Random follow #157 - @andydower

Tweeters in New Zealand apparently flock together like birds of a feather.  Well maybe not quite that closely but it seems like there are pockets of twitter users scattered all over the place.  And some towns in New Zealand have more than their fair share.  The Taranaki region is the perfect example of this.

There are SO many great twitter peeps from the 'Naki and @andydower is another one!  Andy is a great example of a random kiwi tweeter.  With almost 1,000 tweets under his belt and 68 followers he's not making big waves in social media.  But that doesn't matter.  Because what he does do is tweet some pretty cool stuff.  Especially about sport and New Plymouth.

Andy is a dad who has 3 boys whom he is raising with love.  And its really impressive that in his twitter bio he outs it out there.  Plus he loves a few other things - like coffee, sport and cooking.  I am hoping that there is one very lucky person out there who gets to reap the rewards of these interests.

He doesn't give too much away about who he is or what is happening in his every day life but occasionally he opens the door just a smidgen to let you in catch a glimpse of his life.  Such as -

"Parking for the test match has reached our house already People must be getting excited early. 6 degrees and dropping. Huddle together peeps".  It doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to figure out he means New Plymouth.

"Got to go to bed, bugger!"  He stays up past his bedtime?

"Rugby, cricket and F1 to watch tonight and the kids have lost the Sky remote AGAIN, AAAAUUUUURRRGHH!"  Boys, sports and television can be trouble!

"Danger Mouse #ClassicTV"  The man has taste!

@andydower is a twitter account under construction.  Now that he's almost got the first thousand tweets out of the way he's practically a local.  So I encourage you to call over to his place and say hi.  If you like what you see then why not give him a follow?  He's a great guy.  

Over and out.

Random follow #155 - @NzChrissie

"Here is my sleeve. At times you will find my heart on it."

(Chrissie's twitter bio)

@NzChrissie is one amazing lady.  I love her approach to social media.  Much like her approach to life I am picking that what you see is what you get.  She shares her life openly with those whom she considers her friends.  Her heart while not fragile is sensitive and needs protecting from the stresses and strains of this life.  And its not that she intentionally puts it out there its just the way Chrissie is.  

Don't get me wrong though.  There are no long endless emotional rantings going on here.  Rather honest and open accounts of how she is making her way through life.  Chrissie brings to the twitter table some interesting thoughts and ideas which help to show us the working of her inner mind - 

"Reconnecting with my childhood. Hello banana custard. Yum!"  #nostalgia

"Two AA call outs in one day. Wish it was alcohol related but no..."  #funny

"You know how most people tend to hate snorers? Hearing my mumma snore is one of the cutest things in the whole wide world right now." #heartwarming

@NzChrissie is a mum who has some older boys and she provides some of the more interesting tweets when it comes to her kids too -->

"Being a 'proper' mum and picking boys up from school today. Enjoying watching their ex girlfriends walk past..."   #hahahahahaha

Being a girl from Palmy it sort of goes without saying that Chrissie loves her netball.  Be it playing on court or sitting in the stands barracking for her team the Central Pulse.  And this is just one way through which she keeps herself in shape physically.

Chrissie is also directly related to another really great tweeter @not_friends.  This tweeter is one of the straightest shooting females I have EVER met.  And she is incredibly intelligent and a little bit cute too.  Note - You'll have to ask her permission to see her tweets if you would like to follow her.

So why follow her? Well @NzChrissie is a really lovely lady who doesn't tweet too much - just enough.  She tweets nice things when she has something to say and she keeps in touch with her friends in a caring and nicely sensitive way.  She is also an attractive lady with an amazing approach to and outlook on life.  She brings an open and balanced worldview that gives everyone an opportunity to have their say but within reason and they must be genuine.  And its that word there that I feel best sums Chrissie up - genuine.

As a final note - I would like to pass on my sincerest condolences to Chrissie and all her family on the loss of her mum just a day or two ago.  It must be an incredibly tough time for her so all the thoughts are with the family at this time.  Xx

Random follow #85 - @realmshark

Loyal is the key lyric in the song of the same name written by Dave Dobbyn.  In the world of professional sports there is very little loyalty that still exits when the powerful lure of money is always on offer.  Athletes shift around the world from team to team looking to make a secure future for themselves financially.

Fans however are a different kettle of fish.  Football fans especially.  It is fans like @realmshark that keep he heart and soul of sports alive.  It doesn't matter the weather, the result or who the opposition is these guys can be found at the stadium, at the pub or in their lounge watching and supporting their team week and in week out.

@realmshark is one of those fans who sticks with their team through thick and thin.  That speaks volumes about the character of the man.  "But what will I find if I read his tweets?" I hear you say....

1. You'll find lots of sport  -->  "Hey folks... Can someone tell me the date of the Allwhites game in November?"
2. You'll find lots of social engagements -->  "Flight to Auckland at 6.30am tomorrow morning... Fishing on the Hauraki and a visit to the casino install. Who's around for a meet up?"
3. You'll find lots of making arrangements to meet up with people and interact in real life -->  " I NEED ONE... Wanna meet at the backbencher??"
4. You'll find RT's from interesting tweeters with a whole range of facts and stories that you may not have otherwise uncovered or just missed  ->  "CCM are slightly understrength, but not enough to put Operation #avoidthespoon in danger of failing. Come on CCM! #aleague #CCMvMH"

As a sideline you'll find in his bio that he works in insurance and plays a fair bit of poker.  That stuff he doesn't tweet about so much.  In my experience people tweet about what is important to them.  For Brendan whats important to him the most are people.  Once again I believe that what we have here is a person who uses twitter but it will never ever replace real life interactions or experiences.  It simply enhances them.

Oh I forgot to mention that he's a really nice guy too.

Random follow #80 - @Sportsfreakconz

"I love sports. Anytime I can combine sports with a film I'm a happy guy. It's such a natural fit, because sports always seems to be a metaphor for life. Always, always, always." Dean Cain

There are many, many, many films which tell the various stories of sports teams who overcame adversity, triumphed over evil, r just generally managed to beat the snot out of the opposition.  Here are a few examples that automatically spring to mind - Happy Gilmour, Mighty Ducks and Any Given Sunday.

Each of these movies has something in common.  The little guy, the one that can't win, the under dog or the dark horse come through and win.  There is something to both like and love about those stories.  But those stories occur far more than just in the movies.  They occur everyday in lots of places around the world.  

@Sportsfreakconz is one kiwi tweeter who has a HUGE interest in seeing those stories played out in real time.  He is to be fair - sports mad.  Not just one sport but all sports.  He is a man of varied taste who is happy to venture into a conversation about any sport, at any time with anyone.  Now that is no mean feat.  Discussing the virtues of NCAA lacrosse is probably an easy thing to do but if anyone can its him.

Here are a few (interesting) facts I have been able to piece together about the man and what makes him a good sports journalist -

A good sports journo has to have a long memory. "A goal for Judas".  To put some context around this tweet Judas is the nickname given to a former player for the Wellington Phoenix who decided that playing in Australia would be a better career move than playing on for the club that gave him a chance.  That event occurred some two or three years ago but football fans never forget.

@Sportsfreakconz is a blogger.  Any sports journo who is worth anything must have a soap box or platform from which to share their opinions of everything. If you head over to http://www.sportsfreak.co.nz you'll discover a treasure trove of thoughts, general knowledge and an endless barrage of personal opinions.

A sports journo isn't just about all the sports.  From time to time he is able to shed light on other topics of interest to him such as "#NW Jesus Christ Superstar. It really is one a fantastic time capsule. Some great licks though"  which begs the question - WHY was he NOT watching rugby????

A good sports journo has a story for every occasion. "Twice in my life I have been urinated on (deliberately) at a sporting event. 1983 and 95. Both times in Chch."

Every good tweeter, like every good sports journalist, has a brain filled with memories they can recall in an instant.  They have an ability to create an argument - settle a dispute - and negotiate a deal where no one else can.  They also are very personal, conversational and take the time to listen to others and consider their opinion even if they don't necessarily agree.  And those traits right there are what makes @Sportsfreakconz a bloody good bloke.

Random follow #66 - #tarawera

For one day of every year some of the most elite join the average punter and attempt to run, walk, crawl and cover 100 kilometers of forest trail.  People from all around the world descend upon the small city of Rotorua and converge on a network of trails that sees them travel from Rotorua through to a very small rural town called Kawerau.

This event is called the Vibram Tarawera Ultra Marathon (VTUM).  It is a 100km race that is an absolute icon of the New Zealand trail running scene.  In 2013 the VTUM turns 5 years old.  That is 5 years of some the worlds absolute best runners running through some of New Zealand's most scenic countryside.

This year the official hashtag for the VTUM is #tarawera.  There will updates throughout the day from a few different sources watching all the action as it occurs.  And this race is not just about the elite runners.  There are plenty of them.  This year there are runners with personal bests in the marathon of 2:16.  Runners who smash world records and kick butt.

One kiwi elite runner is kiwi girl @annafrosty.  She is a professional athlete who gets flown around the world to compete in all sorts of races.  She is also a very determined, hard headed and single focused person for whom anything less than giving more than her best simply isn't good enough.

It is also about the everyday kiwi getting out there and giving it a go.  Kiwis that I know of that are involved one way or another with the event are -  @imapping, @sarb, @piphyde, and a big supporter of the run @darrenashmore.  And @gr8dairynobull have a runner out on course as well.  These guys

And the man himself.  The one with the dream that he wanted to create an iconic ultra running in event in Rotorua - @trailrunnz.  Paul is a really great guy.  He is super humble, doesn't get too flapped about things and is an amazingly nice guy.

As for me I myself am going to be out there on course working at the aid stations.  Ensuring runners have water, food and energy supplies to aid them through their day.  And I tell you what - it is going to be a simply amazing day!  This is an one off event that is totally NOT TO BE MISSED!

Random follow #63 - @TickledNZ

"Excels at being awesome"

Ladies and gentlemen of twitter I present to you the one, the only @TickledNZ!

When someone's twitter bio says that about them then there really isn't much more I can add that may convince you that Toni is a fun loving, big spirited, adventurous, genuine lovely lady.

She is incredibly attractive, enjoys her fitness and therefore looking good physically and she is also just really nice.  And being a kiwi away from home she also likes to tweet those from home who can help to remember some of the reasons why New Zealand is such a magnificent place to live.

Even when kiwi's leave the nest and head overseas - home is still home.  And there are some things that we just can't live without.  Here are a couple of item's that Toni has mentioned missing -

"@PeopleofNZ mince and cheese *sighs* #pietalk"

"Less than 5 mins to go. Come on Chiefs!!"

"Today marks 10 yrs away from home! Apparently u should all be buying me pressies of the tin variety. May I suggest cans of watties tomato sc"

As with all ex-pat Kiwi tweeters that tell you about things happening in their general area that they don't realise are quite different that what we at home experience.  For example -

"On a train to Glasgow. Boy with the drinks cart forgot we are in the best position to see him adjust himself & the lads are talking football"

"And how did Scotland help me celebrate such an achievement? By enveloping me in freezing cold Haar! O second home, I love ur sense of humour"

Toni's tweets are sweet and normal.  And they just appear.  Like out of nowhere they are just there.  I quite often have to do a double take when her tweets come up 'cos she quite often tweets at normal times for New Zealand.  Here is one that made me do a double take - 

"Very much looking forward to seeing the mega awesome@Ginger_82 in Jekyll & Hyde tonight! x".

Why the double take?  Because my first thought was 'why didn't anyone TELL me Jekyll & Hyde is on in New Zealand!!!!!!'.  (Yes it is one stage show I must see in this lifetime).  

And in my mind it is that fact there which sums up @TickledNZ the best.  After 10 years of being away from home she still sounds, talks and tweets like a genuinely lovely lady from the land of the long white cloud, Aotearoa.

Random follow #58 - @jensta12

It takes some kind of determination, physical ability and motivation to get fit.  It takes all those very some ingredients plus some more for someone to become a fitness instructor.  Hours and hours of time are spent in movement and strength training to create a body someone can be proud of.  But physical development is only one part of the equation.  There is also a need for inner personal development.  So when the internal and external combine then you have the right person for the job.

@jensta12 is a person of determination and depth.  Forging a career as a person whose role it is to motivate, teach and encourage others to be active is no walk in the park.  There are literally hundreds of physical trainers out there essentially competing for clients to train.  So this is where the mental balance and wellness combines with sheer grit and determination to make a trainer a good one.

Jenny is a really cool chick.  She is 100% kiwi and proud of it. You will find in her timeline tweets about all sort of random kiwi things.  

One thing I have noticed about her tweets is that she usually has a positive spin on them.  What people tweet is generally an extension of their inner self.  In Jenny's case that inner self likes chocolate, puppies and and pizza.  Sounds pretty damn good to me!  

She is not immune from dropping the occasional health tip - "upside of drinking long blacks as opposed to laté, not only save $ but save on drinking all that milk too!"

Some thoughts on dieting - "Thought I'd give the paleo diet a try - 2 days & I'm over it already & hungry!! Mind you that's probably 'cos I haven't had any dinner!"

And there is the North Shore lifestyle too - "Couple of hours on the beach - off to teach couple of group fitness classes now! Still all sandy!!"

And of course there are the mandatory funny tweets - "You know I think I might stay with Vegemite - like the taste & Sanitarium don't pay enough tax - apparently !" and this one "Might have a nap (power, not Nana)!!".

Now if there was going to be one area of weakness or downfall it would be the fact that she is in Auckland.  But wait! All is not lost! On no - @jensta12 is in actual fact from Motueka (More-chew-ek-car).  So because she is from the South Island that raises her profile to the absolute heights of twitter stardom.

(Editors note - that paragraph was a joke.  Stirring.  Tongue in cheek.  Aucklanders please don't take it too seriously or personally/)

Just as an aside there is one thing about the top of the South Island you should know is that is where they grow all the best ingredients for beer.  That is - hops.  

Jenny is a fun loving, active, determined, positive woman who is also a mum.  She is a tweeter of many things and is someone who enjoys her life to the fullest.  Today Jenny gets a rating of 'very valuable tweeter' :)

Random follow #57 - @kirbsradioboy

I have only a few criteria for someone to be profiled in this project.  The most specific criteria is that someone has to be interesting.  @kirbsradioboy has the label of being interesting totally nailed.

Going by the name of 'Indie Rock Kid' @kirbsradioboy is certainly a man with diverse interests and a very interesting home life.  The first thing that struck me was his profile.  Anyone whose opening line says that he has a hot wife is all right with me.  Any man who speaks of his wife in such a way is someone who has his priorities sorted and knows what is important to him.

He is also a dad.  Being a dad is quite simple awesome.  No disrespect to mums (because they are fantastic too) but dads do stuff different.  Dads climb trees, wrestle, plat football and do man stuff.  Being a dad and being present in your kids lives is important.  Not every kid has the chance to have a dad and for those of us dads who are able to be present in our kids lives we need to savor that privilege and not take it for granted,  And I am sure Indie Rock Kid values his sons very much.  You can tell when he tweets like this -

"2nd day off in 28 days #workinghard To celebrate I'm going to the #Rodeo. No that it excites me, its more for the kids and being a good dad"

And like all of us there is more to @kirbsradioboy than his home life.  There is also his vocation.  Radio and not just radio but sports commentating.  From what I can tell its all sports.  From football to speedway, throw in some rugby and some cricket and you'll understand what I mean.

And if you've followed twitter for a while you will know there are more than a few people who are keen on speedway and stock cars.  Including the infamous @ramjamnz.  And I know this next tweet by @kirbsradioboy will have him weakening at the knees -    

"Sucking in Methanol fumes commentating speedway. Waiting for the headache. #speedway #marlborough"

And how could he go by a name such as Indie Rock Kid if he didn't tweet about music. 

"I am on the hunt for my dream guitar amp. Yep business is good. #marshall #fender #peavey #guitartalk"

"Some of your issues can be solved with music." and "Dance like the world is ending."

And his musical taste matches, or is exemplified, by his twitter name -

"must be having a good shame #thepixies #nowplaying just takes me back to a happy place"

@kirbsradioboy doesn't live on social media like some of us do.  He jumps in and tweets when he has something decent to say.  And I am picking he keeps an eye on what is going on but chooses when and where he will join the conversation.

And any random tweeter who is actually interesting has to have a sense of humor.  As I have a sweet tooth this tweet really appeals to me - "Got through a mountain of work today. The only shame is that my job isn't an ice cream taster for magnums."

If you are looking to follow a well rounded kiwi tweep who will add some musical nostalgia and value, give reverence to those who deserve it, speak praise where it is due and insert an occasional football tweet you found it right here in @kirbsradioboy.

Random follow #54 - @toastwithdan

Hard case.  Two words that make up a kiwi slang term that means the following - joker; comedian (http://www.chemistry.co.nz/kiwi.htm#hardcase).  And that term hard case is a very accurate description of today's random tweeter @toastwithdan.

If someone were devise a formula such as  - (number of tweets/number of followers * number of follows) then @toastwithdan would get a score of 6293.15.  Which ladies and gentlemen is a completely pointless and good for nothing number.  Numbers are not a genuine or authentic way of measuring a persons worth or contribution to social media.  More relevant and real measures are - how often does a person engage? Are they funny? So they share or retweet words and items of value.

Dan definitely scores high on the genuine rating meter.  He has a keen sense of humour that makes him warm to approach and tweet to.  And he also has a sharp wit and he will keep you on your toes.  His twitter bio is the first thing that backs up when is written just above -

"The Internet is very much like Ancient Egypt, everybody is writing on walls and praising cats."

Everyone on social media has an opinion too. And Dan is no different. But he is a little more subtle than most.  Subtle is such a way that he puts his opinion out there for people to see but he isn't looking for an argument.  For example - "Twitter is SO much better than Facebook. #justsaying"

If you read through his tweets you will quickly discover that he is a champion and cheerleader for businesses that are doing well.  He also has a bent towards marketing and even more than marketing he has a real passion for technology especially mobile tech.  Here is one of the best tweets you may see about the state of business in 2013 - "My god things are finally starting to look up in the NZ economy! #hallensteins #steel&tube #turners #michaelhill #pumpkinpatch #fletcher"

Being a good kiwi guy he also tweets a little about sport.  Not enough to be annoying or to pigeon hole himself as a sports tweeter but as he has a wide range of interests sports is yet another topic that he brings out of his quiver when he needs to.

He also has a creative outlet - his own radio show on Radio Ponsonby on Saturdays from 7am to 9am.  Sometimes he even gets his friends to join him on air.  "@Guy_Wilson_Golf Want to pop into @radioponsonby radio with a few tunes on my radio show?".  And he is also domesticated - "#sundaynight #ironingshirts".

And for someone who uses the twitter name @toastwithdan you can be very sure this announcement was one that would have been met with wild applause - "Announcement. tonight. 7pm. Campbell live. #MARMITE!"

So if you're looking to engage with someone who is intelligent, funny, domesticated and has good taste in music then @toastwithdan is your man.

Random follow #40 - @angiebabynz

"Its not real! Its not real!"

"Yes it is! Yes it is"

Wrestling is one of the most hotly debated topics about whether or not the action you see in the ring is actually real or not.  Some people say its pretend, other people say it is completely legitimate.  I tend to sit on the fence and say its a bit of both but more real than fake.

Any person who can throw their body around, jump through the air, throw punches, kicks, head butts and suplexes has to have a certain of physical strength, commitment to working hard and a whole lot of nerve.  Serious nerve.

@angiebabynz is seriously committed to her sport.  The sport of wrestling.

Check out her twitter photo and you will have no doubt about her seriousness when it comes to wrestling.  Her bio says it all really - "Yes, I tweet a lot of wrestling. Sorry 'bout that".

@angiebabynz is not someone you would want to mess with in the ring.  She is totally no pushover and once she takes on her wrestling personality as Scarlett you can guarantee that she is about to unleash hell.  Scarlett is totally focused on improving her wrestling skills and technique.  That is evidenced by this tweet -

"Also, had my first roll at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tonight.. LOVED it! Suits me way more than sumo wrestling ever did. Great teacher too!"

Wrestling is about more than just strength.  Its also about agility, fitness, endurance and the mental edge.  And that is true for whether you believe it is completely true or not.  Any person that can jump around in a ring with another human being for length of time and physically manipulate them takes some kind of strength.  And here @angiebabynz's perspective on it -

"I realised tonight, I could cause a few people a LOT of misery if I wanted to. That makes me feel much better when bitches go all catty."

If you're looking for general interest tweets or sports and that kind of stuff - you are not going to find it one @angiebabynz timeline.  She is 100% focused on her sport.  With the occasional bit of cooking thrown in and a few reply tweets to when people ask her about how the wrestling is going or give her a mention.

Scarlett is a top class individual who has a sharp mind and an even sharper physique to go with it.  There are no short cuts to achieving your goal and Scarlett will never give in or find a softer way to achieve her goal.

Just for the record Scarlett is a mum and she is an incredibly nice person. So don't let the wrestler persona come between you following or not following a person who embodies an incredible to what she believes in.

Wrestling take it or leave.  The same thing applies for @angiebabynz.  I'm going with the follow.

Oh and you can find her on Facebook too over here.

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.

Random follow #26 - @Nakiman

Many good things and many good people come from the various regions of the the West Coast of New Zealand.  Today's person tweets from one of the most resource rich and intense places in the country.  TARANAKI!!!!

@nakiman is from the region but has since made his way south to join all the cool kids in (you guessed it) Wellington.  Peter is a big sports fan and no doubt supports one of the finest rugby teams in New Zealand.  Taranaki.  Taranaki is more than just a place you live.  Its a province, a people and a way of life.

So why follow @nakiman?  Because he can hold a twitter conversation on just about any topic you care to imagine.  I am pretty sure that if the topic is sport he'll be better able to reply but if you try throwing any topic at him I bet you'll get a good reply.

Here's an absolute pearler of a tweet - "I reckon that guy is going home with Andy's Mrs if he loses #auspoen"

or this one - "My cat is a killer, two native flies this morning"

And he is a football fan.  All the best tweeters are football fans!  So in short @nakiman is an all round intelligent tweeter who can be engaged on most subjects known to mankind.  I wonder if he has ever considered being a talk back radio host?

This photo was taken somewhere in the Taranaki region in the 1970's.  

(Editors note - Not much has changed)

random follow #22 - @WellsNorthShore

Being given a recommendation by someone that they think you'd get on really well with someone else and then finding out that the recommendation was correct = priceless.

Earlier this week I sat down to watch some sports and of course do the obligatory twitter thing.  While watching the beginning of the game @swtgallagher tweeted me and said "Hey. I think you'll get along well with @WellsNorthShore".  And that ladies and gentlemen is history right there.

So here is what I know - he's a good guy.  He lived in Canada for a while when growing up.  He doesn't support a Canadian ice hockey team because he saw the light and supports the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He has a girlfriend and he is studying at a post graduate level.What else?  He has 'The Brain'  from the hit kids television show 'Pinky and the Brain' as his avatar. 

If you haven't seen he show "Pinky and The Brain" then you have missed out on watching some really funny television.  The show always had one line which was repeated by the lead character and it went a little something like this -

"Pinky: Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight? Brain: The same thing we do every night, Pinky -
try to take over the world!"

And he blogs too!  All about sports.  All about all sports even.  He knows his stuff about sport and like any good blogger what he doesn't know he makes up.  It appears he blogs more about winter sports than summer ones so don't go to his website expecting to know about the Australian Open.  If you follow him on twitter though he tweets a bit about whatever sport he is watching and his opinions are pretty good.

I have no doubt that is lots and lots of interesting and fun things about @WellsNorthShore that I haven't touched on.  Mainly because I have only been following him for like two or three days on twitter.  But if you follow him and ask about his interests etc - I am sure he will be oblige and tweet you too.

Random follow #20 - @hoochicoochimun

Being yourself.  Standing up for what you believe in.  Never giving in.  These are all qualities that today's random tweeter.  @hoochicoochimun is not afraid to have his own opinion and share it. 

If all I knew about Mark was his bio then that would probably be enough to warrant following him and enquiring about him more -

"Like adventure, travel, interesting characters, including the underdog and the clever bugger."

He is not an abrasive tweeter but he does challenge you in such a way that you stop and think about what he said and then you have to go back and think about it again.  How do I know this?  Check this tweet out -

"I've made a life of swimming against the current. Not always easy. Keeps ya fit though."

This says to me that @hoochicoochimun is a person who knows exactly who he is and he isn't afraid to stick to his values.  From what I can see Mark doesn't tweet just for the heck of it.  I believe he tweets according to the old maxim - if you've got nothing good to say, then say nothing at all.

And you'll also find tha he has a diverse range of topics that he spends time musing on.  Sports, business and life in general.  Its not my place to tell you to follow him but I can totally recommend that you do.

Random follow #18 - @samarasheppard

It is interesting that many kiwi's head overseas in search of fame, fortune and riches.  And it isn't until they achieve something REALLY big (aka a mainstream win of some sort) that people actually get to hear about those people.

@samarasheppard is exactly one of those people.  I have met Samara a few times over the past few years as she was a resident athlete with the educational institute that I work at.  She is a really lovely lass who is full of grit, determination and commitment to her sport.  She is a very humble young lady who is full of life and also a very smart cookie. 

Her sport being cross country mountain biking doesn't get a lot of coverage in the mainstream media in New Zealand but it is a HUGE sport with tons of opportunities overseas.  Did you know she won a World Cup race in 2012?  No.  Neither did I.  But my aim is to keep up with whats happening in 2013!

@samarasheppard  has a twitter account and a Facebook page through which you can keep up with her travels, exploits and undertakings from around the world but mainly in Europe (from what I understand).  And guess what she has her location based as Wellington (yes - yet another Wellingtonian..... but she is REALLY a Rotorua gal)

You're not going to find out too much by just checking out her twitter account but if you link social media with her website --> http://samarasheppard.com/  <-- then you'll get a pretty good picture of what life is like for a professional elite athlete.

Go hard Samara!

p.s. I hope you don't mind that I 'borrowed' one of your pictures for this blog post Samara!  Let me know if I need to change it or remove it please =)