Tweeting for a Cause!

Tweeting for Charity
I got the opportunity I had always wanted and this was to volunteer for such an event like tweet for charity
It started when I had to help out the Lagos team with some legwork. knowing that the Orphanage was a 5mins walk from where I live.
This is an orphanage I had earlier been opportune to visit and make donations.

My heart always goes out to giving, charity and helping people in general .
I once wrote a poem about some orphans I had once met and that is the best i have written so far (I think). It still pains me that it was misplaced .I had teary eyes when I was writing it I hope I find the poem someday cos its hard rewriting it.


So the event went well with majorly tweeters coming together to make a difference in the lives of these kids ages between 0 and 7.
I used to think all kids in orphanages could be adopted but this thought was dispelled we were told that some are for adoption while some are for fostering. The kids were lovely, the smiles on their faces, their response, they actually felt loved, triplets, the very cute baby...
I always tell myself and the people I come in contact with that we are not better off. Its just a privilege that we enjoy

These kids never knew what it felt like to be in the hand of a mother, to enjoy the cuddle of a father, suck from the breast of a mother....
In all it was a wonderful experience to give to those who are in need.

Also had the opportunity to see some of my followers on twitter for the first time and I came to the conclusion that people don't really look like their tweets (pun intended) but really they don't. your tweets don't define you. You define your tweets.

Our Connected World: From Yahoo to Twitter to...

It started with email(Yahoo, can you remember Onebox?), then chats and pen pal sites. I then moved on to yahoo groups. When Hi5 came. I thought it was the best thing that will ever happen, then Facebook proved me wrong. I was a Facebook addict. I spent hours on Facebook doing what? chatting, looking for old friends, reading friends wall, viewing pictures. I don't know why I was never on Myspace. Guess I don't have friends on the network. Now its Twitter. and the question I always ask myself is what next after twitter?
Can you imagine how a brand can change the way people do things or use their time.
Imagine a world without Facebook, twitter, Myspace... and social networking as a whole (did you say not fun?). I'm sure there would be some other things that people would do online anyways.

Lets go back in time.
Before social networks, what did we do on the Internet?
People communicate only via emails. Then the only form of social networks were pen pal sites, dating sites, etc. And you spend most time of the time online sending mails or for a research of probably chat
Now that you can even take the internet wherever u go on you mobile & laptop.
My main concern is the way social networks like Facebook & Twitter captured the hearts of people such that on the average an individual have a daily visit time of about 15 minutes to update, comment, post, send messages; tweet and retweet as in the case of twitter for hours. One question i always ask myself is how long will these sites continue to influencial and the only answer I always have is : as long as they continue to be relevant and meet people's need. Its not as if there are no other social networks and these are not the first. Other networks like Okurt, Hi5, Friendster, etc have only dominated some continents or regions (Okurt-Asia) failed to have a global significance. With this significane It has become addiction to a lot of people, Medium of advertising, hooking up, networking, social action and ultimately money making venture to the owners.
These sites have influenced the way the businesses operate.
It has become such that if your business is not on a social network, you are missing something out as long as internet presence is concerned. Businesses, Corporations, organisations, Celebrities and Individuals all build their fan base and use the networks as a medium of brand communication.

So I have found this new love for twitter. There is just something about following and having followers, reading your timeline and checking checking your dms. oh I love the hash tag (#) and the @ sign and most importantly my followers.You would love to participate in interesting TTs (#lightupnigeria. #naijawomen #welcometonigeria). Lightherlamp's blog post on twitter speaks volume too

Even Google recognised the fact that twitter provides real time information.

If you are not on twitter you don't know what you are missing. ha ha.

Another question I always ask myself is where is my own Facebook or Twitter (global idea)?
Does anyone have any ideas please share. We might just build the next social network who knows. lol

Please leave a comment!
Follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/9jaboyb

NBB

The World is Coming to Africa

Flags of Participating Countries

Its barely 60 days to the next FIFA U-23 soccer world championship,  South Africa 2010. This is the first time Africa is hosting such an event I guess the next event  to be hosted is Olympics but I guess that is not anytime soon but I'm sure we can do it. Yes we can.

The stage is set SA is waiting and the world is eager. Who would not love to be at the World cup. Even to hear the sound of the Vuvuzela tooting in your ears or hear the Fans Cheering.  This is the time you would wish u were a citizen of SA or at least you live in SA.

A lot of work has gone into this. Stadium Construction, Infrastructure upgrade, etc Sure Millions of dollars have gone down.
This is one of the major events that brings the world together irregardless of our differences. It unites the world this is because every continent is actively represented. This Event is not just for football but it about having the best of football players playing for their countries. The likes of Rooney, Messi, Arshavin, Tevez ....just to mention a few would be expected to root for their country
If Nigeria missed the ticket to participate it would have been a different story but thanks to God.
I so much love MTN's  world cup tag line "South Africa, We can't wait , Lets go!"
32 Teams, One Cup!
Let the game begin!

                                   Polokwane Stadium

Rustenburg Stadium

Soccer City

Ellis Park

Cape Town Stadium

Durban Stadium

Official  Mascot - Zakumi

Picture source: FIFA

I'm April Wise!

April Fool in Denmark. Source: Wikipedia

Every 1st of April is  marked as April Fools Day . A day that is recognised for the playing of pranks on people, friends, family,etc commissioning hoaxes or sending people on a fool's errand like wikipedia puts it
The day started off with a follower on  twitter waking me up from my sleep to play a prank on me. It was a good one.
 Secondly, I fell for  Vera's prank saying she was moving to Nigeria.  Until I got to the end of the story. I should have known Vera better and I promise not to take her seriously again. (at least on April 1st).

Thirdly, it was a news I read about the Pope resigning. I had to go check CNN and BBC when I did not find it there then it dawned on me that I had been pranked.

After these 3 pranks I fell for no other. I guess I got April wise or I had mastered their prank pattern. Some other people tried but I was expecting it so I never fell for it. he he
At a point i thought of pulling a fast one on someone but I think I was nice enough to call it off
This April is going to be a great month for me, better than March. For me March was a very fast month probably because I had a lot of things I had to do in a limited time.
This April I need wisdom to do all I will be laying my hands on this month cos wisdom is very key.

Wisdom is the main thing; get wisdom, and with all your getting, get understanding. - Prov 4:7

Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge, but you need to understand, that is know the purpose of the things  you do.
I pray God guides our path this month.
I'm APRIL WISE!
Have a great month.
With Loads of Love.
-NBB