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(Editor’s Note: This is the third of three posts where NonDoc staff answer the question, “For someone new to either Oklahoma City or Twitter, who would you suggest as good ‘follows’ on the social media site?” Read Andrew Rice’s suggestions here and William W. Savage III’s here.)

Of all the “full-time” NonDoc staff, I am probably the least equipped to comment intelligently on which Twitter follows are worth your time. With a mere 110 accounts followed on my profile, I’m the lightest entry among my cohorts.

I joined Twitter in early 2014 in an attempt to spread marketing info about my then-side gig as a metal sculptor, hence the handle @metal_thorn, which was the name of my company on Etsy. After that venture petered out, I maintained radio silence until summer of this year, as the reality of NonDoc began firming up.

As such, the following suggestions represent only about six months’ worth of actively using Twitter for day-to-day research, socializing and wasting time in general.

Renowned dive bar

Handle: @EdnasDoor

Followers: 4,095

Real name: The Door prefers to remain anonymous, citing personal preference. Suffice to say a male employee of Edna’s runs the account. “[The account] is not about me,” he said via phone call Tuesday afternoon, “it’s about you.”

Who?: Edna’s, renowned dive bar and home of the original lunchbox

Why?: Far beyond being a mere digital sign post for specials and events at Edna’s bar, The Door has a knack for highlighting important current events in OKC and beyond. For example, the account has followed the #DanielHoltzclaw case diligently, posting photos and retweeting posts from activist groups like OKC Artists for Justice as the trial unfolds. It’s a mix of community-mindedness and media savvy few if any other bars can claim, in OKC and otherwise.

Sample tweets:

Russian media for an American audience

Handle: @RT_America

Followers: 296,000

Real name: Russia Today

Who?: Launched from Moscow in 2005 as a 24-hour TV-news network, Russia Today has grown to become a global media entity. RT as a TV network has faced criticism for being Kremlin lackeys and anti-West, but their American Twitter feed lacks any discernible agenda. Instead, it’s almost always filled with links I want to click.

Why?: Much like Al-Jazeera offers a different perspective from what one would likely find in Western media, RT offers takes on news that show otherwise mundane stories in a different light. For example, their U.S. home page features stories about our military and leaders completely devoid of jingoism. Unflinching headlines that beg to be clicked without being clickbait:

Sample tweets:

So much #LocalNews

Handle: Various

Real name: All the news

Who they are: TV news stations, newspapers, reporters

Why follow: When I finally became more active on Twitter earlier this year, my first objective was to build a collection of follows that would help me gain insight into local media, their coverage of stories, and the people behind the bylines. What I quickly learned, however, is that Channel 5 will clutter up your feed faster than a flock of finches fouling up the chimney flue. To that end, I employ the use of lists to sequester all the news from everything else in my feed.

Sample tweets: Here’s a link to my list of media handles in
Oklahoma. While some outlets have a habit of posting national and world news throughout the day, this list remains a relatively easy way to take local media’s temperature regarding the latest developments in current events.

Ultimately, that’s what Twitter is best for: The utility of the now.

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