derryX Rant: History of the #AlbanyTweetUp

Those of you who read this blog know that I am a fan of using Twitter for networking. There was a time not two long ago in 2009 when this blog didn’t exist, and my main social media outlet was Twitter (and facebook to a degree, but that never really caught on with me). I have apparently been on twitter since July 2008. I don’t really remember using it until 2009.

My older memories of using twitter was in the spring of 2009. I recall announcing my acquisition of a blu ray player and surround sound theater speakers on twitter. Around this time, I started following local media personalities, such as Kristi Gustafson and Humberto Martinez, who, at the time, were both representatives of the Albany Times Union. In using the “@ reply” feature of twitter, I started finding that many local people were receptive to my tweets and even conversed back and forth with me.

In following Humberto, I started seeing him tweet about events with a hashtag of #albanytweetup. In the summer of 2009, local area events were being planned using twitter. I missed the first two events, which were at JT Rafferty’s in Latham and The Recovery Room in Troy, but I started attending regularly after that.

Just a word of note. The person who put together the events (@tweetupalbany) chose the hashtag and name to keep the choice of venue flexible. It’s the same way Northern Lights, a concert venue in Clifton Park, miles from Albany, is considered an Albany venue. The flexibility allows opportunities for new people from different communities to attend and have a good time.

I’m gonna list out the tweetups I’ve attended and add some notable memories from each, should be a fun exercise. Feel free to add anything as comments if you’ve attended any of these events.

October 2009 – Vin Santo, Latham, NY

  • My first event. I met Cassie Cramer, Humberto Martinez, John Jordan, Metalfrog, Michael Henry, and a whole bunch of others for the first time.
  • I made fun of the booth we sat in because it was a faux Coach pattern.
  • It was Carmine Sprio’s first night as chef at Vin Santo, and, the next day, we found out he had already left.

December 2009 – Albany Pump Station, Albany, NY

  • The turnout was humongous. I met Amy MengelKevin Marshall, Ellie B., and Hockey Joe, for the first time.
  • Someone introduced them self to me by asking why I didn’t follow them on twitter.
  • #dompap kept talking up the Pump Station’s nachos which arrived at the table as one solid mass. We still share this joke with Metalfrog.

January 2010 – Koto, Colonie, NY

  • Most of the above heavy hitters showed up, as did a few others who we’ve never seen since this event.
  • Some guy who knows #dompap yelled to me to “pimp slap that bitch” in the middle of the crowed restaurant.
  • Metalfrog ordered chicken wings.

March 2010 – Belini’s, Clifton Park, NY

  • There was a pretty big turnout for this event, but the restaurant insisted on seating us in the “no-man’s-land” of the entryway of the restaurant.
  • A few surprise guests showed up.

April 2010 – Wolff’s Biergarten, Albany, NY

  • The usual suspects and some new faces showed up.
  • Due to lack of seating, we hung out by the dart boards in the back.
  • We were celebrating #dompap’s acquisition of his pHD degree, so there were cakes there.

May 2010 – Beff’s, Albany, NY

  • Lots of new faces were present in addition to some of the regulars.
  • Discussions ranged from which pickles fry best to teenage pregnancy.
  • I discovered they have really hot (but tasty) buffalo wing sauce.

There hasn’t been an #albanytweetup since last May, but this week, it comes back strong. Flavour Cafe in Troy. This Thursday, 2/3/11, at 6PM. You’re not gonna want to miss it!

[RSVP on Facebook]


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