Merry Meet and Blessed Be to the Car
 

I know many of you have had the pleasure of meeting those you know online in person...there are threads going on about judging, whether it is good or bad to have those relationships...this post is not about that, but about how fun it is to meet someone you've known online in person.

I've missed meeting David and Rick for two years now, but I still hope to meet them. Last year, Carol Trese and her husband, Kevin, came to our isolated coast to perform with the San Francisco Scottish Fiddlers and we drove down coast to see them, but the visit was too short. We offered our vacation rental (self-catering) but they had to get back to work. This weekend they came back to perform and we drove down to see them again...great performance...and we offered the cottage again.

This time, they had car problems and have to wait for a part to come in to the town we live in on Monday...we offered them the cottage again and they took the offer and asked to prepare dinner for us there...what a fine meal, what fun! We toasted the car, the "fiddlemobile" for breaking down several times!

What I know that they don't is that Monday on this coast sometimes can meanTuesday or even what Monday might that be? Selfishly, I hope it might mean Tuesday just to get another day with them, but not cause too much problem with them at work back home.

Long as this post is after a lovely day and evening, I think my point is that it is really fun to meet those you know online, share a love of poetry and countless other things with.

Many have spoken about the experience, given us photos to see.

It is true.

Pat

Pat - I have embarked a dozen times on a reply to this and have abandoned them all. All my written responses were too self-centred to be decorous additions to the board, but I am still thinking and I couldn't bear for you to think that this post was going to sink unacknowledged and without trace.

I met Roger and Terese in person at one of the last of our Bards Buffet meetings, a group of light poets who met irregularly in NYC. We're all dead now, so I'm glad Roger and Terese escaped unscathed. That was over 5 years old so it's OK that they don't remember.

Ed, of course I remember. Actually, I went to two or three of those lunches. But while I have met Terese on several other occasions, I don't recall seeing her there.

Hi Pat,

I'm so glad you had this lovely experience with Carol and her husband; you're right, it really is fun to meet people who start out as online acquaintances, who then become real friends!

I joined Eratosphere two years (and 11 days) ago, and the first person I met, not long afterwards, was George Simmers; we live only 30 miles apart. I already knew John Whitworth, then last summer I met lots of spherians (from both sides of the Atlantic) in Oxford, Cambridge and London. They're all such lovely people, and great friends too!

"Isolated coast" and "Monday might mean Tuesday", Pat? Hmm, it sounds idyllic, where you are. You never know, you might meet more spherians who'll head down your way, after posting this! :D

Jayne

As you well know, Pat, Dan and I first met "on line." I believe you were present from the beginning, weren't you?

It IS fun....and sometimes the fun never ends!!!

Sure I remember, Ed--so that makes two of us that remember I was there, even if Bob doesn't! Alive and kickin!

Pat, if you ever plan to visit NY, come to one of the CSM readings--you'll meet all kinds of creative and terrible beauties!

Indeed, I was! I was on the "cheer 'em on" team for sure.

Pat

While I haven't been to Pat's exact place (yet -- we will meet at some point, Pat, I promise you), I know the area and it is definitely one of the best places to be. Car problems are a pain, and waiting for a part, missing a day of work, etc., can be a big pile of headaches. But, if you have to be stuck somewhere, a vacation rental on the Mendocino Coast sounds like an excellent option to me.

David R.

I was just trying to protect your reputation, Terese. That was a pretty unsavory crowd.

Nice recovery, Bob! I was only there once, and with many other friends and acquaintances having died over the past two years, all I can say is, Lucky We're Here. [Of course, you're the baby of the group as I recall.]

Why not come to my and Linda's reading on Sunday? You too, Ed, if you're in the Northeast! And anyone else in the nabe! See the announcement in Gen. Announcements. Lo, I'd love to finally meet you and Dan in person! And lots of us go out to dinner afterward, to which of course you're invited. We've got editors, poets, writers, dramatists, translators, attorneys, critics...all trying to talk at the same time. Classic New York tradition. Only the strong survive!~ Now if that doesn't sound welcoming, what does? :~0

Pat!!! Thank you so much for everything! I have a pile of photos from your magical garden, I don't know how to post them here. Maybe you can do it from FB? I tell you, it is so cool to meet online friends and feel like you've known each other for ages. Thank you darling.

I'll try to post my favorite one. I just sent it to Paul. Carol and I in front of an old Amish quilt. She's wearing Mark Bullwinkle's art that we all know from The Flea and other journals and I am wearing the Wallace tartan scarf that Paul sent me. It's a small world in so many ways. And what fun it is. : )

I tried, can't post it here....but here's a link:

http://imagineii.typepad.com/photos/...l-and-pat.html

Pat

Thanks Pat -- that's a great shot of two lovely poetry ladies! Here's two more that my wife and I spent time with in Bristol in late 2010: Annie Drysdale and Angela France (who has co-edited SCR since near the start, and co-edits iota). We had a splendid time, and I hope to get back there again within twelve months.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caratacus/6803539119/

Our new mate Giovanni joined the party:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caratacus/6803629125/

Ann,
Along with a whole pile of books, Pat lent me "Quaintness and Other Offences", by yourself! Looking forward to curling up with it!

++ Carol