Friday 27 April 2007

I wonder about online life and real time life

and think - is it like this for everyone?

I tend to keep my online friends a 'secret' from my real life friends - although I don't like the term 'real life friends' as I consider many of my online friends real life friends as well...now I have confused myself!!!

Maybe I should say, I tend to keep my online life a secret from my real life - that's not much better is it?

Anyway, I have shared so much about myself and my family with my online friends - I can think of only one or two real life friends who I might share as much with but really - my true online friends - well they know more than most. I love my online life. Really love it.

Love meeting up with my online friends too - spent some lovely times in Sydney and Queensland with my online/real life friends and I will treasure them and the memories.

Going to see Mean Girls was a highlight a few years ago with some of them. It was just pure fun.

It is awesome when you think about this technology that has enabled friendships not only 100's of kms apart but COUNTRIES apart. People whom I would never have known but for the internet. Lives I would never have shared.

Sometimes it can be a trial - these online personas - some people think or don't think before they say hurtful things. That is sad. But online life can bring great humanity. Humility and sheer joy.

Thank you to my online friends - you have enriched my life in many ways!

7 comments:

Lynda said...

It is just like watching Star Trek when I was a kid - I press a button and suddenly I can talk to someone hundreds, if not thousands of miles away. I love it too - I never feel lonely there is always someone to 'play with'. But my favourite bit is when the 'online' and the 'real world' meet up... and I laugh until my belly hurts. Interesting post. Very thought provoking.

Sue xx said...

We loved meeting you too! Hope you get back to Brissy soon. It is weird the online offline thing. I don't talk to my offline friends about online they just wouldn't understand. You either get it or you don't LOL It is hard online and things can get misinterpreted and others just get down right nasty.

I just like to share the love around :)
Sue xx

Anonymous said...

I love my online friends too, Kate! And yeah, sometimes the "in person" friends don't always understand, but oh well. We can pick and choose who we share our online experiences with, right?

SOMEDAY we'll come to Australia, and you will certianly be the first to know!!

Love, Caz :-)

Unknown said...

In a word, yes! At least it is like that for me. You certainly have a way with words K8! Thank you for being such a big part of my online, real life! Love, Christine

Trudi said...

Ohhhhh K8, yes, they just dont get it. I cant imagine my life without all my fav girls, who would listen to me rant and rave? Who would understand me? Who'd kick me up the butt when I need it? Is there anyone I trust as much as you girls, is that weird or what? Mean Girls was the BEST.

Kylie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kylie said...

Online friends are fab and love that at the click of a button can be speaking to someone for across the country or the globe.

I'm another whose real life friends don't get the online friends so I don't really talk about online that much with them.

I have been quite introspective lately about friendships - both online and real life - although really if you meet an online friend don't they then become a real life friend? Something to ponder on?