The Internet Connection……
Connection
This weekend I had the privilege of meeting someone that technically came from the “Internet”. When I think of a meeting that stemmed from computer origins, it’s like someone found the magical potion to mysteriously crawl from their screen and poof, they are real, alive, in full color and in 3-D outline.
I can’t claim I was part of the planning and co-ordinating of this meeting. I can’t even claim to have known this person prior to our first handshake. Husband gets the credit for sifting @AprilBraswell out of the basket of twitter.
It went a bit like this, “Hey, wife, Friday night can we meet April from twitter?”
Me, eyebrows pinched, “Ahhh ok, do I know this April? Hell, do you even know her?”
Hubby, “Oh sure, we tweet, she’s an incredible relationship specialist.”
Me, eye’s wide, “Is there something I should know, is this an ambush? I swear I only whined a little bit about you tossing Provocation into the pit of fire!”
Hubby, chuckling, “No hun, I didn’t hire her, she’ll be in town for the weekend, for a class, and thought it would be fun to meet up for dinner. Promise.”
Once I was positive it wasn’t some sort of intervention, I agreed.
I’m so glad I did! We laughed, we talked, we ate, we went back to her hotel lobby and sat by the fireplace eating cookies and drinking coffee till late in the night. April was smart, humorous, always smiling and the time went by in a flash. I had a fantastic time and can’t wait to meet up with her again in the future. I made a new friend and that’s something I hadn’t put on the agenda for the weekend.
Beyond having a beautiful time, I learned something from April I admit previously wasn’t even on my radar. She explained why she enjoys meeting up with people from the Internet whenever she travels. Something I’ve never attempted to do. Not once in all my travels…….I realized I’ve been missing out on the potential to bridge the space between this computer screen and all the wonderful people I connect with via written words. I’ve been ignoring the basic principles of meeting someone face to face, shaking their hand…..boisterous laughter and in-depth conversations. I don’t even have a pat reason why I’ve neglected the possibility and opportunities all these years.
But I aim to change that. So, who wants to do coffee and which State do I need to put in my travel plans? (grin)
Honestly, I do think I’ve been missing the connection boat. In a way I think meeting people from the Internet carried an air of taboo around it, back in the days……..but has that changed? Has the dynamics evolved into something less spooky without my knowledge? To further satisfy my curiosity, how many of you that are still reading this have met someone from the ‘Internet’ ? How did it go? ….Or, if you haven’t at this point in time, would you be brave enough to test those choppy waters? Go out on a limb? Throw caution to the wind? Shake a real live hand……..
Inquiring mind (s) wants to know~~
I always like meeting fellow bloggers. Hell some of them know me better than my friends or family. It’s always nice to put a voice or a face in connection with a blog. Also following a blog is a like a friendship. If you like and connect you stick around. If not you move on.
Mike’s last blog post..If It Wasn’t For You Damn Kids
I’m torn on the idea of removing the firewall from my internet relationships. On one hand, I feel very connected to those few people that I keep “in touch” with, through blogs, etc. I think it would be nice to talk face to face and put a voice with the writing. But there’s also the safety issue, what with Craigslist killers and the like. More so, I have become accustomed to that distance that the internet provides. Hell, I could be your neighbor and we might never actually know that we are close friends. There’s something about that dynamic that tickles me.
Paul’s last blog post..Why can’t I shut up…?
I had the pleasure of meeting Sharon (Golf and Other Things) two years ago. The meeting was a lot of fun. The family and I will be driving through Boise, on our way to the Oregon coast, on July 6th. We would love to stop and have a cup of coffee.
David’s last blog post..More Springtime in the Rockies
I met a friend the weekend before last totally unexpected and off the charts. She had said that she lived a half hour away from me. We never got a chance to make plans to hook up. So while out driving the backroads, we stopped at a Biker bar/eatery that Paul occasionally plays with his band. Of course I stand out with Pickles at all times. Then this very tall biker chick passed a note to me asking if I was Indigo (What’s up with everyone being a giant to me?). I was delighted to discover it was my friend Jenn from online (She rides a killer Harley by the way).
I was totally caught off guard, no make-up and flubbering for words (told you I’m extremely shy meeting someone for the first time). All in all it was great having a chance to meet her. In our case we both have talked about some pretty deep issues online and it was a little awkward meeting face to face. Over time I’m almost positive we will be fast friends and it will be easy going talking to her.
So if you find yourself in upstate NY (You got the address) plan on being around for a few days so I can unfreeze my tongue and we’ll have a blast. I’ve always said you were the one person I would want to meet some day. (Hugs)Indigo
Indigo’s last blog post..Five Years…
Hmm, have I ever met anyone from online…let me ask my dear husband…who I met online.
That wasn’t from blogging, though, that was an online personal ad. We clicked, what can I say?
We’ve also met one blogger, Marty from Heard At Starbuck’s. We were in Vegas at the same time, and met at one of the Bellagio bars. I was honestly kind of nervous about it, but he couldn’t have been nicer, funnier, or more charming. We all had a wonderful time talking, and we hope to see him again a couple years from now, when we do our Route 66 trip.
There are others that we’ve talked about going to see (and yes, Indigo is one of them), and I’m sure there will be blogger visits in our future. I think there are some that you just connect with, and instinctively know that you would enjoy being around them. I’m so glad your meeting went well! And if you ever happen to attend a conference at Notre Dame…or come to South Bend–I know it’s a highly sought-after travel destination–we’d love to see you. I’ll even give you a hug…as long as I’m standing on the step above you.
Beth’s last blog post..If I were a nail-biter…
I’m of two minds about this too, as Paul is, and for many of the same reasons….as he and I are on so many things (which I just love given our polarity on other issues), but if you and the fam are ever in Pennsylvania let me know. Jillian, Madison and I would love to get together with you!
Charley’s last blog post..In the field
I haven’t been able to meet some one online before. I am hoping that this year I would finally meet someone.
Palabuzz’s last blog post..Manny Pacquiaos Team?
How fun!! Glad you had a good time. Sounds like you and your hubby have a sound relationship, full of trust. Lucky you!!
I participated in a Buddhist discussion room starting in 1999 until 2 years ago when for the most part it fell apart. I met people from there who were fantastic, bright, engaging, all those common words that don’t really describe how good it(they) was. One friend, who lived in Germany, visited and stayed at my home. I went to Chicago for 3 days to meet some of them. One, the person I became closest to, had a blood disease & she visited the practice I was running as a new patient and I also found other doctors for her. We know more about each others lives than our families do.
But we’d(those in the Buddhist room) connected with each other, almost every day, for years. I, personally, don’t want to meet people whom I haven’t formed a deeper connection with first. One of the reasons being some think they have a much closer connection with me, through my baring layers of my soul in my blog, than they do. I have a lot of other reasons also, I don’t need to get into them here, since everyone has their own reasons for what they do and do not do.
A few people from blogging came to my Dad’s funeral, but they’d become good online friends first. I’ll stick with blogs for 99% of the people.
oh oh…pick me!
Seriously though, I’ve met a few people, but its been so long. I think about it every now and again but then something else comes up…but lately I’ve been feeling the bug to take a road trip and visit some pretty amazing people. If you’re ever up this way…it would be awesome to say HI over some good blues music!
~Kel
kel’s last blog post..Fractional Friday
I love meeting up with people. I have met a few, here and there, and I’m still considering BlogHer (if nothing else, for the cocktail hours to just meet people!)
We shall see.
I promise you– I need to get my but to see you. FOR SURE. WE would have a BLAST together!
Heather’s last blog post..Update and Top Tens
CA girl; get your butt here—I would love to hang with you
I just met Victoria via that art opening I blogged about; she lives in the city, which is less than an hour away, but I hadn’t ever met her live—been following her blog and met people through her for nearly 2 years; at that same opening, I met a few other people that I have know via blogland.
I’m open to it, but am always a slow warmer upper to some, quicker with others, you being the latter.
cheers
jana’s last blog post..Your take on it
i am 3 out of 4 for meeting cool people via the whole internet dating thing, with one of the 4 being really, really cool and in current position to lobby to be v3.0. i think this is okay because it is what the premise of e-dating is, everyone intends to eventually meet someone to hang out with and potentially date.
what’s weird is i don’t know how i feel about meeting people from the blogs….had a superfan a while back and it really creeped me out, how someone was trying to ‘know’ me and create this false sort of intimacy because they had read the old rant at AOHELL. it could also go back to the whole purpose thing, i never intended for anyone i know to actually read my blog (it was done for theraputic purposes so i could stop denying certain aspects of the whole v 2.0 dealio) so it would feel odd to me to meet someone who already knew so much about me.
something i am wrestling with now, notifying people i write about that i have written about them out of courtesy and respect….or even letting them read the alemanac for that matter. i mean there is no easy way to say, hey, i wrote about your drug addiction in my blog, check it out….or thanks for breaking my heart and emptying my wallet, check out these snaps of you and that skank karen i found online when you lied about her being up north….
we’ll see. on one hand it would be a lot easier to have someone who i want to be significant to me read some of this stuff because it is hard for me to talk about it, on the other hand…..they they will know i am batshit crazy too which could be a bad thing.
xxalainaxx
ps i am so proud of you for sticking to the blog a day!
I was a long time member of a message board dedicated to a specific author’s work. Several years ago, when the World Science Fiction Convention was being held in Toronto – said author’s home town, several people from the board expressed an interest in attending. Hence was born the first ever “DebCon,” named for the woman who maintains the website on which we gather. There were attendees from England, Australia, Israel, several US states, and all across Canada, and we made a fascinating discovery. We all got along just like old friends. We fell into discussions, arguments and fits of hysterical laughter as if we’d been doing it for years. We have since got together three or four more times, and the core group have cemented fast friendships. I’m really looking forward to seeing most of them again this summer in Montreal.
Paul’s last blog post..Movie night
Yes! I met the lovely Vegas Linda Lou when she passed through Philly with her sister visiting relatives. We had a wonderful meal at the Cheesecake Factory – it was SO worth it! I hope to meet some more great peeps in this fashion. BTW: If you’re ever in the Philly area, you’d better let me know!!!
Debbie’s last blog post..Don’t Hate Me Because I’ve…. Got a Pool?
We’ve had Brandi of Brandi’s Excess Baggage stay with us several time. I forget that the only reason we know her was because we were all J-landers at one point, because we’ve gotten to know her so well.
Chris’s last blog post..Ruby Tuesday
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