! My “to be read” list is out of control. That’s a good thing, though. I’ve never been this up to date about the new releases for my classroom. Book buzz is contagious, and I’m not looking for a cure.

4. Contests. My husband laughs when a box arrives at my doorstep. Many times I’ve purchased the books, but it’s equally likely that I have won it via Twitter. I’ve won comics, graphic novels, novels, and more.

3. Author Connections. My students are in awe when I mention something an author tweeted. They feel like I have some special insights. I know when a new title is announced. I know when they have special swag to give away. One of these days I’ll figure out how to get an author Skyped into my classroom. I’ll be a goddess that day.

2. Global Perspective. The fact that Twitter is all over the globe gives me insights into global events with a diverse perspective. What a valuable resource for widening MY world as well as giving me classroom resources.

1. Community. I’m an introvert, yet I still feel a need to be connected. Twitter gives me the #nerdybookclub #Geekgirls #nerdbery #starwars and more. I’ve connected with friends who I’ll probably never meet face to face. They are kindred souls in Australia, the UK, and all over the world. Any time of the day or night, there is someone who hears me. That’s pretty powerful. 

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