Thursday Pints West

When I joined the Twitterverse, I didn't know what to expect. I thought I would follow Lori, a few friends and family members, and that was it. In the first few weeks, I followed a couple of more twits that I was interested in, such as CBC News, our local weatherman, and a few Ottawa services.

But what I learned is that Twitter can be addictive for someone who likes to chat, likes to blog.

I soon found myself following lots of Ottawa tweeps. And, to my surprise, some started following me back. And over the months, many of us had both interesting and entertaining conversations.

Through Twitter, I became involved in the Ottawa social media scene. I was the MC at last year's Blog Out Loud, where area bloggers met and heard the words of some very talented writers. I also attended Social Capital Ottawa, where I met more local social-media folks and learned more about how to get the most out of my blog and Twitter.

One of these days, I'll implement what I learned.

I also joined the Worldwide Photo Walk last fall, which I learned about through Twitter. Again, I met some great people who were excellent photographers, and it was the first time I really started relaxing in this new environment.

I am, after all, horribly shy.

But last summer, I also started attending a weekly social gathering of my fellow tweeps and bloggers. This gathering, organized by the lovely and talented social-media guru, Shawna Tregunna (@ShawnaActually), takes place every Thursday at Darcy McGee's in Bells Corners. There can be anywhere from a small handful of peeps to more than 20 social-media folk.

One of the great things about this venue has been the musical entertainment at Darcy's. Amanda Cottreau and Steve Perron of Stairwell Leo are an amazing act and well worth the trip alone. But to have them perform in the background of this tweetup is something special.

On December 31, Darcy's closed its doors and underwent renovations. When it reopens, it will have a new look and a new name: The Brew Table. And though the pub is closed for January, Thursday Pints West continues. Last week, regulars Tom and Sue opened their doors to the tweeps, including Stairwell Leo. It was a wonderful and intimate gathering.

I shot plenty of photos of that night, and have posted most of them on my Picasa Web album. But here are a few:

If you're on Twitter, in Ottawa, and want to meet some wonderful people and listen to some great music, follow the hashtag #ThursPintsW. And when The Brew Table opens, come on out.