Why Twitter makes me feel like a twit

Please help me with this one. Do you understand Twitter?

I really am trying to work it out, but I just don't seem to be able to follow what happens there. I'm following people, but I don't understand their messages. I keep seeing all these weird links but they mean nothing to me. I post, and yet after 382 of the damned things, I don't think I've had a reply to more than one of them.

I've just upgraded my 'On The Radio' website again and wanted to add buttons and stuff from twitter, and when I try to use any of their buttons, all I get is an error on page message.

I've tried to follow others' conversations and I can't make head nor tail of it.

But the worst thing of all for someone like me, is how do you try to get across a message in 140 characters, when I'm a waffler and need that many just to say hello?

I'm determined to get the hang of it, if only to prove to myself that I'm not a twonk!