Who Framed Roger Rabbit was notable because characters from one dimension burst through into another. The animated Roger Rabbit landed in our world, cartoon physics intact. Today, I had a similar experience. Sort of.
I got to meet Life Hiker today here in San Diego. We have been reading and commenting on each other's blogs for at least a year now, and when I heard his voice on my answering machine yesterday, I had to chuckle. It was so cool to have him break through the virtual barrier into my real world. (He has, apparently, been there in his real world all along.)
One biggest problem with Life Hiker (who actually has a name) is that I find so little to disagree with in his comments and posts. We've come at some of the same positions from different directions, but I've learned this about the blogosphere: it has created a new kind of neighbor. LH may live across the country in New York, but he's pretty much a next door neighbor when it comes to ideology and worldview. And getting to sit down with him and his son at Con Pane - one of my favorite San Diego bakeries - felt natural.
My wife Sandi came towards the end of our meeting. (He looked more delighted to see her than me, but she is, to be fair, more delightful to look at.) She told him that he was so "real," had such obvious integrity. And he is and he does. I love ideas and would be content not to bother acting on 98% of my ideas. By contrast, LH regularly volunteers, travels abroad to follow his convictions about how to help people, and basically lines up his beliefs and actions in ways that are every kind of admirable. It was great to "meet" this man I know so well.
11 comments:
Hah! A gathering of words.
I don't know who that was at your door, but I can assure you that the internet isn't real.
I, for example, am completely fictional. If I ever show up at your door, it means you're high.
So cool. Several of my blog friends have met each other. I have to admit that I'm jealous. But it is comforting to know that I WILL make this happen in my future. :-)
that is cool.
Dave & Thomas
You two should have been there. I mean here.
Thomas,
You and Bernard would get along well. He continually assures me that he's fictional. I'm still not sure that I believe him.
Pinky,
you would have to just stay partially hidden behind a door frame, otherwise with two eyes showing, no one would know it was you.
xSD,
yes it is. was.
It was such a pleasure to actually meet Life Hiker in the handsome, fit, and genuine flesh! He perfectly matches his words and deeds... a true gentleman. It is no surprise that Ron and LH found each other in the vast babble of the blogisphere because they both have a similarly wonderful way of being.
Sandi
Oh how great! I love Life Hiker's comments on your blog. Also he looks like Life Hiker should. Does that make sense? Anyway, to make you every bit as envious as you have made us with this blog meets real world coup, I think that if anyone should ever have the possibility of meeting Thomas first, that will be me as I live in the same state. Now Thomas don't make a liar out of me or I shall stop every Walt Whittman look-alike and ask if they are you.
I also see myself sharing a bottle of wine with Cce and Chesca, Jennifer and Maddie!
Glad you and Sandi enjoyed it Ron. I've always thought of my blogging life as the best kind of distiller. If I don't connect to someone's words and thoughts and hearts on cyberpaper, then chances are that I wouldn't either in real life.
Those of us who meet at special places like "RWorld" know that relationships make life worthwhile.
After only a few minutes of chatting with Ron and Sandi, one knows their relationship is deep and exciting. You want to rejoice at the realized potential sitting across from you!
But, the fact is that I already knew them, and better than I know some of my long time friends. That's the power of the heartfelt and carefully crafted printed word.
Handshakes and hugs certainly turn the virtual world into a physical reality. And, the wonderful cafe de chocolate and cinnamon rolls at Con Pane sweetened our meeting immensely!
I wish all of you could have joined us! Maybe another time...
Yes... all of us. A sort of R World conference where in all the regular readers come together and enthuse over our mostly shared world view. Now that's an idea.
How often do we get to actually sit in a room with people we know to be sympathizers? There's something about this blogging thing that is actually has us all on a more intimate footing with one another than we may be with many people we actually brush elbows with daily. I try to explain this to people of another generation...like my parents and they just DON'T get it. But it's so very real, so very there.
Ron, glad you got to meet up with LH. I'm thinking San Diego '09 might be a goal we could all get behind.
If you say he's a great guy, then he's a great guy. Glad you got a chance to meet him and enjoy each other's company as I've always enjoyed yours.
*snort!*
Ron, my face has appeared on my blog several times, but you wouldn't know that, now would ya??!!
::elbow in ribs::
;-)
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