My 15,000th Update!

I would consider myself - and many others would probably agree - a power user of Twitter. I update over there. A LOT. In fact, I recommend that those who start following me immediately turn off device notifications, unless they have an unlimited text plan.

Twitter by far is THE most useful tool in my social networking arsenal. I know for a fact that actual business has been conducted through my use of Twitter.

I started using it back in August 2006, so I have had ample time to grow and develop community. Imagine my surprise earlier when I saw something magical about to happen:

danieljohnsonjr Whoa. My next tweet will be my 15,000th. Send me an @ reply and I'll put you in it. You have 10-15 mins. Starting.... now. 17 minutes ago from web

I initially thought I'd be able to string everyone who'd replied into a 140 characters or less message. I mean, what's the likelihood that many people would be paying attention at that precise moment. I must have forgotten what my previous post said:

danieljohnsonjr Okay, now, where are all you followers coming from? 20 minutes ago from web

I checked and I have close to 2100 people following my updates. Some are dormant accounts or may have not updated in awhile, but still, that's a lot of potential people to see my 14,999th post.

So, since I couldn't fit everyone into a 140-character "tweet", I hope this suffices. Thank you so much for enriching my experience thus far. I sincerely hope I've been at least half as valuable to you as you have been to me. Here are the people who replied, in the order they came in:

1. radiodaniel: @danieljohnsonjr I want in:-)
2. doctoranonymous: Hi @danieljohnsonjr. Have a great weekend!
3. jaymartinez: @danieljohnsonjr tweeeeet
4. purpletrout: @danieljohnsonjr Congratulations Daniel!
5. mikeward: @danieljohnsonjr what if we dont wanna send you a tweet
   

   mikeward: @danieljohnsonjr d'oh
6. writer_mom_tn: @danieljohnsonjr heya! :)
7. melgallant: @danieljohnsonjr congrats on the tweet record!
8. chrbutler: @danieljohnsonjr Congrats on the 15,000th tweet!
9. TeriLussier: @danieljohnsonjr nice tweet up! ;-)
10. cossondra: @danieljohnsonjr put ME in there :-) we are such nerds arent we??
11. audiojunky: @danieljohnsonjr haha congrats on the 15,000...thats a lot im reaching my 1,000 soon
12. kate_the_great: @danieljohnsonjr OOH! Pick me! Pick me!!
13. zaldor: @danieljohnsonjr 15000 tweets?! That's insane! Congrats! And here i'm not even at 5k!
14. justinrains: @danieljohnsonjr Pick me!
15. kflake: @danieljohnsonjr congrats on the 15,000th tweet!

Because I'm a good sport and love you all, I'm including this direct message I received

editvdo me, too...me, too...me, too

and this message that came in while I was typing up this post:

akirk45239: @danieljohnsonjr I'm late. I'll go for the 15,001st. Congrats from Monfort Heights

Thank you and everyone else I know from Twitter for making it a fun journey thus far. Now, onto that 15,001st update.

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Check out my other blogs:
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Get That Job!
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr
Connect on LinkedIn
Interesting Things I've Read

Related tags: daniel+johnson+jr twitter social+networking

Wikis and New Media Cincinnati?

I've been thinking about wikis lately, and these two videos have strengthened my interest in them:

Wikis in Plain English



WetPaint in Plain English



I've been thinking about the New Media Cincinnati community a lot lately, especially with respect to some things related to planning meetups. I've been getting a lot of suggestions via email (danieljohnsonjr at newmediacincinnati dot com), Twitter (@newmediacincy and @danieljohnsonjr), IM, Facebook discussion threads, etc. I keep wondering if using a wiki would be an easier and more efficient way.

So I asked the folks who follow me on Twitter, "Are you using wikis in your work/personal life? If so, how so?"

Here are some replies:

• claynewton @danieljohnsonjr I use wikis for work to manage deliverables and specs; in my personal life I use them to build knowledge w likeminded folks
• JeremyLuebke @danieljohnsonjr Recording of tech / design work fro websites
• davesnyder @danieljohnsonjr i use a wiki to store all of my optimization and social media strategies for my site. It is viewable by the company
• clq @danieljohnsonjr I have a personal wiki hosted on godaddy with notes, important usernames I hardly ever use, and anything else I think of.
• winemedineme @danieljohnsonjr my production department uses a wiki for templates.
• SuzyMiller @danieljohnsonjr Planning to use a wiki to develop sustainability policy for my small business.....
• writegirl @danieljohnsonjr I use wikis for both volunteer groups I'm involved in. It's better than exchanging 1000 emails back and forth.
• annezieger @danieljohnsonjr my company uses a wiki to share information not only among coroprates, but subsidiaries too

via direct message to me:
mjenkins We use a Wiki for the online staff at the Enquirer for storing and updating our production processes and best practices. It's helpful.

I asked if I could use her message in this post, and she replied:
mjenkins Sure, go right ahead. We are looking to expand the use of our Wiki across all departments (ads, HR, etc.) soon.

I also noticed some buzz on Twitter via Tweetscan related to wikis and shared that:
danieljohnsonjr Tweetscan twitter buzz about wikis: http://tinyurl.com/5koupw

After all these responses, I asked: "Related wiki question (thx for your help so far): which sites are you using to create/manage your wikis?" Here are a couple of the responses:

• clq @danieljohnsonjr Creating a wikimedia one on any server that supports databases is really easy. I use my own space on Godaddy, Works fine.
• sharemefg @danieljohnsonjr I have used tiddlyspot to manage my tiddlywiki hosting however since tiddlywiki has no server stuff could use googlepages

Do you think we should create a wiki for New Media Cincinnati?

newmediacincy How might @newmediacincy use wikis?

	danieljohnsonjr @newmediacincy Suggestions for meetup times/locations? about 1 hour ago from twhirl in reply to newmediacincy
	SteveGerl @newmediacincy: Contests where people have to post something, perhaps? about 1 hour ago from web in reply to newmediacincy

Should we put together a wiki for New Media Cincinnati? Feel free to continue the conversation in the comments below.

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Check out my other blogs:
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
Get That Job!
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: daniel+johnson+jr wikis twitter new+media+cincinnati

Let's meet for lunch in Dayton!

Get ready for another social networking opportunity!

We're meeting for lunch at the Subway located just off Miller Lane (I-75 Exit 59) next Tuesday, May 13, 2008, at 11:30 AM. Come meet other folks in the area. Nothing structured, just some good time meeting and chatting with one another. We may already know one another through social media; maybe we don't. In either case it will be great to meetup, learn more about one another, and more.

Can't make it this time around? Be sure to Follow me on Twitter to find out when the next one will be.

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Check out my other blogs:
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
Get That Job!
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr
http://twitter.com/newmediacincy
Are we LinkedIn? http://linkedin.com/in/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: daniel+johnson+jr dayton ohio meetup

New Media Cincinnati May- iRiver Introductions

In typical fashion, I passed my iRiver around the room and had everyone introduce themselves. I believe this list is complete and accurate. Please let me know if there need to be additions or corrections.

In order of appearance:
1. Daniel Johnson, Jr.: http://twitter.com/…ljohnsonjr
2. Brandon Kilby: http://twitter.com/papstio (correction from what's on the audio)
3. Mike Stanton: http://twitter.com/mstanton
4. Jeff Hertlein: http://twitter.com/feste2, http://linkedin.com/…ffhertlein
5. Matthew Bitter: http://twitter.com/xiero (thanks Jeff H. for looking that up)
6. Neil, Laura, and Mari Smith: http://smithsoccasional.wordpress.com/
7. D.G. Hollums: http://twitter.com/Argon52, http://theguyspodcast.com/, http://praxispodcast.com/
8. Jeremy Laughlin: http://twitter.com/Phlegon
9. Joe Budde, Jr.: - http://joebuddejr.com/
10. Katy and Shawn: http://gameluv.com/
11. Angelo Mandato: http://angelo.mandato.com/, http://podcampohio.com/
12. Barbara Baker: http://kolbemarket.com/, http://twitter.com/BarbaraKB
13. Joe Wessels: http://cindaily.com/, - http://twitter.com/cindaily
14. Ram: http://xearn.com/, - http://twitter.com/ram18
15. Jennifer Griffin: http://twitter.com/jengriff
16. Heath Parks: http://batmangeek.com/, http://twitter.com/hpbatman7
17. Mike Cornett: http://vizmedia.biz/
18. Debba Haupert: http://girlfriendology.com/, http://twitter.com/…riendology
19. Kristen Beireis: http://twitter.com/…enthusiast, http://virtualhelper4u.com/, http://amazingsteps.com/

Facebook group: http://newmediacincinnati.com/
Twitter presence: http://twitter.com/newmediacincy

Other items:
1. We're looking for a bigger meeting place! Discussion at http://newmediacincinnati.com/
2. Podcamp Ohio is June 28, 2008 - are you going? Many folks from this group will be doing sessions. More info at http://podcampohio.com/

UPDATE:
1. Fixed URL for @newmediacincy at Twitter
2. Fixed URL for @xiero at Twitter - i instead of L

Mobile post sent by danieljohnsonjr using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3

Your use of social media may vary - and that's okay

Palindrome Mileage,
originally uploaded by Matthew Oliphant.

I was chatting with someone yesterday about how encouraged I am about being able to reconnect with family members (aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, etc.) - near and far. Of course I would love to connect with them on every social network in which I participate. Yet I have to recognize that there are several that don't even have access to a computer. Or, as one uncle said, "I can't even remember my email address!"

That's true for a lot of people in general. The new media playground consists of numerous tools, websites, and the like. While some people are early adopters of social media tools and new media technologies, others prefer a slower approach. It may take many months or years before someone close to you decides to get on email or start writing a blog, let alone record a podcast or even join a social media network.

Another interesting dynamic in social media is the idea of being connected to many people or just a few. Some people want to be connected to a few people with whom they can build close relationships; others like to be connected to everyone; still others choose somewhere in between.

Connected,
originally uploaded by localstatic.

I used to be critical of one approach over the other, but I realize that each serves a purpose. I can appreciate that people like Chris Brogan, Christopher Penn, Robert Scoble, and Mitch Joel have decided to be super-connectors. I also can appreciate that Clarence has decided to connect with only a handful of people. I myself have opted for somewhere in-between.

Some folks like to be connected to others all around the globe, while others prefer to remain local. The same can be said among certain user groups, such as podcasters, bloggers, people looking for jobs, others in the same industry, and so forth. You find all kinds in social media.

As we play in the new media playground, I strongly believe it's important to let others play as they like and be ready to help others try out something new - if and when they ask.

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Check out my other blogs:
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
Get That Job!
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: daniel+johnson+jr, chris+brogan, christopher+penn, robert+scoble, twitter, social+media+networks, new+media+playground, blogging, podcasting

Thoughts on social media etiquette

Chris Brogan has many of us thinking about social media etiquette today, especially with respect to Twitter. I definitely recommend reading his post so that my comments here make sense:

As an early adopter of Twitter, I used to get uptight when I saw the proliferation of '@' messages. Now I get it.

My purpose in using Twitter has changed over the months since I started using it. I now use it to participate in conversation, let others know what's going on with me, point to content too large on Twitter, and make/keep in touch with friends.

I've especially enjoyed finding people in my own geographic area through TwitDir.com, and I hope that I can connect through other online means and even meet up with more friends locally in person.

I've decided to use Twitter and other social networks to for relationship-building and personal branding, so knowing how to "take the pulse" of the current climate of a social network is something of value.

Yet Another Social Media Network?

It looks like the buzz on Twitter this weekend is about Pownce.com. Chris Brogan put up a post a short while ago entitled, "Why Join Another Social Network?"

Here are comments to what he said:

In the early days of blogging, before Blogger had its own commenting system, there was a commenting system called YAACS. YAACS stood for Yet Another Commenting System. Probably still exists today - I wouldn’t know.

I keep waiting for someone to start YASMN - Yet Another Social Media Network. All of this talk of more places to put oneself online is frustrating. I can definitely understand how it would feel cliquish.

I haven’t yet decided what to do with my Pownce invite yet, nor how to develop my Facebook profile. I feel okay about holding off for a bit and using the current tools I’m using.

I think it's interesting that, in an attempt to reach more outward and gain a wider audience, it can also come across as being exclusive. What I mean by that is the same situation that many of us in the blogging, podcasting, twittering community find ourselves in - only associating with each other. The fishbowl. The echo chamber. We're only talking to ourselves.

So I guess I don't see social media networks as a bad thing in and of themselves if it widens one's circle of influence. For me, I have a rough time of continually fragmenting myself over and over. Something I'm still trying to manage.

Programming for Good to Reduce Necessary Evil

A few weeks ago I mentioned a project I'm working on to streamline the benefits auditing reports. This process involves verifying premium payments for health insurance with what is taken out of employees' paychecks. As I mentioned in the previous post (via the Twitter photo, no doubt), the application I'm working on will save 2-3 weeks' worth of work and many trees' lives.

I just met with the HR department to discuss the status, and the HR Specialist who does this work mentioned that the current process wastes a lot of time. But needed by the business, I said.

"It's a necessary evil," the HR Manager replied.

"Well, hopefully we can make it for something good," I said.

Programming for Good to Reduce Necessary Evil. That's what I'm about.

More Benefits Auditing and Follow me on Twitter

I'm going to put up a Twitter badge in the sidebar so you can know about other stuff I'm doing. For now, feel free to follow me on Twitter, and let me know you found me via this website.

Tags: daniel+johnson+jr twitter benefits+auditing analysis