Twittering My Week Away

Until last week, I had successfully resisted Twitter like I had succesfully resisted golf— convinced that both were horrible wastes of time that had deviously enslaved millions of victims.

What, you say, is Twitter? Launched in October 2006, Twitter is a “microblog”— a way of communicating publically about yourself over the internet in short sentences, spur of the moment. You can post short updates about yourself (have to be 140 characters or less) by either website, web-enabled phone, or by text messaging direct to twitter. There are over two million people on Twitter; many people send out these short postings (called “tweets”) throughout the day, informing the world of what they had for lunch, if they’re stuck in traffic, the latest project they are working on, how their meeting went, and on and on it goes.

So you can see why I steered way clear of such a horrible waste of time. But one week ago today, I thought, Hmmm….. I’ll try it out, what could it hurt? Well, so I’ve done 46 “tweets” in the past 7 days, I am following 26 people (most of whom I already had contact with as writers strung from Canada to Australia) and 13 people are currently following me. I’ve tweeted both from computers and from my iPhone, on serious topics and not so serious ones. I’ve also had twitter forward my tweets directly over to my Facebook page where they show up as Facebook updates.

It’s actually been an interesting & intruiging week of twittering. I try to be cautious about what projects are worth my time investment, but I’ve decided Twitter is a winner for me. It is a unique way of sharing life together, of building community, even in a limited way, with people that you never could in any other way. Tweets tend to be informal, spontaneous, less guarded, more open and honest, less “image conscious” than some other ways of communicating. It’s also a good way for me to communicate something that is on my mind worth sharing but not long enough to write up a whole article about. Bottom line: I’ve enjoyed twittering my week away.

So what did I “tweet” about? Here are some of my posts over the last week:

(First one) Can’t believe I broke down & actually signed up for Twitter. I am now fully a slave to the machine…

checking out http://culture11.com/ —-new online magazine/web 2.0 social community might have some possibilities

Just searched for people tweeting in Kingsport— 20 active in the whole town– do I live in a tech mecca or what?

Just installed http://tinyurl.com/5lf7n7 woo hoo! almost as fun as an iphone!

Pathetic geekness example: last night I dreamed I was telling someone how cool ubiquity is and then installed it on his computer.

Panera asiago roast beef sandwich for lunch– mighty tasty!

Lying in my hammock beneath a maple, gently rocking, listening 2 crickets & 2 Michael Card, watching my son–this is nourishment 4 my soul

As I face life’s challenges, its good 2 know that I will b more than I am now;I will continue 2 grow in strength & wisdom as I walk with God

Telling someone that they have cancer is such a hard thing. For both of us.

Intruiging how the constraint of 140 characters limits my usual verbosity & causes me to think carefully how to creatively express myself…

interesting article on Governor Palin”s infant son with Down’s from Al Mohler: http://tinyurl.com/5zwun2

twittering is a little like doctoring, in that there is real value in sharing in the lives of others, even if it is in episodic snippets…

From a blog I like— “We have an unspoken integrity agreement with every other person on the planet that says, “I will not hurt you.” ”

sooo tired… exhausting day, exhausting week… but in the midst of the exhaustion a gentle joy, for I really do love to care for people

how about some Red Skelton to start off your weekend… http://tinyurl.com/5n9r77

Subtle, pervasive, disturbing– how often we connect with another person thinking “What can they give me?” Another sad effect of the Fall.

My son Andrew ran in his 2nd cross country meet this morning– I couldn’t be more proud of the man he is becoming.

When I go into Walmart now I think everything there is going 2 b pushed into trash piles by a spunky robot in a 1000 years.Thank you Pixar!

So many Christians see just a ticket for heaven later & a moral code for now. Life, transformation, growth, beauty– not even on their radar

Sitting in a swing watching my son Andrew cut the back yard with my john Deere stx38 lawn tractor for the 1st time. Doesn’t get any better!

Why do I read the Bible this morning? Duty? Inspiration? Routine? Analysis? Or realizing my need, & desperate for the life of God?

2Co 5:17 I am a new creation sounds great, but it presupposes v14-15 I have died with Christ, no longer living for myself but only for Him.

Threw away broken exercycle, computer, trimmer, & disposal today–all <8yrs old, all easier 2 replace than repair in this society… I wonder how much this easier 2 replace than repair ethos bleeds over 2 our friendships, our marriages, our churches in this use it then trash it society.

Trying out twitpic, here’s a worthwhile investment that the family has enjoyed, the koi pond I built last year. http://twitpic.com/9xcd

spent most of day doing yardwork, now I’m sitting back watching UT/UCLA football (INTERCEPTION TENNESSEE!!!!), & working on a blog post

I am reminded how natural it is to treasure happiness in my heart above all else- & no matter how innocuous it is always the path to death

Fighting poison ivy on right side of face. I wonder if this is what the first stage of a Borg implant feels like?

First soccer practice of the season with my son Michael. http://twitpic.com/a15c

Reading thru Ecclesiastes. Many want 2 peg Solomon as either in perfect sync with God or else totally reprobate… Maybe instead he was just somewhere in the middle, both saint & sinner. Just like me.

gal 5:23 “against” the fruit of the spirit there is no law. Greek “against” compares higher to lower; Paul says the Spirit is a higher way

This just in: How did Luke figure out what Darth Vader got him for his birthday? He was able to feel his “presents”!

Working on my next blog post… Guess what it’s about? My first week on Twitter!

So, if you’re curious enough, you can check out my latest tweets by pointing your web browser to :

http://twitter.com/wiseasgandalf

As I said before, they’re also showing up as updates on my facebook page, and on the sidebar at the bottom of my website www.lightalongthejourney.com. Or you can sign up for your own account on www.twitter.com and join the fun!