A couple of years ago, I used a photo-sharing site to send out pictures of my kids to a list of friends and family. I used email to communicate with my co-workers and friends, a read a bizillion magazines every month including several local publications, watched the news in the morning on TV and googled restaurants and businesses in my area to gain information about them before going to them.

Now I use Facebook and Twitter.

I’m a fan of all the restaurants and businesses that I like, news outlets, special interest groups, and more on Facebook. I follow celebs, tech geeks, restaurants, businesses and news outlets on Twitter. Each time I check in on one of these services I have my very own personalized view of the world.

I only see what interests me because I have chosen to let these companies, businesses and people, share their news with me. I know that Monday is cross-town burger night at the Hamilton Tavern and that the elusive Droid update may or may not be happening tomorrow at 7am. I’ll be attending a private moving sale for Bosom Bufddy Bags on Thursday night, and before that I’m going to go stock up on some discounted wine at Cranbrook Liquors bright and early tomorrow morning. I also just found out that a Fells Point Landmark could be turning into a Hotel.  And I am able to show my friends and family this little incident that occurred while I was otherwise occupied.

Facebook and Twitter are my all in one news service completely customized to meet my needs and wants.  I love it when the places of which I am fan or a follower send out updates to let me know the latest goings on in their business because not only do I feel more “in the know” about the business, but it also helps me just to remember that they’re out there.  So the next time I’m craving a burger, I’ll think of the Hamilton Tavern and their Monday night burger specials.  Tomorrow I’ll be shopping at Cranbrook as opposed to my neighborhood store, and Thursday I’ve hired a babysitter, just to get to Bosom Buddy Bags incredible sale.