Over the year, I have met other people and gone to other tweetups. It’s a friendly and entertaining group who are there for you when you are up and are praying for you when you are down. They managed to save the dean of UALR Law School’s life. (well sorta) I’ve had the opportunity to meet people that I wouldn’t have met under any other circumstances and to share ideas with people whom I probably wouldn’t have had time if I had to do it one on one. It also reminds me that I am not alone and the world is bigger than the town I am in.
I have a #LRTweetup story, and I’ve never attended a Tweetup by @erniebufflo
I still can’t get over the fact that a group of people I’ve never “met” nominated me for an award, though I guess it’s a testament to my tendency to insert my loudmouthed self into the center of things, but more than that, a testament to this group’s welcoming attitude. I can’t wait to meet each and every member of the #LRTweetup community.
Twitter allowed me to break out of the isolation my recuperation imposed. I don’t like to be cooped up and rarely sit still at work but moving was challenging and uncomfortable. Twitter gave me incentive to work on my recovery. I tweeted the number of steps I had taken that day or my recovering appetite or my new Guitar Hero scores. And the encouragement from my new twitter buddies kept me accountable to them and gave me even more incentive to take a few more steps the next day. It kept me happy and helped me to become healthy.
While only a little bit of information can be conveyed in 140 characters, a relationship with another person can be formed via multiple posts or direct messages over time. Forming relationships is the true power of Twitter and I feel that is where this platform will excel in the upcoming years. Like-minded people will gravitate toward each other to form new partnerships or friendships and thus create new ideas, perpetuating the underlying creativity behind Twitter.
I love to meet the real people with real lives and real names behind the nicknames we recognize from our minute-to-minute glances at our screens. We’ve all found ourselves in the middle of introductions referring to each other as @______. But nothing beats seeing each other IRL…and nurturing those virtually founded friendships. So don’t be surprised if, after the great things you and I may have shared on this Twitter-thingy, I smile and ask “But what’s your real name?” when we do finally meet. Because behind every good Twitter name…there’s a real person, #fine and #fabulous!
Just wanted to say a quick thanks for everyone who came out to our first LRTweeties/1 year birthday bash last night. You all made this our largest Tweetup so far.
I’d like to send a special shout out to the others on the planning group with me: @alextcone, @andreasmalec, @angelmg, @ghidotti and @tsudo. Somehow in spite of everything they turned this crazy idea dreamed up over queso into a reality.
We had a great video shot by @jeffdailey and produced with the help of @cueincorporated that is posted below along with the list of winners from last night. Thanks again and lets make year 2 even better.
Twitter Conversationalist – @kerrijack
LOL Tweep – @angryczeck
Twitter Rampage – @amybhole
Tweeter You’d Like to Hear More From – @sarabethjones
Best Tweeting in a Supporting Role – @katiemcmanners
TMI Tweep – @kerrijack
Most Creative Use of Hashtags – @andreasmalec
Deep Tweets – @alextcone
Most Likely to Run for Office – @blakerutherford
Best Live Tweeting – @tolbertreport
Most Random Tweets – @angryczeck
Best Biz Tweeter – @capitalhotel
Best Use of Twitter for Pushing Only Your Blog – @blakerutherford
Night Owl Tweets Award – @tsudo
Most Likely to Break Twitter (Most Prolific Tweep) – @kerrijack
Plays Nicest in the Sandbox – @katiemcmanners
Best Twitter Couple – @bryanjones & @sarabethjones
Puddy Tat – @cmcase
Party Tweep – @robbymatthews
Best Out of Town Tweep – @cateyleo
Best Cameraphonoatography (Twitpic of the Year) – The gym locker by @amybhole
Tweet of the Year – “My “k” is sticking. And I’m writing lots of copy about Arkansas this afternoon. I’m fuced.” by @amybhole
Arkansas Business published a masterpiece by media reporter and tweetup regular Sam Eiflling, @SamEifling.
On May 18, the loose band of Twitter users who have made Little Rock Tweetups a monthly rite of beery canoodling are getting together at Juanita’s Cafe & Bar in Little Rock for the Little Rock Tweeties – an awards night to recognize the most clever and creative among this digital tribe…
…The notion of handing out awards for tweeting makes you wonder just how interesting some people find their navels. But the entire tone of the enterprise has been tongue-in-cheek, and a nod to the bona fide human connections that the Tweetup crowd seems to have stumbled onto while trying to network.
Our friend and co-founder Lance Turner, @LT, wrote a great post that recalled some of the highlights from the past year.
This whole #LRTweetup enterprise was founded nearly on a lark. And you can read much more about the history of the event (in which I played a small role), plus other stories from the #LRTweetup community, right here from the people who lived it. Throughout the year, this ecosystem of 140-character oversharers has raised money for nonprofits, shared many thousands of MBs of information and helped cultivate a stronger, more connected business community. And this is just the start.
Twitter meet ups, or “TweetUps” as they are most commonly referred, seem to be everywhere these days – at conferences, personal interest groups and cities across the country. Typically a way to connect with online friends, meet new contacts and network over a few drinks, the growth and strength of the local “LRTweetUp” community over the last 12 months has blown “typical” out of the water.
Celebrating its first anniversary next month with a spoof-genre awards show appropriately dubbed “The LRTweeties,” this strong gathering of more than 200 users will come together to celebrate a year of professional growth, promotions, friendships and philanthropy in Little Rock.
The grand awards festivity, staged to embody the tomfoolery nature and sarcastic whimsy of that of its followers, will be held Tuesday, May 18 at Juanita’s Mexican Café & Bar beginning at 5:30 p.m. Finalist voting for all award categories such as “Most Likely To Run For Office,” “TMI Tweep of the Year,” “LOL Tweet of the Year,” “Most Creative Use of Hashtags,” and more will begin this Wednesday.
“We’re doing more than just throwing a party for a networking group that has provided a way to connect with colleagues and friends through social media,” said Keith Crawford (@tsudo), one of the founders of the LRTweetUp (@LRTweetUp). “We’re celebrating the creation and growth of a community that has transformed the way many professionals in Little Rock cultivate relationships, do business and promote advocacy and goodwill initiatives through philanthropic efforts. The LRTweeties are a simple, light-hearted way of honoring that.”
The LRTweetUp is the result of an idea brought on by two of its co-founding members. In May 2009 two friends, Angel Galloway (@angelmg) and Natalie Ghidotti (@ghidotti) decided to organize a local meet up to celebrate reaching 400 followers. As the word spread and interest grew, the gathering turned into a series of monthly meet ups with the goal of helping members build personal and professional connections.
The community also began to evolve as a self-proclaimed new breed of civic group. Supporting local charities through fundraising and awareness initiatives, members participated in several programs benefiting Central Arkansas charities throughout the year as well including Heifer International’s “Pass on the Gift” campaign and participation in the state’s first “Twestival” which supported Reach Out and Read Arkansas(RORA), a nonprofit that partners with pediatricians and clinics statewide to raise awareness about early childhood literacy and provides resources to families to encourage reading in the home.
Although our organization is still young in terms of longevity, our impact and reach on the community can be seen far and wide,” Crawford said. “Approximately 35 percent of our membership represent the amazing nonprofit organizations making a difference in the lives of those in Central Arkansas every day. Pair that with the sheer volume of volunteer hours, advocacy and contributions to organizations shared across Twitter stream at any given moment, and it’s hard not to be motivated yourself to give back.”
Personal stories from members of the LRTweetUp community, links to voting and more information about the event can be found at http://lrtweetup.com/.
The LRTweeties are presented by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau (@LittleRockCVB and @RiverMarket) with support from fellow sponsors CustomXM (@CustomXM), Eric, Rob & Isaac Ad Guys (@EricRobIsaac) and ParaTweet (@Paratweet).
