I joined Twitter almost 2 1/2 years ago and I'll admit: those early days were awkward. It was like schoolyard jumprope and you'd have to study the twirl of the rope and time it just right before running in to play, too. It felt silly to "tweet" anything, and giving up two spaces after a period for character economy hurt! Fail whales proliferated, Twitter parties weren't invented, and business had yet to discover they could leverage it into engaging customer to brand.
And I'd indiscriminately follow people. If "they" were good enough for you to follow, I'd probably add 'em, too…
…even if I didn't know who they were or why you were following them.
Take and her husband Don; I think I followed them because tweeted something pithy and intriguing, and knowing Jessica, brilliant…about them? to them? one? both? So I followed. I loved their retro 60s Twitter backgrounds and figured their liquor-drinkin', cigarette-smokin' tweets were schtick…a novel way to distinguish themselves and build Twitter characters just for fun, mocking an era gone by.
Who knew they were fictional characters on a TV show?
So, when "Betty" DMed me one day, I thought it was her stepping out of Twitter character to reach out to me because she was needy and hurting and she could tell I was a nice and caring person. Though the tweet is long gone, it went something like this:
The kids are driving me crazy. Think Don's having another affair. I've got no one to talk to. I need a cigarette and a drink.
So I did what any decent human would do–I DMed her back, truly concerned and sensing her desperation, telling her if she needed to talk I was available (something I've never offered to a stranger before or since); if you had to go with the odds, I told her I'd pray for her, too.
She didn't reply.
Soon after, I discovered just "who" these people were and I was mortified! I showed them–unfollowing immediately to save face!
A year or two later and older and Twitter-wiser, I'm eagerly awaiting the Season Four premier of Madmen tonight (hoping I won't catch third-party lung cancer). Though character entertains me and story draws me in, it's the fashion I can't wait to see!! (Oh, how and ANY reason to wear it!)
Lucky for Nielson ratings I don't hold grudges ;).
That is hysterical! 🙂
Oh, Robin! Bless your sweet, sweet heart. That is totally something I would do, too! Except I don’t think I would ever blog about it. 🙂 You are so awesome, in every possible way!
i am where you were two years ago – except i’m not new to twitter, just inept. thinking you might be my new twitter mentor – unless that’s creepy or weird. first mentory question – are you supposed to use two spaces after a period? it seems so wasteful.
i was going to reply this to your tweet, but have yet to master the art of 140 characters.
You're laughing WITH me, aren'tcha? PLEASE TELL ME IT'S "WITH" AND NOT "AT"…! 😉 🙂
Megan,
I waited a long, long, long, long time to write about it. I really wanted to crawl under a rock back then and no one woulda noticed or cared but I was m.o.r.t.i.f.i.e.d.
And don't think I missed exactly what "kind" of "bless your heart" that was, Missy. It ain't the good kind ;)!
Hi Transplanting,
Save spaces however/whenever you can! One space after punctuation; and abbreviate as needed. Watch what others do and you'll get the hang….like jumping rope 😉 :).
oh my goodness I LOVE this!!!!! My bloggy crush grows. And in the spirit of bloggy crushes may I just say you look ah.maz.ing. in that dress. I want one too.
Jill,
You KNOW our crush is mutual, right? xo
Seeing myself in that dress–pics are about as old as that story–is incentive to lose weight. It was tight then; to get back in it I think I need to lose AT LEAST 10 pounds. S i g h…I want back in it!
You are way too sweet, sister. 😉 After a couple years on twitter, I’m beginning to wonder if anyone on there is a real person. I mean, besides the handful I met at Blissdom…..
Oh my goodness! That is too too funny.
Thank you for having the guts to share, it is a story that MUST be told. Priceless.
And WOO HOO to you in that dress. You look lovely.
I followed them knowing they were fictional, then unfollowed eventually because I hadn’t ever (and still haven’t) watched the show.
That dress is fabulous, by the way!
Oh Robin, this made me laugh…and I really need to laugh! I am new to Twitter — last 4 months or so. And I can absolutely see myself tweeting with fictional characters — not only am I not Twitter savvy, I’m also the most un-popcultured person you could ever meet.
Anyway, just wanted to say hello and thanks for making me laugh.
so thiiiiis is what you were wanting to search old tweets for! so dang funny!
Babe, I know exactly what you mean… (le sigh). But YOU'RE real and I'M real… RIGHT??? 🙂
Molly,
Makes me smile every time I think about it! Glad it gave you a smile :). (and thank you!!!)
AJ,
Oddly, I had watched a handful of episodes in previous years, that out of context, made little sense at all; I'm not exactly proud, but we watched all of Season Three last week. 13 episodes. One week. I think that's its own brand of sin, lol. (And thank you for your nice compliment….it makes me happy to hear the word "fabulous" thrown in my direction). 🙂
Thanks for popping over from Twitter, Michelle. I'll tell ya this up front: Twitter can make you crazy! Don't read too much into it, have fun…and be at least a leetle bit discriminating in who you follow!!! (present company excluded, of course 😉 )
Alece,
Yes ma'am, THIS is it; I woulda paid a lot for that tweet, lol. There might have even been an exchange or two until she realized I thought she was REAL! Ai yi yi, she's probably STILL laughing AT me! "poor sap…!"