I joined Twitter. I held off because Facebook is enough of a distraction. But it’s a very popular social network tool that people use to promote their work and that of others. I figured it best if I learn the ins and outs of using it before I promote.

I now have 24 followers. Mostly writers, which is great. I thanked a few today for following me. I hope I don’t bore them too much while I find my Twitter voice. I picked a few more to follow, too. A few actors and directors, other writers. All those people waiting to talk to me. Yeah, right.

Some seem to be Twitter experts and have blogs devoted to helping us less knowledgeable to become experts as well.

I’m not usually much of a follower in real life. If I hear a bunch of people like something, I tend to look at is suspiciously. Sometimes popular things turn out to be a waste of time and brain cells and other times I think I could have missed something really good.

Socially, I’m not really adept. I feel on the outside a lot, especially in big groups. But give me a small group and I’m in. I like in depth conversations and learning new things and hearing different opinions. I’m trying to put myself out there more. Like tonight, I initiated a conversation with the checkout guy a Fry’s by asking him, “How are you tonight,” or something equally common. We talked about Mother’s Day for a few seconds then he started talking about how he wished his sister would move out of their mother’s place and get her own. That’s the type of random thing I would say, too. Nothing to do with me, but something on his mind. A whole novel or screenplay could be written from that idea. Amazing.

I tried to be a little more friendly at church this morning. It’s new for us. There’s a little girl we usually sit near and I commented on her many bracelets. Today she showed me the ones around her ankle. An unabashed girly-girl.

Did you ever have an experience when you tried to step out of your comfort zone and look comfortable doing it then afterwards when you think about it you come up with “I must have seemed like a total goober to those people?” Well, maybe you don’t. I do all the time. I guess the same thing can happen online, too, if you’re insecure. I’ll try not to let it bother me when Twitter followers drop me. Like some have already. Their loss, right?