We all know how it goes: computers freeze, internet connections get lost, Twitter ‘fail whales’ appear. It’s part of life for us techies, right? I’m all-too-used to backing up files on a zillion different devices just in case (one, in an extreme display of geekiness, I even wore around my neck on my way home from work-a flash drive on a rope). Of having backup battery packs positioned at every outlet to keep computers running, just in case the power goes out. Let’s just say that—like any good infielder—I have my bases covered.

As a Twitter party host, none of the party attendees can actually see me, which makes me feel sort of Wizard-of-Oz-ish. So let me give you a little behind-the-scenes peek into last night’s hosting gig. In summary: when the going got tough, I learned to keep going…and laugh.

You see, last night I was set to host the online launch of TweeParties, Inc. I won’t lie to you: I’m in Chicago, but I’m not doing this from the glamourous confines of say, the Sears (er, sorry, I mean Willis) Tower. While I do have an office space (basically an oversized, windowless closet a family member has generously donated to my cause), I was to host this party from home. My real boss (insert preschooler here) insisted upon it.

So….the night before the party, working hard at one a.m….Where’d the internet go? Um….hello? Anyone there? Nope. No one was. Just a browser with a “cannot connect” message staring me in the face. I panicked. But tomorrow’s the party!?! Where will I go? What will I do? After fretting until 2:30 a.m., my connection reappeared. A scheduled (albiet unannounced) outtage by my ISP. Phew. Onward and upward (I hoped)!

After three luxurious hours of sleep with fingers crossed, I’m off to my day job. I get a call from my hubby near the end of the afternoon:

“Um, hun? The backup UPS battery is dead.”

Today, of all days. No time to get a new one. Instead, ‘Hi ho! Hi ho! It’s plugged into a flimsy powerstrip we go!’ After brief analysis, I decide that now is the time to pray.

Then my backup internet connection (satellite) decided to, well…disappear too. My ISP asked if perhaps, I am too rural. “Um, I can see your store from my house.” Oh.

I could set up a time to bring in my laptop for a diagnostic. Tomorrow. Of course.

I decide it’s time for…what else? More prayer! But would God listen to the pleas of a Twitter party host praying for a sustained internet connection? I felt guilty for taking up His time. I prayed again, but this time for forgiveness.

Despite all of this, just minutes before the party, I’m at my desktop, all set to host. Both computers are up. The internet is working on each (one cable connection, one WiFi). I say another prayer (and another one, again to counter the first one).

Hopeful and eager, I log into Twitter. I suddenly find I have…no followers. And no one is following me. And Tweet Grid is bogged down by other parties. Two minutes to go. As Mary Poppins blares on the t.v. in the other room, I think, Poppins-esque: ‘Spit-spot! Spit-spot!’

So I get to work. I keep trying to tweet, but I’m met with errors. It’s showtime and I can’t get the show started. It’s like an actor’s worst nightmare: curtain goes up to a packed house, spotlight blinding and…he opens his mouth but nothing comes out. The patrons throw their tickets in the air and demand their money back.

But suddenly, after repeatedly hitting ‘send’ to no avail—my tweet makes it out into the Twittersphere. It’s just after 9:00 here in the Chicagoland wilderness. The aggregators pick up pace. Before long, follower counts are restored. My computers keep running; the internet stays connected; and all is well. From the small confines of my home office, the party soars! TweeParties is launched. The show does indeed go on.

So now I’ll schedule that diagnostic and uncross all of my fingers. At least until the next party.

Tags: humor, twitter party hosting

I love Twitter parties. I guess there would be no point in starting a company specializing in planning them if I didn’t. However, if you rewind to the first one that I ever attended, my launch onto the Twitter social scene was far from favorable.

My first party reminded me of my eighth grade graduation dance. Back then, after I had put on my lacey peach dress, sprayed my 80’s bangs, and applied my pink eyeshadow, I proceeded to be held up by a wall for two hours while I observed a herd of awkward preteens attempt to break dance. I was a wallflower back then, and years later, to my surprise, I was a wallflower at a Twitter party. It doesn’t get much geekier than that, now does it?

If a transcript were available, it would probably look something like this:

@erin Hi, I’m Erin! Happy to be here!

Refresh screen. No replies.

There must be something wrong with my browser. Or Twitter. Or my ISP.

Refresh again. Still no replies.

@erin Um okay, I guess I arrived fashionably late to this Twitter party. And I wouldn’t call reindeer pajama pants fashionable. LOL!

Crickets.

All right, so there weren’t crickets, because as we all know, Twitter doesn’t yet have sound, but it felt like they were there, chirping while I tweeted. In reality, everyone was chattering with everyone else—at what seemed like a very rapid pace, I might add—and having a great time. And I was, well—watching my tweets languish, unread, unnoticed, unloved—while the rest of the party rocked on like a finger-flying guitar solo.

But the topic that night interested me: wine. I learned a few things about different favorites among users. Despite not partaking in a two-way conversation and instead watching other people’s tweets fly across my monitor like 90 mph fastballs, found it interesting enough to attend another one. And fortunately, after reading some tips online about how to improve my experience, I did.

Because at the next party, I had responses from those who had most likely seen my tweets during the first event, but didn’t get the chance to reply. Now they recognized my ID and avatar, and replied to me. Through the use of a new Twitter aggregator program (I now used Tweet Grid or Tweet Deck) I could better see tweets from the party hosts and follow along better. It took another party to really get the hang of it, but once I did, I found them to be a fun and rewarding experience (literally, when I snagged a prize!). For me, Twitter parties weren’t love at first site (er, I mean sight), but with a little experience and advice, I was on my way to the dance floor!

To recap, some advice for Twitter party newbies:

• Give it more than one chance. If at first your tweets don’t succeed, try, try again. Don’t let lack of replies on your first party to discourage you. Keep going, and chances are you’ll make some very good like-minded friends.
• Just relax. Twitter parties can be fast-paced. Select a tweet you find of interest to reply to and start a conversation with just one or two other users. Just like any real party you attend, you can’t be part of every conversation in every corner of the room all at once.
• Be yourself. Don’t feel you have to try to entertain people, crack jokes, be witty, or ask phenomenal questions to stand out. Just be who you are naturally. Like they say, “If you tweet it, the replies will come.” Give it time and have fun!
• Get educated. Visit our “Etiquette and Tips” page on TweeParties. There we have other helpful hints, including recommended software to help make following parties easier. We will continue to update our Tips page, as well as this blog, to give you more information and pointers, as well as software updates to make your party experience even better!

If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment here or contact us at [email protected]. We’re here to help! That’s the thing about the Twitter community: for the most part we’re a caring, helpful bunch. And at TweeParties, that spirit of community carries over to our services. Just don’t ask us how to moonwalk.

Tags: aggregators, tips, TweeParties services, tweets, Twitter parties