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Capitalism abhors a vacuum, and into this collective social void has stepped a fleet of companies and entrepreneurs selling an end to social isolation. Over the past decade, on-demand connection has become both a big business and a powerful marketing opportunity. From co-living apartments to coworking spaces to apps that help facilitate human connection, there is a lot of investment and infrastructure being built around services that help humans bond with other humans.

LAURAENTIS


I think the need for human contact is universal. Just look at us here, on blogger. We have created a mini-community in the bigger circle of bloggers that populate this site. We visit each other's blogs and we leave comments that move our conversations ahead. We are inspired by other bloggers, we mostly agree with what they write and we all take part of the friendly banter that this site offers.

We have our favs, we have our reading list in our feed that lets us know when somebody we 'follow' has published a post and we can go and read it and comment on it. Sometimes we even respond to other people's comments. It's fun. It's like having the chance to talk to a bunch of people who share our interests without even having to go to a Starbucks (and risk being trapped there with five policemen in uniform). It's fun, it's interesting and it's a good way to spend time getting to know what other people think about a myriad of themes.

But some people have decided go beyond that. They will provide you with a pre-concocted web of acquaintances. For a price. Yep, they'll fix you up with some instant friends if you feel your life is way too monotonous and you want to break the work-home-work-home-work routine, especially if you are new to a city. They could also provide you with a working space that you'd share with others and at the same time they offer the promise of connection. And that goes for living spaces too.

I think that with all the social media noise (facebook, linkedin, twitter, snapchat, instagram, the lot!) people have forgotten how to make deep connections in real life. I also think we talk about much more personal and deeper things on these blogs than people who share, let's say a -very curated- photo on instagram. Ha! And they say a picture is worth a thousand words.



I like blogging. I like sharing the noise in my head with others. I have also made very nice friends and acquaintances through this medium. It's that need for human contact. I have got to know people from different countries, who have very varied professions and that approach life from radically different points of view. I find that to be interesting. And I think that blogging differs from let's say, Facebook because the interactions are different: even when somebody just publishes photos of naked men, there's usually some editorial value to them: there's always some kind of personal taste/idea behind even the most minimalist porn blogs. We have decided to follow them through links we find on one of our favorite blogs, or because they comment on some of our friend's posts. Also, most of the bloggers we tend to follow are people who write mini-editorials on several topics: from personals stories to architectural eye candy to Tour de France and political commentary. I think that's great.



But I know that some people would like to have a more IRL connection. I think it's natural. The same medium that allows us to share ideas with people in the UK, Spain and France, makes us really aware of that distance between us. I know of some bloggers that get together regularly (they live in the same state, for example) and that makes the ties even more tangible. I like the online interactions, but I wonder if it would be fun to meet some of the bloggers I follow in person. After all, I know perfectly well how they think about life, politics, religion, sex, and most everything. I find them interesting online, so why wouldn't I find them interesting in the flesh? It's like MeetUp but with the warranty of a good conversation.

I'll leave you with that question. Would you like to meet fellow bloggers? I know some of you have done it. How was it? Was it interesting? It's not necessary but it's an open possibility that may be worth exploring. Who knows? Maybe one day we'll get to laugh about some silly post we wrote while having that mythical cup of coffee.

XOXO






Comments

  1. I only follow three (active) blogs. Mainly, because I've pissed so many blogging people off, they don't want me around. So many of your readers would not be interested in meeting me. Of the three blogs I read, you and Anne Marie would be the two I would love to get a pedicure with. I think I would be giggling the whole time. The third that I follow, I would like to do a 'Cher'; slap them, and say "Snap out of it!".

    I would be willing to fly anywhere in North America for the experience.

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  2. Just say when and where!
    And for good measure, throw L'Maddie, Anne Marie, and Steve in too.
    Part of blogging's fun is meeting the writers; it adds depth to the writing. So count me in.

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  3. It's always fun to meet blogging buddies. I've met a few over the years on my travels. So hey, when are you coming to Edmonton? Hahahahahaha!

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  4. I have read blogs for years. Definitely a better reader, I stink at actual blogging, mostly because of time. Work, training and social life. I have met several, but the mostly surprising was I ended up in bed with one, totally not planned, on a vist to meet them. One can only take a few days of sexual tension, before it unleashes. But that attraction thing cant be denied. And in some cases it goes beyond blogger friends into a nice playful friendship. I love your blog, I'd meet you too.you sound so fun and interesting.

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  5. Blogging is fun, it let's me get my venom out sometimes, and at other times I just have fun playing with the words. Oh, and talking about bikes and my dogs... that's real good. Meeting bloggers could be interesting, they just need to know up front I can be a bit of a smart ass.

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  6. I would love to meet ALL the commenters here! jimmy, that's a great idea; walter and I would knit together, debra and I would do "girl talk", cali and I would talk about the mistress and all her friends, and dave and I could snark long into the night.

    I have met at least 10 other bloggers that I follow. one blogger I had to drop; too fucking selfish and negative and toxic for me. the bloggers I have met are the same in person as they are on their blogs. I LOVE being a part of the blogging family!

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  7. PS - sixpence, and where would WE hang out in chi-town? navy pier? ed debevic's? pizzaria uno?

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  8. Cali boy my address is... lol, just teasing.
    I have met four other bloggers, to be honest I was nervous as hell because they are very clever and I was afraid they would realize that I'm very ordinary. I also used to google talk to three other guys, one of them for hours! I had a few call me as well. Wait... what was that? Felt like a hand just zipped by my head. I enjoy having this secret society.

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  9. ¡Que interesante post! :-)
    Yo también pienso que este medio de comunicación de los blogs, a pesar de estar un poco de capa caída si se compara con el empuje de redes sociales como Instagram, Facebook y demás, tiene un valor propio. En cada publicación o cada post hay mucho más de la persona que hay detrás que por ejemplo en una fotografía de Instagram -tal como muy bien señalas tú- y no solo hablamos de esfuerzo personal ( que lo hay, vaya si lo hay, jajaja ); también hay de sus gustos, de su forma de pensar, de su visión de la vida y de las cosas, no sé... A mi la blogosfera me ha dado muchas satisfaciones personales, he tenido rachas de seguir muchos blogs y establecer "hilos" de conversación entre unas páginas y otras que eran realmente divertidos y/o interesantes. Ahora me cuesta encontrar qué leer, y quizás por eso también me falta el espíritu para escribir...pero contestando a tu pregunta, yo sí he conocido algunos bloggers en persona con resultados bastante desiguales ( de hecho de uno de ellos ¡salió mi primera relación gay!). La impresión que me quedó es que realmente no hace falta conocerse en directo porque hay cosas que funcionan bien tal cual son sin necesidad de ir más allá. Y es que muchas veces lo que la persona quiere compartir de si misma es lo que refleja en su página e incluso en ocasiones ha creado -queriendo o sin querer- una personalidad con la que expresarse en el blog diferente de si misma, y más allá de eso puesss no sé, hay una realidad sea mejor peor, no necesito conocer. Siempre hay una leve curiosidad sobre el ser humano que hay ahí al otro lado, ¿verdad? pero no sé, no siento casi nunca el impulso de pasar la barrera para comprobar de verdad qué es lo que hay al otro lado...
    ¡Ay madre, si casi me salió un post, jajaja!
    Un abrazo muy grande y feliz fin de semana, guapetón.

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  10. Looks like you’re either going to be hosting a lot of friends or you’re traveling, babe.

    XOXO 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨

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  11. @Jimmy: LMAOOOO pissing bloggers off is a national pastime! And I'd totally hang out with you. And a mani-pedi with you and Anne Marie? Any day!!
    @Walter: OMG that would be THE group! And you are right, it would definitely add depth to the writing. We already know how each other thinks, so elaborating on anything would be fascinating.
    @Debra: OMG you should write about that! I think meeting fellow bloggers would be a blast. And don't tempt me, I've wanted to go to Canada for a loooong time!
    @Cali-boi: awww I'd love to meet you, too! And I think you should write more. I am sure you have a ton of interesting stuff to talk about! Not to mention the steamy stories you could tel....
    @Dave: but of course we know you're a smart ass. It's part of your charm! And you are right, blogging is better than therapy to let it all hang out.
    @AnneMarie: The Navy Pier! And Boystown, of course. We would HAVE to go to to Boystown. And I can totally believe you've met all those bloggers. You are quite the social butterfly. And I also believe you drop the Negative Nancy like a hot potato. You're not one to put up with bullshit.
    @Steven: don't be silly. You being so open and sincere is part of your charm! And I could describe you as anything but simple. Definitely. And I love the idea of a secret society populated by a close-knit group of bloggers.
    @Angelito: Yo también he conocido un blogger con el que casi, casi que nos volvimos íntimos. El estaba en Canarias, y hubiera sido un poco difícil vernos, pero si que nos volvimos íntimos. Y lo que dices de la personalidad, puede ser cierto. Online podemos ser quien queremos/deseamos: ya sea Norman Mailer o un super-modelo, como dice la canción. Y tal vez en algunos casos no se de un completo calco. Y me encanta que hayas contribuido!

    XOXO

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  12. Oh, agree with everything you said here and more. I would love to hang with you, upright or otherwise!!!!!!!! Hey...your the one who said let it hang. opps. oh. You said hang.

    And Cali Boi could have been one of my instant porn stories. The guy who didn't stay on the sofa!!!!!!!

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