September 8, 2011

Who says that internet friendships aren't real?

Once or twice, a LONG time ago, Gretchen over at Texan Mama, posted about being afraid of beef.  Somehow this stuck in my mind.  (Probably, because I LOVE beef!  If I could eat it for every meal, I'd be good.  What can I say?  I AM from Texas after all!)

Not much else sticks in my mind.  Seriously.

Ask me what happened at this time last year.  I will look at you like you are crazy.  Ask me what was great about the summer?  No response.  Ask me about the big things that might have happened last week.  Blank stare.  Ask me what I had for breakfast this morning.  No clue.

Because that kind of minutia?  Not important.

BUT, when it comes to my friends and loved ones?  Well, then I remember ALL kinds of random stuff.  Like the fact that Gretchen is afraid of beef.  Or that Julie is obsessed over having the right picture for her (in the very far future) funeral (to be fair, I'm kind of obsessed about which picture Hubby will use for my obituary in the paper.  Yes, I'm morbid.  Or "forward thinking".  Whichever you prefer.  Either way, it is OBVIOUS to me that I will HAVE to plan my own demise down to the last damn detail and leave it somewhere where HE can find it!). Or that Looking Fab At Any Age just ADORES leopard prints.  Or that Kathryn LOVES her Cloudy (which to be honest, I'm still not quite sure what that is, but I'm convinced it's NOT chardonnay).  Or that Daddy Scratches is filled with all kinds of angst; which he shouldn't be.  Or that The Bloggess and The Best Self-Help T Shirt Catalog Ever  is overly paranoid about the Zombie Apocalypse. Or that this "in real life" friend likes her pillows to be firm.  Or that this other friend, prefers dangle-y earrings over hoops.   Or that Man-Child prefers his orange juice to have no pulp.  Or that Hubby prefers calf-length socks over ankle socks.  Or that....oh hell.  Forget it.  This list could go on forever.

So, when I was perusing a magazine today and came across an article that explains all about the different cuts of meat of the beef variety and what to do with them (stuff I'd normally skip right over to get to the shoes!) I had to stop what I was doing and go find the article online.  So I could send it to Gretchen.  (What?!  It is SO not stalking.  It was being helpful! Just ask her; she'll back me up! )

And by her reply, it once again struck me.  Despite our differences; despite the distance - we have found friends.  True friends.  Ones that you wish lived right down the street.  Truly.  You want them "right" there.  Where you could just drop in to say hi.   Or give them a recipe.  Or a hint as to where the best shoes can be found. Where you could hug them as needed.

And that yes, despite all the foibles and ickiness that the internet has to offer (can you say FaceBook?), it is still a wondrous thing.

And knowing that if I want to send a random article to a friend (thousands of miles away; that I've never officially met) that is wonderful.

And knowing that another friend (thousands of miles away; that I've never officially met) can send me all kinds of links to funny stuff, thoughtful stuff or even just pictures of shoes that I might like.  Well that, my friends, is priceless.

8 comments:

  1. Well I don't send you emails of shoes, but I send lots of long whiney emails so that counts for something right?!

    We can't be the only one looking for good pictures so that when we finally meet our maker people will remember the beautiful us and not the IlooklikeIhavebeenonafivedaybender us. There MUST be others out there, right?

    I have been so busy the past two days and I have read your last blog post, I just haven't gotten a chance to comment yet. I'm about to go into a 9 day marathon of busyiness (is that how you spell it?) and I'm just not sure I'll survive. If that's the case make sure to contact Chris and let him know he has 9 months of pictures to choose from for my funeral. :)

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  2. There is NO SUCH THING as a good picture of me, therefore, I shall be cremated and NO gawking at photos or my dead body. I look dead enough, alive.

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  3. This is wonderful...and so true! I am constantly amazed at the "virtual" friendships that have blossomed via my blog and/or the icky facebook!

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  4. Some of my VERY best friends in the entire universe I met online. I call/text/email/IM them before some of my own family. The blogosphere is no different. I've made good friends, I've had lovely, though heated, discussions with people that I would love to meet in person because even though we have differing opinions on some things, I think they are fantabulous!!!

    Internet friendships ARE real!!!

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  5. Internet friendships are not only VERY real, they are in many ways superior to "skin" friends, because I get in touch with them when I feel like it, when I have time, because there's nobody telling me to follow anybody's schedule but my own! I love the blogosphere and my virtual friends, you too Gigi! :-)

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  6. I think blogging allows us to put our "true self " out there, with that comes "real connections" where as sometimes in real life, we are the self that we think others want to see.

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  7. Agreed. It's nice to make friends. :)

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  8. I just want you to know that I am NOT afraid of beef. I am afraid of cows.

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