[quote=“ididn’tdoit”]Then it hit me, you folks have a camping trip coming up. How many conversations are going to start with something along the lines of “it feels so good to have actual human contact with somebody other than my wife/husband/partner/dog/whatever and my workmates, most of my socializing is virtual and online.” Maybe I am totally wrong, in fact I hope I am totally wrong. If I am wrong in assuming that this forum is cutting into much of your physical, human to human contact socializing then all the power to you, this is a great forum - please ignore me. If I am right in assuming that a lot of you are sacrificing the real life you could be living for this virtual life then I pity you. I sure wouldn’t want to live like that for long. It’s kinda like heroin. If you look at the junkie you wonder why on Earth they started down that disasterous path, but if you try it a few times you see why they love it so and start to ignore the cost.
So this is me signing off of this virtual world, beginning to live responsibly on it without feeling the need to follow some bizarre, sometimes interesting, sometimes dull, usually poiintless.[/quote]
I think Forumosa at its best is when the relationships online start to blur with offline relationships, and a real community starts to take shape. We worry about each other’s well-being and rejoice in our victories, and commiserate in our sorrows. We also drink a lot of beer. I know that Forumosa has enriched my social life beyond measure. I am meeting people from a diverse range of nationalities, locations, occupations, and lifestyles. But I understand your point. If you just log-in and never get a chance to ever meet any of the great people here, you’re missing out on the best part of Forumosa, IMO.