Seth Godin Twitter stream

If you follow Seth Godin’s blog (and it’s hard to imagine you don’t – more people read it every day than live in South Dakota) you’ve probably had a mix of reactions over the years. Delighted at ideas, awe-struck at the volume, head-slapping yourself saying “why the heck didn’t I blog about that?”

I think what make Seth’s posts so enduring and sticky is his experience in the world. And how he bridges those experiences for his readers to learn from. Stories make ideas come alive.

I attended the Berklee College of Music for a stint. A guitarist friend was getting passed up for gigs, and once asked me to critique his style. I remember struggling with a constructive answer, but finally said “You sound like you’re in a practice room. You gotta get out, man.”

(It took a while for us to get over that one.)

Seth’s ideas come from the world; not books or a stream of updates and links. He’s a sharp observer. And its clear he experiences the world in such a way that he always learns.

So I’m not wondering at all why he’s shying away from Twitter. I went back through the earlier thousand or so of his 2,000+ posts (believe me – there are worse things to do with your time). Have a look at what his adventures might have looked like as a Twitter stream.

Tweeps, it isn’t about what you’re doing. It’s about what you’re learning.

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• Met a band in Central Park. Had breakfast with them. #newmusic
• Stranded in New Jersey, went shopping. Was uninspired. #fail
• Travelling across country, had to remove shoes, give up batteries, and remove fleece jacket. WTH?
• Before working out in a Mineapolis hotel, turned off televisions. Business traveler enters and turns on CNN. #jerk
• Can’t pronounce Prius. Bad brand name. #fail
• Driving my Miata. #smile
• Rode some rides at Hershey Park. Read too many signs, dealt w too many people, accosted by bad brass band playing Hawaii Five 0.
• Lunch with friend @Jim who hates his job. Made lunch a little depressing.
• Went to Subway; special on meat sandwiches and they’re sponsoring a heart walk.
• Talked with two Harvard MBA’ers, said small companies don’t interview on campus. Too bad.
• Bought books at a major bookstore. Didn’t give email address. #spam
• Really enjoying some Scharffen Berger chocolate. #chocolate
• Buying socks in sporting goods store, got distracted by dangerous toy.
• Had to fill out annoying form for hotel reservation. Hate that.
• Spent a bunch of money on #GratefulDead stuff. Always a dangerous catalog to receive.
• Went through closet. Lamented the cuff link.
• Nominated for award. Wore tux. Lost to a sock puppet. #lampchop
• In Vegas: check out this statue of liberty facsimile: www.twitpic.com/etc
• Got my picture taken with a clown nose: http: www.tinyurl/etc.
• AA lost wife’s luggage. Returned golf clubs instead. Argh!
• Comparing morning workout and commute mileage is causing too much stress. #stop
• I invented the term “landing page.” Taking arguments on my blog. www.tinyurl.com/etc.
• Gave speech to credit card execs. Stiffs in other conference room had worse snacks.
• Went to Broadway show with the fam. Understudy instead of lead. Bummer.
• Biking in Providence w wife. Ever notice that couples have same helmet habits?
• My interns ROCK!!!!!!!!
• Brunch with friend @Bob. Tivo’s here to stay!
• Note to wife: don’t use Reply All.
• Bought a 5.97 lb lobster. Paid for 6 lbs. #ripoff
• At a music industry conference in Aspen. Man, Bob Lefsetz just doesn’t get me.
• Airport announcements asking everyone to pay attention are useless and annoying.
• Skiing, lost keys to Prius in snow (can’t pronounce Prius, but own one). Searching web for answer is harder than searching in snow.
• Dear Westin Hotel: when I tell you 2X I don’t need a reminder wake up call, I mean it. & when I cancel the call, u don’t need to cancel the reminder that I never asked 4.
• Bronx shop calls itself Yahuu. LOL! www.twitpic.com/etc.
• C’mon. These cookies aren’t healthy! #fail www.twitpic.com/etc.
• In LGA. Security won’t let rat poison on planes. Who’d carry that on anyway? LOL
• My mktg agency signed Pamela Anderson. Woot!
• My 11 yr old is making a stop-action animated movie. So cute!
• At buffet, eating squid soup and brown rice.
• Wow the fire trucks in my neighborhood are clean. Firefighters must be bored.
• There’s a pool table in my room at the Artisan in Vegas!
• Why are all the students at this conference wearing black suits?
• Waiting in line at Vegas airport. 12 deep to buy $2 h2o!
• I miss my Mom.
• Microsoft’s new game system is called Wii. Pronounced We. WTH?
• Overheard @ airline counter after 1st class pass. isn’t accommodated. Man: “Do you know who I am?” ….
• …Counter agent over intercom: “Emergency: man at counter has amnesia. If anyone knows him and can help, please come forward.” LOL
• Wearing my seersucker suit today. People are really noticing!
• In Grand Caymen. No one. Is in. This. Restaurant.
• OMG! Robert DeNiro called me today! (OK, it was a recording. I hung up.)
• LOVE the Pump in NY. Long line today though 🙁 Anyone here? Tweetup?
• Didn’t pre-print boarding pass today. #foreheadmeethand.
• Last tweet for a while: at White Plains airport and can’t find outlet to recharge my phone.
• Hey @friend in NY: sorry for the brush-off. DM me okay?
• Helping son with homework, writing about Extatosoma tiaratum. Thanks Wikipedia! 🙂
• Had a drop of hair gel left in 5 oz. bottle. TSA made me toss it. Heeeellloo!?! More than half empty!?!?
• Man, that Wii is selling like crazy. Still a dumb name.
• Crazies are out today. Saw guy playing flute while driving. Later, different guy playing flute while driving. #endtimes
• In Radio Shack. Woman sez cell phone didn’t come w charger. Manager sold her one for ½ price. #fail
• Crazy parking at Halloween costume shop. Kid will throw a fit if I don’t get one. Must. Get. Costume.
• Just burned 604.2 calories during my workout today. Ready to get to work! Woot!
• Sitting next to cofounder of BoingBoing at conference. Talk about ADD. Dude – try to focus.
• Hey #Apple: the new iPhone could really use a GPS feature.
• Overheard a parent: Parenting books tell you what to expect, but kids are unpredictable. So true!
• Skipped the caves in Lascaux France. Can’t see them anyway: protected b/c of damage. 🙁
• Same guy I sat next to on the plane came to hotel gym while I was working out. #freaky
• Got my oil changed. Last time they washed the car. Not this time. And no washer fluid.
• Career Day with 8th graders. Some are into it, some are bored. Fun for me!
• At Union Sq. Mkt. Woman gave egg carton back to vendor for re-use. #sustainability
• Cab drivers in my town are nuts. Avoiding lights does not necessarily mean a short cut.
• Went to trade in my Prius. No record of my appnt. Walked out in 10 minutes. #fail
• Friend @Derren reminds me: your actions today could be tomorrow’s anecdote. Myb I should do something with all this stuff
• My bank pres parks in front. Shouldn’t that be for customers?
• friend & bz owner giving out her product at Zabars. Doesn’t she have people for that?
• Waiting at vet. Ad for ID chips for dogs. That’ll be hard to stardardize, huh?
• At Indian consulate to get Visa. Anyone know an easier way? This is painful.
• A thought: conferences that run over (this one is 50 minutes behind) say: speakers are more important that attendees.
• Accidentally kept a grapefruit on my carry on, made it home with it. LOL
• Went to my publisher today. They didn’t have my book in the display case. Um, I’m kind of a big deal in the book world
• At my mktg agency office. They hang employee art in their hallways. Cool!
• Looking for someone to office share with me in NY. Anyone have any leads?