It would help to know about twitter before reading this. If you don’t know about it & would like to click here for Lucas Black’s beginner’s guide to twitter.
“What are you doing?”
This is what you are met with when you first log in to the micro-blogging site twitter.
Due however to it’s simple yet flexible & open structure, twitter has evolved tremendously in a short time to become much more than a tool for telling the world what you’re doing in just a sentence or 2.
People use twitter to say hi to their existing network of friends. They organise get-togethers. They make new friends. They make jokes. They play silly games. They provide links to videos or websites. They share photos. They share their favourite music. They share ideas & interests. They publicise their ideas & interests. They publicise their blogs. They share running commentary while watching TV shows or films. They use it as a creative or comic outlet. Businesses use it to market their products or services. Politicians reach out to their electorates. News organisations tweet the news. Radio stations tweet their playlists. Pundits tweet live sports commentary. Celebrities connect with their fans. Musicians publicise their gigs & records. These are just some of the uses of twitter of which I am aware, & I’m sure there are many others that I don’t know about.
Warming to my theme…
There’s also a use of twitter which I call “themed tweeting”. The king of the genre is RichardMadeley, who somehow manages to tweet to a different theme almost every day, but there are also twitterers who tweet as or about fictional characters, for instance DarthVader, Paranoid_Marvin, JackFacts24, MaxFacts86; spoof celebrity twitterers, like THEDavidTennant; bots which automatically pick up on & retweet tweets containing particular phrases, such as ShutUpMeg & NSFW. Then there are the mostly social users who also have a theme to their twitter personality, like Zombie_Claire, & my bad self, Drolgerg, at the time of writing an orang-utan librarian. (Why? Click here).
Most social users are content to chat & share but sometimes tweeting to a theme can be a bit of fun, or even a challenge. I recently spent a whole afternoon tweeting as the depressive Marvin the Paranoid Android from Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy. I enjoyed it, but none of my then relatively few followers who were around at the time seemed to ‘get it’. The only response I had was from a very caring person who was seriously concerned about my mental health. I had to DM them that I was just messing about so they wouldn’t try to talk me down from the edge!
Fantasia on a Theme of U2
More recently I announced that I was excited at getting some U2 albums as a present from my wife. A twitter-friend then replied with a slightly suggestive tweet that we might be getting a bit friendly later. I replied along the lines of “yes, when love comes to town, she’s not here right now”. When Love Comes to Town is of course a U2 song.
“Hello!”. I thought. “I have a lot of U2 songs”, (at the time every album but Pop & the new 1), “I wonder if I could somehow put them all into tweets?”. So I did, partly as a challenge to myself to see if I could, & partly to see if anyone would notice.
The rules: every general tweet had to contain a U2 song title. By general tweets I mean tweets that are not replies, not hashtag tweets, or tweets that post links – although the latter 2 could contain song titles if I chose. There must be no references to U2, the song or the album it came from. They should all be genuine, believable tweets. Not only that but I decided to try to tweet them in alphabetical order, just to make it more interesting!
Well I pretty much achieved my goal. I slipped up once or twice, letting out a spontaneous tweet or 2 without a song title. Some of them were a bit forced ( I mean what can you do with Hawkmoon 269? Had to go to the pub for that 1!) but mostly I think my tweets were as believable as they ever get.
I expect this may confuse or possibly even annoy some people – if so I’m sorry. I tried really hard to make every tweet genuine & as sincere as I could. It was actually a very rewarding experience. I like a challenge, & I actually had conversations that I might not have had & met some great people that I may not have otherwise if I hadn’t put these restrictions on my tweeting.
So if you’re looking for a challenge or for something a bit different I can recommend themed tweeting – use your imagination!
In case you don’t believe me here’s the full list of my U2 tweets, with the song titles highlighted:
The Tweets
Drolgerg ‘Morning twitterverse. Feeling gr8. U2?8:11 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg What’s the most special thing you’ve done for a special birthday, especially “40” if anyone will admit to it?8:34 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg I think we should celebrate a national day here more, much like the USA & their 4th of July 8:56 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg Who does the best duets? 2 men, 2 women, or a man & a woman?9:05 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg I hope to see some events in the Brighton Festival this year. Used to live there, so a sort of homecoming I guess9:15 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg Is there a good alternative to Adobe Acrobat anywhere?9:21 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg Haven’t had visit from my friends Jehovah Witnesses for ages. Looks like was blacklisted all along! The Watchtower will never get in here!9:30 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck (this prompted good response)
Drolgerg I now have a new outlet for my inane stupidities, occasional profundity & frequent profanity. All because of you, twitter!9:50 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg A silly love poem to twitter: “To myspace I say: boo / Facebook? pile of poo / & bebo just won’t do / twitter, all I want is you“10:10 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg I’m the hairiest swinger around – yeah baby!face it, it’s great to be ape!10:35 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg I’m the ape that stole all the bananas – I’m bad!10:40 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it’s a beautiful day.10:43 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg Sun, sand, heat, movement, noise, explosion, bullet, the blue sky turns orange then grey. Yep – still watching Generation Kill.10:51 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg10…9…8…7…6…5 …4…3…2… 11 o’clock tick tock!11:00 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck (note the time!)
Drolgerg New York is the city that never sleeps, Rome is the etermal city, Paris the city of love. What’s London then – the city of blinding lights?11:06 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg Crumbs! From your table I have now found enlightenment – thank you Mr MS Excel11:30 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
DrolgergHate this spoilt brat Paris Hilton culture we’re infected with: “you can do what you like cos Daddy’s gonna pay for your crashed car”: awful11:49 AM Mar 11th from TweetDeck (This got a lot of support!)
DrolgergSilly poem 2.0: Oh twitter dear you light my fire/No other site do I require/Of tweeting I will never tire/You are my webby heart’s desire 1:39 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
DrolgergToday is a dirty day. I am refusing to wash in protest against normality. (Wife not at home)2:10 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
DrolgergUsing twitter to aid my productivity is like pouring water on a drowning man. Have to be antisocial for a bit & stop replying.2:50 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI’m the ape who gets the grape, elevation is my station3:44 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg Elvis Presley & America = ? & Britain. Discuss.4:07 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
DrolgergIs @RichardMadeley even better than the real thing?4:10 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
DrolgergMini-tweet over – time to make my exit.4:11 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck
DrolgergAnyone like fast cars? What’s the fastest car you’ve driven?5:32 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck (A lot of replies to this one, mostly from blokes)
DrolgergIf you could who would you fire & why?6:00 PM Mar 11th from TweetDeck (A good few responses to this, unsurprisingly)
Drolgerg: Gloria be! My PC’s tweeted out. Rebooting Mar 11, 2009 06:08 PM GMT · from TweetDeck · Reply · View Tweet
Drolgerg: God Pt II: Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine Mar 11, 2009 06:31 PM GMT · from TweetDeck · Reply · View Tweet
Drolgerg: Dinner’s ready. And I’m not saying grace this time! Mar 11, 2009 06:46 PM GMT · from TweetDeck · Reply · View Tweet
Drolgerg: Anyone remember Hawkmoon? 269 fans last I checked. Great prog-jazz-indie-dance-fusion-crossover band from the 70’s /80’s. Mar 12, 2009 05:13 PM GMT · from TweetDeck · Reply · View Tweet
DrolgergShould the Midlands be renamed the Heartland of England?6:05 PM Mar 12th from TweetDeck (A good response to this – mostly around which parts of UK would correspond with rude parts of the anatomy!)
Drolgergwossy keeps tweeting about the Saw ride at Thorpe Park. Personally I think I prefer the Helter Skelter owing to lessened entrails count6:35 PM Mar 12th from TweetDeck (Had a lot of agreement with this)
DrolgergWhen I drink too much beer I fall down. Even when I can’t remember my own name I can l still confirm Newtonian physics.6:45 PM Mar 12th from TweetDeck (This 1 got retweeted)
DrolgergThose bloody evil pixies are nicking my stuff again – I still haven’t found what I’m looking for!8:27 PM Mar 12th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWhat’s the worse thing you can confess to here? Like when I was young I threw a brick through a window. Maybe tell @secrettweet if too bad!8:33 PM Mar 12th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg In gods country there was an orgy. Afterwards the introductions: “Hi, I’m Thor” “Me too but I’m thatithfied”. Thank you, I’m here all week8:54 PM Mar 12th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWhen did we last have an ‘Indian’ summer? Sky full of snow for 2 months: climate change or the natural cycle?9:07 PM Mar 12th from TweetDeck
DrolgergHIi! to my new followers. You might be looking at my tweets & asking: Is that all? Yep, sorry: So evil pixies, beer & orgies it is then!12:22 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg‘Morning twitterverse! If it’s windy today I think I might fly a kite 8:30 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWhen life gives you a lemon, make lemonade – Mariah Carey (I think) http://bit.ly/zxxLT8:53 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergPlease note I’m giving you 6 months to get my presents & massive twitter party organised. I like a song so maybe we could all do karaoke?8:56 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergCan war bring peace? Love & peace or else written on their guns? Still watching the brilliant & challenging Generation Kill.9:13 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg#followfriday> They say love is blindness,but you gotta love these ladies: @fragileheart @KatHumble @sarahsaner @TheBloggess @penelopeelse10:13 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg#followfriday Did I say love? Rescue me from sentimentality please! Some blokes then: @Red_Moon @Braziel @cartoono @corcoran @aslan_chan10:15 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWhat’s the miracle drug of our age? Prozac, Viagra, tic-tacs? Or something I don’t know about?10:44 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck (Caffeine I think was top for twitterers here!)
DrolgergAnyone share a birthday with MLK, or someone equally famous? Best I’ve got is Augustine of Hippo. http://bit.ly/zxxLT10:55 AM Mar 13th from TweetDeck (Lots of responses to this one)
DrolgergKids hanging around outside Tesco. Wondering about the mothers of the disappeared 12:20 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergStill trying to figure out mysterious ways I can get any bloody work & still twitter. Twitter’s on fire today, it must be Friday.12:56 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergPC all tweeted out, rebooting. Might be back before New Year’s Day, might not.2:23 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI’m overtwittered today, my fingers are a bit numb5:44 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergHow is it possible to not be solipsistic? Not possible to know anything outside your own senses: never understood that one.6:24 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck (This set off a great discussion with @christinefarmer, who’d I’d never talked to before)
DrolgergMaybe if we knew the answer to that question we’d be one step closer to knowing the answer to life, the universe & everything (waiting…..)6:26 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergForget American teen soaps: real One Tree Hill is actually the main natural landmark in Auckland, New Zealand. Not a lot if people know that6:30 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck (cheating slightly, that’s actually the inspiration for the song)
DrolgergI must be the original of the species – how many other orang-utan librarians do you know?7:03 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergIs every party boy & party girl in tonight? You’d think there was something decent on TV or something!7:13 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck (It was Comic Relief Night)
DrolgergWith that lovely white suit @THEDavidTennant could bring peace on Earth!7:29 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergMore cynical than I like to think?: sad story on TV, I’m struck by beautiful music: Adele, Cohen. Must take more pride in the name of love7:44 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI bet Davina McCall has never read Orwell’s 1984. Isn’t BB just a promenade of inanity?7:47 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergThe miner’s strike has been in the news. Anyone remember it? Good book about it by Tony Parker, I think called Red Hill Mining Town7:58 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergRed light: Outnumbered on Comic Relief – very funny!8:09 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergRejoice twitterverse – it’s the weekend!8:49 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWhy I like weekends? During the week at work I always feel like I’m running to stand still8:51 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI think my red nose is actually scarlet. Should I still wear it, or am I disqualified?8:53 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergFrench & Saunders were funny for a few seconds. Or not8:54 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergOK I still dislike Moyles but climbing Kilimanjaro is quite an achievement – he deserves his silver & gold9:03 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergFrench & Saunders murdering ABBA: so cruel!9:25 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergSome days are better than others, but overall today has been a good day10:32 PM Mar 13th from TweetDeck
DrolgergMitchell & Webb / Armstrong & Miller? Sometimes you can’t make it on your own12:50 AM Mar 14th from TweetDeck
DrolgergComic relief still going. Shall I stay & watch or get off to bed12:52 AM Mar 14th from TweetDeck
DrolgergStranger in a strange land: The Script are murdering Bowie’s Heroes. Why? In my h-fi at the moment, switched!12:57 AM Mar 14th from TweetDeck (Definitely wasn’t alone with this opinion)
DrolgergThanks gods that’s over: thought I was stuck in a moment you can’t get out of12:59 AM Mar 14th from TweetDeck
DrolgergSunday! Bloody Sunday? That means for 1st time gone 24 hours without tweeting. TA working then.Feel the need to ask Ed & Biz for forgiveness2:21 AM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergTo the sweet birdsong & Sunday sunshine I surrender. ‘morning twitterverse!9:54 AM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergShe still ate it though. Hope she’s OK tomorrow!10:11 AM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWife’s working again today.Hate when she does that. Makes me feel guilty for just dicking around. Maybe will write to the Electric Co.10:23 AM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergListening to Iain M Banks radio play: grt social comm. in sci-fi wrapper. Fearsumm Endjinn the first time I read him, not looked back since11:45 AM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergThe sun’s back today & so is the fly I thought I’d got rid of. Every silver lining has a cloud , I guess11:53 AM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergIf I don’t have a shower the ground beneath my feet is in danger of dissolving with my every step. Back soon!1:07 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI’ve lost my comb. I look like a refugee from a caveman movie1:40 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck (error)
DrolgergSorry, should say THE refugee: it’s that bad. Or from Planet of the Apes, of course.1:41 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck (correction)
DrolgergGo England! Is the unforgettable fire of 2003 returning?3:32 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
Drolgerg#sixnations Attractive, winning England rugby – the wanderer returns!3:45 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergGo England! Armitage & Flutey trip through your wires, France!4:05 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWife went shopping & came back with jelly beans & a Paul Smith t-shirt for me. Feeling warm & fuzzy, tryin’ to throw my arms around the world4:21 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWe have our moments but sometimes our two hearts beat as one.4:21 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergAnyone remember a British vampire mini-series called Ultraviolet? I thought it was really good. Shame it was never developed5:23 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI plan to be twittering until the end of the world!5:25 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWho knew that Australia was originally called Van Dieman’s Land?5:27 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWhat’s your favourite Hitchcock? Mine’s Vertigo5:27 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck (This got a good response)
DrolgergI am of course famous. Recently had walk on part in TV show where they play tricks on members of the public. My line: “No thanks I’m busy”5:50 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergWhen I look at the world I have just 1 question: what the hell is SXSW?!5:57 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI think Generation Kill should be ironically renamed When Love Comes To Town7:57 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergPlanning mini-holiday. Hope not to do too much driving: most of our hols r to places where the streets have no name, even satnavs can’t help11:05 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck (Turned out to be prophetic: on city-break in Istanbul got lost a lot due to lack of street-signs)
DrolgergGetting your animals cared for while on holiday’s a problem. Especially if they’re exotic, I mean who’s gonna ride your wild horses for you?11:27 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck
DrolgergI try to buy lots of local goods while on holiday: for instance I LOVE the taste of wild honey11:30 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck (Did actually buy honey while in Istanbul)
DrolgergNever watched The Wire. Plan to. I hear it’s quote good! FX UK started showing again from series 1- boxed & ready!11:32 PM Mar 15th from TweetDeck (Got response that it is also about to be shown on BBC2, so was able to clear space on the box & wait for that instead – useful!)
DrolgergI want to see U2 in Cardiff, who knows where’s the best place to get tickets? And I’ll go with or without you!9:30 AM Mar 16th from web (At this point I was rushing to finish before our city-break, thought I was dropping a rather large hint)
DrolgergThinking of organising a twitter flashmob in a zoo. Station, location & details when I think of them9:50 AM Mar 16th from TweetDeck
DrolgergThe problem with putting U2 songs in your tweets is that some of them aren’t even words. I mean what am I supposed to do with Zooropa!10:03 AM Mar 16th from TweetDeck
Random Ramblings, Pretty Pictures 