I found myself washing dishes in my kitchen recently thinking about a well written post I read earlier that day as well as the blogger behind that blog. Helene was one of the first people I “met” when I started my blog. In fact, she was one of the very first peeps to ever even comment on my blog other than my mom.
But what really made stop and think is the fact that there I was – standing in my kitchen over 3,000 miles away thinking about someone I never even met in real life.
The reality is, I probably wouldn’t even know her if she passed me on the street. But what I do know about her are the life stories that she shares including her family, as well as who she is as a person because I have read her blog. I never had one single phone conversation with Helene but we’ve had many conversations together through our blogs. It made me realize that these connections we make in the blogosphere with one another are real even though we have never officially “met” the old fashioned way.
This also got me thinking about Brittany, my very first follower and I feel like I have known her for years. She is also someone I have never met in real life but I was there for the birth of her third child {thanks to twitter} and I could tell you everything about her adorable kids and life in the south.
However, there are two bloggers I actually have met in real life. Corine and Jessica were everything I thought they would be. I could easily talk with these ladies for hours on end and they certainly set the meeting-a-blogger-for-the-first-time-in-real-life standard so I guess I have some high expectations for those I anticipate meeting in the future.
I’m so reflective about this right now because I am about to attend BlogHer, one of the biggest conferences of the year in a matter of weeks. I will have the opportunity to meet some of the very women I have connected with over the last year in the bloggy world and that thought alone is ridiculously exciting.
I was tweeting with Alexis and Loralee and recently chatting with Loukia, Maria and LZ and these conversations solidified the fact that this will be one hell of a memorable two days for me – because I will be shaking hands, smiling and hugging the very peeps who I have formed some really great relationships with.
I cannot wait to arrive at this event, share tons of smiles and ultimately speak the words, “Hi, I’m Heather. It’s so nice to meet you.”
I know many of my bloggy friends will not be attending conferences or other platforms to meet other bloggers in real life this year – but my point in writing this post was to share my perspective that I do believe these relationships and connections that are made in the blogosphere are VERY real – whether you have met the blogger(s) in real life or not. Do you agree? What’s your take on your relationships and connections made with bloggers that you “meet” in the blogosphere?
From the beginning, my blog connections have been very real. I have two “bloggy friends” who I consider among my closest associates, though not once in 5 years have we met in person. We’ve shared texts and emails and phone calls over the years, as well as laughter, tears, gifts and advice.
I also have a number of more casual and more recent blog connections and friends. I joined two “mom” blogger networks this year and I’m so impressed with how helpful and generous so many women have been.
I agree Maura, the blogging community is an amazing space to connect with other women! Thanks for visiting Theta Mom!
Joining the blog community has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had lately. I absolutely feel like I know the people who’s blogs I read. Your blog is one of the first that really got me excited about blogging, and I’m so glad you get to meet some of the ladies you’ve interacted with for so long!
Enjoy the conference!
I still consider myself a fairly new blogger ~ 6 months in~ the connections and the daily visits with bloggers is way beyond where my imagination took me with this new adventure! Blessed to be blogging… loving my new friends … though b/c I have met SOOOOOO many people… and I don’t have a sharp memory… I do not remember as much about others as I think I should!! =) but anyway… This land of blog is an amazing place to build friendships, inspire, be inspired, encourage, be encouraged, etc etc! =) Love bloggin!
Jenn,
I am inspired by my readers with every post and the connections made are amazing.
Still holding out hope that I will score tickets to BlogHer and be able to meet some of the fantastic women I have had the pleasure of connecting with on my blog and theirs. I’ve really built an internet family on here.
Although I haven’t quite made the connections you are making by blogging….( don’t get alot of comments…but I’m still fairly new to this ) …I do beleive in the connection. I used to run an online support group before MSN groups closed down. I ran it for years for parents and caregivers of children with special needs. I made some real connections there….some of which I still to this day speak too on a regualr basis. One woman and I, consider ourselves pretty darn close. She keeps me posted on her daughter who has severe medical dissabilities including seizures and even has said that I am one of the first on the list that she calls when her daughter goes in the hospital. We have never met in person, and the “nay sayers” of online friendships would probably find it odd…but we don’t feel like we have never met. We always joke that we are gonna call Oprah and make her connect us.
I have made many friends online…I had a member in my group that I developed an offline relationship with who’s son died. I felt that pain as if I had held him…remembering all she said and smiling and waving at him on webcam before his passing….I will never forget him..
So from experience I know real connections can be made and blogging in particular I think allows people to show a side of themselves that even someone they meet in person doesn’t see or won’t see for a long time.
Michelle,
Sometimes, I find I have so many great conversations on Twitter – I find that to be a wonderful way to establish and maintain online relationships! Thanks so much for visiting!!
Yes, this is so true! Though I’m fairly new to blogging, I’ve already begun to make some great friends… and definitely one in particular that we often email, exchange ideas, talk about our kids, etc. We are definitely friends in “real life” even if we’ve never met. It’s just like the old notion of pen pals… only faster.
I couldn’t agree with you more. My blog is an adoption blog with a little bit of a mommy blog in it. I have met so many wonderful people throug my blogging and I honestly do feel like I know them. Once I year my family attends an adoption event. I seem to never take in the activities because I am too busy talking and meeting all these families whih many of them I have met through blogging. I love blogging and find it very rewarding. Thank you for all your wonderful posts that I enjoy reading very much.
Theresa,
You readers are the BEST!!!
So so lucky you are! Have tons of fun!
You are so right on, brava! I love my blogging relationships (like the one I have with you, aww)! My fellow bloggers have become such an important part of my life and in a lot of ways I feel they understand me on a deeper level because we share a common vision. I love this post and I love you!
Awww, Mommyfriend – you rock! Would love to meet you IRL one day!!
i’m looking forward to attending a conference. i sitll don’t have one lined up, but hope to sometime soon. they are so dang expensive and right now, my blog doesn’t bring in enough money to justify it. so wish i was going … and YOU are one i would love to meet!
They are expensive Julia but considering this year it’s basically in my backyard, I couldn’t pass it up. Would love to meet you, too IRL!
I won’t be attending BlogHer BUT I will be in NYC that weekend! I’ll keep my eye out for you and any other bloggers I follow.
I have met a few of my blogging buddies in real life and have loved the relationships we’ve built and hope to meet more of my “friends” in the future.
I started blogging last October and have been completely amazed at some of the people that I’ve met. I have my followers but then I have my “followers”…the great group of people that always comment and know me and my family and leave meaningful thoughts and encouraging words. People that I can email with and have conversations with via email. Share things with that I don’t even share with “real life” friends.
I feel blessed to have found this whole wonderful world. I so wish I lived near some of these wonderful peoples because I know that I would have some pretty awesome real life friends!!!!
I wish so many of the moms I “meet” (including you!) lived in my neighborhood. I’ve talked to a few on the phone and emailed back and forth with others. Even though we’re not face-to-face, it’s so nice to feel the support of others who are struggling through motherhood. ;0)
I completely agree! Plus, I sorta liken it to how people meet on dating sites (like eHarmony and Match.com), and end up getting married. If people can form life-long spouse relationships online, it’s very real and feasible to develop strong friendships online.
Being relatively new to blogging, I think initially for most bloggers it’s all about making ‘connections’ rather than friendships, and, then through constant connecting and learning about the ‘blogging friends’, like friends in real life, take time to adjust to and learn about each other, and then friendships have great potential to develop.
Crikey!
x
I am so new to this blogging world. It’s been almost 3 months now. When I first told friends & family about it, some were very apprehensive. They didn’t see the point. At first, I felt the same. Only 3 months in & I’m enjoying it more than I thought.
I’ve laughed. I’ve gotten inspired. I’ve seen the lives of real people. I’ve
In these first few months, I’ve realized the blogging world is real & so are some of these relationships.
it’s funny how i always say “this girl i know” when i haven’t met many bloggers in person yet. i’m excited for to change when i attend bloggy boot camp in austin!
I could not agree more about the connections. I have felt so fortunate in the last few weeks to feel the support of bloggers from all over (like you!!) that have let me vent, offered suggestions, and just been supportive. It is an amazing community, and the daily inspiration, comedy, feeling, and emotion that I get each day from reading is something that I depend on.
I feel the same way…. its amazing how connections grow…. hugs my friend…
I completely agree. I first started blogging about 2 yrs before I became a mommy. I had been thinking the other day that it’s been about 5yrs but then it hit me that no, lol, my oldest is almost 6yrs old, it’s been closer to 8 yrs since I started journaling/blogging online.
At first, my readers (and the people I followed back) were my IRL friends and occasionally, one or two of their friends. Now the vast majority of both my journal’s readers and my blogs are people that I may never meet face to face at all.
When I became a mother it was very lonely. At the time I only had one friend who had a child, all of the rest of my friends were single and childless. The relationships I have been gifted with via blogging have quite literally saved my sanity! Some of my closest Mom/Woman friends are people I will only ever know online.
I still have very few friends who have children and that is ok. I love them to death (most of them are sisters to me!) but I have to admit that I don’t know where I’d be without my “mommy anchors” online. The very idea that people you meet on the internet aren’t *real* is offensive to me. I am very much a real person, my feelings are real, my experiences are real and just because my face and the next persons may never literally see eye to eye (they wouldn’t anyway, I’m terribly short, lol) doesn’t mean that I don’t really exist. I’m not a figment of someone else’s imagination and I certainly don’t consider any of the wonderful women I know figments of mine.
I totally agree. I really feel like I have gotten to know the women behind the blogs that I read regularly. I’m attending bloggy bootcamp in Philly in September and I’m already SO excited to meet some of my favorite bloggers in person. And btw, that inludes you!
I definitely believe my connections through my blog are very real & have the potential to be just as deep and special as a “real life” friendship. We find each other based on common interests, goals, lifestyles & beliefs. We don’t have to hide behind any masks or insecurities & it’s easier to take “risks”. I am excited for you to go to BlogHer. Maybe someday I’ll get to experience that! Have a blast!
Have fun at BlogHer! I think it would be awesome to meet some of the bloggers that I have connected with recently.
hey you. you know what? i cannot WAIT for blogher to hug you and squeal that we’re finally meeting. that said, i’ll email to find out where we’re finally meeting. xoxo
I too often think about my bloggy friends. I talk to them on Twitter we give each other advice and encouragement even though we have never met in person. I really think with twitter it makes bloggy friends more real. We get more updates on each others day to day and don’t miss a blog post
as you may know my husband and I blog together. We are only 6 months into this but have formed some amazing friendships. We have conversations all the time about blog posts and our friends who write them. It really is a very cool way to meet very awesome people!
I haven’t quite figured out how Twittering conversations work yet.
Some of my best friends are women I have never met and yet they mean the world to me. I love the blogosphere. I so wish I was going to Blogher, I know many who are and I know it is going to be great fun. Have a great time there!
This is just so true! You meet such great people out there and have the opportunity to form real friendships when you connect with someone. And blogging knows no time frames–people are out there at night, early in the morning, and in their pjs at their in-laws house…your not constrained connecting to people the way you are face to face. It’s wonderful and wonderful fun!
I just came across this blog and I love it! I love this specific post as it is awesome that we as women can create such strong bonds without even seeing one another!
As a new blogger (2+ months) I look forward to forging those relationships AND to going to a blogging conference sometime!
I think I shall be stalking you…
I have made some great connections through my blog and on Twitter. I travel all of the country for work and it has given me the opportunity to meet many of these fabulous bloggers in real life. When we meet, it’s as if we’ve know each other for years.
I really love this story. I completely agree that REAL relationships can be formed through words and words alone. Blogging is a passion for many people and when we write it reflects on our life and the people in it and the beliefs we have. I’m a SAHM and I think I would probably go insane if I didn’t have my internet/blogging friends to talk to. It’s nearly impossible with the economy today to be able to go places with two children each and every day. Therefore, we resort to weekly playdates with the few friends I have kept over the years. The rest of the time, my children have each other and the boring nights alone while my husband works, I have all of you. Thanks for being a friend. Whether you know me or not, I appreciate the words your write and the hard work you put into your blog. Feel free to follow me back and link up on my blog. I also have a giveaway going on right now. Enjoy!
Julie @ Bunches of Bargains