DISQUS

You are both rockstars! I thank my lucky every day that I can consider you both friends! Thank you both always for the love and light and inspiration!

These two missions have been my exact experience of the two PodCamps (Boston2 and NYC2) that I've attended. The first, in Boston, was my introduction to new media. Other than the home court advantage of being a digital native, I was a complete newbie to new/social media. My first experience of PodCamp was the open-armed welcome that I received from veterans such as Chris Brogan, Laura "Pistachio" Fitton and Steve Garfield (just to name a few).

I have since developped myself into a new media professional, and the PodCamp I just returned from today (NYC2) completely fulfilled the second mission: to connect me to resources.

Chris Penn gave me the initial encouragement I needed to sign up to present (with him), thus connecting me to the PodCamp community in a whole new way.

So, what my long winded answer is trying to say is: RIGHT ON! IMHO PodCamp meets, fulfills and exceeds its mission.

I think this is genius! Talk about tailored targeting.

As a student, I use Twitter as a research library and a sounding board. It is my own personal wikipedia, jstor and google rolled into one!

As a young professional, Twitter has been an amazing source of advice, guidance, encouragement and support.

As a human being, I have found and developed some of my closest (real-time) friendships on Twitter. I have met incredible people who have made me laugh, enlightened me, showed concern and empathy when I've been down and overall, have greatly added to my life.

For me, joining Twitter was a life changing event. I know that sounds kinda ridiculous but it is true. My life has been richer, more fulfilling and far more passionate ever since I walked into Professor Quigley's class, met Amanda Gravel and was convinced that Twitter was not stalkerish.

As a student, one of my biggest pet-peeves is students who talk just to hear their own voices. They make noise but don't actually contribute anything of substance. As a relatively new inductee into social media, sometimes I feel like one of those people. I worry that a comment I may have is noise and not actually adding value to the conversation and so I refrain.
Perhaps this is just my own issue and I need to get over it. For the other newbies out there, do you ever feel this way?