Anyhow, almost all of my "Facebook friends" are people that I personally know (i.e. I have met them in person). All of that changed about a week ago - one of my "blogging friends" retired her blog and since I'm so swamped, I wasn't able to read the last few posts before she pulled the blog. I couldn't email her - the only way I had contacted her before was via her blog and that was now gone...but, she's on Facebook. So I found her and sent her a message to see if she could re-post the blog for another day or so.
Then after one or two messages back-and-forth, I friended her.
The thing is, I'm still not sure if that was a good decision. On one hand, we both know a lot about each other from our blogs, we have corresponded through the blog-o-sphere and there are a bunch of other running bloggers who I have ended up meeting in person and become friends with (and yes, I have started to friend those folks as well).
On the other hand, can I really call this person a friend? Do I call this person a "Facebook friend"? Or is this just part of social networking - and I'm now starting to build a network of running bloggers - or runners (or non-runners) who read my blog?
I guess if it is the last item, then I'll formally invite my readers to come and join my network of blog readers / running bloggers by visiting me on Facebook!
2 comments:
Mike - I've been reading your blog since I found you again on Facebook. I also have a blog and post on a few boards (anonymously), and over the years, I have become close with a few people through the blogosphere and boards. I recently started to add a few of them on Facebook as well, and wondered if it was a good idea. As I thought about it, I realized that years ago, people developed friendships as "pen pals" - blogs and boards are sort of the new iteration of pen pals. I think you can become friends and connect up with people through the blogosphere, but it is a bit unnerving sometimes, isn't it? Jessica B.
Life sure is different than it was 20 years ago! Computers, internet, social networking on the interwebs. Strange stuff indeed!
I have made some really close friends whom I first befriended on the internet. One of them has become my regular, weekly running partner. So, perhaps meeting online is not as strange as it first seems.
I completely agree with Jessica on the pen pal comment. I had a pen pal when I was young. This isn't that much different.
I'm assuming that you are referring to Marci? Seems everyone is missing her and her blog.
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