Hi folks. Took a week or so off to recharge the ol’ batts. Didja miss me?
Next week will mark two years that Tumblemoose has been around the blogosphere. I have no idea where the time went. It seems like I just wrote my one year anniversary post.
In the two years that I’ve been blogging, I’ve never met one of my online buddies – until last week. I’m certain that geography plays into my isolationist behavior, but I know that there are other factors that are part of the equation. I tend to be not too much of a social creature and I enjoy the solitude of just me and the laptop laying waste to white space.
Now don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of folks that frequent my haunts that I would love to get a peek at and even hoist a mug (or shot glass. YOU know who you are). 
Last spring, one of my favorite writers let me know that he and his wife would be visiting Alaska in the summer. Since he’s one of my favorite peeps and since I’m proud of my state (except the freakin’ weather) I offered to show him around and at a minimum to meet with him.
I received an email from him a bit later outlining the dates they would be in Alaska and we agreed to meet in Seward. Seward is one of my favorite places in Alaska. It’s right on the ocean and when the weather is good, there isn’t a more beautiful place in Alaska. Even when the weather is rainy and miserable, Seward just can’t be beat.
It was a Maddy week and she loves Seward like I do so we made a little trip of it. We left early Sunday morning and headed south. It’s a beautiful two hour drive from Anchorage.
Wildlife count: 1 pod of beluga whales, numerous bald eagles, some jellyfish and two dead porcupines (which fascinated Maddy even more than the whales did).
We were to meet my friend for lunch at about noon. I was excited to be meeting him and his wife. I wasn’t nervous at all. Everything about it felt “right.” When I stepped out of the car, I heard Wayne call out. I grinned, waved and walked right on over and gave him a big hug. No formal handshake here, folks.
You see, Wayne Long and I have a connection. I think it has been there since we first discovered each other. Long time readers will recognize Wayne from his thoughtful and striking comments that he leaves as he frequents the Tumblemoose site.
Lunch was great and our time was too damned short. Maddy was enthralled by Wayne and his gracious and lovely wife. I could see why Maddy was taken with him. Wayne is a big, gentle, bear of a man. Soft spoken and kind eyes that reveal the depth of the man.
We chatted about life, writing, his HAM radio shenanigans and how great it was to connect.
The good-byes were brief and a bit sad. It was amazing. I spent two hours with Wayne yet when we left, I felt as if we had been friends for years.
I’m happy that my first in person meeting with an online friend went so well. It has set a very high standard, though. I hope that in the future I can meet more of my online buddies.
I’m curious to know of your experiences. How many of you have met someone in person that you originally met online? (Craigslist doesn’t count but if you want to privately email me with all the juicy details then I’m all ears)
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Hey George,
Was wondering where you had gotten too. Delighted to hear that your face to face meeting went so well and thrilled that you have made a lifelong friend. You hear so often of people actually meeting only to find that the person is nothing like their online persona. Alaska sounds beautiful and who knows maybe someday my writing will take me there. It’s a long way from Ireland but you never know.
I haven’t been lucky enough to meet any of my online friends but I’m sure someday they will visit Ireland.
Amanda, If you and yours ever end up on this side of the planet I would be thrilled to meet.
Also, visiting the UK, including Ireland and Scotland is on my life list so maybe we could meet on your home turf!
As always, thanks for stopping by.
George
Hi George,
Great to read this, I was about to send a search party up to Alaska to find you. (Phew! Close call!)
I’m tickled to read you had the good fortune to meet someone who has fascinated me since finding your blog — Wayne. I have a feeling I would have loved to join you all — oh the stories!
I can imagine it, two awesome writers shooting the breeze. Priceless.
And, I must admit — seeing a pod of beluga whales would be just too amazing to put into words. How cool is that?
Glad to have you back, George, I was in Angus withdrawl.
~xo
Lori´s last [type] ..Describe Your Awesomeness
Lori, you LEGEND!!!!
Your presence would have served to make me that much more sad at the good-bye phase. Yes, you would have been a lovely addition to the discussion. One day, I swear!
And the belugas were great!
I’ll send ya a link to purchase some Angusethadone.
George
Welcome back! I missed you as well! At this point, I have not personally met any online friends. Glad you and Wayne finally met face to face
Both Alaska and Ireland are on my list of places to visit one day. Hubby spent some time up in Alaska when he was in the Navy, and I have ancestors who came from Ireland back in the latter 1870s.
Carrie
Hi there Carrie,
Ahhh it sounds like some travel plans are in order! Me too. Once I get signed, I am going to use book tours as a means of seeing the world and looking up blogging friends!
George
Well George, now you’ve done it!
You’ve made this writer look at himself through another set of writer’s eyes. And the view is humbling.
You are right, my friend. We do have a connection. But then again, my worldview is full of connections, each one planned to the Nth degree and customized by the Master Connector. It was no accident that you and I crossed paths, George.
You see, true scribes throughout history have been, and are, first and foremost, great listeners. We heard each other’s outreaching pings without even trying, without having even met. Without having any human knowledge of each other’s existence. But the universe is like a gigantic tuning fork, poised and ever ready to resonate.
Many never experience the joy of resonance. They are too busy being busy. Too preoccupied. Too secretly frightened to do themselves, let alone anyone else, any good.
Ahh, but you, George, you are unique. You have that antenna that captures and magnifies the outreaching pings of others like yourself. Others like myself. Others in search of healing grace.
Thank you, my friend, for those priceless minutes we shared up in Seward. Thank you for Maddy. She’s like you, George. A good listener. Just try to imagine what wonderful connections are just around the proverbial bend for this daughter of the Master Connector. This gift.
As I mentioned when I met you, I found it so elegant that in our wilderness cabin on Fox island I read another visitor’s journal entry. It stated with such clarity: God lives in Alaska.
Lucky you, George.
Wayne
Cheers, Wayne.
I am fortunate in too many ways to count.
You are right, the minutes in Seward were precious few. I can’t wait to break bread again.
George
HI George,
So nice to be here after so long….and read your awesome writing as always. Witty smart and full of life!
And what fun to have met one fo your online freinds. I can only imagine how much fun you’ll had when you came together. Its amazing hwo the internet has left us to explore each others thoughts through our blogs and writing….that when the physical meeting does take place..it seems like we are meeting old freinds rather than new people. Amazing!
Oh..and 2 years! Wow wow and wow! You are fan-freakin-tastic! May the 2 turn to 200
Much Love,
Z~
Zeenat{Positive Provocations}´s last [type] ..The Love Series- How I Embraced LOVE
Zeenat, it’s very nice to have you here as well. I know, I can’t hardly believe it has been two years. In the blogosphere that is darn near eternity!
Thanks for dropping by and I look forward to dropping myself over at Positive soon!
George