Seedplanter’s Porch

So you’ve just been wheeled into the operating room for your C-section, heart surgery, or ________ (fill in the blank) procedure.

“Where’s Dr. Robinson?” you ask. Your words come out garbled, thanks to the IV drip, which has begun to work its magic.

Fortunately, the mental lights go out before you have a chance to hear Nurse Ratchett’s reply. “Oh, he’s busy tweeting. He’ll be with you in a moment.”

It’s not unusual to hear of someone Twittering away during an office break, or sending a quick tweet while waiting at a red light, but tell us that our surgeons are tweeting, and we flip out.  I decided to make a lens about this touchy topic after reading a headline recently about surgeons who are using Twitter. At first glance, it’s a shocking piece of news, and a host of disturbing images spring to mind. But the underlying reason for Twittering from O.R. is actually a good one.  This lens explores the less serious side of this topic, because it conjures up funny possibilities.

Imagine midway through your tonsillectomy, Doc remembers his dry cleaning. No problem. “Excuse me just a sec,” he says, placing an assistant’s index finger over a gaping hole. “Apply pressure, will you? I need to tweet my wife.”

Surgeons aren’t the only one twittering away. Visit Take Two Aspirin & Tweet Me in the Morning, and add your own oddball locale to the list. I suspect we’re keeping Twitterdom busy in places never thought possible.

While you’re at it, stop by the duel and speak your mind. Question: How do YOU feel about surgeons tweeting in the O.R.?”

Tweet on!

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Image by aesop via Flickr

I grew up in a household that appreciated history. I always imagined history like a series of roads similar to the rural roads that wound and intersected in the region of northern California where I lived. Along each road marched people who had influenced our world.

Some were a part of the literary world, like William Shakespeare, Louisa May Alcott, William Blake, or Emily Dickinson. Others were kings, inventors, presidents, and military figures. All met at the intersection of my spot in Time, and disappeared into the folds of history.

One reason I like Squidoo’s new Twttrstrm is because I can ask a question that interests me, and  receive responses from a wide variety of locations. It’s a fantastic tool (thanks, Squidoo!) for asking advice, staging a debate, or gathering information for a certain topic. It’s the fastest way I know of to poll hundreds of people at once.  Here are the Twitterstorms  I’ve run so far:

• Where Were You in 1987?
• Did you have a childhood nickname?
• What person in history would you like to interview?
• What’s your best quality?

If you don’t use Twitter, you’re missing out. Not only is Twitter a quick way to keep in touch with friends (called “followers” in Tweet language), it’s one of the best writer’s and lensmaster’s tools I know. TwitterStorm is icing on the cake…raisins in the oatmeal…chocolate syrup on ice cream.

Follow me on Twitter

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Have you joined Tagfoot yet? Why not?

Visit my other blog, Blogspired

Just when you thought you’d figured out all the possible ways to tweet and fritter Twitter your time away,

along comes Squidoo with a new tool they’ve dubbed Twttrstrm. If you’re a spelling freak, no need to contact them about the error. It’s Twttrstrm.  No vowels.

There’s a perfectly sound explanation for it, too, according to Megan at About Twttrstrm, “We didn’t have enough money to buy vowels. It stands for TwitterStorm.”

If you can use Twitter, you can use Twttrstrm. It’s just a matter of going to the Twttrstrm page, and thinking of a question you’d like to ask your Twitterific friends. The question should be unique so it invites a response. Choose a keyword (”hashtag”) to tag your question, plus a category where it can be found, and that’s it.

Because it’s tied in to Squidoo,  this fun new tool also offers lensmasters yet another opportunity to earn money for themselves or their favorite charity. And that’s something sweet to tweet about!

New to Squidoo? Make your own lens today!

Have you joined Tagfoot yet? Why not?

Tom, our resident turkey is back, reporting from his brand-new job in Minnesota. At the request of his good friend and turkiatrist, Dr. Helpa Byrd, he has updated his support base with a new lens. Turkey’s New Job: Countdown to Thanksgiving takes up where Turkey’s Manifesto left off.

He wants us to know he’s doing well and has a lot to say about his “contribution” there at work. Time will tell how great a toll this service will take on him. For now, though, it’s generating electricity–green power! Woot!

Here on the homefront, we’re celebrating a new chapter for our country, as our elections have finally ended. I, for one, am happy to have the political dance behind us. It’s time to move on, and I have great hope that the future will be bright, if we commit to pulling together and working hard. I believe President-elect Barack Obama will do a fine job, and he deserves our support and prayers.

Have you visited my two cheery color-wrapped lenses? Crazy About Blue has been joined by Crazy About Yellow. Keep an eye out for the next one, Crazy About Red.  It’s going to be a doozy.

Stay warm, be sweet, and tweet me when you’re in Twitter!  (It was fun watching reactions to the election last night, mostly because everyone was working hard on lenses, crafts, or business-building at their websites, all the while keeping one eye on the election results and one eye on Twitter.)

Ahhh, technology. You gotta love it.

’til next time!

So you think Twitter is frivolous, eh? Used only by people with too much time on their hands? Think again.

Some of the most successful authors, business people, and Squidoo lensmasters use Twitter on a regular basis. Some of us are more Twitter-struck than others, and check in several times daily. (You know who you are.) Twitter is one of the most ingenious networking tools around. Better than IM, in my opinion.

Bonnie aka bkdz has created a Squidoo lens for Twitter-lovers and Twitter skeptics. Check it out.

Betcha can’t resist the pull…

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How often do you Twitter?
( surveys)