twitter

Twitter is getting weird on me.

I downloaded an application on my computers at work and home called TwitterFox (for FireFox users). It's an AIM application for Twitter, basically. Every time someone that I'm following posts something it pops up in a small box in the lower right-hand corner of my browser for about five seconds.

On the one hand it's reminding me how personal it can be.

A couple days ago the ninja from Ask a Ninja twittered about someone he knows who came home from work and found his wife ... um ... deceased. He, of course, linked to the guy's twitter page where you could read hourly updates on the tragedy. He also posted a link to a website that was being used to collect donations for the guy and his family. I don't know this man, but I was heart-broken for him.

On the other hand, it's been flexing it's muscles.

I knew it was good when they automated the cell phone thing. (Text "follow switchstudents" to 40404 and you'll get live updates and reminders from Switch.) It's getting intense, though.

A college student used Twitter to free himself from an Egyptian prison. Seriously.

I also read some article yesterday (in passing, and I can't find it now) about Twitter's resourcefulness in the face of natural disasters. Like the CA fires last year. Major news outlets were reporting on what towns were in danger, but people needed to know which neighborhoods were at risk. Two guys in CA set up a Twitter page that was quickly picked up, whereby they posted moment-to-moment updates. I've heard similar stories coming from westerners in Burma.

I also found WeTheChurch. It's a website to log prayer requests and testimonies for the Church, but they've also set up a Twitter account. Every 15 to 20 minutes a request and/or a report from the website pop up in my window. And yes, I've prayed for a couple of 'em.

I'm just realizing how strange, and how leveling it really is. I get updates from witty stay-at-home moms, an NBC camera guy, a woman who carpools with strangers every day, the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing, and a bulldog (although the bulldog hasn't updated in months).

So if you're not twittering yet, get on the bandwagon. It's occasionally creepy, but if you're ever in a jam (or a middle-eastern penitentiary) you'll thank me. Let me know you're on and I'll make you one of my tweeple.