I bumped in to an old friend at a function this afternoon. Whenever I see her, I am always reminded that there are in fact some people ‘out there’ who simply do not understand the meaning and purpose behind Twitter. As much as you try and explain it to them, unless they give it a try, they will never really ‘get it’.

You see, unless you’re familiar with it, the world of Twitter is a strange and sometimes confusing, sometimes euphoric place to be. It is filled with times of ups and downs. Times when you get bored with it, and other times when you can’t get enough. I would have to say that the best thing about it is the making of new friends and being among the first ones to know about breaking news. (If you’re not convinced, check out @mandywiener’s running commentary of the Donovan Moodley court case!)

It did occur to me the other day that as a tweep, I’ve grown up quite a lot since I started tweeting. I have come through the addiction phase without getting divorced, I have survived nasty remarks from strangers on Twitter and realised how easy it is to brush them off and I’m no longer constantly worried about what people think of my tweets or if they’ll be offended. There’s only so much you can explain in a toneless environment.

I’ve learnt to realise that my Twitter friends are really genuine and have made a real effort in the real world. I’ve become close to so many people that I’ve met on Twitter.

I have learnt that people on Twitter can be really cruel to one another and that while they tend to mock Lamebook Facebook, my “friends” on Facebook are a lot more patient and understanding. They also have more time for me on the rare occasion that I visit them online.

Twitter is about communities. The breakfast (now supper) gang really has fun. The Friday burgers ‘n beers crew is a great way to end my week. But it’s the running community that not only inspires me but makes me realise that I am not alone in my running trials and tribulations. The minute I have a bad running day, I am bombed with messages of support.

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that even if I am interacting 24/7 with so many people, those closest to me and in my life (especially those not on Twitter) have ‘lost’ a bit of me.

They don’t get to speak to me all day. They don’t get to hear my chirps and my jokes. They don’t know if I’ve had a bad day or get to share in something awesome I’ve just heard. They lose out on a running commentary of my thoughts. Complete strangers that follow me now have that privilege.

This is something I’m working on…even if it means using the phone to talk and not to tweet! Weird.