There have been a number of unexpected side-effects of blogging, and most notable and interesting for me is that occasionally I receive an email or a Twitter Direct Message that says something like, 'I am a writer myself and I find the style of writing in your blog very interesting, can we meet up and discuss it?'
So on the appointed day, in the appointed coffee shop, I have a blind date. I sit there and suddenly it occurs to me that I don't really know what he looks like, how will I spot him? I am always early everywhere, and I take my Times crossword book with me as I am on a desperate quest to improve my vocabulary and general knowledge from diddly squat to marginally better than diddly squat by the time I die. So I sit, trying to get a few clues, and eyeing up every person that walks into the coffee shop, feeling really intrigued. Each time, I have failed to recognise my date but they have spotted me. It is actually better when it is a woman I am waiting for, because when it is a bloke I look like I am eyeing up the talent. Anyway, let's say I am waiting for someone called Jonathan...
So he arrives and we get our drinks. I have a skinny vanilla latte grande and he gets a small black coffee and we sit down and he looks at me. I get a sort of narrow eyed look that evaluates me and seems to say, 'Are you for real?' So I start the conversation:
'So, I'm guessing, if you have read my blog for a while, you know everything about me'.
'Yes, as much as you put up there - I feel like I know an awful lot about you'.
'Well the thing is I know nothing about you'.
'Oh, I suppose you don't, that is rather odd'.
It is odd these days. Quite a lot of people know me well and I don't know them. So Jonathan is kind, and fills me in about his career and his home life, and I must say it is always fascinating. Then the conversation turns to the blog, and I ask him why he wanted to speak to me, and I tend to get a compliment about my writing and then a comment about how refreshingly open it is. One person said it is as if I come downstairs in the morning, sit at my desk, switch on my laptop and open a vein.
I have met the most fascinating, insightful, talented people through my blog, and begun a number of friendships that I think will last a very long time. I love the way that blogs connect people, and generally if people like my blog they like me, and friendships form very quickly. It is completely opposite to the public perception that Social Media stops you from forming real relationships.