Brendon’s note:
I’ve been following Katie Sweeney on Twitter for well over a year now. We have a lot of things in common: an interest in changing people’s minds using smart writing, a love for our respective Philadelphia neighborhoods and a minor-league-but-relatively-healthy addiction to Twitter.
More to the point, we use the same kinds of metaphors to describe Twitter to others. And we have the same kind of respect for the influence it can exert. Katie’s story, presented here exclusively in two parts, is a great example of that influence and how Twitter can reveal personalities better than any press conference or commercial ever could.
Here’s her story:
When explaining Twitter to the uninformed I usually take the approach of comparing it to walking into the largest party imaginable and being able to listen and contribute to all the conversations that interest you. With Twitter you can hear about special sales on your favorite products at the same time you hear breaking news headlines.
Before Twitter, you may never have had the opportunity to meet Shaquille O’Neal in person, or tell your favorite author Sloane Crosley how much you love her short stories. With Twitter, you can find out what @Shaq had for breakfast or where @AskAnyone is doing her next book reading.
You may even get your Mayor to come over and help shovel snow on your street, as I did.
