How many members have you met? How many are actual friends now? How many are you "friends" with on Facebook, but haven't met? Enquiring minds want to know, but you do not have to give names. I was on another board (gardening), and saw that many people actually go out of their way to meet up and have become extremely good friends. When I first started joining various boards to get information, it never occurred to me that I would go beyond the "fake" friends mode. Not that I'm unfriendly, but I sort of thought that this would be a separate part of my life. I have become virutal friends with a woman from a remodelling board, but we live in opposite parts of the country, so we text, email often. We still plan on meeting one day, though every year she goes somewhere else for vacation, and well, you all know where I end up, LOL
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
None, none and none.
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
I have a very good friend who taught me her theory about new friends when we were in France one time with a large group. She refers to it as the "weeding-in-theory"... she says that you have to be very careful about who you allow into your life as friends, because once they are in, it is very difficult to 'weed them out'.... Guess I'm glad she 'weeded me in', while I intend to follow her lead, that does not mean I won't proceed cautiously to make contact with people I believe I might have a great deal in common with. I have privately been in touch by email with a few people, but over specific travel questions that don't warrant being added to the sites here. I have spent a ton of time here lately because I have some trips that I needed advice on, so have made a few contacts because of that. Also commented on RS facebook and another poster and I figured out we were both on this site as well.
A love of travel can be a strong common bond.
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2804 posts
I have become friends with several people from here. I live in the midwest and one good friend lives out west. I went out last fall to visit her, oh what a great time we had. Looking forward to our next visit.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
I have a restraining order against ONE 'Helpliner' in town ;-) I DO have a list of people on the Helpline that I'd LOVE to meet! You're not kidding about 'the weeds' LOL! (hence, the restraining order - giggle)
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32349 posts
Eileen, Wow, a restraining order - that's a very extreme and an unusual legal method to be applied to a HelpLine member! Hopefully this is an isolated case!
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9214 posts
Have met 6 people from the Helpline. Am FB friends with 4 of these same people. Am FB friends with one person I haven't met yet, but hope to someday. It is fun meeting people from the Helpline as well as their spouses and their kids. There are a few more on here that I would really like to meet.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
I just knew she'd show up...;-) Keep 150 feet away... There are many I'd love TO meet just to satisfy my curiosity... We should have a giant get-together in Edmonds...(furiously typing note to ETBD...). Or, Minnesota - Tim said to drop by for coffee...;-) Or, we could have a practice run in California...sponsored by Panera Bread. I can see the T-shirt design already...
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10595 posts
Eileen is misleading you. SOMEONE had to get the restraining order against HER. She is a stalker. See ya later in the week Eileen! :-)
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19272 posts
Let's see. I have 10 names, all of whom I've met, on the Denver group email list, and I've met Jo in Germany.
Posted by
Hermosa Beach, CA, USA
277 posts
A good friend introduced me to the Rick Steves community, but not the other way around.
Posted by
OP
XXX
1170 posts
Eileen, I wish you'd get rid of that restraining order. I promise not to stand outside your house, holding a candle and singing "Another one bites the dust." Freddie made me do it :-( I recently added a whopping 2 people from this board on FB. I was asked about a year ago to look for one of them but I didn't have an account until recently. There are some very helpful, nice people on the board, and I wouldn't mind meeting some of them one day. Now back to Eileen...holding my candle, singing...:-) Eli
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
Eli's comin', I mean the police are comin', you'd better hide... I KNOW I don't have time for Facebook...I have enough time-suckers already! Very good thread topic, if I do say so. Points for originality.
Posted by
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
1446 posts
I have made one really good friend from this website. We live 30 minutes away from each other and have a common love of England and many other things.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
1317 posts
None, none, & none but there are some posters who I always get a kick out of and would love to meet some day.
Posted by
Kirn, Germany
331 posts
I am having enough trouble keeping up with all of my mother's ex lovers and wondering which one could be my father. Most off line relationships are a disappointment. So many preconceived ideas. For instance I always hoped that James from Ansbach was an anarchist, then he says he's a pussy cat. You can't always trust your instincts on line. Ho hum....
Posted by
Adelaide, SA, Australia
977 posts
Have met Jo in Frankfurt last year. Spent a lovely couple of hours with her. It was a great way to start our European trip. Trust all is going well with the tours Jo.
Posted by
Newburyport, MA
683 posts
Like Norma and Liz, we are none cubed. We think that most visitors to this site (even habitues), have rarely come across Rikniks and probably look to avoid them while traveling as such an encounter would intrude on a "backdoor" atmosphere.
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2787 posts
I finally met the first person that I have communicated with on this web site last January at RS Reunion in Edmonds, WA.
It was a real pleasure to put a face to all the PMs.
Posted by
Columbia, SC
989 posts
Shoni - You sound like NeNe on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. But I don't suppose you get that show over there. You're not missing anything - you're lucky if you don't getall the reality show drivel.....(but there's nothing more addictive than watching trashy women with too much money. Well.....good luck with the paternity tests......