Entering meatspace
There seems to be a bit of a backlash against blog meetups. Alex White says the idea of meeting internet people in meatspace is worrying:
While I enjoy reading what others have got to say, I can’t really say the idea of meeting internet-strangers in a bar and talking “blogtalk” excites me. I’d rather not have my spleen stolen and sold at a European organ-auctionhouse thank you very much.
I’ve met quite a few bloggers — Jason Soon, Mark Gallagher, Chris Sheil and Alan Anderson from interstate, and quite a few Perth bloggers, too. I still have my spleen, but I’ve also made some interesting acquaintances and friends.
I suspect Alex’s real complaint is this:
I’m probably not the kind of bloke intended as the target for a Grogblogging invite (what with this being a small blog and all).
To which I say: nonsense! The whole point of meetup events is to get everyone involved together in one place. To me, it’s about rejecting the A-List elitism of the blogosphere — I read a whole lot of small blogs, and many of them are far more interesting because I now know the people behind them.
But on that subject, Liam Hogan’s tongue-in-cheek criticism of the recent Sydney event raises a good point:
You expect to be taken seriously as a medium, but you exclude from your ranks all those who are not able to come out on a particular night. You make your organising of networking a once-off rather than a regular exercise of power sharing.
Meetups work best if they’re regular. People can turn up when they can make it, and skip it when they can’t. Our Perth Weblogger Meetup Group has about fifty members, and about a dozen people turn up from month to month, though it’s never the same dozen.
It also makes it easier to organise one-off special events. People don’t get left off invitation lists, because anyone can join the group and every member gets the invitations. Everyone — including (especially) Alex White and other “small” bloggers — should join their Meetup group, and turn up for a chat with other bloggers every now and then.
And speaking of special meetup events, don’t forget we’re going bowling tonight.
Update: The dickheads who told Dreadnought not to bother organising a Melbourne meet can get stuffed. Good on Agent FareEvader for pressing ahead.
Nope. I weirds me out.
I’ve chosen the online medium to interact for certain types of things, and the “meatspace” medium (what is this? R.Talsorian’s Cyberpunk?) for other types of interactions.
Which is not to say that it’s bad or wrong; just that it’s not my thing.
‘Fess up Alex, you’re a spleenal retentive. :0)
I love my spleen, and it loves me. Don’t interfere with my spleen-lovin’.
Rob, I’ve started a series of democratic *snicker* polls and other GB participant inputs on my blog. Check the latest post. I’d encourage everyone to go and vote as soon as possible, so that we can get organising flights, venues, and accomodation issues.
And what do you think about running the Aus Blog Awards, or the “Blogies” in conjunction with it?
Yes! Blogies. I’ll get that name over if it kills me…
Heh. Blogies…
I’m wary of the awards becoming a Melbourne thing, but apart from that I think it’s a good idea.
I’ve met two of the commenters here and couldn’t recommend them highly enough for an evening.
Bowling shirt may have to stay in the cupboard due to commitments, I’m afraid.
BTW Spleen makes for excellent crab bait.
The awards becoming a Melbcentric thing? Hell no. We’d have to run it the same as Keks did last year.
Does anyone know if the man is still in Canada?
Bowling (or bowls) are an outstanding idea. Enjoy the night if your bowling fingers aren’t too shattered from keyboard-and-mouse work.
I understand if you use the [tab] key or the [\] key too often, the muscles in your little fingers atrophy.
I’d luv a Blogger bowling nite in Melb, but then again I am a former league bowler with a 159 average. Havevn’t bowled competitively for 4 years but managed to bowl 2 x 155 games on the weekend.
The idea about meeting up is fine by me, I have a lot of limitations (kids to lock in cupboards) to get to these gigs but will try to get there if I can.
guruann – we all have limitations. even nabakov had one. boynton nicked mine. mallrat had a pack of 50’s. sedgwick drew one. barista pumped one or two. and so on.
Well, Whitey, I’ll give you the tip,
I always make sure I leave the cap on my drink bottle when I am taking unnecessary risks like socializing with other humans – it is preferable if you can avoid it, but just for those unforeseen occasions like blog meetups n stuff…
Oh by the way, ‘blogies’, maybe you should rethink that. It sounds like a blowjob done with boogers.
I can see it now…
THE BLOGIES – The Official Australian Blog Awards 2004
**not a blowjob done with boogers**
Yet Another Election Part Two
Over at Kick & Scream, Rob Corr’s commenters kick around the idea of another non RWDB-centric Australian Blog Award. Rob also has some interesting thoughts on bloggers and commenters meeting in “real life”. I’d be interested in reading Troppo reade…
Speak for yourself. A meetup ain’t a meetup if you don’t come home with a few spleens in your bag.
Yes I noticed that about you, Mark – and you are so quick I didn’t even notice you slicing and dicing.