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Having been very skeptical of any usefulness I (or society) could derive from Twitter, I recently began finding real-world benefits.
Lost?
This morning a friend’s tweet scrolled across my screen:

So apparently there are 5 W hotels in NYC. The conference is not at the one I went to. In cab.

Ever the good samaritan, I scrolled down a few tweets earlier, found the conference this friend was attending (he habitually let’s everyone in his life know where he’s going), looked up the hotel address, and direct messaged him back. Sure my friend could have called someone, hopped on his mobile browser to figure this problem out himself, or used an antiquated alternative communications method like email. But something about the thought of my friend driving aimlessly from W to W in NYC compelled me into action.
New Business
I am responding to an RFP that a former employee broadcast to his network on Twitter. I don’t keep in touch with this colleague too often, and this was a great way to reconnect and talk about the opportunity.
Advice
The other day I was researching hosting options for a client. I could have spent several hours googling, reading online reviews, or researching options. Instead, I sent a tweet to my friends and received advice back from three trusted sources within moments. Soon after I chose my web host.
G-T-what?
A significant downside to my recent love affair with Twitter is the sharp decline in my GTD/Inbox Zero Zen. I fanatically adhere to my system that shuts off all digital distractions when I need to get work done: I empty my inbox, close extraneous applications, and hit the trusty CTRL-o keyboard shortcut (an applescript that puts Entourage into offline mode, closes iChat, and turns my desktop background to a soothing gray that says, “get your sh*t done now!”). Except recently I started using Tweetdeck, an application designed to push every last bit of digital Twam right under your nose. While trying to do work, and laden with guilt, I secretly leave Tweetdeck running. What if I miss something? (Admission: I responded to a tweet while drafting this post.)
So we’ll see where my recent Twitter obsession takes me…and for the time being, I continue to enjoy the strange irony of following the very active streams produced by @hotdogsladies and @gtdguy.
Update: CTRL-o now silences Tweetdeck.