Feeling Like a Twit

In spite of the fact that I am officially a "techie" at my company, I am definitely not an early adopter of any new technology. My first iPod was a fifth generation. My father in law was using Blogger years before I was. In most cases, there is no gaping hole in my life that I am desperately trying to fill. I have a GPS device, an HDTV, a surround sound system, an AWD car, central air conditioning, a microwave oven, a cellular phone, a wireless network, several Blogger and Gmail accounts, a power mower, a coffee machine that grinds the beans for me, a digital camera or two.... Etc. What else could I possibly want or need?

In fact, in most cases, the only time I ever adopt a new technology is if there's some sort of reason why I need to learn about it.

I'm on Facebook because my daughter is on Facebook and I want to know who's stalking her. I'm on Blogger because a client wanted to integrate it with his site and use it to publish announcements. I have an iPod because my daughter was given an old one, and I borrowed it once.

In most cases, I can see the application and utility of it right away, as soon as I start using it. In some cases, well, let's just say, I'm not sure.

I have a client who would love to use Twitter in her business model. Because all the cool companies are doing it. Pushing out edgy updates to an edgy audience who want to buy your edgy products.

The problem? My client's product isn't edgy. Her target audience is aging. And frequently technophobic. And for the life of me, I cannot imagine what she would be able to say about her products via Twitter (No. I can't bring myself to use the term "tweet" outside of patronizing quotation marks.) that would make the use of Twitter such a boon to her marketing strategy.

Her best bet is to set up a group on LinkedIn, a social networking tool much more likely to be of use to her target audience, and use that for ... whatever.

But before I talk the talk, I suppose I have to walk the walk. So, I have now been using Twitter for a little more than a week. I follow a few people. A few people follow me.

Here's a weird thing -- A few people I have never heard of are following me. I don't know why. I'm not famous. I don't have a gazillion followers. Somehow, out of a sea of Twits, they latched onto me and said "He looks interesting." I don't know why. I feel like they are going to try to sell me something, but how can that be? I'm not following them, so for all intents and purposes, in my life, they don't exist. Still, I'm creeped out about it.

Twitter power users tell me that after you use it a while, you reach a point where you suddenly see it -- you get what the point is. I sure hope so, because right now, I feel like the Grinch who stole Christmas ranting about the Hoos. "All the noise, noise, noise, noise, noise, noise!"

That's what I see. Millions of little insignificant points of light, individual stars hollering "look at me, I matter!" Just like all of the others.

I have posted a few Twitter updates. I use it like my status update on Facebook -- indeed, I have the two linked together -- but every time I do, I wonder "Who the hell cares what I am doing right now, what I am seeing right now, how I am feeling right now?"

Of course, I suppose it is a bit ironic that I am posting a BLOG ENTRY about that. But when I started with Blogger, I never expected to have any readers. It was an outlet for me, and soon, people found me and next thing you knew, I had Blogger friends. The entire raison d'être for Twitter is for people to listen to you.

Talk about your narcissism. Makes me feel like a twit.