Random follow #80 - @Sportsfreakconz

"I love sports. Anytime I can combine sports with a film I'm a happy guy. It's such a natural fit, because sports always seems to be a metaphor for life. Always, always, always." Dean Cain

There are many, many, many films which tell the various stories of sports teams who overcame adversity, triumphed over evil, r just generally managed to beat the snot out of the opposition.  Here are a few examples that automatically spring to mind - Happy Gilmour, Mighty Ducks and Any Given Sunday.

Each of these movies has something in common.  The little guy, the one that can't win, the under dog or the dark horse come through and win.  There is something to both like and love about those stories.  But those stories occur far more than just in the movies.  They occur everyday in lots of places around the world.  

@Sportsfreakconz is one kiwi tweeter who has a HUGE interest in seeing those stories played out in real time.  He is to be fair - sports mad.  Not just one sport but all sports.  He is a man of varied taste who is happy to venture into a conversation about any sport, at any time with anyone.  Now that is no mean feat.  Discussing the virtues of NCAA lacrosse is probably an easy thing to do but if anyone can its him.

Here are a few (interesting) facts I have been able to piece together about the man and what makes him a good sports journalist -

A good sports journo has to have a long memory. "A goal for Judas".  To put some context around this tweet Judas is the nickname given to a former player for the Wellington Phoenix who decided that playing in Australia would be a better career move than playing on for the club that gave him a chance.  That event occurred some two or three years ago but football fans never forget.

@Sportsfreakconz is a blogger.  Any sports journo who is worth anything must have a soap box or platform from which to share their opinions of everything. If you head over to http://www.sportsfreak.co.nz you'll discover a treasure trove of thoughts, general knowledge and an endless barrage of personal opinions.

A sports journo isn't just about all the sports.  From time to time he is able to shed light on other topics of interest to him such as "#NW Jesus Christ Superstar. It really is one a fantastic time capsule. Some great licks though"  which begs the question - WHY was he NOT watching rugby????

A good sports journo has a story for every occasion. "Twice in my life I have been urinated on (deliberately) at a sporting event. 1983 and 95. Both times in Chch."

Every good tweeter, like every good sports journalist, has a brain filled with memories they can recall in an instant.  They have an ability to create an argument - settle a dispute - and negotiate a deal where no one else can.  They also are very personal, conversational and take the time to listen to others and consider their opinion even if they don't necessarily agree.  And those traits right there are what makes @Sportsfreakconz a bloody good bloke.

Random follow #79 - @brig_be

"Home after an overnight trip to Auckland. Exhausted. I am a small town girl!"

Often times there is no better way to talk about someone or describe who they are than by the person being able to do it themselves.  @brig_be is exactly one of those people.  If I can apply the old cliche of "you can't put her in a box" (metaphorically - not literally) then that is certainly the case.

@brig_be is a mum, a runner, a creative sewing person and someone whose smile can light up a room.  She has an infectious enthusiasm for life and is an inspiration of others.  She is open and attentive to the needs of others and goes about living life in her own driven  self determined way.  Not that you could tell this is if you met her in real life because she is sooooo sweet.

Over the last month or so her life (and tweets) were taken over by one thing - the Tarawera Ultra Marathon.    If you look through her tweets from February and March you will be able to get a better understanding of how much emotional time goes into preparation for an event as big as the one she completed.  And now having knocked off what rally was a huge effort in anyone's book (approx 50 miles) @brig_be is looking for what next?

A lot of how she tweets is influenced by both where she grew up: the King Country and where she lives now: Wellington.   Location based tweets are always interesting because they give the reader both a sense of belonging as well as giving them an insiders view to what is happening in that part of the world:

"Very cool to see dolphins in the harbour! Binoculars now on the office shopping list.""

"Washing's on the line, now getting wet.@#*^&%&^ Wellington weather."

"Wellington - loving you today! #wgtnwx"

"I got propositioned by a walking banana on Lambton Quay today. Ah, the sevens!"

As always (and like most of twitter) she has a great outlook on life and sees the cup as being half full with room for possibilities.  She Brigbee isn't afraid to pursue her dreams - "Dream job on @TradeMe: retail at the Gibbston Valley cheese shop in Queenstown. Oh all right, if I have to."  She goes after her dreams and goals at her own pace, in her own way but always with the wise advice of others to guide her.

Did I mention she can cook?  All FABULOUS women can bake!  "Advice please! Baking for fundraising - which baked treat would you most likely shell out for? Tx :)"

If you take the time you can view her blog here - runbrigbee.blogspot.co.nz/.  Hopefully she will add some more content to it as she embarks on her next great goal.  (And I may even get a wee mention in that blog somewhere along the way).  I would like to say that I do have one disappointment and that is having not made the acquaintance of @brig_be sooner.  Be it in real life or on twitter.  But life has a way of ensuring you meet the right people at the right time in the right places.  (And that right there is a whole story in itself).

The last word goes to the lady herself, with a tweet that describes her perfectly in so many ways - 

"Donated plasma this morning. What a treat - lying still for an hour while sipping tea and reading magazines, and doing a wee bit of good :)"

Random follow #78 - @southernscoop

The Otago Daily Times is an institution and way of life for people who live in the south of the South Island..  It is a newspaper that has been in existence longer than both I and today's random tweeter have been on the face of this plant.  A lot longer!  So working for the ODT does have some level of prestige that goes with it.

@southernscoop is one of the many who have been employed and yet is also one of the few.  In years gone past before the advent of the internet newspapers were big bustling communities of people committed to getting the news out to the public.  While the purpose of a newspaper hasn't changed the scale of those in ts employ has been downsized and the both the speed of news and its flavor are radically different than what they used to be.  And the internet and modern technology has meant over time that the numbers of people required to work in the press is now less.

The Allied Press Building, Dunedin.

@southernscoop doesn't give much away about his real life.  And that s fine because that is not the purpose of this blog.  What he does tweet though are short, sharp and snappy tidbits that either are often sideline stories to what is being told in the media.  For example - "Last night tgr English cricket team got some gear nicked; golf gear".  As a stand alone news story that one won't make the 6'o'closk news.  But it is still a story worthy of being talked about.

What I like about him is that he isn't afraid to tell you his opinion but he's not a soap box kind of person.  He will quite clearly state in 20 words or less his position.  And it is that snappiness I find really refreshing. 

And being a reporter he has a wide number of interest areas.   Such as sports "It is impossible for highlanders, warriors and black caps to win on same weekend #science".  Politics "Winston peters sounds more like Tom waits each year".  And fashion "To mark Dunedin fashion week I am sporting newspaper ink on my elbows".

In short @southernscoop is a tweeter that doesn't make big waves or cause much of a stir.  And that is mainly because I think the role of being a reporter is to tell the news.  Not make it.  What do you think? 

Random follow #77 - @_MsMoneypenny_

The hardest people that I have chosen to write about so far are the people who say nothing and yet say everything.  @_MsMoneypenny_ is exactly one of those people.  She tweets absolutely everybody and yet manages to say very little about herself.  And when I say she tweets - she tweets a lot!

Alma is a stunningly attractive mum who cares so much for her family and friends.  She tweets those who tweet her and engages in good positive conversations with people.  I think her tweets say a lot about her and I would be doing a disservice if I didn't let her tweets speak for her -

"you are so strong and thought provoking. Thank you xx"
"ahh you're a total babe! Night x"
"You guys are amazing. The sharing is this bubbling pot of different things! I'm humbled to read them. xx"
"yus! *hugs right back*"

(Note - I have purposely edited those tweets so that they retain the sanctity and purpose of their writing).

She does every now and then reveal a little of her self though.  Like the fact that she has a fine taste in famous men "Edward Norton, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight ... don't mind if I do :-P"

I am a firm believer in the maxim that you reap what you sow.  And @_MsMoneypenny_ is someone who sows encouragement and love into the lives of others.  And in time, as in tweets, she receives those things back in good measure.

If you are the sort of person who gives more than you take, offers encouragement more than you expect praise, loves others way more than you get in return then you will be a great person to follow and interact with Alma.  If you aren't then there are plenty of other tweeters for you to follow.

 and......

 @_MsMoneypenny_

Random follow #76 - @Elpieso

(WARNING - this blog post contains traces of nuts and high levels of sarcasm)

Ex-pat kiwi's live all around the world.  Some go large and head off to foreign lands like Europe, Canada or England.  Some other kiwi's prefer to not stretch themselves quite so far and so they jump the ditch to the land of the long time exiled crowd.  Mike aka @elpieso is one of those tweeps who lives just across the way.

Somehow or another I pushed the follow button on twitter and my timeline just hasn't been quite the same since.  Mike is (pardon the language) a real good bastard.  A salt of the earth type guy who has an immense and acute sense of humor that'll keep you laughing.

He tweets things as he sees them and he won't apologize if you don't like it or see things differently.  That's not to say that he doesn't enjoy a good debate or argument - just don't expect to win!  And to be honest he has bugger all twitter followers.  But the number of followers he has (or doesn't have) is not related to his tweets.  It's more about the fact that he is still pretty fresh to the twitter game and he doesn't waste his time following celebs or people who suck..

@elpieso doesn't sit at the other end of twitter waiting for you either.  If he tweets you then you're in luck.  If he doesn't tweet you then I wouldn't worry about it too much.  That's just his way of saying - your tweets suck.  That's probably because he is out on the road somewhere in his truck tail-gating some poor old lady who is driving well below the speed limit.

So when he does actually have twitter on what does he actually tweet about?  Let's have a look -

"730am. I want tacos."  <-- that's deep right there.
"Laying on the couch ripping on fatties on tv. #livinthedream #gottagetdownforfriday"  <-- 'nuff said
"Marco Pierre White can read me bedtime stories any night of the week #masterchefau"

But behind all that bollocks up he is actually a really nice guy and a dad who has a real life and real issues to work through -

"That moment when your eldest daughter tells you she doesn't want you to leave because it makes her sad and she wants to stay with you :-("

And I also need to mention his way better half @mashysaurate.  Who must have the patience of a saint to not only tweet Mike but actually live with him too.  Either that or her love for Metallica gets her through.


So if you want to follow someone who will occasionally tweet you and give you a good winding up then Mike is your man. He is out of the box, doesn't conform and will most likely at some stage or another really piss you off.  But hey - isn't that what friends are for?

I am going to let @elpieso have the final word and then you can decide whether or not you are going to push the follow button-

"Heckler, sarcastic, father, truckie. If you don't like what I tweet, don't follow me. If you like what I tweet, send money." 

Steak and cheese.  FTW.

Random follow #75 - @mrs_hyde

Tweets come in all shapes and sizes.  They also come from all walks of life and use twitter for many different reasons.  One very definite way that some people, namely persons who work in education, use social media is as a tool for learning, personal development and growth.  

@mrs_hyde is one of those people.  Being deputy principal at a school is not an easy task.  Trying to teach kids who are going through both emotional, physical and learning changes all at the same time is a tough ask.  And yet at the same time it can be incredibly rewarding (I know this because my daughter is at intermediate school right now).

I am picking that a PLN was probably the way that @mrs_hyde found her way onto twitter.  Whats a PLN?  It stands for personal learning network.  Essentially it is a map of online tools that people can use to interact and learn from others.  For a great read about PLN's click here.

That's enough from me.  Lets see what we can discover about Mrs Hyde and her twitter life.  Mrs Hyde is a mum.  How do I know?

Well she has a fabulous daughter who is also on twitter.  Her name is @PipHyde.  She is lovely, super determined and never gives up.  Pip recently walked 145km's with a busted ankle so that she could complete the goal she had set for herself.  And another daughter (I think) who has the name
@clodhyde but she is brand new to twitter so hasn't really tweeted yet.

What else?

She plays Minecraft.  Well the students play and she just supervises (yeah right - LOL) "Ideas for Using Minecraft in the Classroom http://ow.ly/jm5PM . Thanks @1MvdS @myen"

@mrs_hyde has a healthy mix between the number of people she follows and the number of people who follow her.  She enjoys engaging in conversation with almost anyone provided you aren't seen to be wasting her time.

She tweets about resources she has found online that can benefit other teachers.  "Excellent Google Books Tips for Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning http://shar.es/eE5D6  via @medkh9".
Because no one teacher knows it all but social media is about the power of community.

In closing I can say that @mrs_hyde is an incredible supporter of those she loves and cherishes.  With a mix of both intelligence, patience and determination she has what it takes to be able to make a difference in kids lives.  Teach on.

Random follow #74 - @millionleaves

"Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.
* Charlie Parker"

Music appreciation is the way that I first made contact with @millionleaves.  With a diverse taste in music that goes from hip-hop to jazz, dance through to indie rock David is nothing short of a man after my own heart.

Yes he does fall outside the boundaries of this project in that he has so many twitter followers he doesn't actually need much of an introduction to most people.  Then again he is also a person whom I have found has an ability to sit underneath the twitter radar of most people.

And not only are his music interests very diverse so is his ability to find random facts and tweets that make your brain sit up and take notice.  And there are no limits to the various areas of subject matter that he will tweet about.  For example -

Movie trivia.  "If Harrison Ford is set to return in the Star Wars, I'd bet my lunch Han Solo will have a son too http://n360.to/VZPWmg"
Music legends.  "R.I.P. Jazz Trumpeter Donald Byrd: http://bit.ly/XrpL7K"
The weather.  "Signs of summer #46: the tent at Brewers Barn in Mt Maunganui is being set up ready for the new year concerts. Nice."
Tech stuff.  "The Google Maps app for iPhone is insanely great: http://bit.ly/Zm8GSw  How ironic." 

Don't sit by your computer waiting for @millionleaves to tweet.  He uses twitter only when he has something that is worth saying.  He doesn't rush to share his opinions or thoughts all that often.  But when he does his tweets are worth taking a look at.

There isn't much more I can say aboiut David in recommending him to you but I shall leave the closing words to him.  His twitter bio sums him up perfectly -

"Kiwi. Web sales and consulting for Totali.co.nz, father, husband, teacher, music lover"

 

Random follow #73 - @NikCarmichael

A picture tells a thousand words.  That is a well known fact.  And if you check out the photo of @NikCarmichael you can quickly spot two things -

1. She is an attractive lady
2. and she is a  mum

Now I'm not going to make a thousand words out of those two points above.  But what I will do is showcase to you some reasons why following @NikCarmichael on twitter would be a good thing for you to do.

Reason #1. Nikki likes variety and that is evidenced by her having a ratio of 3:1 following c.f. followers.  This tells me that she loves people and is therefore a people person.  She enjoys conversation and that people interest her.  A lot.

Reason #2.  She is full of interesting ideas and freely gives out better living tips.  For example - "First time in seven years that KK Malay screwed up my order. KK and @dumplingnz are my fav places to eat in Wellington. #yum"

Reason #3.  She can see the funny side of life.  Okay maybe not so funny to her but tweets like this certainly are funny for the rest of the twitter world.  "Jeepers my little three year old just found my fat calipers and crept up behind me and got me with them. They are going in the rubbish bin".

Reason #4.  She's all about a challenge.  Be it a physical, intellectual or other challenge you can pretty much guarantee that if you ask Nikki to do it - she's there.  "Sweet I did the @WarriorDashNZ in 53:39. Under my goal of an hour and I stopped to help some people over obstacles as well. Next challenge?"  And it's that determination and drive that makes people both more interesting but also inspirational.

Reason #5.  Her husband brews beer.  Seriously.  Why wouldn't you want to be friends with someone who brews and can supply beer?  Okay that probably isn't a very genuine reason for being nice to someone but hey we're talking beer here ;)  "Did a large grain delivery this morning to a brewery now my car really smells like beer. Luckily its a good day to have the windows open"  and  "Just finished taking photos of more than 30 different grains for the new store website. Now I feel like a dark beer. http://Baylandsbrewery.com "  And secret inside sources tell me that Nikki's husbands brewery is located underneath where they live....  but but that's top secret!!!

Reason #6.  Nikki is a prolific enterer or competitions.  If someone is giving something away Nikki will know.  So if you want to be in to win - follow Nikki and she will point you in the right direction! Ha ha ha.

In short @NikCarmichael is a very lovely lady who has a zest for life.  She tweets a lot so be prepared to put your roller skates on to try and keep up with her.  Being a wife, mum, assistant brewer and owner of two dogs means that life is always GO! GO! GO! for her.  But like every great person she is able to set time aside for the things she considers important in life (like twitter).

Random follow #72 - @kaponga01

"You take the man out of the 'Naki but you can't take the 'Naki out of the man"

Never a truer word has ever been spoken
About the tweeter known as @kaponga01.
He is amber and black through and through
And enjoys nothing more than the sun

He is the boss of a company
That just happens to be based in Auckland
And when you're the boss there are some skills that you need
And you need to make sure you are talking


A married man is Jared is he
And a good man always has lots of supporters
The values he brings from the Taranaki
Are one's that he'll pass on to his daughters

A man of the outdoors he likes to go out
"Early morning starts allow for early afternoon fishing!"
And when he gets home he lets us all know
How he got on by his tweeting

"Tomorrow can't come soon! #longweek"
Means he really looks forward to his weekends
And finding balance in life is some necessary  advice
And so is "Another successful day gathering Paua"

He doesn't tweet all that often
But he does when he has something to say

"Getting ready for a flight around Mt Taranaki can't wait!!"
Is one brilliant way to spend a day

Come follow a good bloke who tweets and who fishes
Who will charn abd cajole you with his presence
And enrich your timeline with his thoughts about fanily
"Great week ended with fishing,sun,beach,family,friends, BBQ, drinks and lots if very cool presents."

Random follow #71 - @007GAL

"The name is Page, Sara Page"

Social media person, earthquake predictor (sort of) and all round good tweeter. That is what makes @007GAL worth your while following on twitter.

There is no such thing as the perfect tweet but there are some tweeters who are able to string together a series of tweets and make you chuckle and think "I'm glad I follow this person". @007GAL is one of those people.  I wonder if Agent Q signed off on this gadget that Agent  @007GAL recently purchased -

Tweet 1.   "Mad Farmers sale today, super excited about my new peeler though #sad #mustpeeleverything pic.twitter.com/4w6CcjgR0l"

Tweet 2.  "Do I have any veges in my fridge? #mustpeeleverything"

Tweet 3.  "@FarmersNZ I have high hopes for this device, it best not disappoint me haha"

Tweet 4.  "@FarmersNZ True!! I'll post results later #excite"

Telling a story with your tweets is what engages readers and makes you more interesting and fun to follow.  One thing her twitter bio needs is a sign that reads 'No drama'.  Because there isn't any. Simple.  Sara is not a social media superstar if her statistics are anything to go by but twitter is not about quantity.  Its about quality.  And I for one think her tweets ooze quality.

And then I got to thinking.   If @007GAL were a real Bond agent then what would the names of her love interests be?  Here are a few randoms I came up with -

"Gypsy Bare Knuckle Fighter"

"Iron Balls"

"Plenty O'Hair"

"Long John Silver"

Here are some other things I have noticed about Sara - she always has a kind word for everyone.  Her tweets are WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and she engages with a really wide range of people.  It is nice seeing someone tweet a bunch of different people every day,  Variety is the spice of life and Sara certainly likes to vary her tweets.

And like a few other tweeters I have profiled Sara is neat from the point of view that she tells you what she wants you to know and that is all.  There is a lot to be said for keeping your real life away from what can at times be the big bad world of social media.


And now for that one last great question.  Does she drink martini's?  I have no idea but if she did/does they probably come shaken and not stirred.

Random follow #70 - @trademe_txt

This little beauty of a twitter account is the perfect remedy for boredom.  You can follow @trademe_txt and discover a menagerie of idiocy, bigotry, rednecks and general thick headedness.  What is most concerning is that the tweets shared via this account are real comments made by real New Zealanders on a real website called Trade Me.

In short the tweets are a collection of off the wall comments made by buyers and sellers in the Trade Me message boards.  And some people are pretty thick or complete rednecks.  There are no plain tweets amongst this lot. This was the first ever tweet for this account and boy was it a goodie -

"So Where do all the non maori PD workers do their work ?"

I seriously hope this account isn't pulled down or sanitized at all.  It is a true to life mirror of the underbelly of New Zealand society.  It is raw, gritty and at times really infuriating. Lets look at a few examples -

"[Re: problems with immigration] A refugee fresh from Mogadishu comes and settles in NZ with his half dozen wives."

"More importantly do they consult Pakeha? Do they understand the V8 is an important pakeha taonga and should be treated with a great deal..."

"No CO2, no life. Greenies are rather thick."

So the @trademe_txt account is quite new and has very few followers. But for those of us who have been lucky (or unfortunate) enough to follow this account it certainly adds some spice to your timeline.  As a disclaimer this account has nothing to do with the official Trade Me and I have no idea who owns this account.  But whoever they are is doing a really great job of ousting some of the most stupid and foolish people that breathe air right now.  Then again if they did breathe oxygen properly maybe their comments wouldn't be quite so thick.

Then again you read these tweets as stand alone comments and take them with a bit of salt some of them are really ingenious and bloody funny to boot.

These people really exist.  And they post their comments online.  They live next door to you.  They work with you.  These are the people of New Zealand.  Hear them roar.....

Random follow #69 - @muffinmum

Twitter and social media are great levelers of people.  It doesn't matter who you are, where you are from or what you do for a job.  Everybody in social media starts off at point zero.  And if you want to be any good at it then you need to bring your own personality, your own flavor and your own sense of humor.

So for someone like @muffinmum who states in her twitter bio that "Yes, I am short, thanks for telling me" social media puts her on an evening playing field with everyone else. Also known as Emma in real life, @muffinmum is a well rounded tweeter (in a metaphoric sense).  With an ability to engage in conversation on almost any topic she would make a great member of a pub quiz team.  She also works for a University so she must be a smart cookie.

If you follow her you will find that she is a lady of both many talents but also many interests.  There aren't that many ladies who know too much about video gaming but Emma knows her stuff.  She brings a healthy sense of nostalgia to your timeline - "sometimes I wish I could go back to the day when Time Crisis was the best game ever"

She is also able to use twitter as a tool for crowd sourcing answers such as "Research - did you or will you, or anyone you know, have a traditional wedding fruit cake decorated with royal icing?"  or this - "Help - best way to improve Excel skills when you don't use it in current job but would need it for another job?"

@muffinmum also has great taste in television entertainment - "That new Pope bloke looks like he is related to Mrs Brown." and "Was any one watching the hospital program on tV1? Just caught the end, what was the brain surgery the man was having?"

What is deceptive though is the fact that I thought she was a fine young member of society.  One of those five descriptive words isn't entirely true though.  She isn't as young in natural years as her personality and approach to life would have you believe.  "My boss couldn't believe it when I told him I was older than him, he is 32. I was happy."  Maybe its good genetics?  I think it is all about her philosophy and approach to life.

Its also cool that she isn't afraid to ask for help when she gets stuck on a particular issue - "Help, camp list says sand shoes, WTF are sand shoes? Need translation"

There is probably plenty more I could say about one of the lovely people of twitter.  But I shall refrain.  I shall let you make the journey of discovery on your own.  I certainly hope you do because @muffinmum is right up there with the best of them.  Tweeters that is ;)

Random follow #68 - @sarb

While attending a running clinic last week one of the elite athletes spoke one phrase that totally resounds with me - "Respect everyone".  You never know when you speak to someone, toe the start line with someone, or run a few km's with someone who they are or what their story is.

I had the great pleasure of both meeting, conversing with and sharing some stories over a meal with today's random kiwi tweeter - @sarb.  @Sarb is one of those people who doesn't necessarily stand out in a crowd or someone who makes a big song dance about himself but underneath the surface is a myriad of complexity, warmth and awesome anecdotes that can keep you engaged for hours.

@sarb is quite literally the smartest person I have profiled so far.  With not just one but two PhD's in different fields of psychology he is quite an intellectual powerhouse.  With that much talent (and hard work to boot) it probably goes without saying that he is an associate professor.  And yet with all that intellectualism he brings to the table a sense of humor, an ability to engage easily with other people and he exudes an inner warmth of care for others.

It is that caring nature and ability to empathize that see's him travel the length and breadth of not only New Zealand but the entire world.  I don't want to say too much but his field of expertise is disaster recovery from a psychological perspective.  So he spends time helping the good folk of Christchurch and other places where there have been major disasters as well.

He is also an amazing person for other reasons.  On Saturday just been he ran/walked 60 kilometers to finish his second ever official ultra marathon.  Not only is that a feat in itself but, according to the doctor, he may have covered the second half of the course with a concussion.  On what was a super tough course he was able to dig deep and find both the drive, focus and single vision to get himself across the line.

Add to the mix hat he is a dad with a beautiful little girl and you'll have a pretty good picture of who @sarb is. And this wouldn't be a well rounded post if I didn't profile a few of his tweets so you know what you'll be looking at if you add him to your follow list -

Funny tweets - "I just cracked 1000 followers. I think that calls for a mini-w00t."
Weather tweets - "Bigger w00t reserved for substantial rain now falling in Rotorua"
Sports tweets - "Drinks break at nzVEng at the Basin Reserve. Ticket sales pretty chaotic at gate, and far fewer food outlets than required. Step up!"
Food tweets - "There is a conspiracy afoot to make sure that I don't get any lunch. I'm onto 'em"
Parental duties - "Good grief, I'm tired today - though a good day dipping in and out of the Newtown Festival with the toddler. How you doing?"

@sarb is an incredible person who if you ever have the chance or opportunity to meet in real life will in no way leave you disappointed.  When you leave his presence you will leave with both a feeling of meeting a mutual mind but also with a feeling that you have gained something.  That something could be knowledge, a fresh perspective on life or even just a warm feeling inside that you have engaged with a person who is completely genuine.

My final words to you are the same with which I started - Respect everyone.

Random follow #67 - @t3rminallyg33ky and @purelybecky

It takes a honest person to admit they have an addiction.  Often times most addictions occur with some sense of shame or self loathing and people attend self help groups to try and break the cycle and overcome what is weighing them down.  That would be for your usual addiction.

And then there is twitter.  @t3rminallyg33ky is quite open and honest in saying that he has a twitter addiction.  But can twitter actually be an addiction?  Seriously.  If you look at twitter in its most purest form it is one huge melting pot of people having conversations.  So IMHO what @t3rminallyg33ky is really admitting is that he loves interacting with people.

One thing that is immediately apparent in @t3rminallyg33ky's bio is that he has a partner who means the world to him.  I don't think I've seen too many better links to one's love interest than this -
"♥ @purelybecky is my better half ♥".

And then when you hit the link to view @purelybecky's bio it is again immediately apparent that she is completely smitten with @t3rminallyg33ky.

@purelybecky is quite possibly the most prolific tweeter I have profiled so far.  With a whopping (almost) 20,000 tweets she is streaks ahead of many others in the numbers game.

This blog post is not meant to be a gushy, romantic, lovey dovey kind of post.  I mean seriously who writes a blog post like that???  But I do have to say that if you follow one of these two tweeters then you would be well served to follow both of them.  Here is a tweet example -

"Yaaaay! @t3rminallyg33ky is making pancakes for tea!"

Its never a dull moment in the house in which they reside -

"I am never sure if technology is going to work in this house. @t3rminallyg33ky likes to change things daily."

And there are some ways for the good man to have his twitter addiction dealt to -

"Eheheh! @t3rminallyg33ky is in twitter jail! :P"

The tweet mix between these two is quite interesting.  He tweets a lot about technology, interwebs and geeky stuff.  She tweets a lot about whats going on in the every day.  Really funny, slice of life and generally exuberant tweets.  So depending on what flavor you like your tweets you can select between the two.

Oh and one last thing.they live in Dunedin.  A fantastic little city with an overflow of intellect and really smart people achieving really great things.

Random follow #66 - #tarawera

For one day of every year some of the most elite join the average punter and attempt to run, walk, crawl and cover 100 kilometers of forest trail.  People from all around the world descend upon the small city of Rotorua and converge on a network of trails that sees them travel from Rotorua through to a very small rural town called Kawerau.

This event is called the Vibram Tarawera Ultra Marathon (VTUM).  It is a 100km race that is an absolute icon of the New Zealand trail running scene.  In 2013 the VTUM turns 5 years old.  That is 5 years of some the worlds absolute best runners running through some of New Zealand's most scenic countryside.

This year the official hashtag for the VTUM is #tarawera.  There will updates throughout the day from a few different sources watching all the action as it occurs.  And this race is not just about the elite runners.  There are plenty of them.  This year there are runners with personal bests in the marathon of 2:16.  Runners who smash world records and kick butt.

One kiwi elite runner is kiwi girl @annafrosty.  She is a professional athlete who gets flown around the world to compete in all sorts of races.  She is also a very determined, hard headed and single focused person for whom anything less than giving more than her best simply isn't good enough.

It is also about the everyday kiwi getting out there and giving it a go.  Kiwis that I know of that are involved one way or another with the event are -  @imapping, @sarb, @piphyde, and a big supporter of the run @darrenashmore.  And @gr8dairynobull have a runner out on course as well.  These guys

And the man himself.  The one with the dream that he wanted to create an iconic ultra running in event in Rotorua - @trailrunnz.  Paul is a really great guy.  He is super humble, doesn't get too flapped about things and is an amazingly nice guy.

As for me I myself am going to be out there on course working at the aid stations.  Ensuring runners have water, food and energy supplies to aid them through their day.  And I tell you what - it is going to be a simply amazing day!  This is an one off event that is totally NOT TO BE MISSED!

Random follow #65 - #kiwinomad08

Everybody has a story.   Some stories are local and involve people accomplishing great things in their own backyard.  Other peoples stories involve them heading off to international places both attempting and achieving great things.  Today''s tweeter falls into the latter category.

@KiwiNomad08 is an explorer of places.  Not just the local country side but international places as well.  Being an explorer is an art.  It takes a combination of skill, persistence and a keen eye for the little details to pull it all together.  And no exploration is complete if no one knows you've done it.  Yes - you did complete the exploration so in a literal sense it did happen.  But there is some value, some mystery, some connection that occurs when others hear the stories, see the pictures and become both inspired and enthused to go out and engage in their own explorations.

Why do I like @KiwiNomad08 as a tweeter?  Because she has an amazing blog.  And she tweets in a conversational manner.  Some tweeters will give you one tweet in reply.  But Kiwi will carry on a twitter conversation with you for as long as you need or as long as the conversation stays interesting.

But being an explorer is just one aspect to Kiwi's life.  She is also a teacher of children.  Which is one of the most important functions or callings any person can have.  It takes a lot of resilience, patience and caring to be able to manage day in and day the learning needs of an ever changing and diverse range of children.  Parents know that no two children are alike - even from the same parents.  So just imagine what a teacher goes through trying to both teach as well as bring out the best in every child that is placed in their care.

I haven't been following @KiwiNomad08 for very long at all so there isn't too much more that I can say about her.  I can tell you that she went to France and Spain and a whole lot of exploring there.  And if you head over to her blog you can read up on some of the amazing adventures that she had while she was there.

My final and closing comment is this - she lives in the MANAWATU!!!   Yes - Kiwi is the first random kiwi tweeter who lives in the Ragitikei district (sort of)!  So there you go.  I really recommend checking out @KiwiNomad08 and even if you decide not to follow her as a tweeter then her blog is worth adding to your reading list.

Random follow #64 - @nintendoug

In order to make the list of random kiwi tweeters it is required that you come from an interesting place, have an interesting point of view or you do something interesting   Today the person of interest is none other than  @nintendoug.  He is a man of many talents and also a man of few twitter followers.  Whether that is by design or some other reason I do not know.  I can tell you he is an adult student and he tweets accordingly.

If you are considering re-entering the world of higher education then look no further than @nintendoug's tweets of tips and tricks to help you get through your day (and enjoy the penny pinching student lifestyle).

Here are ten top tips from his tweets you can employ -

1. Get good grades. "Cementing my place as annoying class know-it-all, because those tutorial participation marks are easy pickings."
2. Save money on non-essentials.  "To tight to pay for photocopying on campus? Just photograph every page you need!".  
3. Don't procrastinate.  "Oh shit, and the homework. Oh god, the homework!#forgotabouthomework"
4. Course selection is important.  "Today I learnt some interesting things from a Bio Anthropologist, and also that I want to ditch Biological Anthropology next semester".
5. Listen in class.  "Global History 103 today. Remember kids, past behaviour is a great predictor!"
6. Know where you're going.  "How do you get out of this mid-century brutalist nightmare!?!?#physicsbuilding"
7. It's important to engage with other students.  "Ok, today is World Archeology 101 and Club Day. Got my glowsticks, pacifier and a stock of Chupa Chups".
8. Plan ahead.  "Uh oh. This lecture is two hours long! Should I pee before I go in?"
9. Look for the additional benefits.  "Holy shit! There's a bar here!?! This place has everything. I can see why people make a career out of academia".
10. And above all else - have fun.  "@elladeruiter It's going to be a challenge I think, haven't been in a class for about 17 years. It's all a bit overwhelming today. But fun!"

Doug is very serious about his study.  And making the commitment to go back and join the world of academia is not a decision made lightly.  It takes a lot of courage and backbone to join a classroom where you are actually old enough to be the parent of those around you.  I give full credit to @nintendoug and I really do wish him all the very best for his studies ahead.

Just as an aside Doug also has a few other interests as well.  Some he tweets about and some he doesn't.

Here are a few that he has made mention of.

The fine arts - "It took 90 minutes before the play got good. Dudes ripped another dude's eyes out and then there was intermission & we went to the bar".

And he is also a man of impeccable movie taste - "The Dark Knight Returns is awesome and you should watch it. Even though Kevin Conroy is absent."

That is all I have to say about @nintendoug.  I sincerely hope that he can maintain both his enthusiasm and his sense of humor throughout the course of his studies and I genuinely look forward to following him and his successes.

Random follow #63 - @TickledNZ

"Excels at being awesome"

Ladies and gentlemen of twitter I present to you the one, the only @TickledNZ!

When someone's twitter bio says that about them then there really isn't much more I can add that may convince you that Toni is a fun loving, big spirited, adventurous, genuine lovely lady.

She is incredibly attractive, enjoys her fitness and therefore looking good physically and she is also just really nice.  And being a kiwi away from home she also likes to tweet those from home who can help to remember some of the reasons why New Zealand is such a magnificent place to live.

Even when kiwi's leave the nest and head overseas - home is still home.  And there are some things that we just can't live without.  Here are a couple of item's that Toni has mentioned missing -

"@PeopleofNZ mince and cheese *sighs* #pietalk"

"Less than 5 mins to go. Come on Chiefs!!"

"Today marks 10 yrs away from home! Apparently u should all be buying me pressies of the tin variety. May I suggest cans of watties tomato sc"

As with all ex-pat Kiwi tweeters that tell you about things happening in their general area that they don't realise are quite different that what we at home experience.  For example -

"On a train to Glasgow. Boy with the drinks cart forgot we are in the best position to see him adjust himself & the lads are talking football"

"And how did Scotland help me celebrate such an achievement? By enveloping me in freezing cold Haar! O second home, I love ur sense of humour"

Toni's tweets are sweet and normal.  And they just appear.  Like out of nowhere they are just there.  I quite often have to do a double take when her tweets come up 'cos she quite often tweets at normal times for New Zealand.  Here is one that made me do a double take - 

"Very much looking forward to seeing the mega awesome@Ginger_82 in Jekyll & Hyde tonight! x".

Why the double take?  Because my first thought was 'why didn't anyone TELL me Jekyll & Hyde is on in New Zealand!!!!!!'.  (Yes it is one stage show I must see in this lifetime).  

And in my mind it is that fact there which sums up @TickledNZ the best.  After 10 years of being away from home she still sounds, talks and tweets like a genuinely lovely lady from the land of the long white cloud, Aotearoa.

Random follow #62 - @_GlennCollier

What I have found so far during this project is that there tend to pockets of tweeters around New Zealand.  That is there are heavier concentrations of users of twitter in particular areas.  For example - Wellington, Taranaki and Auckland have plenty of twitter users.  Other places are Christchurch and Hamilton (although I  don't think I have profiled anyone from The Tron yet).

Anyway today's tweeter comes to you from one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand.  Mount Maunganui (The Mount) is located in Tauranga and has some of the best beach lifestyle ever.  But where you live does not define you.  It certainly influences what people may think about you but at the end of the day you choose to be who you are.   

@_GlennCollier is one person who has the great fortune to be able to live in such an amazing place.  And even better than that is the fact that his mate Raglan gets to share it with him.  Seriously what are the chances of a person who lives at The Mount (one great surf beach) having a dog named after another New Zealand surf mecca?  Completely uncanny if you ask me.

Tauranga and surfing are two loves in Glenn's life.  And if you know anything about the surfer or his lifestyle then you would know they like time to themselves and tend not to rush things in life.  Maybe that explains why the number of tweeters from that part of the country are a bit lower per head than the remainder of the country.  Either that or they are all bust at the beach!

You can tell someone is serious about social media when they admit to doing things like this - "almost sent a txt to a mate with a hash tag! #addictedtotwitter".  While his tweet count is a little low and he has yet to crack 400 I would say this twitter newbie certainly has found his feet.  A lot of his tweets are conversational and easy to digest.

A word of warning though.  If you don't live near the beach and pictures of the beach give you a bit of angst then you may wish to follow someone else who lives in a far more boring place.

And he has a really great sense of humor.  Check it out - 

"Tomorrow I am going to buy a huge paella pan, then i will invite all my neighbors for a most excellent paella, or just hang it on the wall?"

"#ATM rage, just queued up behind a triple card dipper!" or this one...

"Frujus are $2.80 at my BP Garage...That's not fair, how do they justify the extra .30c? Bastards!"

What impresses me most about @_GlennCollier is that he has been very quick to follow and interact with a lot of the great people of twitter.  If you scroll through his timeline you will see a whole plethora of names of people you may know.  I certainly spotted quite a few lovely people in that timeline.

Well there isn't too much else to say really.  Except to ask the question - is he a long boarder or a short boarder?  You can follow along with his twitter journey and maybe you'll get the chance to find out.

Random follow #61 - @skirtauckland

Tweeters come and tweeters go.  Some twitter accounts are here for a while and other accounts are short bursts that light up the twitter sky and then disappear or morph into other things.

@SkirtAuckland is a project account that is tweeted by @marcuslush.  There was no fanfare, fancy launch parties or much of ado made about the launching of this twitter account.  I found it simply by seeing a tweet that read something like "starting a new twitter account. I follow back".

So what is @skirtauckland?  It is the gem of an idea from Marcus to walk around Auckland.  Not walk around Auckland as in go to the usual touristy locations and see the 'usual stuff'.  Rather it is a daily assignment to literally walk AROUND the outside of Auckland.  Auckland is by no means a small city.  It has the largest land area of any city in the world.

And so our intrepid explorer is walking.  He is walking and tweeting a lot of his adventures, findings, discoveries and mentioning the people he has met.  There are so many real and fabulous people with depth and value in their stories.  And those people live closer to you than you think.  It is easy to immortalise or make heroes of someone on the television.  And yet some of the most endearing, heart warming, heart breaking and fulfilling stories are held by the people who live right next door to you.

The aim of this project is not to purposely meet those people but those people I am sure cross paths with Marcus as he travels.  So far I have seen tweets about bus rides, dairies, school gala's, bible studies, beaches and motorists.

So what are the tweets like?  To be honest they are random, genuine, often photos and always have worth to them in one way or another.  Here are a few examples - 

"Day eleven and I have finally seen a kid up a tree!"

"Unbelievably good cooking smells in this street!"

"Could not eat all the grapes.. They are at the Cyril cres bus stop if you want them."

One of the best parts of this account?  Definitely the 'Dairy of the day".  Check this out - 

"And get this at the PoP Inn! 1.20$ for a kiddie cone! Unheard of! Cheapest in AK .. And an A in pest control + B in food hygiene OUTSTANDING"

What I love about this twitter account is its genuineness.  And it proves, yet again, that there are adventures to be had.  not in far away places but right here.  At our own backdoor and within our very own neighbourhoods. I really hope that by following @SkirtAuckland you too will be challenged to get there, the outside world, go exploring, learn some stuff, meet some people and ultimately be a better person for it.

I do not expect this account to last long.  Rather I think of it as being like a meteorite.  It will flash through the sky creating a new brightness and bringing the sky to life.  There are some people who will see this light and will remember it forever.  Those will be the people who go looking for it.  Who search for it.  Those who choose to take the time and engage with such a project.

I sincerely hope that you choose to be one of those people.

@SkirtAuckland I salute you.

Random follow #60 - @HassanahRudd

Almost all of my random tweeters so far have been fun, interesting and lovely people.  Today's random person certainly fits that description and more.

What I can tell you is that @HassanahRudd right now is a very busy new mum.  New from the point of view that she has both become a new mum but not for the first time.  Baby number three arrived this week and I have no doubt the Rudd family right now are super proud and super excited about the new addition to their family.

Tweeters you can mark this date in your calendar so you can plan ahead for birthday presents from now on "slow tweet stream from me. No Internet connection at Birthcare. Finally joined by our new baby girl late thurs night. Just got home#happy".

And it's really nice that she is able to find a balance between being a professional woman and a mum as well.  Being a parent has its fair share of ups and downs.  And it is the little things your kids do that can make you either burst out loud laughing or start beaming with pride from the inside out.

"Trying to read board papers whilst Miss 3 "sings" at the top of her lungs. She won't be auditioning for X Factor.. Off key.. Big time!"

In her "normal" (is there such a thing when you are a mum?) she is an advocate for people.  Usually such a job would be titled human resources professional.  But in Hassanah's case her official role is one of talent & sourcing expert and recruitment.  She is also a smart mum in regards to her ability to access technology - "The joy of twitter & smartphones; I can catch up on good blogs whilst waiting for Mr9 at his dentist appt".

There are a few traits that stand out about Hassanah.  For a start she has a beautiful name.  She is a mum.  She is also a very passionate advocate and voice for other mums and children.  It takes a certain type of drive, fire and passion for a person to choose to take up a role as an advocate for others.

@HassanahRudd is also a valuable member and contributor to the #nzlead discussions which take place every week.  If you refer back to this post here you can find out more about how #nzlead works.

One really nice thing I enjoy about her tweeting is that she will engage you in a conversation.  If a conversation needs more than one or two tweets she will happily talk away.  And the conversations add value.  Multiple conversation partners are welcomed and everyone gets either a reply or a friendly tweet.

As all new mums (and babies) need their rest I am going to sign off on this post a little earlier than I usually do.  But I did have a few unanswered quetions in my mind about her and with a little help from my friend google I was able to source the perfect ending to this post.

"Hassanah loves to talk but as her husband says “not everyone speaks Hassanah”, which is accented, fast paced and energetic (probably due to her many years working in the fast paced temp world). People tend to remember Hassanah because of her long red hair and unusual name. What most don’t know is that her parents met in a commune and married in a mosque which is why Hassanah was given an Arabic name."

(source: at http://www.frogrecruitment.co.nz/About+Frog/Our+People/HassanahRudd.html)

Congratulations Hassanah and all your family on your new addition.  x.

Random follow #59 - @corinh

Since I started writing these Random Kiwi Tweeters blog posts I have been lucky enough to both write about and engage with some really amazing people.  Today's random tweeter is an absolute delight to write about.

@corinh is quite possible the most coolest librarian you will ever meet.  Not cool in a hip or modern fashion kind of way (which he may actually be) but more in a a way that he doesn't come across all geeky.  He tweets really cool tweets and challenges you the reader from time to time as well.

What is the appeal with @corinh?  He is a man of many talents, interests and various other pursuits.  About the only interest that he doesn't have listed in his list of interests is a passion for fancy sports cars.  Such as a MG or a classic Jaguar.

Corin is a man of reflection and deep thought.  He strikes me as someone who has the ability to both reflect on those things that have happened in the past yet can find a balance whereby he lives in the present and in the moment at the same time.  Such a talent is a rare gift in a person.  And what is great is that his tweets don't give him\s internal thinking and musings away entirely.

I once saw an exhibit at Te Papa and the artist created a full life size replica of his fathers outdoor shed.  The thing was though that the door was always locked.  And the only way of viewing the contents of the shed was to peer through the keyhole.  I get that same sense and feeling from some of Corins tweets.  He is happy for you to peer in the key hole and see some of the memories, memento's and articles of interest he has accumulated along the way.  But at the same time (like any good social media user) he keeps his true inner workings safely tucked away out of sight.  He will every so often give you the observer a bone to chew on like this one "I bought a ticket to the world... But now I've come back again...." and yet even though you think you may know someone of the man - you actually don't.  (Editors note - mysterious tweeters and tweets are appealing).

If you combine his deep thinking with some random moments and you will discover that his funny bone is alive and swinging  "Senior moment at sushi store. Forgot the name for Miso".

And I hear he may be looking for a new job too "Do we have a new Pope yet? They haven't returned my calls asking when the interviews are...."

Corin is also an interviewer of people.  With a really nice website and two different podcasts - "Library Chat" and "In My Chair" he is a very busy chap.  Interviewing people is not as easy as it sounds.  It takes a lot of time, preperation and skill to be able to draw out of people their story.  I remember someone once asked Larry King what his secret was to conducting a good interview and he had one answer "Keep asking why".  And with interviewing often times the person who gains much value from the discussion and conversation.

I could keep going on and on and on and on...  much like a Pixie Caramel but you get what I am trying to say.  If you choose to follow @corinh then you will without a doubt be adding value to your twitter life.

Corin is the epitome of that classic saying "You sir, are a scholar and a gentleman".  And his tweet here absolutely sums up the man himself nicely - "Census done!! It's a bit short. I wanted to tell them so much more!!!!"

Random follow #58 - @jensta12

It takes some kind of determination, physical ability and motivation to get fit.  It takes all those very some ingredients plus some more for someone to become a fitness instructor.  Hours and hours of time are spent in movement and strength training to create a body someone can be proud of.  But physical development is only one part of the equation.  There is also a need for inner personal development.  So when the internal and external combine then you have the right person for the job.

@jensta12 is a person of determination and depth.  Forging a career as a person whose role it is to motivate, teach and encourage others to be active is no walk in the park.  There are literally hundreds of physical trainers out there essentially competing for clients to train.  So this is where the mental balance and wellness combines with sheer grit and determination to make a trainer a good one.

Jenny is a really cool chick.  She is 100% kiwi and proud of it. You will find in her timeline tweets about all sort of random kiwi things.  

One thing I have noticed about her tweets is that she usually has a positive spin on them.  What people tweet is generally an extension of their inner self.  In Jenny's case that inner self likes chocolate, puppies and and pizza.  Sounds pretty damn good to me!  

She is not immune from dropping the occasional health tip - "upside of drinking long blacks as opposed to laté, not only save $ but save on drinking all that milk too!"

Some thoughts on dieting - "Thought I'd give the paleo diet a try - 2 days & I'm over it already & hungry!! Mind you that's probably 'cos I haven't had any dinner!"

And there is the North Shore lifestyle too - "Couple of hours on the beach - off to teach couple of group fitness classes now! Still all sandy!!"

And of course there are the mandatory funny tweets - "You know I think I might stay with Vegemite - like the taste & Sanitarium don't pay enough tax - apparently !" and this one "Might have a nap (power, not Nana)!!".

Now if there was going to be one area of weakness or downfall it would be the fact that she is in Auckland.  But wait! All is not lost! On no - @jensta12 is in actual fact from Motueka (More-chew-ek-car).  So because she is from the South Island that raises her profile to the absolute heights of twitter stardom.

(Editors note - that paragraph was a joke.  Stirring.  Tongue in cheek.  Aucklanders please don't take it too seriously or personally/)

Just as an aside there is one thing about the top of the South Island you should know is that is where they grow all the best ingredients for beer.  That is - hops.  

Jenny is a fun loving, active, determined, positive woman who is also a mum.  She is a tweeter of many things and is someone who enjoys her life to the fullest.  Today Jenny gets a rating of 'very valuable tweeter' :)

Random follow #57 - @kirbsradioboy

I have only a few criteria for someone to be profiled in this project.  The most specific criteria is that someone has to be interesting.  @kirbsradioboy has the label of being interesting totally nailed.

Going by the name of 'Indie Rock Kid' @kirbsradioboy is certainly a man with diverse interests and a very interesting home life.  The first thing that struck me was his profile.  Anyone whose opening line says that he has a hot wife is all right with me.  Any man who speaks of his wife in such a way is someone who has his priorities sorted and knows what is important to him.

He is also a dad.  Being a dad is quite simple awesome.  No disrespect to mums (because they are fantastic too) but dads do stuff different.  Dads climb trees, wrestle, plat football and do man stuff.  Being a dad and being present in your kids lives is important.  Not every kid has the chance to have a dad and for those of us dads who are able to be present in our kids lives we need to savor that privilege and not take it for granted,  And I am sure Indie Rock Kid values his sons very much.  You can tell when he tweets like this -

"2nd day off in 28 days #workinghard To celebrate I'm going to the #Rodeo. No that it excites me, its more for the kids and being a good dad"

And like all of us there is more to @kirbsradioboy than his home life.  There is also his vocation.  Radio and not just radio but sports commentating.  From what I can tell its all sports.  From football to speedway, throw in some rugby and some cricket and you'll understand what I mean.

And if you've followed twitter for a while you will know there are more than a few people who are keen on speedway and stock cars.  Including the infamous @ramjamnz.  And I know this next tweet by @kirbsradioboy will have him weakening at the knees -    

"Sucking in Methanol fumes commentating speedway. Waiting for the headache. #speedway #marlborough"

And how could he go by a name such as Indie Rock Kid if he didn't tweet about music. 

"I am on the hunt for my dream guitar amp. Yep business is good. #marshall #fender #peavey #guitartalk"

"Some of your issues can be solved with music." and "Dance like the world is ending."

And his musical taste matches, or is exemplified, by his twitter name -

"must be having a good shame #thepixies #nowplaying just takes me back to a happy place"

@kirbsradioboy doesn't live on social media like some of us do.  He jumps in and tweets when he has something decent to say.  And I am picking he keeps an eye on what is going on but chooses when and where he will join the conversation.

And any random tweeter who is actually interesting has to have a sense of humor.  As I have a sweet tooth this tweet really appeals to me - "Got through a mountain of work today. The only shame is that my job isn't an ice cream taster for magnums."

If you are looking to follow a well rounded kiwi tweep who will add some musical nostalgia and value, give reverence to those who deserve it, speak praise where it is due and insert an occasional football tweet you found it right here in @kirbsradioboy.