Last night I met someone I've known for a long time. Let me explain.
About a year and a half ago Jory Woodis introduced me to Spencer Bean via email. The occasion? I was trying to host my first website, and I couldn't figure out how to get it working. I was stuck, so I asked Jory for help, and he said his buddy Spencer knows all about that kind of stuff. Thanks to the magic of Gmail chat and Spencer's generosity, my site was up and running, but more importantly, an online acquaintanceship was born.
Thanks again to the magic of gchat and the serendipity of common interests, Spencer and I kept in touch digitally until, realizing that we both now live in the same city, we figured we may as well grab some dinner and meet face to face.
Meeting Spencer was awesome. He's finishing up a master's degree and working for a sweet company that makes financial software. It's very refreshing to talk with people who are full of great ideas and vision about the future.
As you expand your online networks, I encourage you to go out of your way to meet some of your new friends in person. You'll learn a lot, strengthen your network, and have a lot of fun at the same time.