Random follow #108 - @KirstiGrant

One of my earliest ever follows on twitter was a very lovely young lady who works in HR.  At the time I had no idea who she was.  I just thought - hey, here is this lady who seems to tweet cool stuff so I will go ahead and follow her.  The twitter account I was operating at the time (@everydaymanager) was focused on business and making contacts with new people in that realm.  So @KirstiGrant was a natural fit.

What I didn't know at that time was that -

• I would have the pleasure of meeting her IRL
• she has a taste for progressive dubstep
• and that she would go on a career journey that us twitter followers would be a part of as well

Kirsti is a very pleasant lass who has time for almost everyone.  What you see is what you get and she doesn't have a mean thing to say about anyone.  Hers is a drama free zone with very little given away when things may not be going so well.  And when things are going well she keeps a lid on things so as to avoid any  emotional extremes.

With her skills and employment being mainly in Human Resources (especially recruitment via online methods) then you are going to get tweets that look like these - 

"Who has had an amazing experience where they've gotten a job using social media? Cool stories only bro! We want to share your story."

But that is not all.  Kirsti is a lady of many tastes and talents -

"Okay the Game of Thrones Simpsons opening is amazing."

The little things in life are what she enjoys and loves to share with the twitterverse -

"A nice bottle of Pinot Noir, a lasagne & two awesome little boys (& one big one) to spend this lovely Friday evening with. Zero complaints!"

And then there is her talent for delectable cuisine -

"Pie, coke and a caramel slice for lunch. I belong in a construction yard, or in a truck. Or something along those lines anyway..."

Kirsti is someone who has managed to navigate her way through the complex and constantly changing world of social media.  And she has managed to sail her boat through a number of life changes and stay afloat.  She is a legend of twitter and just quietly goes about doing her own thing.  Which is just being lovely really.

If you are looking for someone on social media to emulate or look up to as far as providing a great example then you can't go too wrong with having a look at @KirstiGrant.  

Random follow #107 - @customvision

Some tweeters you go out and find.  Other tweeters come and find you.  Either way if you happen to stumble across a good tweeter then it’s worth telling someone about your find.  And when that tweeter is someone who is going out of their way to make the lives of someone else easier then that person right there deserves some shine.

Sports people and athletes are a weird bunch   They subject their bodies to all sorts of pressures that most of the rest of us could never dream of.  @customvision is such a person.  Spending 96 days on a bike is not everyone's idea of a good time.  Especially the bit where you get a really sore bum from sitting on the same seat for hours on end.

"..leg 4 is 2000+ kms of hard work.. training is about to be over ..but the scenery is definately worth all the effort.. next stop = beach :)"

But that is exactly what Dean is doing.  96 days of continuous cycling.  That's 6,500 kms of pedaling.  All the way around New Zealand.  Through shine, snow, sleet, rain, howling winds and calm still weather - it's 96 days of self sacrifice and adventure.  That's 96 days of hills, flats, rolling contours, undulating tar seal, watching out for mad truck drivers, avoiding roaming dogs, observing beautiful beaches and scenery.  96 days.  That is no mean feat.

"i love nz.. i love discovering more and more of this beautiful country.. i love riding my pushbike around here.. twice.. but i want more.."

Why?  To raise monies for children's charities.  Not just one particular charity but a whole bunch of charities.       @customvision is a website of a photographer and someone who has a passion and a drive to see a project through to completion.  And you know Dean is for real when you read his tweets that look like these - 

"my body is a lil sore.. i smell a bit funky and would benifit from a long hot bath.. but im almost done.. there is now only 10 days to go.."

"i certianly have no problem straightening up a flower or fallen over cross as a symbol of appriciation and respect.. that is what it is.."

So here's what I like.  Its not a race.  Dean is on a mission and yet he still take's the time to observe his surroundings and take in what is going on around him.  He also is quite clear about keeping it real - 

"i slept very well indeed apart from the drips of rain that came through and hit me.. i did mention my tent is no longer waterproof didnt i?"

It takes someone a little bit driven, a little bit mad and someone who is intensely focused to be able to achieve a feat such as this.  My only wish is that i had of discovered @customvision a lot sooner than now and that I could have followed more of his journey.

As always here is another random kiwi tweeter who is worth a follow and if you can flick a few dollars his way that will go towards a charity for kids - then you become a legend right there.

Random follow #106 - @emmawehipeihana

Social media is a kingdom dominated by cats.  Cats, cats and even more cats.  Everywhere you look there they are.  Be in on twitter, Facebook, pinterest or instagram.  Social media is full of moggies, pussy cats, grumpy cats, wet cats, silly cats and yes even more cats.

Why are there so many cats?  Because people love them.  I don't think it would be too much of an over-generalization to say that a majority of women love cats.  Yes guys do occasionally post photos of cats too but the volume and frequency of those posts is far less.  Today's random follows is one of those ladies who loves cats.

@emmawehipeihana is about much more than cats though.  She is a high flyer in the world of corporate recruitment and helps companies, boards and governance groups to both seek out and employ executives of the highest caliber.  Sound easy enough to do?  Well its not.  It takes a blend of both academic smarts as well as street smarts too.

Emma is a lady who has a very broad perspective and understanding of the world.  I can't confirm it for sure but I think Emma may have been a few different places around the globe and has many more to see yet.  She is also a very loyal and thoughtful person.

Here are a few things I really, really like about Emma.  She is an individual who isn't afraid to be true to herself.  "Just made the most uncool nostalgia playlist imaginable on spotify. It has Mariah, and old Disney tunes. So excited."

She has a really great and thinking sense of humor.  "Does IRD record what you say on hold? If so, some poor trainee is going to wonder what the Feelers did to make me so violently furious."

You can take the girl off the marae but you can't the marae out of the girl. "Aucklanders ... is it possible to buy boil up or hangi anywhere in Auckland today? Random craving for marae comfort food."

And she has a keen fashion sense.  "The sad inevitability of winter in New Zealand: the puffer jacket. Soiling urban landscapes since ages ago."

So what does @emmawehipeihana bring to twitter?  She brings a diverse set of interests ranging from HR to cats, cooking to art.  She brings an individual sense of humor that is both observational as well as just a little bit bent.  So slapstick humor you probably won't find here but you will find tweets that will make you sit back, breathe in and have to muse on their meaning.

Emma is a tweeter who stands on her own two feet, isn't swayed by public opinion or the direction that the crowd is headed in but stands her own ground, tweets her own thoughts and above all deepens the overall twitter experience for everyone.

If more people on twitter could be like @emmawehipeihana the world would be a better place :)

Random follow #105 - @AucklandScene

Auckland. It’s the city most of New Zealand loves to hate. Yes, it’s big, the traffic isn't the best, and
the weather is very changeable. But love it or hate it, Auckland is New Zealands largest city and has
a lot to offer the people who live in it and visit it. Megan Singleton is one such person who LOVES
Auckland. She is the brains behind @AucklandScene, the twitter account of the Auckland Scene
website.

@AucklandScene’s twitter bio pretty much sums up everything Auckland Scene is about. It reads:
"We love Auckland and our site has honest-to-goodness bar and restaurant reviews + everything you
want to know about this great kiwi city!"

My favorite part of that bio is the “great kiwi city” part. But then again I was born in Auckland and
have lived here all my life and love it, so maybe I am a little biased.

The @AucklandScene timeline is, as you would expect, filled with tweets that are all things Auckland.
There are Transport/traffic tweets:
"At the GI train station. Did you know there's free all day parking here and $3.40 to get to Brito?"
"Up with the sparrows at breakfast meeting at Mecca. It's drizzly out there Aucks. Watch your
following distance ;)"

Weather tweets:
"Our water tank is now empty. When's the rain coming? #summerconundrum"
"Rain gauge is heaving with 8mls."
"My water tank has enough to keep the tomatoes growing. Happy for it to rain at nighttime only.
Thank you weather people."

Food tweets:
"Wouldn't it be cool if we had food trucks all in one place? How bout it Auckland?!"
"Oh Calcutta is humming tonight with Valentine balloons on the ceiling & 6 chefs in the kitchen. Bring
on my butter chicken!"

And Coffee tweets:
"Apparently an Auckland monopoly board is coming out. Would you buy one? I would if I could drive
a Flat White around the board ;)"

Megan and her team have done a great job of showcasing Auckland and all it has to offer. I
look forward to learning more about what this “Great Kiwi City” has to offer and watching
Auckland Scene, the website, grow and flourish too. You can check out the website here www.aucklandscene.co.nz/. If you live in Auckland @AucklandScene is definitely worth a follow and
if you don’t live in Auckland, well the choice is totally yours, but maybe one day you will visit and if
you do, check out Auckland Scene, it may just tell you what you want to know.

I’m going to leave you now with my favorite tweet from the @AucklandScene timeline:

"Auckland, you're pearler"

I couldn't have said it better myself! Auckland you are definitely that!

(Editors note - thanks to @pammygirl for another stunning post.  I do look forward to one that tells the world all about how good Hamilton is.....   #nevergonnahappen)

Random follow #104 - @petrajane

The role of the historian is similar to that of a police detective.  Not so much in the sense that something sinister has taken place or that there is a crime that needs solving.  Rather the historian uses their observational skills and prowess to piece together many links, uncovers and sorts out the differences between fact and fiction, and ultimately a historian creates a written or descriptive story that helps us all understand the how and why things are as they are and how they got to be that way.

@petrajane is quite possibly one of the wittiest and most intelligent tweeters I have come across yet.  Being a historian means that she takes her time to find all the facts and she takes a very analytic view of things.  She has an observational eye and very sharp perception.  Much like Wonder Woman there is no foe to big, no problem that can't be dealt with and no force of evil that she will not tweet about.

She calls things as they are -

"Is ANZAC Day the only public holiday where it is considered acceptable to have a beer at 8 in the morning?"

and then she follows up with some hilarious sharing of her thoughts on the topic - 

"You must not listen to music at a pub before 1pm on ANZAC day unless you're drinking a beer you bought with lunch: http://www.hospitalitynz.org.nz/Media.html?cid=3904 …" and
"...to be safe, you might want to put your fingers in your ears before you walk into any licensed premises on a public holiday."

Petra is also a font of knowledge and happily shares all sorts of tidbits that she comes across.  It is this aspect that I really like.  The mix of current issues, sharing of facts and figures, mixed up with creativity and bound together by great humor = the tweets you find her posting.

She is also a HUGE fan of The Simpsons.  So much so that she captures the truly great dialogue that occurs and that shares it with us via the twitter platform.  She does quite clearly have one caveat that she abide's by for her tweeting - 

"sometimes I worry about clogging people's feeds, then I think "if you don't enjoy classic Simpsons dialogue, you can just GTFO"

And just to prove that there is more to her tweeting than just those two topics, here are a random assortment of other tweets that showcase what Petra is capable of - 

"If you'll excuse me, I have to go mock myself for not checking my own facts before tweeting..."

"Fun Fact: the Canyonero theme was performed by Hank Williams Jr, son of the country music legend"

"On streaming BBC World News alongside Twitter, I think I prefer my news coverage 10 minutes slower and not constantly issuing retractions"

@petrajane also thinks out her tweets before firing them off into the twittersphere.  There aren't too many rash or badly tweets given out.  I would hesitate to say each one undergoes some sort of quality assurance test but I don't think I would be too far wrong if I did.  

(A cat.  Because - why not?)

If you hit the follow button for @petrajane your timeline will thank you for it.

Random follow #103 - @nikbol

@nikbol is a young man on a mission.  Well I'm making a huge assumption in writing that statement but hey when you're 18 who isn't on a mission?  18 is the year you can legally do pretty much everything.  It used to be 21 which was lowered to 20 and now its 18.  Kids sure do grow up sooner these days than we did. 

Nick is a tweeter based out of Dunedin.  Tbh I have no idea what he does as far as making a living and I'm sure that really matters.  What really matters (for the sake of this blog) is what he does as a tweeter.

Be it Arsenal (editor - cough, choke), Wellington Phoenix (huge applause!) and supporting cricket you quickly get an understanding that Nick does enjoy his sports.

One really cool thing about Nick is that he is interactive.  You tweet - he replies or says something witty.  He doesn't post too many tweets that don't involve or aren't focused on others.  And when he does they are usually something good.  Like -

"Finding 20 euro cents in my wallet was not something I planned to do today." or
"Cats are the backbone of the internet economy."
"So leaving the o out of the word 'Count' while in a facebook conversation isn't the best Idea..."

And for a young fella he has a very keen sense of humor and excellent perception of current events -

"Build a stadium. Contribute 90% of your GO money for the rest of the game and halfway into the next. #DunedinMonopolyCards"

Here are the top 5 reasons to follow @nikbol -

1. Football  tweets
2. Funny tweets
3. Sports tweets
4. Comic and movie tweets
5. Some of the best ReTweets on the internet

Oh and by the way.  he has a ratio of follows to followers of 9 to 1.  So I think he would appreciate having a few more twitter friends if you know what I mean.

That's about all I know about Nick.  And I think thats about all I need to know to be able to recommend him as a good tweeter to follow.  You're welcome.

Random follow #102 - @sonjayelich

"Any healthy man can go without food for two days - but not without poetry."  Charles Baudelaire

Creative types abound on twitter.  Those who can knit, sew, cook, create art with their bare hands and today's person.  An artist who uses words.  Words can be both subtle as well as full of such force that they can knock you flat on your backside and then give you a good kick as well.

@sonjayelich is just that sort of creative type.  With a few books to her name and many poems published in various anthologies she is a very busy lady.  Writing is a profession and a past time that consumes days, weeks and months at a time in the search for just the right arrangement of words.  Even some of her tweets are given thought so that they too become a piece of poetry within themselves - 

"it was a blazing morning & now the sky is a pamphlet of grey. tomorrow will be raining."

Besides writing Sonja has what is quite possibly the most unique and interesting assortment of pictures on her tumblr page that I have ever seen assembled in one place.

Of all the tweeters who have been put through the Random Kiwi Tweeters mill so far I don't think any of them have shot quite as straight nor thrown a good tweet quite as well as Sonja does -

"PerfectMikeHosking just got unfunny" followed by......

"also - that man that drives that damn horse & cart thing is so smug - imma drop him off in Pokeno - with no shoes."

And her views of poetry and books in general - 

"at a poetry gig the other night i was really amazed to see poets reading their work straight off the cellphone. v cool."

"went to the cbd & bought a bk of heaven reading - Anne Carson's red doc> - with its slick columns of poetry. damn good layout. thick paper."

She doesn't fluff around with too many niceties and certainly doesn't pander to those who seek the limelight of social media.  Rather she offers a balanced and fair view of the world that keeps you thinking and on your toes.  While it would be easy to say that Sonja can be a bit dark I think that would be doing her a disservice.  I think instead that she is a realist and a call it like it is kind of person.  This quote from a media article will you give you some insight into her psyche and personality - 

"So I tried to create something accessible. I didn't write it to say war's good or bad. I just wrote it to say what it is."  (Source: http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/news/poets-virtual-war-gets-a-nod/1007165/)

Don't get me wrong Sonja is a very lovely person who interacts with tweeters in a nice and positive way.  She also shares positive stories and uplifting pieces that spring up from time to time.  With tweets like these you know she is a deep thinker with an interesting view of the world "i'll never forget it - some things are worth carrying around in the heart."

If you want to know more about Sonja herself (in a professional way) you can google her or alternatively you can just check out this link here.  And I don't normally do this but I thought I would share a video of her so you can get a better picture of the lady herself.

@sonjayelich is totally worth a follow.  She will entertain, challenge you and make you think.  The three essential aspects of both creativity and social media.  5 out of 5 stars.

Random follow #101 - #revtalk and @RevChrisHuriwai

There are many interesting people from many diverse and interesting walks of life.  It is via social media that our worlds intersect and a certain amount of both richness and depth is added to our every day lives.  I must admit that I was quite taken aback when @PhidMcAwesome recommended @RevChrisHuriwai as a kiwi tweeter worth following.

Not because @RevChrisHuriwai is not a good tweeter but more from the view that I never took Phid as being quite so broad minded.  But I must say I am pleased for both of those facts.  That Chris is a great tweeter and also that Phid has a broad mind.

So what does a maori Anglican priest tweet about?  Well to be fair - everything under the sun.  There are very few topics that are out of bounds or that will not be discussed (within a fair amount of reason of course).

Television - "Shes after the money...don't trust her! #ShortlandStreet"
X-Factor - "So that's 'It Only Happens' down...wonder how long until 'Sweet Darling' and 'E I Po' make an appearance. #XFactorNZ #MaoriMuch"
Current affairs - "Oh no, I wish Twitter had a 'I was joking' button. I know Jason was the one on What Now... #FailedComedian"

One thing I personally know about Anglicanism is that it allows room for the individual to shine while maintaining and preserving the form and function of the church.  I for one admire and enjoy that if I go to a particular denomination of church that I have a pretty good idea of the layout of the service and the procession thereof.  And yet with all the formality the person that is the priest is given the latitude to share their journey, ideology and philosophy of Christianity as they see it.

@RevChrisHuriwai is not afraid to weigh in and share his opinions on the matters of the day.  And having both access to social media and the knack of being able to write a good tweet  means Chris is onto a winner,  And these are but a few of the topics that he tweets about - marriage equality, Maori spirituality, ANZAC day and pretty much all sorts.  Such as -

"If 'bad' can go from meaning 'bad' to meaning 'good,' surely 'Gay' can go from being derogatory to meaning 'Awesome' #GayMeansAwesome"

And it amongst all the tweets there are of course the obvious religious type tweets.  He is a man of the cloth of course -

"The Good Word - "I never thought all my father's stories about his growing up would come in handy...but they have! #PricelessSermonMaterial"
"I absolutely love Anglican Choir Dress! #ThatcherFuneral"

And he also has an absolutely BRILLIANT sense of humor as well -

"When #MarriageEquality passes into law, can my wife and I divorce and get Gay Re-Married? Our first wedding just wasn't fabulous enough..."

@RevChrisHuriwai is one of five Anglican ministers who use the hashtag and contribute to the twitter discussion via #revtalk. Revtalk.co.nz is more than just a hashtag though.  It also a pulpit, come website, come platform for sharing their vision online.  Whats great about this site is that the Revs are able to give a diverse range of view points of the topics and having more than one means the content is fresh, updated often and usually quite challenging as well.  And not just to you the reader but amongst their group too.

If your timeline is need of a lift or some inspiration then I can totally recommend either @RevChrisHuriwai or the #revtalk as being worth a follow.

(Not so) Random follow #100 - the girl with The Rolling Stone's tattoo

As you live your life there are many, many people with whom you will cross paths.  Some people will make additions to you while others subtract.  Many people will pass through and pass by without you noticing them.  Today's person is someone who has been an addition.

Jaarna is a beautiful young lady whom I have known for a few years.  She first came to us from Tauranga and took up a position within the creative school administration team (also known as CTC).  It didn't take her very long to make an impact on people.  Not that she was loud or overbearing or any of those things.  Rather she went about her work in a constructive, methodical and clear headed way.

Jaarna is a people person.  She is a person who when she smiles and laughs can light up a room.  She has the ability to turn a dreary dull day into one full of love, fun and creativity.  She also has an exceptional sense of humor mainly due to her upbringing in Opotiki.  So its not exactly refined in a posh, private school manner.  More like a down at the pub raucous night out kind of sense of humor.

She is also a very open and loving person.  She accepts anyone and everyone into her life.  There has been the odd time when people have taken advantage of that but Jaarna is a quick learner.  And she can also see through the bullshit.  If you bring to her a heap of dung wrapped up in fancy paper - she knows and can very quickly figure out your lies and crap.

Anyway.  Jaarna is also a lover of tattoos.  And she has two distinctive one's that I know of.  The first is the Rolling Stone's symbol which is emblazoned in full color on the top of one of her feet.  She wears it proudly. And it is quite a remarkable thing.  I was caught completely unawares when I saw it for the first time and had to do both a double and triple take to recognise just what it was.  She also has angels wings on her back.  And this one I believe is a very true representation of her.  She has such a kind and gentle nature about her that to say she is an angel would be a very fair description.

It was just a few years ago that Jaarna, after going through a particularly tough patch, found the woman of her dreams.  I would often catch up with her and ask how it was going and Jaarna would gush and tell me about this amazing lady she had met would had completely swept her off her feet.  As Hayley lived in Wellington and we were in Rotorua there were many discussions on the best and most efficient ways of heading south.  (I think in Jaarna's mind the fastest way possible was the only way!!!)

Jaarna left us and moved south to live with her fine partner.  Life had definitely turned a corner and things were coming together very, very nicely.  A new job, a new career, love abounding - everything was going well.

Until.  Until the day she was told she had cancer.  Not terminal at that stage but cancer nonetheless.  And so began the treatments.  The day in and day out of therapy, feeling ill, hair loss, constant fatigue and the throwing up.  If there is no other message that you take away from this post let it be that Jaarna is a fighter and a survivor.  And its been the love, support and sheer determination  of both Hayley and her family and friends that has helped Jaarna with her fight.

And with the support of her work colleagues and family they thought up a fundraising campaign to help cover the costs of day to day living.  Not being able to work meant that there was a huge financial hole created.  So Shelley and Janet (some of Jaarna's very best friends) thought up the idea of FLAG day.

F = Fight

L = Like

A = A

G = Girl  

FLAG day was a super dooper fundraiser that was HUGE.  Unfortunately Jaarna wasn't able to be there due to the timing of her treatments but she joined the festivities virtually.

Without a doubt one of the happiest days of Jaarna's life was when her and Hayley became civil partners.  When Hayley came into Jaarna's life it was like night and day.  A bubbly, happy, resilient spirit welled up within her and started bubbling over so that all who knew them couldn't but become infected with the love and devotion they have for each other.  And it may very well be that they may be able to get married this year too.  But there are other factors in play that may or may not see that happen.

So whats happening now?  In short Jaarna has been told that cancer has returned and this time it will bring her life to a close.  Sooner rather than later.  And so I write this post not because I am looking for sympathy as a friend.  But rather as a way to acknowledge a very special, beautiful, lovely young lady for whom I have ALL THE LOVE AND RESPECT in the world for.  I am proud to say she is my friend.  And she will ALWAYS hold a very special place within my heart.

This not an obituary or meant to be dark.  Rather my intention is to tell you all about a very special lady who I am proud to say is my friend.  Often times we leave the things we should say to people until after they have gone.  And so in this post I am wanting to say all the things that I want to.  Hopefully I have been able to do that above.

You won't find Jaarna on twitter.  You probably won't find her on Facebook either.  And you definitely  won't be able to find her in Wellington.  Where you will find her is spending time with the most special people in the world in the most special place in the world to her.

My final thoughts -

Life is precious.  Love all the people.  Say all the things you need to say today.

Jaarna Holly Renee' Hoskins passed away on the 22nd of June, 2013. Farewell dear friend.

Random follow #99 - @dearfreddy

Everybody has a story to tell.  Some people go through enjoyable things in life, some people have a real hard time in life.  Overall though the good and the bad they tend to balance out.  If you follow someone for long enough then you get to share with them the ups and downs.  Twitter can be like a giant soap opera some days in that peoples stories intersect and people interact.  And each time you go to bed there's always a question mark left like  I wonder whats going to happen to xxxxx tomorrow.....

@dearfreddy is someone I have been following for a wee while now.  And I think it is fair to say that Wilfred has been doing things a little bit tough recently.  In the short time I ave followed her she has undergone a HUGE life change.  That is she has undergone surgery that will allow her to have better use of her legs and even be able to run again without pain.  And this little journey has led to some interesting observations and tweeting subjects.  Such as -

"Somebody please tell me not to tweet/message people whilst on morphine. It makes for some oddly embarrassing conversations. #awk"

"I just woke up. I don't know how it all went, but I do know that I can feel my feet! This makes me happy."

For a lot of people having the ability to move freely or run is something they take for granted.  For this young lady it is something that she appreciates deeply.  I have found through her tweets that she is a deeply caring person who values highly those around her -

"Im so very lucky to have such a wonderful mother because I know not everyone is so lucky.I could only every wish to be half the woman she is"

And I would like to say that this young lady is a very attractive one indeed.  Even when she is recovering from surgery as you can see here.  There is even something angelic about this photo that is very alluring.  A sense of innocence and vulnerability and yet there is also a deep beauty there as well.

And I remember our first tweet so well.  Like it was just yesterday - "

@HagmanNZ @TV3nz It only took 5 years to come out, but it was well worth the wait! It's such a fantastic game. #devotedfan" (This is in regards to Tomb Raider)

I am aware that there is so much more that makes up @dearfreddy as both a person and a tweeter.  From what I have been able to discover she is - grateful, optimistic, a battler, has a never give up attitude, a heart full of love and is a rather chirpy character.

Also I would be doing her a disfavor if I didn't capture in this post her twitter bio - "Math enthusiast / Fervent designer / Adventurer extraordinaire".  You can make of this bio what you will.  What it says to me is she is a very smart person with a sharp intellect, someone who is constantly thinking planing and looking for ways to improve her local surroundings, as well as someone who has a thirst to explore the world out there. If you trawl back through her timeline far enough you will find that this young lady has some BIG GOALS and BIG DREAMS.  I sincerely hope that I am still here following her on twitter when she starts to make some of them a reality.

But her tweets at the moment are about her journey to recovery.  I sincerely wish her all the very best and I look forward to seeing where her life story and journey takes her into the future!  If you would like to know more or follow along I don't think Wilfred would mind too much. 

Random follow #98 - @DFSAKNZ

Charities are using social media more and more these days and rightly so. It is a great of making themselves known to people who may not otherwise hear about them. @DFSAKNZ is one charity doing just that. Dress for success is a not for profit organisation which provides interview suits, confidence boosts, and career development to low-income women in over 75 cities worldwide, and @DFSAKNZ is the Twitter account for the Auckland branch.

Their Twitter bio reads:

"The mission of Dress for Success Auckland is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support"

I, personally, like that. It speaks volumes to me. They don’t just provide clothing to these women and send them on their way, they also provide a network of support. And that support can make all the difference in the lives of the women who use Dress for Success.

But what would a not for profit possibly have to tweet about, you may well ask?? Well, lots. Their timeline is filled with lots of feel good quotes like these for example:

"Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be. Joy Page #quote #dressforsuccess"

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt #quote #dressforsuccess"

They also tweet pictures and stories about those who volunteer for them and will more than likely tweet you back if you tweet them. 

There is not much more I can say about @DFSAKNZ, except that if you choose to follow them, your timeline will be much brighter for it, hopefully you will learn something and I am sure a tweet or two will put a smile on your face. Oh and Ladies, if you need to clear out your wardrobe, but don’t know what to do with your excess, Dress for Success are always looking for clothing donations. Tweet them to find out how you can do this.

Now, I am going to leave you with my favorite quote from their timeline:

"It was only a sunny smile, & little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night & made the day worth living. #quote"

Did that put a smile on your face? I know it did mine.

(This post is bought to you by the very lovely and uber talented @pammygirl)

Randon follow #97 - @Morgadeth

Some people have good jobs.  Fewer people have great jobs.  And fewer still have jobs that some of us just dream about and think - "I wish that was me".  Well @Morgadeth has exactly one of those jobs.  He is a game reviewer for NZGamer.com.

When boys are young they enjoy particular things.  When I was young our local Toyworld store had an archaic little video game machine that we paid 20 cents per game to play on. The times have certainly changed since then.  Gaming has gone 3D, stereo sound, extreme graphics and it is a big business.

And so many games are getting released across multiple platforms that it is hard to keep up with what is going on in the world.  And so cue the need and opportunity for clever people like @Morgadeth to come along and tell us what games are worth us investing our time and money on and which
one's aren't.  I have no idea what the pay is like but the privilege of playing the greatest games on earth before everyone else gets to would be enough for me to live on right there.

But "what does he tweet like?" I hear you say...  well lets take a look:

"Saw a trailer for Oblivion before GI Joe, it looked pretty cool."

"Hello twits, Wrestlemania was great this year"

"Played the Injustice demo using Wonder Woman, beat Doomsday easier than Lex Luthor... Also, why doesn't this game use the circle button?"

@Morgadeth is the sort if tweeter that makes my soul sing.  I am a semi-retired gamer and I still love the buzz of buying, installing or opening the wrapping of a new game and playing it for the first time.  The total thrill of a new experience can be a complete mind blowout.   How @Morgadeth manages to do his job AND still keep his feet on the ground is quite astounding.  I SALUTE YOU!

(And just to be clear what he tweets on this account is his own thoughts and opinions.  As all good twitter accounts should do.  And just for the record not all gamers are weird looking dudes who never sleep.  that is a stereotype that is false.)

Random follow #96 - @catconnor

The great twitter bio. A place where you get a limited number of characters in which to tell the world about who you are and why they may or may not want to follow you.  Some people are a bit dull and don't really tell you a lot.  Other people have a creative flair and ability to spark something in your imagination that makes you stop, think twice and wonder.

@catconnor has definitely mastered the art of the twitter bio.  The few words that really strike me as being brilliant are these ones - "Knows where to hide the body".  Given that in twitter (usually) the person at the other end of the line is someone you have never met before makes these words that mush more interesting and intriguing.

But to take those words alone and form an opinion or a minds eye picture of Cat would not be doing her justice.  Why?  because she is a write of thrillers.  So you need to take it all together and discover all the goodness that is @catconnor.   This wonderful lady takes her writing very seriously.  So seriously that she currently has six books published in a crime/thriller series.  And that is no mean feat.  How do I know?

"Exciting!! Just got an email from my fab publishers with my kindle and ePub copies of soundbyte attached. :D #soundbyte"

It is that wild and creative imagination that helps to make her tweets both interesting, thought provoking and funny.  For example -

"Further to the light saber tweet - Just heard sirens. Most unusual considering where I am. Suspect Action Man is playing with his phone lol"  Right..............

"hahahaha Action Man text to say he just tried to move his desk (at work) and it fell apart."  Action Man?  Cute ;)


"I'll wake them after Bon Jovi. @DaveSmarty or I could turn this up and piss the moron neighbor off .... and wake the kids up. #2birds"

So there you go.  One lovely lady who has a couple of kids and a partner.  A lady who writes, tweets, cooks, makes coffee and drinks wine. Simply all the est things in life.  And if you want to you can check out one of her blogs over here.

Random follow #95 - @UpsideBackwards

There is something really special when a child draws a picture for you.  Its special in a way that makes your heart melt and it goes all gooey inside you.  @UpsideBackwards has one of those very types of pictures as her twitter avatar.  Someone very special drew a picture for Kate and she has chosen to use it as an expression of herself.  (It may or may be a picture of her exactly but hey).

When I log in to twitter I look forward to seeing some refreshing news and funny tweets to cheer up my day.  Some people have a knack of  making you laugh and enjoy your day that little bit and its not like they're trying hard.  often time its just them being themselves.  And you really know that someone is going to be value when you enjoy seeing just their twitter name pop up.

 This is not Kate.  But it is upside down.

@UpsideBackwards is one creative twitter name.  Matched only in its creativity by the owners name Kate UpsideBackwards.  And yes - we have profiled a few mums on the RKT blog so far but I in no way apologise for that.  i mean seriously where else can you find these kinds of hilarious tweets -

"10yo wants me to stop nagging her to do her practice. I told her I will - when she's done her practice! #Ihatethenaggingasmuchasshedoes"

"6yo is in a play at school this morning. He has 1 line. "Let's kill our parents!" Oh lovely. #actinginmaorimyths"

except from the mind of a mum.  kate also isn't afraid to jump in and have a conversation with people who are conversing about interesting things.  And whats really cool  is she tweets about ALMOST everything.  In one evening you can find the following topics -

rugby, soccer, mums, doctors, baby boot camp, Mondays, John Campbell, crosswords and sex.  Not sexy crosswords but crosswords as one topic and sex as another.  Cool? 

What do I like best about @UpsideBackwards?  Her genuine, honest and hilarious approach to tweeting.  If you are looking for a down to earth tweeter who see's things slightly sideways and may throw a few oddball or curve ball tweets in every now and then - well Kate is the tweeter for you.  Go on, give her a try.  You won't regret it.  :)

This is not Kate either.  

But being a Mum does require the skills of a ring master.

Oh and if you are really keen to follow @UpsideBackwards? then you should check out her website too.  Its pretty good.

Random follow #94 - @mfcuk2

Freedom of speech is the first of the amendments that belong to the Constitution of the United States of America.  What that means is that every man, woman and child has the right to share their views with the world.  Not all of those views will be agreed with and often times the views shared are controversial and the opposite of that others think.  But they are still views, nevertheless, and the law says they can be shared.

@mfcuk2 is a twitter user who makes no apologies for sharing his point of view.  Twitter as a public space and forum is the ideal platform for him to share his views as well as challenge your thinking and philosophies.
Malcolm leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that he can (and will) challenge the conventional.  Here is his twitter bio - "Opinions r my own! Offended? Get over it, as it was intentional!".

He has a fresh perspective on the world and a very healthy (and at times heavy) intellectual wit.  I really enjoy his links to news articles and stories that would not normally catch my eye or come across my desk.  Not everybody understands his approach which can lead to this -

"RT @CalvinHarris: People don't get my jokes i'm like this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"

Couple that with a fantastic, albeit a genuine but quirky sense of humor and you get this -

"RT @MrRandomSilly: “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you can't always be sure of their authenticity.” ~ Abraham Lincoln"

But its exactly that wit and sense of humor that makes him so endearing - "RT 3d printers don't kill people. People with 3d printed lightsabres kill people."

So he is a very funny chap.  And I say chap because from what I understand that is a term often used in the country he spent many years in.  Maybe these tweets go a little way to explaining some more about him -

"Waiting for the bus, I'm approached by someone asking for a spare $2. I politely say no. He shakes my hand and says "Welcome to NZ!"

"The urge to say "But I've lived in NZ for 4 and a half years!" was great. Assumptions are everything and nothing at the same time! #ttrttpt"

Please don't get me wrong.  @mfcuk2 is not a tweeter who intentionally practices at pissing people off.  Its just that often times people don't quite get where he is coming from.  He is also a very sensitive and kind guy who is well able to express himself in a gentle and compassionate way towards people.

In the days before the Christchurch earthquake it was commonplace for those with a message to bring either a chair or a step ladder out into Cathedral Square, find a spot where they could be well seen and easily heard and then start sharing their message.  That is how I see @mfcuk2 and social media.  You can stop and listen to him if you so choose.  If not then just keep walking.  But that isn't going to stop him from sharing his mind with the world.

It would be good though if a few more of you stopped and took notice.  You could learn a thing or two.  I know I have.

The soap box.  The classic platform for taking your message to the streets.
Has it been replaced by social media?  Food for thought.

Random follow #93 - @bellybeyond

Being a mum is hard, no one can deny that. But being a mum, who runs a business too, is much harder. And today’s random Kiwi tweeter does just that. @BellyBeyond is the twitter account run by Louisa, or Lou, one half of the team that started Belly Beyond, an online baby store selling everything a mother will need from Belly to Beyond.

Lou and her best friend, Heidi, launched the business on Mother’s Day 2008. Since then they have built a very active Social media presence, both on Facebook and Twitter, for their business, although it would be fair to say they are much more active on Facebook than Twitter. The Facebook page is more orientated towards the business and Twitter is a cross between business tweets and personal tweets from Lou.

But just because their Facebook page is more active, does not mean Lou doesn’t tweet much, she does, although days can go by without a single tweet then Boom, Lou will hit her followers with a tweet like this:

"What's another word for package? As in grouping of products. #keepitclean "

Both Lou and Heidi have a great sense of humor, you just have to look at their About Us page on their website to see that, and that sense of humor comes across in tweets like these:

"Can't believe I just wrote wear instead of where. It's all downhill to 'your welcome' from here.
#grammarfail"

"New order in and I commented "that's a weird name". "Fname Lname" It dawned on me there might be some testing going on #giggle "

"Almost choked eating a grape. I think this proves that eating healthy is not good for you.
#coughcoughcough "


I have met Lou IRL, and have bought from their online store so I can personally vouch for both the lady and the business. So if you are looking for something to buy for a new mum, not so new mum, a child, or a dad, (Yes, Belly Beyond sells things for Dads too) then follow @bellybeyond on Twitter and you may find what you are looking for, and you might just see a tweet that makes you laugh too.

(Note - today's post is brought to you by the very talented @pammygirl)

Random follow #92 - @SIMNZ

Interaction on social media is the name of the game. Interaction doesn't mean constantly tweeting or talking. What it means is that when you go online you interact, talk, converse and share a laugh with others. Sonia is just one of those people. One of those people who both interacts and has a health rate of tweets per day.

She brings enthusiasm, fun and a sense of maturity to the twittersphere. Sure she enjoys a good tweet and a good laugh but at the same time she is able to keep a sense of balance and healthy aloofness. Its quite neat finding tweeters who pretty much never put out grandstand tweets or tweet statements. @SIMNZ tweets almost entirely in an interactive way responding to others tweets and then engaging with people.

And on the very odd occasion that she does just tweet, here's what you are most likely to find -

"#winning" or ";) #grammarfail" and even "More men should wear cologne. I miss cologne and a good sniff!"

@SIMNZ hasn't been on twitter all that long but she has managed to amass a very tidy number of tweets. And like the rest of us she id trying to get her head around the different trends, changes of topic and approached to tweeting that are constantly changing around us.  Just a couple of other interesting tidbits from her twitter bio - she is originally from Canada, she now resides in Christchurch and she tells it straight. I like that. A lot.

There is something different about @SIMNZ that seems to be a growing thread amongst the new style of tweeters.  That is - leave your offline issues offline, tweet the good stuff and most of all bring all the encouragement and happiness to everyone you can.  I like the new twitter WAY MORE than I liked the old twitter.

Sonia will brighten up your timeline, throw in some encouragement and bring some sunshine to your timeline.

I do have one thing that is bothering me though - and that is I can't for the life of me figure out what her twitter name stands for.  Wait on - I just figured it out.  Phew!  I'm pleased I have that sorted.

Random follow #91 - @Nange

You know that saying that New Zealand has 2 degrees of separation? Well Twitter makes that seem more real and tonight’s Random Kiwi tweeter helped to prove that to me. When I first followed @Nange I had no idea who she was. To me, it was just a random follow. But it didn't take the two of us long to realize her brother and my brother went to school together. Twitter certainly does make the world seem small.
So what is @Nange the tweeter like? Well her bio reads:

"Love running and martial arts. I can now say I'm a marathoner, but not yet a black belt ;0)"

Pretty impressive huh? And running is something she loves to tweet about, something I personally love being an aspiring runner myself. Check out these running tweets:

There are tips for newbies.  "Tip for the girl runners out there. Don't forget your sports bra. It's hard to regulate breathing when your chest is getting a pounding!"

There is goal setting.  "Run done! 9.4kms in an hour. A little slow but I love my legs for getting me through it! Half marathon? No worries :)"

There is also a note to self to remember to celebrate small successes.  "5ks in under 30 mins. Want to be faster but it's not too bad."

But don’t be fooled into thinking running is all Ange tweets about. It isn't, not by a long shot. She is also a wife and mother and her timeline is filled with tweets about family, friends and life in general. Take a look at these:

"Back from a school walking trip. Did not know kids had to be 10 to cross the road by themselves! #badmum"

"Listening to Miss 4 explain to her dad the best way to tickle her. Super cute!"

Too sum up, Ange is an all round great tweeter, inspiring lady and lovely to boot, and I am personally looking forward to going running with her.

Oh and Ange has a job interview tomorrow. How do I know this? She tweeted about it of course:

"Exciting week ahead. Job interview Friday. I really want this job!!"

Good luck Ange from all of Twitter!! We want you to get the job too!

(Editors note - yet again another fabulous blogpost written by @pammygirl)

Random follow #90 - @HRManNZ

One of the hardest working tweeters I know of who works in Human Resources is @HRManNZ.  He is a prolific writer, blogger, tweeter and all round good guy.  Richard is an Englishman in Wellington.  Which is probably good thing given that Wellington has the finer things in life available like - cricket, parliament, fine museums and art galleries, oh and two universities as well.

 @HRManNZ is an incredibly encouraging guy and always has a kind word for his friends both in twitter land as well as in real life - "@RachieMouse wow, hope that goes well Rach!".  He also has a really great sense of humor that is very endearing and easy to understand "Cat pics in an @HRINZRecruit SIG presentation? I'm truly embarrassed by my profession sometimes :-)"

Another really great thing about @HRManNZ is that he has mastered the art of the retweet.  Being able to pick out a tweet that has value both to yourself as a tweeter and for the wider world is a fine art.  Many people retweet all sorts of stuff and that is fine.  But what @HRManNZ does is find the gems of the internet and passes them on.  One great example is this one "2012 NZ Staff Turnover Survey just published by Lawson Williams. Interesting reading! http://www.lawsonwilliams.co.nz/article.cfm?articleID=63 …"

Another thing that I enjoy about Richard is his honesty when he tweets.  Not everybody is willing to talk about their profession or some practitioners within their profession with quite as much honesty as he does.  Such as "yes, agree with that. All a bit pompous. I think deep down we all know what real HR is. We've just forgotten how to do it".  That's not to say he doesn't love his profession.  He does.  With an absolute and very real passion!  His tweets exude an enthusiasm for Human Resources that is totally infectious.

And then there are also a few additional job perks for being in HR as well.  Like being able to work with the very lovely @tashtasticnz.

This blog post wouldn't be complete if I didn't point you towards his written work which you can find on his website.  His blog is titled "Up the Down Escalator" and there are many, many pieces of writing on there which will both intrigue, surprise, amuse and wind you up.  Here are a few examples of the types of titles he uses -

• Looking for HR? Try Room 101
• Degrees of HR mediocrity
• HR’s barmy army
• Friends with benefits – the gender gap myth
• Are we on Mars? It’s 2013 not 1973!

In summary Richard is a hard working professional who carries over that professionalism into his social media life.  Is he worth a follow on twitter?  I say yes.

(Editors note - If you are looking for other HR people to follow or read about check Random Kiwi Tweeters numbers 30 and 60......)