# Have you ever met people whom you know from internet?



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

We all have considerable interaction with people on the internet, here and possibly on other sites. Have you ever met someone you know from such sites in real life? My count is at 5.

The first one (2003) was a Frenchman I knew from a puzzles/games site. We got along very well, and when he got married in Paris he invited the wife and myself to come and join the wedding and the dinner. There we met another Dutchman from the same forum.

Around 2009 I met a third person from the same site. He was an American Chinese studying in Shanghai, and we were a few weeks in that city (my wife is from there).

In 2010, while I was on a business trip in Houston, I met up with another guy from the same site, who lives there. We had known each other on the web for 12 years. 

Finally, in 2012, an English photographer that I know from Flickr (where we co-adminned a popular group), visited us in Kampen.

In all cases, it was fun to meet them.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

I haven't, but let me share the story of some friends in northern England who decided to meet up after swapping messages about tools and woodworking on a craft chat line. Alfred had not realised that Arch was a woman, and it hadn't occurred to Arch that Alfred would be Chinese. They have been happily married for 4 years.


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## Annied (Apr 27, 2017)

Only a handful and the experiences have been mixed with probably more bad than good. On 2 occasions I can think of, people I had no wish to meet descended on me, despite not having been invited and not knowing my address. They just announced they were coming, in one instance for an overnight stay and I had little choice but to go along with it! (I was quite well known in some cat lovers forums at one time as I lived with 2 Siamese cats who had massive online alter egos, wrote books and had their own website. It was "The Boys" as they were known who were the draw rather than me.)

I tend to keep any online "friendships" online if I can these days.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I met a guy who was on the motor oil forums and we met and exchanged bottles of oil. I used to have quite a stash at one point when stores were running closeouts on "obsolete" oil, which was only obsolete if you had a late model car. :lol:

My son has several friends he met on internet forums. He has since met them all in person. One of them tipped him off to a great job opportunity where he is now working and doing quite well. One internet friend is in Michigan, but the other two are a long day's drive away (~600 miles each). Recently he flew out to visit with the one friend for an extended weekend.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I have not met anyone that I know from the websites I frequent. Being a relatively solo person is the main reason. There is a member of another website who lives here in Albuquerque, but he isn't my cup of tea.

Actually, I would like to meet in person any members here if they happen to be going through Albuquerque. Just send me a private message, and we can hook up for a couple of hours or an overnight stay; our home is plenty big with unoccupied beds.


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

I have met 2 folks in person, each took the time to come to my town to say hello.
As a result I bought them a nice lunch and enjoyed the time spent with them.

I tend to be rather reclusive so I have scores of invitations that I have not found the time for from enthusiasts in this and other hobbies. 

Some invitations have been rather generous. I have turned down invitations to attend a football games in a luxury box and another a restaurant invitation so exclusive that one cannot attend without knowing someone who is allowed entry.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Yes ... three times. 

One, a forum member on our sister site, MIMF, when I was in the UK in 2010. He had arranged time for me to see and play (for several hours) the pipe organ at Wimborne Minster in Dorset. 

The 2nd meet up was with Frederik Magle also during the same trip in 2010. My wife and I were his and his wife's house-guests for nearly 2 weeks; had a splendid time. Frederik had arranged for me to play an organ concert in Jölunde Kirke during that trip. He had designed that particular organ and has done numerous recordings there as well.

The 3rd was meeting TC member Chi_town Philly (Eric) in Philadelphia, 2012. We spent the whole day with him and his wife seeing the sites, culminating with the best Philly Cheese steak sandwich I've ever tasted, from Gino's.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

I once met someone from a golf forum and we played 18. I promptly waxed them over a tough Donald Ross track, and got instant cred in that forum going forward.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Fritz Kobus said:


> I met a guy who was on the motor oil forums and we met and exchanged bottles of oil. I used to have quite a stash at one point when stores were running closeouts on "obsolete" oil, which was only obsolete if you had a late model car. :lol:


Ah, yes, Bob Is the Oil Guy. People there have stashes of 1,000 quarts of circa 2013 Pennzoil 5w-20 motor oil instead of CD collections with 1,000 discs. :lol:

I've never intentionally met someone from online before, but I have bumped into someone from a local non-music blog before just by coincidence.


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## BayHalt (May 12, 2018)

Yes ... many times.
Sometimes there are interesting friendships


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Yeah, a few times. Once with a lad from a Bob Dylan chat site, he also sold bootlegs on the side. He came to Dublin, I showed him around, introduced him to Arthur Guinness.

I met two different posters from a tennis site, one in NYC, and another a French lad who came to Dublin. Introduced him to Arthur Guinness. They got on well.

And one one from this site, a poster known as Kleinzeit, one of the greatest artists I’ve seen, and we met at his art exhibition in Munich.

Still good pals with all of them, except the bootlegger, we lost contact a long time ago. 

I like meeting posters, and so far it’s been a great experience...


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

I have met a few folk.... (though i find they were not as nice as they were online...) (one of which caused me to shut my self in completely from society... (which started my obsessive composing of music. because i couldn't deal with the tradegy and anguish they put me through.) 
Another ended up saying i stole 200$, a mini laptop for drugs. 
Another kinda had signs of being a woman abuser, but the other folk on the forum stated he was nice... and ostrisized me... 

I am careful not to go through this again... i have not been the same since those occurences. 

though i have met a bunch of friends whom, i have known for years. That i would like to meet... but that fear of the past kinda negates those feelings even at last minute. 

(i mean one of which runs my site... another i have worked with on music a few times. I have known both since 2012, which i consider them part of my family. but i still have those fears.)


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I've never met anyone from this forum in person. Or maybe I have and just didn't know it; there are a couple from Nashville around here. And if one of you is the one who picked up the Francois Samson Ravel collection from McKay's, remember the guy who showed up a few minutes late clutching his money, standing there in disappointment on finding it wasn't there? That was me.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Kieran said:


> Yeah, a few times. Once with a lad from a Bob Dylan chat site, he also sold bootlegs on the side. He came to Dublin, I showed him around, introduced him to Arthur Guinness.
> 
> I met two different posters from a tennis site, one in NYC, and another a French lad who came to Dublin. Introduced him to Arthur Guinness. They got on well.
> 
> ...


Ah ha Sir! You have unwittingly informed us all of your true profession: Mr. Kieran, regional sales marketing manager, Diageo Beverages!


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Room2201974 said:


> Ah ha Sir! You have unwittingly informed us all of your true profession: Mr. Kieran, regional sales marketing manager, Diageo Beverages!


:lol:

Well I certainly should be on commission!


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

No, but I wouldn’t mind meeting someone such as Josquin13, Rick Riekert, or a few others who so obviously love the music and have contributed so much to the forum.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Kieran said:


> :lol:
> 
> Well I certainly should be on commission!


After visiting your fair city last year I wondered why Arthur was never knighted!

P.S. The Open is on my tentative schedule for next year!


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## Guest (May 12, 2018)

Not a realistic option as I'm not permitted a day pass.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

dogen said:


> Not a realistic option as I'm not permitted a day pass.


Sorry to hear you've been banned from the buses again, dogen.

I did tell you you'd have to stop drinking all that alcohol-free beer on the top deck. Insisting on giving every passenger a RateBeer review each time is just adding insult to injury, if you want my honest opinion.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

Seriously, no. Though anyone is welcome to meet up if they're passing through my locality. You might be a bit underwhelmed, though.


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Room2201974 said:


> After visiting your fair city last year I wondered why Arthur was never knighted!


He's sainted, instead! :lol:



> P.S. The Open is on my tentative schedule for next year!


The Irish Open golf? That'd be a great visit! I went to it years ago but haven't followed golf closely since...


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Kieran said:


> He's sainted, instead! :lol:
> 
> The Irish Open golf? That'd be a great visit! I went to it years ago but haven't followed golf closely since...


No, The Open, Royal Portrush!


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## German Shepherd (May 13, 2018)

Occasionally I've met in real life I know from different Facebook music groups but otherwise no, not yet


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

While we are on this subject, what I'd like to know is this: Do *Kieran* and *Nereffid* ever get together for a pint? They can't live that far away from each other!


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

No, I haven't. I think it might be strange to meet someone from this site if the only thing we had in common was a similar love of similar music - unless maybe at a concert that we both happen to have been due to attend. What would we talk about? Music? We're already doing that. But if we had a good few other common interests or experiences and lived near to each other then maybe it would work. I can see that sites that cater for pastimes that involve more active collaboration could easily lead to good encounters.


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

Enthusiast said:


> No, I haven't. I think it might be strange to meet someone from this site if the only thing we had in common was a similar love of similar music - unless maybe at a concert that we both happen to have been due to attend. What would we talk about? Music? We're already doing that. But if we had a good few other common interests or experiences and lived near to each other then maybe it would work. I can see that sites that cater for pastimes that involve more active collaboration could easily lead to good encounters.


*nods, i agree with you there... though there is always the possibilities, they too like videogames, magic the gathering, or other activities that would be fun that you humans tend to do while hanging out with each other. like go bowling. or to a pet store and purchace 3.5 cats. each.  then give them names of your favourite composers, and each of you take one, then you go on a journey and find me to offer me the other five. ;D

i want some cats... *cries


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Another member of this forum - who hasn't been active lately - was coming up for a work conference at an educational establishment near us and suggested a meeting. It had been fixed up, but it was just after Taggart had been ill, so I was meant to be driving - but then I fell ill with flu, so we had to call it off. 

I posted on a folk forum I belong to asking people to recommend fiddle schools and courses. One poster, first name Martin, recommended Halsway Manor, so we went on my very first fiddle-course holiday there, which did wonders for my confidence and started me and Taggart off on our hobby of attending folk music courses - there'll be four this year. 

Anyway, we met Martin there, and he turned out to be very nice and funny. He looked after us and made sure we got the best out of the experience. 

In general, though, I admit I am rather wary of meeting internet friends in real life.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

i do not think i have met any one from the 'net. and i am on several forums. does relatives and people that have worked with you on face book count???


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

After the Eurovision debacle we have banned everyone from Europe from entering the Country


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

Yes, lots!
When my husband died and I came to live permanently in Scotland (2010) I didn’t know anyone at all. I bought a laptop, started buying CDs from Amazon and discovered the music forums. A small group of regular posters had already met up once and were arranging another PPU (Posters’ ****-Up) and everyone was welcome. It was in Oxford so I booked trains and a night in a B & B and off I went. There were over 20 of us aged from 29 to 70 (me) but most were 50s - 60s. We were from different areas and backgrounds but got on very well. I’ve been to another 4 and am still in touch by email. 

Meanwhile, one of the music threads was devoted to gigs/concerts we were going to or had been to and it turned out 3 of us in Scotland had booked separately to see Richard Thompson in Glasgow, so we arranged to meet for a coffee before the show. We got on very well and arranged a lunch to which we invited anyone in the vicinity. There are now 6 of us who meet up for meals, art exhibitions, all sorts of music etc. The other female is now a good friend and I stay with her when I go to Glasgow.

Another thread was for ‘Deadheads’ - devotees of the Grateful Dead (but not exclusively) They meet up in Cornwall every October so I decided to join them as well. There are now 10 of us, only 3 of whom are Deadheads. 
And there’s more! Another thread asked did we know anyone famous and one bloke had been at school with John Lennon but 2 years below him. I realised we were contemporaries as I was at the girls’ school next door at the same time. Turned out we had lived just 3 miles apart in Liverpool and he had delivered newspapers to my great-aunt. He has now joined us in Cornwall!

It’s great to live on a small island.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

Yes I have met dozens in the flesh that I also know on the www forums in particular a BMW car forum, music wise a couple but that was a while ago after all NZ is a small country.


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

Sorry, wrong thread.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Right after the 2016 election, a Facebook friend of mine who is also a big fan of classical music and opera , came to visit me . She lives in Roanoke , Virginia with her husband, and both of them were visiting New York to attend performances at the Metropolitan opera and see the town in general , so she made a short trip to see me in New Rochelle, which is just a short north of Manhattan . 
We had a lot of fun discussing classical music and opera as well as politics etc .


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

Further to my previous post about meeting several Scots - one of them is head gardener at Braco Castle in Perthshire and actually lives there. Here's a clip from the TV programme The Beechgrove Garden featuring him:


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## Dorsetmike (Sep 26, 2018)

As Krummhorn has mentioned we met at Wimborne Minster, doesn't seem like 8 years ago. There is a small shop in the Minster and one of the ladies doesn't like the organ, especially the 8' Tompette!

http://www.wimborneminster.org.u/126/organ.html

Organ spec

http://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html?RI=N10180

I have met quite a few members of various other forums, a Photo forum holds meets at various photogenic venues I've been to 3 of those, a model railway forum arranges meets at various model railway shows.


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## Tikoo Tuba (Oct 15, 2018)

Yes , I met a young woman who freaked out upon seeing Tikoo in the forest and would not speak . I 'spose I should've appeared more her age . Oh , well . I didn't care .


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

I have met many people from forums a particular successful meeting was from an international Car Forum from which one member and myself formed a NZ BMW Z owners club our first run was about a dozen cars and over the space of a couple of years it increased to 50 cars.

*Below is a pic of our run to Taupo about a dozen cars*


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Dorsetmike said:


> As Krummhorn has mentioned we met at Wimborne Minster, doesn't seem like 8 years ago. There is a small shop in the Minster and one of the ladies doesn't like the organ, especially the 8' Tompette!


Well ... her loss! Magnificent organ and delighted to have gotten to play it for several hours.

True, does not seem at all like 8 years ago ... great memories though.

Kh


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## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

Tikoo Tuba said:


> Yes , I met a young woman who freaked out upon seeing Tikoo in the forest and would not speak . I 'spose I should've appeared more her age . Oh , well . I didn't care .


We converse with many forum members for years. We can't help but imagine what they look like. Last night I was looking for long lost friends on FaceBook and I accidentally came across an big Amazon forum contributor I had chatted with for years.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I used to moderate on a (now defunct) rock site back in the noughties. After a few years I suggested we meet up for a damn good booze-up. Our first meet was in 2005 (only 22 of us) and it was a camp and booze-up event. Next year its 13 years old and has grown from a ****-up to a meet where we bring partners (and some bring their now grown up kids), play music together and have a damn good laugh. Me and Mrs Merl got married at the meet, year and a half ago. I now view these people as my best friends. This year is our biggest meet ever and we will be coming from all over the UK. We have 4 or 5 Dutch guys who come over every year and have had former forum members come from every Scandinavian country, Thailand, Canada, Germany, Eastern Europe and USA. I'm always up for meeting new people. I'd love to meet some of the people on here too..... even grumpy old Woodduck! :lol:


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

By the way, I met my wife online, 6 years ago in a Facebook rock music group.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Merl said:


> By the way, I met my wife online, 6 years ago in a Facebook rock music group.


I met my husband online too - not on a dating site, mind you, but on a forum devoted to discussing just about anything in the world.

I also met one person from TC who also lives in Hamburg and one person I got to know on YouTube. Both encounters have been fun.

PS. I'd like to meet Woodduck too


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