Many people are suspicious of meeting new people via the Wicked World Web, which is fair enough. There are a lot of people using the internet as hunting ground for scamming people out of money and goodness knows what else. But then, just as in real life, you do find your gems; genuine people just like yourself who just want to make a connection with others, to share success and sorrow, have a laugh or raise awareness for a good cause. But I'm not posting this to focus on the bad. I want to talk about all the good that can happen online in the Internet Community.
I myself have had the pleasure of finding many good among the bad. That's how I initially met the man I've been with for the past (almost) 7 years. It's where I've met a few insanely talented artists I'm pleased to call friend, and it's where I've stumbled in to the network that now sees me months from being published. (Not counting Postcards of Passion since it's a free anthology, though it does count.) I am so thrilled to have come across the people who have helped me figure out my dream, and make that dream come true. The internet also helps me realise another goal through Open Universities: to achieve a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Profeessional Writing and Publishing. I start this degree in just under a week and I can't wait! What can I say, I'm a glutten for punishment, a sucker for assignments and learning.
There is on drawback to all these wonderful things, though: Most people I talk to online, with the exception of a few I went to school with, family and a friend I met through a school friend, are all too far away to visit, whether they be in another state or another country altogether. Some of these people I would absolutely love to meet face to face, and I can only imagine the belly-splitting laughs to be had at such a time!
Who knows, maybe one day I'll meet some of them. Until then, thank goodness for the Wicked World Web!
