Friday, November 03, 2006

Pondering Electronic Friendship


Some of my best friends these days are people I have never met. People actually look at me a little strange when I talk so affectionately about my Blogger family, which now includes people in several countries and in multiple states in the US, most of whom I have never even met in person.

When I was on my recent trip, I delighted in the comments from this extended family, often sharing them with my traveling companions. If I didn't hear from a "regular" for a couple of days, I became concerned. I was deeply touched when two different people (Steve and Pauline) in the same day wrote posts triggered by something I had written.

I sometimes fantasize about getting everyone together for my 60th birthday or some other big deal occasion. For a split second, I wonder if we would like each other as much in person. Could we have created expectations about each other that would only be dashed in face-to-face contact? Then I remind myself that it would probably be so much better in real life, where we could have a round of hugs, share some good food (since we all seem to like to eat), and then have a slumber party where no one was allowed to go to sleep. We would never run out of things to talk about because we know so much about each other.

This post was all prompted by Steve, who welcomed me home, acknowledging that it was really no different communicating across continents thanks to the Internet, but "somehow I feel like I missed you." How can you miss someone you never met who is only in a different location? I don't know, but I totally understand and appreciate his sentiment.

My day started out with a coy comment by my PT Quentin, who announced he hadn't yet installed the gold fixtures when I came out of the bathroom this morning. For a moment I wasn't sure what he was talking about; then I remembered that Quentin had been reading my Blog while I was gone. The topic of conversation as Quentin worked on my right leg, hip, and foot was what it would be like to get a massage with chocolate massage oil, also prompted by the Paris chocolate expo. Another female patient and I both thought it would be yummy, but Quentin kept trying to decide if he would prefer bacon or popcorn flavor. Gross! I brought back chocolate massage oil and hope to report on this at some future time...

I have been talking to Reya for over a year about organizing a Blogger weekend, never imagining that it might include people from distant places, not just the DC Blogs community. What do you think? Could we actually make this happen?

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Having attended and organized many "Yahoo bridge players" meetings, I say go for it. The people always turn out even BETTER than you anticipated.

7:46 PM  
Blogger Pauline said...

I met one of my dearest friends through the internet, at a time (several years ago) when no one liked to admit they made friends that way. It turned out that she lived two hours from me. We made arrangements to meet and found that getting together was even more fun than communicating in the digital realm. No doubt it doesn't always happen that way, but meeting someone in the more traditional face-to-face way does not always guarantee a continuning friendship. (I'd love to get together and share chocolate meringues lol).

9:09 PM  
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

I echo Steve's sentiment...I wondered every day what excoting thing you'd be doing in France and wanted to include you in my daily life. It is weird that not one of my "real" friends or family members read my blog. I might e-mail them a special post. Guess bloggers are a different breed!
And it would be neat to travel to a meeting. Alas, there are certain realities that come into play ...like for me, the cost of travel, my husband's interest too, as he'd come with me. If it involved just a few hours drive, I'd do it in a minute!! HA! Well, guess in a few hours!
I guess some people you wou're really never sure about who they are when only viewed on the internet, but I'm certain you would be the person you profess to be,and one whom I'd love to meet!

Arrange it anyway and see who can make it...then if I can't, I'd see all the pics on various blogs and enjoy it vicariously!

9:08 AM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Your comments all give me hope that this will really happen some day. I;m hoping you all can show up if it does!

9:09 PM  
Blogger Richard said...

I guess the real question is "Are you your blog?"

One of the nice things about blogging is that is removes several layers of preconceptions and biases from interaction.

I too like a large number of bloggers and wonder if in person they are anything like their online personalities.

I know only one blogger in person and she is far more gushing and enthusiastic in real life than her online persona ever hints at.

6:24 PM  

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