I have a hard time explaining Twitter to most people I know. It’s sort of like a group texting conversation, I say. Yes, I get that, they reply, but why do you want to talk to strangers? Surely you can’t have any kind of meaningful relationship in 140 characters? At that point I usually give up. When some of my very best real life friends aren’t even on Facebook, I’m pretty sure I’m never going to persuade them. (If you’re reading Jess and Ally, I’m talking about YOU.)
And when you start on Twitter, of course you don’t have a meaningful connection with the people you’re talking to (unless they’re your brother, and he rarely replies anyway). But they’re real people, and you have real things in common, and sometimes, they’re really quite nice. You listen to each other’s problems, laugh at silly jokes and watch the X Factor together.
And before very long, over the course of a thousand conversations, you start to develop some real friendships. And some of these people, these friends, you even meet in real life. And they don’t turn out to be seedy late middle aged men like your husband feared, but very lovely people who are exactly as you’d imagined they would be. In a good way.
But despite knowing that they’re real people, who are actually quite nice, you’re still completely floored, when one of them decides to give you a send off, a virtual one of course. She has the idea of getting people to send you virtual presents, ones that won’t take up space in your already bulging backpack. And the virtual presents are so very thoughtful and lovely that one of them actually moves you to tears. In the supermarket. But that’s what you get for reading blog posts whilst you do your shopping.
I have spent many hours on Twitter in the last couple of years, some would say too many. I don’t think it’s ALL been entirely wasted.
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The wonderfully kind Julia came up with the idea of sending me virtual presents, thank you very much Julia, you’ve made me feel all warm and glowy x
And here are the presents…
– from Paula
– from Chris
– from Jay
– from Him Up North
– from Julia
– from Susie
– from Kate
– from Sharon
It's a small world after all 
Aha thanks for the glimpse ahead (I am very new to Twitter) into what Twitter can be all about!
Good Luck with the travels.
Thank you!
How lovely, Victoria! I can’t wait to hear how it all goes, and will be thinking of you during another gloomy London winter x
I am rather smug about having no winter…
Thank you so much for such a lovely thank you. It was a pleasure and it made me smile.
It’s a mutual admiration society!
Your husband was right all along – it’s getting hot in this suit… *peels full length zip open to reveal middle aged perv with a paunch*
*changes phone number and leaves country*
HUGE applause to Julia for such an awesome idea. I know we’ll still see you on twitter, but we’ll still miss you somehow. Even those of us who have never met you.
Safe travels, lovely lady.
xxxx
Sometimes you don’t need to meet someone to know that you’ll get on like a house on fire 🙂
Safe travels. It will be a wonderful adventure and you will all be better for it, such a brave and cool thing to do for your family. Enjoy x
Thank you, I really can’t wait!
I only read Paula’s and Chris’ and had to stop. They are sooooo lovely. It must have made your heart feel like bursting. And certainly make twitter worth it. Hx
They really did make my heart feel like bursting, I feel very lucky indeed to have such lovely friends.