There has been plenty about 2016 not to like. The snowstorm and Arctic cold we experienced last week has been brutal as far as weather goes.
I can't help but be a little giddy, however, about some of my social media "success" this year. No, I don't have a YouTube channel. I don't have thousands of followers hanging on my every word. But when one of my posts gets more than a handful of "likes," it makes me happy. Realistically, I write just for myself. I use Twitter while watching TV and share the viewing experience with people who enjoy the same sort of show. I'll post a little something on Tumblr because it makes me chuckle. I blog here because there's something I want to say. I was already enjoying some of what social media has to offer when I wrote "I Like Social Media Because..." back in 2013. In a way, I guess it's that I like to hear myself talk. This way, nobody has to listen. That's why it's such a kick to learn that other people are listening.
I don't watch a lot of TV compared to some, but the shows I choose, I follow enthusiastically. PBS introduced me to "Doctor Who" when I was a child, but I've only been a regular viewer for about 10 years. So much to enjoy, and so many fans around the world. That's why I was honored when BBC America chose one of my tweets to display onscreen during a special episode featuring fan content early this year. There were dozens of tweets used, in addition to fan artwork and the like. I wish they had re-aired that enhanced episode or made it available online so I could have gotten a picture of my Twitter name onscreen for thousands of people to see.
I don't just live-tweet current shows, though. It also brings a new dimension to old favorites, those classic movies and shows that you don't mind watching again and again. Guess what? There are other folks out there who like to watch the same thing! It struck me one night when I was watching the 1933 "King Kong." Movie-making was still a relatively new art form at that time. Here we are using technology that may not have even been imagined when people were taking their weekly trip to the theater. How times have changed.
In 2014, I asked myself, "Do I NEED Another Social Media Account?" I decided that it wouldn't be such a bad idea and started using Tumblr. I'm still more active on Facebook and Twitter, but sometimes Tumblr is just the right venue for something I want to say. Recently, that was validated for me.
BBC America has been airing "The Power of the Daleks," animating some old "Doctor Who" episodes from 1966 for which only the audio recordings remained. It's another fine example of using modern techniques to make something old almost new again. Surprise! I've been tweeting while I watch! The network is pretty good about having a presence during the most popular shows, liking, replying, and retweeting as the mood strikes. One of my tweets caught their eye, so they retweeted it.
Because of that action, my tweet has received almost 200 likes and more than 40 retweets. Not bad, eh? *pats self on back* Since it got a decent reception on Twitter, I figured I'd share the same idea on Tumblr, with just a few more than 140 letters.
Again, the BBC America account reblogged my post. Now, after almost two weeks, I've had more than 1,100 interactions. Four digits! That's a new record for me! That sort of response doesn't always occur when I post, and it may not again. But I had just the right words at just the right time. I am pleased with myself.
