by Louisa Cohen

Twerds, Twee-hards, Twitteratti – call them what you will, but even within the geekiest networks there are golden circles. Social networking is the way of the world now – so most likely, you, or someone you know, is tweeting on Twitter. Admittedly I am more of a quack then a tweeter – and I wanted to learn more about this social network that seems so simple, yet so complicated at the same time. I went incognito for the evening and hung out with the Vancouver Twitter community’s social elite, where followers mean everything.

I attended YVRTwestival, a fundraiser organized and campaigned though Twitter that happens simultaneously in cities across North America, raising money for a cause. This year’s cause was @Concern, and over $9000 was raised to help educate children around the world. In Vancouver, the event took place in CBC’s newly renovated audience lounge. It was like SIMS turning to real-life having all of the twitter avatars show up in person to network, schmooze, pick-up, etc. Who knew that organizing an event for a group of people to socialize in-person would seem so novel?

Wine, sushi tubes, sushi, cheese, and chocolate set the mood for a’minglin’ but it was hilarious to see a room a-buzz with people, on their phones, ALL tweeting away!

Twitter most definitely is brilliant in this 24 hour news-world we live in, but I think I’m more a fan of meeting people in an organic way… like in person. Moreover, I am much to chatty to keep it to such few words.

However, who knew that the biggest pick-up line of a night out would have been “Hi…um, I think I’m following you.” Blush.