Six Word Memoirs on Life Stories

canadafreeze says,

Interesting hypothesis - we meet each other online with different parameters than we do when we meet in person.

accidentaltourist says,

It is an interesting idea. I have no friends on facebook that I do not know in real life, but there are many with whom the only real connection I have is via facebook...even though we live in the same community.

And yet there are many, many Smith friends that I would like to hang out with in real time...have drinks, go dancing, just get together and chat.

Wench says,

AT, I feel the same. I recently deleted my facebook for a while and then deleted all but about fifteen 'friends' when I came back. Haven't updated it in a long time, haven't missed it. But I would totally get drinks and go dancing with y'all.

jl333 says,

Yes, and especially if you are serving pizza for lunch!

H2point0 says,

Neighbor's my friend because of that.

Wench says,

That has always been my experience as well, although sometimes it's felt like a very natural transition.

Hannahmo says,

If the age difference doesn't bother anybody, yes of course. :)

canadafreeze says,

Addendum: there is an intimacy on this site that feels real - it would be interesting to gather in a room and figure out who everyone is ...

jl333 says,

I like that idea canadafreeze.

TheAngstyPoet says,

I do. A friend of mine who lives in Arizona just sometimes pushes my buttons. But I can tell him I have to go or sign off. Not nice but necessary.

maryjane31 says,

I always have said that I would like nothing better than to meet you all in person. Nothing better than to chat and laugh and maybe have a drink or two with you all. I would love to guess who you were without anyone telling me. We really have to plan something. We all live so far apart but think of the great time we could have. Make it a weekend.

Wench says,

Wordstock! Third weekend in July next year. I have until then to figure out where. =P

ctgoods2 says,

I've made a dear and I suspect a lifelong real-life friend out of an initially strictly online friendship. And there is another online personality with whom I feel I get along with and genuinely like so much better in real-life.

L2L3 says,

I think the crux of this question's answer is whether or not what people project online is a true reflection of their genuine self, whether it's on Smith or in personal emails. Funny timing for this question, as my husband, son and I are in Florida, accompanied by a Sixer friend/kidnapping victim that I scooped up on my way down here, for Thanksgivng with my husband's family. It takes a true friend to cheerfully kidnap you to sunny Florida. We've survived eight hours in a car together, eight hours on a boat together and are about to embark upon a family holiday meal together. I think that means we're working out pretty well as teal life friends:-D There are other stories, or pieces thereof, to tell...in another memoir.

MsKillie says,

Yes, I think so! Writers on this site tell it like it is, stick up for each other, share happy and sad times, and get along well for the most part. I'd love to play "Guess that Sixer" too!

L2L3 says,

That would be "real" life friends...:-}

DynamicDbytheC says,

Yes. I love children and I would walk right up to you and your little boy and admire him. I play peek-a-boo with children in the grocery store line. I love to buy gifts for children and buy stuff for my neighbors with little children.

pipedream says,

L2, I think I'd like to be teal life friends. Real life is so passé.

Wench says,

There's a difference between the internet world and the real one, no matter how honest you are. Face-to-face interaction is different. There are expressions, tonal nuances. Some people click really well and the transition from knowing someone online to knowing them face to face is fairly seamless. Other times, it takes some adjustment or is never the same. Some people have an easier time expressing themselves online than in person. But that's not really my question. My question dealt more with the fact that, short of a 'block' button, in an internet community like this, it's difficult to avoid people always. You can't ignore their call or avoid their hang-out spots. For the sake of keeping a happy environment for all, I think sometimes we'll be friendly with people that, in 'real life', we might not ever speak to.

ba_miracle says,

I'd have to say that spending time with L2L3 was more like catching up and filling each other in on different aspects of ourselves. The first meeting started with hugs and I'd hug her now if I could (she warmly hugs back too ;-). Kicking back in pajamas with her family was easy. Giggling over dolphins...can bond people;-).

As far as online friendships go I suppose you could say that some are situational. (just as certain friends, family and co-workers can be).

Six words can be very revealing in a way that some people wouldn't show in real life. Some of us here may know some things about each other that our own dear-ones don't.

I don’t know that my online persona is very different. If you like me here you probably will in real life…if I’m not your cup of tea here, it will probably translate as well.

On a personal note Wench…you are in my list of must meets. There are quite a few
here and some sixers I hope to be in touch with for life.

Believe says,

Wench, this question could mean so many things, and answered so many different ways. I will do my best to answer in the manner of speaking you were asking. I think that here on smith most everyone could be "coworker friends". The kind you get along with in a professional sense. I believe this to be true because we are a random sampling inhabiting a specific environment. And as coworkers, we develop relationships that have very caring aspects. There is also the weird guy from the mail room that we attempt to avoid at all costs. And we care about him too, just don't want to listen to a five hour synopsis of his latest alien encounter.

That being said... There are others. And these others aim straight for our souls. We end up leading with our secret most confessions and fears then work our way to the basics. Quite the opposite of our real life friend making tactics. Weighted pour our hearts on to this screen and kindred spirits buoy us to emotional safety. They are few. As they should be. And they will never be casual friends. Their knowledge is too great. Their understanding too powerful.