Smitten ...

I have fallen hook line and sinker for the world of New Media. I have said it before, but believe it bears repeating, If you had told me last year that I would forge significant relationships online, I would honestly look at you like you where a crazy person. It seems like such a far out concept, but it is one that today, I believe to the core of my being.

Sometime in spring of last year, Thanks to my friend Dani I got into the show LOST. Lost is some of the best written television currently on the air. It's romance, action, comedy and mystery brilliantly rolled into one. It's a captivating show, and the viewing experience is enhanced by sharing theories and just the excitement about the content with other people. I started playing with my itunes and discovered some Podcasts all about Lost. I got all excited and decided to explore. I searched for Grey's Anatomy, another fave show at the time. I noticed that GSPN came up as the author for podcasts about both shows. I decided to check out these podcasts, and I was blown away. Little did I know I would not only fall in love with podcasts, but that thanks to these two shows, I had just discovered not only three of my favorite podcasters today, but three people I can genuinely call my friends. Cliff Ravenscraft, the executive producer of the Generally Speaking Production Network, His lovely wife, Stephanie Ravenscraft who cohosts the Weekly Lost Podcast with him, and who at that time co hosted the Grey's Anatomy podcast with Kim Fenolio. These three amazing people where the solid foundation for my love for social media and new media as a whole. I would venture to say that they probably are completely unaware of the impact they had on me then, and on my life ever since.


Thanks to the three of them and their wonderful shows, I fell in love with podcasts. Today, I am an avid podcast listener. I am subscribed to about 40 different podcasts, and I even produce my own show called Geek Is Chic. Since these shows where recorded live, I began to notice familiar faces at the shows and began to interact. Shortly after, I signed up for the micro blogging site Twitter and began to form deeper connections with those I was interacting with during live recordings. Though it may seem mundane, the simple answer to twitter's question "What are you doing?" opens a door into someone's life, it lets us see the idiosyncrasies of their day. The perception of anonymity allows us to take of the masks so to speak, look past superficiality, and get to know and love people for who they are.

Stripping away the superfluousness allows us to forge relationships, meaningful and lifelong friendships. Friendships that with time and interaction transcend the computer screen and keyboard. Friends we can text anytime, call up and talk to for hours about nothing, and everything. Friends who we travel hundreds of miles to see. I can honestly say, I would not have it any other way. Don't get me wrong, I am not in anyway saying that they are replacing my close circle of friends. The friends I have made online are like a piece of the puzzle I never realized was missing.

In April this year, I traveled to New York City for Podcamp NYC. An unconference about the social media movement. I met some incredibly talented and brilliant people people there. It was a rush to be with like minded people, meet listeners of the show, and great friends like Chef Mark who was the most amazing tour guide. This was also where I first met Cliff and Stephanie Ravenscraft. I had an incredible time, I cannot wait to repeat it!

Sometime in June when Twitter began to have some serious scalability issues, I began to see word of Plurk popping up left and right. I was totally skeptical, I got some private messages asking me to join, but it wasn't until Kim actually took the time to email me, that I actually decided to follow the Link and actually sign up and add people on the site. I am so glad I did!! The fact is twitter is open to dialogue, but often times you don't want to be a spammer and have a full out conversation on there. Also its hard to follow the conversation sometimes as others tweets come through in the middle of a conversation. However, the conversational model of plurk, allows for just that, free flowing threaded conversation. It has solidified some of my most significant online relationships.

On plurk I have created incredible relationships with the women of the Plurk Girl Mafia, Melissa, Alison, and Beth. They have been an incredible comic relief and support system for me during the past couple months of my life. This summer has been filled with a lot of transitions in my personal life and career, and they have been there to hear me vent, support me in my sometimes insane decisions, or just to make me laugh at some random and inappropriate joke.

The amazing thing is when you have the opportunityunity to actually meet. To end my birthday month with a bang, I got to travel to meet friends again for the Girls Night In Podcast Meetup. GNI is another show that has a great story behind its creation, and a wonderful community around it. I got to meet the incredible hosts of show, Jaime, Rachel, Maggie and Kim! Funny how it all comes full circle? I had gone from a girl wanting to get a LOST fix, to a podcast obsessed freak, who had now met the three people who inspired her love for new media and social networks. The icing on the cake was that at the meetup I also got a chance to meet fellow Mafia member Melissa, and some of the other wonderful members of the GNI community.'

What prompted me to actually write this post was that today our little online community was rocked by a really difficult day, and what I saw was simply marvelous. Last night, a tornado touched down where Kim lives. Thankfully, she and her family are fine, but they are obviously dealing with with the aftermath of the storm. It was remarkable to see how from the second that Kim sent tweets and plurks about the green sky and sirens, a floury of concern erupted. Even from people who have not even met her in person! As she shared her story, the beauty of the compassion and genuine concern for her, and family was moving.

The day was coming to an end, I was heading home, when I get a frantic call from my mom. She was putting away dishes, a dish broke, and she sliced her hand. She was scared because she couldn't get the bleeding to stop. My first instinct, after making the most ilegal u-turn of my life, was to use ping.fm to update my social networks. I had spent the better part of my day worrying, and watching the concern for my friend in Indiana, and although my situation was no where near as serious, or life altering, I was now on the receiving end of that concern. I got so many @ replies and comments and all sorts of well wishes for my mom, that it really made the panic induced from all that blood, and the waiting for her to be taken care of that much more bearable. I want to again thank everyone who sent well wishes for my mom and every single person who has opened up to me, and forged a relationship online with me. I thank God every day that you all are in my life! I can't name every single one of you, but you know who you are ... and I truly do appreciate and love you guys.

Ooodles of love,
your friend Andrea