When My Virtual World Becomes Real

My online life started in the mid 90's with Firefly's music site. I gave myself the user name "Bar Name: Kitty" and started to post my music preferences. I made friends with a guy named Jaime who lived on the west coast. He made me a mix tape; it was totally platonic (he was married) and cool. When Firefly went under, that casual friendship went with it.

A few years later, while planning my honeymoon to Costa Rica via AOL's Travel site, I started to exchange emails with a woman who was getting married there a few months before our trip. We compared our trip notes, and she later shared her beautiful photos with me. The month after Fairly Odd Father and I moved into our home, she came to our open house with her husband. She is a lovely person, and we are now Facebook friends.

And, then, when pregnant with Belly, I met up with a bunch of moms-to-be on Baby Center. We eventually migrated to our own private Yahoo Group. For the past nine years, we have cheered each other's good news and cried over the sad. One of those little babies is with the angels and some of the moms have disappeared from the group, but many of us remain, using Facebook now to keep in touch. I've met some of these women in person and know I'd try to see others if I was in their part of the country.

And now, tomorrow, I will hop onto a plane, leaving behind my three kids and my husband on my birthday to meet even more people I only know through the internet. The occasion is the two-day conference known as BlogHer where a whole lotta women (and some brave men) will descend upon Chicago. There are speakers, break-out sessions and a chance for me to meet people I've befriended through my computer screen.

There will also be enough parties to wipe out the 20-year-old me---we'll see how the newly 42-year-old me does.

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(and if you were wondering when I'd tell you how mean a mama I am, check out the original post which I've updated to include my comments)