Why I love Twitter (no..really.)

My beginning with twitter is a sad start to what now has become something so much more! I had heard of twitter but had no interest in being a part of something that seemed so utterly pointless. Then my friend Lisa was rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night in March 2010 and suddenly twitter had a meaningful purpose in my life. It was used to give real-time updates about her progress and health. Eventually those updates slowed and I almost quit my twitter account because its purpose was fading. But for some odd reason, I kept it and began looking at who else was using this weird Facebook status update-esque online tool.

I honestly can't remember what I did on twitter before I started following certain people. I think to myself, what the hell did I spend my time doing on twitter? I honestly don't think I spent more than a couple of seconds on it before closing the tab on my browser. But there were people who were interesting or who provided a reason to keep my account active. Those people are @Switchfoot , @msleamichele, and of course @DarrenCriss. Each of these have brought other fans, celebrities, and groups of people into my life that have helped to shape me and help my introverted, loner self into a more social person (internet social anyways).

[Side Note:] I understand this is a silly post. I realize there are things outside of twitter and the internet in my life..oh trust me, I know that all too well. This is just to explain my love of twitter and the positive thing it can be if used wisely. 

As many of you know, my job has it's "slow" times throughout the day. Twitter has been a form of mainly entertainment during those times. Celebrities post funny pictures or links to videos they like (or just want to share with people). It's interesting. Twitter has become not only a way to connect with (and stay updated about) a celebrity but also a way to connect to other fans of said celebrity, movement, band, movie, whatever. If someone I follow posts a link about a band they like, I'm MUCH more inclined to listen and see if I like them as well. I can't even tell you how many bands/people I've come to love because of who I follow on twitter!

The biggest "accomplishment" I've done through twitter is meeting up with people while I was in NYC. I still can't really get over the fact that I have people in my life who I met on twitter and we legitimately talk and connect. I'm going to Disneyland with a couple of girls I met on twitter in a couple weeks AND touring the Paramount Lot (where Glee films)! Some of the BEST times in New York were spent in a pizzeria talking with two friends I was finally meeting in person after talking online for months. Maybe to some I sound insane because I'm meeting up with people I met online. Maybe to others I sound completely dorky because...well...I'm meeting up with people I met online and completely gushing about an online social media tool. But I can't help it. I get SO excited thinking about how awesome it is that a silly thing like twitter can connect people, create friendships, start movements, and bring people together.

This post would be epically long if I listed all the new connections, destinations, and adventures twitter has given me. So I will just say that twitter has given me new friends and a new way of approaching the world around me. Here are just some pictures to help illustrate.

I first met Dan & Kath at a Paley Center event for the show "Pushing Daisies" and we've been online friends ever since! I even got to meet up with them in New York (we were ALL there to see Darren!).

Kath & Dan 2007

Dan & Kath 2011

Without Twitter, I would have NEVER met Juls, my friend and peer mentor that I now meet with every couple of weeks to talk about God, entertainment, purpose, and life goals we both have. This is also why I spent my 25th birthday in Chicago (meeting her in person)!

I follow a cool lady on Twitter (@MiaVonGlitz) and she connected me with Morgan Karr (@MorganKarr) through some mutual twitter followers and I got the chance to see him perform his music live and chat with him after his show! Such a great musician from NY and I'm glad to have his stuff on my iPhone now :)

These are just a few examples of the exciting things meeting and connecting with Twitter has brought me. I don't know exactly why, but I felt like gushing about it today.



May you also find that thing(s) in your life that connect you with others and the greater world around you.