Thursday, February 5, 2009

You Gotta Have Friends

My wife was out of town last weekend. Our daughter called from college and said she was coming home to visit me . She told her mother, "When Dad's away, you have friends to hang out with. Dad would just be home all alone."

That's right, I have no friends and my daughter pities me. Well, I have a few friends, but mainly just because my wife knows them and makes them talk to me. Seriously, I'm just not good at keeping in touch. If we don't get together often, it's not them, it's me.

My sister had a favorite poem as a kid
"There was an old woman, lived under a hill
and if she's not gone, she lives there still"
My friends are where they were last time I saw them and still look the same, right? Yeah, I know, I need to get out more.

I admit it, I suck at real life social networks. So, how can I hope to succeed in a virtual social network? I have Facebook friends, but I rarely show my face. I'm also a virtual member of Humorbloggers.com and I feel that I have let them down.

Humorbloggers is full of truly funny bloggers who enjoy and support each other's work. The site has forums where members share very helpful information about Stumble and other blogger tools and there are chat rooms where they all hang out. I think. I have never been in the chat room. I don't chat, just like I don't im or tweet or text. If I'm not rising higher in the Humorbloggers rankings, it's not them, it's me. (Though, really, should friends be ranking each other?)

You can go over there and check some of them out - I assume they are still there where I saw them last. You can also give me a nice review and some stars. If you do, I'll be your best friend.

7 comments:

Jen said...

I tend to have the same problem. i read everyone's stuff but unless something pops into my head to say I don't often leave a comment. I do make an effort to comment on the ones who commented on my stuff however. As for real live friends in the real world...I haven't seen them in ages. Talk on the phone occasionally but getting out and socializing has not happened lately. My fault not theirs.

JohnnyB said...

Jen, I think you have more blogs than Angelina Jolie has kids (to steal an analogy from your latest rant). No wonder you have no time for friends.
;-)

Cali said...

I'm your friend! ha ha I love your sister too, she's so cute. I am the same way - except for a select few, facebook and blogs are the main route of keeping in touch. Isn't it great though? Being able to meet people you would've never known, as well as keeping in touch with those you do. It's kind of fun. :)

Cali said...

Okay and yes I realize that's a cybergeeky thing to say.

JohnnyB said...

Cali - it is great to have some new friends through doing this. Will Geoff be my friend too?

Cali said...

Of course. Geoff is everyone's friend.(Sometimes to his disadvantage but that's a story for another day.) :)

Jenny said...

I wonder if what you're describing is a male phenomenon? Gavin has maybe one or two friends, outside of his family. My brother is the same way. Both have little to no desire to try to find more friends or to get together with friends. For someone like me, who enjoys having friends and sees value in it, I must admit that the stance of not needing or wanting friends confounds me.