Bored of the same old rubbish twitter accounts? Find yourself aimlessly scrolling through your timeline day after day, muting randomers and feeling your brain slowly start to shut down? You need to revamp your following list with some educational, powerful and hilarious accounts.

Here are 11 super cool Twitter accounts you should follow:

@mummyblogger

This one is obviously me. I am great. Please follow.

 

@manwhohasitall

This account is really simple and effective in that it simply changes the genders of people in workplace scenario tweets and similar. Hilarious and really makes you think.

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I had a bit of a moment yesterday, and I can’t quite decide in my head whether it’s a proper achievement or a bit lame.

Yesterday, at (roughly) 6,42pm, I got my 60,000th follower on Twitter.

It’s been brewing for a while, and when I got to within 10 I became a bit obsessed, checking my phone repeatedly, refreshing the screen again and again so that I could take a screenshot of the moment when it said 60,000. (I think this was possibly the lame bit in the proceedings.)

Twitter mummy blogger

It was an awkward moment for me, because on the one hand I wanted to be proud and excited, but at the same time I was struggling with that little voice in my head saying things like ‘yeah, but come on, it’s not a real thing is it? Who plays with Twitter as a job?

“But it is real!” I say to the voice. “It’s important for people to connect online and create content that’s interesting and engaging…” and then I trail off for fear of sounding like a bit of a goon.

This isn’t about looking for praise, because I genuinely believe that anyone can build up a decent Twitter following if they really want to, (come on my workshop next week and I’ll show you how), it’s more about wondering what motivates that nagging voice and how we can stamp it out.

Why is it do you think that so many of us still suffer from that imposter syndrome, even when we’re successfully managing careers and families? At what point does that annoying inner voice shut up and let you get on with things?

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How long did it take you to fall in love? How many dates before you were officially boyfriend and girlfriend?

According to recent research, we are falling in love quicker than ever, with it now just taking 224 tweets and 163 text messages for us to woo our partners. Approximately*. Apparently it now takes the average couple just 24 days to refer to each other as girlfriend and boyfriend, compared to 78 days a generation or two ago.

Do you think we are falling in love quicker than ever? Does social media make it easier to get the girl (or boy) or is it an artificial intimacy?

What isn’t made clear in the article is whether you actually have to spend any face to face time together, or whether the 140 characters alone is enough to seduce a future partner. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people on Twitter that I have shared 224 tweets with over the years, but I am under no illusion at all that I actually know anything about them, let alone that I am in love with them.

Sure, it’s nice to have ways to communicate quickly and easily, but those things can’t replace physical closeness, that time spent lying face to face in bed with someone, sharing stories from your past. While phones and social media can compliment that, I simply don’t believe that you can know someone from a tweet.

Or even 224 of them.

What do you think?

*Waits patiently while you go and count how many texts you have exchanged with that potential new partner

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I was at a dinner earlier in the week, attended by a group of other bloggers.

“I have to ask,” said one, “how did you get that woman to agree to let you use her picture as your Twitter avatar?”

“It’s me!” I said.

“Really?!” she looked disbelieving. “How?”

“Well, a lot of make-up and professional lighting obviously, but it is me, I promise!”

I get some version of this conversation pretty much every time I meet anyone in real life who knows me primarily from Twitter, because my Twitter avatar looks like this: View Post

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In my work, (and it really is work Boyfriend, I don’t care what you say…), I use social media a lot. Possibly a little too much, judging by the weird night I had this week where I dreamt in Twitter updates. Whenever I am talking to brands and bloggers though, there is one question that comes up a lot – how exactly are mums using social and how does it influence their buying patterns?

“Do we really need to worry about bloggers and online reviews and what not?” some brands will ask, looking sort of anxious and hopeful at the same time.

“Yes,” I say. And not just because otherwise I would be out of a job.

I came across this infographic today from Diffusion PR which I think gives a really interesting snapshot of exactly how mums are using social to research their buying decisions. 40% of mums it says have read a post, comment or review online and then decided to purchase the product because of what they have read. View Post

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Get more Twitter followers

Picture the scene… you’ve signed up to Twitter and you’re regularly tweeting a range of fascinating and hilarious insights. 137 people are following and about 8 of these are actually listening. You know you’re witty and insightful, so how come the rest of Twitter hasn’t noticed it yet?

Sound familiar?

The trouble is, that although we all know the mantra ‘content is key’, there is no point in producing great content if there is no one there to read it. In the UK particularly we are a little bit British about blowing our own trumpets, but when it comes to getting more Twitter followers you can’t afford to be shy.

So how do you get more people to follow you on Twitter? View Post

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The last few times I’ve done a Week in Tweets post I’ve been a little lazy.

Maybe lazy isn’t quite the right word, as actually what I’ve done has been more work. Sneaky perhaps. I’ve tweeted as Bee and Belle, tweeted as Nancy Drew, Girl Detective, and in the weeks I’ve been me, I’ve written retrospective tweets. All of this is perfectly within the rules, (as made up by me), but I can’t help but feel it’s all been an elaborate avoidance tactic.

You know why?

Because I am boring on twitter.

Don’t tell anyone, but my tweets are actually fairly dull and sporadic, and I’m beginning to wonder if this whole meme isn’t just a ploy to convince everyone otherwise. So this week, I’m going to pick some actual tweets, so you can see for yourself how dull I am. I will totally understand if you want to unfollow me immediately.

"Rubber duck"

Quack quack

Saturday – Love the new polka dot anti-mould rubber ducks from @cuddledry at @TheBabyShow

Sunday – Casually roasting a chicken.

Monday – How many meals do you make at tea time? wp.me/pJA3j-JS

Tuesday – @liveotherwise Oooh, are you doing @ThinkingSlimmer ? The voice man sounds to me like Jude Law – it is quite seductive!

Wednesday – @GappyTales you could break up an old cheap necklace and use the beads as jewels?

Thursday – Belle is loving the @AngelBerryMe experience. Think she has a bit of everything…

Friday – @TheLadyMagazine My mum was a Tupperware Lady when I was little, and she still has a lot of her ‘kit’, so it must last!

You see??!!

Oh yes, Tupperware is so durable! How fascinating! The Lady Magazine didn’t reply to that one. What a surprise.

I would really love for you to share your week in tweets, tedious or otherwise, if only to make me feel better. Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list. I promise I will read them all and give you a shout out on twitter. I clearly have nothing else to say.

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Welcome to a week in tweets, my regular weekly round-up of the week in 140 characters or less. I say regular – regular apart from last week, when I forgot.

I’ve tweeted over the last few weeks as Belle, as Bee, and as Nancy Drew, girl detective, so I thought it was about time I stopped hiding behind other people and wrote about my own week for a change. This week I’m feeling bad about the amount of biscuits I’ve eaten and television I’ve watched, so I thought I’d do a bit of a confessional.

As always, it’s more of a retrospective than an absolute accurate-to-the-day factual record, so if you’d like to have a go yourself this week, and add your post to my linky, do feel free to exercise a bit of artistic licence.

Monday – Went to book group. Took wine and haribo as a gift. Couldn’t resist second slice of cake and glass of wine. #reallyshouldn’thavedonethat

Tuesday – Went to @theSteadyTable. Gave out free books to passers-by. Flirted with young boys in an effort to get them to read blog. #reallyshouldn’thavedonethat

Wednesday – My birthday! Got a lot of books and jam. Lay in bed reading when should have been working. #reallyshouldn’thavedonethat

Thursday – Got asked for ID to buy wine in Sainsbury’s. Pointed out I am now 34. Went home with lemonade. Wished I’d taken ID #reallyshouldhavedonethat

Friday – Tried to make my own jaffa cakes. Yelled at over-eager daughter for not spooning mixture accurately. #reallyshouldn’thavedonethat

Saturday – Went to local wholefood shop. Spent too much money on halva, dried figs and milk made of coconuts. #reallyshouldn’thavedonethat

Sunday – Took ungrateful children to indoor shopping centre in the rain. Tried to buy their co-operation in John Lewis creperie. #reallyshouldn’thavedonethat

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Welcome to a week in tweets. Last week I tweeted as Bee, the week before I was Belle, and I don’t really fancy going back to being boring old me just yet. Monday: did some work, Tuesday: did a bit more work and ate a hobnob – no one really wants to read that do they?

So this week I thought I’d jazz it up a bit, and tweet as the one person whose life I would most like to lead apart from my own. Nancy Drew.

I’ve always loved the titian haired girl detective, and have a shamefully large collection of Nancy Drew books. I love her independence, her sense of adventure, and the fact that she really prefers to solve mysteries in a matching hat and gloves. It’s like a grown up Famous Five with a greater attention to accessories.

Nancy is always full of great advice, whether you’re looking for crime-busting support or relationship guidance, and so this week I’ve put together seven days of top tips from the girl herself, all genuine lines from Nancy Drew adventures. Enjoy!

Monday – When your chum goes undercover, a nice set of calling cards with her alias makes a nice gift. #bff

Tuesday – Though getting stuck at the top of a Ferris wheel can foil your sleuthing plans, it’s a great excuse to enjoy some quality time with your boyfriend.

Wednesday – You can rile up a villain by pretending to throw a treasure off a cliff. 

Thursday – If someone’s trying to buy a house and it suddenly becomes haunted, it’s probably not a coincidence. #justsaying

Friday – You know he’s the right guy for you when he can dismantle a mad scientist’s powerful transmitter and save the world!

Saturday – Sometimes pretending to go into a trance and reveal secrets from the past can elicit a confession from even the most high-handed types.

Sunday – It’s fun to take five from sleuthing for a little swim and a rousing diving contest. #chillaxing

Now it’s your turn. Write your very own week in tweets, add it my linky, and read the others by clicking here. You can tweet as yourself, one of your children, your favourite literary character, (Nancy Drew is literature, I don’t care what you say), whatever takes your fancy! You can even get a  week in tweets badge to go with it.

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Can I just say how genuinely excited I am by the fact that people are actually joining in my new thing – seriously, every time I get a message saying someone has added something to my linky, I get my smiley, trying-not-to-look-too-chuffed, face on, like when I score a goal at netball.

So thanks for that.

*beams casually*

This week I’m going to do something a bit different and tweet as Belle. For those of you who aren’t regular readers, Belle is nine, and a little on the dramatic side. She is wonderful of course – full of energy and passion – but she was what some might call a ‘sensitive’ baby, and she has yet to grow out of it.

I should say too that I did ask her before I did this and she said it was fine, I’m not just teasing her in secret.

…

Monday – Have to tidy my room again. So unfair. I already did it last month and I like my clothes on the floor. #criedforabit

Tuesday – Really hungry but Mummy only offering fruit. Something about dinner in ten minutes. Fine. I’ll just starve. #criedforabit

Wednesday – Wish I wasn’t banned from watching Disney Channel. Where else can I go for advice on sucky nail beds? #criedforabit

Thursday – Had to get up for school. Again. Why? Why? #criedforabit

Friday – Said I’d cleaned my teeth but no one believes me even though I ran my toothbrush under the tap. #criedforabit

Saturday – Not allowed chocolate brioche for tea, even though I ate five grapes yesterday. Mummy obviously hates me. #criedforabit

Sunday – Mummy says five episodes of H2O is plenty. Disagree. Wish I was a mermaid and could swim away to island paradise full of brioche. #criedforabit

Click here to enter your link and view the other entries on the Linky Tools list.

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Welcome to week two of  ‘A week in tweets’. Thank you so much to everyone who joined in last week. This week, by popular request, I’ve added a linky, so you can come and share a link to your very own week in tweets. Remember they don’t have to be real tweets, they can be a retrospective reflection on the week, a complete fabrication – whatever you like.

This week I decided to set myself a theme.

I moved to Bristol last summer, and when I tell people, the first question is normally ‘where did you move from?’

“Bridgwater,” I say.

Reactions fall into two camps. Some people have never heard of it, and just nod and smile politely. Those who’ve been say “Ah, I see…” and make that sideways jaw movement you do to a friend behind a third friend’s back when the third friend has just introduced you both a her new boyfriend, who is clearly a moron.

I’ve wanted to move to Bristol for years, and thought now I’m here, I should celebrate the fact.

…

Monday – When people ask #whyImovedtoBristol, I explain that I used to live in Bridgwater. ‘But you look so…normal!’ says one new acquaintance. #nfb

Tuesday – Off to @The SteadyTable writing group to write, chat and eat cake. Must do Actual Writing this time. Not just tweet. #whyImovedtoBristol

Wednesday – Drive to meeting. Take the suspension bridge. Worth 50p if only to think to self ‘I’m driving to a meeting across the suspension bridge’ #whyImovedtoBristol

Thursday – Sat in traffic wondering #whyImovedtoBristol. See a man in shorts casually walking along playing a tambourine and singing. Remember again.

Friday – Planning weekend. Love having more choices than ‘go to Wilkinson’s’ or ‘go to another town’. #whyImovedtoBristol

Saturday – Stroll to the city farm. Cast cursory glance at goats then head for café that looks like Gaudi built a treehouse. #whyImovedtoBristol

Sunday – Arranged to meet @bishopstonmum for a coffee next week. Never spoken until today. Feel nervous. Like on a blind date. #whyImovedtoBristol

…

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This week I am starting a New Thing, so bear with me while I set the scene. I promise that next week I won’t blather on. It’s a thing that you can get involved in though, so do pay attention.

Inspired by a column in Mslexia magazine, I’m starting a new regular slot called ‘A Week in Tweets’. Every Tuesday I’m going to post my week in tweet form, so no more than 140 characters for each day, and I’d love it if you would do the same and come and share them.

They can be real events or completely made up, I don’t mind, as it’s a great creative writing exercise – the writing process is all about the editing after all, and the 140 character limit is a fantastic way to boil your writing time to it’s basics. Some weeks I might have a theme, sometimes they’ll be funny (hopefully), and sometimes they might be sad. This week though, as it’s new, I’m easing myself in gently with some general twittering that I think sums up my week.

…

Monday – Just entered a competition to win £50 worth of sweets. I think I need to focus a bit more. And perhaps eat some lunch.

Tuesday – Played at being in charge at @TheSteadyTable. Managed to remember names. Distracted though by cake cabinet.

Wednesday – Just tried the new chocolate Philadelphia. Feel a bit uncomfortable, like I’ve just eaten cheesecake on toast.

Thursday – Very excited about the Greek salad downstairs. (Not any kind of euphemism, although it sounds vaguely dirty).

Friday – End of working week. No excuse now for hiding in attic office drinking tea. :-(

Saturday – Overcame fear of wild horses by imagining worst case scenario – self crushed savagely underhoof. #powerofnegativethinking

Sunday – Woken up with lovely Mother’s Day cup of tea in bed. At 7.09am. *frowns*

…

I’d really love it if you joined it, but there’s no pressure, I shall do it regardless. If you do fancy taking part, I’ve even made a badge, which you can add to your own blog. It took me about 27 hours to work out how to do all of this, so please try to look impressed, even if you don’t want it.

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