So, I’ll be honest with you… I get really nervous before meeting folks from vox in person for the first time… like really nervous. Why? I don’t know, I just do – nervous and excited.
During the tour, one of the legs of our journey took us from where my sis lives (western Maryland) to northeastern Virginia. So I was nervous and excited to write Java Janie to see if she and any available “P’s” were available and interested in meeting for lunch* — and they were! Now both Janie and Grandma-P have already posted about it, but I’m going to, too…
The Beloved and I pulled into the parking lot, and there was Janie – and it’s a weird déjà vu feeling of “I know her!” – I guess because you really do! Grandma-P joined us and we had a fun lunch at a Mexican restaurant. It really is amazing – we fell right into conversation like old friends. Steve (the Champ) made a Herculean effort to break away from work and join us (thanks Steve!) towards the end of our time at the restaurant.
We also invaded Gary’s workplace for a while so that we had a chance to say hi in person (he wasn’t able to get away for lunch when we were meeting…). Three hours went by incredibly quickly and it was a bit of a bittersweet so-long (various duties and drives were beckoning), b/c I think we could have gone on and on for several more hours.
People have occasionally asked me – well, what is blogging good for? — and I can tell you, if doing this can lead to making friends like the “Ps”, its well worth the effort.
*Ironically, a day or two before, I’d helped Janie craft a “thanks, but no thanks” response to someone from vox (that she didn’t know that well at all) that had wanted to get together. I was immediately worried that she might turn my own words against me!! ;)
Stevil 
Oh, wow! I am so jealous that they got to meet you in person! Now I just have to make that trip to California soon so I don't feel left out. Grrrrrrrrr. Love the photograph — everyone looks so delighted! I have never met anyone I've encountered online in person (primarily because of distance — there are many I would just love to meet). I can imagine it must be a freaky experience. You know them possibly better than some of their real-life friends do but you've never met them before — very weird, but very exciting to finally get together. I'm just really glad all of you had such a good time. Still jealous.
Janie, Steve and Gary are fantastic. :)
Hopefully the next time you and the Beloved are on this side of the country, you can make it to Baltimore. (We have Mexican food, too.) ;)
I always get nervous, too. I'm always pretty sure that people will think I'm lame.
A great time indeed! Thanks for taking the time out of your schedule to meet up. Hopefully we'll make it out to California for the next meetup!
A great time indeed! Thanks for taking the time out of your schedule to meet up. Hopefully we'll make it out to California for the next meetup!
Yay! Good times! I know what you mean about the deja vu feeling. I second time I met up with Steve and Janie last summer they actually ended up spending the night kind of spur-of-the-moment. Esther was there too. It was about 1am, all the kids had gone to bed, we all were sitting in the kitchen talking and I suddenly started laughing because it was like, "Steve and Janie are in my kitchen!" and I felt like I knew everything about their lives but we'd just met.
Yay! Good times! I know what you mean about the deja vu feeling. I second time I met up with Steve and Janie last summer they actually ended up spending the night kind of spur-of-the-moment. Esther was there too. It was about 1am, all the kids had gone to bed, we all were sitting in the kitchen talking and I suddenly started laughing because it was like, "Steve and Janie are in my kitchen!" and I felt like I knew everything about their lives but we'd just met.
that is so cool that you guys made time to meet….2 thumbs up
that is so cool that you guys made time to meet….2 thumbs up
I know that nervous feeling too. There's an online group of 9 of us that have known each other since 1999/2000. It's how I know Janie (as in java) & Heather (as in jacolily). The first time I met any of them in real life except Heather, we were all together in New Hampshire! It was very nerve-wracking. Until we all were together, of course…then it was awesome. It's an I-know-them-but-maybe-I-don't-really-know-them feeling.
Yay! I'm so excited because we are going to DC in September and get to meet up with Steve and Janie (hopefully!). Vox friends have been so great!
Thanks for dropping in Southern Maryland I had a great time meeting my California neighbors.
I guess it's not that surprising, we get to hand-pick the coolest folks across the country to be our friends, and vice versa. I hope that my Vox meetups go half this well. ;)