What is Twitter and Why Can't People Stop Talking About It?

With the media all a flutter about Twitter, you'd think someone just invented the newest Krispy Kreme craze. When you got mainstream types like Stephen Colbert and Barbara Walters chirping about this latest social networking thing, well, it's easy to see how the gab fest is going Main street.

In geek speak, Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets. You can use Twitter on the computer, cell phone, or mobile device. Twitter has also been referred to as the "SMS of the Internet" because the platform is based on text messaging technology.

With that explanation, you're probably falling asleep or scratching your head thinking to yourself, "Uh, so what?" Yeah, I get it.

So, this is how I describe Twitter: Twitter is a Swiss army knife of texting awesomeness. Here's what you get:

• A global village: You have the ability to meet and connect with anyone in the world, as many people as you want, at any time, from any place you can get Internet or cell phone coverage.

• Expressing and sharing: Part of living an authentic life is expressing and sharing who you are, what you offer, and how you give. Twitter let's you do all those things in small safe ways.

• Short: There is only room for 140 characters in a tweet, perfect for short attention span

• Easy: If you can text on a cell phone, you can tweet. There are no applications to install, software to learn, or things to upload or attach. It's simply texting on a computer or mobile device.

• Effortless: 140 characters requires minimal exertion 

• Fun: Besides chatting it up with your friends and family, Twitter is full of entertainment. More and more celebrities are getting on like @MarthaStewart and @LanceArmstrong. Even politicians like oh, our President @BarackObama.

Sometimes it's like watching reality TV in text form, talent show in SMS, beauty pageant in words, drama, comedy, thriller. Instead of reading a magazine while waiting in a doctor's office or in an airport lounge, you can pull out your mobile device with Twitter and be entertained for as long as you want. It's like life in your pocket or purse.

• Useful: Twitter is not just care-free fun, you have access to a worldwide community of experts, leaders, educators, and just plain old smart, wise folks who not only share their knowledge but are open to helping you and others. You can also get access to big companies like @WholeFoods or @Ford and actually get some interaction with them as more and more of these brands realize the social clout of Twitter.

• Free: Enough said

Twitter becomes more enjoyable once you really start engaging with others. It's like going to a cocktail party or barbecue. Sitting in the corner observing is not very enriching. When you start talking to people, or people start talking to you, that's when things start livening up.

So what are you waiting for? Here's a simple way to get started. And, when you sign up, come by and tweet me @skinnyjeans, "Hi Steph, saw you on The Everyday Blogger." I'll make it a point to Follow you back :)