I'm a Twitterholic - Twitter Meme

 

I was tagged in a post by the lovely Becca @Beckicklesie at http://www.beckicklesie.com/ who in turn had previously been tagged by Kate over at The Five Fs blog  

"I have been considering starting a Twitter meme for a while and I'm just getting around to it now. That's the problem you have when you have too many ideas for blog posts in your head.

I decided to start this, because I love Twitter more than is healthy for a grown woman. I had a slow start but it's now reached fever pitch, and there is no hope for me; I'm hooked. I am a Twitterholic So, I have concocted a few questions about Twitter and you, which I hope will make for interesting blog-type reading."

When did you join Twitter? (You can find the exact date at bwitterday.com)

3rd December 2009.

Why did you join Twitter?

I was initially put off, thinking it was going to be banal information like "I'm making a cuppa" or "Just had a poo", and not being a big fan of those people who detail the minutiae of their lives on Facebook, I wasn't sure about the whole thing.

However, I had been a 'comper' for a while, mainly entering competitions via Money Saving Expert's forum. I saw quite a few people posting that they had won prizes on Twitter and thought I'd give it a go.  I couldn't get my head around it at first, but some lovely forum members helped and talked me through it step by step (literally, I'm such a technophobe!) Within a couple of weeks, I'd already taken delivery of some lovely prizes. In one week I recieved 6 gourmet frozen pizzas, 2 bottles of champagne, 3 Brad Pitt DVDs and a foot pamper kit from Scholl! That made for a lovely Saturday night in.

 

I followed quite a few compers who I'd previously 'chatted' with on MSE, and soon I was hooked. Life on Twitter is boring if all you do is retweet though.  I've made some fantastic online friends -some of whom I feel more comfortable talking about problems with than my real-life friends. I follow some great charities, and try to help them where I can. I've also discovered the world of the blog, and this has opened up a whole new world for me. One of the other great things about twitter is all the small businesses you find, all the etsy sellers and crafters...I'm hoping not to touch the High Street this Christmas!

Who is/was your first or oldest follower? Who did you follow first? Tell me all about them. (firstfivefollowers.com will give you this info)

I have just checked this and am amazed to find I have absolutely no recollection of these companies - mostly random foodie/recipe based.  I don't remember following, and am not sure why I did in the first place - they were probably running a giveaway at the time!

 

I am a very lazy twitterer. I rarely unfollow anyone. The only person I ever unfollowed was a vile jealous comper who likes nothing more than tweeting poorly spelt vitriol. She's firmly blocked and unfollowed now. Although I suspect she pops up from time to time hiding behind new, false accounts.

Do you have any celebrities following you, or have you ever had a DM from a celeb?

 

Ha! I can answer this one now. Last week Tom Cruise was tweeting that anyone who used the hashtag  #ICanChangeTheWorld  would be followed back. I didn't hold out much hope, but tweeted him anyway. The following day, checking my emails, I got one from Twitter saying 'Tom Cruise is now following you'. I nearly fell off the sofa. Of course, I sent him a DM - I don't ever expect a reply but it's funny as hell that I've got a DM in my outbox to Mr Top Gun.

 

If you could follow anyone not on Twitter - alive, dead, real or fictional - on Twitter, who would it be?

It would have to be a comedy great.  Writing a gag in 140 characters is genuis, and I'd love to know what someone like Tony Hancock or Ronnie Barker could come up with.  Kenneth Williams would be great too.  My favourite tweeter at the moment is @Catbinlady.  Not that I find it funny to put cats in wheely bins, but the banter between her and @Brendalovescats makes me chuckle.

Which came first - Twitter or blog? 

Twitter for sure. I didn't really know anything about blogging before I joined twitter, and I don't think I'd ever read a blog.  I have found some fantastic writers through here, and it's inspired me to give it a go.  There is amazing support for newbies too. I hear lots about cyber-bitching and trolls, but thankfully have not experienced this in the blogging world yet...the comping world is another matter!

So, that's me. It now falls to me to pass on this Twitterholic meme to some other great bloggers. I am therefore tagging to receive my wonderful Twitterholic award:

Kay @chaoskay at On the Brink of Bedlam 

Tracy @Mummiafelice at White Lily Green

Kate @grannysmither Welcome to My World

Zoe @splodz Splodz Blogz

Jo @Jo_Bryan Given to Distracting Others

 

to have a go. The rules, such as they are, are:

1. Nick the badge at the top, and mention the person who tagged you.
2. Answer the questions. (Duh!)
3. Tag some other great twitterholics bloggers.

Alternatively, tag yourself, mention me in your blog post and link to it in the comments below. I'd love to hear about your Twitter experience