[caseysoftware]

You don't.

You jump in occasionally, see what's going on and then continue on with whatever. I follow about 2k people and most of those are acquaintances, some colleagues, etc. The only reasonable way to keep an eye on things is lists or custom searches.

When I'm attending a conference, I add a hashtag search a few weeks in advance and kill it a few days after the event. I can catch all the last minute "who's in town?" or "here are my slides!"

And then lists are key. I have a few set up for specific topics, former colleagues (private), and my local tech community. That way I can stay plugged in regardless of other stuff happening.