Like internet-dating, but for friends

That's what blogging is turning out to be for me: Internet dating for friends. A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a new reader who had found Ubercrafty when searching for craft get-togethers in our city. She is fairly new to town and is very crafty and was looking to hang out with other crafty people and thought I might point her in the right direction. I didn't, because other than my knitting group, I don't know of any get-togethers. But I did invite her to join us or offered to have coffee with her.

Sure enough, last Friday, we had coffee over the pull-out pattern page of a Japanese craft book and I showed her how to find her pieces and highlight them. But we chatted too and I really  liked meeting her.

Then last night, Alisa came over to dinner with her very funny husband and super delicious tiny little girl. That would be Alisa from Mimosa. Alisa and I first met in real life many years ago, before their application went to China, shortly after Dumpling's arrival. I told her all about the online community and got her to join the KLBs. We also got together earlier this year when she was in town on business and yesterday, I couldn't pass up the chance to feed them a BBQ and get our 3 girls together. I won't post pics because Alisa doesn't post pics of her little one, which I totally respect. But let me tell you, they were so freaking cute together. Dumpling took such good care of the little one. She even shared her dress up clothes and put her in her little mermaid outfit for our amusement.

The grown ups enjoyed a nice bottle of wine and some pie (there was food in between, but those were the highlights!) and some fun conversation.

I know some people fear crossing that line, between the online and the real life. But for me thus far, it's been a great line to cross. A few weeks ago we had a grown up dinner with 2 other couples from Dumpling's school and they were sort of fascinated by the idea that I had gone on vacation with Mrs. Figby, after all, I knew her "from the computer". I tried to explain to them that if online dating and sites like e-harmony can be successful, why couldn't you form friendships with people you met online. After all, we sort of end up reading blogs of people who are like-minded or share an interest in something we like. If I could weed through people in real life and only find the people that I end up surrounding myself with online, I think I'd have a lot more friends. So for now, I'm going to forge ahead and keep meeting up with the people in the computer. It's fun.

(Special shout-out to J. father of little  miss J. You made it in the blog.)

Comments

[Melissa]

Hey MM, it WAS great getting together last week. Looking forward to joining the group tomorrow morning. Hopefully, that dress will be ready for grown-up show-and-tell :-)

[Jenny]

There is actually a friends dating type site. Meet-up.com, I don't use it but I have friends that were new to the area and she has made tons of girlfriends from this site.

I have about 8 friends from the blog. it is a nice way to meet folks. Especially with our busy schedules!

[Tracey]

Hi, you don't know me from a bar of soap, but I just wanted to say that I love love love reading your blog and have been a serial lurker for a long time. You are so crafty and talented, way more than I could ever wish to be.

Your girls are just gorgeous and I love reading about them and about your lives. I have a little girl of my own and I know the joys of little girls.

Anyway just wanted to say that you have a great blog and sound like such a wonderful person who is very talented and does a wonderful job with everything.

[Elizabeth]

As you said on our "date," if you don't blog, you don't get it. I love that I've found a way to connect to others and meet new people, even though I've had to make things private. It would be great to live closer to you and others, but that's why we have airplanes and vacation time. ;)

[kris]

first culture camp i took my son to was because of people involved in it i met on an yahoo adoption group. i have met a couple peole from that group i consider friends and i 'know' a lot of dog people from online groups that i consider friends. some of my online friends are probably better friends than my 'real' life friends...

[Kath]

In a way, it's a safe way to stretch our social skills. I would likely never strike up a conversation with you in real life, I'm not even sure if I would have enough nerve to say "I read your blog" if I were in your store. But it's easy to comment. Having said that, I've been reading "you" for a long time but have never commented. Interesting that this post is the one that got me. Now we're talking a trip to Montreal this winter, maybe I will pop in!

Cheers! Kath

[Kimberly Michaud-Peaslee]

I love your blog. It makes me laugh when times are not the best. I think your girls are adorable. You are a very creative person who has made many people laugh and enjoy life. Have a great day!

[Lulu]

I always called it mommymatch.com, and it has been mostly successful. I miss blog stalking the KLBs -- I'm just glad there are a few stragglers still out there!