Everything seems so wonderfully lovey-dovey in here most of the time that I sometimes get a bit...well...doubtful.
Is there anyone in here who has cultivated someone's friendship over a period online here in SH, then met up with them (either at a munch or a private meet) to find that you simply couldn't stand them, or at least that he/she/they were very different from what you had hoped/dreamed? It would be best to reply keeping details anonymous of course.
Mike.
Kinda.
We both once fell head over for someone's avatar - thankfully, it was actually their own photograph - then, when we finally met... YUCK!.
The photo was honest, but... edited as to keep the best bits in and crop the rest out.
The 'rest', to me, included their personality, which when audiably verbalised was tedious beyond belief. When typing they appeared to be a witty and erudite intellectual.
Aforementioned 'rest' of this person also included:- Their height; hair; general appearance; general demeanor... need I go on?
I'm sure we've all had meets like that. I got to know a guy (through a different site) and only ever saw a facial pic. He was a lovely guy to talk to online but when we met, although his face was attractive in the photo I'd seen, I didn't find anything else about him remotely interesting or attractive. I ended up going through with it as I couldn't see any way to tell him. I'm a lot more careful these days and generally prefer to see a couple of honest pics rather than ones with the bad bits cut out!
I'd be interested to know how other's have dealt with similar situations.
I met one - he isn't on the site anymore but it taught me to be less hasty to meet people who try so hard to 'be friends'.
He painted a very different picture of himself in rambling PMs and lots of phonecalls - I should have read the signs but was fairly new to SH and thought he was being honest.
As soon as I met him, in a London pub, I knew I had made a mistake and could not wait to leave.
He made me feel extremely uncomfortable, something I rarely feel because I generally see something good in most people. I realised his intentions were in no way honourable, having told me for weeks before that our meet would be a purely platonic one, and that there would be no pressure. He was a lot older and so I had said it was unlikely I would be interested in sex - we were meeting as 'friends'.
The pressure was so great that my skin was crawling.
I remember getting the train home wrapped up foetal-like in my big coat, grateful of its comforting warmth. Not a good meet.
It has taught me to be wary of strangers until I get to see for real who they are, and what they are about.
I think this just proves the worth of attending Munches, especially for Newbies, in order to meet people in a non-pressurised enviroment.
The impressions I've had of people online have mostly turned out to be pretty accurate when meeting them in real life. The exceptions have usually been pleasant rather than unpleasant surprises, but there have been one or two who didn't quite warrant the bright colours they used to paint themselves. Which isn't a problem since whenever I've met someone for the first time, it's always been on a purely social 'get to know you better' basis. I think people who go into first meetings with heavier expectations may experience more disappointments than I have.
Like Ice Pie , I have rarely been dissapointed, though recently I have been pleasantly suprised on a couple of occassions .
Unlike Ice Pie I have met with more expectations of just a social meeting and totaly , totaly enjoyed!!!!!!
Ummm yes, but it was at a munch.
I had been drooling over a particular avatar for a while and when I finally saw the person I was pretty disappointed. As there had been no contact via pm or anything it didn't matter because they never knew that I'd been drooling in the first place.
The rest have been pleasant surprises though.
Personality wise, I try very hard not to decide what a person is like just from what they have posted on here. OK this doesn't work completely and there are a couple of people who I would actively avoid, but I've never been disappointed with the real life conversations that I have had with those I have met, and some have been so much more than I ever imagined possible.
If any of that makes sense to you.
Jas
XXX
Met people I thought I'd like but don't
Met people I thought I wouldn't like but do
Met people I knew I wouldn't like and got that right too
Met people I like but they don't like me
Met people I don't like but they like me
Think that about covers it.
Oh and I'm still looking forward to meeting plenty more of you. :P
Jas, like you Marya, is every bit as gorgeous in the flesh, and personality, as in the avatar.
ops: :oops: :oops: :oops: 
. 
Ok, maybe not.
Shiny shoes and all. And yer bird ain't half bad either! 
:smackbottom: :smackbottom: 
:? 
assionkiss: :passionkiss: flattery will get you everywhere :twisted: :twisted: and I mean everywhere :lol: I've seen Marya in real life as well :phoar:
