friendly strangers

People who aren't online find the idea of meeting people online weird. Well I'm all for it. I love the freedom and inhibition that comes from chatting through blogs or boards. And I've met several lovely and fabulous people that way. Last night at the Blog Awards/Ladies' Tea party I had three very personal conversation ranging across birth, death, babies, breastfeeding and fertility, as is my wont, having never met two of the three people before. For me, this is normal, as you'll find I tend to go there whether I'm online or face to face anyway - this blog should be called Compulsive Divulgent. Beware, you may not want to hear about my labours or relationship, but chances are you will anyway... But I think online meeting definitely lends itself to a greater level of openness and perhaps trust - or perhaps that's just me.

As a group, the bloggers seemed really to be lovely people - genuine, creative, interested people. There was a friendly atmosphere, a relaxedness - I love that everyone felt united by their commitment to putting words on a screen, to expression, to communication (and no excessive drunkenness, which is a big plus for me). Perhaps we're making a storm in a teacup about the value of what we do ( I think I'll just go ahead and include myself in the 'we' - I don't know that there's much wide value in what I do here, but at least I'm part of a movement of sorts, I think) but what I've taken away fro the evening was the sense of a resourcefulness, an energy and creativity. Of people pursuing interests, finding ways to either make profit or just create, in inventive and communicative media.

I feel full of inspiration, and positivity, I want to have an Etsy shop. I want to get the blog my cousin and I have planned started. I want to find out about children's writing agents. I want to sell baked goods. I want to do my massage course.
I don't want to teach an exam course so much, and definitely don't want to do any more TEFL, though it's looking like I'll have to again this summer :( Someone offer me a job so I don't have to go back to that! My husband and I were just discussing the dream of living in Italy, and of course the obvious thing for me to do there would be teach English. And the thought totally makes me want to stay here! Bleh! Sorry, digression.

I'm all for talking to strangers. Meeting new people, making new friends without taking years to do it. I like talking to people on the street, but it happens less these days. I think the Internet community, such as it is, and the blogging community, is a way to talk to people on the street all round the world.