August 20, 2008
Geek Birth 2008 and Social Media
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So we’ve been blessed with another new baby here in the Jangro household. It’s been a busy few weeks here since August 7th when Jason Thomas was born. Beyond the normal joys, trials, and tribulations that come with a newborn, there has been a new dimension to such an important event. Social Media.
Since his big brother was born a little more than two years earlier, so much has changed in the online world. And it’s hard to even remember what communications were like when his older sister was born 11 years ago.
This time around, I didn’t send out an email announcement (though my wife did to her friends and family), yet more people than ever were informed more quickly than ever thanks to the tight online social network that I’ve developed in the past few years.
Dozens of my online friends and colleagues were enthusiastic witness to some hourly updates of the progress on my wife’s induction thanks to Twitter and Flickr. Even my mother and sister followed the minute-by-minute updates on Twitter. My other brother and sister and dozens of other friends kept up through a few facebook updates.
A few days later, I attended a little of Affiliate Summit. And I could not believe that virtually everybody I knew at the show (a lot of people) greeted me with a big “congrats!” What an amazing thing that so many people were completely in the loop about what had happened to me just a few days earlier.
A few people expressed how odd it was that I was posting updates to twitter from the delivery room. But it was a slow start and we were pretty much just waiting for things to happen for most of the morning. To have so many people following along real-time with their well-wishes was pretty crazy, but fun.
There are not many events in a person’s live that are at such a high level of importance. And it was interesting to see what happened when it is cast out to the web 2.0 world, particularly Twitter.
Most interestingly, the differences in types of “friends and followers” and how people use Twitter really became very apparent. I don’t have a huge group of followers maybe 650 at the time, and I understand that most of them don’t watch twitter at all on a day-to-day basis. Though a good subset of them are very active Twitter users. I was pleased, and even a little surprised at how many people, especially those I don’t know personally, were seeing my updates and took the time to respond.
Just the same, I was a little let down to see some people who I do know pretty well, were so busy posting their own twitter updates at the usual frenetic pace, somehow didn’t seem to notice my posts or the flurry of activity among common friends.
Clearly they’re in it for different reasons. I think they’re missing the point, or at least missing out.
That's pretty cool - my sons were born 28 and 22 years ago and we thought it was “out of sight” that my husband could be in the room and take a video. Your two little brothers are going to be great friends (and sometimes beat each other up).
Congratuations!
Congratulations, Scott!
Excellent article
hey, thanks Rick!
Twitter updates were exciting and I think you were first to share this info via tweets. The flickr pics show that Jason Thomas is ridiculously good looking even from the first minutes of arrival tothe world. Well done!
First of all, what a darling picture. Both older Jangros look so awestruck and protective, it's really beautiful
I completely agree with your observations about how you can learn a lot about a person's intent and character just based on their tweets… When I started, I debated only posting business related updates…then I realized that 1) everyone I know is already ahead of the game, so any news I had would probably already be outdated; and 2) the status updates I enjoy the most, are the ones that let me have a peek of personality. So I figure, if you don't like my tweets, then stop following me. It's the reader's choice, not mine 
thanks Steph! I don't know about first, maybe in our small circle.
Thank you! You're looking at the soon-to-be model of a Shareasale kids t-shirt. As soon as I can get some cooperation (which may be never!)
First!
notice the t-shirt I'm wearing?
“you can learn a lot about a person's intent and character just based on their tweets”
Ouch, i lack character then. My grandma told me that was the case, but I think it was the morphine talking… that's what i tell myself anyhow.
Janguru, right now, you are among the richest people alive - baby Jang and your family with him in these pics makes Warren Buffet look like a pauper chump. And Bill Gates wishes that he had what you have in your heart and in your days. Though he's got several wives and a gaggle of heirlets, The Sultan of Brunei envies you. I told you those $0.00 checks would add up!
Type your comment here.
Scott, I wanted to take a few minutes to comment on your excellent post! As you know, I have also been through the experience of having a baby (Lily - born Sunday 8/17) and using the social networks as a tool for communicating the goings on.
I too received warm wishes and congratulations (from you personally - thanks!) … & from those that I interact with on twitter, facebook etc.. family, friends and even distant friends from years ago were up to date immediately. There was a slight sense of hesitancy on my part about publishing the event, and I have previously held back video posting with my two year old Sierra to avoid “overexposing” my family. However, I felt that this occasion was a perfect use for our new world of communication.
There have been some things written about the upcoming generations and the impact of the internet, gaming et al and how it might increase anti-social behaviors by encouraging less personal face to face interaction. Our recent experiences prove that interactions can be straight up personal if you want them to be….. just in a different form. You and I could never have experienced the births of each others children in real time, unless we just happened to be neighbors.
For that .. I am thankful to you and your wife for letting me be involved. Thank her personally for me. I will always take an interest in how Jason Thomas is progressing through life's stages of infant > toddler > young man.
Of course, I can't keep my brain from going to the business side of things! I haven't been able to get past the lack of ” brand involvement”. Let me first say that I don't want to pollute the streams and would hate to see too much unfiltered insertion of brands … but, did you see any brands pick up on the fact that you were having a baby? I didn't. They sure know how to do it at the hospital … we were sent home with our Similac bag of samples and Pampers diapers. If I were in their shoes I'd be watching the streams for mentions of babies being born, and reach out in some way….. maybe a coupon code or community invite of some kind.
Glad you are all doing well. Hopefully your other kids have accepted this new being in the home .. Sierra gave Lily a “tour” of her room, toys etc.. so she is more comfortable with someone dividing our attention.
See you online….
what's going on Joe? Are you having problems with the comment form?
Hey Scott .. I tried again. The new form is a little counter intuitive
about logging in and posting comment.
Got it this time!
Joe
thanks for the thoughtful reply Joe. It means a lot.
I've been through the same trepidations about going so public with not only me with my silly t-shirt pics, magazine interviews, and otherwise opening up about my business, but especially pictures and videos about my family. I finally got over the concerns and felt that the new level closeness that we can achieve with people from all over the world far outweighs them. I really do feel that opening up and being real with both personal and business stuff has been a really good thing for me.
Your reply here exemplifies that as much as anything else.
Even though you and I haven't met, I liked you from the start thanks to the Red Sox hat and your friendly online persona. I do hope to meet in person someday.
As for “brand involvement” there was just one failed attempt. I forget who it was, but if I remember correctly someone wished me a happy birthday triggered from some post about Jason. I'm sure more of that will come soon.
Congrats again on your own new baby!
Thank you Pat. I do indeed feel very rich these days.
Congrats mate! 2 kids are handfull - our youngest just turned 1.. phew
However on the social media side, I'm not really into and I know the wife would have my head on plate if I had the HTC out in the delivery room.. oh wait, she delivered on the bathroom floor, but still
Congrats again Jangro family!
bathroom floor, that's right!
My god man, I'm thinking the stress levels were a little different between our kids' births.
Had the stress gone up any, I'm sure the iphone would have disappeared MUCH sooner than it did.
thanks Ras.
Congrats! But really, you didn't need to name him after me.
Happy Birthday from G3 :D, congrats, My Bday actually was earlier
Congratulations! I wish the best of luck for you and your kids!
The pictures of your wife and child are charming.
Congratulation for the new baby boy, Jangro…
From the picture, I can see that the little Jason is a cute boy
not another geek…Arghhhhh
Congratulations Scott! Your follower count will now balloon to 651. If you ever make it down to NYC, you might enjoy the Taste of Technology conference coming this September…
Congratulations Scott. The pictures of your family are lovely - you are certainly blessed.
Only 651 followers hey, puts me to shame - make that 652.
Aww Congratulations, your two year old looks interested in him. We have a 2 year old boy and a 6 month old girl and he loves taking care of his little sister.
Yey! A new geek is born!
Congrats! Couldnt find a name..whats his name?
mmm, first sentence.
It's Jason.
Hi Jangro,
Congratulation! You are very lucky. Lovely photos indeed. Congratulation to Jason that have lovely father as you.
I am not a huge fan of Twitter, so I also find it intriguing that you kept teweeting (is that the right term at all?) from the delivery room.
Congrats and long healthy life to the baby!
[...] How tired Scott is from his new baby [...]
wow! Congratulations! Thank you so much jangro for posting such a nice article.
Congratulations Scott! I'm so happy for you!!
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