Friday, October 7, 2011

Blogging 'in real life'

I've been blogging for awhile now. In that time I've met two bloggers 'in real life'. Both times were 'planned' and it was wonderful!

A few weeks ago I met a blogger 'in real life' by accident and it was crazy.

It happens to be a blogger who participates in Alphabe-Thursday, so I visit her blog regularly. She's a blogger I've always liked in blogland.

It was such a fun happen-stance meeting and afterwards I grinned the whole rest of the day thinking of it. I wanted to write about it, but didn't see any mention on her blog so I was careful about invading her privacy. I figured maybe she didn't walk around grinning like a goof-ball the rest of the day like I did, and I didn't want to embarrass her!

But...

A few days ago I was finishing up reading all the entries for Alphabe-Thursday's letter X and way down toward the bottom I opened one titled, "You are X-stra special Jenny Matlock." You'd think I would have opened that one first, wouldn't you? ha! You can just click here if you want to read it, too.

If you participate in memes you probably already know that when you click on a link you can't always tell whose blog you're going to visit until it opens. Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the link and it took me to Lara's blog and she told the story of our chance meeting. (I'll wait a second here while you imagine it. Done? Cool. Moving on then...)

I'm still smiling now from her telling of the tale. I felt exactly the same way. It was just the warmest, most comfortable meeting in the world. We hugged. We smiled. We hugged. We chattered. We hugged. We smiled. I ignored everyone else trying to buy stuff at the garage sale.


I didn't take any pictures since I was at our next-door neighbors doing a garage sale for them and didn't have my phone or my camera...but Lara was beautiful and warm and genuine and just like she seemed on her blog.

Non-bloggers often scoff and say, "Blog friends aren't even real friends," but they would be wrong. Blogging 'IS real life'! And bloggers are lovely 'real friends'.

I hope you each get to meet some of the bloggers who are important in your own life. I have a pretty long list of bloggers I want to meet someday. In fact, I'm hoping to meet a few of them in October and November at 'scheduled' dates and times. Unfortunately, health issues don't always cooperate and allow me to attend things when they're happening, but I have my fingers crossed that both of these will occur!

In the meantime, though, if you see me at your garage sale please feel free to hug me! I promise I'll hug you right back!


PS. That picture from Alphabe-Thursday isn't really me. It's just clip-art. The best way to tell it's me is to listen. If you hear a lady talking like this, "... ... so ... ... sigh ... and.... sooooo... yessireebob ... sigh...seriously... ... so...", that's probably me. Feel free to hug away!

...

Yessireebob...

Sigh...

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34 comments:

LuLu Kellogg said...

I would hug you in a Nanosecond!!! And....probably knock you down too since I would be elated to get to see you!!!

xoxo

Anonymous said...

I've met up with a couple of blog buddies in my area, and both times it was like getting together with an old friend instead of meeting a new one. I have a list of blog friends that I hope to meet someday in other states; might seem crazy to actually want to plan a trip around meeting up, but I know that we would have a blast. I'm glad you ran into someone that you "knew" online and found them to be just as much fun irl. I agree... blog friends ARE real friends! (((hugs))) from here...

Unknown said...

I have really loved getting to meet a few bloggers in real life. I have also been blessed to receive wonderful cards from bloggers I haven't.

noexcuses said...

I've been lucky to meet a blog friend, too! It was scary at first, but we hit it off immediately! Wouldn't it be fun to take a road trip someday, with no time or money limits, and just have coffee or lunch with some of the amazing friends we have made in Blogland? I thought of you last weekend when I flew over AZ to get to Vegas!

Loved this post!

ImagiMeri said...

Hey Girlfriend,

What fun! Having met you (many times before) I know first hand how excited you get. I love you extra special because of your lovely spirit. The world is just so much brighter when you're in the picture.

I do hope we can get together real soon sweetie......so much to catch up on.

Love ya'
Meri

Theresa said...

Oh how fun! I have met a couple of bloggers in person, it was planned but so special! To get a big ole hug was awesome! I hope to meet you one day:) Have a blessed day dear Jenny, HUGS!

Keetha Broyles said...

Once I was sranding in line in a cafeteria and a woman who was a total stranger to me called me by name and said some other things to me that felt like she knew me.

I must have looked nonplussed 'cause she grinned and said, "I read your blog."

I was floored. She has never left one comment so how was I to know???

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I've only had the pleasure of meetin' a blogsister in 'real' life once and it was like meetin' an old friend!!! 'Just fantastic.

I'm so happy you've been blessed to meet two!!!

God bless and have a wonderful weekend Miss Jenny!!! :o)

Willoughby said...

That is awesome! What fun to meet a blog friend in "real life"!

I totally agree with you, blog friends are real friends, no matter what anyone says.

Reflections said...

Sounds like fabulous fun! Meeting up with one of my blogging buddies would be great!

Slamdunk said...

Blogging is full of surprises and glad it has been a blessing in your life.

Enjoy your weekend Jenny.

Jeanie said...

Meeting blog friends live and in person is very fun. I like the idea from above of driving around the country meeting bloggers we know.

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

Hugs coming your way!

I would love to meet you in real life, there are several other regular Alpha Thurs bloggers who I would love to meet also!

Maybe I'll have a big housewarming partay and everyone can come! Wouldn't that be a blast?

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Hugs? Heck Yes! I have met some great bloggers in person and it makes my day for sure. How fun to have it be by happen-stance! Blogging friends are real friends for sure!

Pat said...

I could feel the excitement and genuine happy dance of meeting another blogger - and although you said the photo was clip art, it illustrates perfectly what you are writing about.

What an amazing journey this is in being part of the blogging community.

Send a hug across the miles!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Jenny, you are so right! Blogging friends are lik a box of chocolates... varied but each unique and wonderful. I love the ones I have met in real life, and the ones I have met in print only. You being a case in point. I would be acting just as goofy with you if I were ever blessed enough to get to meet you in person. You are the bee's knees, and on that, I have no doubt!

XO,

Sheila

Ms. A said...

I've met one blogger and it was wonderful, although a bit scary for me, at first. She used to blog daily and she rarely makes a post now. Hope it wasn't anything I did.

Barbara F. said...

I'd love to meet a blogging buddy, and if I ran into you, I would be doubly thrilled as it would mean I was on a vacation in one of my favorite states, Arizona! xo

Susan Anderson said...

What a fun way to meet! I can't imagine how happy I would be to run into you at a garage sale.

Or anywhere else, for that matter...

=D

Betty said...

That must have been so much fun! You just never know who you're going to run into.

My goodness, you're already up to the letter X. Will you be starting again?

Busy Bee Suz said...

Oh, what a small world Jenny!!!!
And you are totally huggable. YOu always make me smile too!!
xoxox

Melinda said...

It IS so much fun the meet blog friends in real life! I have had the pleasure of meeting some.
One day if I ever get back to Arizona you would be on the "TO SEE" list!!!! I would alos give you a great big hug!

Melinda

H said...

I'd give you a hug in a split-second, but I think you'd have to pick me up off the floor first. After all, if we were to bump into each other in 'real life', it would be far beyond incredible!!!

Ames said...

I hope I will recognize you and you me. :)~Ames

Dazee Dreamer said...

That is so awesome. You are definitely a friend to me and I want to meet you someday. And I so agree. I have better friends through blogging than I do in my life.

I'm still trying to get my mojo for the Y word. It will happen.

Anonymous said...

How fun! I've met one blogger friend, but I too have a long list to meet someday. {big sigh} Someday.

Teresa

Jo said...

You are a lucky girl to have met some wonderful blog friends ... and my next garage sale will be in June ... just get on the road, travel west till you reach water, then straight up north past the 49th ... I'll leave the light on for ya!!! oh, and the garage door wide open!!!

Gattina said...

Now that is really an amazing story ! the world is small ! And how "romanic" to meet on a garage sale, lol ! So far I have met Kate from Canada she stopped to see me in Brussels and also Sylvia from Australia who stayed in London and took the Eurostar to meet me also in Brussels and then I have spent a week at the French Riviera with another blog friend which I had never seen before and it was great and she came then in August and spend a week with me. Isn't Blogging wonderful ? You meet people from all over the world (at least in my case) whom I would never known without blogging !
Unfortunately twice I also had a bad experience, the women I met weren't the same at all as in their blogs !

jfb57 said...

I've just been to 'Blog Camp' which was a day where bloggers got together to chat & eat cake! It was great to put names to faces. I'd love to be able to give you a hug but we're not coming your way for a while so have a virtual one!

Amy said...

I dream about meeting my blogging besties. You are on that list, you know. I have only met one, and it was WONDERFUL!!! Sigh. Everyone living so darn far apart really isn't fair. Sigh.

Moore Minutes said...

Wow, that is SO cool! These are the special life moments that mean the most. And I COMPLETELY agree with you...Blogging IS real life!! :)

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Oh how wonderful the meeting was! I've only met one blogger in real life this last summer.

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

so, so awesome! I would love to meet you and give you a hug! I have not had the opportunity to meet any of my Blog friends yet! But how fun!!! And how neat that this one happened for you unexpectedly :o) I am so thankful for our daughter introducing me to this Blog world! and so thankful that I have met so many neat blog friends through it!

Blessings & Aloha!
I am off to read her post about your meeting :o)

Unknown said...

That is really too cool! I hope to meet some of my bloggy friends one day too :) It might be harder since not many of them (or any at all!) live in Japan. I guess I'll have to go visit Arizona now! I know if I ever ran into you, you'd get a big hug from me and maybe one from E too (if she didn't get shy all of a sudden and hide).