Conversations in the old Tweet river

 A blog post about Twitter -- and the big 2022 44 billion sell-out.

How has social media changed your daily routine?

I asked this question on 2 sites and posted a poll asking the same on two more because social media has changed my routine gradually over the years. And I'm attempting to decide what to do about it, Dec 2022.

(Jan 2023 I'm working on focus on the real, where I'm at more). 

In 1999 there was only forums, or that's all that I knew of. I searched for very specific networking for my art and writing.

In 2005 I joined MySpace. I actually found local music and art events to go to, and started "collecting" cartoonists and contemporary artists of all types, people whose work I liked. But, it wasn't a daily routine thing, yet. I just checked in when I was bored.

FB is not worth mentioning because it sucks people in, there's no escape to find art there in my experience. I've also tried a few writing groups and also, no joy. The site annoys me too much and I close the tab. Yes I said tab, in a browser. NO I don't load these horrible *beeping* apps onto my phone.

My daily routine wasn't changed until about a year after I joined Twitter. I found lots of fun conversations there. I checked in and replied to people. They became part of my daily consciousness. The poems, and very short stories and art. Then gradually it went sour. Politics stuff I never thought much about before now also became part of my daily routine.

It did change me quite a lot. And now? It's like Pandora's box has been opened and there's no shutting that box. For me, especially as related to #climateChange and wishing for more climate action that's not happening.

Since the Billionaire bought Twitter I log in there and block people, every single day. So, I've divided my social media lunch breaks from work into four social media sites. Mastodon, FB including IG, a few threads on Reddit, and last check-in is usually with Twitter, only to check notifications and then close that cesspool in the same way that is used to check notifications and then close FB.

Yep, even with limited exposure social media has definitely changed my daily routine. To answer my own question -- How has it changed my daily routine? I read and reply to strangers almost daily. At least 6 days per week. I pay a lot more attention to what is going on in the world than I used to. That's how I guess?

#haiku title: words in boxes

cross posting four times

quadruple social bypass

and I feel quiet

On Mastodon I posted an alt image photo description. Mastodon @indieweb.social@Uva_Be

Today, (Dec 16, 2022) I've 3,310 Twitter Followers (and dropping steadily). I'm Following 3,263 (also dropping without me unfollowing anybody). 

Jan 23rd, 2023 -- 3,309 Followers / 3,264 Following. Not much has changed except the time I don't spend there.

 I have a social page on my blog. www.uvabe.com, there are page links on the top bar click on social. I will update this page with current data. 

+  @Uva_Be 

(emoji translation = peace and green heart = environmental love, brain = thoughts with you, and remember to breathe with the trees, world).

P.s. Not an influencer that I know of. I just chat/reply with people, mostly on my social media lunch breaks, or if I'm bored, like waiting for something. And if you go to my other pages, you will see I share my art, write some times, take photos out in the world here and there, and will take photos of food as art. Food is good art IMHO. Or sometimes I'll check-in with the world when there are news events or happenings. 

3. ways to not be afraid to unfollow Trump

If you are on twitter, don't be afraid to unfollow Trump i.e. POTUS (President Of The United States) since the Nov. 2016 election/Jan. 2017 inauguration.

1. Watch-list and unfollow. Add him and those you wish to keep a watchful eye on to a Twitter list. 

Important, add them to a list via the row of dot-buttons to the right of their profile -- but please do not follow them.

Click on your profile, then click on that list. You can then read the stream of tweets when you feel like it and ignore or block them the rest of the time.

2. If you feel the urge to RT Trump take a screenshot of the tweet instead. 

The cropped tweet can then be safely tweeted via adding the image to your tweet, without mentioning him in a direct RT that counts for stroking his ego.

example of a screenshot of a tweet from 2012

3. Don't use his actual tweet handles in your tweets about Trump (he has two of them). One is the @real.... tweet handle shown in the above pic. The other, he stole @POTUS  

Instead of reply or mention, refer to him as 45, #Trump or something else we will all get in context, but he won't get an ego stroke for in his Twitter stats. The orange one with tiny hands craves attention until we impeach him or he resigns, we the people need to hurt him in the button that is his ego. 

P.s.  ☮ + 💚 If you are one of the millions of followers who was following Obama as @POTUS please make sure you aren't still accidentally following Trump as POTUS.

Also, a large unverified percentage of Trump's Twitter followers are bots. Please ask Twitter to remove fake accounts and bots from the conversation.