Did the title get your attention?  I thought it would.

It’s a serious question though.  I signed up for Twitter two years ago and I didn’t “get” it.  So I left it.  Then, one year ago, I decided to give it another try.  I had watched a short video about how to use Twitter and I thought there had to be some benefit of connecting with other people who have similar interests.  Turned out it was the best move I could have made.

So, I tweeted.

I searched for human resources and recruiters to follow and within a few days I was following some interesting people.

Who were the first three who connected with me, interacted with me, and made a real impact on my life?

Michael Long (@theredrecruiter)

Michael, the Red Recruiter, has been instrumental in developing my social media skills.  He was the person who made me pick up a phone and *meet* him.  He was the person who encouraged me as my blog was new.  He was the person who has supported my efforts every step of the way.  Michael has helped so many people learn how to use social media to meet people in the industry.  Long before Twitter had lists, it was Michael who created the #FollowHr hash tag so that HR and recruiting professionals could find each other easier.

Steve Boese (@steveboese)

Steve, author of ‘Steve Boese’s HR Technology‘,  has been one of my biggest supporters.  He has included me many, many times in his HR Happy Hour radio show on Blogtalk Radio.  He was also one of the first people to jump on board with the first HRevolution un-conference. Steve spent countless hours making arrangements so that HRevolution would be a success.  Since then, we’ve collaborated on e-books, posts, speaking engagements, and business ventures.  He also opened my eyes to HR technology, an area of HR that I never felt comfortable with until this past year.  He’s still right there in my corner for HRevolution 2010 and I am so grateful he was one of the first people I met.

Mike Krupa (@pdxmikek)

Mike is the perfect friend.  He showed me right away that it’s easy to make a connection with someone online.  He is genuine and sincere, and snarky too!  He’s one of the smartest HR tech guys around and always willing to share his ideas with me.  When I met him in person at the HR Technology Conference last fall, it was if I had known him forever.  I know that I can pick up the phone and call him day or night.  He also writes a great blog (www.infoboxinc.com) and always supports mine.

So, as you can see, I got really lucky when I started using Twitter.  Since then, I have met more great people than I could ever name.  I’ve traveled with them, shared family stories with them, became true friends with them.

So, who were your “firsts”?  Tell me about them in the comments.

Twenty-ten

It’s not just a new year, it’s a new decade.  Instead of looking back at 2009, I’ve spent some time today looking back at my last decade.  Many things have changed since then, some great and some heartbreaking.  Here’s a brief timeline:

2000- Carefree.  I was working at PwC and having the time of my life.  I was studying diligently in graduate school and had a new puppy at home.  I had the world on a string.

2001- Accomplishment.  My job was going well and I earned my Master’s in HR Management.  My beautiful nephew Nicholas was born and my family was on cloud nine.  I also adopted my 2nd pup, Annie, and she brought such joy to my life.

2002- Humility. Life had been going so well but I learned that I was not likely to have children.  Devistating blow because I had always wanted a big family.

2003- Resilience. This was my monumental year.  We built our 2nd home and moved early in the year.  And, after going through infertility treatments for months, I was blessed to learn I was having twins.  It was also the scariest year because of the difficulty of carrying the twins to term.  I ended the year with two tiny, perfect little babies.  This was the year I learned that miracles really do happen and that family and friends really do mean the world to me.

2004- Sacrifice.  This was my year with little to no sleep.  Seriously.  It was also a year full of all the “firsts” for the babies.  I also enjoyed a flexible work arrangement with PwC and learned that there are companies that really care about their employees.  A real highlight was the birth of my niece, Halle, almost exactly one year after the twins were born.  I also loved that my cousin (and pseudo “big sis”) moved to live by me.

2005 &  2006- Contentment.  These were the years of growth, both at work and at home.  I had some ups and downs, but mostly great times.  I began volunteering as the Family Teams chairperson for the St. Louis March of Dimes. I completely focused on being a great mom and might have lost sight of “me” a bit.

2007- Hope. We bought a new house.  On the day after I learned we sold our house, I was laid off.  I quickly found what it’s like to have the rug pulled out from under you.  I used my time focusing on my family, making my new home wonderful, and rebuilding my career. I landed a new job and learned what it means to be grateful.

2008- Adjustment and Perseverance.  Learning the ropes at a new company after being at the old company for so long was challenging.  I was also adjusting to living in a new suburb with new neighbors.  It was a year of many new friendships.  It was also a year where I had a major health scare and came close to losing my life.  During a “routine” scope procedure, a doctor punctured my esophagus and I nearly died.  It took time in ICU and months on an all liquid diet to begin the healing.

2009- Relationships.  This was a year of extreme highs and lows.  I realized I was unfulfilled and missing something.  I knew it was on a personal level because I craved challenge and self development.  I had spent so many years focusing on everyone else except me.  So, I dove into social media and met some wonderful people.  My gratitude goes to three special people who pulled me in and led me down the path:  Mike Krupa, Steve Boese, and Michael Long.  I learned more about my profession, technology, and relationships in one year than I had in my entire life.  I came out of this year stronger, more self-motivated, and inspired.

So, that brings me to today.  What’s in store?

What I know is that this is my year of RELOADING and I’m  focusing on three things: Learning, Collaborating, and Community. Everything I do will be with those things in mind.  The result I hope to achieve is that by the end of the year I will have some new, tangible relationships and projects I can look back at and be proud of.

If you want to collaborate and have a great idea, hit me in the comments.  Let’s do some great things together!