Random follow #53 - @thesewphist

Not everyone who uses social media is open about themselves.  Some people, like today's tweeter, do a great job of keeping their real identity secret.  Its like twitter allows them to showcase their skills, talents and creativity in a safe and public way without the hassle.

@thesewphist is someone I have tried to write a post on before.  but I just couldn't get the right angle or approach to this person.  This is my attempt to try and correct that now.

Here are a few things that I think I do know -

1. This person is a teacher or works in education.  And they also have to deal with all the struggles that go with working in an educational environment. 
   Tweet exhibit #1 - "Arggh, someone nicked all the whiteboard markers from my room AND left a packet of flip chart markers under the whiteboard. #grumpy" 
2. This person loves to express them-self but waits for the right opportunity to do so.  I am picking up a bit of shyness here.
   Tweet exhibit #2 - "Husband popped out for a quick photoshoot, neighbours are away. I'm honour-bound to take up this opportunity for solo SingStar, aren't I?"
3. This person is bubbling with creative talent and skill.
   Tweet exhibit #3 - "Hmm, being in the midst of the workroom makeover, my ironing station is rather obscured. But I have the urge, nay, the need to sew..."
4. This person has a keen sense of nostalgia and appreciates the memories of yesterday. 
   Tweet exhibit #4 "I'm going to gaze out the window at the Avalon studios and imagine the Goodnight Kiwi snuggling down, then do the same myself. #NightNight"

@thesewphist is yet another hearty soul who hails from the nations capital of Wellington.  (What is it with Wellington and the use if twitter???).

In reading through @thesewphist timeline and in observing the way she interacts with people I am 100% confident that she is a very sweet, warm and loving person.  She is also very shy but still carries within her a definite strength that can at times be overlooked and undervalued by others.  She also is an encourager of others and looks for the positives in any and every situation.

If you would like to tweet @thesewphist go right ahead.  If you would like to see some of her sewing work then you can check it out at her website - http://www.thesewphist.com/.

 @thesewphist is a total gold medal tweeter.

Random follow #52 - @condy_ian

Will Smith once starred in a movie in which the main theme was the connectedness of people across the world.  And in measuring that connectedness it was thought that every single person was only seven relationships or links away from every single other person on the face of the planet.  With twitter the number of links between people is reduced.  I would almost go so far as to reduce the number from being '7 degrees of separation' all the way down to about 5.

Today's tweeter is a friend of a friend.  He is a friend of a couple of people I have profiled previously too.  In fact most or all of the friends whom I have in the Hawkes Bay are people I know from twitter. @condy_ian is the one of twitter voices for the Thirsty Whale Bar and Restaurant in Napier. 

Condy is a really nice guy who works his butt off and tweets a bit too.  He enjoys his sport, enjoys a good beer and also enjoys a good conversation.

Here a few key observations that I have made about Condy.  He is definitely an optimist - "It's going to rain this week".  He used to support the Hurricanes (and probably still does but everyone knows the Chiefs won the Super 15 in 2012) - "@RikkiSwannell Magpie Fans now see the Chiefs as "their team" Canes have lost support of the provinces a couple yrs ago".

Whats really interesting is that as I look back over his tweet stream I can see so many tweets of his that I have read and taken notice of.  Its like his tweets work by stealth.  You read his tweets as they cross your timeline, ponder them for a moment and then move on.  But when you go back and read them again its as if those words have buried themselves in your memory.

So he is a subtle tweeter.  He doesn't get up in your face and wave a finger at you telling you what you should or should not think.  Yes sure - he has his opinions but he's an evangelist for the virtues of sport.  The one topic he may express his opinion on directly is his choice of beer.  If any person can drive through the Hawkes Bay and down to the Waiarapa and not figure out what the beer of choice is then they would have to be a blind man (no offense to anyone).

In short Condy is not a social media time waster.  He is your average good keen guy who has found social media and uses it both as a form of entertainment and a tool to interact with people.  He is a genuine bloke.  There's no bull or lies appearing in his timeline.  His tweets are real, short and interesting.

This is not the official twitter account for the Thirsty Whale.  You can follow their official account over at @thirstywhale.  One way to think @condy_ian is like having a inside man who can give you the good oil.  Need a few tips on any random things about the Hawkes Bay then this is your man.

Before twitter I hardly knew anyone in the Hawkes Bay but now I know I can go to the @thirstywhale and can meet and see someone I have interacted with.  And so the number of connections between myself and the world has reduced again and is definitely on the move down from 7 to 5.

Random follow #51 - @quitesimplykell

I was told once that I don’t mention my wife and family enough in my social media interactions.  Well that isn’t an issue for today’s random tweeter.  Well it is a little because @quitesimplykell is the wife in the relationship as opposed to the husband.  But she most definitely tweets a lot about those whom she loves the most.

She doesn’t give too much away about said husband but it is easy to see in her tweets a genuine love and appreciation of her man.  Except for this tweet “ I shouldn't laugh when Daisy jumps on her Daddy's balls. But I can't help it. #painface”

The next greatest love in her life after her husband is her wee little girl.  “Today I am still D's primary source of food, tomorrow it will all change. My wee girl is growing up. #breastfeeding #eightmonthsold #solids”.  

Being a mum is no easy task and any lady that commits herself to being one gets both my applause and my sympathies.  Because the contributions that mums make are quite often overlooked or under rated.

@quitesimplykell shares in a number of her tweets her journey being a mum.  More of the ups than the downs which is really nice.  And it sounds lie she is a natural at it too “The war against the dummy last night was a success. Took half an hour to get D to sleep but she slept til 6am. #rested #happy”.  

And then there are those days.  The days when everything you try just isn’t happening and you can get a bit overwhelmed.  And all you really need, whether you realise it or not, is just some plain old good advice like this “Just had my first cry on the phone to @plunketnz and they were amazing. Wish I'd swallowed my pride and called earlier. Thanks Plunket!”

Kellie is able to laugh at herself in an honest and self-reflective way.  “Why are so many of the dresses on ASOS so short? I have nearly 34 year old Kiwi Chick thighs damn it!! And cellulite. #thetruthcomesout” But she didn’t let that didn’t hold her back because “Woohoo, two successful online purchases from ASOS. Love my tops!!”

And there is her dental hygiene “The best bit about corn season is that it forces me to floss my teeth. My dentist who has not seen me in three years would be proud.”

I may be a little wrong on this one but I get the sense that is also a talented writer.  I haven’t been following her long enough and have not been so blunt as to ask the question “What do you write?” or “Are you famous” but I am sure Kellie is.  And we’re not talking little bits of writing.  Oh no we are talking about some serious work “That moment where you send off a manuscript and you kind of want to vomit from the hope/stress/tension of it all.”

Once she gets on a roll on a particular topic @quitesimplykell is able to bust out some very funny tweets.  And like whole series of them.  She strings together a number of tweets on a topic and manages to keep you the reader enthralled.  The best examples of these were the tweets relating to the Pope.   

Try these on –

“I like that the Pope has to give four weeks notice when he resigns, just like the rest of us do.”

“I also like that the pope knows when he's shit at his job. Not all managers do.”

“I hope that the hot looking Cardinal dude gets to become Pope. I could watch him talk faith all day.”

“The Pope lasted eight years in his job, that's three years more than I've ever managed to last. That's dedication. #Pope”

So there you go.  In a little over 600 words, many of them actually being Kellie’s own, I think I managed to build a very good argument to follow a very likeable lady who is full of great ideas.  The choice is over to you now.  “To follow.  Or not to follow.  That is the question”.

Oh and just to sum it all up - @quitesimplykel is cool.

Random follow #50 - @RoryWhite_84

"It's the little things that really matter" are the words of the chorus of a song by Trinity Roots.  Social media is about relationships and interacting.  Its also about the little things.  Its about saying hello to someone who tweets you.  Its about cracking jokes and having a laugh at the silly side of life.

@RoryWhite_84 is a person who gets the little things right.  He has both an eye for detail as well as a keen sense of humor that set him up as a really nice guy.  This tweet here is a great example of that -

"Murray doesn't limp anymore . Surgery heals quick on short land street."

Seriously.  How many people in New Zealand watched that episode on television and completely missed the fact that a miracle had taken place.  Not our Rory.  No way - he spotted it and called it.

He is also a little bit romantic.  "Nothing beats a good kiss on the forehead ..." 

What strikes me as being really significant about  @RoryWhite_84 is that I think if you went out on the town with him - you'd end up having a bloody good time.  He is fun effervescent, full of life and bursting at the seams with   Example tweet - "Heeeeelllllllooooooooo world".

One of the interesting things about this project so far has been discovering people who would normally we be outside my usual circle of friends or people whom I interact with. For example in my average life with above average friends I have yet to hear of them say something quite so sassy as this - 

"Dear baby Jesus . Please let me go to sleep before 12.45.., if you do I promise tomorrow to not be a moody bitch . Thanks heaps xox"

I love that tweet.  I really do.  It oozes honesty, sassyness, a touch of sarcasm and kisses you with a whole lot of funny. 

Definitely a prolific tweeter who keeps close contact with those whom are special and hold value for him.  And my final observation of @RoryWhite_84 is that once your a friend you're probably a friend for life. 
Just like how all good friendships should be.

Random follow #49 - @margie186

"Never judge a book by its cover".  That is true in real life but not so much when it comes to social media.  When someone new pops up in your timeline twitter allows you to get a wee snapshot of a person based on what they tell you in their bio.  With @margie186 that snapshot is quite amusing.  There is a mix of both the serious and silly which combine to create a really interesting mix.

Here is what her bio says at the moment -

"Epitaph will read: She was quite helpful. Part time Wife, expired use-by-date Mother, full time Procrastinator, Compulsive Communicator."

Rather than me try and undertake some sort of deep analysis of Margie and who she is as a social media personality, I am going to let her speak for herself.  So to start with here is one example of "she was quite helpful" -

"Trying to pimp sis-in-law’s handout for shops etc. She’s done it in Word on a pc. Not tearing my hair out at all. #NoNoNo #OhLookDrinkOClock"

The wife -

"Have despatched husband to Japan. Now what shall I do? Hm…"

The mother -

"Parental Skype with the Samster. He told us to download 4pics 1word app. Husband now repeatedly asking: what's this stupid word? #LeavesRoom"

The procratinator -

"Right, that’s enough of today and Slackass Useless Margie Tomorrow will be all Uber Margie. #dothis #dothat #doallthestuff"

The conversation maker -

"Just realised I’ve only spoken to the chemist and the gas station person today. Watch out twitter. #Drinking"

And if you are sharp you will notice she has a link to a website.  Not just any website but a portfolio of photos that she has been able to capture.  There are so many stories that are told through her portfolio.  Landscapes,children and some very interesting creative tidbits. 

@margie186 is a fun loving wife, mum and all round cool chick.  She doesn't waste her tweets but she is an interacter and tweets alot.  You tweet you get a reply.  Simple really.  One lovely lady, one twitter account, one easy follow.  'Nuff said.

 This is one of @margie186's stunning photos from a few years ago.
(And no - I didn't get permission first so I am happy to change it if required)

Random follow #48 - @brbnz

When it comes to the outputs of creative people what we often see as the finished product is but a smidgen of the effort, blood, sweat and tears that goes into any project.  When someone is the director they have to find the balance between both creative expression while also keeping both the momentum and the spirits of those around them.

The passion of the director is the fire that drives them during the hard times when others can't see the same fire or vision of what the finished product will look like.  @brbnz is quite clear in his twitter bio that he is a director.  He is also a writer and I am picking somewhat of a producer as well -

"Second month of 2013. Started writing second play of 2013."

In my experience creative types of people don't fit into any sort of box.  Non-conformity is a trademark.  And even then in the nonconformity there are many different variations as well.  @brbnz is a person for whom there are no standard formulas that can be applied.  There is only one of him and I kind of like that.

According to his tweets his comes across as being a well rounded chap who likes to look after himself and keep in shape.  The kind of speed expressed in this tweet is not too shabby at all - "5.5kms in 32mins. Not bad for a Friday gym session. Altho my legs are dead now."

He is also a person who enjoys an intellectual challenge.  The Rubik's cube has been his nemesis late last year he was finally able to conquer the cube.  And he also enjoys a challenge.  A challenge like Lego.  It doesn't matter how old any male is for those of us who grew up playing with, constructing with and ultimately building our dream spaceships and buildings with - Lego never gets old.  And one can never be too old for the challenge of a new set.

@brbnz is a little selective on the tweeting front which is a good thing,  He doesn't tweet everyone just for the sake of it but he does have a select group of friends whom he trusts and keeps in touch with on a regular basis.  Although he does tweet a few self observations from time to time.  Such as - 

"I'm so awkward. I just said 'Thanks guy' to the gym trainer behind the front counter instead of saying 'Thanks man'..."

and "Just bought a new gym bag from Rebel Sport. Checkout girl asks if I want it in a bag. I say 'But it's already a bag'..."

In summary @brbnz is an round nice guy who displays incredible loyalty to his friends and a sensitivity that is rare amongst most males.  He is intellectual and smart while also being honest and funny. Good night and good luck.

Just for the record today's random kiwi tweeter
was recommended to me by their 2012 #nzsecretsanta!

random follow #47 - @sonyacole

There must be something secret in the water that people from Taranaki drink.  They have beautiful skin, fine personalities and all round really lovely people.  Today's random kiwi tweeter absolutely ticks all three of those boxes.

@SonyaCole is a very lovely lady.  One particular characteristic you will pick up straight away is that she is a lady of style.  Her current twitter profile photo I believe captures her essence nicely.  The red hair piece nicely offsets the darker tomes of her dress.  So here you find a lady of both substance and style.  Panache and positivity.

Sonya is a mum, a social media fan, a blogger, an iphone owner (no further comment needed - LOL),  and she owns her own business.  And she is married too.  To whom I have no idea but he is a very lucky chap indeed.  And I am not too sure when Sonya actually manages to find the time to fit in all these different takes in a day but fit them in she does.  Especially the tweeting.  Then again mums to tend to have exceptional time management skills and I'm betting Sonya is no different in this respect.

(Yes - I have 'borrowed' this picture - without permission. 

But only because it is such a lovely photo)

You aren't going to discover or unearth any of the secrets of the universe by reading Sonya's tweets.  What you will find are short and sweet tweets that won't waste your time.  She doesn't waste her words that is for sure.  And to be honest I have looked high and low and I have struggled to find a tweet that used up the 140 character limit.  But she does enjoy engaging with others and keeping in touch with what is happening in the global conversation that is twitter.

One really nice thing that reinforces my view of @SonyaCole being lovely is that she isn't a twitter snob.  She will tweet anyone and everyone in a nice and positive way.  And even her tweets that are about not so fun stuff like insomnia are still a joy to read because you the reader can relate to what she is trying to say.  For example - "That sinking feeling when you wake up during hell TV hour!"

And it appears that the insomnia is not just confined to one day a week but it may actually be a repetitive issue.  And again tv is not helping!  "Kill me now! Watching Proactive ads to avoid evangelists on the other channels! FML"

To conclude I can hand on heart say @SonyaCole is a lovely (attractive and single) woman and mum who is also a social media butterfly. She is kind and thoughtful and like everyone - a little bit of praise and encouragement goes a long way.

To finish I have three recommendations today - 

#1 - follow @SonyaCole on twitter
#2 - check out her beautiful website http://sonyacole.com/
#3 - give credit and praise to someone completely random when you finish reading this.  It will make someone's day.

Random follow #46 - @peanutwings

I was challenged today to do a random follow of the first tweeter that twitter put into the recommended box.  Now I have tried not to take this blog project too seriously and today's post will further cement that notion into place.

@peanutwings is the very small, very adorable and very likeable pet of the one and only @WendyWings. If you haven't met @peanutwings yet he is a yet to be discovered superstar of instagram.  If you check the hashtag #dogsofinstagram you will find many adorable photo's of the little chap.

Here's how he describes himself - "Little chihuahua,big heart,huge ears."  While small in stature it is easy to tell that he is a very much and loved and love giving little chap.  While his bark may be worse than his bite dogs of that size are known to be very strong and make even the hardest men both nervous as well as emotional.

So what does the average day of a dog tweeting look like?  Lets take a closer look -

Morning - "Why doesn't the Animal Channel have more shows about chihuahua's, they are missing a niche market there!"

Lunchtime - "That awkward moment when you fart and blame the human #shedidit"

The afternoon "My human came home from school. I thought I would never see her again !!!!!!!!! Puppy Dance time!"

Dinner - "chicken chicken chicken CHICKEN!!"

Oh and he is a little bit famous too - "A little bird just told me that I might make another appearance on @CampbellLiveNZ tomorrow, not sure about @WendyWings but definitely ME".  Any dog that can make an appearance on national tv not just once but multiple times - wow!!!

@peanutwings is quite selective about what he gives away on twitter.  There are no doggy secrets divulged or dodgey secrets of his owners wither for that matter!  Intermittent would be the best word to describe the frequency of tweets that will appear in your timeline should you choose to follow,

What about love and romance?  Well as far as I can see there are no special love interests or little wings running around the place yet.  We will all have to watch this space to see if there are any developments on that front!  So if you happen to know of a little chihuahua who is unlucky in love

No he won't expand your boundaries or challenge your thinking (in the conventional way) but he will add charm, spice and a few laughs to your day.


These are the twitter lifestyles of the rich and famous (dogs).

Random follow #45 - #thedp, @tdpfirst, @tdpsecond

You can imagine my surprise when about a month ago I was suddenly followed by two ladies with mustaches.  Real ladies but not with real mustaches.  My head spun for a couple of minutes as I tried to make sense of just what the heck was going on!  Anyway it turns out that two very smart, sassy and creative tweeters among us had devised a plan to take over the whole world - one tweet at a time!

But seriously what these two ladies came up with is a fantastic idea that is part of the Auckland Fringe Festival.  Proudly known by their twitter names @tdpfirst and @tdpsecond these two ladies have set out on a mission to perform classic pieces of movie dialogue while adding their own spin to it.

The project is less about using twitter as an art form but rather as a vehicle to expand the audience partcking of their creative talents.  Although I did notice that @tdpfirst and @tdpsecond were having an arty conversation on the weekend during which they conversed about love lost, love found and the many different virtues of romance.

If you are looking for a twitter account or two to follow they will inject some hilarity into your day - then I 100% recommend following either of these two ladies or set up a search for the #thedp.  And if those two characters don't tweet enough for you then you can follow the real people behind the characters - @josiecampbell and @annagconnell.

And if you are really sharp you will soon discover a few other arty, super talented and very, very funny tweeters such as @corinh.  But he deserves his own blog post on here.

You can keep up to date with the daily videos of dialogue which are being posted very day of the Fringe Fest which runs from February 15th right through to March 10th.  You can view the videos in their original form and format here.  Or you can watch the side splittingly funny first video here -

Randon follow #44 - @TophHooperton

Over the last few weeks while working on this project I have been genuinely surprised to find out how many tweeters in New Zealand are either -

a) English living in New Zealand or
b) Kiwi's living in England
c) Kiwi's who have lived in England and have returned home

I really enjoy English people and the wittiness that they bring with them.  If you were to bottle all that wit and turn it into tweets then you would come up with an end result of @TophHooperton.

"Social Media is so difficult you won't understand it until you see a PowerPoint explanation."

There are many tweeters who work for the media in one way or another and @TophHooperton is one of those people.  But the difference with this chap is that he doesn't tweet as a 'company man'.  In fact he is able to not take it all too seriously and he is able to have a joke about some of the viewing TVNZ has on.

"You know how fancy foodies do that smear of sauce on plates that looks like the inside of a nappy? Why? #MasterChefNZ (+1)"

And he will also share his thoughts about other tv with you as well (don't we all tweet about tv programs?) -

"Just when you think #Girls is as good as it gets, it gets even better. Holy crap. My squishy heart."

And I also managed to pick up on the fact that he is single.  Some times this fact can really irk parents.  And in @TophHooperton's case this is true also -

"My mum's fulsome list of reasons why I'm single is still amusing me. It ends with 'I don't think you'll meet someone til quite late in life'"


In summary - Christopher (only his mum use's his whole name probably) is a very likable chap who creates amusing tweets and uses his English wit to humor the world.  One tweet at a time.

Random follow #43 - @BellaFromTheMar

One of the most talkative and conversational people you will ever meet on twitter is @BellafromtheMar.  I am not sure I have ever followed anyone else on twitter who has so many nice things to say, is so encouraging and sweet towards their friends.

For me one of the most interesting things I have discovered about her is that it appears like she knows EVERYONE on twitter.  Well maybe not everyone (that's a bit of an exaggeration) but certainly lots and lots and lots of the same people I tweet and have done so for years.  She is definitely a social media butterfly but without any falsity or fakeness.  When @BellafromtheMar tweets she is telling you exactly what she is thinking.  And it is that genuineness that is one of her most attractive traits and draws people in.


At times social media can become either dull or confrontational.  So it helps to follow people whose tweets will show up in your timeline and will make you smile and feel all warm inside.  That is just the kind of reaction many get when they read @BellafromtheMar's tweets.

For example - "I had a mojo coffee and toasted gingerbread for my brekkie this morn!!!...mmmmmm divine! breakfast of Princesses!"

Having a bit of eye candy to perve at is something she takes a fancy to as well.  Hot guys, smart guys, intellectual good looking guys, guys with muscles - you get the picture.  So I think its fair to say she is a red blooded woman who is in love with life.  Try this tweet out -

"Great gig last night.. Cool bar.. Fell In Love with the HOT keyboard guy.. Singer dedicated a birthday song to me.. #lovingsydney."




And on that note today is her birthday.  Hence the reason for the post.  I was asked by @pammygirl a few days ago to schedule this one to be published on her special day.  And so @BellafromtheMar happy birthday from everyone here at twitter.

Random follow #42 - @lucymk

Six children.  @lucymk has six children.  Quite definitely more than a handful that's for sure.  @luckmk is more than proud of the fact that she has brought into this world six lives and even more than that she will proudly shout from the rooftops that she is a mum.  Not once, not twice but six times over.

Being a parent, albeit a mum or a dad, is a huge responsibility and a very rewarding one at that.  When you are a parent there is very little down time.  Trying to find those little moments of simplicity, quiet and sanctity becomes like an eternal hunt for elusive treasure.  Here is why -

"Soooo jealous - only ever had 1 night off…9 doesn't compute 😳 #bigsleeps" followed closely by this
"Romantic Valentine evening spent with 10mo who has been awake for the last 10hours #goinginsane #needsleep"

Lucy is a very conversational tweeter.  That is if you tweet something of interest she will engage with you in conversation.  It is really pleasant to find in amongst the noise, busyness, and hustle and bustle of twitter someone who is prepared to take the time to listen and thoughtfully reply to people.

To be honest with all those kids I am not sure how she finds the time to tweet.  But find the time she does because once she engages in social media she is away.  Lots would be a good description of how many tweets she is able to send in a day!  Maybe social media offers some sort of sanctity?  

I don't have too much more to say about @lucymk except that she must have exceptional project management and crowd control skills.  And I give full credit to any lady whether she have one child or 12 because mums are special.

Random follow #41 - @gussypalore

Sometimes there are some topics and issues that you only want to share with your friends and confidants.  You don't want the whole world to know what you're going through.  Your ups and downs.  Your loves and longings.  And so what some people do is create a locked account in twitter.

Today's random tweeter is a locked account.  Now I know that means that most people who read this post won't be able to see the tweets and will probably never see some of the content that gets published under this account.  @gussypalore is a twitter account that is used by a person to explore and explain their feelings and life story.

@gussypalore really is the loves and longings of one female tweeted to the world.  The tweets aren't dirty or smutty as such so the account isn't locked for that reason.  @gussypalore is careful about who she lets in to see what is really happening under the surface and for those of us who are lucky to enough to be called her friend we get to see her real feelings.

Just to give you a bit more insight into this account, here is the twitter bio -

"Stressing subconscious or non rational significance of imagery arrived at by automatism or the exploitation of chance effects, unexpected or juxtapositions.a bubble. Nudity included."

I haven't seen any nudity yet and I have been following this account for a month or so.  What I have seen are lots of tweets from someone who is looking for love, romance and a partner to make them happy.  One of those three is probably easier to achieve than the other two but I'll let you figure out which one that may be. 

I will share one tweet with you, just to entice you into trying to get accepted as a follow - 

"Plus extra special valentines day kisses to my twitter crushes, my twitter stalkers, and the twits who I have kissed MWAHS XXXXX"

If you do a little bit of homework, a little bit of snooping and ask around a bit - you'll soon discover who the real  @gussypalore is.  Until then just like David Hartnell "My lips are sealed"  ;)

And as today is Valentines day I dedicate this to her - 

 

Happy Valentines day @gussypalore.  xxx!

Random follow #40 - @angiebabynz

"Its not real! Its not real!"

"Yes it is! Yes it is"

Wrestling is one of the most hotly debated topics about whether or not the action you see in the ring is actually real or not.  Some people say its pretend, other people say it is completely legitimate.  I tend to sit on the fence and say its a bit of both but more real than fake.

Any person who can throw their body around, jump through the air, throw punches, kicks, head butts and suplexes has to have a certain of physical strength, commitment to working hard and a whole lot of nerve.  Serious nerve.

@angiebabynz is seriously committed to her sport.  The sport of wrestling.

Check out her twitter photo and you will have no doubt about her seriousness when it comes to wrestling.  Her bio says it all really - "Yes, I tweet a lot of wrestling. Sorry 'bout that".

@angiebabynz is not someone you would want to mess with in the ring.  She is totally no pushover and once she takes on her wrestling personality as Scarlett you can guarantee that she is about to unleash hell.  Scarlett is totally focused on improving her wrestling skills and technique.  That is evidenced by this tweet -

"Also, had my first roll at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tonight.. LOVED it! Suits me way more than sumo wrestling ever did. Great teacher too!"

Wrestling is about more than just strength.  Its also about agility, fitness, endurance and the mental edge.  And that is true for whether you believe it is completely true or not.  Any person that can jump around in a ring with another human being for length of time and physically manipulate them takes some kind of strength.  And here @angiebabynz's perspective on it -

"I realised tonight, I could cause a few people a LOT of misery if I wanted to. That makes me feel much better when bitches go all catty."

If you're looking for general interest tweets or sports and that kind of stuff - you are not going to find it one @angiebabynz timeline.  She is 100% focused on her sport.  With the occasional bit of cooking thrown in and a few reply tweets to when people ask her about how the wrestling is going or give her a mention.

Scarlett is a top class individual who has a sharp mind and an even sharper physique to go with it.  There are no short cuts to achieving your goal and Scarlett will never give in or find a softer way to achieve her goal.

Just for the record Scarlett is a mum and she is an incredibly nice person. So don't let the wrestler persona come between you following or not following a person who embodies an incredible to what she believes in.

Wrestling take it or leave.  The same thing applies for @angiebabynz.  I'm going with the follow.

Oh and you can find her on Facebook too over here.

Random follow #39 - @DartelJ

There is no such thing as an overnight success.  Success takes time, hard effort and being in the right place at the right time.  Lots and lots of people do the first two but never quite manage to make the third.  Well that's how it used to be and it is still true to a point.  But with social media, twitter especially, the gap between you and the door of opportunity opening is narrowed by light years.

@DartelJ is a young hip hop artist who is working his butt off to get a break through.  An artist who is applying himself to his trade, writing tunes and rhymes, working with talented musicians and looking for the big opportunity.  Twitter is just one tool in his arsenal that he can use to reach out to the world and quietly display his talents, ambitions and drive.

He has a primo website with some amazing graphics that lure you in and, much like Hotel California, won't let you go.  His sound is very alluring in its subtlety.  The music is mellow, the rhymes consistent and the messages are clear.

Dharell is a prolific tweeter.  He tweets a lot.  Short, sharp and edgy tweets.Some his tweets were people in the street many of us would walk right by without noticing them.  But when you look closer at his tweets, when you stop and put yourself in his shoes and think 'what is this guy trying to say' then his tweets take on a whole different tone and meaning.  Take this as an example -

"It doesn't matter who you are. Somebody wants to take a shot"

To the average Joe this probably doesn't mean much.  But what I think is there is much more depth to this tweet than meets the eye and there is a story going on and we are being given a wee glimpse into @DartelJs world.

And then he also has a sense of humor.  Not a middle class white suburb type of sense of humor.  More like a Porirua or South Auckland kind of sense of humor.  Here's what I mean -

"Note to everyone. Want $$$ - go play slot machines with @NinjaSteps. I was going to say pokies but only if you're a girl Hashtag gang signs"

From what I have found in his press release and bio (http://www.dartelmusic.com/presskit.pdf)  2012 was his start out year.  I have no idea about anything else about who he is or anything but there are some giveaway telltale signs about his personality.  I will give you one insight I have picked up - he's shy.  Not shy like an introvert but more shy in that he knows he has some skills and he is starting out on this road toward becoming a career as a recording artist.  And so you won't see his face.  Not until he is ready for you to see him.  'Nuff said.

(Apologies to @DartelJ for borrowing this photo.  I

f there's an issue with me using it I am happy to change it up).

Random follow #38 - @greengecko29

Libraries are the home of all knowledge.  Or at least they used to be.  There was a time when all the knowledge of the universe was held in one single place.  And as a kid we would ascend the heights to enter the house of knowledge and we would marvel at its complexities and mysteries.  The house of knowledge being of course the community library.


And then some smart person thought up the internet,  And so knowledge moved from being housed in a physical location to being accessed by anyone, anywhere at anytime.  @greengecko29 is one of those people who has moved with the times and has a VERY cool job.  She is an e-librarian.  Which means she gets to be a curator and overseer of knowledge but at the same time she gets to use technology to its full effect too.

@greengecko29 is a lady of many talents and many responsibilities as well.  She is a wife, a mum and a crafty type.  Oh and she tweets too. 

Proud mum tweet -

"Proud moment. Miss6 has read two simple chapter books to herself these past 2 days. Even woke up before school to finish one. #swellingheart"

In the kitchen tweet - 

"I need to do some baking. Am reduced to eating the kid's Tiny Teddies."

And this tweet -

 "Why yes, yes, I am reading a book about boobs."

Similar to other tweeters I have recommended Penny doesn't give much that is personal away with her tweets.  And when she does tweet she mentions situations that many of us face but Penny does it in such a way as to put a smile on your face.  Like this one -

"groupwise on the Mac? Not that good actually."

Just really simple topics and subjects that most people would never consider to be worth even mentioning.  But Penny is able to capture that moment in time and share it with you (her follower) and you smile.Oh and just so you know she tweets (often) so some of the best and greatest librarian tweeters in the world - @haikugirloz, @sallyheroes and @alisonwnz (okay I can't confirm she tweets this last one but she totally should 'cos Alison is awesome)..

@greengecko29 is quite possibly one of the sweetest and delightful tweeters you will uncover.  She is most certainly a random follow that is full of worth.  New Zealand I offer to you my recommendation of Penny as an absolutely worthwhile person who will enrich your twitter timeline.

"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."
Jorge Luis Borges

Random follow #37 - @firemanian and @maddythebeagle

Every so often on twitter you uncover someone who is 'outside of the box'.  The unconventional person.  the person that can't be described in 10 words or less because they are so full of life and adventure and exploits that no words can simply sum them up.

That person today, ladies and gentlemen, is @firemanian.  Without a doubt he is a very interesting and fun person to watch tweet and to communicate with.  he is so interesting that he even has a twitter account setup for his beautiful and gorgeous dog Maddy the Beagle.  You can check out her account here - @maddythebeagle. Maddy tweets occasionally and when she does it is something quite hilarious that will make you LOL.

When a person has a broad experience of life and has been able to live in various places they have a greater breadth and depth and understanding of life than your usual punter has.  Additionally they can also pickup some of the eccentricities of an area and take them with them.  I think that would be the best way to describe how @firemanian tweets.  With eccentricity mixed in with reality and very little self absorption.

Here are the types of tweets you can expect from Ian -

"I love running in the rain! Just completed a 4km hilly x-country trail, I'm soaked but still smiling! @Wgtnroundthebay @74Running"  (Editors note - GOOD MAN!)

or this one -

"Went to the gym this morning, and just as I started my run, the fire alarm sounded! #notagoodstart"

Ian is one of those good guys in that if you tweet him then he will tweet you back.  So from what I can see Ian is the kind of guy that absolutely sucks all the juices out of life.  Never one to miss an opportunity and always ready to say yes to a challenge.


When @firemanian's days come to a close in the future I have no doubt that he will be able to sit back and think "that was a good life. A life worth living".

Random follow #36 - @jessmeade

There are plenty of ex-pat kiwi's who have made their way (aka escape) from New Zealand and have headed offshore to the UK.  Todays random kiwi tweeter is one of those lucky enough to venture abroad and spend her youth in a foreign country and exploring the world.

@jessmeade set sail from New Zealand a number of years ago on her first OE.  England, Europe, Egypt and a bunch of other places were visited as well.  When her visa expired she returned to New Zealand and it was at that time that I first came into contact with her.  A lively, lovely, energetic young lady with a clear vision of what she wants out of life.

It became apparent quite quickly that New Zealand was too small a place for her at this time.  And so she hatched a plan.  A plan that would see her return to the UK and grow a career in the sports and fitness industry.  In a role that see's her travel to the US at least once a year.

It was upon @jessmeade's return to the UK that she signed up for twitter.  She was originally known as @keweechick but recently switched to her actual name (professional standards now apply - LOL).

To say that she is a prolific tweeter would be lies.  She tweets when she wants but she doesn't waste words.  She cuts to the chase and calls it as it is.  Here are some examples -

"Good thing I hit @FitnessFirstUK this morning with Krispy Kremes doing the rounds this arvo #allinmoderation"

Jess is an active girl who is keen on netball and equestrian.  If you follow her you aren't going to find out anything too amazeballs or ground breaking.  But if you are able to make her a friend you will find someone who is fiercely loyal and will stick with you no matter what.

So there you go.  Follow #36 @jessmeade.  Worth a follow.  Especially if you live in the UK.

Random follow #35 - @nzcolin

I have it on good authority that today's random kiwi tweeter is a very popular bloke.  Popular not by way of follower count but popular because the person you see and interact with online is the same person that you do in real life.  While chatting with a very good friend of mine a week or two ago she totally recommended @nzcolin as one of her favorite tweeters.

It is apparent that Colin has a great sense of humor and really likes to have a laugh.  Check this tweet out -

"What better way to spend a day off than fueling my Ricky Gervais addiction? The Office - 25 Funniest Lines: http://youtu.be/j1qtsLfZWWQ"

And there are really funny tweets like these too (which make sense if you understand that the context is it is in relation to new Zealands single biggest costume party) -

"There he is, there he is, there he is, there he is #whereswally #sevenscostumes"

Here are a few other small facts that you may find interesting - he's a dad, he is English and he likes sport. Like every good Englishman he likes football and a very good football team a that.  The ever lasting Everton.

Colin is not overly new to twitter because he has managed to pump through just short of 4,000 tweets so far.  @nzcolin is an all round tweeter with a great outlook on life.  He tweets nice stuff and appears to be a local at his most fave cafe, which is located in Tawa (a suburb of greater Wellington).  Little Bohemian cafe
(@lilboho)also have a twitter account and if you see Colin tweeting about them you can be pretty sure of being able to track him down.

If you're ever hanging out for a coffee in the wider Wellington region drop Colin a line.  I hear there's a good shop in Tawa.

random follow #34 - @dyslexialady1

I always enjoy reading people's twitter bio's and finding out about what is important to them.  @dyslexialady1 is quite clear on her priorities in life.  Firstly her family is everything to her.  And secondly her passion is the people she works with and works for.

Having your passion as your employment is quite possibly the most rewarding employment opportunity someone can have.  As her twitter name says @dyslexialady1 is a director for Davis Dyslexia Assn -Pacific.  In short the Davis Dyslexia Assn have a tried and true program that enables children to understand what is happening and gives them tools for life to learn.

Just in case you don't know what dyslexia is - I lifted this from their website so you have a little insight into what it is -

"Dyslexia is an alternative way of thinking. Dyslexics think predominantly with pictures as opposed to the sounds of words. The difficulty is with two-dimensional symbols such as letters of the alphabet, numerals, musical notes and with the high frequency words such as ; the, and, is, it, etc. These symbols can cause the picture thinker to feel confused."

Helping kids to learn is one of the most rewarding vocations that a person can have.  And then helping children understand how learn which enables them to start learning faster and better - wow!

Just as a little side note her twitter location is listed as being Auckland.  But I did happen to find out she has been spending a little time in Dunedin recently.  And Dunedin is totally one of New Zealand's most fun cities.

"My car says its 28 deg My car knows better than the Met Service about this stuff. #DunnerStunner"

When Shelley isn't in Dunedin she is in Auckland.  Living in a suburb where the following happens -

"Neighbors are having a party. Soundtrack to Grease blaring. Not sure what I think about that."

To sum things up @dyslexialady1 is a really nice tweeter who is everything she can to make a difference to those who need that little bit extra help to get a kick start in their learning life.

Random follow #33 - @getbeef

For some companies navigating the sea of social media can be uneasy at times.   And yet for other companies finding the right approach to social media is easy.  @getbeef falls into the category of the latter.  They have an easy tweeting style that is fun and yet professional. 

They give pleasant thanks to people who follow them.  They interact and talk to tweeters who tweet them.  And they also share photos and little tidbits of life down on the farm.  With an occasional update from the tennis for good measure!  What it all comes down to is a very savvy (yet simple) approach to simple media - be present, be happy and communicate.  Easy.

Here is one example -

"Warning.GMB tweets will be brought to you live from #ozopen Centre Court this evening: Row D seat 381. tennis mad! Murray or joker?Brent"

And another -

"Our new range of packaging has just arrived for testing. Very cool. We've never been this excited about a box before!!"

One thing you may not know about beef is that all the good meat gets exported overseas before New Zealanders get to see it.  What @getbeef are doing is allowing average kiwi's to sample and eat the meat that is grown here and yet enjoyed more in foreign restaurants in London, Paris and Dubai.  So how does it work?  They grow the cows, butcher them and send you the meat.  Simple.  No middle men or overseas owned supermarkets adding their percentage on top.  Simply fresh beautiful beef.


So in short @getbeef are a genuine kiwi small town company making their way in the world, growing their business one follower (customer) at a time.  They also have a facebook page if you want to go and look at that too - https://www.facebook.com/greenmeadowsbeef.  And even if you are a vegetarian I can say you'll still enjoy reading their tweets because they publish some beautiful photos as well.

Random follow #32 - @AmyBowie

Flair, imagination and a passion for color are the hallmarks of a creative person.  The ability to differentiate oneself in a crowd and yet still be part of the whole is not an easy thing.  @AmyBowie is just this type of person.  There is something unique about her. 

Amy's profile picture I believe encapsulates her artistic spirit and individuality.  What is it about the picture?  The hat.  Bold, bright and beautiful.  The hat stands out and captures your eye straight away.  The red stands out and says 'Hey! Look at me!" but not in such a way as to be all in your face.  It is just there.

In much the same way that Amy is just there.  In amongst a crowd of a billion tweeters her voice is there to be heard by those who take the time to listen and notice that she has something to offer.

Amy brings her own voice to the world.  And with that voice she can raise a challenge, such as this tweet -

"Question: If you could hear any song done with solo accordion and voice... what would it be?"

And she can also provide amusement of this tweet really cracked me up -

"Page 105 of 1030 of self-taught audio engineering crash course. Now. For some practical experimentation."

It is that have-a-go, do-it-yourself attitude that is so alluring and yet that is where the creative spirit finds its release.  Seeking both solutions as well as new ways of doing things.  Not taking no for an answer.

Amy also has a number of creative outlets that you can discover for yourself if you take the time to head over to her twitter page and read up on who she is and what her passions are.  She is a singer, a teacher of others and also a writer and a creator of prose.

@AmyBowie is my random follow for today.

(Note - This is not Amy.  And that is not her hat.  But you get a pretty 

good idea of what her hat may look like from this picture)

Random follow #31 - @jamesotron

Every so often if you follow random people you'll very quickly cross paths with a segment of the community whom you would probably otherwise not have much contact with  With @jamesotron you will discover someone who has a love for all things tech.  If you aren't a part of a particular community it can be easy to get lost in the jargon or terminology that gets used.  However @jamesotron is quite clear that one of his missions is this "I care about making tech culture more inclusive."

And so he doesn't tweet all that much about tech stuff directly.  He tweets just enough to let you know that tech is what he does, loves and is something he knows a lot about.  He does also have a couple of other projects/accounts that he has created and you can find them here @axeio and @sociablenz

One thing he also has is great balance.  Work doesn't dominate his life and he has found some incredible balance in life. Being married to the lovely @becs certainly helps his credibility as well. And when you read tweets like this one you know the guy is a 100% good guy -

"So @becs is sitting next to me watching outrageous fortune, and I can't resist glancing over. It's like seeing old friends again." Aaawwwwwwwwwww. Not only does he tweet about the love of his life he also tweets about his nearest and dearest.  He also tells us a little about his kids -

"Kids switching from The Muppets to The Clone Wars. I guess I should make them breakfast."  and this one as well

"scratch that. my son’s first day of school that day! bad dad!"

And occasionally he tweets something very funny that makes you do a double take as to its meaning,  Take this one for example -

"A military jet just flew over my house. This is significant because in New Zealand we have no military jets."


If you are new to twitter and are wondering "what do I tweet? How do I tweet? What is there to talk about?" then @jamesotron is worth having a look at as an example of how to twee in such a way as to win friends and influence people.

Random follow #30 - @sterling_amanda

Social media is about engagement and conversation.  The really good tweeters not only tweet but they are able to bring together people from all over the twittersphere and can get them talking constructively about a particular topic.

@sterling_amanda is one person who has the knack to do so.  Every week (or so) you can join in the conversation all about HR and employment/worker engagement through the #NZLead stream.    @sterling_amanda is one half of the team who co-ordinate the conversation.  Her colleague
@TashTasticNZ is the other person who helps with the #NZLead conversation.

You will find that a lot of Amanda's tweets relate to her #NZLead project but when someone is as passionate about as she is about this one - what else would you expect?  They also have a website which you can find here http://nzlead.com/.

But just to break it up here are a few tweets that capture some of her personality in other ways -

"Making tequila slice and the mixture smells like margarita... Mmmm"

"haha was wondering my #nzlead stream looked so quiet - on the wrong page! #blondemoment #2ndoftheday"

@sterling_amanda is not a person to sit around and wait.  She won't "let the grass grow under her feet" as she is ambitious and determined yet still retains a warmth and openness to engage with others.  So in short she is really lovely.

I also know (by reading her tweets) that 2013 will be a BIG year for her  career wise.  With new responsibilities on national boards as well as travel to overseas places - she is going to be a very BUSY lady this year.