Random follow #284 - @ninjabeanz1

"Faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than a hundred wild horses, sexier than ice cream on a hot day, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound - is it a bird?  Is it a plane? No its @ninjabeanz1!"

People who give their time to help others are those people who you want to spend time with.  They are generous, warm, lovely and would help you out no matter how much of a pickle you may be in.  Nina is just one of those people.  She is resourceful, sharp and careful with her time.  So much so that she uses it in just the right way.

@ninjabeanz1 is a lady of many talents, tastes and tricks.  Being a leftie is the least of her many superhero abilities that will amaze and astound you.  She is also a whizz in the kitchen and the hostess with the mostest as well.  Being a chef there are few delights she can not whip up that will have your taste buds bursting with excitement.

But wait there's more!

Nina is also a fabulous tweeter.  She doesn't impose herself or views on everyone else too often but she shares a lot of laughs and humour with everyone.  Some original, some retweets, nearly always totally funny.

Nina is a kiwi through and through - "#proud_kiwi_moment!! “@robrendell: #Lorde picks up multiple Grammy nominations."

She has a great general knowledge - "Lego produce more than 306 million tiny rubber tires a year. #randomfact"

And she is funny "Haha "Don't Drink & Jump!" “@brianholland: Adult bouncy castle injuries on the rise say ACC http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/8718067/Adult-bouncy-castle-injuries-on-the-rise …”

@ninjabeanz1 is a tweeter who from time to time steps away from the computer and gets some fresh air out there in the real world.  I really like that.  Like an old friend she pops up every now and then and quietly tweets something and you think - Yes! She's back!

Nina is a tweeter who is happy to do her own thing, in her own way, at her own speed.  Which ladies and gentlemen is a great example of not only how to do social media but also how to do life.  And I leave you with a quote, from the Facebook page of @ninjabeanz1 community group (Altrusa Auckland) -

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” 

― Eleanor Roosevelt

p.s. @ninjabeanz1 profile picture is one of the greatest super heroes of all time.  I have a feeling that Wonder Woman is not just an aspiration for Nina but an inspiration as well.

Random follow #275 - @CafeCrave

In a funky little suburb, in a funky little shop you will find a funky little cafe that is totally funky.  @CafeCrave serve some of the best coffees, teas and cafe food in all of Auckland.  Without a doubt.  I was recently introduced to this brilliant place by @vivster81.  @CafeCrave is a really nice cafe that is parked up away from the hustle and bustle of Great North Road and combines the old with the new in a creative and tasteful way.

This cafe is perfect for pretty much everyone.  From the older amongst us looking for a nice cup of tea, the more trendy looking for a macchiato that is second to none and the business people wanting to tie up a deal in an atmosphere that is relaxed and laid back.

So what does this cafe do thats so different to everyone else?  Well for a start they are a charitable cause.  Which means the profits and monies that come in flow out again into the community and to the people who need that little bit extra help - be it both locally and abroad.  So as you sip on your latte or consume your cheesecake you can do so knowing that you've helped someone out.

As far as tweets go they look a little something like this -

"Crave and Mad for Change will be at Christmas at Rocket Park this Sunday. We're fundraising for a new equipment for Freeset in India..."

"#jamming we'll have blueberry jam, lemon curd and fresh bread to tempt you with. http://ow.ly/pRdHe "

and

"We farewell the #madforchange crew today as the leave for India. Looking forward to hearing their stories and seeing lives changed."

What's even better is that the cafe is one function of the collective.  Another part of the collective is their commitment to creative people and their outputs.  So you from time to time find the walls lined with art that inspires you and should you purchase some know that like the collective you've purchased from - the piece is made with love.

The single underpinning ideal or philosophy that flows through with @CafeCrave is integrity.  They know who they are, why they exist and proudly stand by their ideals.  So if you're hanging out in the Kingsland area and are looking for a cafe that means what it says and is proud of who they are then your choice is simple.

Random follow #265 - @john_holley

There are some people who give so much of themselves in this lifetime that they really deserve to have a least two because one life is not enough.  They might be completing tasks for the government, volunteering their time to assist others who have needs greater than theirs or just being a really good parent.

Todays tweeter is just one of those people.  @john_holley lives a life that is bigger than just him.  Reading his twitter bio is quite astounding (in a really good way).  The only way to really honour him is to show you his bio here -

"NZ Army officer currently with UNMISS, CIO on sabbatical, ChildFund NZ Board Member, Geek, Husband, Dad, All Blacks/Blues/Auckland Supporter. Loves Kingsland!

Auckland · childfund.org.nz"

Whatever I write from here on will focus just on his twitter presence.  There are no words I can muster that could explain or capture the sense of humility I feel being able to honour a man such as John.  So from here on we will discuss what he does on twitter and his approach to social media.

To describe him in 10 words or less - patriotic, eyes wide open , global view, opinionated, balanced, caring and aware.  And here are a few tweets to give a feel for how he tweets - 

"Today was one of those days that made me real proud to be a Kiwi and part of Ngāti Tumatauenga #justsaying #fb"

"Task for night done. I think I am following all the @BluesRugbyTeam players with twitter handles - at least I can live vicariously from afar"

He also has a knack for finding quality content online and shares great articles and news items that cover a multitude of topics and areas of life.  In conclusion @john_holley is a bloody good guy who has chosen to share some of his time, passion and expertise with the wider world through the twitter platform.

I can't recommend him highly enough and totally give him my full support in a social media setting.

Random follow #234 - @BobbShen

Carving up your timeline and bringing some fresh energy is a random tweeter who I recently discovered.  He is a lover of art, architecture and food.  @BobbShen is a stunning tweeter who has such an eclectic and broad set of interests that his tweets pretty much have something for everyone in them.

Bobby is currently working on his thesis for his higher study.  What's magnificent is that his thesis is not an intellectual rant but a work of art.  Its all about architecture and how we both relate to and interact with it.  So here is a little snippet of what turned to be some great tweeting yesterday -

"OK, to spice up my layouting process I'll be sharing #thesis photos, enjoy! (I'll only put up good ones) Let me know what you think."

But like all things study wise sooner or later they come to an end - 

"Can't believe I have to find a real life architecture job at the end of the year
(or technically, if I'm to start then, now...)"

And then there is the common pain of every student's life - 

"I know this has been said so many times, but I hate referencing, argh. Nothing so PC in my life."

What's neat about Bobby is that he has a healthy number of followers and a good number of follows too.  So he has been plying his trade here on twitter for a while now having racked up just under 22k tweets.  So he''s not a newbie but rather a well seasoned tweeter.  Its really nice looking through someone's timeline and recognising names of people you already follow and value.

So what else does tweet about?

"Rostering volunteers in for Architecture Week, themed women in architecture this year! 

(which doesn't mean males can't help ;)"

Well he spends quite a bit of time encouraging people to engage with Architecture for Humanity Auckland 

(@AFHAuckland).  This group are a collective of design professionals who give their time to assist communities in need.  So its fair to say that Bobby is a person who places a high value on others.

In case you hadn't figured it out yet, here is my way of describing @BobbShen as a tweeter in 10 words or less - hard working, creative, giving, generous, interactive, sensational, mature, nice, expressive.  Worth a follow?  ABSOLUTELY.  5 stars right here.

Random follow #174 - @WanderlustRehab

Getting outdoors and enjoying the fresh air and natural beauty around us is something we need to do more of.  For some people that may mean a 5 minute walk or a 10 minute jog.  For other people it means setting aside a few hours, strapping on some shoes and then going exploring.  For today's tweeter being outdoors is absolutely the very best place to be.

@WanderlustRehab is a man after my own heart. It takes some real passion and determination to be a race director/organizer and Paul ooze's that in spades.  Its tweets like these that best describe his spirit and enthusiasm for life - 

"Today is going to be pretty busy, one of those productive days where you fall into bed at the end of it and go "well done lad, good day"!"

There is hardly a negative word ever crosses his twitter stream.  That alone speaks volumes about his patience, optimism and ability to see the best in other people.  Whats neat too is that Paul's tweets just appear.  They don't announce themselves or need a pedestal to stand on.  They just are.  You look up at your timeline and there in front of you is this -

"Good morning folks, hope you've had/having a great weekend? Anything to report? Monday is here in NZ and another cracking week lies ahead :)"

Paul is a husband and a really great guy.  I really enjoy it when people tweet or talk about their spouse's.  To make an effort to talk about that person whom you love really means something in my book.  

What else?  Well Paul  is also the organizer of the head2head walk which is an epic walk for a relay team that will cover 125kms.  Teams will cover the distance from Manukau Heads Lighthouse and ends 125kms later at Huia in Titirangi.  125kms is no short distance in anybody's book. And its all for a really good cause so if you can get a team together - get out there and walk 25km's then you'll be making a difference in someones' life.

So to finish up @WanderlustRehab is a really nice guy with a super generous heart and is someone who is willing to give up his time to assist others.  He is an optimist, positive and someone willing to go the extra mile and do whatever it takes to succeed.  I totally recommend following Paul and supporting him as he works hard to make the lives of others better.