Anyone blogging or twittering?

[FIREd]

I live very far from the rest of my family (too far for them to visit more than once every few years) so I like to keep them updated about what I am doing, i.e. projects around the house, travel, etc... so that they can feel part of my life. Right now I either send them pictures via email or post them on my website but I would like to streamline the process and be able to post things while on-the-go and in real time without having to use my computer.

Using only my cell phone, I have found two possible ways to do that: blogging or twittering. But I can't decide why one would be best for what I want to do. I don't know much about the practicality of either option. I would like to be able to post pictures and few sentences (2-3 times a week, no more), I want to keep it private with only a few select people being able to read it, and I want people to be able to read my posts simply by going on the internet (no extra software, no need to sign up for any service, etc...).

Any suggestions?

[TromboneAl]

I blog occasionally when I have something to report. I've joined twitter to see what DD is doing, but she hasn't done any tweats for months, so that's pretty useless.

My blogs:

California Surfing Safari

The Year of Piano Sight-reading

Waikiki 2008

San Juan Islands

Merry Christmas from Jenny, Al, and Lena

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

How are twittering and blogging different? Blogs I know, but I'm a twitter-virgin.

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa How are twittering and blogging different? Blogs I know, but I'm a twitter-virgin.

Well, it's kinda my question as well... Twittering almost sounds like texting on the web ()... You post short but frequent updates, but I am not sure whether you can use pictures, whether you can restrict who reads your twits, or whether your twits get archived...

[bbbamI]

[TromboneAl]

Here's the twitter idea: you "follow" someone, and when they do something (like go skiing or get a cup of coffee or do homework), they enter that info, and you get notified of what they are doing.

The idea is that you have a connection with someone who is not around. It makes sense but it's not for me.

This explains it well:

YouTube - Twitter in Plain English

[CuppaJoe]

I'm a babe-in-the-woods, also. Thanks, I'll try to learn about this.

I got a friend request for Facebook from someone I've known for 30 years. There was nothing there except links to people who just became her friends, no baby photos yet. I decided not to be her friend there after all, just leave it in the real world. Strikes me as obnoxious to go there, see her friends, some of whom I know in real life, and be told that the friends of my friend are not my friend (yet).

[FIREd]

Thanks Al,

watching this video made me realize that twitter is not for me either. I think blogging is more appropriate for what I want to do.

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

OK, thanks Al.

Sounds like shared diaries for the attention-impaired. Not ringing any bells for me, but maybe it works for the texting generation.

[JOHNNIE36]

Al, read with interest your thread about sight reading piano music and was just thinking back. I took 8 yrs ( 7-15 years of age) of classical piano as a child and that was strictly sight reading. Later on I was always sorry I couldn't play pop music because I never learned how to play chords. My wife then taught me how and we used to play duets, she on the organ and me on piano. She also taught me the organ with foot pedals and all. We used to do that a lot just to pass time and really enjoyed it. Got away from sight reading and only looked at the chords. I couldn't play a thing unless I had the music in front of me. She can sit down and play about anything by chording and never took a lesson. Just a natural. Haven't done it for 25 years. Got rid of the piano and organ years ago and now have a Yamaha keyboard. I haven't touched it. Went through your entire post relative to the music. Pretty good!

[REWahoo]

Here's an example of how twitter works: Twitter gets you fired in 140 characters or less

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer I am not sure whether you can use pictures, whether you can restrict who reads your twits, or whether your twits get archived...

Hmmmm..... Seems like a waste if your twits don't get archived!

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet Hmmmm..... Seems like a waste if your twits don't get archived!

You are as sharp as ever, aren't you?

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer You are as sharp as ever, aren't you?

I'd like to think so but you would be the only person to ever suggest that possibility.

[FUEGO]

Firedreamer,

Have you considered facebook? I have personally used it and updated my status on their remotely via cell phone text messaging. And this is from my old tracfone nokia with a monochrome lcd screen (so 2002). While on vacation recently I decided to send some text updates to my facebook page so others could see what I was up to. Not that I could read their responses on my phone though!

Newer web enabled phones can do facebook mobile, where you can surf on the facebook site, do whatever you want, including updating your "status message", uploading photos, etc.

Edited to add: I just read the last sentence of your OP. Facebook requires others to sign up and log in to view your page. But you can send them links to your facebook photos that they can see without logging in. They can't see the photos simply by browsing your page without logging in I don't think.

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO Firedreamer, Have you considered facebook? I have personally used it and updated my status on their remotely via cell phone text messaging. And this is from my old tracfone nokia with a monochrome lcd screen (so 2002). While on vacation recently I decided to send some text updates to my facebook page so others could see what I was up to. Not that I could read their responses on my phone though! Newer web enabled phones can do facebook mobile, where you can surf on the facebook site, do whatever you want, including updating your "status message", uploading photos, etc. Edited to add: I just read the last sentence of your OP. Facebook requires others to sign up and log in to view your page. But you can send them links to your facebook photos that they can see without logging in. They can't see the photos simply by browsing your page without logging in I don't think.

Yes I have considered Facebook. I have Facebook mobile on my iphone and use it occasionally, but I like to keep my facebook entries very generic. That's because my contacts on Facebook are wide-ranging (family, friends, co-workers, school buddies, etc...) and I don't want to necessarily share some aspects of my life will all of them. I want to be able to select who can and who can't read my posts.

With a separate blog I can select my level of privacy (keep my blog off google search, filter readership etc...) and even require a password for people to read my entries. So that's very appealing to me.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer I live very far from the rest of my family (too far for them to visit more than once every few years) so I like to keep them updated about what I am doing, i.e. projects around the house, travel, etc... so that they can feel part of my life. Right now I either send them pictures via email or post them on my website but I would like to streamline the process and be able to post things while on-the-go and in real time without having to use my computer. Using only my cell phone, I have found two possible ways to do that: blogging or twittering. But I can't decide why one would be best for what I want to do. I don't know much about the practicality of either option. I would like to be able to post pictures and few sentences (2-3 times a week, no more), I want to keep it private with only a few select people being able to read it, and I want people to be able to read my posts simply by going on the internet (no extra software, no need to sign up for any service, etc...). Any suggestions?

Let me turn the question around-- how do they keep you updated?

Then you could reciprocate via the method they feel most comfortable using.

Our kid e-mails Grandma a couple times a month, and a week later she'll get a letter response in the snail mail. And with my father it's usually "Sure, I got it, I just didn't have anything to say..."

[haha]

I try to respond quickly to all communications. When I was married my wife did most of this, and I feel that that sort of division of labor is not smart. It took me a while to learn and groove the drill. Something comes in, I send something back out.

IMO every person male or female is probably better off maintaining his/her own social contacts.

Ha

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer Yes I have considered Facebook. I have Facebook mobile on my iphone and use it occasionally, but I like to keep my facebook entries very generic. That's because my contacts on Facebook are wide-ranging (family, friends, co-workers, school buddies, etc...) and I don't want to necessarily share some aspects of my life will all of them. I want to be able to select who can and who can't read my posts. With a separate blog I can select my level of privacy (keep my blog off google search, filter readership etc...) and even require a password for people to read my entries. So that's very appealing to me.

I assume you are aware of friends lists and privacy settings? There was a thread here recently where they were discussed. I have yet to implement these, but I may do so at some point and I definitely see their usefulness.

But I know what you mean about not necessarily wanting everyone to see everything you are up to!

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Let me turn the question around-- how do they keep you updated? Then you could reciprocate via the method they feel most comfortable using. Our kid e-mails Grandma a couple times a month, and a week later she'll get a letter response in the snail mail. And with my father it's usually "Sure, I got it, I just didn't have anything to say..."

I go visit several times a year, we keep in touch weekly on the phone, and they send me pictures by email if I miss anything big (family celebrations, vacations, etc...). So It's quite easy for me to keep track of what is going on in their lives and when I go visit it's as if I hadn't missed a beat.

Of course, I use our phone conversations to keep them informed about what's going on with me but, because they rarely come visit, sending pictures is far more important on my end of things to keep them in the loop. I've done a lot of work on my backyard recently and we have talked a lot about it, but this is one instance where a weekly picture or two showing my progress is worth a thousand words.

Sure, I could keep sending pictures by email or post them on my website (they are comfortable with both), but I would like to make things a bit more streamlined for me. I believe that they could handle a blog, which is basically a webpage.