However, the biggest reason I HATE twitter is the “direct message.” Honestly, they should call it the not so direct direct message because if your spacing is off with the “d” then you have just shared something that was to be direct with millions upon millions of people. At least if you send something stupid via text it may only go to the wrong person. But not with twitter – it goes on your public time line never to be removed!

So, I created a rule that I only direct message if the content doesn’t matter. There is to much room for a mistake (a missing space between the “d”, the users name, and your message means that your private conversation just went global). If your are sending me something confidential, text me or email me. You will save yourself a lot of headaches!

What’s the worst thing that you have direct messaged on twitter and wished you could have back?

Here’s how it goes: you receive an email from someone who says, “You probably don’t know me because you don’t follow me on Twitter but….” And there are other people that want to get me on Facebook, even though I’m not sure that I would be their friend if I was on Facebook. But, there’s now pressure to be everyone’s friend. It’s an expectation that people have. So, instead of being able to keep up with people who are truly my friends, I am pressured to keep up with everyone.

So, where do I go from here? Here are some of my guidelines:

1. I only follow people who are my friends or people that I have met and would like to develop a relationship with. I really never want to follow more than 75 people because I check Twitter from my phone 95% of the time. Any more than that and I can’t keep up with friends.
2. I’m probably never getting on Facebook because I would do it for the wrong reason. My desire would be to build a platform with a false name while using another name to have true friends. There’s just something that I don’t like about that.
3. If I follow you, don’t feel obligated to follow back and I’ll do the same. It will not hurt my feelings and how about you not let it hurt yours either.

My last thought: be friends with the people who are your friends and be okay with that. Try to reach out and develop new friendships when you can, but don’t expect people to be your friends in return. And last, don’t wear people out if they are not interested. Isn’t God in control of our relationships anyway?