"...what other ways can you sell me on joining Twitter?"

War!

What is it good for?

Absolutely nothin', say it again...

But what about Twitter? Ah, now that is a different story.

I was, I admit very reluctant to join Twitter. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, or indeed use it for. It was pointed out to me that I could find things out. 

Well, surely I could do that with Google?

Okay, maybe I could, but would I get it directly from the horses mouth so to speak? Well, no.

So I asked my friend, who goes by the name of Kemocs on Twitter, what other ways can you sell me on joining Twitter?

"Well, you like science don't you?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to see tweets directly from astronauts on-board the international space station? Or what Professor Brian Cox is up to?"

"You like stuff like Spaced and Star Trek and things with Stephen Fry, right?"

"I am intrigued. Sell me more."

So he did.

Not only did I see information and stories from people in science, the public eye and everywhere else, I also got in touch with and communicated with people I would probably never meet in 'real-life'.

I will name names.  Helen from France, Dr Watsonette, Judy, Jamie Mahoney, Claire Hammond, Nancy Scott, Elaine Wedgewood, Hope (you know who you are), Mrs Robinson (Here's to you Mrs Robinson...), the wonderful Wendy who has taught me more about autism than could possibly ever imagine, Tracey B (cupcake), SadieX with her extremely interesting  and incredibly complicated life, Sharon J, Seaside Sophist and many many more.

I have 'spoken' to friends I know and friends I hope I have made on Twitter. I have responded to and chatted with people like Robin Ince (if you don't know who he is, shame on you. Have you never listened to The Infinite Monkey Cage on BBC Radio 4? He has done lots of other stuff, but as the ranting science novice. he is tremendous).

Others I have been luckily enough to converse with are Barnaby Edwards, the utterly brilliant Clive Merrison (the greatest radio Sherlock Holmes ever), Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen) as well as Geek Gods Jason Bradbury and Jon Bentley from the Gadget Show, as well as many others.

I try not to bore people too much with my tweets. I try to be supportive and funny and kind. I try to reply as honestly as I can with my tweets and I hope that comes across.

I did not join a social network to be abusive and anti-social. That's not the point. I cannot understand why people do that, do not be anti-social on a social network, it's not nice.

Something else that has happened to me since joining Twitter, and I am so glad it did, was finding and old and very dear friend. I cannot believe I have found her again, and I am so pleased that I have. Hello again Jinty. May we never go that length of time again without talking.

Okay, enough of my ranting. As I say, I try not to bore, but I just wanted to say, I'm glad I made the 'step' and joined. To all my fellow Tweeters, thanks.