Random follow #300 - @PorridgeFish

The @peopleofnz account has unearthed and given a spectacular platform for some of New Zealands best undiscovered twitter talent in 2013.  One of those persons who absolutely excels at the social media game is
@PorridgeFish.  This fine lady has immense talent when it comes to tweeting and hails from the North side of the Harbour Bridge.

She keeps her account slightly mysterious.  But that is a point of both difference as well as appeal.  Knowing but not knowing who someone is allows a sense of security to them the user and helps keep a healthy barrier between what occurs online and what happens in real life.

@PorridgeFish is a very active tweeter.  Being a school teacher and not having 27 children to talk to all day must be hard.  So I presume twitter is filling the gap at the moment (jokes).  But she does tweet a lot, to a lot of different people, about a whole lot of different things.  She has a very broad world view and can pretty much discuss at length any topic you wish to.  For example -  

Cooking is one of her face topics - 

"Awkward, having to text your dinner guest asking them to bring an onion. How did we have no onions ..?"

Learning new things and expanding her horizons are also topics of interest - 

"Have been learning to juggle. I am getting rather good, at least with two. Transition to three not promising. I also suck at skipping now."

She does give away one or two little secrets though.  Here's what I mean - 

"Man Thing also in cute mode nap time position, which for a Man Thing consists of planting tiny sleepy kisses on my neck while I try to ipad."

Man Thing is actually the content for some really great tweets.  If there were a # for ManThing tweets it would totally be a thing.

@PorridgeFish is the sort of tweeter you just can't help but like.  She is an incredible cook, loving partner, owner of at least one cat, daughter to a fantastic mum and an incredibly warm, patient and generous person.  All the very best things in life for sure.  

This newly crowned teacher is off on a new adventure in 2014 and will no doubt, or I hope at the very least, will share with us some of the ups and downs and bits and bobs of a teacher with an entirely new class of kids who is finding her way.

I know that I will be watching with interest how her year goes and I wish her all the very best for her new adventure.

Random follow #249 - @larkslarder

Food glorious food! If there was ever a reason to be on social media it's for two things either food or cats.  @larkslarder is the queen of the kitchen.  Her twitter account is completely dedicated to food - savouring it, creating it, seeking out new recipes and treating others to a feast.  (And she occasionally shares a cat picture or two as well....)

Emma is absolutely devoted to food and everything about it.  It is the pictures that really make you salivate with their goodness and luciousness.  Often times someone's twitter profile page can tell you everything about them.  This is very true of Emma.  The first photo you will find is of chocolate balls (for lack of a better description).  They look so good you almost want to lick the screen.

When someone has a passion for a particular thing then that passion oozes out of them.  And it is that passion that you will find in spades in Emma's tweets.  To be fair though telling you about her tweets can in no way really describe to you just how good her timeline is.  Because it's the photos that set apart from anyone else that I know of.

Here are a few random tweets that will hopefully have you savouring more -

"Sunday roast at my mum's tonight. Mum food is always the best food!"

"Enjoyed whipping up some scones this morning to take to work."

"First of September means the first day of whitebait season down here on the coast. Looking forward to whitebait patties!"

Emma is still relatively new to the twittersphere with just a hundred tweets or so.  But what great tweets they have been so far.  It goes without saying that @larkslarder is one tweeter who will absolutely have you coming back for more.  And if you her twitter account just isn't quite doing it for you then her food blog is absolutely second to none.  So give her a follow.  Check out her blog.  Let her know how much you enjoy her work.  Because one helping just isn't enough when things are this good.

Random follow #192 - @sneakybaker

There is a young lady from Wellington

Who does all her work in communication

Be careful to spell and do never tell

That you used incorrect punctuation

@sneakybaker has a career in one area that gives her the skills to be able to use social media really well.  You will find tweets and messages that have certain aspects about them that many others of us would fail to see or recognise (without training) - 

• Correct punctuation
• Proper grammar
• Capitals inserted in the right places

Communications is all about talking to people.  Its about figuring out how best to convey and communicate your message to others.  So when Ihapera tweets there is very little confusion as to what she really means.

Don't worry though she knows how to have lots of fun with her tweets - 

"It's 8.43 and I've already sent a disgruntled email to HR. How's your morning going?"

Not everyone is strictly defined by what they do for a job though.  Ihapera has chosen a twitter name that describes her interests outside if work too.  So when her twitter name is @sneakybaker you know when you see a tweet like this one that something good is going to be made soon -  

"Filling my (already full) carry on the only way I know how: buying secondhand enamel baking trays in Motueka"

Another aspect of @sneakybaker is that she is a dog lover.  So many, many tweets and photos are of the other four legged house creatures that many of us have.  But I stand in solidarity with Ihapera and claim that mans best friend is indeed well worth tweeting about.  Have a look and see - 

"Nelson so far: coffee, found a hound, osso bucco pie and caramel beignet from a Spaniard named Rodrigo, beach, nap. Life is perfect."

And whats always, always good is when someone can both think for themselves (as evidenced above) and she also has a very confident sense of self that enables her to express herself through the way that she dresses as well - 

"black metallic zebra stripe sweater, blue jeans, gold boots, 'try it, I dare you' red lipstick, smug last-day-eve face #kishi"

In conclusion @sneakybaker is a sharp, sensitive and intelligent addition to twitter.  

A lover of dogs, 

a baker of cakes

this is one tweeter

who has what it takes.

Random follow #160 - @MrOfford

Just quietly, I think tonight’s Random Kiwi tweeter has the coolest job ever. Working for a Record Company has got to be a fun job doesn't it? I mean, lots of perks, meeting all those musicians, listening to music AND getting paid for it. Well, that is what I imagine the coolest job ever to be. Whether @MrOfford would agree with me is another story but I’m just going to pretend he does because I don’t want my vision of the coolest job ever ruined.

Working for a Record Company, it’s no surprise that Matt watches and tweets about #XfactorNZ but his TL isn't filled with endless tweets about the show. Quite the opposite actually. But when he does tweet about X Factor those tweets look like this:

"I think Benny's Eyebrows are something special... #xfactornz" and 

"Tom is a great singer. Not right for a show like this though. Too good"

So what else does Matt tweet about, well take a look at these tweets:

Tweets about Celebrity Cooks

"Oh @Paula_Deen . Even though you've been fired. I will always think of you with great love as I eat my butter-covered deep fried cupcakes".

Matt has an appreciation for cupcakey buttery goodness.

Staying in

"Last night I stayed in, was in bed by 11 and woke up this morning feeling like a million bucks. Never going out on Sat night again".

Matt knows how to take care of himself even if only for one night.

Movies

"On a scale of 1-10, how creepy is it for a 29yr old man to attend a screening of Despicable Me 2 by himself on a Sunday afternoon?"

Matt has a sense of humour.

\Insomia

"insomnia does a bad tweet make"

Followed 20 minutes later by this tweet, which may or may not be related to the previous tweet but it did make me laugh - 

"I don't know if sarcasm comes across on twitter".

So, with just over 3000 tweets under his belt and just short of 1000 followers, Matt is someone who knows how to use twitter and uses it well. Maybe this blog will push him over the 1000 followers mark, who knows, let’s hope it does! But as usual, whether you choose to follow @MrOfford is up to you, but take it from me if you do, it will be a follow you will not regret. Matt is after all an all-round nice guy who, did I mention, has the best job ever!!

Today's post was kindly written by @pammygirl for #RKT.  Thanks Pam!

Random follow #142 - @fastfreshtasty

How about having a twitter account that is useful?  Not useful like keeping you entertained because you're bored.  But a really useful account.  An account that is designed to help you when you get stuck thinking of ideas for food to cook.  An account that comes up with recipes and ideas, ingredients and propositions.  Now that is a twitter account worth having.  And what about having an account that is both useful and fun?

Well guess what? One already exists!  @FastFreshTasty is an account run by a very friendly lady called Emily.  It is a really friendly, interactive and useful account that is quite active.  And whats really cool is that they supply new ideas every day.  So if you are someone who plans out your menu for the week in advance then this account is great.  Alternatively if you're looking for some inspiration in the kitchen then you can quickly access their website and get some ideas.

If you're into watching reality shows that feature cooking then you are going to LOVE @FastFreshTasty.  Because when #MasterChefNZ is on the television - Emily is on the twitter!  And there are a few reviews of a restaurant or two as well.

Here are a few tweet examples so you can see what sort of content Emily is tweeting -

"Anyone in #wellington off to @TheFoodShow today/tomorrow? Tip: get there early, go to cooking demos: @JoshEmett @Simon_Gault @RayMcVinnie"

"I'm off to talk to rotary tonight - wonder what's on the dinner menu? #IWentToSchoolToEatMyLunch"

'#mothersday why not #mothersweek ? cook her dinner for a whole week! 170+ ideas right here http://www.FastFreshandTasty.co.nz/getfft "

So there you go.  A twitter account that is - a) useful, b) fun, c) interactive.

And so there isn't too much more I can say that I haven't said already.  This account is for anyone and everyone who enjoys food and more importantly preparing your own food.  There is an app you can download that will make your life easier in the kitchen - so why not?

(Disclaimer - as with every Random Kiwi Tweeter recommendation made so far this year - the account holder had no idea this post was going to be written about them in advance.  As always this blog is put together for the love of it.)

Random follow #141 - @Dblo7XX

Some of the best finds of people on twitter this year have been the tweeters who are fairly new to social media.  The people who are still finding their feet, figuring out how it all works and bring a certain freshness to the twitter scene.

@Dblo7XX is another person who  moved to these fine shores some years ago and quite happily calls New Zealand home.  Originally hailing from the very beautiful New Caledonia she is of french descent.  And as we all know (insert stereotype here) all things french are beautiful and romantic.  And I have no doubt that the same is true of her.

And yet another stereotype that exists about the french is that they can cook.  Well if you look through the images and photos that she has shared you can very quickly figure out that @Dblo7XX totally has the bakers touch!  Beautiful pictures of bread, ganache, kale chips and creme brulee.  Seriously?  This lady has it going on!!!

So how do we know that she is becoming a kiwi?  Who she supports in the rugby (LOL) - "Woohoo... Just found out I'll be at Eden Park on Saturday!! Absolutely ecstatic! GO BLACKS!!"

And she brings with her from the other side of the world a fresh perspective on things - "How do I see my world? Above the cloud cover, there is always a pristine, intense blue sky."

"Life is full of little pleasures"

And another thing that I find really enticing and interesting is that she tweets in french too!  I have NO idea what she is saying but it just looks fantastic when she does!  For example - "Bienvenue à mes nouveaux followers francophones. Pardonnez moi si mon français est un peu rouillé".

So what @Dblo7XX is able to do is tweet to so many more people than those of us who uni-lingual. Please spare her a thought as you go about your bust day because this lady is not just a mum but a student as well.  Taking on both of those roles takes some kind of commitment and dedication.

So if you are looking to follow someone on social media who is fresh, brings a bigger perspective of the world while still being able to keep their feet on the ground and can make your mouth water through the simple sharing of a photo of her cooking - then @Dblo7XX is just who you are looking for.

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 #79 - @brig_be

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Wellington - loving you today! #wgtnwx"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random follow #38 - @greengecko29

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


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

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

Proud mum tweet -

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

In the kitchen tweet - 

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

And this tweet -

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random follow #29 - @Harfish

Todays random follow is no jamie Oliver.  In fact one might think that judging by some of his tweet she could be banned from the kitchen all together.  Tweeting at you coming straight out of Christchurch is @harfish.  If his tweets are anything to go by he is a real genuine bloke who is able to laugh at himself.  Try these tweets on for size -

"Starting the day with a fireball in the kitchen is totally a good thing right?"

"Instead of cooking my pork on the BBQ, I think I might save gas and just cook it on the patio"

"So apparently it IS possible to burn rice in a microwave"

@harfish is a man after my own heart in that he is a keen sports and fitness person.  His bio states that he is a sports reporter, gamer, rugby referee, runner.  That sounds like a fantastic mix of interests to me.  he also enjoys watching ice hockey which is a HUGE plus!  You can check out @harfish's website - http://www.fattofit.me/ - and see and read even more of his story.

The real story behind @harfish is the fact that he is an earthquake survivor.  Many people after the earthquakes for whatever reason packed up their lives and moved on.  Others decided the battle was worth it and saving Christchurch is an accomplish-able goal.  @harfish and his family are among those that have chosen to stay.  Full credit to him and his family for making such a choice and all the best to them.

So that's my very small take and recommendation to follow @harfish.  He strikes me as a great bloke who enjoys life and tries to do everything he can to suck every last drip and bit of blood out of life.

I'm picking that if you are able at some stage to convert your twitter follow into a real life meet and greet then you may want to invite yourself around for a BBQ.  That way you'll at least be outside should anything go wrong! LOL.