Meeting 'Offline'

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   ScottJStoneposted 15 years ago

   Hello All!  Only been hubbing for a couple of days and have been reading some forum posts with great interest. 
   
   I've just written a hub about meeting friends (or people you might have fallen for) from the web.  Just wondered what people thought of it as I met my wife online, but it was a bloody long journey!
   
   SS

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      ediggityposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Did you wear that mask? No wonder she fell for you. :-)

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      Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I wrote a couple hubs about my experiences "Long Distance Relationship'
      
      USA to New Zealand , then New Zealand to USA

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      dutchman1951posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      It can go both ways. Depends how honest both people are with each other, before trying to meet?

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   starme77posted 15 years ago

   Never tried it - but  I hear people do it all the time -

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   torimariposted 15 years ago

   I have. It's ok. Usually people are a bit different for clear reasons. I had a boyfriend I met online to for a long time...it was fun half the time it lasted, hehe.

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   ryankettposted 15 years ago

   I have never, as far as I am aware, met people that I have encountered online. With the exception of my facebook friends, all 411 of whom I have met offline before adding them online. I love the internet, but I will never allow it to completely replace real life social interaction. For me personally, the two things are completely different entities and will never be mixed.

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      darksideposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I've got a few hundred Facebook friends and there's a contingent of mine that I haven't met in real life, but we are related! Overseas uncles, aunties and cousins.
      
      Aside from that I have 2 people I haven't met in real life (or I'm related to) on my friends list. But I've 'known' them for at least 7+ years (and the other I think is 10+ years).
      
      I've since started a new profile just for online acquaintances so I didn't have to mix the two.

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   thranaxposted 15 years ago

   I never got to meet someone I meant online in real life. Maybe one day it will happen but for now its not a bad/good thing. The friends I have online for more then 6 years will always be friends regardless of ever meeting them.
   
   For now, there kinda like a pen pal.
   
   ~thranax~

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   wychicposted 15 years ago

   My sister and I both met our significant others online, and for both of us it has been such a wonderful experience. We have both been married once before, both of whom were met "in person", and both of those relationships were abusive in their own ways. My mom has given us both the lecture about how people can hide so much online, but I have a different opinion on that. Personally, I have found that people can hide a lot more when they're right in front of you than when you have to rely on verbal or written communication. Additionally, I got to know my SO a lot faster when there was distance between us because we did not have any physical outlet for our time together and so spent all that time talking. I have now known him for a year, he has lived with me for almost six months, and I've never been happier. Until you actually spend time getting to know people online, it's hard to really grasp just how well you can get to know those people.
   
   Granted, those who are actually online LOOKING may be a different story. I have never visited a dating site, and I have never been online specifically looking for a special someone. These things may cause people to try to "improve" themselves when talking to others, but again I think the facade is much shorter-lived online than in person.
   
   I have also met some people in person that I met as friends online. One person was in my hometown and we had a great time walking and chatting. The people I have met from the various sites I write on have invariably said, "Wow, from your writing I thought you were a lot older!"

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   Genniferposted 15 years ago

   I met my fiancé online... But I'm sure if I didn't meet him on the Internet, we would certainly meet in reality (it was just a question of time)

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   Pandemic Pressposted 15 years ago

   Honestly, I can't say which I think is better! I've had relationships both with people I've met online as well as with people I've met in person. My current partner I met through mutual friends (who I first met online actually!) and my previous partner I met online. I've written most of my hubs about online dating actually, and there are definitely advantages and disadvantages to both (which gives me an idea for another hub!)
   
   On the one hand, you do get to know people faster online due to the increased discussion, and yet in meeting people offline, there is a sort of check and balance system inherent in their social network that can tell us things about them before we get to know them. I'll have to think about this more. Good thread! Better than most I've seen in this category.
   
   Cheers!
   PP

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   Pandemic Pressposted 15 years ago

   Ha! Hence "Eaglekiwi" I like it. That's a LONG distance relationship! Isn't it something like a 24 hour flight?

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      Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Yea ,we kinda tried to think of a new email addy ,hence the hybrid name was born.
      The flight to LAX is 13 hrs and its awesome!!!
      International flights are so much more comfortable and different services (like great full meals an ample to drink) ,movies 24 hrs,snacks etc.
      Times flys

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    yoshi97posted 15 years ago

    My girlfriend stalked my through the internet ... Six years later ... Where was I? Oh yeah, still here.

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