Random follow #260 - @Holla_Graphix

There is power in standing together as a collective.  Be it for a peaceful protest or to join together and support one another being with others of a like mind is the best way to make progress.  @Holla_Graphix are just that kind of collective.

@Holla_Graphix combine three of my most favorite things together in one place - art, creativity and collective.  Coming at you out of New Zealands capital of Wellington this collective is all about bringing together women who have a passion for creating the new.

At the moment this twitter account is a little on the light side when it comes to followers however quality always trumps quality.  But still its always good having a few more followers who engage with you and take the collective online as well as off.

The tweets you see are as eclectic as the art pieces that the @Holla_Graphix make and share.  A mixture of Facebook updates, Instagram pics and a few straight up tweets round out the mix nicely.  Here are a few tweets to wet your social media taste buds a little -

"MEANWHILE IN TAUPO.. The incredible xoehall making us super proud with this insane mural as part of… http://instagram.com/p/f9XhMOxmPM/ " and

"Part of a rad mural painted by xoehall for Electric Avenue in Wellington. Check out the vid of this… http://instagram.com/p/dxrcUvRmG2/ "

While this twitter account really is still in its infancy there is nothing babyish about the talent and mad skills these ladies bring to pop culture including body art, ink work and graffiti.  I am totally jealous of their skills and look forward to seeing more of their published work as the days go by.

peace.

Random follow #180 - @MinxOnehunga

Shoes, boots, bags and jewellery.  Those are the core products that @MinxOnehunga sell from their wee shop based in Onehunga, Auckland.  And to many people (like all the men) that is probably not that appealing an idea for a twitter account to follow.  And for the ladies they may think - "YES - all my dreams have come true! A twitter account that sells everything I love and need!"

What I can tell you is that both of those reasons for following (or not) don't stack up when it comes to the ladies at Minx.  This group of ladies tweet about so much more than just the items they sell or have in store.  The twitter team bring much more depth and fun to twitter.  Their twitter presence captures the fun and bubbliness that you will encounter in person should you go in store.

The twitter team have lots and lots of fun engaging with their followers.  And to say that the team are interactive would be a very fair statement to make.  By my reckoning there are more interactions with tweeters than there are stand alone tweets.  Yes they do tweet about the shop (thats what the account is about) - 

"lots of ladies rifling through the sale stock today...get in quick if you want to get a bargain!!! up 50% off EVERYTHING #sale"

But they also have diet tips - 

"wanted a pie. Ate an apple instead. Feel virtuous. And hungry."

And of course good ideas for gifts - 

"My Mr15 wants me to take him shopping for his gf's birthday pressie. Shes turning 16. Wonder what shoe size she is?? #EasyPresent lol"

This account is also about supporting the twitter community.  If you look through their timeline you will see a number of retweets of articles, blog posts and other bits and pieces from friends of the store.  The curators of this account understand that social media is about more than just your voice or the promotion of your own product.  A great twitter presence is about supporting your friends, family and the community as well.

This account is an exemplar of what makes a fantastic account for a shop or business.  It is about creating a personality, building a community of followers and engaging with your clients.  I for one know that if I engage with a business online then I will always go there first for a purchase before anywhere else.  Because at the end of the day its about people connecting with people.  And the ladies in the @MinxOnehunga store and the best example of what it means to be people people.

Having just recently cracked the 300 followers mark this twitter account totally deserves more twitter love from all of us out there.  And you don't even have to like shoes.  If you like fun times, great tweets and a brilliant sense of humor then you've hit the jackpot with @MinxOnehunga.

Random follow #156 - @Sabenltd

Handbags.  That is what @Sabenltd does.  Beautiful, contemporary, extravagant handbags.  This is one twitter account that is utterly and totally aimed at the ladies among us.  I am not one of those ladies.  So why I am I adding them to the blog?  Because this company is yet another fantastic example of how to do twitter right.

How do they do it right?  Well here's my opinion -

• Personality.  Tweets are fresh, funky and personal.  When @sabenltd tweet you its like talking to a friend over the phone.  Its warm and inviting and easy to do.
  For example - "#HappySaturday and hello sunshine!! It's nice to see you again! Anywhere else in NZ have a bit of sun today? xx"
• Conversation.  The girls like to chat away, have a laugh and interact with those that tweet them.
  For example - "Nooo @robotexplosion not the puddles! They'll get you... when you least expect it, then boom - soggy shoes. Get your feet by a heater asap x"
• Diverse.  The team tweet about more than just their line of products.
  Another example - "This delicious recipe from @HeartBookmarks looks like a treat for a cold winter's night! http://www.heartbookmarks.com/2013/05/lentil-chilli-recipe.html … #ComfortFood"

Are their handbags any good?  I have no idea.  But I am sure @butternessa would like to find out should I happen to purchase one for her.  I have yet to meet or come across a Saben handbag but if I ever do I will be sure to let you know.

This blog is not about advertising anyone's product ('cos I sure as heck don't own ANY handbags) but its about sharing who the neat people on twitter are.  And if an account like @sabenltd are doing it well then I say - lets give them some shine.  Because at the end of the day everyone on twitter is there for a reason.

Whether you are a company or an individual you would do well to follow Saben's example of how to use twitter well. 

(Yes - I know I am not supposed to use this image
but its staying until I get told off :-p)

Random follow #114 - @run2beatcancer

It takes some kind of dedication to run.  Not just to run but to run well.  It takes someone really special with all sorts of dedication, determination and desperation to set a goal so lofty and so high that many people sit back and marvel at the sheer thought of it.

@run2beatcancer is setting out to undertake a run that is simply mind blowing in its size and scale.  Travelling by foot from one coast of the United States to the other in an effort to both raise funds as well as awareness of the disease called cancer.  That is a total of about 2,800 miles which is roughly 4,510 kilometers.  

That is some kind of awesome right there.  But when you sit back and consider all the people whom you may know that have been taken by, are battling with or have beaten cancer it is a very scary number.  And cancer is a very scary disease.  It attacks anyone and everyone.  It is a silent killer that stalks the streets looking for its prey anywhere and everywhere people are.

And a journey like this can't be done completely alone.  There are support people, friends and hopefully the various running communities across the United States who will share their homes, their stories and maybe even a few miles with Alison as she runs.

One thing I do know is that she is saving the hills to last.  Just before you get to California there are a whole bunch of mountains you have to cross so in a month or two's time Alison is going to need some real support to get herself through those final stages and over the finish line.  This journey really is the ultimate coast to coast.

@run2beatcancer has started on her journey already and is about two days in now.  This is going to be a long trip and journey that will test her spirit, fortitude and ability to stay sane.  At the moment the twitter account only has a handful of followers.  So I encourage you to get on board and join the adventure now so you can one day say "I was part of something truly awesome".

You can find out more information if you check out her website - http://run2fightcancer.webstarts.com/index.html.

I love this tweet here because it totally captures the spirit of the journey and Alison herself.  Humble, unstated and going to give it everything that she has - 

"Here goes nothing!"

Random follow #111 - @BridgetRailton

Social media really is taking over the world.  And I don't just mean the cities and big places.  But even into the far reaches and small corners of rural New Zealand.  Even to the point where if someone is in a place even as remote as GORE they are able to share their tweets and contribute to the global conversation.  Okay so I am from the North Island and haven't actually been to Southland, NZ so throwing a joke or two at them is easy.  But there are some fantastic people down there.

One of those fantastic people is @BridgetRailton.  She is a journalist for a newspaper that is based out of the heartland in the deep South.  In my experience journalists and people connected to the media are the quickest to pick up on technologies and media that connect people such as twitter.  When people are connected then stories can flow.  And the ultimate purpose of a journalist is to share peoples stories.

Bridget is a down to earth, hard case, salt of the earth type of person.  Her tweets at the moment are quite interesting in that she is discovering and being introduced to some of the rituals and customs that mainly rural New Zealanders tend to take for granted.  Such as -

"Shot my first duck. Right in the head. Going straight to hell"
"Might become vegetarian #duckshooting2013"

Bridget is not a prolific tweeter.  She doesn't spend lots and lots of time keeping the world updated with what she is having for breakfast or any of the usual time filler tweets that we have all become accustomed to over time.  What she does have is a very sharp sense of humor. 

"Birthday. Can no longer sing along to Taylor Swift's "22", switching to Blink 182's what's my age again #nobodylikesitwhenyour23"

Is there a mysterious formula or a secret to success on twitter?  I say there is.  And the magic starts happening on twitter when someone can play with language, twist words and create alternate meanings that make people laugh out loud and think - "heck yes.  That girl is funny!"

"I just tried to FB stalk someone only to discover they're still on Bebo."
"Just got yelled at by a man saying I'm a bad reporter because I'm asking questions. The next question : what do you think reporters do? Dick"

or this one

"Awkward moment when your car is not where you originally parked it because you left the handbrake off and it's gone AWOL"

Just for the record Bridget is a VERY attractive young lady.  Just because she lives in the deep south shouldn't be a barrier to any interested suitors who are in search of a delightful, lovely, willing to have a go, roll up her sleeves and pitch in kind of lady.

There I said it.  Now go and follow her.  On twitter.  Please.

Random follow #98 - @DFSAKNZ

Charities are using social media more and more these days and rightly so. It is a great of making themselves known to people who may not otherwise hear about them. @DFSAKNZ is one charity doing just that. Dress for success is a not for profit organisation which provides interview suits, confidence boosts, and career development to low-income women in over 75 cities worldwide, and @DFSAKNZ is the Twitter account for the Auckland branch.

Their Twitter bio reads:

"The mission of Dress for Success Auckland is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support"

I, personally, like that. It speaks volumes to me. They don’t just provide clothing to these women and send them on their way, they also provide a network of support. And that support can make all the difference in the lives of the women who use Dress for Success.

But what would a not for profit possibly have to tweet about, you may well ask?? Well, lots. Their timeline is filled with lots of feel good quotes like these for example:

"Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be. Joy Page #quote #dressforsuccess"

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt #quote #dressforsuccess"

They also tweet pictures and stories about those who volunteer for them and will more than likely tweet you back if you tweet them. 

There is not much more I can say about @DFSAKNZ, except that if you choose to follow them, your timeline will be much brighter for it, hopefully you will learn something and I am sure a tweet or two will put a smile on your face. Oh and Ladies, if you need to clear out your wardrobe, but don’t know what to do with your excess, Dress for Success are always looking for clothing donations. Tweet them to find out how you can do this.

Now, I am going to leave you with my favorite quote from their timeline:

"It was only a sunny smile, & little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night & made the day worth living. #quote"

Did that put a smile on your face? I know it did mine.

(This post is bought to you by the very lovely and uber talented @pammygirl)

Random follow #93 - @bellybeyond

Being a mum is hard, no one can deny that. But being a mum, who runs a business too, is much harder. And today’s random Kiwi tweeter does just that. @BellyBeyond is the twitter account run by Louisa, or Lou, one half of the team that started Belly Beyond, an online baby store selling everything a mother will need from Belly to Beyond.

Lou and her best friend, Heidi, launched the business on Mother’s Day 2008. Since then they have built a very active Social media presence, both on Facebook and Twitter, for their business, although it would be fair to say they are much more active on Facebook than Twitter. The Facebook page is more orientated towards the business and Twitter is a cross between business tweets and personal tweets from Lou.

But just because their Facebook page is more active, does not mean Lou doesn’t tweet much, she does, although days can go by without a single tweet then Boom, Lou will hit her followers with a tweet like this:

"What's another word for package? As in grouping of products. #keepitclean "

Both Lou and Heidi have a great sense of humor, you just have to look at their About Us page on their website to see that, and that sense of humor comes across in tweets like these:

"Can't believe I just wrote wear instead of where. It's all downhill to 'your welcome' from here.
#grammarfail"

"New order in and I commented "that's a weird name". "Fname Lname" It dawned on me there might be some testing going on #giggle "

"Almost choked eating a grape. I think this proves that eating healthy is not good for you.
#coughcoughcough "


I have met Lou IRL, and have bought from their online store so I can personally vouch for both the lady and the business. So if you are looking for something to buy for a new mum, not so new mum, a child, or a dad, (Yes, Belly Beyond sells things for Dads too) then follow @bellybeyond on Twitter and you may find what you are looking for, and you might just see a tweet that makes you laugh too.

(Note - today's post is brought to you by the very talented @pammygirl)

Random follow #84 - @aurattii

Lovely people.  For some reason Wellington, NZ abounds with them.  Maybe its something in the water?  Or maybe it is the sense of community that is generated in a city that thrives on a healthy mix of intellectualism and creativity.  Or maybe its something to do with the slogan of the place "Absolutely Positively Wellington:"?

Whatever the reason is @aurattii can be added to the list of fine tweeters from the nations capital.  Ora is a lovely, honest and creative type.  She has a really great outlook on life - "Today suddenly got extremely hard this afternoon. I'm still optimistic that it will improve".

She celebrates the little wins in life - "Oo lucky me! Found some jet planes in my bag" followed by "not so lucky - been in there so long they now taste like my perfume #ttrttpt".

@auratti's twitter bio speaks volumes about her approach to twitter. And to be fair it is one bio that I think is true "Mostly I just lurk ...".  There is something really refreshing about honesty like that.  And her tweets align to that bio.  She tweets sparingly and quite often adheres to the old maxim of 'if you don't have anything good to say then don't say anything at all'.  Don't get me wrong.  If there is something that is upsetting her that is worth tweeting about - she'll do it.  But her timeline is a healthy mix of everyday stuff that does weigh more towards the positive than the negative.

I'm not going to say too much more about Ora because there isn't too much to say.  Apart from the fact that she comes highly recommended.

'Downpour', by Briar Rose Davies
It was as if the biggest bucket
from the fountain
had finally been tipped
over the edge by that last
drop and was spilling
all over the city that day.

It's raining men
he said leaning across
to stick my coffee receipt
to my jacket,
using the collected water
droplets as adhesive.

Looking down, I noticed
that on the receipt he had sketched
a tiny man with a mini,
matching moustache.

(Source: http://goo.gl/3OjXB)

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 #77 - @_MsMoneypenny_

The hardest people that I have chosen to write about so far are the people who say nothing and yet say everything.  @_MsMoneypenny_ is exactly one of those people.  She tweets absolutely everybody and yet manages to say very little about herself.  And when I say she tweets - she tweets a lot!

Alma is a stunningly attractive mum who cares so much for her family and friends.  She tweets those who tweet her and engages in good positive conversations with people.  I think her tweets say a lot about her and I would be doing a disservice if I didn't let her tweets speak for her -

"you are so strong and thought provoking. Thank you xx"
"ahh you're a total babe! Night x"
"You guys are amazing. The sharing is this bubbling pot of different things! I'm humbled to read them. xx"
"yus! *hugs right back*"

(Note - I have purposely edited those tweets so that they retain the sanctity and purpose of their writing).

She does every now and then reveal a little of her self though.  Like the fact that she has a fine taste in famous men "Edward Norton, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight ... don't mind if I do :-P"

I am a firm believer in the maxim that you reap what you sow.  And @_MsMoneypenny_ is someone who sows encouragement and love into the lives of others.  And in time, as in tweets, she receives those things back in good measure.

If you are the sort of person who gives more than you take, offers encouragement more than you expect praise, loves others way more than you get in return then you will be a great person to follow and interact with Alma.  If you aren't then there are plenty of other tweeters for you to follow.

 and......

 @_MsMoneypenny_

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.

Randon follow #56 - @crevicecanyon (Adults Only)

I'm just going to go ahead and be straight up from the start.  I am totally do not fit the audience that @crevicecanyon is aimed at.  I am definitely neither of the following -

• female and
• gay or lesbian

If you do fall into one of those two categories then this twitter account is aimed at you. And even more so if you are both of the above. @crevicecanyon is a website that is run by @amiewee.   Viewer discretion is advised should you wander over to the website and have a look.


There aren't that many pure stand alone tweets that come out under this account.  Most tweets are links to the website where articles are published.  If you want to see or read the good tweets then you totally need to follow Amie. If, however, you go to the sire you will be met by a picture which immediately sets the scene of what you will discover.  Its up to you to decide what you think of it and to decide whether or not the site is for you or not.

Crevice Canyon is not a website is full of pornography or nudity.  Of course there is some nudity and naughtiness there if you want to go and find it.  But from what I understand the purpose of the site is to create a community where women can discuss openly their thoughts, feelings and experiences in regards to sex.  If nudity is shown it is for a reason but it is not the purpose of the project.

And having cast my eye over a few articles there is much value can be had by many people in reading some of the articles.  One that stood out to me was this one about an advertising campaign by Nivea.  And this one as well which (as a normal straight laced guy) I totally agree with and couldn't speak more highly of -
"Do You Suffer From Normal Ladyparts? You’re Not Alone!"
If you are after tweets that are a bit more racy then you want to consider following Amie.  She is quite clear on who she is and what she does to make a living.  Not everyone has the opportunity to combine their lifestyle, hobby and passion into a career but that is something that Amie has worked hard to achieve.  There have been a few times I scratched my head and thought 'why do I follow this person?' but then I also know that I think that about more than a few people.

@amiewee will keep you on your toes and will totally keep your timeline interesting.  I totally recommend that if you choose to follow today's random follow that you go one step further and follow its founder as well. And as a last plug @crevicecanyon are looking for some genuine guest writers.  So if you've got some writing talent and want to share some of your sexual knowledge or experiences why not give it a go?

 You may spot a few of these on the website too  ;)