This weekend, Swistle posted about the possibility of running into a blogger in real life. Lately, this notion has taken an active place in my every day musings. It's nothing dramatic - just a funny situation in which I will soon find myself. If anyone is out there, I really would like some feedback on what YOU would actually do if you were in the position of meeting someone you *think* you already know well, you know, virtually. Keep in mind that I do not share this blog with my immediate friends or family. This is an entirely anonymous-from-real-life forum for me. I may not do too much to hide my identity, but I do not advertise to people I know that I write here. This may change in the future, but for now, this is my decision.
I started to regularly read blogs right around the time I got married and toyed with the possibility of becoming pregnant. I wanted insight on being a Mom, and I started reading all sorts of Mommy bloggers. Law Moms, Stay at Home Moms, Work at Home Moms. Before I started regularly following my favorites (all of whom are in my bloglist), there was one blog that I had tuned into now and then for several years. I won't say who, but one of these bloggers is a real-life friend of a very good friend of mine, who I went to high school with. I had visited her blog ages ago becase my high school friend had talked about her a few times, and I was curious.
This blogger is popular - not Swistle or Amalah popular - but certainly popular, so I doubt she's read Mommy and the Sin City. I'm not trying to be self-deprecating or anything, we haven't been around that long, I'm fine with it. As Swistle said, it's impossible to say whether you like someone based on their blog. You like (or don't like) the things they write about, their manner of writing, etc. I'm often a pretty fickle person, and I am even more so in the case of bloggers. To be completely honest, I am not sure she and I would be great friends if I knew her in real life. We probably have very different senses of humor, different attitudes and personalities. But I do like her blog, and enjoy most of her posts and insights. I think this has to do with the fact that I've been following her blog longer than others, and feel like I actually "know" this person, and often re-tell her stories, even going so far as referring to her as "a friend". (Gah! Embarassing!) In the end though, I do like this blogger a lot.
Onto my actual point. This blogger and I will be attending the same event, an overnight and small event, because of our common friend. Our common friend, by the way, knows that I've read the blog, but does not know that I write one myself. I'm not having any kind of "OMG I'M GOING TO MEET HER SQUEEE" feelings, I'm just mostly not sure how I am supposed to act. I do feel mildly embarassed to know so much about this person when this person doesn't know me (I assume). I suppose this is something you become accustomed to, if you are a popular blogger. Do I pull her aside and tell her that I've read her blog? Do I not mention it, and if she says something to me that I already know, tell her then? Do I just pretend that I don't know her at all? For now, I'm inclined to do the latter. What do YOU think? I honestly want an answer here.
For what my opinion is worth, I would wait to see what kind of situation you end up in with her.
ReplyDeleteIf it is a large group, I wouldn't say anything unless she says, "I was typing on my blog the other day..." or "Well, this is actually a topic I've covered on my blog..." If she brings it up herself, it's "fair game" and I would then say something like that you are an avid reader of her blog and enjoy following it. From there, she might either continue the conversation and even ask about yours (bonus! lol.), or on the other hand she might choose to say "Thanks" and move on. Either way, the ball will be in her court.
Like I said, though, that's if you're in a big group and she brings it up first. If it's a big group and she doesn't bring it up, I honestly wouldn't either.
As for if you find yourself in a small group (maybe 3-6 people chatting), and the opportunity presents itself, like there's a lull in conversation or something, I would TOTALLY say something like, "You know, __________, I really like your blog." Then again the ball is in her court to name drop her web address and talk about it, or change topics if she doesn't feel like discussing it. But at the very least you have taken the opportunity to compliment her on her writing. And who wouldn't want to be complimented on their work? I would hope and think she takes any mention you make of her blog as such a compliment!
P.S. My thinking comes from those "Sisters" I've met, and my initial fear--do I make recognition of how I "know" them or not? And I didn't feel it was appropriate in the large "let's all share our names" crowd, but very welcome to bring up when it was just a few of us sitting and talking with "J."
Anyway, just thoughts.