What Superhero Are You?
If you don’t use Twitter or find it trivial and annoying, stop reading. This post will only cement what you already think.
I can’t be sure, since Twitter happens to be down for scheduled maintenance right now, but I first heard from Dennis Howlett that this week was superhero week on Twitter.

Later in the day, Sam Lawrence confirmed that, starting tomorrow, the next week would be superhero week on Twitter. I guess two tweeters was enough to convince me, so I immediately updated my avatar.

For the last month or so, each Friday has been chinposin day. This is like casual Friday applied to Twitter, only instead of wearing a Hawaiian shirt, you change your Twitter avatar to a picture of you assuming a pensive pose, i.e. hand to chin, or something similar.
I’ve been having a small Twitter crisis lately, in that I think I’m following too many people and can’t keep up with all the updates. So, I’ve passed on the chinposin Twittermeme. However, I couldn’t pass up superhero avatars.
Why you may ask? I love comics and cartoons. I know, “Hi, I’m Jake. I’m 34, and I like cartoons and comics.” Still, nothing gets me going like a Batman vs. Superman debate. Batman, if you’re wondering.
This is part where my wife rolls her eyes.
One of the things I like most about Twitter is its personal side. Twitter exposes people’s real lives, what they do, what they think, what’s happening in their lives. People I follow have had babies and tweeted about (congrats Craig). Others have been through family crises and illnesses over Twitter.

I haven’t met these people in person, but I can share their experiences through Twitter, if I so desire. That’s a neat side effect.
So, this week, we’re having a laugh. I highly suggest you pick a superhero for the week. It’s actually an interesting study in human nature, too. The reasons why someone would choose a certain superhero could tell you a lot about that person. Take Christine Lu for example, as she lays out her reasons for why she picked Miriya from Robotech.
Plus, it’s like Hallowe’en, without the crafts.
If you’re wondering, my superhero is the Tick, who is celebrating his 20th anniversary this year. Why some obscure character that you probably don’t know.
He always made me laugh.
Anyway, enjoy the week as your favorite alter ego.
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April 6th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
will, muss diese Woche nur seinen Avatar auf einen Superhelden ändern und einen Twitter mit „#supers” loslassen. So lassen sich bequem alle Teilnehmer etwa über Twitter Tracking oder #hashtags herausfinden. Mehr zu dem Thema gibts u.a. auch imOracle AppsLaboder bei Christine Lu. Tagged as: fun, meme, supers, twitter [Sonntag, 20080406, 17:56 | permanent link | 0 Kommentar(e)
April 11th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Jake at Oracleshares that on Fridays people who Twitter change their avatars to a picture of themselves chinposin. IBM plans to host Second Life and related avatars behind its firewalls. Only condition – no casual Oracle Fridays.
April 6th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Nice post Jake. I was part of Chinposin last week as well of SuperHero this week. Like you, I find that Twitter allows me to share personal information with my “Twitter Friends.”
I know that is hard for people to understand the Twitter addiction, but last week I had PHONE conversations about work related projects with Dennis Howlett, Sam Lawrence and Christine Lu — contacts I made via Twitter. (looks like we follow the same people)
Some co-workers and family members think I’m crazy as I update my status, but Twitter has become an important tool for my team.
Visit my Twitter page and see my casual Friday Hawaiian shirt in two weeks: http://twitter.com/OracleJulio and while you read my updates, I will share with you some special projects from Oracle.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:45 am
@OracleJulio: Twitter is a conversation, more so than IM/chat and blogs/comments. FriendFeed is similar, partly because of a huge overlap with Twitter.
So, it’s easy to engage someone you don’t know personally and extend relationships with people you’ve met in person.
You follow and are followed by so many people, there’s bound to be a lot of overlap
April 7th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I don’t twitter (tweet??) but I love the Tick! Nice choice.
Falling in love with a supervillan is Trouble with a capital “Troub”
April 7th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Interviewer: Well, can you… blow up the world?
Tick: Egad. I hope not. That’s where I keep all my stuff.
April 8th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Love The Tick!!
I’ve passed on the super-hero meme, mainly because I just switched away from Kim Possible, and don’t feel like moving back. But I agree, it’s a simple thing to help connect to your twitter friends, and not nearly the time-sink of FB’s Ninja’s vs Pirates.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
@Gretchen: I’d forgotten your Kim Possible avatar. You’re ahead of your time, a trendsetter.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:31 am
[...] Jake at Oracle shares that on Fridays people who Twitter change their avatars to a picture of themselves chinposin. [...]
April 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
SPOON
April 10th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
@corina: Alas, the week of Tickness is nearly over, so back my normal self.