Twitter is my favorite of the social media, by far. Facebook is simply an excuse for people to flood you with friend requests for the silly games or to build up a vast number to feel important. I have used it as a way to reconnect with old friends or a way to keep tabs on family members I don't see that often, but the amount of sheer garbage outweighs it. MySpace no longer exists in its previous form, and I must say that I used it as a vehicle to blog and write five and six years ago. My interest in it waned for the same reasons as Facebook, however ... and now we have Twitter.
I love Twitter for the breaking news, primarily in the sports world but occasionally in the outside world as well. I love being able to get in-game updates from people who are there, and not all of them in the official, reporting capacity. I love that it gives fans a chance to vetch and commiserate without having to join a forum or "friend" someone you've never met, and really have no intention of meeting. It seems like Twitter combines the public aspect of our lives with a desire for privacy, since you follow who you want, ignore those you want, and only have essentially a text message to share yourself.
It's hard to be overly revealing in 160 characters, yet if you post enough people can still get an idea of who you are, or at least the person you project yourself to be. I, for example, project an alternately serious sports fan image with some posts, and a goofy fanboy image with others. I am often delighted to be responded to by big name celebrities - it's the new hanging out at the club to shake hands with an A-list type of person.
With the Major League Baseball trade deadline looming at 4 p.m. today, I've never loved Twitter more. I know who's going before it's announced, because people at the park are seeing the players pulled from games and hugging teammates in the dugout. I hear the rumors and can put together my own theories, some of which blow up just like the paid reporters theories, some of which pan out, and all of which I thoroughly enjoy. Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians? Not enough to save them, and glad my Redlegs didn't give up what it would have taken to get him.
Why the Reds haven't made a significant move is pure speculation, but thanks to Twitter I get a better sense of how absurd the market has been and am not upset with my team. I see why they haven't mortgaged their future for one playoff run. I see that they would have given up far more than they gained in a deal for Carlos Beltran, Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn, or even Jason Bourne at this point ... something that five years ago I would not have seen, even with all the wondrous web sites available then and now. At least, I wouldn't have known until after I got angry, ran off at the mouth, and had a list of statements to retract.
So thank you Twitter, for saving me from myself.
I admit, I'm hooked on Twitter, I love to Tweet, I love to check it once every hour or two to see what's new, what's false, and what's true.
And I love it during the trade deadline most of all.
No comments:
Post a Comment