What I'm Addicted To Now: Part 2

I've come to a realization that I have many addictions.  I'm not ashamed to admit it, so I might as well put that to good use and blog about it.  A series is born: What I'm Addicted to Now.  I've already done part one, black cardigan sweaters, so now I give you part two: The Twitter.  I never said they were exciting addictions.

If you're reading this blog, there is a 65.3502% chance you are also on Twitter. If you are on Twitter, there is a 56.9834% chance {these stats are totally accurate, by the way} that you may have a slight addiction to 'the Twitter'. Follow me on twitter @bubblegumcari. I'm known in social circles as the "Twitter Monster" and  "enabler" amongst other things, like "the pretty one".  But it's not my fault, Twitter is like crack and I might be your dealer.  Twitter should actually pay me for all the kids I hook.

I am confessing to the world here and now, Facebook, I really don't like you much and I've been cheating on you with Twitter. You heard me!  I'm not quite sure what to do on Facebook anymore, Zuckerberg, the subscribing and timeline have confused me.  But as you all know, I just use Facebook to pimp out my blog, yep, sorry 'bout that, and thanks for reading!

Naturally Twitter takes some getting used to, no more blathering on in a status about recipes or re-posting something because you think no one or everyone will repost it and you do it out of guilt so you don't look like an insensitive ass. Nope, you have a sweet little 140 characters to get it all out there. Call it a challenge if you will; perhaps this is why Twitter attracts snarky types like myself. Need a pick me up? Check Twitter. Got time to kill, or should be working? Check Twitter. Want to get into a conversation about something totally ridiculous like Christmas lights? Twitter is for you.

Twitter is also a self-esteem booster. For example, I have 589 followers on Twitter and I've only been tweeting since May of this year. Good or bad, I don't know.  Pretty sure half are spam bots; but that's neither here nor there, I like it and it makes me feel loved. After all that's 589 tweeple that took the time to press the "follow" button because I said something either totally hilarious, brilliant, or completely ignorant. Or maybe they like my blog, or follow me because someone brilliant told them to; surround yourself with funny people that are smart, that's all I'm sayin'.

You can follow celebrities on Twitter too, quite the moment if they follow you back, none for me. But I did have a celebrity tweet moment with Lisa Remini from King of Queens. I replied to a tweet of hers and she responded! We're tight now and I call her LeLe, although she doesn't know this. Went down like this:

@bubblegumcariCari

@LeahRemini Go big or go home Remini! ;) Haven't lived until you've been to Twitter jail.

13 Sepvia Twitter for BlackBerry®

LeahReminiLeah Remini

@bubblegumcari LOL. That's how i do it!!

13 Sep

See? I'm famous.  Love ya, LeLe!  I might tweet stalk her just a little.

We've already covered that blog friends are real friends, they are some of my besties. How about Twitter friends? I'm going to say yes. I have met phenomenal communities of tweeps via Twitter, from Single Parents to parents of children with Autism, to dazzling bloggers.

Which brings me to my point, how I spent my Sunday night on the Twitter and why I laughed and cried so hard I almost peed my pants. Those crazy Autism parents got on a hashtag roll! Hashtag you say? Goes something like this #. Then add verbiage, #SingleParentsTalking OR #youmightbeanautismparentif, this allows you to view any tweep in the conversation, whether you are following them or not.

So last night, about 5pm, I was on the Twitter and saw the hashtag #youmightbeanautismparentif. Naturally I participated in this, for HOURS, and so did the Twitter Autism community. It's still trending my friends. Tweeps were getting tossed into Twitter jail left and right and reaching following capacity.  I've said it once and I'll say it again, parents of kids on the Spectrum are some of the drunkest funniest people I know. It was no doubt one of the best times I've had on Twitter to date, {love you #SingleParentsTalking too}. I want to share a few of my favorites, oh, and you might as well open a Twitter account, because the Dalai Lama, the President and MC Hammer are on Twitter.  Why aren't you?

@LLA_PrincessAmy D

#youmightbeanautismparentif you always talk like you are in a social story....."And that's ok"

14 hours agovia Twitter for BlackBerry®

@MurasakiMoon♪ ♫ CyMbaLine ♫ ♪

#youmightbeanautismparentif you know what day of the week it is by the professional you have an appointment with

17 hours agovia Mobile Web

@leah_kelleyLeah Kelley

#youmightbeanautismparent if you can recite the Jedi Code from memory and use this to encourage self-regulation strategies in your home...

10 hours agovia web

@RaisingASDKidsElise Ronan

#youmightbeanautismparent if you know what ABA, IDEA, ADA, OT, PT, SPD, all mean IRL

17 hours agovia Power Twitter

@jodieworldJodie Collins

#youmightbeanautismparentif the answer to "What would you like for dinner" is "Something round"

17 hours agovia TweetDeck

@gregoriouslifeDDG

#youmightbeanautismparentif You grieved for the child you thought you would have, but rejoiced with the one God wanted you to have.

18 hours agovia web

Thanks to the tweeps that participated in the #hashtag throw-down!  You're my people...my tweeple.

Many thanks, props and a Bravo to @RaisingASDkids and @manyhatsmommyMI the brains behind the #hashtag!  Worth your follow, as are the other tweeps mentioned above.

If you leave a comment, leave your twitter handle too, so I and others can follow, connect and stalk you on Twitter!