How to twitter without being a twit!

I am usually way behind the technology curve.  I still have a rotary phone.  I thought "blog" was Minnesotan for "big Log"  You know,  "bring the blogs down here and leave the smlogs up there."  Fortunately or unfortunately, my friend Randy Elrod came back, got me and dragged me kidding and screaming over the textans and the blogs and smlogs all the way to twitter.  I have wrestled with this new social media tool for awhile now.  At first I despised it.  Should a man really twitter?  I grew very tired of getting updates of people walking and sitting and sneezing and going to bed.  I saw so many pictures of other peoples food that I started to gain weight.  Not a lot of weight, just a twitter. I have gone from despiser to believer.  Recent events in Iran have shown that this is a powerful tool..........  WHEN USED PROPERLY.  It can be a powerful tool for you as well......  WHEN USED PROPERLY. 

Seriously, to my Christian family I say that we dare not summarily dismiss today's social media.  Years ago we turned our backs on much of the arts and now we rue what has happened to them. So......

Here are four rules for using twitter taken from an excellent Christianity Today article. 

Five Tweeting Tips
(1) You are what you tweet. Are you an encourager, a humorist, a businessperson, a pastor — a complainer? People will know.

(2) Craft your words. This may be instant publishing, but it's still publishing. Your words will last longer than you will.

(3) No cheating. Say it all in 140 characters. Don't use a second tweet to continue your point.

(4) Don't answer Twitter's standard question, “what are you doing?” Rather than your flight plan, nap schedule, or lunch menu, say something that will benefit others.

(5) Don't overtweet. If people quit replying to you, it may be because they can’t keep up.

Please read the entire article here.   It is very thought provoking and gives insight into the power of the tweet, even to save lives. 

If you decide to twitter.  Please DO NOT  twitpic me any pictures of your food. 

Comments

[Amy M]

Ken,
This was hysterically funny! I sat here alone and belly-laughed out loud. (and didn't even feel like an idiot doing it!) I DO tweet and I do try to be encouraging and not a whiner, etc. And I've NEVER posted a picture of my food,(of course, mine never looks as good as Randy's either). Thanks for the fabulous blog chuckle in the middle of an otherwise boring Wednesday afternoon!
Sincerely,
Amy Fry (nenya71 on Twitter)

[Dr Rus Jeffrey]

Okay, so you don't like my "nap" updates. LOL! I do love this post though.

Well done Ken! Very funny!

[Terry(apostlethatroks)]

I am thrilled to see that I'm not the one one who wishes to punch Randy in the lungs when he posts his Edible Enticements du Jour. (However, I did vote repeated for him to win the The Bestest Job Ever, or whatever it was...)

And I openly admit that I break Twittommandment #3 repeated but I haven't noticed any loss of followers because of it. As a matter of fact, I recently dumped a few hundred for tagging along merely to pad their numbers.

The fact that I'm ever able to condense a thought into 140 characters warrants a call to Ripley's Believe It or Not...every time! + #livehappy

[Carol Holtz]

LOVE this post, Ken!!!

[Pamela]

Great post Ken.......loved the Minnesota part of it. I've been using Twitter on my blog. Actually been considering posting scripture on it more than anything else. I've had some good link ups with it via Nutritional FOOD blogs, Knitting blogs I follow, and Christian news type links. It can be a good tool if used right. So Twittering scripture on it as I put Seeds of the Word on my blog...it can one day speak to a person's heart.
Take care...have a HOT enjoyable summer like we are.