Twitter, the social media microblogging site, celebrates its third birthday this week and it seems passion for the site knows no bounds.
Although its growth is exponentionally faster than Facebook, the latter still dwarfs it in user numbers. More interestingly, has been the attention Twitter has been getting from unlikely areas. Stephen Fry has been on the site since its launch, but now 'celebs' like John Mayer and Ashton Kutcher are leaping on the bandwagon.
The impact on brands will be immense. ComCast has for quite some time used the tool as a way of talking to customers, and now it looks like the media is using it too. The Guardian updates followers regularly and now Chicago Tribune has takent the unprecedented step of flagging its contributors in its flannel panel as Twitterers. Will other newspapers follow suit?
Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
romantic interest
It's been some time since I mentioned the romantic interest, so after lots of consultation with friends, I've decided to come clean on what happened. The Boy - J as he shall be known - is a bit confused. All was going well, we'd been spending lots of time together, going out, reading Sunday papers in the pub. All was well. Which is why I should have seen the truck looming over the horizon.
The problems started two weeks before my birthday in August. J had decided to take a week off 'to chill out'. Maybe I should've been more understanding but I guess I was a bit hurt that he'd decided he needed 'some time away from everything' and that included me. But still I tried not to panic. In retrospect, I maybe shouldn't have contacted him and let him chill, but I thought as we were a couple, talking would be okay. The weekend before his week off, which ran into my birthday weekend, we spent a glorious couple of days, and - to my surprise - he made a commitment declaration by giving me a set of keys to his flat. I was surprised, but touched. His week off came around and my assumption that talking was okay, was so wrong. He made it clear that he was planning to be a hermit for the week, and that included not seeing me. His reassurance that he was 'planning something' for my birthday made me think all was okay. Again, how wrong.
My birthday came around, I got a call from J to ask if I was in the office. I said yes, for the morning, then in the afternoon I was out with my team. It turned out he'd sent flowers to me, but to the registered address for the office, which is not where I was. So that was the start.
We - myself and my team - went to the Elbow Rooms to play pool and J called around five asking when I'd be done. I'd still heard nothing about his 'plans' so I'd arranged to go for a drink with a mate back in South London where I live. I told J this and he said, well can I come? Of course, he could, was my response. It had become clear there was no 'plan'. He turned up with a couple of books - a private joke - and a card. I've tried to find an image online, to no avail. I can't scan the card as I've binned it, but let's just say it's probably the most cruel and nasty card I've ever had from someone close to me. But I digress.
My team had got me some lovely presents and a delicious cake - a flan. J suggested we leave the Elbow Rooms and go back to mine, so we jumped in a cab. And that's when it started. I made the mistake of asking why he'd gone into hiding. He said he didn't want to talk about it, and I -stupidly - pushed the issue. We got to Victoria and it was apparent that the whole thing was over. The situation then descended into a Mike Leigh style comedy. We're standing in Victoria Station, he's telling me he can't cope with our relationship and that he needs space to get his head together. I, by now, am crying. I ask him if he's coming home with me and he says, quite honestly, no. So I say fine and turn around to walk off to my train. He's carrying the flan, so he calls after me about the cake and I tell him he can keep it. God knows what the other commuters thought.
I get on my train, sobbing, and go home. I cry on the sofa then ring my best friend who immediately takes me out and gets me drunk. So all was not lost.
Fast forward to Sat morning. Eight thirty am. I'm dying. I've got mascara all over my face and I feel like death. The buzzer goes. The flowers.
I open the door, unaware that I'm still in the Mike Leigh comedy. A middle aged man launches into a tirade. "You need to get proper labelling on your flats," he grumbles. "I've been all round the bloody grounds, and it took me ten minutes to park. I've got loads more deliveries to make and this is a bad start to the day."
I stand. Looking blankly at him. I open my mouth and I can't help myself. "You're having a bad day?", I say. "You? It was my birthday yesterday so the flowers are late. I was supposed to be going away with my lovely boyfriend, but instead he's dumped me and now I've got these shitty flowers to remind me."
He stood. Open mouthed. And then he said, "not much I can say to that love, Happy birthday!". He hands me the flowers and departs. I get showered and arrange to meet some friends for lunch. I call my mother on the way, and she's surprised to hear from me saying, "I thought J was taking you away". No, I say. What happened? she says. He dumped me yesterday. Oh god, she says. Are you all right? I can't talk about it, I say, choking back tears. Of course, she says. Anyway, how was your birthday? Clearly my mother also had a role in the comedy.
All was fine - or as fine as it could be. I fielded the questions about where J was from my friends, I exchanged an email with J where he explained he was in a difficult place and he needed space and time blah blah. Touchingly, after that space and time, he fully expects to be with me. So I'll just wait here, shall I?
It's amazing how when you think you're just almost getting over it when the digital space delivers a killer blow. I get a text from J. "I'm going to hurt you just a little bit more," he texts. "I'm going to delete our relationship from Facebook. I care about you but I just can't do this."
So a kick in the teeth virtually. I think I would have been happier if I'd been allowed that dignity of being the one to declare myself single.
It's now a month on, and frankly the world is easier. I've been quizzed by friends - who frankly would like to see him strung up by his balls for hurting me so badly - who want to know why I don't hate J.
What did he do? Yes, he said things that he clearly didn't mean but we all get carried away with the moment sometimes. He didn't love me and he didn't want to be with me. So he told me. What's bad about that? Yes, if I found out he'd cheated on me, my attitude would change, but he was just honest. And I'd rather that than a fake weekend away for my birthday. But yes, his timing was shit.
The problems started two weeks before my birthday in August. J had decided to take a week off 'to chill out'. Maybe I should've been more understanding but I guess I was a bit hurt that he'd decided he needed 'some time away from everything' and that included me. But still I tried not to panic. In retrospect, I maybe shouldn't have contacted him and let him chill, but I thought as we were a couple, talking would be okay. The weekend before his week off, which ran into my birthday weekend, we spent a glorious couple of days, and - to my surprise - he made a commitment declaration by giving me a set of keys to his flat. I was surprised, but touched. His week off came around and my assumption that talking was okay, was so wrong. He made it clear that he was planning to be a hermit for the week, and that included not seeing me. His reassurance that he was 'planning something' for my birthday made me think all was okay. Again, how wrong.
My birthday came around, I got a call from J to ask if I was in the office. I said yes, for the morning, then in the afternoon I was out with my team. It turned out he'd sent flowers to me, but to the registered address for the office, which is not where I was. So that was the start.
We - myself and my team - went to the Elbow Rooms to play pool and J called around five asking when I'd be done. I'd still heard nothing about his 'plans' so I'd arranged to go for a drink with a mate back in South London where I live. I told J this and he said, well can I come? Of course, he could, was my response. It had become clear there was no 'plan'. He turned up with a couple of books - a private joke - and a card. I've tried to find an image online, to no avail. I can't scan the card as I've binned it, but let's just say it's probably the most cruel and nasty card I've ever had from someone close to me. But I digress.
My team had got me some lovely presents and a delicious cake - a flan. J suggested we leave the Elbow Rooms and go back to mine, so we jumped in a cab. And that's when it started. I made the mistake of asking why he'd gone into hiding. He said he didn't want to talk about it, and I -stupidly - pushed the issue. We got to Victoria and it was apparent that the whole thing was over. The situation then descended into a Mike Leigh style comedy. We're standing in Victoria Station, he's telling me he can't cope with our relationship and that he needs space to get his head together. I, by now, am crying. I ask him if he's coming home with me and he says, quite honestly, no. So I say fine and turn around to walk off to my train. He's carrying the flan, so he calls after me about the cake and I tell him he can keep it. God knows what the other commuters thought.
I get on my train, sobbing, and go home. I cry on the sofa then ring my best friend who immediately takes me out and gets me drunk. So all was not lost.
Fast forward to Sat morning. Eight thirty am. I'm dying. I've got mascara all over my face and I feel like death. The buzzer goes. The flowers.
I open the door, unaware that I'm still in the Mike Leigh comedy. A middle aged man launches into a tirade. "You need to get proper labelling on your flats," he grumbles. "I've been all round the bloody grounds, and it took me ten minutes to park. I've got loads more deliveries to make and this is a bad start to the day."
I stand. Looking blankly at him. I open my mouth and I can't help myself. "You're having a bad day?", I say. "You? It was my birthday yesterday so the flowers are late. I was supposed to be going away with my lovely boyfriend, but instead he's dumped me and now I've got these shitty flowers to remind me."
He stood. Open mouthed. And then he said, "not much I can say to that love, Happy birthday!". He hands me the flowers and departs. I get showered and arrange to meet some friends for lunch. I call my mother on the way, and she's surprised to hear from me saying, "I thought J was taking you away". No, I say. What happened? she says. He dumped me yesterday. Oh god, she says. Are you all right? I can't talk about it, I say, choking back tears. Of course, she says. Anyway, how was your birthday? Clearly my mother also had a role in the comedy.
All was fine - or as fine as it could be. I fielded the questions about where J was from my friends, I exchanged an email with J where he explained he was in a difficult place and he needed space and time blah blah. Touchingly, after that space and time, he fully expects to be with me. So I'll just wait here, shall I?
It's amazing how when you think you're just almost getting over it when the digital space delivers a killer blow. I get a text from J. "I'm going to hurt you just a little bit more," he texts. "I'm going to delete our relationship from Facebook. I care about you but I just can't do this."
So a kick in the teeth virtually. I think I would have been happier if I'd been allowed that dignity of being the one to declare myself single.
It's now a month on, and frankly the world is easier. I've been quizzed by friends - who frankly would like to see him strung up by his balls for hurting me so badly - who want to know why I don't hate J.
What did he do? Yes, he said things that he clearly didn't mean but we all get carried away with the moment sometimes. He didn't love me and he didn't want to be with me. So he told me. What's bad about that? Yes, if I found out he'd cheated on me, my attitude would change, but he was just honest. And I'd rather that than a fake weekend away for my birthday. But yes, his timing was shit.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
New Facebook
I can't understand why everyone is against the new Facebook style. It seems very usable and much cleaner.
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
China
Much as I have my reservations about China, I have to say the whole fuss over the 'fake' singer at the ceremony is a bit over the top. China has for years been horrific in its attempts to create perfect human beings. From binding feet, to mutilation of young women, it was never going to offer up a slightly gawky child to sing in its biggest exposure to the world. That said, I wonder how affected the rejected child will be. Imagine living your life being known as the 'child that was too ugly to sing at the Olympics'?
I'm wanting someone to explain the point of Yahoo's new Fire Eagle application. I am now Twittering, Facebooking, Powncing and blogging. When does it stop? And does anyone care?
I'm wanting someone to explain the point of Yahoo's new Fire Eagle application. I am now Twittering, Facebooking, Powncing and blogging. When does it stop? And does anyone care?
Thursday, 7 August 2008
busy busy
God I sometimes hate Blogger. I've been manically busy starting work at a new agency, and also dating a lovely boy. No information will be given to identify either, but the former is going well although I think the latter might think I'm mad.
I'm not entirely sure how much I love the new Facebook homepage. While it seems to look a lot more streamlined, I can't see where their commercial opportunities have gone. Although, look at this it seems they have other plans.
My usage of Facebook has dipped recently. Partly due to work, but also due to lack of inspiration. What do you say in your status if nothing's happened?
I'm not entirely sure how much I love the new Facebook homepage. While it seems to look a lot more streamlined, I can't see where their commercial opportunities have gone. Although, look at this it seems they have other plans.
My usage of Facebook has dipped recently. Partly due to work, but also due to lack of inspiration. What do you say in your status if nothing's happened?
Monday, 7 July 2008
Finally
Well after a week of no laptop, I'm now able to update my blog. I've finished working for Mobile Business, too much for too little money, so they've now found a new editor, which is great.
My business plans are coming along too, should be meeting people this week. Quite exciting and scary too.
Went to the NMA Awards on the 26th June. Interesting array of winners. Good to see that Argos is finally getting recognition for its digital work. Although, I do think they need to ensure that the dedication to digital filters down to the minions. Last time I spoke to a PR person at Argos, they told me digital wasn't a priority for them. Interesting when you think how the experience of ordering on the web, picking up in store and paying at a quick terminal is so much more palatable than standing with the chavs. If only they could understand how important they're going to be in the new trying 'credit crunch' days.
Have had a bit of a debauched weekend, not with the romantic interest mentioned last month, but with a new one. Considering I spent all weekend with him, and I didn't want to kill him, we could be in trouble. He does however keep demanding I visit him in the achingly trendy Shoreditch. Not entirely sure that'll be happening regularly. Even better though, he's a geek so at least when I start talking about SEO and social integration and web2.0, he won't doze off out of ignorance. Boredom, maybe, ignorance though, not.
Need to get my head together as I've two features to write on SEO. Better dust off my 'How to get to the top on Google' manual. Have also been reading Groundswell, about the importance of social media. Given that comments on Facebook are falling, should be quite interesting. Have been watching with interest the rise of things like Dopplr and Twitter. The exhaustingly digital Paul Walsh seems to spend 24 hours a day updating his feed, frankly my life's too dull for that. Pleased to be back online. Amazing how much you get done, though, when the constant chirping of incoming mail isn't there. I've reorganised my office, fed my fish and managed to make a jelly. I'm having a breakdown clearly.
I'm still surprised at the ruling against YouTube re; Viacom's case against them. Quite how YouTube is going to offer up all the users' details without someone mounting an action against them. I would have thought someone would pull the Human Rights card. Yet to be seen.
My business plans are coming along too, should be meeting people this week. Quite exciting and scary too.
Went to the NMA Awards on the 26th June. Interesting array of winners. Good to see that Argos is finally getting recognition for its digital work. Although, I do think they need to ensure that the dedication to digital filters down to the minions. Last time I spoke to a PR person at Argos, they told me digital wasn't a priority for them. Interesting when you think how the experience of ordering on the web, picking up in store and paying at a quick terminal is so much more palatable than standing with the chavs. If only they could understand how important they're going to be in the new trying 'credit crunch' days.
Have had a bit of a debauched weekend, not with the romantic interest mentioned last month, but with a new one. Considering I spent all weekend with him, and I didn't want to kill him, we could be in trouble. He does however keep demanding I visit him in the achingly trendy Shoreditch. Not entirely sure that'll be happening regularly. Even better though, he's a geek so at least when I start talking about SEO and social integration and web2.0, he won't doze off out of ignorance. Boredom, maybe, ignorance though, not.
Need to get my head together as I've two features to write on SEO. Better dust off my 'How to get to the top on Google' manual. Have also been reading Groundswell, about the importance of social media. Given that comments on Facebook are falling, should be quite interesting. Have been watching with interest the rise of things like Dopplr and Twitter. The exhaustingly digital Paul Walsh seems to spend 24 hours a day updating his feed, frankly my life's too dull for that. Pleased to be back online. Amazing how much you get done, though, when the constant chirping of incoming mail isn't there. I've reorganised my office, fed my fish and managed to make a jelly. I'm having a breakdown clearly.
I'm still surprised at the ruling against YouTube re; Viacom's case against them. Quite how YouTube is going to offer up all the users' details without someone mounting an action against them. I would have thought someone would pull the Human Rights card. Yet to be seen.
Saturday, 3 May 2008
Boris
I'm all for politicians using 'new media', but come on. Boris's Facebook page has not been updated with the news that he's now Mayor of London. I know the result was only announced last night but.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
