Cracking up, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been thinking about friendship (wow that’s very deep for me!)
It’s hard when a friendship starts to feel like you are ‘flogging a dead horse’ and with friends from my younger days that’s exactly what it feels like.
I remember when Andy first got onto the internet, way back in the early 1990’s and I used to say it was a load of rubbish and couldn’t see the point.
Well how my opinion has changed. I would be lost without the internet and I seem to be making friends through it too. There are ones I have met:
Michelle who contacted me through YouTube trying to help with Jono’s surgery and we met last year 🙂
Susan who I knew through magicmum for years now and we met at breakfast at the zoo 🙂
Shirley who has a son with asperger’s too and we meet regularly (OK technically I met her in person before I found her on the internet).
Mandie (Mrs T) who I met on boards and bump into in town. Caitriona my facebook friend, a lovely lady and such an inspiration.
Then there are the friends that I haven’t met yet but hope to one day:
Elaine who I have been in contact with since the kids were little. I know if I’m feeling down I can drop her an email and she always knows what to say.
Clare and Andrea who I met through the Magnum fan group and are both brilliant 🙂
Micky from flickr. A really lovely lady who tried so hard to get us help with Jono’s surgery even though she lives in America.
Jun who is a Shy fan and lives in Japan. Such a nice man. Judith another magicmum who was very supportive when Jono was in hospital.
Lily, Marie, Lorna and all the bloggers’ book club members would be great to meet as well. I’ve really enjoyed being a member of the club. It has encouraged me to read books I wouldn’t normally pick up and I enjoy reading all the different points of view.
Also the people that leave me comments on the blog: Stella who was so supportive over Jono. Rarelesserspotted who I reckon would be great to meet.
Then on Saturday there is a ‘tweetup’ for Sligo twits (is that what we are called?) People that use twitter and live in Sligo. It’s on in Shells cafe in Strandhill at 3pm. So who knows maybe some more friendships will be made.
Magnumlady Blog 
Thanks for including me in this illustrious list, though even if you didn’t I would still want to comment. I am so relieved to hear someone else say that some of your friendships – feel like you are flogging a dead horse – oh I hear you on that one!
I have been sustained, uplifted and motivated by the friendships I’ve made online. I now realise that my online friends know me deeper and better than many of my old friends. They are the ones who seem to care enough to read my blog to find out what is going on in my life – whereas other off line friends have no interest in this at all – they are the ones who check in on me when I am quiet (rarely!) online to see if I am ok. They are the ones who send me encouraging texts, tweets and emails when they know I am going through a hard time. They are the ones who celebrate with me when something goes well. I would be lost without these friendships – so here’s to the internet which had redefined the nature of friendship!
You have a much better way with words then I do. That’s exactly how I feel 🙂
i couldn’t have put it better either, I honestly don’t know what i’d do without my wonderful pals who ‘live’ in my computer! 😀
And its crazy to think that i have remade friendships through it too, (thanks for giving facebook another go Ani!!) have been back in touch with folk I thought had drifted off never to be seen again such as primary school friends, its wonderful to be able to ‘see’ friends who have emmigrated to lands I know i’ll never visit, yet I see more of them than my own Ma. (Damn these petrol prices). Thankfully dad is a geek and I can mail them with photos and news that I want them to know about fast, especially if mother is gabbing on the phone again bless her! but its just replies back with my mum’s form of wit are sadly lacking.
it is a simple fact that texting, mailing and commenting on other forms of the net has left some folk out in the cold, and i’d never do it purposely, never in a million years. I don’t handwrite letters much any more and I have to kick myself hard to remind myself to get a line off to my Nanna and other friends who obviously miss out on all the immediate updates that are taken so much for granted.
Has anyone else’s handwriting gone to pot since using the computer? I won a handwriting competition once you’d never believe it in a million years now!! hahahahaaa!!
So don’t forget you unline friends folks! 🙂
Lots of love to you Val, my wonderful computer pal, and to all your pals too – virtual hugs all round!! 😀 OXOXO
It’s so much easier to email or message someone plus it’s instant. No having to traipse to the post office. Then hope that the letter doesn’t get lost along the way.
I know some emails go astray but at least you can just resend it again.
My handwriting is now dreadful. Do you remember the old feeling you used to get after the school holidays where it felt odd to hold a pen? Well that’s what I’m like now. Although my typing speeds are pretty good 🙂 xxx
I often think about the changing face of friendship too. The Internet seems to have given rise to a new kind of friendship. There is an honesty, or maybe it’s just that we have more time to give online. (Maybe I just spend too much of my time online!) Anyway, when things are tough, I feel a connection with people online that I cant/ dont have with people in “real life”. I may not even post/ reply, but still feel that connection. I enjoy and value that “me too” feeling I often get with you Val!
Aww thank you Marie. ‘Virtual friends’ are great.
Twitter was my life saver last year when I was out of work, living in the middle of no where and very homesick. I have made some wonderful friends, and like Sligo we have a Tweetup every couple of months – and are having one next week – its so lovely to all meet up. Twitter Rocks!
Twitter is great. I spend more time on there than I do on facebook at the moment. I hope your meetup goes well.
Thank you for including me in the list. I really am honoured. I do not have a blog, but have a list of blogs that I follow avidly and have made such brilliant ” internet friends”.
There is so much support, encouragement and inspiration to be found in this way and if I can occasionally reciprocate then I think that’s great. I feel I have much more in common with my internet friends, than I do with some of my “physical” friends. I suppose we are attracted to blogs covering subjects and lifestyles that interest us.
Through another blog I have come into contact with a young lady who lives 3 miles away from me and whose husband works with my daughter. We have yet to meet but in the space of a month I feel we have forged a really good friendship.
Maybe we will meet one day Val when I come over to Ireland, but even if we don’t, it’s great to be thought of as a friend.
Stella x
You are very welcome Stella. Many times your comments have come just we were at our lowest so thank you 🙂
Val, like you I too am enjoying the book club and the bigger online world. Interesting discussion going on here. Your photography inspires me!
The online world is a great place 🙂
I am indeed honoured ma’am.
Frankly I wouldn’t visit if you weren’t a remarkable lady with a remarkable family and an eye for a fabulous picture and a panache for telling a tale or two.
x
aww thank you 🙂
Hiya, I’ve been reading the comments and it is so difficult to add anything else as the people who have commented, whose names I recognise from your blog and feel I know a little also, have put it so eloquently 🙂
It has been a pleasure keeping in touch – I read what is going on over there with you and yours and enjoy finding out how things are going; love the photos and recognise a few and after meeting you and your two its lovely to see and read about how you are getting on and how Jono and Lucy are.
Thanks for including me in your blog – the twitter thing – still not got a clue!
As ever take care and keeping up the good work.x