I don’t know how many of you have delved into the world of “Social Media”…my guess is probably all of you in some way or another…whether you know it or not. These days, almost everything we do has some kind of social media aspect to it. You can “tweet” on Twitter, “friend” on Facebook, or “link in” on LinkedIn. But wait. There’s more… blogging, texting, Waving, IM, MySpace, Buzz, Podcast, FORscene, YouTube, Vimeo… the list seems endless!

Now, I like to think I have a pretty good handle on it all and that I can hold my own to a certain degree. I’ve read “Trust Agents”, by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. I’ve read “Six Pixels of Separation” by Mitch Joel; “Get Seen” by Steve Garfield; and “Crush It” by Gary Vaynerchuk. All are considered the “bibles” of social media.

This weekend I attended my first ever “Pod Camp” along with 1400+ others. Pod Camp Toronto 2010 took over the Rogers Communications Centre at Ryerson University on February 20 & 21. It was a wonderful, action-packed weekend with multiple speakers running simultaneous seminars throughout the day. It was tough deciding which one to attend at any given interval. My favourite part was actually meeting some of the people I have been actively communicating with for some time ― in person ― and recognizing them from their avatars. So what did I learn? I learned that no matter how much I think I know, I know nothing! There is more to learn every day: new stuff, updated stuff and stuff I’ve never heard of!

Last night (Tuesday February 23, 2010) I am attended my second “Meet Up – Third Tuesday Toronto”. One presenter – Mitch Joel from Twist Image, author of “Six Pixels of Separation” – with 400 people in the room. Mitch Joel brought his “A” game for his presentation and for answering some pretty complicated questions.

There is no lack of participation in these groups. You could probably attend something different every night and find it to be standing room only. There is no way to keep up with all of it. You can only do the best that you can. The key is to not let it overwhelm you. All of these Social Media tools are just that… tools. Fill your tool box with what works for you. When you get a new tool, give yourself some time to get the feel of it. If it doesn’t work for you, put it down and try another. Social Media, in one way or another, is here to stay. You might as well start building.

So, what’s in your toolbox?