My first F2F was 4 days after I started posting for good. I'd done a bit -- a very little bit -- on TT before it went pay. Then joined the Buffistas for good 9/11/01.

CaBil suggested a weekend F2F to see Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which was playing in the DC area. Hubs and I were the only ones to accept, so we got to meet both CaBil and Ms. H for the movie and dinner at a Mexican restaurant (whose name escapes me) afterward.

jengod! I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!

Oh. And I met jengod at that first F2F at JZ's house too.

congrats Jengod!!!!

Congrats, jengod!

when have you met an online friend in face-space for the first time? In what circumstances?

The first online friends I met were players from a MUSE in... 1995, I think. There was a teeny tiny con-ish thing in Chicago; I'd joined the game with some friends, and they wanted to go, so I went along for the road-trip. I definitely knew some people there at the time, but the main thing I remember now is that one of the RL friends was an ass. Oh, and a few months later I ran into another guy on the MUSE who was local, so we met up a few times but didn't really click in person.

And then I got a job and stopped hanging out on the MUSE till all hours. The end.

...That's not a very good story, really. How disappointing.

Let's see, since then I met some people from a Hissyfit offshoot a few times. I went to Vegas and Toronto and NYC, and met most of the TWoP staff. I met a bunch of TWoP posters in DC and NYC. I went to the DC Journalcon because I knew 3 people there. I met Montykins in Vegas, and Allyson in LA. Yay me.

How did it work out? Did you keep in touch later?

I don't think it's ever failed to be a good time. Some online friendships are like the ones you make at work, where there are only a few overlapping interests, and when that's gone you don't stay in touch anymore. I can't recall any examples where meeting in person changed the relationship; it usually confirmed it. Which might mean "Hooray, I like you as much as I thought I would!" or, "Gosh, we have as little in common as I suspected." If we were in touch regularly before meeting, we stayed in touch afterwards. If it was more casusal, it stayed that way.

Ooh, and I think that technically, the first Buffista I met was meara, but that was just a wacky coincidence so it probably doesn't count.

jengod! Congratulations!

Congratulations, jengod!!!

Jengod! Yay! (and so nice to see you, too!)

Congratulations, Jengod!

Jengod! Woot!

I lost touch with everyone from s.c.a.a--one or two posters made it to TT, and one made it from TT to WX, but I don't hang out in the common forum anymore.

Most of the online people I have meatspace interaction with are Buffistas, but there are some WX people too.