It was shortly before 10:35 PM ET on September 6, 2008, when it happened.

I was sitting on my mom’s couch all by myself with my laptop up in South Bend (Indiana).

It was a moment I will never forget, which is why I am writing about it so clearly today.

I was watching election coverage on CNN with Rick Sanchez, an early adopter of the use of social media in the newsroom.

I looked up from my laptop and watched this thing called a Twitter Wall moving rapidly behind him, my heart probably racing because that Twitter wall was full of people…real, live people who were talking to Rick and to each other!!

There Was No Turning Back

Right then and there, I knew I had to be a part of it for more reasons than one.

• One was the most obvious, and that is that I am a marketer, and I needed and wanted to understand and use this tool. That’s what happens when one is an early adopter.
• Two, which was probably most important at the time, was that he was making a goofy statement comparing the candidates that was as far from an apples-to-apples comparison as any statement could be, and I wanted to let him know about it, by golly!

I knew then, as I do now, that the chances he would see and comment on my Tweet were pretty slim, but that didn’t matter.

I was a part of the conversation.

I had an outlet to connect with people all around the world!

Think about that for a minute….THE WORLD was now at my fingertips, and it was easy!!!

My First Tweet

Here was my 1st Tweet:

I know…kind of serious for a 1st Tweet, right?

I feel pretty good about it, especially knowing co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey dipped his toe into his own product lightly two-and-a-half years earlier.

I believe I was already on LinkedIn and Facebook, but not “all-in,” if you know what I mean. I had joined Facebook because it was a good way for me to stay in touch with what my nephew, Sean, was doing. I use it in many different ways today, not just to stalk family. LinkedIn just made good business sense, as it still does today. I regularly tell people that Twitter was my 1st social media love…if there is such a thing.

The Best Part

The best part came after that when I met and followed people I knew, and people I didn’t. I don’t remember all of the details about the relationships I made, but I do remember finding professional colleagues Kevin O’Keefe and Gerry Riskin early on. We have since strengthened our relationships, and are connected in many ways. We have spoken on the phone, met in person, shared family stories, and professional advice.

I don’t dare go down the path of naming all of the other friends I connected with in those early days as there were too many, and I will feel terrible if I leave someone out.

When commenting on my friend Gini Dietrich’s 10th birthday blog post yesterday, I talked about how thankful I am for the relationships I’ve built that remain the same even though we don’t see one another often.

Does Twitter Matter?

Yes, it matters…a lot.

Because of Twitter, I’ve virtually attended conferences, and met attendees.

Because of Twitter, I’ve stayed ahead of world, national, local, professional and industry news.

Because of Twitter, I’ve learned more than I imagined I could, and hope that I’ve shared a bit of knowledge along the way, too.

Because of Twitter, I’ve grown my business. 

Because of Twitter, I have built closer relationships with people I’ve met in-person.

Because of Twitter, the world is very close.

Happy 10th Birthday Twitter!

Even though this is your celebration, you have given me a wonderful gift…a package filled with amazing people, places and information that have enriched my personal and professional life beyond what I even knew to expect.

Here’s to 10 more years!