When do you tweet?

“People mistakenly think that tapping is not as distracting as talking,” she said. “In fact, it can be every bit as much if not more distracting. And it’s pretty insulting to the speaker.”

Mind Your BlackBerry or Mind Your Manners :: NYTimes (via psfk with thanks)

Read this article in the NYTimes this evening and its made me think about my iPhone usage socially... at work... in meetings... and in the church gatherings I attend.

I have a low attention span and checking tweets is a welcome distraction. This isn't necessarily a bad thing... sometimes a change is as good as a rest... and the distraction provides the needed energy burst of inspiration to carry on.

It is, however, pretty rude to check tweets when in someone's company. This is something I am bad at... and take this opportunity to apologise if I have been distracted in this way while in your company.

I have to switch off "DestroyTwitter" when I am recording the podcast... or I would sound way more distracted and rambly than I normally do.

I do tweet in our church gatherings. This is more about my attention span than a lack of engagement. I have thoroughly enjoyed the recent run of sermons that our Officers have brought to us... and my tweeting shouldn't be seen as detrimental to them.

So here's the question... when do you tweet? Specifically... do you tweet when you are on your own, when you are in company, or both? Do you consider it to be rude... or is there a new etiquette evolving where we give each other permission to remain connected with the twitterverse when interacting socially?

Let me hear your thoughts... Tx