"It's nice to meet you" is something I've heard often. Let me rephrase that. It's what I've read many times in emails I've received on the social networking site Facebook. Yes, I gave in and joined Facebook a few years ago.
I became a member for various reasons, and in no particular order, to see if that site is good for finding a date(no luck there). While Facebook is good for many other things if you want a date Facebook is the last place for finding a girl/woman/lady(whatever the heck the correct term is these days).
I also wanted contacts since as I mentioned elsewhere on here I love to write and though I'm not using them as contacts("never say 'never' " as the saying goes) I did find two of my favourite newspaper columnists who are now on my Friends list on Facebook. They both write for the Toronto Sun. One is Rachel Sa [1]. I've been a fan of her writing since she was an intern in her teen years at the paper. Always very insightful and no matter how serious the topic she still finds just the right moment to instill her sense of humour and still get the message across.
The other columnist I'm a fan of is Michael Coren [2]. He's very controversial and isn't afraid to speak up no matter what others may think. Coren also writes for a bunch of other publications as well as being cohost along with Stephen LeDrew on a radio talk-show called Two Bald Guys with Strong Opinions [3](heard Monday to Friday from 3 to 4pm Toronto time on CFRB 1010). And I've also found some former coworkers I wanted to keep in touch with as well as childhood friends.
And I've found new friends. Well people I consider friends. It's funny how after just corresponding via email only you feel so close to some people though you've never met them in person. More often than not the other person says "it's nice meeting you." Maybe it's just me but to me "meeting" someone is when it's done in person, face-to-face, and you see the individual. That's "meeting" someone as far as I'm concerned. Not online. Understandable if someone is far away, in another country, you can't "meet" them, remember, in person, when you want. However, there are others locally who say the same thing("nice to meet you").
Lots of those people just want to stay on the computer and refuse to leave to go to a concert, museum, other event or just to chat in person at the local coffee shop. I'm not knocking those individuals because for the longest time I was content to stay at home, and while I don't have a computer(only one in the world probably) I would email and chat from my cellphone.
"Go alone to a concert?" I asked myself. "No friggin' way!" I replied(okay I didn't say "friggin" but another word that begins with "f'"). But that's changed. What changed my mind? When I heard that Avril Lavigne [4]will be at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre in August(August 6 by the way) not able to get anyone to go with me(PARTY POOPERS!), I thought "What the hell? I've got nothing to lose!" I bought my ticket(very close to the front. No more front-row seats left--damn!). After all I've always been a very big Avril Lavigne fan. She in fact is a very kind person. A sweetheart. No I haven't met her(maybe one day I will)so how do I know? Since you did ask I'll tell you. Whenever she found time in her very hectic shedule she emailed me, and after awhile you can just tell through emails what kind of person someone is. So no matter the bad stuff you hear people, don't believe any of the bad things you may have heard about Avril. Avril Lavigne is one of the kindest, sweetest people in the world. Avril Lavigne certainly does not deserve the bad reputation she has. And considering her fame she's still down-to-earth. That I find refreshing.
So, if you're like I used to be, refused to go alone anywhere thinking "what will others think?" Find a singer or band or some other event, someone you really want to see or something you want to do. If no one else wants to go, screw that! Go to that event anyways. I've got news for you folks. The other people at the event really don't care if you're there alone or not. They are NOT there to see you. They are there for the same reason you are: to see someone perform. So don't be so self-conscious. Time for you to get out of that comfort zone.
Put that cellphone down, get off the computer and out of the house. Yes alone if you must. Besides you never know, you may just meet someone sooner or later at the concert, the museum or at any other event.. And if you don't, there's always next time. All that matters is you got to see your favourite performer and had a great time! And the next tme you say "nice to meet you" to someone locally, hopefully it's not just online but in person actually. So get out there and enjoy! Alone if you must.