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July 30, 2009
what a week! seriously…its like it was on steroids or something. looking forward to the weekend and spending some time with some interwebs friends. posts and twitpics to follow, im sure!
tell me… do you think you can build a healthy friendship on line? why or why not? i, obviously, have my answer…but im curious as to what you think 
and lets not forget, today is the day where you leave a link to your favorite post that youve written this week – and/or – a post that youve read and think it needs to be shared as well.
have a great weekend friends! i do love you…
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Allow me to cheat this week. I have no profound posts, but this picture I posted on Wednesday says a lot to me. Click here
As far as your question goes about forming relationships online. I think it can work for a limited definition of friendships. I have made friends with a number of fellow bloggers, and feel like I share something special with them; but some things need to be shared more directly. Blogging buddies can support you with words, but sometimes you need a realtime buddy to support you in silence. I really value all their pray support when I am suffering, but sometimes you just need a hug. Then the distance and seperation of the online world just becomes painfully vast.
Yeah – what he said!
For sure you can START a friendship on-line and if you are wise enough you can probably even maintain one for a significant length of time too…
But if, like me, you are not all that wise at times as far as friends go…
and you live on the other side of the world…
Painful !
Sometimes – as close as friends can get in the virtual world – they need to be REAL… and ideally, just around the corner.
Some people think So Cal or Boston is a long way away
<B
I met my better half on the internet, back when it was rare to do so – I believe that answers your question about healthy friendships online
Favourite post I’ve written this week would probably be “Casting Baited Words into the Passing Crowd“.
Sharkbait – I feel you. Separation became extremely painful for me as I wanted to give a real hug to those I was helping online – and vice versa, when I was hurting and wanting a hug…. and typing hug just wasn’t enough….. but that notwithstanding, I have made some solid friendships…. best friends! over the internet. People that I know will and have backed me up!
My post for this week – MAN, I wanted to utilize my vacation and churn out posts on Lord of The Rings and what I’ve learned about spiritual warfare, friendship and loyalty, and stuff like that …. but although I achieved my goal of watching all three movies again, I procrastinated and haven’t written about that. I have been reading “The Shack” – just finished it! – and my post is about what I’ve been seeing in that book: http://bajanpoet.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/life-together-relationship-is-the-key/
Enjoy!
The health of an online relationship is a tough one to gauge. So, while I do not know whether they’re healthy, I will say, at this point, they’re all I have.
It seems to be the “norm” in the military community to be distant, careful not to get too close….cuz there is a steady influx of coming and going. So, I settle for what I can get….and when you’re a world away from everyone you know…..this is the place where you’ll find relationships.
I think everyone would benefit by checking out this post:
http://www.whatsthislifefor.org/?p=1503
http://thenoreaster.wordpress.com/category/book-of-pstorms/
I definitely think you can have some great relationships online. I’ve met several people in person that I originally met online. I do think that meeting in person at some point is the key to making it a real friendship. I moved around alot as a kid and when I grew up and joined the Air Force, that kept going. It makes it hard to call a place “home”. At least with internet friends, there’s no moving away. Especially where we live now, it’s next to impossible to find meaningful relationships without living here for at least a few years first. My best friends that I have right now (we’ve lived here just over a year) are all online. That may sound sad, but it’s really not. Online, through twitter and facebook, I have a MUCH wider scope of possible friends where offline, you’re limited to who you work or go to school with, or live near.
My post this week was inspired by Tam’s life story posts. It’s about testimonies and even includes a little of mine.
http://blog.jhgagle.com/2009/07/30/testimony/
I spent the first 4 days of the week at Church Camp. 180 boys and girls, and guess who was the dorm dad for the 90 boys?
I trusted…I loved…
http://www.philter48.com/default.asp?Display=108
God was faithful.
As for relationships… There are around 10-12 people I converse with regularly online. If any of them showed up at my door, I would have no issues letting them into my house. So yeah I think meaningful relationships can be developed online.
Hi – relationships on the internet have been special – however, Mama and I have been hurt and taken advantage of. Not anyone on my blog roll now. Caution at times is in order. Sometimes there are risks involved in making relationships. We sure have come to love your family.
Yeah, because I have some.
I don’t know if this is my fav – but is definitely the stupidest:
http://kristiapplesauce.typepad.com/kristi/2009/07/the-problem-with-being-me-is.html
Online friendships? Sure.
http://russhutto.com/2009/07/nothing-new-under-the-sun-uniqueness-vs-originality-in-songwriting/
Hope you’re enjoying your week “off”
yah right. not much of a week off, eh
but im blessed!
I think people can definitely form good relationships online (as stated above) but it’s only been recently that I’ve been exposed to this. My past experience with being friends online has only been through Facebook and an online game, but I pretty much knew everyone so it doesn’t really count. Twitter, on the other hand, has let me talk to people I don’t quite know but share the same ideas as me and interest me and I think that’s great.
I recently read A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines for summer reading and it was a very deep, saddening book that also taught me to stand up for what I believe in and not let myself be controlled by others.
http://fewofmythoughts.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/its-time-i-blog-about-something-that-benefits-you/
I love the idea of forming relationships online! So much so that I married the first on-line relationship I had
What I love about getting to know someone through their blog, is that, for the most part it’s all out there. I can learn so much from a stranger just by reading about the crappy day he/she had with their kids, how much they are struggling in their walk with God…it’s all out there WAY sooner than it would be in almost any other new relationship! I know where you stand, what you struggle with, what brings you joy, and vice versa.
My favorite post that I wrote this week, is not in anyway profound, life changing or going to challenge you to grow…but it pretty much sums up where I am in life this week…enjoy…
http://tonyasnext30.blogspot.com/2009/07/letters-from-my-mind.html
Like Jonathan “Cheese & Beans” up there, you know I met my beloved online a loooong time ago now.
So, yeah, online friendships can be somewhat healthy I guess
I’m really not blogging much these day apart from my worship posts. I’m still posting stuff … kinda.
Anyway, you need to look at this (if you haven’t already)
http://www.shapingthespace.net/2009/07/god-revolution/
This is my favorite post from this week, and yes, I do belileve in online friendship. No friendship is ever going to be perfect, or feed all needs, but I think that’s why we need many friends from various places, so we can give and receive freely.
http://withoutafilter.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/philippians-411/
I have met some very wonderful people in the blogosphere that I would consider friends outside the confines of my computer. Of course, I’m sure it all depends how honest you are about yourself on your site, and them likewise. I tend to want to trust others right off the bat and I’ll admit that it was a poor decision in many cases. Live and learn I suppose.
My best post this week? Ummmm . . . . my only post this week? ha!
http://kbtweak.blogspot.com/2009/07/goings-on.html
Jesse and I are celebrating our 9th anniversary this weekend. It is truly a miracle. I wasn’t sure this relationship would ever make it. But, God has been so good. I would love to share my post about it. And Jesse, I love you!
http://www.nicolewick.com/2009/08/in-the-beginning-the-anniversary-post/
i’ve met so many peeps online that it makes me dizzy…and they are sold ones…
no words…just a video…
http://vimeo.com/1770396
First comment in awhile…
I think it is as healthy to have friends online as it is to have friends in real life:) It actually is easier to have friends online thatn real life at times, because friends online are neutral, there is no, ” That person has a lazy eye.” kind of judging, because they can’t see you face to face.
I have had wonderful conversations with people who I met online via blogworld, for example with Cathi^ – she is a hoot in a half to talk to on the phone:) And Darla, she is just a breath of fresh air:)- Jenny Hope, her sweet southern accent is adorable, and she is just adorable to talk to!- Deb, she is pleasant even when you call her at 10am from a different time zone(opps!)- and my list goes on…
FB, Twitter…wherever, the people I have met that I’ve never met face to face I love, and of course , Tam you are one of them; we’ve had many a conversation through the last two years that didn’t come from phone conversation, but I feel like I understand you and know you as if you are someone I have seen around my area. You have such a unique perspective on life and people, and whenever I see oreos I think of you! Fran, Nikki, Mandy…y’all I talk to often on twitter, and direct messages are like phone calls:)
My friends from ” real-life” I think where that ” little” piece might be missing when it comes to them, it is filled with those whose I’ve met online. I just feel an extra love and community in blogworld, people just open there are arms from a distance, and it is beautiful:)
I don’t have any strong posts this week, with all that has been going on, I did write a poem though, and I have my scripture memorization still going:) http://www.littlestepsoffaith.com
xoxo
I want to add that before blogworld I got to know people via message board…I have gotten to know people from Nevada to Austrailia through that avenue as well..most of them I’ve known since 2000:)