Monday, June 11, 2007

Go Midwest!

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Meeting someone for the first time is always awkward. Meeting someone off the internet is doubly so. When you meet someone in person you automatically size them up without even realizing it. You listen to their voice, observe to little twitches in their facial expressions, and read their body language. You can immediately get a good sense of what they're like. When you meet someone online you don't have any of that information. You have their written thoughts and that's about it. It can be rather intimidating.
Luckily, when OH, THE JOYS prefaced our meeting by saying I had nothing to fear, she was right.
Still, I was a little nervous about meeting her. After all, she's like famous in Blogland. What would we talk about?
Of course we talked about the kids, our jobs, husbands, but sometime right before we ordered food, we discovered that I was from Indiana and she was from Illinois. We both simultaneous threw up our fist in a very proud manner and said, "Go Midwest!" At that point, I was no longer nervous and very glad we'd met for lunch (although I had breakfast).
It's amazing to think about how many times we must have brushed shoulders or crossed paths without even realizing it.
The internet is crazy, but I love it. I'm all about personal contact and interaction, so much so that I remember saying years ago, "I'll never get internet service or own a cell phone. Technology is ruining the world." I still believe that...somewhat. But, I've also learned that the internet can be a catalyst for making friendships and reaching out in ways you could never do otherwise.
Oh, and for the record, yes. She is as funny in person as she is in print.

8 Comments:

Blogger OhTheJoys said...

I have a grin on my face about a MILE WIDE! That picutre is hilarious! You are the queen of the photoshop skillz! That just cracked me up.

Go Midwest!

I'll have to write something about meeting you... though I doubt I can come up with something as good as this. You are one awesome chica!

3:27 PM  
Blogger QT said...

Came here from Jess's - and yes, you should win a photoshop award -nicely done!

2:47 PM  
Blogger Liv said...

Same bounce as QT--and I can't believe you are living in my birthplace! I remember it well--well, some of it, other bits I try to block out.

10:16 PM  
Blogger Mom O Matic said...

Funnily enough the internet has made me realize how much community has become absent from our lives. I love having a group of awesome women to share my stories with, to hear their stories and to offer support to. Now how do I get that in real life?

PS - OTJ's rocks!

11:40 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I came from OTJ too... And I am with Lotta. I have found some wonderful community on the Net - and some really really good friends... which is just plain surprising to me. But lovely.

And I poked around a bit - your photos are wonderful!

9:16 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Oh, and P.S. my college roommate grew up near Stone Mountain and we would go there over breaks! (I went to college in N. Florida)...

9:18 AM  
Blogger Beck said...

As the grrrl who proudly wears her "Everyone loves a midwestern girl" T-Shirt, and as the girl who was born and raised in Kalamazoo and then started life in Chicago, I salute to the midwest. My good friend Tubesy I think wrote why the midwest is perfect http://chiblog-o.blogspot.com/2007/06/comedy-is-funny.html

4:38 PM  
Blogger BOSSY said...

Bossy wants Oh The Joys' cowboy boots. Also? How could you two have fun and lunch without Bossy? That's against Georgia State law.

12:21 PM  

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