Twitter Me This

Debra Cassens Weiss of the ABA Law Journal does a short piece today on the American rage known as 'Twitter.' I stand shamefully unaware of exactly what it is, what it does, and what I am supposed to twitter, and whether I can do it publicly or only in adult book stores. I will make an effort to learn soon.

Law blogger Robert Ambrogi calls Twitter a “virtual watercooler,” a place where professionals can talk and exchange ideas. Another legal blogger, Scott Greenfield, whose Simple Justice blog, is a favorite of mine, wrote that he has to read Twitter because all his blogging friends use it to comment.

“Twitter has become incredibly mainstream for lawyers" already actively in the blawgosphere, he writes. That means me now, I guess. I better Twitter at once. Do I need a bong to do so?

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Twitter was originally created as a way to keep in touch with friends by answering the question, “What are you doing?”. Posts have to be 140 words or less. This could keep me out.

Reminds me though of the story about Woodrow Wilson, a President of few words. He was at a ballgame, and a citizen came up to him and said, "Mr. President, I made a five dollar bet with a friend of mine that I could get you to say three words to me." Cooly, with his caustic grin, the President turned to the gentleman, and stated, "You lose."

The initial appeal of Twitter appeared to be mostly among tech-heads and teenyboppers who had an urge to relay real-time bulletins to their friends about any and everything, the article in the Plain Dealer reads. But now the service is “drawing in a steady stream of lawyers and other professionals who are networking with peers, posting industry news and drumming up business.”

Cleveland intellectual property lawyer Wayne Serra is among the devoted. He has used Twitter to write about intellectual property cases and issues and new technology. He also likes the service because it helps him keep in touch with other patent lawyers and technology experts.

Another lawyer who uses Twitter is Finis Price of Louisville. "I've seen tweets from some lawyer in Idaho who has a case from Kentucky, doesn't know the state laws here and knows about me through my Twitter network," he told Lawyers USA.

Before I come out of the closet and start tweeting publicly, is there anyone else out there doing it? Here is a blog I would like some comment on.