Is it just me....

As per the question, I have been on another website for a number of years and as such I have made some very good "internet" friends in many different countries. Now here's the question. If you had the opportunity to travel to a foreign country - or let me put it like this, if you heard that somebody that you have never yet met and have been chatting to years on the internet (model or whatever) and you found out that they were coming to your city from say Canada, and they wanted to meet up with you, would you:
a) Not make any effort to see them and say " oh well"
b) Try and get to see them but don't let it interfere with your daily routine, or
c) Go out of your way to get to see them and have a Beer and a chat?

I'll leave it there for now and see what you guys think.

Interesting one there......... chicken or the egg??

There could be many factors that will need to be weighed up. Typically, the internet is a diffent kind of commitment, its for convenience and I guess if the timing of the visit isn't "convenient" for what ever reason (work, family, distance, etc, etc), that beer is just gonna get warm I guess.

A very tricky subject, none the less.

Any thoughts, anyone ...... no commitment required. 

I hear you Snowy and I couldn't agree more but I think what I am trying to aim at here is would you go "out of your way" and make a concerted effort to meet some one whom you have been chatting to for many years or would you consider it not important enough to perhaps drop something else. As for distance I am thinking if that person was coming to your city so he will surely be reasonably easy to access. Also, in order to clarify my point, lets say that person will be in your City for a week and has asked you to choose a day and time, and place that suits you. In other words they have expressed a desire to meet up with you on your terms for a beer.

I hear you, bub!

With regards to the scenario you have described, I would like to think that I would have made the effort as you had made the effort to be there and to have arranged the get together.

I guess some people like the "security" / "distance" that the internet provides and don't actually relish the "one to one" that a get together requires.
Maybe the internet is just turning us into hermits, who knows  

Anyways, looking on the bright side, I bet there are a bunch of peeps out there that would love to have you around and to drag you around their "man cave" showing off their stuff and talking shop!  

Till later!

Have a good day!  

Great Snowy, thanks for your opinion mate, always helps to get another insight.

Howdy Jugs.
I think it would be cool to meet up with someone you've been chatting with.
I agree with Snowy, that the internet makes us hermits, but its always nice to have the chaps you can go visit and wander around each others mancaves and salivate all over there stuff.
Likewise, here on MM, Would like to meet some of the chaps on here.

Ah, something I can chime in on:

Several years ago when I was constantly snooping and chatting on forums (when they were new to me) I struck up a friendship with someone on a smaller forum.  Actually it was the forum I first ran into mr. jugjunkie (Geoff, we know him as Samurai Paddler).

Very coincidentally we learned we were both gonna be in Virginia Beach, Virginia a certain few days; he to deliver a completed model to a USN pilot and me for a long weekend.  

We stayed in touch until we met up on the decided upon day.  A little awkward at first, as we only had model building as a common denominator for talking.  And our respective women seemed to be eyeing each other up and down, (probably deciding who had the bigger nerd to deal with).  But after some lunch, and later dinner and drinks, it got very casual and comfortable.  No... actually me and Sammi got a little cocktail-silly and started acting like ourselves-- happy and foolish and at ease.    Worked out so well the four of us met up again the next day for a tour of a battleship and part of the naval base (parts I never saw and I was IN the Navy).

So I'm one for one.  I'd gladly do it again.

There are some forums and forum members around the world I respect and maybe rely on for information and enjoy a good talk now and then .  And there are some I avoid at all costs ( a real bastard over on WW2aircraft.net who very nastily smeared my USN service.  A moderator no less).  To this day I do not visit that site.

Very good question, Geoff.  


Ken

Thanks for comment Ken, Yeah I must go back there for a visit again. I think you made a very valid point there, t depends on who it is as to whether I would make the effort and how much effort. I guess I wasn't worth the effort to this individual so no point in getting all steamed up about it, there are a bunch of folk whom I wouldn't get out of bed to even talk to. Ta mate.

Well I was damn glad I went and met up with Geoff a while back when he was in Cape Town. We had a great time and we got a chance to talk to an Huricane pilot that flew the Hump in India in WW2 that day as a bonus.

Agree Dave, it was really good to meet with you and next time i'm in CT - we'll do it again.  

Morning Chaps
Well here's another opportunity for some semi awkwardness...
Any of you guys planning to go to Kimberley for the SANNL's?

Steve

I may go - when is it?

Wish I could but its a negative for me unless I win the Lotto

Yup, it is a bit of an expensive exercise Dave...

Jugs, its 10th & 11th of October at the Horseshoe Hotel in Kimberley.
Im going for the first time   so I can meet all these people that we talk too every day.

S

Well that is enough time, need to juggle some things but just maybe!!!!!!