The newest Internet rage is Twitter, a form of instant messaging that asks, "What you are doing right now?" Please do not become discouraged by what you may see on the Public Timeline. Twitter also has a "protected" mode that offers controllable privacy, and that's the safe corner of Twitter where I abide.

My desire is to meet well-mannered Friends who like to share our hobbies of photography, birdwatching, canal walks, and hometown history. Our daily (or more often) updates will convey what we are currently doing with our cameras and other interests.

If you click on my Twitter link beneath the featured photo, above, you will not yet see my updates, but you will see my name, William Engstrom, and a link to this blog as identification. First, we must agree to be Friends. After joining Twitter, send only follow dotndash and, within 24 hours, I will return approval. Then, after you see my picture of a telegraph key in your Friends list, we will both receive each other's updates, and we can also exchange D (direct) messages. For more help, read this tutorial.

I am thinking outside the usual box about ways that Twitter can provide a virtual companionship among small groups of photobloggers and those of similar interests. Let's give this a try and see what happens.