Obvious Diversion

I’ve often wondered about the situation where a blogger asks another blogger to meet in person and meets the individual behind the blog or curtain or modified wordpress install. At the invitation of Ginnie, the author of I Absolutely Hate the Word Blog, I did exactly that. Much like enjoying a post-Dances With Wolves Kevin Costner movie, you know it happens, you hear about it happening to other people, but it’s never happened to you.

On this last night of legal indoor Seattle smokery, we met at 611 Supreme which met the requirements of one such semi-anonymous, sight-unseen meeting: well appointed exits (because you never know what sort of psychopaths write these blog things) and a decently fleshed out drink menu (because if you’re going to leave your apartment then you’d better go to a place that has a better selection than tap water, purple stuff and Sunny D).

What was learned? I had assumed from her prodigious writing on her site that she was a writer of some sort, but it turns out she’s not. I won’t reveal her secret professional identity (client-attorney blogger-blogger confidentiality), but she roughly lives in the category of those who are doing one thing and are searching for another as yet unknown thing. Oh, and if you find yourself clutching your keys for an extended period of time, it means you have to pee. I think Freud discovered that gem first. One last factoid to pass on: if you find yourself planning one of these meetings, make sure to clear the bar of anyone sharing a name of either of the two participants or you may end up talking to the wrong person for an extended period of time. I’ll let Ginnie tell that story.

All in all, it was a worthwhile excursion, but after you head home two obvious questions pop into your head.

Will they blog it and, if so, what will they say?