Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Education of Max Reddick: Things I've Learned while on Twitter

A few months ago after I first launched my blog, my blog big brother RiPPa of The Intersection of Madness and Reality suggested that I set up a Twitter account to assist me in publicizing it. I was a little skeptical at first, but I must admit that he was right. In the few months that I have been active on Twitter, my readership has grown in leaps and bounds.

Not only that, I am constantly amazed at the range of people who I have met since being on Twitter. I have amassed a little over 1,500 followers in the short time I’ve been on and that 1,500 includes people who I might never have met or had occasion to have a conversation with otherwise.

For instance, most of my Twitter-friends are either poets, writers, or bloggers, but I am also Twitter-friends with a voodoo witch doctor from the Mississippi delta, more than one hardcore gangsta’ rapper, a nudist or two, and a self-described marijuana enthusiast. In addition, I regularly tweet with an internet porn star and two female Twitter-friends who engage in sadism and masochism and run S&M sites.

The internet porn star always tries to get me to check out her site, but once I see you booty butt naked in various compromising positions, that changes the whole dynamic of the relationship. And the S&M ladies are always giving me relationship advice, telling me to try this or that, but the thought of being tied up and whipped on my naked behind with a riding crop just doesn’t do it for me.

I did buy studded leather thong drawers from one of their sites, but I threw them away after the first wearing because I couldn’t figure out how to get them clean, and I was too embarrassed to take them to my cleaners. Plus, the studded leather thong drawers made my naughty place sweat profusely and unnaturally.

In addition to all the people I have met, I have had to almost learn a new language. Because you have only 140 characters to express an idea, many of the most common terms must be truncated. For instance, thank you becomes simply TY. And by the way is BTW.

Some of my favorites though are WDDDA which means “where dey do dat at?” which is used to express surprise when confronted with something out of the ordinary, and ROTFLMBAO which means “rolling on the floor laughing my black ass off.” This one is to be used when something is extremely funny such that it forces you from your seat onto the floor where you roll around in raucous laughter until your behind detaches itself from your body. I have not had occasion to experience this phenomenon yet, but I have come close on occasion.

There are also acronyms that the tweet-peeps (that is how us real tweeters refer to ourselves) use to describe their lifestyles. I found out just yesterday that by adding LTL to your Twitter name identifies you as “Living the Life.” Now, “Living the Life” can mean one of several things. In the main, it means that you are “ballin’”, that you wear only the finest clothes and jewelry, drive only the finest cars, and drink only top shelf alcohol.

However, lately I am beginning to suspect that “Living the Life” means that you are being irresponsible with your flow (income) and spending money you don’t have on things that you don’t really need and that when I see you conspicuously and unexpectedly absent from Twitter for days on end, your fiscal mismanagement has caught up to you and your utilities to include your cable are probably in a state of suspension until you can get back on that come up (earn more money) so that they might be reinstated.

And I have learned even more useful terms as well. For instance, the other day my family and I were out and about all day and became very hungry. We stopped at a Chinese restaurant, and instead of me simply eating my meal, I “went in on it.” And I cannot tell you how much better the food tasted and how much more satisfying the meal was when I “went in on it” as opposed to simply eating it. Later in the week I “went in on” a McDonalds Filet-O-Fish with the same satisfying results.

Also, through Twitter I have been introduced to the concept of “going hard.” Recently I had a stack of papers to grade and a number of other tasks to perform, but instead of just approaching the tasks as I normally would, I decided to “go hard.” And before I knew it, I was completely finished and in record time. That going hard stuff really works, believe it or not.

So, thus far I have enjoyed my time on Twitter. Not only has it helped me to grow my readership and even keep me entertained at times, it has been a very educational experience. If you are not on Twitter, come on over and check it out. If you are and have not followed me yet, please do so and become a part of my Twitter experience.

10 comments:

rainwriter jones said...

For one, I want to let you know that I'm glad I was persistent on learning where the comment button was on your page 'cause it is invisible! (lol) Seriously, it is invisible.

As for Twitter...what an experience in finding all these different souls that are out there! Every now and again, you find some very interesting individuals. Going out of my way NOT to have some of the folks you described as my followers. Went through that on 360, and got tired of one gentleman consistently licking my shoes during his "morning coffee." (LMBAOOO)

Yes, there is much to learn on Twitter. Yep!!

Denisha said...

LOL! You are silly....I don't even use some of those acronyms and I think I'm still apart of the younger generation. The one abt the suspended cable was classic! Leather thongs...hmm, at least you will try anything once lol live life and write a blog abt the experience :)

Renee said...

Twitter is my favourite distraction. I have even thought about buying a device strictly to be able to tweet when I am away from the computer. I love that it has introduced me to some very interesting people. It is amazing what you can say in a scant 140 characters/

♥ CG ♥ said...

ROFL. I was anti-Twitter for so long, but when I decided to "go hard" it also opened my world up to some very interesting people. Who would've thought strangers would know more about me than my fam and friends.

msladyDeborah said...

*sigh* I feel like a Twitter underachiever. I tweet every once and awhile.

md20737 said...

Hey Loved the post, but how could you leave out Britney that stalks us hahah just kidding.

Heres another one I learned that if you dont really believe what someone is saying you can say side:eye and they know you question them. And my favorite something is so funny you put DEAD. You laughed yourself to death. When I found out about that one. I LMAO!! Great Post. Twitter is a Hellva Drug lol

Max Reddick said...

@rainwriter jones

Licking your shoes during his morning coffee? Well, okay. To each his or her own.

@Denisha

Maybe someone should publish a book with all the acronyms. There are so many that I cannot keep up with it all.

@Renee

Twitter is a pleasant distraction indeed. When I first got on, I was instantly hooked. I sat in front of my tweet deck mesmerized. However, I am much better now.

@Curvy Girl

And there are some very interesting people on Twitter. Sometimes it is refreshing, and sometimes it is scary to think that some of those people are out there raising kids. But it takes all kinds to make a world.

@msladydeborah

I don't know how you have the self-control to tweet only every now and then. I can't go a day without at least checking Twitter and sending a few tweets out. I even talked the IT people to let me download tweetdeck to my office computer. I told them it was part of my research.

@md20737

Ugh! The infamous Britney Bot. I wonder when Twitter will finally get a handle on that. I am tired of seeing her face along with her veiny plaything.

Ann Brock said...

Max great post and you do have it bad...You send out about as many tweets as Rippa does...I didn't think no one could beat him.

LoudPen said...

Loved this post! Luvvie or @LuvvieIG did a post on this a few weeks ago, proclaiming herself a Twitterholic. I too had to join the ranks. I think my first tweet was about donuts, but, I felt wonderful. Twitter is definitely my daily distraction. I like to talk constantly & be able to interact w/ all different types of ppl.

I follow some different ppl. that there is something new to be learned everyday.

Keith said...

Great post. I had so many people tell me for the longest time that I needed to get on Twitter. I put it off for so long. I'm glad I finally gave in and joined it.

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