Well, I had my blogging lunch this afternoon with...drumroll please...Supermom at What Makes a Housewife Desperate! She was just as funny and warm in person as she is on her blog (and not at all desperate), and I'm so excited to have a new blogging friend here in my city. Our kids had a ball together...her Baby and my Corrie were born the very same month and looked like a couple of pixies playing together. Her son and my Stephen are two ring-tail-tootin' seven year olds, and they both left McDonald's with sweaty heads and hoarse voices (sure signs of a good time in Little Boy Land).
So here is my question for you...don't you think it's time we had an actual WORD to describe the phenomenon of a "blogging friend" transitioning into a "real-life friend"? I've been thinking about it all afternoon and can't come up with anything I like. "Life-linked"? "Life-blogged?"
Maybe we need to create a word altogether, say, "flapsnaggled". I don't know...telling you that I flapsnaggled with SuperMom this afternoon is creeping me out a little.
Since you're so good at clever responses, I submit it to you--let's name this thing:
_____________________ : (v) To transition from being an on-line acquaintance into a real-life friend, whether via phone or meeting in person.
Fill in the blank!
Cementing?
Realitize?
Lifeline?
Posted by: Shalee | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 03:19 PM
mirl? acronym for meet in real life. but then we'd be back in the f-a-q, faq conundrum.
Posted by: Valarie | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 03:23 PM
Personally, I think we should do away with the "real-life friend" and "blogging friend" titles. You're my friends. Period.
Posted by: Jules @ Everyday Mommy | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 03:25 PM
blogger+friend=blend, of course. Lauren and I tried making up a word once: blosky. Anything you do on your blog that is risky. We thought it would be a word of ginormous proportions, but it just didn't take.
Posted by: Jeana | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 03:33 PM
So, you know I came home and immediately checked out your blog :-) All I can say is, Thank you for cropping out my pudge. Now THAT is the sign of a good friend ;-)
Actually, I'm feeling kind of partial to "flapsnaggled". But what about snackdoodle or sizzleflip?
It was SO great to get to meet you in person. Can't wait to do it again!
Posted by: Supermom | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 03:42 PM
you're both beautiful, with or without pudge (but I know what you're sayin'). That is so cool that you all meet up. I'm over on the east coast so I did get to meet Barbara Curtis, which was cool. That was the only blogger I met after I started reading. That is so neat!!
Posted by: janet | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 04:00 PM
Not very original but an actualized friend or a blogreal friend or maybe next-level blogging friendship. I'll think on this. Honestly my first thought was a blogging relationship that's been "consumated"... at at fast food restaurant. Doesn't quite work.
Posted by: Kathryn, dym | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 04:18 PM
I'm not sure about making up a new word. But whatever it is, it sure is an uber-blessing!
Posted by: Emily | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 04:21 PM
How about "we exposed ourselves" or "arranged an expose'" (obviously, I don't know how to do an accent mark).
Here's what it says on Dictionary.com:
Expos'e \Ex`po`s['e]"\, n. [F., prop. p. p. of exposer. See Expose, v. t.] A formal recital or exposition of facts; exposure, or revelation, of something which some one wished to keep concealed.
Consummate would be my second choice.
Barf (Became A Real Friend) would be my third .
Posted by: abc momma | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 04:37 PM
"Blink Friend" Blog/link friend. I don't know.
"Today I made a "blink". The blog friend linked into the real world.
Posted by: Kristen | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 04:45 PM
SO GREAT! how fun and great picture!!!!
Posted by: jennster | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 05:23 PM
I don't know, but "flapsnaggled" has me cracking up! I have several IRL friends from message boards too ... do we need a verb for that as well?
Blessings!!
~Heather
Posted by: Heather | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 05:29 PM
All I can think of is Seinfeld, many long years ago: Worlds colliding!
Posted by: KimC | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 06:29 PM
collablogate-(v) To transition from being an on-line acquaintance into a real-life friend, whether via phone or meeting in person.
intr.v. col·lablogat·ed, col·lablogat·ing, col·lablogates
[Late Latin collabrre, collabrt- : Latin com-, com- + blogate, to blog (from blog,).]col·lablogation n.
col·lablogative adj.
col·lablogator n.
Posted by: Kim from Hiraeth | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 07:40 PM
ok ... FAQs and FAK wore out my brain.
I'm in for flagsnaggle. It is so "Fred Flinstone", which is ironic.
I like irony.
Ironic, don't you think? Considering ...
Posted by: Kelli | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 08:12 PM
How about "blorphed"? Ya know, like "blog" plus "morphed"? I don't know, maybe not so much...
Posted by: Sherri W | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 08:16 PM
Wow! Thems are some creative words that people made up! How about something like: yeah, I met her through her blog, and then we met, yeah, we're FAB! Friends after blogging??? Uh? NO? yeah, that's what I thought.
Posted by: flipflopmamma | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 08:30 PM
I think I have an inspired word and I want it to be noted for future Webster's purposes that I did say this word (I'm smiling, not frowning):
~~~"Velveteen" friend~~~~
Because, like the rabbit in the classic story by the same name, the friendship moves from one that begins in the soul and heart and moves into a tangible, 3-D dimension.
Seriously, I think that's the word. Whaddya think???!!!! Chrissy
Posted by: Cmommy | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 09:03 PM
oooh, more inspiration...
So, the friendship is now "Velvet" because you are IRL friends.
:-)Chrissy
Posted by: Cmommy | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 09:04 PM
I really like "velvet." Very nice.
Posted by: Michelle-This One's for the Girls | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 09:21 PM
I was thinking "to beblog", as in to befriend. ??? There's alot of good ones in the comments so far. My warped sense of humor really likes "barf", and that would be barf and not b-a-r-f. ;) =)
I agree with Jules. ;) Friends are friends...forever...if the Lord's the Lord...ack! Now I'm trippin' back to 1990 & will have that song in my head for at least the next 24 hours.
Quick! Pick a verb! =)
Posted by: Karla | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 09:32 PM
Really like FAB! And Velvet sounds so classy. Blink is pretty cool. Shannon, maybe you narrow it down to five and have everyone vote.
PS: nice picture. (there's a reason I have Wedgehead as my profile picture - he's more photographic than I am.)
Posted by: PastorMac's Ann | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 09:32 PM
What a sweet picture of you both, I have a real life friend and you look so much like her!! My vote would be blogmates, that sounds kind of Englandy. Glad you had a great day.
Posted by: Paulette1958 | Friday, July 21, 2006 at 09:53 PM
Oh my gosh these words are cracking me up.
I'm so jealous! How wonderful to meet up with each other. You two are both so fun, I would love to meet both of you.
Posted by: Heth | Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 06:50 AM
First thought was "matrixed" like in the movie. The computer stuff was real. Other thought was that we are Cyberspace Cadets! :>)
Posted by: Melanie | Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 12:14 PM
Blend for BLogging friEND.
Blogosfriend
Must get coffee and think more.
Posted by: Antique Mommy | Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 05:59 PM
I now call my online buddy "hubby" ... but I guess that doesn't work for everyone :)
Posted by: Karen | Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 10:15 PM
My husband says the verb should be "transrelate" or "transconnect." He wants a prize if he wins. hahahahahaha
Posted by: Michelle-This One's for the Girls | Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 10:39 PM
I'm with Karen. I call mine "hubby" also.
Maybe Blest (blog+best) friends?
Unblogged? (think Eric Clapton)
Lots of good suggestions already.
I like blend. BARF is funny, and I really like FAB. Blink is cute, and made me think of "pinkie promise" which of course would have to be "blinkie promise".
Tough call.
Posted by: Brenda | Saturday, July 22, 2006 at 11:32 PM
Friend + blog = FROG, unless the experience was a bad one, in which case you could use FLOG.
Posted by: Katherine | Sunday, July 23, 2006 at 10:23 AM
Oh! She is soooo cute! I'm so glad y'all had a great time, and secretly ... I'm jealous that she got to meet you in real time!!!
Posted by: GiBee | Monday, July 24, 2006 at 08:56 AM
Is it just me or do the two of you look alike a teensy weensy bit?
The "velveteen" comment was a really sweet one.
Posted by: God's Child | Monday, July 24, 2006 at 11:04 AM
Blogette for a female blogging friend and perhaps Blogad for a male blogging friend.
OR
Friend works well too :)
Posted by: Susan | Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 06:34 AM
bloggies. Kind of like buddies.
Posted by: Christina | Monday, July 31, 2006 at 05:10 PM