Blue Dot in FloridaNov 26, 2022
Don Melton

#FollowFriday

In my three weeks of being a self-appointed Walmart greeter here on #Mastodon, I've noticed people looking for a connection. Just someone to follow them.

So I follow them. Why? Because it costs me nothing, other than time to say hello and click the "+" button.

Many of these folks are shy. Often they're not big posters anyway. So they're not crowding my Home timeline.

And when they do post?  So cool. And I think, "There's my new friend! I wonder what they have to say?"

Nov 25, 2022 at 10:44pmWeb
Show threadDaniel 🏳️‍🌈 Jilg Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton hi Don! You’re cool! 😁
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@daniel Thank you! But I haven't been cool for at least 50 years. If I ever was back then anyway. 😆
Show threadDaniel 🏳️‍🌈 Jilg Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton fair. I guess I’m past cool as well now
Show threadRJDNov 25, 2022
@donmelton good stuff I've connected with heaps via your timeline!
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@Rjdlandscapes Thanks so much! But I almost want to apologize for bombarding you with all that stuff. 😆
Show threadRJDNov 25, 2022
@donmelton much better than not enough!
Show threadMatthew MorrowNov 25, 2022
@donmelton @Rjdlandscapes don’t stop please! Much appreciated! 🙏
Show threadJulianNov 25, 2022

@donmelton I'm working on "object permanence" here in starting to recognize the name of people, more than once.

Eventually I'll think, "I've seen this person's name's in the replies before, I know them." Not there yet. But working on it.

Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@julianeon Woof! Yeah, that does take awhile I will admit. 😅
Show threadMyMiloCat+MydogNoodlesNov 26, 2022
Past age of 73, object permanence becomes a labile state, as in: where's the key, that's the wrong key, aaaah my coffee is here somewhere. 🤷 @donmelton
Show threadDon MeltonNov 26, 2022
@LeslieVS1965 LOL! I can tell you that at age 65 it's already happened to me. 😆
Show threadRedshoeNov 25, 2022

@donmelton

Now this is the kind of Norman Rockwell attitude I've been seeking on this platform. I love this. "There's my new friend."

Show threadGodfrey642Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton See! Mastodon is full of kind ppl 🌟
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@Godfrey642 Indeed! Kindness is what delights me most about Mastodon. Well, compared to Twitter anyway. 🙂
Show threadGodfrey642Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton Living life kindly takes so little effort. Not just on here but everywhere.
I started thanking ppl for their professional work about 4 months ago: in shops, on public transport, in offices, on the phone. Its amazing how happy it makes ppl.
We were in London on holiday and a woman at a tube station helped us with our travel card and i thanked her for her time, professionalism and helpfulness. She almost cried and said it had made her day to have her work recognised.
Ppl help us kindly all the time. We should thank them.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022

@Godfrey642 This. 💯 You are so right. And kindness is always appreciated. It's a super power that we all have if we're willing to use it.

Thank you so much for that story. ❤️

Show threadGodfrey642Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton You are very welcome. I had the same reaction after thanking a guy on the phone for helping with a car insurance problem. I don't think ppl get recognised at work anywhere near as much as they should. We all of us give so much of our time and lives to our careers. During lockdown it was ppl like truck drivers and shelf stackers that kept us afloat. How often do they get thanked?
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@Godfrey642 Exactly! 💯
Show thread@misterjayem on BlueSkyNov 25, 2022
@donmelton I've been doing something very similar.
Show threadJuliaknowsNov 25, 2022
@donmelton I was a greeter at Kmart back in the day. Safe to say you are doing a better job than I did.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@juliaknows LOL! Really? 😂 Well, I am very flattered. Thank you so much! ❤️
Show threadMark Wyner Won’t Comply Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton same. I follow more people than follow me, even. If folks have something to say of any interest at all, that’s a follow. I love seeing what people share.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022

@markwyner This. 💯 You have figured out the secret to "winning" Mastodon. It's never about the number of people who follow us. It's about the number we follow.

Thanks so much for this comment! 👍

Show threadMark Wyner Won’t Comply Nov 26, 2022
@donmelton then th next challenge is curating those followers so we get all the good stuff. I’m mastering the art of lists. Though the UX on those needs work, for now they’re working okay.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 26, 2022
@markwyner Oh yeah! I've already started on the lists as well. They're turning out to be essential. And, yeah, the UI could be better.
Show threadADHDel-DRAFT-v10-final (2).docNov 26, 2022
@donmelton @markwyner …if you have a list of UXers you’ve found on here I’d like to take a look. 🙋🏻‍♂️
Show threadMark Wyner Won’t Comply Nov 26, 2022
@del @donmelton sure, I can share some recommendations. I haven’t discovered a huge UX community here, same as you. But they’re around. I wish it was easier to share lists on Mastodon. The UX for that feature is interestingly poor. I got you, though. Hang tight.
Show threadMark Wyner Won’t Comply Nov 28, 2022
@del @donmelton so, I thought I had you. It’s not any easier to share lists from a desktop computer. In fact, there’s no linking options for the list itself or the handles therein. It’s just a modal window. I’d love to see this change. I’ve been finding good #UX folks by following that tag. Perhaps that will help you as well.
Show threadADHDel-DRAFT-v10-final (2).docNov 28, 2022
@markwyner @donmelton no problemo. I’ll give it a tap and see where it takes me. Thank you 🙏🏻
Show threadMark Wyner Won’t Comply Nov 28, 2022
@del @donmelton for reference, you’re on my UX list. 😉
Show threadADHDel-DRAFT-v10-final (2).docNov 29, 2022
@markwyner @donmelton I better start posting some #UX stuff I guess.
Show threadBigDave Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton
It is "social media," after all.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@daver Right!? It's important to never forget that. 👍
Show threadBigDave Nov 25, 2022
@donmelton
I've been on this platform in various guises for something over a year, and it feels more like a "community" than a "product," if that makes sense.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@daver Oh yeah, that makes perfect sense. And I can understand why you feel that way.
Show threadClay DalyNov 25, 2022
@donmelton “There’s my new friend!”… I love that energy. We could use more of that these days.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@cwdaly Right!? And that's really the energy that we're making, right here on Mastodon. Every day I am delighted by that.
Show threadClay DalyNov 25, 2022
@donmelton love it. I’m totally here for it.
Show threadNaomiNov 25, 2022
@donmelton this is my approach too. I’m not shy here. Many are. I get to be their first follower! It’s fun.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@amythicwitch Good for you! 👍 Mastodon needs us extroverts, right?
Show threadNaomiNov 26, 2022
@donmelton we’re connectors ✨
Show threadDon MeltonNov 26, 2022
@amythicwitch Well put! 💯
Show threadRameshNov 26, 2022
@donmelton @amythicwitch Cheers to people like you ☺️
Show threadDon MeltonNov 26, 2022
@bramesh @amythicwitch Thank you so much! 👍
Show threadSusy BotelloNov 25, 2022
@donmelton I come across great posts and then see you reblogged it. 😊
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@susybotello LOL! Sorry for "stealing" them. 🤣
Show threadSusy BotelloNov 25, 2022
@donmelton haha I would not have seen many of them had you not presented them to me 😊✌️
Show threadBushbarkNov 25, 2022
@donmelton that is just a lovely thing to do. Thank you.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 25, 2022
@bushbark Thank you so much! ❤️
Show threadKarlFNov 25, 2022
@donmelton well said.
Show threadDevoraNov 25, 2022
@[email protected] Now following! Thanks for this encouraging post.
Show threadCalamity CaitlinNov 25, 2022
@donmelton aww that's so sweet! 🥰🥰🥰 I'm new here myself, but I always make a habit to make new folks feel welcome in any space I can. The new kids are always welcome to sit at my lunch table. ❤️
Show threadDon MeltonNov 26, 2022
@squeevening Excellent! 👍 It's a big lunch table here, isn't it? 😀 And thank you so much.
Show threadPeriNov 26, 2022
@donmelton
Absolutely this! We all had to start with that one follower.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 26, 2022
@Peri_Jnet Right!? And we all appreciated it too when we got our first. It's always fun to return that favor.
Show threadPeriNov 26, 2022
@donmelton and as you said, it costs nothing. Kindness is not something that runs out.
Show threadRameshNov 26, 2022
@donmelton lovely attitude 😊
Show threadDavid JonesNov 26, 2022
@donmelton Hi, this is the best walmart I''ve ever been to and I hope they take care of you here.
Show threadDon MeltonNov 26, 2022

@ShogunOfTruth LOL! Yes. Yes they do. 🤣

And thank you for reminding me. 👍

Show thread💙 I Bleed Blue 💙Nov 26, 2022
@donmelton I do that same. Boosting introductions, etc. is a way to help them. I'm all for that. It's not a numbers game here. I have connected with so many interesting people and seen some beautiful art, photos and interesting information. I've been here almost a month. Do not miss that other app at all! 😊