Random follow #135 - @TheTimaruvian

Guess what?  I found a BRAND NEW twitter account!  Really!  This account only has 10 tweets to its name!  Pretty cool if you ask me.  Getting on board with a new tweeter early on is always a cool thing to do 'cos then when they get famous you can stake a fame claim of 'I was there at the beginning...'  LOL.

@TheTimaruvian is the twitter account for Timaru's only newspaper.  There aren't that many tweeters that I know of who hail from Timaru so having at least a second account does make quite a difference to the twitter landscape.

I can't tell you too much about @TheTimaruvian as a tweeter (because they do only have 10 tweets) so I will try and uncover a few facts about the town instead.  Note - I said town and not city.

• Fact 1.  Timaru's most famous tweeter is @evilkud
• Timaru's only newspaper is @TheTimaruvian
• Around 30,000 people live there (in the town)
• Timaru is a faming town.  The North Island equivalent is probably Masterton.
• It has 6 high schools and one polytechnic
• And 2 radio stations
• Jack Lovelock came from Timaru
• There is also a song about Timaru (see the bottom of this post)

So there you go.  @TheTimaruvian have a funky website and they aren't afraid to bring you the hard news.  If you need evidence of this I recommend you check out this page - http://timaruvian.co.nz/bookarama-has-locals-frothing-at-the-bit/

So to be honest I am not sure these guys are actually legitimate.  In fact I would go so far as to think they may be a parody account.  But I tell you what - this account is SERIOUSLY funny!  So follow it if you're after a laugh.

Random follow #134 - @kiri_te_karnage

To be good at social media you need to have two things - a diverse set of interests and a great sense of humor.  And if you're using twitter then the need for those two things increases significantly.  Having a really good twitter name helps too.  Well I can tell you that @kiri_te_karnage has both of those things going on.  From the mustache in her profile photo through to her bio Emma pretty much has it nailed.

Social media and digital native, retired roller derby girl, mum and all around cool chick are the best ways to describe her.  Being a mum is no easy job but it is incredibly rewarding.  When a lady chooses to be both a mum and an employee - wow!  That is a real challenge.  Don't worry you won't be inundated with mummy tweets all day long.  Rather you'll be more likely to find reflections on society and about ensuring equality and people are being treated.  Or lovely tweets like this one - "I got slippers for Mother's Day. Feet are COSY!"

Hailing from the mighty capital city of Wellington she pretty muck knows and tweets anyone who is anyone in the twittersphere.  For example - "Hilarious @Miss_Whanau has joined a 'Crockpot 4 lyfe' Google+ group. so Gangsta".

And there is a certain amount of honesty that makes me chuckle 'cos I know its true - "The Bonds underwear as is strangely compelling #feellikeaperve".

So what else can she do?  Write stuff.  Like on her blog (which is very occasional) and political speeches - "Just wrote the awesomest 'vote for me' blurb for my BF for work. He better win."

There isn't too much more I can say about the lovely @kiri_te_karnage apart from that.  She is lovely.  She is a keen tweeter without going overboard.  She contributes to the social conversation in a bubbly and effervescent way that makes you all warm on the inside.

Please follow her.  She is lovely.  Really.

Random follow #133 - @tanebufton

I have only blogged about one or maybe two locked accounts so far this year.  Normally locked accounts only have a few followers because they are hard to find.  But @tanebufton somehow has amassed a WHOLE lot of followers.  So I think I missed the memo that came out saying he is awesome.

I had to hit the follow button and see some of his tweets for that to happen.  And deciding to follow him has proven to be a valuable experience.  He doesn't give anything away about who he is or where he is etc.  His website is full of latin words that mean nothing.  Trying to discover who he is online is like a cross between 'Where's Wally?' and 'The Hunt for Carmen Sandiago'.

And then I started looking through his twitter timeline.  And I was genuinely surprised and happy to find that there is a really nice young guy who is adding value to the twittersphere.  He RT's cool peeps like @websam, @lordemusic and @t3rminallyg33ky.

So why follow this elusive and yet endearing character?  The unknown.  You never know whats going to roll out next.

"People who hashtag themselves on Facebook and instagram as #hipster.. Urgh"

Or "Wait, do they not make twink anymore? Or am I just stupid."

And "Was going to do something today.. Then discovered a season of family guy I missed on Netflix. Goodbye Saturday,"

He is a really good guy who puts the G into genuine.  You won't find any of those annoying trolling tweets or super long conversations where everybody gets copied in and they never end.  No way Jose.  What we have here is a great way to communicate.

"My heels are killing me after the careers expo yesterday. But was good to get out of the office and talk to people about what we do!"
@tanebufton is a really nice guy.  He talks about his friends. reminisces a bit about the past, occasionally drops a few tweets about IT and netflix and he is located in the South Island.  Somewhere.  Like Oamaru or something.  Woot!  So this great guy with heaps of followers could totally do with some more.  Go ahead - ask him to let you follow him.  He's a cool kid.

Last word - anyone who has been able to amass almost 40,000 tweets is someone who is committed to twitter.  That sort of commitment deserves some shine and major respect.  @tanebufton - I salute you!

Random follow #132 - @pledgeme

Dreaming big is brilliant.  Dreaming big and coming up with a plan is even better.  Dreaming big, coming up with a plan and then having the funding to make it happen is the ultimate.  There are many, many great ideas that fall by the way side simply because the inventor or entrepreneur can't the monies to get started.

Enter the great people at @pledgeme.  Its all about crowd sourcing.  Gone are the days of having to hit up your folks for a loan for an idea they think is crazy and will never happen (that's what they said about the internet - remember?).  And gone are the days of going cap in hand, crawling and grovelling to the bank manager.  No way!

Now with the team of Anna and @pledgeme you can ask other people to send some money your way and take a much reduced risk in helping you get your project off the ground.  Not just any old projects but one;s that are arts or theater related (generally). The key point is that the investors need to have confidence in you and see some sort of return on their investment in what you produce or create.

Here are a few examples of the projects they help funders connect with -

• Helping to grow the sport of roller derby 
• Assist budding directors to make movies and grow their skills
• Help talented models get overseas to start their careers
• Get arts people overseas to showcase their abilities

The real energy behind this not so little venture are four seriously cool people.  Anna is the social one who runs the twitter account.  The beautiful and talented @amybowie is on the team (note - Amy has featured on the #RKT blog before).  And then there is Camilo and Prue.

You're not going to see many tweets for tweets sake.  Rather you will find cool RT's, funny interactions and links to more info on either their Facebook page or website.

So why follow @pledgeme?  If you are looking to make a difference in someone's life and would like to make an investment in a creative project that is going to provide happiness or some benefit to someone then @pledgeme is the ideal vehicle for you.  

Random follow #131 - @zoemounsey

Just because you've only been living in New Zealand a wee while doesn't mean you're not a kiwi.  What it means is that you may not have developed a full appreciation for all things kiwi just yet.  Like marmite and Watties tomato sauce.  And you may not yet be a resident but as long as you wear jandals in summer and gumboots in winter - New Zealand will take you into her arms and keep you forever.

@zoemounsey emigrated to New Zealand a few months ago from the other side of the world.  So while she isn't strictly a kiwi in the sense that she doesn't yet think of herself as a kiwi - I am more than happy to.  And to be honest some kiwi tweeters could learn a thing or two from her about how to use twitter and social media effectively as a tool to engage with others.

Zoe is a mum who now lives on the Kapiti Coast.  Packing up your life on one side of the world and shifting it all the other side of the world takes some sort of courage.  But it does have some benefits as @zoemounsey will happily share with you -

"been here 4 months and no regrets, not as much annual leave but we find we do more with our weekends"

And there are the little things in life that prove she is being assimilated nicely into our way of life - 

"Ahhhhh the smell of bacon cooking on a Sunday morning and just about to catch up with f1 qualifying"

For fun and employment Zoe is a Human Resources person.  It takes someone with a wide set of skills to be able to engage in HR well.  Someone who is both empathetic and at the same time can be analytical and strategic in their thinking.

One of the really nice things about following @zoemounsey is that you get to see New Zealand in a new way.  For those of us who lived here for a long time we don't have the same appreciation that others do for our country.  So reading and seeing someone else's opinion of our great country, essentially through fresh eyes, is really refreshing.

And in case you didn't know Zoe is a beautiful name that is Greek in origin and means 'life'.  And that is precisely what you will find in her timeline.  Life giving, life sharing and life uplifting tweets.

If you hunt around you might be lucky enough to spot her blog which tells you so much more about her and the family's choice to move to New Zealand.  If you are genuinely interested you can search for the link in her time line and be rewarded with some good reading accordingly.

I give @zoemounsey a five star rating.  Especially if you're into Human Resources or people development.

Random follow #130 - @markboynz

Until last night I assumed tonight’s Random Kiwi tweeter lived in Wellington. I also assumed he knew another tweeter in real life because I had seen them tweet each a lot and that tweeter is in Wellington which is why I assumed @markboynz was also in Wellington. But he is an Auckland lad, and if I had read through his TL sooner, I would have discovered this fact.

Now the fact he is in Auckland actually has nothing to do with what I’m about to write, but I do find it interesting that our perception of someone can change from reading their tweets in our stream to reading them in their own timeline.

Now, having read through Mark’s Timeline I have a better understanding of the man he is. Let’s look at his Twitter bio. It reads:

phd candidate in tv & new media, tv & media lover, pub quiz fanatic, league fan, former music store owner, all-round geek.

Now let’s break his Twitter bio down.

PhD candidate in tv & new media

That right there tells me he is one smart cookie.

TV & media lover

Considering he is doing a PhD in tv and media, no surprises on that one.

Pub quiz fanatic

Tells me he likes to have fun and loves trivia

League fan

He is a Rugby League fan and I am guessing sport fan in general

Former music store owner

He has a love of music

All-round geek

He has a great sense of humour

So what do tweets from someone with a Twitter bio like that look like? Well a bit like this:

"Write. Write. Write. Write. Write. Sip Coffee. Write. Write. Write. Sip Coffee. Write. Write Write. Make New Coffee. Write. #PhDProcess"

"50 mins til I have to submit my chapter draft. That's enough time to come up with a new theory of audience engagement, right?"

"Wait. Do I have to choose between #warriors and #xfactornz tonight? #SophiesChoice"

"Reading Twitter while bleary-eyed is surprisingly similar to reading Twitter while wide awake."

So in summary @markboynz is the kind of tweeter who will bring a bit of everything to your stream. TV, media, sport, music and most importantly humor. So, if you want to inject a bit of all those things to your stream, go on, hit the follow button.

And as this blog likes to do when it can, the last word goes to Mark himself:

"I am going to get into bed, and I'm taking you all with me. #Friday"

This post written and directed by @pammygirl :)

Random follow #129 - @misshollando

Meeting lovely people is certainly the highlight of social media and twitter for me.  When you get to make a connection with said lovely people then when you read someone else's tweets they take on a whole new magic of their own.

@misshollando is a lovely lady who lives in a lovely place - Rotorua.  According to her bio she has been lots of places all around the world but for a while has decided to call this lovely city home.  

Often times the way someone conducts themselves and the tweets they share online are a direct representation of who they are as a person.  And when you read Katie's tweets you'll soon discover that she is a little ray of light/  And her tweets are just the thing to bring some sunshine to your timeline almost every day -

"Taking a packed lunch on my shopping expedition to justify buying a really expensive dress #logic"

"Little Miss Sunshine"

Katie is one of the fabulous team who put together @TheDailyPost most days of the week.  In fact there are a number of reporters and persons from the paper who (sort of) engage with people on twitter.  And there are the funny, quirky tweets too - 

"Running out to the car in the dark in your socks.. what are the odds of a hedgehog on the bottom step?! #imeanreally?!"

"Thank you for my warning nice policeman on the motorway and I promise to never speed again. #phew #donttellmum"

Katie is someone who tweets her friends regularly.  She keeps in contact with those that she values and lets them know about the fun stuff she is up to.  I really like that a lot of her tweets are about the times and places when she is interacting with people.  Be it at pub quizzes, sports events or hanging out with the team from the 

@TheDailyPost Katie lets the people who she is with know that they are special to her.

In summary Katie online is a true representation of Katie in real life.  Someone who is thoughtful, happy and a friend of all those people that she takes into her circle of friends.  

And just for the record if there are any single farmers out there who are looking for a lovely lass to sweep off her feet - 

"Watching #countrycalendar and wondering how I could meet me a nice farmer #ragingsaturdaynight"

Then don't be shy - @misshollando is waiting for your call!

Random follow #128 - @DancinMabel

Writing a blog about someone who you have only been following for a really short space of time is fun.  Its all also hard work but more importantly it is fun.  @DancinMabel is a really lovely kiwi tweeter who has very recently decided to try her hand in the UK.  At least for a little while.

To be honest I don't know a whole lot about her.  And I like that fact.  What she does do is provides little clues along the way through her tweets and if you string a few together yo can build up a bit of a picture of her -

"Manchester is a mental place to be right now. #stillsuppportarsenal"  Location.

"Nothing makes your day quite like a 4 year old convinced his Batman face paint has made him actually turn into Batman."  Perspective.

"Hey Dublin! Sorry I'm late, America hadn't finished with me yet! Lets get stupid."  Sense of adventure.

She has a few selfies in her timeline which show that she is a very attractive young lady.  She is also a very happy lass who has some real zing about her.  

Occasionally like the rest of us she loses her pep and needs a little encouragement - 

"If anyone has seen my mojo can you kindly return it? #notmyself"  but don't we all?

Anyway @DancinMabel comes highly recommended as a lovely young lass who tweets a little here, tweets a little there, tweets a little everywhere.  And if you add her to your follow list you'll most likely see some fun tweets about - English life, being an expat in a foreign country, missing home and some new adventures that she will go on along the way.

If you want to tweet her or see what she is up to then you need to alter your clock because her tweeting timezone is quite different to ours.  Do I recommend @DancinMabel as a worthy follow? ABSOLUTELY.

Random follow #127 - @ShannonandDrift

Two tweeters from the Bay of Plenty in two days.  People we are on a roll.  Todays tweeter is another fantastic person who hails from THE REAL BAY.  @ShannonandDrift claims to be a professional sports person who tweets for a hobby.  Sounds like a pretty good lifestyle to me!  And he makes damn sure that while the rest of us head off to the office to peck away at our keyboards under fluro lights, he is outside enjoying the New Zealand outdoors for all that they are worth -

"Awesome day for a spot of white water kayaking. Hate my job. Really I do."

I don't know a whole lot about Shannon but I can say he is a bloody good guy and top bloke.  Being a surfing type guy certainly helps in that it creates a relaxing lifestyle that ensures you to mellow and leave all your issues out in the waves.

And you can also count on the fact that he enjoys a really good laugh.  Don't we all?  Here is an example of that -

"IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY, come sit by me and we can make fun of people together"

Shannon is one of the people who make twitter a success.  He engages with lots of cool tweeters and takes the time to listen to other peoples opinions.  It appears that for a while now he has been a bit of a lonely bloke.  But don't worry twitter!  Help is at hand - 

"3 more sleeps till my girl leaves London and heads home #maketimefly #blueballs"

And his girlfriend either doesn't know he is on twitter or has a long suffering sense of humor when he fires off wisecracks like these - 

"Google has to be a woman... It starts suggesting things before you can even finish your sentence"

@ShannonandDrift is not one to hold back his opinion.  Not in a nasrt, trolling kind of way.  But he uses social media as the platform for which was designed - a place to have a rant, get your issue off your chest and then let others come back to you with what they think about what you've said.  All is fair in love and war really.

And as I try to do so often, the last word goes to the man himself - 

"Shorts and tee shirt in the middle of May? Mother Nature's loving us"

Random follow #126 - @Miss33

I saw a quote today shared by a friend that said "Surround yourself with positive people".  That truth is as much the same in real life as it is for your twitter life.  Those who you choose to follow and surround yourself with will influence you and your outlook.

@miss33 is somebody who will help you take a different look at the world.  Her tweets will lift your perspective away from yourself and will make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Such as -

"Fixed my watch. Found another split in the strap. Fixed that. Found another one. I need a new watch."

@miss33 is the first person on the RKT blog who I have profiled who is from Taupo.  And tbh I only know of one other pure Taupoian (is that even a word) who is on twitter.  So ladies and gentlemen please sit up and take notice of this heartland tweeter.

As always to make the RKT list you need to funny or be able to perceive the world in a way that others don't.  Because seriously if we were all the same there wouldn't much point would there?  @miss33 is able to do just that -

"5mins before agreed meeting time is about right? I'm not used to meeting people who don't know I'm always 15mins early..."

@miss33 is a one of a kind stylee chick.  She doesn't muck around too much with time wasters and yet she is still a lovely lass.  If anything she carves her own way through life and won't take no for an answer.  She is also proud of her heritage - being Australian and all.  

I also like the fact that she is prepared to go out of her way to meet and interact with genuine people.  She is a people person and someone who is willing to take a risk to make new friends.  When we put ourselves out there we take a risk of being hurt if people misunderstand us.  So if you do decide to follow @miss33 please play nice.  Or else!

She is also very smart and not to be trifled with - 

"That thing I was bitching about yesterday? I MADE IT WORK!! YEAH BITCHES I'M A GENIUS!!"

And she also has impeccable taste for good music - 

"My Top 5 Pink Floyd Songs - 1. Coming Back To Life 2. Shine On You Crazy Diamond 3. Dogs 4. Comfortably Numb 5. Time #Clay5"

One thing I find interesting is how someone who tweets so often and provides such good content can have so few followers.  In all seriousness I am thinking a minimum of 4 or 5 hundred would be how many but no not quite.  @miss33 is yet to break through the 200 barrier.  So come on tweeters - help a girl out!  Please.

"Come and bring me new followers....."

Random follow #125 - @bobsyauncle

It takes all sorts to make social media tick.  @bobsyauncle is one sort that makes the wheels of twitter keep spinning in  forward motion.  He is a slick tweeter who is happy to tweet and not to tweet depending on how his day is going.  When he does tweet he lifts the overall intellectual level of New Zealand twitter.

Bob is quite a conversational chap and enjoys talking to a wide range of people from across the social media spectrum.  He doesn't RT rubbish but does share the good stuff.  And he also has very eclectic taste from art through to politics and occasionally X-Factor.

Here are the top 5 reasons you should follow @bobsyauncle -

1. He is a pharmacist (and therefore knows lots about drugs). #winning
2. He tweets funny stuff  "Just landed at Mosgiel International Airport" 
3. He has a cat as his avatar.  Okay that's not such a great reason but hey - what would social media be without cats? Right?
4. He has an ear for fine music "'Share a Coke and a Song' from 1995 is bringing up some classics from Pulp, Weezer, Wet Wet Wet, The Cranberries, Portishead, Sonic Youth..."
5. He is one intelligent character "Well, another day has passed and I didn't use algebra once"

What I like about Bob's tweets are that they are a healthy mix of both the funny, the curious and the sublime. He changes it up often and no two tweets are alike.  Some of the best one's are the comments made by customers who struggle to understand the instructions that relate to their prescription.  Why are they so funny?  Because these are people you live with, work with and see every day.  Case in point - 

"How could I possibly take one tablet three times daily? It's really hard to cut one tablet into three parts!"

And to end this recommending blog post I share with you what  could quite possibly be one of the BEST tweets of all time - 

"Half price beard trimmers at the Farmers Mothers Day sale. Not sure that would go down too well"

So there you go.  "To follow or not to follow?" isn't really the question in this case.  Its just a matter of hitting the follow button and enjoying the tweets that will start flowing through your time line.  

Cheers.

Random follow #124 - @missaimeejean

Today @missaimeejean managed to post her 2,000th tweet.  To some people a milestone such as this may appear to be not that big a deal but for those of us in the know every time you clock up another 1,000 tweets that is some hard work right there.

Evert tweet we share, every comment we make, every time we hit the post button we share a little bit more of ourselves with the world.  And as you start clocking up the tweets you begin to feel more and more part of the social media world.

Aimee is one really lovely young lady.  She is sweet and kind and likes to let her friends know that she is there for them.  She is also someone who is keen to grab an opportunity and go for it.  Being a google ambassador is certainly a step in the right direction for someone who is aspiring to achieve bigger, better and greater things in her life.  And what we don't always realize or have a knowledge of is how much what we do affects and influences the lives of others.

Aimee is a keen television watcher and has a keen eye for talent -

"Was wary of @1stanwalker decision to take @IamAnnaWilson 2live shows- BUT oh my goodness what a gd choice! Amazing song #fabulous #xfactornz"

She is also someone who takes great pride in her personal appearance.  Especially with a favorite color of pink - 

"Gym time"

She is a smart cookie - 

"Marking a students work for a 100 level paper at Otago University who spelt Dunedin as Dunedinnd throughout their assessment #mustbeajoke"

She is a dedicated student - 

"I want to listen to my iPod, but I have to listen to my law lecture recordings #dilemma #lawstudent #lawstudentproblems"

An optimist - 

"Just found an old lotto ticket in one of my jacket pockets .. I wonder if its one of the million $ ones tht has nvr been claimed #hopeful"

Just so you know this law student doesn't have time to fluff around with frivolous tweets, not nice tweets or other tweets that just generally aren't nice.  Aimee is someone (so it appears tp me) to be someone who is dedicated to both improving herself and being an example for others to follow.  From that starting point she creates an example others can follow.

And with a combination of studies including - law, politics and commerce - you'd best be keeping your eyes on this young lass 'cos in the future she may just end up running the country.

Random follow #123 - @Styla73

Some people tweet a lot, some people don’t, and at almost 85,000 tweets tonight’s Random Kiwi tweeter is definitely someone who tweets a lot. But this is in no way a bad thing, quite the opposite. Prolific tweeters can brighten your timeline at any time of the day and make you smile,  tweet something that gets you thinking or say something that makes you just want to give them a big hug, and this is exactly what @Styla73 does to my Timeline.

Kylie’s timeline is filled with passion, and that passion is what I love about following her. Wikipedia tells us Passion is an intense emotion, compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something. This definitely shows in Kylie’s tweets. Take this one for example:

"JOY AND HAPPINESS AND MANDY F*&^$@G PATINKIN IS MY FAVOURITE YOU GUYS S%@T"

And even when Kylie may not be having the best day, her passion still shows through, like in this tweet:

"I have a migraine so couldn't watch the stream but am opening one eye to say YAY MINNESOTA! #equalitynow #cryingbachmanns #somuchjoy"

Her tweets are also quick snapshots of her life, sometimes happy, sometimes not, but they always tell a story, like this:

"I ate vogels coz I love vogels but I shouldn't have because now I am in all the pain because I shouldn't eat vogels. #vogels"

Or this tweet which I love because it is Kylie being honest about her tweets and telling it like it is.

"(Apologies for depressing tweets. Sometimes twittering is just a black hole to shout into.)"

Scrolling through her Timeline has brought me many smiles, laughs and a couple of tears, but it is her honestly and her passion which makes @Styla73 an interesting person to follow. I have yet to have had the pleasure of meeting Kylie in real life, (she lives in Wellington, I live in Auckland) but I hope I get that pleasure one day so I can see her passion for myself, and give her a big hug! Go on, hit that follow button, and fill your timeline with the passion that is @Styla73!

Today's blog post is brought to you by @pammygirl  :)

Random follow #122 - @CyrisXD

@CyrisXD is one of the good guys of social media.  He is a super tweeter who is well on his way to clocking twitter.  And anyone who can pull off a 3 to 1 ratio of followers to people they follow is totally doing something right.  In order to create that sort of statistic you need to have what we call at business school 'a business proposition'.  That is you tweet stuff that others want to read or you have information that they cant get elsewhere.

In this case CyrisXD is a website developer, gaming genius, social media magnate and a whizz at making gadgets.  So pretty much every online persons fave go to resource for when things go wrong.  Add on to that impressive list of things that he can (almost do with his eyes closed) the fact that he built http://twitchur.com/ and you pretty much get the picture.  He has his finger on the pulse and keeps twitter and his followers abreast of developments and new happenings in the online world of web spaces etc.

But don't be fooled!  Oh no!  This guy is also some kind of cool and also a whole lot of funny as well.  Here are a random assortment of tweets from within a 24 hour period - 

The funny bits.  "Now that Kim Kardashian's pregnant stomach is proportionate to her ass, the earth's rotating axis can now return to normal."

Being straight up.  "Companies, listen to your customers and Reddit. If there’s 3k people who are unhappy with your service, there’s obviously something wrong."

More jokes. "If babies are delivered by storks then are gay babies delivered by fabulous flamingos?"

The innovator. "I'm too lazy to read my .NET book, so I have the screen reader, reading it to me out loud while I sit here nodding."

The ooze of sarcasm. "Nothing says "I've been caught drunk driving" like a middle aged fat guy riding a bicycle to work."

Add to that mix of tweets a whole lot of interactions and news updates about online stuff and you get the picture.  He is a straight shooting, take no bull, tell it like it is kind of tweeter.  I wouldn't say you're taking a risk in hitting the follow in the negative at all.  I would however say you are taking a positive risk in that your timeline will become filled with sharp, witty and interesting tweets.  Its up to you whether or not you take that risk.  I have.  And everything has come up peachy.

Random follow #121 - @SimoneBairdNZ

@SimoneBairdNZ is one lovely lady who I have had twitter interaction with on twitter some years ago (under my old account) and I now find myself following her again.  Simone is actually one person that I would really, really love to meet in real life.  She is a lovely lady who makes time for her friends and quite often has encouraging things to say.

Hailing from the mighty Hamilton is definitely a bonus.  Some cities and towns in New Zealand have defined and well put together social media communities that support each other.  Hamilton is exactly the same.  (Just for the record I can't confirm that she is still in Hamilton now but once you're from The Tron then you're ALWAYS from The Tron.  LOL!)

I was actually following Simone when she became a mum not so long ago.  And I must say that having seen her tweets she is a fantastic mum.  Especially anyone who can pull off the following - 

"Banana cake done, feijoa loaf and feijoa muffins in the oven #feelinglikesupermum"

"Feeling very positive today - keep the vibes coming people!"

And she has a not so serious, funny side to herself too.  Evidenced by - 

"Watching Wife Swap. Hmmmmm it takes all types right?"

Simone is the sort of friend that everyone needs or at least wishes they had.  She is courteous, kind, generous and an all around sweetheart.  And she is also someone who values the special times and moments in life very much - 

"Off to enjoy the Waikato River Explorer with the family :)"

There are a few photo's of her totally gorgeous little man available online too if you choose to go and have a squizz.  Seriously - one VERY handsome wee chap indeed.

Simone is aware of what her priorities are in life.  And I think it would be fair to say that family tops that list.  Social media and twitter in particular - probably about number 7 or 8 at least.  Which again seems to be a growing trend amongst the great tweeters.  Tweet when you have something to say.  If you've got nothing to say - then don't.  Simple really.

And the last word today shall go the lovely lady herself - 

"Best thing about Georgie Pie? Buzz bar sundaes! @NewstalkZB There was a huge branch in Glenfield."

Random follow #120 - @mgiles41

It takes all sorts.  It really does.  And just for the record even tall people are allowed on social media -

"Unfolds 6'6" self from obscenely small plane - hears "looks like the clown car has landed" if it wasn't for cramp I'd push you down the step"

Such is the introductory tweet I present to you from @mgiles41.  Martin is a businessman, a sometimes tweeter and also a man of impeccable taste.  For instance - "In my favourite coffee shop - Lamason under the Lombard carpark, Bond St. GREAT coffee, great guys # Lamason #peoplescoffee".

Similar to other tweeters that I have profiled recently @mgiles41 is not a prolific tweeter.  He picks his conversations carefully and shares words with the wise when he has time to do so.  In fact with only 129 real tweets to his name its fair to say he takes his time when it comes to twitter.  Some of those tweets are times when he has engaged with the #nzlead conversation which is one of the most useful points to being on twitter during your week.

He does RT some really neat stuff from time to time too.  Like this - 

"Live without pretending.Love without depending. Listen without defending. Speak without offending."

Given his sporadic tweeting trends Martin hasn't amassed a large number of followers although he himself has a very healthy number of people that he follows.

This blog isn't about showcasing the famous, popular or socially active of those among us.  Rather it is my effort to get some shine and coverage for the everyday tweeter.  The people like you and me.  And that person today is @mgiles41.

Random follow #119 - @onceautumn

Going off the beaten track can lead you to some amazing discoveries.  For it is when you get off the beaten track that your senses coma live and you are better able to appreciate the world around you and the beauty that it beholds.  The same applies to social media and people.  When you get off the beaten track and seek out new people and new adventures then you discover some of the real beautiful people of the world.  @onceautumn is exactly one of those people.

She doesn't tweet all that much.  In fact twitter appears to be more of a hobby and a sideline rather a lifestyle which so many if us twitter users have it as.  Amanda's profile picture really is quite something to behold.  It has a 1930's art nouveau feel to it that makes her even more attractive in a renaissance kind of way.

Whats nice about people who occasionally use twitter is that what you see is what you get.  There are no hidden agendas or funny things going on.  Amanda simply drops in every now and then and quietly updates you about anything that she considers worthy of tweeting about.

Examples of this are -

"Looking forward to my baking day tomorrow""

"I need to buy couches with more comfy arm rests for resting my head on."

If you choose to follow @onceautumn don't hold your breath waiting for a tweet.  And I in no way mean any offense but that statement at all.  Rather I say if you happen to see Amanda pop up in your timeline then appreciate her tweets for what they are.  Simple in their approach and beautiful in their delivery.  Even this one - "Georgie pie!!!!"

And I leave the final description of @onceautumn as per her own words - 

"Adores photography, books, shoes and anything that sparkles. Opinions are mine."

Random follow #118 - @DalaiLama_in_NZ

Religion, faith and spirituality.  All areas that you will find on social media with varying and different views and levels of discussion.  In previous times people would counsel that you didn't want to discuss one of three topics - religion, politics or sex.    Well social media certainly breaks all three of those guides and today ot is the turn of religion to get some shine.

@DalaiLama_in_NZ is a twitter account established to spread the word and encourage people to engage with and possible learn more about His Holiness, The Dalai Lama.  He will be here visiting New Zealand for a few days in June 2013.

I for one have a certain fascination with all things spiritual but especially the areas of meditation and mindfulness.  Also the dedication, perspiration and total dedication needed to become a monk.

 His Holiness will be visiting us in June and no doubt he will receive much coverage via the usual media sources.  However branching out to twitter (which is probably a very different communication method than what is usually used) is a very cool risk to take.

As always we need to take a look at what sort of tweets are being published - 

"With money you can't buy wisdom, you can't buy inner peace. Wisdom and inner peace must be created by yourself."

"Had a great day filming yesterday. So encouraging to hear such inspired questions, ranging from the heart to financial state of the world :)"

The @DalaiLama_in_NZ account itself is curated out of New Zealand and tbh a lot of the tweets to date have been in search of getting some media coverage.  But as the visit gets closer and the Dalai Lama graces these shores you can be sure this twitter account will be the one to follow to get up to date and timely information on His Holiness' whereabouts.  So even if you only follow this account for the couple of months that it will be valid for - then it will probably be a follow well spent.

And just a couple of closing thoughts from myself - the Dalai Lama is a progressive, forward thinking and open to ideas kind of guy.  Yes, he does have to work within the framework, boundaries and governing rules of Buddhism yet he still retains his true personality and lets that shine through.

I for one would totally give whatever it would take to meet one of the true great minds of our times.  And who knows - maybe one day it might happen?

Random follow #117 - @yorkstblues

Often times in life it pays to just keep things simple.  Don't over complicate matters, cut to the chase and tell it as it is.  @yorkstblues is certainly a model of how to do this in social media.  It all starts with the bio -

"love politics love sport love family love been kiwi !!"

James is not a twitter hog, attention seeker and doesn't tweet too much.  What he does do is tweets when there is something worth tweeting about.  Like news stories, giving credit where credit is due and the occasional tv show update as well.  I particularly like tweets like these - 

"Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti...Tolaga bay ....whanau...PROUD VERY PROUD #Parekura"

And its really nice (and albeit a bit rare) when someone doesn't tweet their entire life story.  Rather what James does is lets people know in a round about sort of way what he has been up to every now and then.

There is as much said in this tweet as what others say in 10 or 15 tweets -

"rain...wind...earthquakes...monday...."

And if you go back and have a look through @yorkstblues most recent tweets you will spot a trend occurring whereby the above tweet is repeated in its form and style.  Three to four words that say little and say so much.  It would help you if you watch current television shows and keep up to date with current events.  And here is an example of why -

"better better better... #xfactornz"

What little I know of James (which is very little indeed) is that he lives in Wellington.  And that literally is all that I know about him because he chooses to engage in social media but in a way that he feels is acceptable. And that ladies and gentlemen is in all honesty quite refreshing.

Random follow #116 - @lastofsix7

Every so often you come across a tweeter that you really look forward to seeing what they are going to say next.  Its like you await what their next anecdote, funny story or tweet will be.  Well I can tell you that I certainly look forward to seeing a tweet or two from @lastofsix7.

And there seems to be some sort of magic that mums can bring to the twitter table.  Its like having kids gives you so much more material to joke about and comment on.  Lis is a very proud mum to three boys.  If you have a look through some of her pictures you can see her handsome little gents getting up to all sorts of different larks including football!

Tweeting should be easy.  And the best tweets are those ones that you make up off the cuff without too much though and just throw them out there.  Try these tweets from Lis and see what you think -

"Thought I'd lost the kitten and my boys would kill me. It's ok! I had just locked her in a cupboard #crisisaverted"

"Argh boys!!! All ages! #annoying"

"Mr 9 "are these pork chops or lamb chops?" Mr 16 "they're be quiet chops" I agree man the kid never stops".

And here are a few things I like about Lis - 

• What you see is what you get tweets.  There are no b.s. tweets. 
• She tells it as it is.  Also known as being genuine.
• She keeps you up to date.  Once she starts tweeting she is worth following because her tweets string together to tell you stories.  Stories worth reading becuase they will crack you up.
• She tweets ALL the cool tweeps!  E.g. @steelbanks, @muffinmum, @writeonnz
• She is blond.  Gentlemen prefer blonds.  Just saying.

I don't really know too much else about Liz 'cos I have only just recently made her acquaintance.  But from what I have seen I can see that as a tweeter she does all right.  That and she has a love for life, a passion for meeting new people and she is fiercely loyal to those around her.

Oh and yes.  This lovely lady (like a lot of the other lovely ladies that have been profiled) is in Wellington.  I seriously think there is an over abundance of lovely ladies in that part of the world.  Anyway....

Try checking out @lastofsix7 on twitter.  She is really pleasant and can keep tweeters amused for hours ;)

Random follow #115 - @PalmyTeacher

Teachers use twitter differently than say the rest of the twitter population.  Rather than using twitter as a time filler-iner or as a way to engage in endless babble teachers use twitter to better themselves and to develop their professional qualities.  Standing in front of a class all day is awfully draining   So when teachers get home twitter is a great way to rewind, unwind and gather ideas for the next lesson.

@PalmyTeacher is exactly one of those people.  He is a teacher, a leader, a role model and an advocate for young people/  What is really cool is that he is a teacher for whom technology and the use of it in the classroom is a vital piece of his teaching style.

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What I also like is that through using technology he is finding novel ways to engage his class.  Technology or websites exist simply to exist are of no value to anyone.  The secret to a good teacher is being able to navigate through all the stuff and resources and find the ones that are really good.  Enter twitter!

If anyone had of siad 10 years ago that twitter was going to become an essential resource in the teachers toolbelt in years to come most people would have scoffed.  But here we are - and yes it is invaluable.

So what have I noticed about Stephen online?

• He is genuine.  What you see is what you get.  Simple.
• He is encouraging.  He tweets positive encouragement to people.
• He is savvy.  He also provides links to technology websites that other teachers can use for their classes.
• He has a great website.  This is where he really shares and explains his technology discoveries.  You can find it here - http://theinsandouts.co.nz/

Just a few  facts you may not yet know - he is from Palmerston North and he is a dad.  @PalmyTeacher teaches at Russell Street School and he lets his class have their very own blog.  And he is an Apple advocate (but we won't hold that against him - LOL).  And he seems to be very cool!!!

So if you are a teacher or are looking for some creative uses for the internet then I recommend Stephen as someone to follow.  Just for the record - many banks and businesses think they are at the leading edge of technology - however I beg to differ.  I think the teachers are.  So you're better off to follow them.  Just saying.

Random follow #114 - @run2beatcancer

It takes some kind of dedication to run.  Not just to run but to run well.  It takes someone really special with all sorts of dedication, determination and desperation to set a goal so lofty and so high that many people sit back and marvel at the sheer thought of it.

@run2beatcancer is setting out to undertake a run that is simply mind blowing in its size and scale.  Travelling by foot from one coast of the United States to the other in an effort to both raise funds as well as awareness of the disease called cancer.  That is a total of about 2,800 miles which is roughly 4,510 kilometers.  

That is some kind of awesome right there.  But when you sit back and consider all the people whom you may know that have been taken by, are battling with or have beaten cancer it is a very scary number.  And cancer is a very scary disease.  It attacks anyone and everyone.  It is a silent killer that stalks the streets looking for its prey anywhere and everywhere people are.

And a journey like this can't be done completely alone.  There are support people, friends and hopefully the various running communities across the United States who will share their homes, their stories and maybe even a few miles with Alison as she runs.

One thing I do know is that she is saving the hills to last.  Just before you get to California there are a whole bunch of mountains you have to cross so in a month or two's time Alison is going to need some real support to get herself through those final stages and over the finish line.  This journey really is the ultimate coast to coast.

@run2beatcancer has started on her journey already and is about two days in now.  This is going to be a long trip and journey that will test her spirit, fortitude and ability to stay sane.  At the moment the twitter account only has a handful of followers.  So I encourage you to get on board and join the adventure now so you can one day say "I was part of something truly awesome".

You can find out more information if you check out her website - http://run2fightcancer.webstarts.com/index.html.

I love this tweet here because it totally captures the spirit of the journey and Alison herself.  Humble, unstated and going to give it everything that she has - 

"Here goes nothing!"

Random follow #113 - @MicheleAnn_

The first stop whenever you are thinking of whether or not to follow someone is the top of their profile page. You gaze (but never stare) at their profile picture and you read their bio to try and gain some sort of understanding as to who they are.

I could be way off track here but if  @MicheleAnn_'s twitter profile is anything to go by then she is a very pleasant young lady.  What is interesting is that her current profile picture is in black and white.  Its as if she wants to put herself out there and show that she is attractive and yet she also is not trying too hard to draw attention to herself.

And then there is her bio.  Michele achieves in 7 words what some other tweeters will never do.  She gets you to consider your lifestyle, makes you wonder and then finally makes you laugh out loud.  All within just the seven little words.

And twitter is all about words.  It is about being able to string words together in a sentence that makes others take notice and causes some sort of reaction out of them -

"Bus to the supermarket. Don't care that I could walk. Don't want headstone to say "Died in moderately severe rain and wind."

"Imagine if painting your toenails made feet less gross, instead of just drawing attention to how weird toes are"

"At some point, my phone decided that whenever I try to open Instagram, it'll just open Spotify instead"(Also known as a first world problem)

Michele's sense of humor probably isn't suitable for everyone's taste.  But I get a real kick out of it.  And she likes to tweet her friends.  A lot.  In a good way.  Its easy to see what she is saying and where she is going with a conversation so even when you saw her tweeting someone else you don't feel  completely left out of that your time line is being filled with junk tweets.

I personally think its neat following someone at the younger end of the age spectrum.  And I mean that in a totally genuine sense.  Because that is the real beauty of social media.  It is a place much like "Cheers".  Everyone knows your name and you never know who you might bump into.

So ladies and gentlemen I offer to you for your twitter timelines the one and only@MicheleAnn_. And please spell it correctly.  Its Michele.  One L.  Not two.

Random follow #112 - @runningwildnz

The focus of this blog is tell New Zealand about some of the undiscovered and truly inspirational people who live on these fine islands we call home.  @runningwildnz is one of those people through and through.  Malcolm Law is, I think, one of the most committed athletes I have ever met.

He isn't an athlete that will get a lot of coverage on television (he gets some but not as much as he deserves for his exploits).  You might hear about him on the radio if you're lucky.  But the most likely way you will hear about Malcolm is by either spotting his book at your local bookstore or through the trail/ultra running community.

Some people struggle to fathom running 5kms.  Other people think running 42.2 kms is a bit nuts.  Well @runningwildnz eclipses all of those distances.  And he does it over and over and over again.  To be fair running a marathon is like going for a medium distance training run for Malcolm.

Putting it out there - I started following Malcolm's exploits via Facebook back in 2012 when he and another running partner undertook a huge run over in England.  And I have also met Malcolm in real life and his personality is just as big as his running.  He is a man who is full of life, highly intelligent, willing to take a risk and is always looking for his next adventure.

Don't expect to be inundated with tweets from Malcolm.  He is usually off an adventure somewhere (and I don't mean just on the weekends - I mean ALL THE TIME!) so tweets come through from time to time.  Or for as long as he is able to actually sit still in any one place at any one time.

When he does tweet often times what you will get are updates from his Facebook feed.  But don't let that put you off because he does occasionally find the time to actually write proper tweets.  Here is a sample of what you can expect to see -

:-) (tweeted January 14th)

and lots of tweets saying thank you to people who have either read his book or who have reviewed it.

@runningwildnz is about more than just Malcolm and his running exploits.  Well actually it is.  So if you don't like - running, being inspired or being challenged then you may be better off going and checking out some other twitter account like Grumpy Cat.

Random follow #111 - @BridgetRailton

Social media really is taking over the world.  And I don't just mean the cities and big places.  But even into the far reaches and small corners of rural New Zealand.  Even to the point where if someone is in a place even as remote as GORE they are able to share their tweets and contribute to the global conversation.  Okay so I am from the North Island and haven't actually been to Southland, NZ so throwing a joke or two at them is easy.  But there are some fantastic people down there.

One of those fantastic people is @BridgetRailton.  She is a journalist for a newspaper that is based out of the heartland in the deep South.  In my experience journalists and people connected to the media are the quickest to pick up on technologies and media that connect people such as twitter.  When people are connected then stories can flow.  And the ultimate purpose of a journalist is to share peoples stories.

Bridget is a down to earth, hard case, salt of the earth type of person.  Her tweets at the moment are quite interesting in that she is discovering and being introduced to some of the rituals and customs that mainly rural New Zealanders tend to take for granted.  Such as -

"Shot my first duck. Right in the head. Going straight to hell"
"Might become vegetarian #duckshooting2013"

Bridget is not a prolific tweeter.  She doesn't spend lots and lots of time keeping the world updated with what she is having for breakfast or any of the usual time filler tweets that we have all become accustomed to over time.  What she does have is a very sharp sense of humor. 

"Birthday. Can no longer sing along to Taylor Swift's "22", switching to Blink 182's what's my age again #nobodylikesitwhenyour23"

Is there a mysterious formula or a secret to success on twitter?  I say there is.  And the magic starts happening on twitter when someone can play with language, twist words and create alternate meanings that make people laugh out loud and think - "heck yes.  That girl is funny!"

"I just tried to FB stalk someone only to discover they're still on Bebo."
"Just got yelled at by a man saying I'm a bad reporter because I'm asking questions. The next question : what do you think reporters do? Dick"

or this one

"Awkward moment when your car is not where you originally parked it because you left the handbrake off and it's gone AWOL"

Just for the record Bridget is a VERY attractive young lady.  Just because she lives in the deep south shouldn't be a barrier to any interested suitors who are in search of a delightful, lovely, willing to have a go, roll up her sleeves and pitch in kind of lady.

There I said it.  Now go and follow her.  On twitter.  Please.

Random follow #110 - @tlcflowers

One way that I used to learn who to follow on twitter early was by listening in to other peoples conversations.  So I would watch who was tweeting who and if that person looked all right then I would start following them too.  Of course twitter is so big that you can't follow EVERYONE.  And  to be honest I saw some great tweeters but never hit the follow button.

One person that is true of is the very lovely @tlcflowers.  So many times I would see her talking to someone else but I never hot follow.  Well I can proudly say I have corrected that mistake!  Tracey is one really sweet, lovely and genuine tweeter.  Hailing from the beautiful Bay of Plenty (Tauranga) she is a very proud mum to two beautiful teenage girls.

 

Her tweets do you tell you a thing or two about her -

"Winter definitely feels like its coming to the bay, I've just ordered the firewood, can't wait" She is a romantic.

"Miss 16 just got asked to the ball. Great excitement. Squealing in fact. Got to get those lower shoes." A proud mum.

"I made an observation, I think the flies have gone..such weird flies, immune to fly spray. goodbye you little @#$$#$$$##@"  An environmentalist

"Still in PJs watching the Billy Connolly show on living. Great show"  And also a late riser from time to time.

And she is a tweeter.  And very surprisingly she doesn't have anywhere as near as many followers as she deserves.  In this case I really do think that it is a case of quality over quantity for sure.

Once you get Tracey warmed up and into a conversation she is away.  Remember when you were a teenage girl (or you knew one) and remember how they could talk and talk and talk?  Well on a good night and given a good conversation @tlcflowers can do the same with her tweets.  And they are lovely. :)

There are so many more things I could say about Tracey and how great a lady she is but I will let you go find out for yourself - if thats okay. 

x.