As Baltimore prepares for a snow storm over the weekend (which means all the milk and bread will fly off the grocery store shelves), I thought I'd share my own experience with the social media space. Having participated in most of these areas (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) for a while now, it is always interesting to me how the online and offline worlds collide.
On Twitter, for example, I personally follow over 300 people and am followed by about the same number. Some of these people are friends/business associates, but the majority of them I've never met face to face. So last night, as I attended the Blue Sky Factory holiday party, my two worlds briefly came together. I got a chance to talk with Mario Armstrong, a tech entrepreneur in Baltimore and a guy I've heard on NPR and other local stations over the years. He often focuses on new technologies and manages to make some very complex subjects easy to understand. While I've enjoyed following him on Twitter, it was really nice to actually talk with him in person. And,we already had some connection.
So, what's the point? I guess it's that social media tools like Twitter really can help facilitate all kinds of conversations and relationships, both online and offline. Pretty neat when it all comes together that way.
I've always been amazed by what I learn when I meet "virtual" friends in person. Turns out, the in person conversations pick up just like we have known one another for years - even if we are meeting for the first time face-to-face. Often, I find that I have gotten to know those people even better than some of the people I see on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteBizarre new world we're in, no?
Kevin -
ReplyDeleteHope you had a good time at the Blue Sky Factory party. Sorry I couldn't be there in person...
DJ Waldow
Director of Community, Blue Sky Factory
@djwaldow