Sparkley in the rain

When I went to check, I was slightly alarmed to find that I've been on Twitter since March 2009. Looking back, I was a bit dubious about it at first; I couldn't really see the point, to be honest, but I kept at it in a half-baked kind of way because I thought that - for work - I ought to know a bit about it. It was only after a coffee with my chum Neil that I tried a bit harder, as he was convinced that it was far more entertaining than Facebook, if only I did it "properly".

After an uncertain start, I did find that I was beginning to enjoy it. I made some online friends, and began to learn the tortuous ropes that bind the etiquette of Twitter. I was trolled out of the blue for the use of the entirely whimsical use of the word "Crism" to describe the appropriate period in which to indulge in Christmas nonsense - 1st December until January 6th, since you ask - but also found people who shared even my most obscure interests. And without being critical about it, too :-)

I don't know how many people I interacted with regularly back then but I was certainly on Twitter pretty much every evening, chatting to whoever was around. Some of those people are still on Twitter a lot and some have moved on. I've even met up with quite a few Twitter friends, some of whom have gone on to become proper, real life friends, and, of course, that's how I met the Minx. 

The Minx and I still indulge in tweet ups with various Twitter friends, and this afternoon we met up in London with our friends @deanfeelhips and @swearing_queen (Dean and Katie) and also @sparkleytwinkle. This last is one of my early Twitter friends but someone whom I've never had the opportunity to meet. Today, though, she was going to be in London and so finally we had the chance to meet face to face.

She was absolutely lovely and just the same person in real life as she is on Twitter, which is always a good sign in my experience, and, if anything, slightly more glamorous.

We all spent a happy afternoon chatting in The Carpenters Arms before going over to Soho to meet up with @simbuck2 and @bibilynch, whom we recently met up with in Manchester, to have a few more drinks, which may not have been a great idea, as the Minx and I had a gig to get to. Fortunately, there was just enough time for a nap at the hotel before we headed across to the Royal Albert Hall to see A Winged Victory For The Sullen, who were very good. I've written a review (of sorts) here.