I use Twitter for business, information and for some personal stuff. It is a gathering place. Somebody described Twitter as an application that duplicated living in a small town where you know everything about everybody. As someone who grew up in a small town, I agree mostly.

But that’s what makes Twitter fun.

Like Cathy said above, I find Twitter to be a virtual ‘water cooler’ as well. Plus, other’s tweets have led me to some really great blogs and business info. that’s relative to my niche market.

But, seriously, I follow different people for different reasons. There are some folks who are all business, all the time; there are others who are more personal and casual in what they tweet; and then there are those who combine both.

Because we vote with our feet (tweet?), I’m not that disturbed by Twitterers who tend to the more personal. If they’re not relevant or interesting to me, I don’t follow them. No blood, no foul.

I think it was you, Jack, who tweeted about the bald eagle you spotted on a downtown street one day. I loved that! I tweeted right after about encountering a bear while on a business trip to California. I happen to like the blend of “news I can use” with personal bits. It’s what I do and what I respond to from other Twitterers.

Saw Twitter 2 yrs. ago and passed, because I thought it was what the video shows.

Saw Twitter early in the Summer as part of a marketing strategy. Passed. Seemed slimy and way too time consumeing.

Joined Twitter to work with a group putting together PodCampHawaii. Seeing Twitter used as a powerful tool to organize, educate, and bring an entire community together got me hooked!

In one month I’ve made dozens of friends locally, and hundreds around the world. Real people. We engage in real conversations of value. I’m amazed by the intelligence and wit of my 1,112 followers. We’ve had tweet ups, geek meets, and mini-dinner tweet meets. Yes, contact in real life as a result of online interaction on Twitter.

Twitter conversations are replacing Google searches. Tweeps opinions and recommendations mean more than what the search engines throw in my face.

As new application interfaces are developed for Twitter, I believe it will change how we interact.

Best of – Twitter is making Social Media truly social. And social peeps are happy peeps!

Keep Tweeting!
Aloha,
Arleen
http://www.twitter.com/AlohaArleen

It definitely has grown on me over the past few months. I have made new friends and developed great business relationships. I have gotten a lot of great info, teleseminars, ebooks, and even publicity that I would have missed if not on twitter.

As a solo entrepreneur, I also see twitter as my virtual water cooler. It’s a way to keep in touch with the world & not feel so alone cooped up in my little studio.

I’m a huge twitter fan & although I don’t freak out when it goes down like this girl does, I do feel a tinge of panic when it does. LOL

However, I find Twitter a vast resource for information. Some of that information is provided in links from followers to great content in my field of endeavor (women’s issues, blogging, social media, publishing) and some of that great content is a peek into the way people think. A study in the human condition, if you will. Since I am intensely interested in how folks use the net, these glimpses into the lives of people I may never meet, are intriguing.

I use Twitter to meet people, to talk business, to share some of myself with my followers, and to be sociable. Say, that’s a key word: sociable. Sociable media. Social networking.

Isn’t that what it’s all about. The people?