Why I blog...

I use this blog as a kind of therapy. Sometimes I'm happy and want to share it, sometimes it's just a random thought and sometimes it's to deal with things in my past. After all a burden shared is a burden halved

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

How Twitter changed my life




I was contemplating leaving my marriage when I realized all my friends are couple friends. You know the kind that won’t be there for you when you split up? So I heard about Twitter and joined on the 11th of April 2009. I went to a few tweet-ups and met some incredible people. At one particular tweet-up I went to meet a friend who had come down to Cape Town from Pretoria; little did I know that I would meet my new partner (the man of my dreams) that night. He had come to the same tweet-up with the same intention and we met and hit it off immediately. We were both in the same place in our lives and had so much in common; we fell madly, deeply in love. In June 2010 newly divorced, I moved in with my boyfriend and have been happier than I have ever been. This in itself is quite life changing. But wait there is more……… Shortly after I moved in, my boyfriend lost his job and relied on twitter for freelance work. This helped us get through the first year together. In May of 2011 my afternoon au-pair position ended as the mom I worked for quit her job and decided to become a stay at home mom, even though I teach mornings and do have a job, it was hard to adjust to having only half a salary. I tweeted that I was looking for an afternoon au-pair post and two weeks ago a twitter friend sent me details of someone looking for an au-pair, through this interaction I went for an interview and was offered the position. In October 2011 my boyfriend applied for a full time position which was advertised on Twitter and got it! He is also extremely happy in his new job, loving it every day.

That is two jobs and a life partner for my boyfriend and I all because of twitter! Not to mention all the wonderful people we have met through this social medium, some of whom I am proud to call friends in real life.

Yes sometimes twitter is just a place to be silly, tweet jokes, say what you are thinking. Sometimes it is a source of entertainment when you are bored or standing in a queue. Sometimes it can help you answer a question, choose a movie or help you with a recipe. Sometimes it can be a source of comfort when you are feeling down and sometimes, just sometimes it can literally change your life.

9 comments:

  1. when i moved up to JHB i would have been completely and utterly alone during the looong weeks my (then) partner was away on business. Twitter and the complete strangers that opened their lives to me kept me sane. Twitter has propped me up through two awful breakups now and I can quite honestly say that if I didnt have twitter and the people I met through it, I would not have made it through the festive season in one piece.

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    1. I am so glad that you did make it through, honey big strongs for you as you venture into new things this year :)

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  2. um... you missed some important events and people you hurt along the way. but ok. whatever helps you get through the night.

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    1. I am not sure what events you are referring to and think it is quite cowardly to attack someones character anonymously without allowing them the chance to respond. Maybe if you let me know who I hurt? and how we can both sleep better at night.

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    2. Someone's just a little bitter, and seems to like creating drama, anonymously, K. Don't sweat the trolls :)

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  3. Actually, Anonymous, it happened exactly like this. She was incredibly "hurt along the way" herself, and yet she has managed to overcome adversity.

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  4. Ag Kam you beaut! Your post makes me smile. I met Ty on Twitter too. And all you fabulous wonderful people who I love so much. I am so glad you found happiness. Can't think of anyone who deserves it more *hug*

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  5. Power to you both. Twitter is an awesome life changer. It has helped me through many a dark day. And brought me to meet awesome people and do things I would never have encountered otherwise.

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