Meeting people from the internet is weird

[Twig]

Also I stop being an awkward guy about an hour in, when I grow acclimated/accustomed/comfortable to/with new people. Problem is, chance meetings are usually much shorter unless you manage to make them longer. And since I'm so awkward early on... It never lasts.

 

O woe.

[TheLastBaron]

The trick is to tie people up in your basement when you're getting to know them.  At least that's how it usually is when I meet people from the internet.

[Gormongous]

Also I stop being an awkward guy about an hour in, when I grow acclimated/accustomed/comfortable to/with new people. Problem is, chance meetings are usually much shorter unless you manage to make them longer. And since I'm so awkward early on... It never lasts.

 

O woe.

 

Yeah, same. I can brute-force some serious charisma if need be, but I have a long refractory period where I find myself disgusting and fake afterwards. I'd rather not.

[I_smell]

My experience meeting people I speak to regularly on the internet is that they turn out to be a huge fucking dork, which I like and that's easy to hang out with.

I met a bunch of people at FlashGameSummit who I talk to on this marketing and licensing site, and I guess I assumed they were all miserable suits, but no they're a bunch of drunk 20-year-old goofballs. So it was great.

[syntheticgerbil]

The problem with you guys acting all awkward is because you are a stranger to someone who you know of but they do not know of you. The way to solve this is to first get very drunk and speak directly and loudly to the perso. This ensures that they will understand that how fun you are when you talk and know you just as intimately as you know them while you invade their personal space.

 

This works at the dentist.

[Cleinhun]

I don't really make internet friends, so it would be impossible for me to meet someone irl that I knew online. At gdc I learned that apparently my go-to reaction when seeing someone I know because of a game they made or a podcast the host is to avoid talking to them and walking away. But then the thumbs meetup happened and that somehow went well.

[miffy495]

I met most of the internet people I've ever met at PAX 2010. I ended up actually having a really fun time at the Thumbs and GWJ meetups, but when face to face with Spaff, who I had been talking to online for years (about six years, actually. First on Mojo, then here) I drew a blank so quickly. There was a "Oh holy shit, you're Miffy!" moment, and some talking, but my mind just kind of went away after and I left the whole thing feeling like I came off like the most boring and clueless person in the world. A pity, as Spaff seemed like (and still likely is) a rad dude. Given the fact that he hasn't been 'round these parts for quite some time, I feel like I'd be unlikely to run into him again at PAX this year and remedy that impression. That is a bummer to me. If you're going to PAX prime, expect to feel equally awkward after encountering me in a Seattle bar!

[toblix]

A good tip is to start the day by standing in front of a mirror, pointing at yourself and saying «Hey,» then your name, and then «you're a cool guy» or «you're a cool girl!» Additionally, when you see someone you know from the internet, immediately look them in the eyes, and as you are walking towards them to greet them, repeat to yourself under your breath «Don't be awkward. Don't ruin this!» Then all you have to do is remember to speak quite loudly so you won't start worrying later on if you were maybe mumbling too much.

[I_smell]

I'll never remember all that! Great, now this will just exascerbate my panic attacks!!

 

This is semi-related, but when meeting actual TV celebrities in real life, I crack up laughing. I get the exact same feeling you get when a friend does a really good impression of someone and you laugh cos it's so true. I never would've expected this until I saw heavyweight boxer Ricky Hatton in a bar and couldn't look at him without giggling.

[Gormongous]

Or like me, you could come out of a showing of Side Effects at the Chase Park Plaza, run into John Adams, and refer to his opera as "Doctor Manhattan" within earshot.

 

Maybe I just don't mix well with famous people. Or "Famous" Vanaman.

[osmosisch]

I'm glad I got my awkwardness about meeting internet people out of the way in the nineties via IRC meetups. These days it's just saying hi to someone I already know, just not in the flesh.

 

The future....is now.

 

e: I think the only Thumbs in Dutchlandia are Elmuerte and Rodi and they're both in the South, so not much risk of meeting Thumbs unfortunately

[toblix]

Yeah, I thought elmuerte was Spanish. ¡Oops!

[Roderick]

Osmosisch, we can totally make this happen one day. Meeting halfway somewhere in Utrecht perhaps? ElMuerte always seemed like a mysterious figure to me because of his avatar, so it'd be fun to meet him in real life. If things get really awkward, we can just put on an episode of Idle Thumbs over the ol' boombox and share it in silence.

 

I have to say, this thread it surprising. I've never had much difficulty meeting online people for reals. It's not terribly different from meeting people for the first time: basic social skills and kindness will see you through. Also, shouting BABOO and surreptitious kisses on Jake's nape.

[toblix]

If things get really awkward, we can just put on an episode of Idle Thumbs over the ol' boombox and share it in silence.

The perfect cure for awkward.

[Roderick]

We can try to mime the voices, so it's like we're the ones with the great gaming insights and fantastic rapport.

[SecretAsianMan]

We can try to mime the voices, so it's like we're the ones with the great gaming insights and fantastic rapport.

 

I once had an idea of getting a bunch of readers together at a PAX meetup or something and recording a 'reader cast' to send to the Thumbs, but I then convinced myself it was a terrible idea that would only end in calamity since we are likely to be nowhere near as brilliant and entertaining as the actual Thumbs.

[Argobot]

I once had an idea of getting a bunch of readers together at a PAX meetup or something and recording a 'reader cast' to send to the Thumbs, but I then convinced myself it was a terrible idea that would only end in calamity since we are likely to be nowhere near as brilliant and entertaining as the actual Thumbs.

 

I think we should have recorded our game of Weinhandler, at the very least for our own amusement.

[Roderick]

It'll work only if you use five year olds to host!

[SecretAsianMan]

I think we should have recorded our game of Weinhandler, at the very least for our own amusement.

 

I considered that too, but completely failed to bring any kind of recording device (apart from my phone which didn't have enough battery by the time we started playing).

[castorp]

Yeah, I thought elmuerte was Spanish. ¡Oops!

What, he is not? (I probably have known that at one or several points, but his avatar and name are just too convincing, as are the castanets and his manly but/and sensual deep black eyes. Stereotyping?, yeah, I write with both hands.)

 

I have never met someone from the online world, but I guess it would be okay. The problem is rather that I'm not very active in electronic communities so I tend to not have strong bonds with those people. But I'd totally go to a Thumbs-meet if it happened somewhere near me, because you all seem rad!

[elmuerte]

e: I think the only Thumbs in Dutchlandia are Elmuerte and Rodi and they're both in the South, so not much risk of meeting Thumbs unfortunately

 

I'm in the south!? Maybe from Groningen, but in that case almost everything is in the south.

 

 

ps, how could I even be Spanish? As far as I know "El Muerte" is incorrect Spanish.

[TheLastBaron]

The other thing with meeting people from the internet is I picture people as looking like their avatars, which we talked about a while back in a different thread.

[melmer]

Don, shut the door

[Zeusthecat]

The only famous people I've met have been under 5' tall. Kerri Strug did a book signing in Tucson (since that's where she was from) when she still had her fucked up leg from the olympics and I was like "oh, Kerri Strug, she's pretty fucking short". Then years later when I worked as a waiter at Applebee's I waited on a midget from one of our local radio stations. He was an asshole and gave a shitty tip just like any other Applebee's customer.

 

Now if I ever meet any true celebrities like The Thumbs my strategy would be as follows. First, I would make sure to be wearing my David Caruso sunglasses. Then I would walk up and say "Hello, you guys are the greatest thing ever spawned by the internet". Next, I would pull down my pants, take a shit on the ground, light it on fire, and walk away slowly with my pants still down while saying "Burn baby, burn" in a gravely voice as the flaming shit reflects in my sunglasses. I think this would guarantee that they would never forget me as long as they live.

 

Also, if you have any social awkwardness I suggest working as a waiter/waitress in a restaurant for a couple years. That causes every bit of social awkwardness to evaporate and forces you to learn how to make interesting conversation with complete strangers.

[osmosisch]

I'm in the south!? Maybe from Groningen, but in that case almost everything is in the south.

Precisely.

 

Anyway, I'm not so mobile what with the young'uns at the moment but if a thumb is ever in my town I'll buy them a beer and they can come play Weinhandler at my place.