Random follow #235 - @LoveVegasNZ

When you walk past someone in the street or meet them for the first time you have no idea about the person, their life story or their accomplishments.  They could easily pass you by and you would never know.  Todays twitter person is exactly one of those people.

@LoveVegasNZ is literally brand new to twitter by about two weeks.  She joined twitter because a group of us were having a tweet-up and she thought she better at least signed up before coming along.  Whats really cool is that I actually get to work with Amanda pretty much every day so I have a pretty good knowledge of who she is and her personality.

Amanda is a generally quiet person with a magnificent sense of self confidence and achievement.  She has a very pleasant manner about her and a gorgeous smile that is totally infectious.  Calm would be another great way to describe her.  I have yet to see her get in a flap over anything.  Amanda is also a planner.  Her brain thinks in the long term planning goals that span many years while still being able to operate at a level of precision whereby she executes the demands of today.

Another thing is - she is a very attractive young lady who is smack bang in the prime of her life.  She also looks after herself both mentally and physically by getting out into the outdoors be it on foot or by mountain bike.

Did I mention that she has a PhD yet?  Like I said at the beginning of this post - if you didn't ask or know already then you probably wouldn't find out.  There is no false humility or fear of the tall poppy here.  Rather there is a quiet self confidence and knowledge that what she has achieved so far in her life, while amazing, is also not the sum total of who she is as a person.

If you were to look through her timeline then you'd never know any of what I just said up there.  Well maybe you would pick up on some of it.  Like the fact that she divulges very little about her accomplishments.  But then again there is only so much you share in 26 tweets I suppose.

So what has she tweeted about in her very short twitter life so far?  Mainly about education, sports and politics.  With a dominant weighting towards sports.  I recommend just keeping an eye out for what @LoveVegasNZ  is up to.  You might just find she could say something that could really impact you.  And if any tweet was going to sum up her and her experience of twitter so far, then it would be this - 

"WOW, this is like facebook but interesting stuff comes up!"

Random follow #233 - @BubblesReedy

"Whāia te iti kahurangi Ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei"

@BubblesReedy is an amazing lady who lives her life in pursuit of both a challenge and excellence.  She pursues her dreams that are fulfilling not just for her but the overflow of her success goes out to her family and whanau as well.  Being involved in the teaching of digital media to young people both at Lytton High and across the Gisborne region she knows what it is to be at the coal face of dealing with youth in a complex and changing world.

Her lineage is Ngati Porou (East Coast) and she is also fluent in te reo Maori.  It is with her mastery of te reo along with her passion for teaching that has the opportunity to be involved in a number of projects whereby both the preservation of the language as well as the support of Maori students is the focus of her energies.

So what sort of challenges or pursuits of excellence is she engaged in?  Well being fluent in yet another language is one pursuit that Katarina is currently trying to master - 

"#tonganlanguageweek Malo e lelei! He Maori ahau. My word for today. Lanu = Tae = Colour.#becomingmiltilingual"

Learning how to work with digital media - 

"I'm making my superhero profile webpage (http://www.codeavengers.com/c/bubblesr/profile.html …) learning #HTML#CSS the fun way with @CodeAvengers http://www.codeavengers.com/web/1"

And then there is her own challenge which is sharing a repository of collected poems and poetry with the world.  You can view her ever growing collection by checking out her website which is located here - http://bubblesreedypoetry.blogspot.co.nz/.  Every now and then she shares a new poem via twitter too.  And here is a nice example of her work -

"New moon/Blue pearl/Orbiting her ocean king/Afloat on the black/His captivating jewel revealed/Salacia/Salt sea empress/Home at last #Poem"

So what value will she add to your timeline if you follow her?  @BubblesReedy brings creativity, a Maori world view of issues facing us today, some fantastic links to resources for both teaching and digital resources.  Her pursuits of challenges will hopefully make you stop and think.  And she also brings a fun and energetic approach to both life, and social media, that will put a smile on your dial.

Katarina is one of the absolute newest follow I have made recently I am thoroughly pleased that I did.

"Pursue excellence – should you stumble, let it be to a lofty mountain"

(Note - todays kiwi tweeter was recommended by @winstonmoreton. If you know of someone who you think is a great tweeter who deserves some shine feel free to drop me a line.)

Random follow #167 - @DemiseNZ

IT guys are some of the best tweeters to follow because they are in the know.  They know what is going on in the tech world way before anyone else and if you're after the good oil on what trends are coming up soon then these are the guys who should be in your follow list.  @DemiseNZ is exactly one of those guys.

As well as being a tweeter of many things tech he also has a website you can access which will show you some really cool stuff.  Whats really cool though is that Gavin happily tweets about all sorts of stuff and isn't confined to just tech.  He has lots of interests in many different things.  He also has a fantastic sense of humor and a really nice approach to twitter as well.

So what do you get from him as a tweeter?  Well all sorts.  Just like a good packet of licorice.  Lets try a few tweets shall we?

"Right.... firewall is blocking tv3 stream... secondary line working fine :)"

"OH FU IOS...."

Gavin is a relatively fresh and is seemingly untainted by social media which can at times breed sarcasm and pessimistic tweeting from tweeters.  But he is not that way inclined and is more likely to tickle your funny bone with tweets like this one -

"Trying to explain email to my father always ends up in an argument."

To the uninitiated these tweets may sound a bit absurd.  Like WTF is he talking about out?  To the rest of us who have a little idea about tech and IT - these tweets are either funny or make a whole lot of sense.  Especially these one's - 

"ooo... nice smooth action from the G400... quite bit lighter than my old G5 but guess Ill get used to it."

"While I remember.... loving my G400s mouse... first game I played with it, got 3 kills within 30s :D Do miss my G5 tho... :("

So in summary @DemiseNZ is a fun loving, tech savvy, not to be taken too seriously tweeter who enjoys his time on twitter.  If you want to be in the know about tech and at the same time have a good laugh at the world around you then this is one guy you need to be following.

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 #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 #81 - @mumsontop

Being a parent can be both a rewarding as well as tough time for many parents.  Whether you are a new parent or are an old hand at it each and every baby and child brings a new set of challenges and issues that both parent and baby/child need to work through.  In the old days there were nurses, telephone hotlines and a greater sense of community for parents to tap into.

So where do parents go now for help?  Well there are a menagerie of websites that offer lots and lots of help.  And those websites are great.  I know that @janeyee writes a column for one such website and she does a really fab job at it. The thing is though that websites are repositories of information rather than being a live and interactive conversation.  And the old faithful Plunket NZ have a presence in social media.  However (in my limited experience) it would be fair to say that Plunket are aimed at the younger end of the child lifespan.  And no child manages to stay at the cute 18 month age stage for very long.

So bring on twitter.  I personally follow HEAPS of mums who talk about their kids and ask for help with some of the issues they may be having.  Often times those are individuals conversing and the ideas and suggestions they have last only as the tweet stays in circulation.

And then there are the good ladies who bring you @mumsontop.  This twitter account is a link out from their main website where they do all their best work.  They also have a strong presence on Facebook as well. So what do they do?  They attempt to answer (as best as they can) any and every question that you the parent may have.  (From my experience - dad's don't ask questions.  They tend to be a bit more intuitive be it rightly or wrongly).

As you can well imagine there are a whole plethora of topics covered.  Lets have a look at a few -

Nutrition issues.  "Did anyone else's child turn into a new type of troll today? Boy, did I learn my lesson about mixing three year olds and chocolate!"
Give aways "Tell us about your first kiss and you could win a lip balm from ecostore. Nourishes lips without the nasties. http://www.mumsontop.co.nz"
The parent life.  "That awkward moment when you have a night out without the kids and all you do is talk about them..."

They also share some very amusing stories too like this one about getting smacked on the bum (probably not what you think it is).

The @mumsontop twitter feed does link back to their Facebook page but if you tweet the team they will reply.  And they will also help you to find an answer to your issue via their social media networks as well.  @mumsontop is a labor of love that was started by one dedicated mum and is now being carried on by two other mums who have a passion to help mums, and dads, be the very best parents they can be.

Random follow #75 - @mrs_hyde

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

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

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

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

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

What else?

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

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

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

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

Random follow #69 - @muffinmum

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random follow #68 - @sarb

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random follow #64 - @nintendoug

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are a few that he has made mention of.

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

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

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