This will be my last post until Monday because if all goes well, my husband and I will be taking a much needed weekend vacation to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. It’s all resting on whether or not my son loses his baseball game tonight. If he wins, well, we’ll be spending our quality time together at the baseball park this weekend.
If you haven’t answered the poll to the right, yet, please do so.
I’ve been thinking a lot about community lately and what that looks like. Our whole purpose for Wives of Faith is to bring military wives together. But in what form? My hope and desire is to see women connect in person. In our chapter meetings, in our bigger events, but preferably, over coffee or at the park, sharing life together.
But, it’s not always easy to do this. It seems that many of us these days prefer the online world. While I love the forums as much as the next avid onliner, I still wonder if online is better than meeting in person.
So I’d like to get your thoughts on this because we are probably going to be offering a message board when our new web site launches and I would love some feedback on what you like about online communities. What do they offer that “in person” doesn’t? And what do they not?
Popularity: 1% [?]
I'll plug the online community pros. I think the cons are pretty obvious ("tone" can get lost in translation; you are not face-to-face with people; it's one step removed from real people).*convenience: you can get online anytime you want.*covers distance: you can "meet" online on a msg. board or in a chat with women from all over the country. I'm in ND and I can meet with gals in Tennessee, California, Alaska, and Florida.*you can take time to "think through" your response online rather than having the "foot in mouth" disease some of us have in real life.Hope this helps spur on some discussion
Pattie
Great thoughts, Pattie! My love for the online community comes from a lack of military wife friends in my home town. This specific community is a place for me to take part in online friendships on common ground. While I don't think meeting online is better than meeting in person, I do believe that it is an awesome opportunity/avenue to form friendships with people from all over the country. I can totally see myself driving into Nashville to meet up with some "real life" Wives of Faith:) That would be really fun!
Stephanie
I am currently in a yahoo discussion group with my stay-at-home MOMS Club and I love it. It's great to have access to information and thoughts from other women with whom I have a lot in comman. I think it's important to actually meet in person as well.
Joyce