I went out for drink the other night with someone I’d never met before. With the consent of my other half, I might add.
This person was someone I’ve got to know online, not through a dodgy chatroom, but through similar interests on a social networking website, in this case last.fm.
For me, it just highlights the power of the internet and how you no longer have to venture out on a cold dark night to a smelly village hall, or upstairs room in a pub to meet people who potentially have like-minded interests and you might get on with.
Clearly, there’s no replacement for the enjoyment of meeting friends in a bar and chatting about stuff, but if you don’t know people who share your interest in underwater basket-weaving, there are bound to be people online who do and they may not live in the same country, but you can swap tips and stories.
I must confess that my night out was a bit nerve-wracking. Neither of us were 100% sure what the other looked like and given that we’d never physically spoken, we weren’t actually sure that we’d get on once we sat opposite each other with a pint in our hands.
We needn’t have worried. A cracking night was had and there will hopefully be many more. More power to Web 2.0!