Musing On First Dublin Tweetup
Even the best laid plans go to waste. On my way to the last night’s Tweetup, all I could think was … I’m late, I’m late, I’m very, very late. We’re showing a room in our house to prospective lodgers, and of course, despite all of their promises of turning up to view the room - we got zero viewers. I hate waiting. Even more than that, I hate waiting for Godot.
In a fluster, I commandeered a taxi in the village and with a Ho!, we scampered into town. By the time I got into La Taverna, the Dublin Tweetup proto-group had comfortably ensconced itself into the downstairs. Eamon, Mary Rose, Elly, Olivier. With the addition of me to the mix, for a brief moment, the Dublin Tweetup was a female-dominated event - 3:2. Unusual for a blogging event, I know! We had a little bread, wine and anti-pasti. Eoghan, Gareth, Brian and friend soon followed. We pushed a couple of tables together and had a good set down.
What I found really interesting is that many of last night’s attendees knew each other from previous existences: BarCamp, Irish Blog awards or Open Coffee Club Dublin. These links provided for ideal conversation nooks - Irish web community, politics, consoles, broadband and the wider blogging community.
Despite being tagged as the noisiest Twit in Ireland, I prefer to sit back and listen to passionate conversation. It was almost like a TwitterStorm. Two-by-two discussions meandered, broke off and rejoined then communal comm stream.
I know that there was some chat on whether we should vidcast the Tweetup live. I don?t believe that this would add any value to the experience. I can understand the value of broadcasting events that are used as vehicles to honour bloggers such as the Irish Blog awards. What benefit to broadcast a group of tech-focussed micro-bloggers. I also believe this would stifle the free-flow of conversation and could foster grandstanding (all present member excepted, of course).
After consuming a clutch of wine bottles, La Taverna declined our polite requests for more wine. So ended the first Dublin Tweetup. The main body of the group evaporated into the night, sounds of Tweetup convo ringing in their ears. Eoghan, Olivier, Elly and I found shelter in The Porter House until 2am. We hashed over the night’s proceedings before using Elly’s patented Taxi-Gettingology methods.
Tonight’s Tweetup confirmed my faith in micro-blogging. It isn?t simply a comm stream. It’s a constant conversation where we challenge each other, bitch, rant, defend, inspire, encourage and comfort each other.
I?m really looking forward to the next Tweetup. Olivier, Maryrose and Elly have blogged about last night’s Tweetup.