Random follow #299 - @iofthetyger

There are plenty (like HEAPS) of really nice people who are on twitter.  Random Kiwi Tweeter extraordinaires.  @iofthetyger absolutely fulfills this definition absolutely.  Many people would go so far as to utter the words "what a lovely man he is" and I have to agree with them totally.

Chris is a cricket loving, vocal supporter, full time dad and part time employee for the good folk at Vodafone.  Yes he does work in their social media team but everyone who is a parent knows that just cos you walk out the door in the morning and go to work that your parental duties are done with.  They aren't.

There is a lot to like about Chris and the way he tweets.  He reminds us all of what its like to be a parent sometimes - 

"It's 10:30 time to exercise my paternal duty and turn off the mind numbing and pointless kids TV,and switch on the cricket #unpopulardad"

He also shares with us some very funny views on the Christmas holidays

"Its just occurred to me that the increase in local dog walking is probably to do with the increase in mother in law visits,-as I walk my dog"

And it look slike his role with Vodafone also allows him (from time to time) special access to the @NZWarriors rugby league team.  That fact alone is one which causes me to be jealous and wonder what it would take to attain that sort of privilege......

Chris is an amazing tweeter who doesn't take himself or the internet too seriously.  His ability to have a laugh and share items from the brighter side of life on twitter make him really endearing.  With a warm personality and charming sense of humour I am sure Mrs @iofthetyger got it really right when she chose him :)

Chris is a kiwi through and through and his better half is most definitely English.  I have only just added Chris to my follow list and I genuinely wish I had of found him earlier in the year to have had the pleasure of his company.  Oh well, now's a far better time than never.

So @iofthetyger gets the final words in this blog post.  And just like we all do, he shares a very funny insight into the world around us - 

"I probably shouldn't,but I make a lot of judgements about new neighbours when I first see their wi-fi networks name".

Random follow #296 - @tobiasbrockie

It took only two tweets to convince me that @tobiasbrockie is worth following.  The first tweet was your standard kind of tweet that you read and then move on.  The second tweet however was one that made me chuckle -

"signature range ginger beer helpfully lists "ginger beer" as one of its ingredients"

There is something to be said about tweeters who can make you laugh.  It takes a certain skill to be able to get 140 characters to work so well as to make you chuckle or LOL.  Tobias has the gift.

"when people say they're anti-PC, they mean they're against 

socialised healthcare in form of pokemon centres"

@tobiasbrockie is yet another tweeter who comes at you in two ways - 

1. Straight out of Wellington 
2. He's on the younger end of the twitter age scale

Youth is where its at if you're looking for light hearted, fresh, a different perspective and someone who isn't swayed so easily by most twitter trends.  Tobias is intentionally witty and could very well be the modern day social media equivalent of Spike Milligan.  (That is praise not given lightly).

What's not to like about tweets like these - 

"real life beats the shit out of love actually bc in real life 

there's a donut king at the airport, love actually just has sad emma thompson"

This twitter account is one continuous series of absolutely brilliant one liners with a few conversations thrown in along the way to prove Tobias is both human and exceptionally funny.  In my opinion this guy really could be a stand up comedian or the replacement for either of the Flight Of The Concords guys if they ever choose to retire.

I won't say too much more because all his tweets speak for themselves.  You'll either fall in love with them straight away or you'll take a couple of days and then fall in love with them.  Either way this is one twitter account worth following for its hilarity alone.  Everything else is the jam on the donut.

Random follow #293 - @LadyNgaire and @BookieMonsterNZ

Book worms, book people, book lovers.  These are the people that keep the mind inspired, the ideas flowing and unleash creativity and knowledge where there is a void of ignorance.  @LadyNgaire is the brains and personality behind the ever increasingly popular twitter account of @BookieMonsterNZ.  Its nice that she has two accounts because sometimes you really, really, really want to tweet something but you just don't have the right medium to do so.  These two accounts allows Ngaire to do just that.

So what are the different appeals to these accounts?

Lady Ngaire.  Fun, easy going, new to twitter.  This account is hot off the twitter account making machine and I am betting a dollar or two that over time it will become something of an institution in the social media world.  So for this account it is very much - watch this space and follow now so that you can claim to be an early follower when she becomes really famous.

Bookie Monster.  This account is actually well on its way to be legendary.  With so many followers and tweets posted this account is fantastic.  This has the ultimate blend of books, cats along with a whole lot of bits and bobs about absolutely anything and everything under the sun.

Here are a few things I know -

1. Ngaire is really nice.  Like REALLY nice --> "Public transporting it home. The driver on the 22 bus is lovely."
2. The tension, the suspense --> "#12daysofWake Day 7. I finished. Parsing. Quite sad. Review to come..."
3. She is really amusing --> "Those four magic words every facial hair lover wants to read: "willie apiata is following you"
4. As much as she likes to real she also likes to write --> "Have got two great blog ideas and three ok ones. Career path sorted then"

One terrific lady from Te Aroha.  Two terrific twitter accounts.  Its not so much a choice as to which one to follow.  The choice is more when will you follow them?

Random follow #291 - @_jjw_

Intelligent, funny, sexy and entrepreneurial.  Three of these words I use with ease to describe @_jjw_.  Mr Wood is a tweeter of both substance and style.  Coming at you out of Wellington Jackson tweets with great clarity and intellectual agility a lot like the NZ Army.  He does a great job of keeping the peace through interacting with others and yet intellectual firepower that he can pull out at any time if needed.  (Which to be fair is not all that often).

@_jjw_ is also an incredibly nice guy who does great work for @nzdrug.  That is he works alongside the good folk at the Drug Foundation to try and prevent every day people from the risks and harms that drugs and alcohol can cause.  And this is really cool because twitter and social media isn't all about him.  It is actually about helping others in a positive and constructive way.

So how do I know those first four traits are actually true.  By his tweets if course - 

Mr Intelligence - 

"What's international best practise for figuring out international best practise?"

Besides this Mr Wood tweets quite a few journalists and other persons that both make the news and report on it as well.  That in itself does not make him intelligent but the fact that he interviews, writes stories and publishes articles about people in the news does testify to the fact that he is.

An excellent sense of humour - 

"Len has to wear a head mounted web cam streaming video at all times to ensure he's not up to mischief #LenBrownCensures"

Being that @_jjw_ gets to interact with persons in the realm of both local and national politics he is more than able to pass a quip or two about the events of the day.  And humor is often about timing.  So with political jokes the person delivering them needs to have their finger on the pulse.  Which is just what Mr Wood does.

Mr Sexy - I can't comment directly on this but I can say he is currently sporting one heck of a beard.  Which according to some ladies in my timeline is a total turn on.  You'll need to make up your own mind about this fact.

The rise of the entrepreneur - 

"Starting a new business: will write your twitter bio for $1."

Working in social media (for a majority of us) doesn't pay the bills.  In fact if doesn't pay anything.  What this means is that bright sparks like @_jjw_ go looking for opportunities to make a quick buck or two by providing a friendly, helpful service to fellow tweeters.  If you can spare a fellow tweeter a dollar and have him write you an absolutely spiffing twitter bio then everyone will win.

(Editors note - the whole twitter bio writing thing is a joke.  Although I have it from a reliable source $7 has been raised from this venture.  So there is money to be made in social media).

Now that we are heading into the final few weeks on 2013 now is a really good time to start following people who will add some colour and interest to your timeline.  @_jjw_ is one person who if you follow him now and continue to do so in 2014 then you won't be disappointed.  Merry Christmas.

Random follow #280 - @karoricat

People aren't the only one's who grace us with their presence on social media.  There are signs, puddles, newspapers and animals as well.  Today's random tweeter is of the four legged kind and often resides in the beautiful suburb of Karori, Wellington.

Max Neighbour's-Cat tweets his way from day to day and he lets us follow along.  He also posts various photo's and pics to add to the story.  Be it strolling through the garden, snoozing in the long grass or stalking the occasional chicken this fancy feline has it all going on.

Yes there are a few other adorable four legged friends on twitter but @karoricat is a bit more active than a few other accounts and he also tweets a bit more in a way that makes you sit back and go "awwwwww".  Especially the photos.

Being a cat of course there are some tweets that only a feline could get away with.  Such as  -

"Caught a bird. Held it carefully in my mouth, with its wings & feet sticking out. Presented it to the humans. They made me let go of it. :-("

and

"Found someone to take my #nzsecretsanta gift to the post office. Delivery sorted, now to find the best present."

Max Neighbour's-Cat doesn't live on his own.  He actually has a couple of owners who run around after him ensuring that his every need is attended to with great haste and speed.  Those very fortunate people, who get to own such a beautiful and playful cat as @karoricat, are none other than @blauerpunto and @agentK.

Its not all roses and easy living being a cat.  But having your very own twitter account certainly goes a long way towards making the days fly by.  So if you're looking for something a little bit different in your timeline then you'd do well to add @karoricat to the list of already brilliant people you already follow.

Random follow #276 - @MrSan

Every so often someone comes along on twitter and sets the social media world on fire.  They just appear out of nowhere and BLAM they have you tweeting and conversing like you've been friends forever.  One tweeter who accomplished this in 2013 has been @MrSan.

One of the greatest accounts on twitter is @peopleofnz.  It is that account that has led many of us to discover new tweeters who we didn't know before hand.  @MrSan set the bar so high when it comes to tweeting from that account that many have not been able to achieve the standard he set.

What and how does he tweet thats so good?  Well its all about conversational ability and a fresh perspective.  A slightly bent sense of humour and an ability to make you laugh out loud when you least expect it.  The best part is that its nor forced.  His tweets are genuinely original and there are very few RT's in this timeline.

"Key thoughts for today. A cloudy brain is a suspicious mind. Elvis was wise to know this. Bananas are too curved. Bantam hens are cute."  <-- Like seriously.  Did @MrSan really spend all night conjuring up such a masterpiece of a tweet?  Probably not.  And that is the beauty of it all.  Off the cuff, random thoughts that rock.

"I'm pretty much the 21st Century Lord Byron. These tweets are romantic gold."  <-- not one to overestimate his skills he proudly tweets about his abilities as a wordsmith.

"Would anyone like to share some spoilers with me tonight? I don't feel like watching, reading or playing anything. Ever."  <-- its all a bit Monty Pythonesque really.  Sort of like the Spanish Inquisition.  No body expects the Spanish Inquisition!

So this tweeter is nice, genuine, funny, conversational and an all round great tweeter.  The world could do with more tweeters who have those traits.

Be aware though that @MrSan tweets lots.  Like lots and lots.  Like enough to fill your timeline in for hours at an end.  But like I said back up there ^^ the tweets are often fresh and not boring.  So it's not like adding your mother in law to your follows list.  If anything - quite the opposite.

And the final thought of the day goes, of course, to the tweeter himself - 

"I think you are all a bunch of       "

Random follow #268 - @DrSJNZ

Smart people exist on social media.  Really smart people.  One of those really smart people is @DrSJNZ.  She comes at you on twitter out of Christchurch and totally rocks along with her love of for writing and science.

If there is one thing I have learned about doctors and people with PhD's this year it is that they have brilliant personalities and can share a really good anecdote with pure ease.  Sarah-Jane (SJ) is a woman whose determination to succeed is matched by her love of beer, motorbikes and the internet.  (Lets be honest - she isn't the only one of us who enjoys those things....)

As far as twitter goes SJ is pretty much a lot of fun.  Here is an example tweet to make you smile -

"Moved house two weeks ago, new neighbours have been pinching my newspaper. I'm getting pretty tweaky without my daily dose of newsprint."

What's really neat is that she tweets a whole variety of people!  For those of who have been around the social media scene for a while it is easy to follow the same peeps as our friends.  SJ though has a completely different set of friends from many of the usual suspects who I usually see people interacting with.

Tweeting is all about what you bring to the table to share.  Like a pot luck dinner what you bring is what others get to feast on and can interact with.  One way to describe SJ is that she brings the dessert.  Like the marshmallows on a skewer or the mousse that everyone smiles after they consume it -

"Probably shouldn't have allowed so many "on the mouth" kisses with my nephews on the weekend. #sick #kindygerms", and this one

"Trying to convince the cat to make the most of being outside, since she's about to go into "new home detention" for two weeks. Unsuccessful."

Sarah-Jane has a healthy relationship with her twitter account and puts only the good stuff out there.  She isn't one to sit around and let the grass grow under her feet or let an opportunity pass her by.  So you'll need to be a bit nimbe if you are going to keep up with this amazing and intelligent random kiwi tweeter.

And as if getting a PhD wasn't enough @DrSJNZ is now back at University studying towards another degree.  If you want to know more about her story have a look at her website http://drsjnz.wordpress.com/.  You will discover even more fascinating and new people over there too.  So go ahead - follow, follow follow.

Random follow #264 - @AnitaLHarvey

Meeting one great person usually always leads to meeting other great people.  Because great people attract other great people unto themselves.  The first great person I met this year was @vivster81 and from her the twitter connection was made through to the just as great @AnitaLHarvey.

This very lovely young lady is another lass who works for Amnesty International.  She looks after their media presence and does quite a bit of work in social media and communications.  So in other words - she gets to tell the world about the great work Amnesty do for people at both home and abroad.

Whats neat is if you have a look through her timeline you will quickly find that she has a brilliant sense of humour and can turn around what could be taken by others as an insult or something negative and in her own way she spins it into something very, very funny.  Such as -

"OHMYGOD, are you STILL going on about those war crimes?! Srs #Amnesty, you have like no life, do you even have a boyfriend? #DoubtIt! #Burn!"

As a stand alone tweet it comes across as a bit rough.  But when read as a RT by Anita it takes on a whole different bent.  But what else does she do and tweet about?

"People around the globe are taking a stand to #FreeTheArctic30. Show your support! Head to Queens Wharf before 9pm and join @GreenpeaceNZ"  <-- supporting the protection of the environment

":) if only.. @ndbrennan we always wish we could fill the news with #humanrights ! Here's to hoping others run it too! @AmnestyNZ"  <-- passionate about the burning issues

Anita is by no means a prolific tweeter.  She tweets when she wants and has something good to say.  There are very few wasted words on this account.  The tweets are of value and often link through to high powered stories and other goings on in current affairs.

I like Anita from a view that she is passionate and committed to a cause that is bigger than herself.  She channels and directs that passion into her tweets and her work and the results speak for themselves.

Peace.

Random follow #258 - @shacklemore

Whats in a name?  Really?  In the name Shackleford Hurtmore there is more than one story going on.  In fact there are a few.  I don't what they are but they're there.   @shacklemore proudly announces two interesting facts about himself - 1. he's a Brit and 2. he lives in Auckland.

But its not what a person says about themselves in their bio thats important.  The bio is like a random introduction at a party when someone says - "Hey! Have you met ........?  He/she is into ......" and then they walk away.  There isn't a lot of depth there but you have a starting point from which to begin a conversation.

This is one account where there is absolutely no doubt about where a person stands on the issues/  Is a spade a shovel?  No!  Its a spade!  Thats a lot of how these tweets read.  Not negatively but direct.  Definitely direct.  Of that there is no doubt.  But don't be put off cos he a definite sense of humour that lightens the load.  Here take a look at what I mean -

"Instead of the "sale" shenanigans every weekend, why don't Briscoes just admit they double all their prices on weekdays?"  <-- genuine humour.  None of that beat around the bush stuff.

"If you ever retweet ken ring you are dead to me." <-- this is a NO BS zone!

"How come there was never an episode of Star Trek:TNG where they just parked in an obscure orbit and chucked a sickie to play GTA2360?"  <-- he definitely has some super style too.

"John Key at the UN: "I've been internationalising a really complicated situation in my head"" <-- he is able to provide a funny spin on politics too.

He RT's some really good stuff too.  All the stars are in his RT list - Cate Owen, Guy Williams and Bill Bennett.  In just a few words I describe the good gentleman as follows - funny, serious, straight up, brilliant, engaging, knowledgeable, not afraid to speak his mind.

What I like about @shacklemore is the mix of the serious with the hilarious.  Too much of one or the other can make a tweeter either too serious or not believeable.  Put the two together and you have a really great view of the world.  

"To follow or not to follow? That is the question."

Random follow #257 - @katjnz

Fun loving, smart and full of great advice.  That is @katjnz in a nutshell.  This young lady hails from the great Metropolis of Auckland and happily shares little bits and pieces of what's going on in her world.  From everyday musings and opinions through to funny interactions with people - this is @katjnz.

Kat is one of those person who (metaphorically) can wander into a cafe or bar and hold a conversation with pretty much anyone about almost anything.  Thats her twitter personality too.  She is happy and willing to engage with people on sorts of topics.  I can imagine that in real life she is a very interesting person.

It takes a special sort of someone to see the potential in someone else's ideas too.  To get behind someone and give them the funding they need to get their project started and happening takes sacrifice, a gamble and also a spirit of generosity.  Kat is exactly one of those people.  She looks for the good and the potential in others and then shares what she has to make it happen.

Like every tweeter that is worth following Kat does some things really well -

"Newmarket peeps: if you have a craving for dumplings, Yummy Palace on Crowhurst St is HIGHLY recommended."   <-- if you find something good then SHARE IT!

"*refresh* *refresh* *refresh* oooh... no... *refresh* refresh* *refresh* *refresh* *refresh* oooh! no... *refresh* #buyingGlastonburytickets"  <-- she is also going to Laneway!  *swoon*

"Current topic of discussion in our living room: the mating habits of muppets." <-- flatmates for the BEST twitter material.

@katjnz is a really neat tweeter who manages not to take herself or social media too seriously.  She can have a laugh, hold a conversation, maintain her own individual sense of self and personality while kicking it with the cool kids all at the same time.  If you would like to learn some more about kat she shares some of her current projects at her fabulous website - http://www.kat.geek.nz/.

I quite like her.  A lot.  As a tweeter she's really cool.  Two thumbs up from me!

Random follow #254 - @MahonriWilliams

The @peopleofnz account is truly one of the greatest ways to discover awesome people on twitter.  Todays RKT is a person who took the reins, gave the account a good kick in the rump and rode it for all it was worth.  It was during that week of curation that i pushed the follow button knowing that this was going to be a golden opportunity to follow someone of worth.

@MahonriWilliams is a tweeter that I would classify as a brother.  Not a brother like he's a relation of yours or mine but a brother as in the old school definition.  Like as in african american terminology - he's one of the brothers!.  He makes the cool in cat, the smooth in butter and the cream in milk. 

His creative style and approach to twitter is what I enjoy the most.  Its like he has been cut from a similar cloth to the one and only Taika Waititi.  I am not saying he is or will be a movie maker - cos I have no idea about that - but rather its about his ability to look at something quite plain or bland and approach it in an unconventional way.

Here are some examples of what I am talking about - 

"Had an epiphany that I should be a news anchor. 6pm is mine from 2030 onward, so get your hands off!"

"There must be a few coconuts in the mix cos all I hear is 'cheehoo' being echoed around the bay. East Coast has gone multicultural."

"My brain alerts me when I see someone writing with their left hand. I look at them a little bit longer too. Never for right handed people."

@MahonriWilliams is a down to earth, genuine and level headed guy who has been spending a fair bit of time on the East Coast of the North Island.  Maybe its the fresh air or the fact that they get the sun first down those aways that enables him to keep it fresh on twitter.  There are no second hand tweets or rehashed ideas from others,  What you get here is the real deal straight from the prophets mouth.

A description of the brother in 10 words - genuine, level headed, creative, down to earth, funny,original, brilliant.  So this is my twitter recommendation for the day.  @MahonriWilliams a brother like no other from another mother.  Peace.

In closing the best part about is his optimism and sense of direction as evidenced by these two tweets - 

"I'm pretty happy that my life is finally heading in the right direction. It's taken a while but I'm glad I moved home to sort myself out."

"Things are going to happen quickly for me the next few weeks. It's exciting. I know and understand my purpose fully."

Random follow #250 - @kiltedkiwi

@Kiltedkiwi is an expat kiwi who now resides in the beautiful country of Scotland.  Yes there are plenty of expats overseas and yes they are usually great tweeters.  But there is something different about a man who wears a skirt.  Oops sorry I meant a kilt.

Kilted Kiwi is a great chap with an excellent sense of wit but openly confesses to having a not so flash twitter bio.  But what he lacks in twitter bio he makes up for and more through his tweets.

Here are a few to give you a little view into his twitter world -

"Oops apparently it's only #nationalpoetryday, hyperbole such a poetic word me thinks!"  Aaahhh the pure
wit shines through.

"Wonder if I'll ever stop buying #cycling gear?! Fluoro is the new black". A man who knows that health is the elixir of youth.

And then there a few obligatory tweets that reference his new home land.  Such as -

"Off to a kiwi farewell, haggis & whiskey, gotta admit- not a huge haggis fan. Och well, when in Rome & all that!"

Kilted Kiwi is a really funny guy who keeps the jokes rolling, the humour flowing and twitter lol'ing.  He won't hog your timeline n part cos he lives in the opposite timezone to us but also because twitter is a hobby and not a lifestyle.  And I like that fact.

One thing I have enjoyed doing recently with twitter is going international with my follows.  And @Kiltedkiwi is one expat kiwi who I am pleased to have found online and follow.  You might want to try checking him out too.

Random follow #244 - @elladeruiter

@elladeruiter is one of those special people who have the x factor or that sprinkle of fairy dust that makes twitter shine.  To get a little understanding of who she is you need to a full length scan of her twitter page.  Much like an attractive person you spot in the street Ella will make you stop and do a double take as you think - 'wow, she's really something!'.

There is so much about her that is beautiful and to like.  From her full name 'Emanuella' to her profile photo all the way day down her timeline.  There is so much to like and be attracted to.  And yes - I have done a few double takes...

Apart from the fact that she is an attractive young lady she is also a very intelligent young person who contrary to this tweet -

"I can now officially confirm that I am a sausage"

she is in fact a very smart cookie.  She is also a lady of fine taste - 

"I could really do with some chocolate right about now".

She cares about and for animals.  Ella is a self proclaimed wanna-be crazy cat lady however she also has at least one of our finer friends in her care - 

"Dog is being creepy. He is standing in the middle of the room just staring at me. :|"

What do I like about her?  Her intelligence.  Her interactions with @Edaemus.  And her sense of humor.  Its not like Ella purposely sets out to be funny - like slapstick comedy (I think) but her tweets are rather comedic and funny.  Such as - 

"I have to be the best procrastinator ever".

And its not easy being a student.  There are lots of time and work commitments which many of us forget what its like and the amount of pressure that goes with it - 

"You know what's worse than editing and revising an essay? Editing and revising a thesis! :("

I highly recommend you take a wander over to her tumblr page where she showcases some of her superb photography.  There are some very spectacular photos on show.  So here's my take on @elladeruiter in 10 words or less - young, student, attractive, smart, funny, endearing. engaging, intelligent, random, passionate.

Social media is all about what you bring to the game.  Ella brings a sharp. smart and sassy approach to life that will have you smiling as you follow along with her journey from student to success.  I am following her on twitter.  Are you going to?

Random follow #242 - @CaptainRaison

Kimberley, Kimberley, Kimberley.  Whatever are we to make of you?  In my opinion thats a completely fair question.  @CaptainRaison is (astoundingly) one of my favorite tweeters at the moment.  She has a complex mind and sense of humour that takes a bit of getting used to but once you begin to understand how she thinks then a whole new world of hilarity is opened up to you.

When she says that "I'm not your typical 20 year old" she isn't far wrong.  And I mean that with full respect.  There aren't many 20 year olds who have such interesting imaginations or the ability to express themselves in 140 characters or less with such punch or clarity of mind.

She is a lady of many tastes.  Lets have a look and see what some of them are - 

"People may hate on the Zelda series but everybody has to admit, the soundtrack to the games are freaking fantastic"  <-- gaming.

"Guys I'm actually 70 years old. The secret to my youthfull look is video games and freaking out about everything." <-- she has discovered the elixir of youth!

"Male hippos show their affection for the females by flinging dung at them." <-- the next Attenborough? 

"I got this new chocolate and mint body wash, holy moly, it smells SO GOOD. I'm gonna smell like a chocolate biscuit :D" <-- woman stuff.

"Maybe I should be a comedian. But I don't know how'd that work, I'd probably just stand on a stage and make cat noises." <-- potential career options.

I love @CaptainRaison's ability to tweet completely random things and completely change up my timeline when it needs a damn good oil change.

This young lady is a film student based in the deep south of the South Island and that too gives her some really great content to tweet about.  The student life, flatmates and the cold.  Most people would find those subjects pretty blah - but not @CaptainRaison.  Oh no - she manages to apply her lens of creativity to them and gives them a twist in her tweets.  She's definitely not your run of the mill tweeter. 

This post is going to be a lot like @CaptainRaison's tweets.  Short and to the point.  She doesn't waste the characters she is given for a tweet but she does manage to use a lot of tweets.  In a good way of course.  And if you're really keen to see a bit more of Kimberley head over to her Youtube channel - http://www.youtube.com/CaptainRaison.  It sums her up very nicely.  

So as you can see you can never be too sure about what Kimberley is going to tweet next.  You really don't know quite what is coming down the twitter stream next.  This could quite possibly be the most random twitter account in existence today.  And it is for that very reason that I follow her. 

Random follow #236 - @tellyboxnz

"They put me on television. And the whole thing broke loose. It was wild, I tell ya for sure." Elvis Presley
Lights! Camera! Action!  sounds quite glamorous and it probably is.  But it is also hard work and takes quite a bit of effort and talent to get right.  Late nights, early mornings - all of those funny things go along with the requirements to make great television.

@tellyboxnz is a man who has made a career out of making good television.  Its his passion, his employment and also his creative output during working hours.  Outside of working hours he has a plethora of interests.   One of those interests is the game of treasure hunt -->

"Hahaha. Chocolate? What chocolate? I didnt see any chocolate. Youre welcome to any you find. Ive hidden 40 bars around building"

I am not sure which building he is referring to but it sounds like a mighty good one to get lost in.  Martin is not a person who follows pointless trends just for the sake of it either.  Be it in real life on the television as this tweet shows you - 

"Didn't watch #SharknadoNZ. Watched me a bit of @bbceastenders on @UKTVnz #betterer #jeanisamazing"

And there are the tweets where you sit back and wonder just what on earth is this guy on about???

"Is anyone good at crafts and have ANY idea how I might even start thinking about how to construct a wall of bananas? #notreallycrafts"  and this one -->

"Very pleased with the amount of #duck appearances in #despicableme2 #quack #iloveducks"

It is exactly that kind out of out of the box tweet that just appears out of nowhere and takes you by surprise that I love to see.  And then there are the occasional box set tweets that let you that his television producing career is very much alive and well - 

"Bye @itstvnzu it's been fun. I love you all xxx".  Or was as far as that project went but he has now moved on.

@tellyboxnz is a cool guy ho has a really neat career.  He is not yet quite a kiwi as far as being a legal citizen goes but hey - if you live you're pretty much one of us already.  Right?  How do I describe Martin as a tweeter in 12 words or less?  Lets go - funny, engaging, popular, interesting, different, friendly, open, chocolate lover, mysterious, nice guy.

The best way I describe this tweeter is a fun loving, you get what you see, laid back and happy go lucky kind of guy.  he will brighten up your timeline, throw it a little off center every now and then but most importantly he will amuse you and make you laugh.  And those are important traits I look for when choosing someone new to follow.  Go on - get amongst it!

Random follow #231 - @RenaStarluck/@Sharizard1

One of the key traits that I look for in tweeters is someone who can make me laugh.  A person who has an ability to say absurd things or just be plain silly.  Those are the people I really enjoy following on twitter.  Todays random person has this personality trait covered in spades.  And not only is she hilarious on twitter she also has facebook covered too.

@RenaStarluck is a young lady who is a young mum student located somewhere in mysterious Auckland.  Shar, her kids and her cats live together and hang out most nights online.  They rule the social media airwaves!  Some women are accused of being crazy cat ladies.  Shar is a crazy ANIMAL woman.  She loves animals!  All sorts, all sizes and all breeds.  And her passion extends so far that she has from time to time looked after lost and abandoned animals too.

"Gah I need to work out tomorrow but I also want to get in on this bonus work is offering plus the bunnies need to go for their date..."

And what happened on the so called bunny date?  Well skip forward through her timeline and you find this update - 

"I don't get it. Daphne just has no interest in breeding. But Dandy is all for it.  Fingers crossed we have babies in a months time!" and then -

"Just fed babby goats. Hell yeah semi rural living"

@RenaStarluck is really pretty.  Like a really, really attractive lady.  And that attractiveness extends to her tweets.  They aren't always safe for work but hey what fun is there living on the safe side all the time?  Like - 

 

"ARGH the more you tell me not to do it the more I am going to, SO THERE"

So why am I recommending a locked account?  Because Shar is an incredible lady with tons of talent.  She is young, fun loving, strong and very loyal.  If following someone's locked account isn't your thing (or if she decides not to let you follow her - which is totally at her discretion) then you could follow her open account which is @Sharizard1.  To be fair both accounts are really great to follow but my personal preference is the @RenaStarluck account.  Simply because its a bit more honest - what isn't behind closed doors?

So in 15 words or less here are the reasons to follow her - funny, loyal, honest, hilarious, mum, attractive, incredible, amazeballs, animals, cats, kids, friend, gamer and passionate.  So how about a follow?  I do.

Note - @Pammygirl requested this post tonight.  Both Pam and myself really enjoy following Shar's tweets so yeah - she comes very highly recommended.  

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Random follow #226 - @ItsKieranTime

"To be young, gifted and .....  Wellingtonian?" I am not sure thats quite what Nina Simone had in mind when she sang that song but those descriptive words are apt for for @ItsKieranTime.  Coming at you out of the Nations capital Kieran is a social media buff who tweets and shares his adventures through life with ease.

He's the sort of guy who you meet at a pub and you know he's an all right kind of guy.  Cool enough to kick with the hip crowd yet grounded enough to be able to hold a conversation with those of us at the older end of the scale too.

If you're wanting to know how cool he is then here is the evidence -

"What is my life? I'm sitting in a hip cocktail bar - mixology, in Hollywood."

Here's the evidence he can kick it with the older tweeter -

"The poverty here is unreal, for such a developed country."

And then when he tweets this you KNOW he is from the coolest little capital in the world  -

"Waking up to see another #eqnz rattled Wellington last night. Is FOMO a thing when it comes to earthquakes? Because I think I have it."

Being younger he brings a different angle to social media.  A different feel and view on whats happening in the world.  He is a source of interesting topics and thoughts and isn't afraid to let you know what he's really up to every now and then.  Such as -

"So what if I'm watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians in bed on a Saturday night."

So why follow @ItsKieranTime - he tweets original content, he is currently travelling across North America and tweeting about it, he is a really nice guy with a fantastic taste in style and he's an all round really great guy. Having the ability to keep a 'clean' timeline. That is tweets that are either funny, interesting or giving information that you may not have known before.

Final word - if I weren't already following @ItsKieranTime I would now.

 

Random tweeter #225 - @thecatsgoolies

How's this for a recipe for coming up with a twitter name -

1. Take a really popular animal most people know
2. Then take a completely random part of that animals anatomy
3. Join the two together

Okay so it doesn't always work.  But todays tweeter has taken a popular saying and with a bit of creativity totally made it her own.  @thecatsgoolies is an absolutely brilliant lady from Auckland who totally rocks it out on twitter.  I am a fairly new follower but I can say she is one of the loveliest people I have tweeted.

Mary is someone who likes to see the lighter side of life.  She isn't afraid to stir the pot and wind a few people up when they need it.  In a comedic way of course.  Her sense of humour is perfectly suited to social media because her view of the world is so honest.  Here are a couple of recent examples - 

"Just tried norwegian goat cheese for the first time since I was a kid (baa) and its not half bad #sorryforthebaapun"

"As I near my 10k tweet do I tweet something monumental or my usual verbal crap?"

I had a conversation with someone recently about people disappearing from twitter and no one noticing.  Yo be honest its true.  Lots of people could just stop tweeting and no one would notice.  That is definitely not the case in regards to @thecatsgoolies.  I am totally sure she would be missed.  As she is one of the people who genuinely shows concern for others and makes a point of letting others know that they aren't forgotten and that they are in fact being thought of all the time.

So what is that something about Mary that makes her so special?  Well here are a few more tweets to consider - 

"The dog is snoring again. Hang on will turn the telly up."

"I'm such a good dog owner. Going out and leaving animal planet on for the dog :)"

"I love my dog when he hears the kids move....he sort of snorts and laughs as he runs to them. Tail just about taking off."

If you are looking for an open, genuine, well balanced yet funny tweeter than say hello to @thecatsgoolies.  mary isn't perfect and then again neither are any of us.  But what she does do is bring honesty, empathy and loving respect for those in her circles.  If you're looking for a true friend - you just found her.

Random follow #218 - @duckenvy

Not every great twitter account is a real person.  Some really fantastic accounts are one's where people take on a character or a persona that lets them tweet or interact in a different way than they normally would.  And its just those exact types of accounts that can bring a different type of hilarity and freshness to the social media world.

@duckenvy is just one of those accounts.  With a bio that reads "I'm not a real duck" you don't really know what you're going to get.  What I can say is that the Duck keeps it real and has an ability to drop some pretty cool one liner tweets.  Such as -->

"Schooly Dee Lite La Soul II Men At Work #BandMergers"

And the Duck also strings together different types of trending tweets to make a whole new thing -->

"#BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck #InMyPants"

No subject is off limits for the Duck -->

"You reckon we could get Labour to put up Tame Iti against Peter Dunne?"

But at the same time though alongside the funny tweets there is a certain undercurrent of brutal honesty that comes through as well.  Not trolling or attacking people but saying straight up what their thoughts are.  See here -->

"Yo, Aussie, fark ya nuclear tomatoes yo."

If you are in the hunt for a new twitter account that will both humour you as well as keep you on your toes then I recommend following @duckenvy.  Its like Forrest Gump's mumma said - "You never know what you're gonna get"

Random follow #215 - @sppiinny

One little town that generally keeps itself hidden away and under wraps is the brilliant little town of Wanganui.  It really is a gem that many New Zealanders assume is just another town with not much special about it.  Well anyone who thinks that would be wrong.  Wanganui is a fantastic town with much to offer and plenty of things to do.  And just for the record - I could happily move to Wanganui and be happy.  It truly is a very special little town.

And the same goes for its tweeters.  @sppiinny is one of the very few tweeters that I follow that hail from that part of the country.  Rachel is a really hard case tweeter from that part of the world who brings a very down to earth sense of humour to twitter.  Not everyone would understand her sense of humour but I find it fantastic.

Its very much a sense of humour that comes from knowing what life is about and maybe having found that out a bit sooner than most other people.  And there is the small town flavor that permeates her stream - 

"One thing I find funny about Wanganui is there is a Chinese restaurant called Beijing and a few blocks away, there used to be Hong Kong.."

See the thing is people in small towns remember these sorts of details.  They also remember who you are and the people who are important in their lives - maybe a little more readily than the rest of us do.

And I just checked something else - she has OVER 22 thousand tweets!!!  How can someone who is such a good tweeter have so few followers and SO MANY tweets???  And if someone has that many tweets what do they use them on?  Well if Rachels in real life behavior - 

"HAHAHA!! Talking with a perfect stranger about City of Bones and Beautiful Creatures!! #Awesome"

then its fair to assume she is a very warm, open and conversational person who will make time to interact with anyone.  And yes she is at the younger end of the scale so that helps to bring a new flavor to your timeline.  I love this little series of tweets 'cos I know they are true!!!  See here  -->

"Note: When a computer says it'll take 2 minutes to copy something, it's like your mum saying she'll be 5 minutes on the phone..."

"It's always a lie. They always take quite a while longer #ttrttpt"

So if your timeline is feeling a little (dare I say it) old and it needs a bit of freshening up - then @sppiinny may be just the ticket for you.  (Please note - if you check out her timeline today - there is one tweet that may be a little not your style.  Please don't let one tweet out you off from following a fantastic tweeter.  Thanks)