Just another WordPress site

You are here: Home / Archives for Facebook

Facebook

First Stop on the FB World Tour

7/5/11
I had my 1st official stop on the Facebook world tour. And it was appropriately with my oldest friend. Oldest as in I’ve known him the longest. Not oldest in age, because we aren’t old.  I’m probably going to say the same thing when we are 80, but still – we aren’t that old.

My friend Dave Ankers and I went to Nudy’s Cafe in West Chester for lunch. I forgot to get a picture. You will forgive me, I’m new at this.

I first met Dave when we were 7  (He has always been David to me, but he prefers Dave… so Dave it is.  Although it is hard to call him that.)  and large due to him, we have kept in touch ever since.  Oddly, one of my fondest memories (it always makes me smile) was of The Who concert at the Vet.  I was living in York and he called to say he had 12 row seats, did I want to go.  ABSOLUTELY!  And then he called back, the seats were actually in the 25 row, he’d understand if I didn’t want to go.  Really? No… I think I’ll survive in row 25.  We could still see Rodger Daltrey’s ear clip from where we were.

This was one of the last times Dave is going to be in West Chester.  He & Chris are moving to New Orleans by the end of July (2011).

It’s always fun to have lunch with Dave.  And I think this was our shortest lunch.  Nudy’s was chosen because Dave’s brother swears by the place and Carlino’s has just way too many choices.  And it works for me – I can see it from the window in my office.  Dave had a Reuben, which looked really good, I’m going to have to try it.  I had pancakes and a side of bacon.  We had a wonderful talk – as always.  I am going to miss Dave’s periodic jaunts to West Chester.  I guess I will just have to have periodic jaunts to New Orleans!

Facebook Adventures

After thinking a bit more about my new adventure I’ve decided on a couple of things.

1. I’m going to start from scratch so the wonderful spaghetti dinner – although my 1st adventure – isn’t going to count.  So, I’ll just have to go visit Cozy & Bob again.

2. I’m not going to visit ALL my Facebook friends.  Just those with whom I have had conversation.  I have a bunch of game friends that I’ve never interacted with other than to send game requests.  So those folks are going to be excluded.  And of course there is a but… there’s always a butt.  Some of the famous folks on my friend list don’t interact with me, but they are still on the visit list assuming I can get an appointment/date.  =)

3. No time limit… just a money limit.  Since I have friends all over the world and of various levels of fame, some are going to be harder than others.  Like getting a dinner date with my Beloved David is going to be a WHOLE lot easier than getting even 5 minutes with Mike Rowe.  But with time and persistance all things can be accomplished.  Right? Right!

4. Group gatherings count.  We have a dinner every year around Christmas and that grabs about 10 or so friends.  And then there’s the Facebook lunch we have periodically.  Which is a ton of fun… I highly recommend doing it.  And then there’s the Lewiston Crew… that should be a fun trip.

Proximity is going to be a big thing too.  I know I’ll get to those folks in my immediate area sooner than someone on the other side of the world.  Which is why there’s no time limit.  Getting Down Under is going to take a lot more planning than say dinner with South Eastern PA, Delaware, NJ friends.

5. Language barrier.  This is one I have to think about.  Do I really want to visit someone who won’t understand a lick of what I’m saying?  This is a definite maybe.  Although, if I don’t speak the same language as they do #2 is probably going to kick in.

So… “Party on Garth. …”

Facebook World Tour

I’ve decided I want to do a Facebook World Tour. I want to visit my Facebook friends in the town in which they live for a meal, a drink, or an extended stay. Whatever is most appropriate based on proximity to my home and their tolerance of my presence!

This is going to be super easy for some, like my Beloved. He’s very tolerant of my presence. And he’s close! Then there’s gonna be some that are a little harder. The Mythbusters are going to be a bit of a challenge. We’ll work on that one later.

Off I go on my new adventure, which I actually started some time ago. I’ll write more when a) it’s not midnight and I have to get up for work and b) I’m not on a hand held!

As the old saying goes… “Party on Garth. …”

Lunch with Friends Facebook Style

I love Facebook. It’s brought me into contact with people all over the world. I’ve reconnected with friends from high school and I’ve made become better friends with some folks from high school (one has a hysterical blog – you should read it http://michilocke.blogspot.com (just another shameless plug for Michelle)). I’ve even spoken too some of the gang over the phone. I’ve been invited to visit a number of my on-line friends – in New Jersey, Idaho, Biloxi & even Australia.  And eventually I will get to meet all these fun folks face to face.

My one girlfriend lives… not too far way, but just far away that I can’t just pop up after work. Plus it’s up 202 and that would just suck.  She introduced me to Bob B. Bob B. is a chemist and a civil war re-enactor (Pa 6th – http://www.6pahome.com).  Bob promptly added me to his e-mail list and I have been wonderfully amused ever since.  Bob is great.  Mare is great for introducing me – and for lotsa other reasons too.

One day last year, after laughing at each other through e-mail, we decided to get together after work and have dinner.  Me, Bob B., Bob U., Mare, and Anthony had dinner in King of Prussia because it was central to where most of us lived and worked.  Granted I knew Mare and Mare & Anthony knew most of us, the Bob’s & I had never met.  We had a great time and it was wonderful putting real faces with voices.  Our 2 hour dinner went by really quickly and we decided we should do it again – soon.

I play on-line games and one of my friends and I decided, while his girlfriend was in town, the 4 of us should meet for lunch.  The ONLY problem with that is he is 2 hours (ish) south of me.  So we decided we should met 1/2 way in Baltimore.  It was so much fun. Law, Mynx, David & I got along great.  It went by way too fast.  Again 3 hours seem like 30 minutes.  Of course David & I got totally lost in Baltimore on the way home – but thank God for the iPhone maps. It was a fun, fun day and we had Dairy Queen to make it that much sweeter.

After talking with Ant, Mare & Bob through e-mail for a couple of days we decided it was time for another group get together. We decided to do lunch this time.  The date was picked, but where to eat.  Since King of Prussia is central to where we all live, we decided to go back there.  It only took 3 dozen e-mail and a coin toss to decide on Chili’s.  This time Bob U. couldn’t come. But my David was able to join in the fun.  So we all met at Chili’s at 1 pm. After a good lunch with free chips and queso (check out my photos) we figured it was about 4 pm and we might want to get going.  This new server came up and asked if we were staying for dinner.  It was actually 6 pm!  We had talked for 5 hours. We outlasted the table next to us – 3 times – and even outlasted out server.  WOW!!! Time flies when you have good friends to talk to.  So after another almost hour – I really think all of our clocks were wrong – we vacated the table and went home – still stuffed.  Chili’s was remarkable tolerant of our sitting there for that long.

So to all my FB friend who have invited me for lunch, a weekend or even longer. I’ll be there – eventually.  And for anyone who is considering getting a group of FB friends together for a meal. GO! DO IT! and enjoy!