Dear J.T. & Dale: I just heard about Twittering and think it is ridiculous. Who wants to know what a person is doing all day long? Have we become a narcissistic culture, or what? — Marshall

J.T.: I will admit, when I first heard about Twitter.com, I thought it was crazy, too. For those who don’t know what it is, you post short comments online throughout the day, and anyone who signs up to follow your “twitterings” will be able to see them.

Dale: It reminds me of when they started putting microphones on players during football games. The networks promoted it as a chance to get “inside” the game. Instead, we got inside a festival of cliches — “that’s what I’m talking about,” “time to step up, “blah, blah. And most “twitter” is likewise meaningless to an outsider. But, there is a useful side to microphones in games — coaches sending in plays — and the same duality exists with “twittering.” For instance, I recently spoke at a national association meeting where they encouraged participants to “twitter.” I was one of the “optional” programs, and when people in my presentation started sending messages about what we were doing, new audience members joined in. That instant “twitter” sure beats hearing over dinner, “You should have been there.”

J.T.: I decided to open a Twitter.com account and try it for myself. I’m starting to see how it could be valuable. First, they limit you to 160 characters, which means each post must be well-thought-out. This is good conditioning for someone like me, who tends to be verbose! It also is forcing me to consider more deeply how I am spending my time. I’m not sure I’ll keep it up, but I’ll keep you posted!

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