How do you personally use social media to your advantage?

Asked by prolificus (6583) January 3rd, 2011 from iPhone

Facebook, Twitter, etc., blogs, Q&A sites, etc. etc. What do you use and how do you use them to your advantage?

Before answering the OP, please consider these sub-questions first:

As a result of your social media activity…

Have you positively expanded your social network?

Improved your emotional well-being?

Increased your financial net worth?

Maximized your time management?

In other words, do you use social media as a tool to make your life better, or are you a tool of the social media ecosystem? Which is it? Why?