Enjoy the wedding, Michelle! I've been loving your writing ever since I discovered your Substack, and this piece was especially poignant.
Having recently moved to a new city, I maintain lots of my old relationships via text, email, and the occasional phone call, but after an extended stay back home recently, I realized how much I'd been missing in-person connections with people I've known for decades. There's just no substitute!
Thank you so much Maddie, the wedding was wonderful. I'm so touched by your kind words! I totally relate to what your describing here, I've switched cities a couple times and while it's nice to have instant access to people, you're right, there's no substitute for in person connection. I appreciate the comment!
I am so fortunate to be one of the people in the Zoom boxes hanging out with you!
Having a good balance of online and in person is healthy for me. Sometimes based on circumstance it comes in cycles. Almost all my work has been online for the past year+. I just started some in person work again and have found it simultaneously exhausting and energizing. Loving it though. Just not forever.
I have learned so much from my broader Zoom box relationships. I've been in a meeting with people who work in airline crewing in six different continents! This would be hard to accomplish in person. To me it shows how common our experiences are.
I feel the same way Claire! I'm so grateful we met through FTO. I love what you are saying here. I agree that a balance of the two is the best case scenario. Sometimes I miss having an office to go into or water cooler run ins. Meeting with people across six continents though, that's truly amazing! I love connecting with people in other countries and I agree, it really just shows how much we have in common. Thank you for the comment!
I love this post so much! Before I joined online communities like WoP and FTO, I didn't think it was possible to feel this connected to people I've never met (and potentially never will meet) in person. You, and some of my other internet friends have become some of my favorite people to talk to throughout the week!😊💜
I'm so happy to hear it resonated with you Rychelle! I feel exactly the same way, I don't think I would have believed how many of my friends would be online even like a year ago. I'm so happy to have met you and that we have so many opportunities to hang out via zoom during the week! Thank you for the comment!
ALL THE THANK YOUS!! This essay was a hurried fever dream before your intervention, I am eternally grateful for your editing skills and also your friendship 💛
such a lovely piece, I laughed out loud at the "most aggressive handshake". have never understood why we do that -- it's so pointless! this idea of online friends vs real-life friends is top of mind for me too since I just posted about going nomadic for a bit http://tobiwrites.com/p/i-became-a-nomad and missing my friends back "home". That said, I love the arc of online friends to real life friends. Conference coming soon!
hahaha my words could not do justice to the handshake! Thank you for the kind words too! I'm jealous, your new nomadic lifestyle seems to be connecting your IRL with online friends! And I'm here for the conference!
Also to your comment below, the title may have been a little ambigous but I'm happy to hear you stuck around for the piece!
also random, I had no idea what to expect by the title "infinite airport loops", I thought maybe something about planes lining up to take off but wasn't sure. BUT the intro was so interesting it kept me excited to keep reading to figure it out and then you stuck it so well by painting the imagery of those pickups and drop-offs. lovely stuff
Thank you so much for the kind words Chris! I really appreciate it because I rewrote this essay in a dreamy state on my redeye to DC, so I'm thrilled it came together in the end!
haha thank you Sri! I don't even know what journey I'm going on week over week, but I am grateful for people like you who join me no matter what direction I go in!
Beautiful and thought-provoking reflection as always! Honestly, I'm struggling with the idea of Internet friends because while I consider you and a few other people we know as friends, I feel like there is a "real-life" element that impedes me from feeling fully like it's a friendship. Perhaps it's tied to broader trust issues I have 😅. I've definitely been thinking about this a lot and this piece got my gears turning.
All that said, I'm certainly feeling very lucky that our paths have crossed in this digital realm. Lucky to know you!
Thank you so much Camilo! I totally relate, I have my own trust issues too. I think next year I may have to travel the world just so I can meet my online friends and confirm they are not AI avatars crafted to be the perfect writing friends. Until then, I'm still also grateful the internet has brought you into my life!
Hahaha airport people watching, that's a favorite pasttime when nothing happens and we just hang around. Online and IRL friends, each is great in their own rights, and I'd be remiss to say that I don't like friends who's just a DM vs an ocean away!
Thank you for the comment Helen! I agree, I love sitting in an airport and just people watching. You really get to see such a diverse group of people. I'm glad you're one of my (mysterious) online friends!
What a lovely piece and meditation on human connection, technology and the changing culture and its trade-offs. Have a great time at the wedding, Michelle! I appreciate your online friendship and connection immensely. 🙏♥️
Thank you so much Tai, the wedding was so much fun! I love the phrase "meditation on human connection," that's really what this essay felt like! I really appreciate your friendship and perfectly coined phrases too, Tai!!
"My online friends can be in Idaho or Milan, San Francisco or Lisbon, yet they can pop up on my screen at any moment for a chat." -- Isn't that magical? Glad to be the friend from Milan popping up on your screen at any moment for a chat! :) Nice words, as always, Michelle. A pleasure to read your thoughts.
Hehe a little nod to my friend in Italy! I missed our chats last week and of course it was so lovely to reconnect again this past one. Thank you for the kind words!
It's amazing how the internet has brought together with people from all over the world, and allowed us to connect over shared interests and experiences. Glad to be internet friends with you.
Came for the people watching painted in words. Stayed for the internet friend feels. Hopefully we will meet soon without requiring travel sized Michelle to porter my luggage. 🙂
Awww yes! This piece really turned into a love letter to my internet friends. I do secretly hope no one will make me lift their luggage, I am very petite and not particularly strong IRL!
Enjoy the wedding, Michelle! I've been loving your writing ever since I discovered your Substack, and this piece was especially poignant.
Having recently moved to a new city, I maintain lots of my old relationships via text, email, and the occasional phone call, but after an extended stay back home recently, I realized how much I'd been missing in-person connections with people I've known for decades. There's just no substitute!
Thank you so much Maddie, the wedding was wonderful. I'm so touched by your kind words! I totally relate to what your describing here, I've switched cities a couple times and while it's nice to have instant access to people, you're right, there's no substitute for in person connection. I appreciate the comment!
I am so fortunate to be one of the people in the Zoom boxes hanging out with you!
Having a good balance of online and in person is healthy for me. Sometimes based on circumstance it comes in cycles. Almost all my work has been online for the past year+. I just started some in person work again and have found it simultaneously exhausting and energizing. Loving it though. Just not forever.
I have learned so much from my broader Zoom box relationships. I've been in a meeting with people who work in airline crewing in six different continents! This would be hard to accomplish in person. To me it shows how common our experiences are.
I feel the same way Claire! I'm so grateful we met through FTO. I love what you are saying here. I agree that a balance of the two is the best case scenario. Sometimes I miss having an office to go into or water cooler run ins. Meeting with people across six continents though, that's truly amazing! I love connecting with people in other countries and I agree, it really just shows how much we have in common. Thank you for the comment!
I love this post so much! Before I joined online communities like WoP and FTO, I didn't think it was possible to feel this connected to people I've never met (and potentially never will meet) in person. You, and some of my other internet friends have become some of my favorite people to talk to throughout the week!😊💜
I'm so happy to hear it resonated with you Rychelle! I feel exactly the same way, I don't think I would have believed how many of my friends would be online even like a year ago. I'm so happy to have met you and that we have so many opportunities to hang out via zoom during the week! Thank you for the comment!
✨💙 ✨💙 ✨💙 ✨💙 ✨💙 ✨💙 ✨💙
I love how this turned out. SO MANY FEELS.
ALL THE THANK YOUS!! This essay was a hurried fever dream before your intervention, I am eternally grateful for your editing skills and also your friendship 💛
such a lovely piece, I laughed out loud at the "most aggressive handshake". have never understood why we do that -- it's so pointless! this idea of online friends vs real-life friends is top of mind for me too since I just posted about going nomadic for a bit http://tobiwrites.com/p/i-became-a-nomad and missing my friends back "home". That said, I love the arc of online friends to real life friends. Conference coming soon!
hahaha my words could not do justice to the handshake! Thank you for the kind words too! I'm jealous, your new nomadic lifestyle seems to be connecting your IRL with online friends! And I'm here for the conference!
Also to your comment below, the title may have been a little ambigous but I'm happy to hear you stuck around for the piece!
Sign me up for that conference!
also random, I had no idea what to expect by the title "infinite airport loops", I thought maybe something about planes lining up to take off but wasn't sure. BUT the intro was so interesting it kept me excited to keep reading to figure it out and then you stuck it so well by painting the imagery of those pickups and drop-offs. lovely stuff
Airport pickups 🫶 awww the internet misses you already! 💕💕 have a great weekend offline!
Weeee thank you for your comment Kelly, I'm back!! I had FOMO but the offline weekend was so nice.
This is a really beautiful essay Michelle, both in the sentiments you express and how well you express them--a really poised jewel of an essay. Bravo!
Thank you so much for the kind words Chris! I really appreciate it because I rewrote this essay in a dreamy state on my redeye to DC, so I'm thrilled it came together in the end!
I love not knowing what journey you're going to take us on each week. It's never the same but it's always profound.
haha thank you Sri! I don't even know what journey I'm going on week over week, but I am grateful for people like you who join me no matter what direction I go in!
Beautiful and thought-provoking reflection as always! Honestly, I'm struggling with the idea of Internet friends because while I consider you and a few other people we know as friends, I feel like there is a "real-life" element that impedes me from feeling fully like it's a friendship. Perhaps it's tied to broader trust issues I have 😅. I've definitely been thinking about this a lot and this piece got my gears turning.
All that said, I'm certainly feeling very lucky that our paths have crossed in this digital realm. Lucky to know you!
Thank you so much Camilo! I totally relate, I have my own trust issues too. I think next year I may have to travel the world just so I can meet my online friends and confirm they are not AI avatars crafted to be the perfect writing friends. Until then, I'm still also grateful the internet has brought you into my life!
Hahaha airport people watching, that's a favorite pasttime when nothing happens and we just hang around. Online and IRL friends, each is great in their own rights, and I'd be remiss to say that I don't like friends who's just a DM vs an ocean away!
Thank you for the comment Helen! I agree, I love sitting in an airport and just people watching. You really get to see such a diverse group of people. I'm glad you're one of my (mysterious) online friends!
What a lovely piece and meditation on human connection, technology and the changing culture and its trade-offs. Have a great time at the wedding, Michelle! I appreciate your online friendship and connection immensely. 🙏♥️
Thank you so much Tai, the wedding was so much fun! I love the phrase "meditation on human connection," that's really what this essay felt like! I really appreciate your friendship and perfectly coined phrases too, Tai!!
You and I. In person. Soon.
My irl trip with people who allowed me I to their kitchen and home offices all this time make this a very poignant and timely read.
YES KARENA! Before you are done with your world tour, we need to meet up! I'm jealous of all the people you get to connect with IRL right now.
"My online friends can be in Idaho or Milan, San Francisco or Lisbon, yet they can pop up on my screen at any moment for a chat." -- Isn't that magical? Glad to be the friend from Milan popping up on your screen at any moment for a chat! :) Nice words, as always, Michelle. A pleasure to read your thoughts.
Hehe a little nod to my friend in Italy! I missed our chats last week and of course it was so lovely to reconnect again this past one. Thank you for the kind words!
It's amazing how the internet has brought together with people from all over the world, and allowed us to connect over shared interests and experiences. Glad to be internet friends with you.
Likewise Shubham! I appreciate the comment and I agree, it's so awesome to be able to connect with people around the world!
Awww what a great intro, enjoy Your weekend of offline revelry!
Thank you so much Chao! The offline weekend was awesome, and I'm happy to be back online too :)
Came for the people watching painted in words. Stayed for the internet friend feels. Hopefully we will meet soon without requiring travel sized Michelle to porter my luggage. 🙂
Awww yes! This piece really turned into a love letter to my internet friends. I do secretly hope no one will make me lift their luggage, I am very petite and not particularly strong IRL!