#Pintotour

Unlike many would seem to believe, the Twitverse goes "a bit" far beyond the Twitter itself (a bit far because it goes far, but not too far, just somewhat far). As a recent Twitter, for long with a "Max" status (Max, from Mission:Impossible, the first one. The lady who said "anonymacy is a warm blanket"), I used to tweet from home (and still do), not really honing much this 140-character art, leaving it for the haphazardous messages with random content, and mainly to follow telecommmunication news and enterprises (because, really, I am addicted to telecomms and working with them drives me bonkers). So, aside from Latam, Telecommunication_Networks and GSM_Association, I simply followed my friends @dankenzon, @kcreyess and @shotahunter. People went collecting long lists of followers, reaching four and five figures, while I humbly ("humble" ain't me, but let's just go on those lines) kept meself in the mid two-figure rank. However, after hearing @dankenzon go on and on about the Twitters, I decided it was time to go see what's all this about.

A chance in Costa Rica to meet the twitpopulation is to participate in one of the many #tours organized by them. However, lil'chicken me wouldn't go nowhere without a "sponsor", so to say, because, believe it or not, though I'm rather comfortable being alone, I'm not comfortable introducing myself entirely alone to an unknown crowd without some "back up" force behind me. So, as if it were some kind of political lobbying strategy, I consulted with my friend about the tour to join. This is how we decided it would be good for me to meet the twitpopulation at the #pintotour, a traditional Costa Rican breakfast Twit-tour held at one of Costa Rica's most traditional diners: the Soda Tapia. This is located in the vicinity of my job, so going there, as it seems to be my curse, felt a bit like going to the office.

I woke up earlier than usually (for a Sunday), and dressed up comfortably, in clothes now I'm bound to use at the office. Hair held with a headband, coconut shell earrings and necklace (my eclipse pieces), Tatuum jeans and an old embroided blouse I inherited from my mom. On my way to the diner I saw people coming to the church, all dressed up in "church clothes", with pastel colours, long skirts, unflattering styles and beatified expressions plastered on faces that show scorn and ill gossip on weekdays. Curled up in my bus seat, filling my ears with classic rock from the 99.5 FM, the thought crossed my mind that while men wear clothes women seem to dress up, put on costumes as if everyday were somekind of carnival or play where they should accurately represent a role. It's an interesting thought and also something to consider about the way society goes. Is it that women have more freedom to express themselves with external signs, or is it that women are expected to constantly draw attention to themselves, as if they were the representative banners of the means and values of a given society? Not like that would give them more power over society, just as a billboard has no power over the things advertized on it.

I was running late for the #pintotour but my friend @dankenzon was running much later. To say that that was making me a uneasy would be something of an understatement. There were three people already there, and I didn't know any of them. Thanks Hyne they all turned out to be very friendly and inclusive people. More people started arriving and I was feeling more and more comfortable with them, talking to them, when their eyes and thumbs weren't glued to their phones.

felipezarate, acecostarica and the girl-that-doesn't-tweet

the beautiful, sweet and quiet evesosa

As we shared breakfast often I heard some of them say relieved how good it was to be among twitters so nobody would berate them for being constantly occupied with their cellphones. Within the standard paramethers of a social gathering, there were plenty of silences, where each one fo them seemed enthralled with their handheld of choice, which could be labeled as "rude", however this wasn't, or so it had to be taken. Since my cellphone has no Internet installed yet, for a moment I wondered if such self-involvement would extend its strange permit towards fishing out either my journal to write some, or the ragged copy of Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5" to read a couple of paragraphs. However, raised in the old ways of courtesy, I decided not to tempt the group with it.

Why do a Twitter has two hands? So he can eat with one and tweet about it with the other

@dankenzon talking (his main feature) to @Theresa_Dunn

Slowly the group grew in size, making us to join four to five tables (or so it seemed to me) for all the people attending the #tour. Conversation built up in the different corners of the table making the gathering even more enjoyable. Customized products were shown, made by (or for) @felipezarate, such as mousepads, termic jars and beer jars.


There I met as well with two interesting groups: the Sosa siblings and Pocho. Pocho runs a stream on Mondays known as pochotv, and the siblings are currently engaged in making Christmas cakes to raise money to help children. We got on speaking about welfare and Pocho told us how he hated it when people talked about how many unfair things happened around them but did nothing about it. Though I understand his point of view, I do understand as well that of the people who externate their dislike: often people feel helpless or feel as if they are so small, so powerless that there's nothing they can do about things other than bitch. Though it would be awesome if people were to take their lives and their circumstances in their own hands, truth is that not everybody has the guts and the means to do so. Many simply have no idea how to make things change. I do believe that speaking is a way, because it arises awareness. However, perhaps due to my recent exposure to the living conditions of Venado Island, or perhaps because I'm much softer at heart that I would like to admit, but I'd love to help, however in a different way than through traditional charity.

This experience, truly, was warming, refreshing and invigorating. I believe I'd love to keep #touring with them!