experiencing the social part of social media

I spent much of today going through last night’s post comments, and making sure that people I’d inadvertently blocked on Twitter were unblocked.

But, uh, the thing is … after going through about 250 links, I’d only actually blocked three of them. Everyone else was “just in case” or something like that. I thought, gee, maybe I didn’t make the instructions for finding out if you’d been blocked clear enough.

But the other thing is, I ain’t even mad. Because I did that today, I saw a couple hundred real people’s faces, and got a tiny little glimpse into what all of those people have been doing with their lives. It made me feel connected in an unexpected way (it put the “social” in “social media”), and though it was time consuming, it turned out to be a nice way to take a break from doing actual work.

And it gave me an idea: Why don’t you introduce yourself to me and other WWdN readers?

Leave a comment in this post that tells us a little bit about yourself, if you feel comfortable sharing that sort of thing. Don’t post personal stuff that could be too revealing or hurt your privacy, but maybe share your first name, if you’re married, have kids, what sort of work you do, and maybe something that you like.

The idea is that, when you see the actual, real, human person behind a screen name or twitter handle or whatever, it’s a tangible reminder that we are all people on the other end of the connection. We’re people with families and jobs and hobbies and passions and hopes and fears and we all live on the same piece of rock, hurtling through space.

Of course, you don’t have to do this, and I can’t stress enough how important it is that you protect your personal information, but since I enjoyed the social experience of feeling connected to actual humans, maybe you will, too.

Or maybe you won’t. I’m not the boss of you.

1,054 thoughts on “experiencing the social part of social media”

  1. I think this is a wonderful idea. I’m Andi. I live in Ohio. Am married and have spawned a hell-raising-yet-oddly-well-behaved child. I’m a tabletop gamer and a reader.

  2. Hi! I’m Diana. I teach Head Start, I’ve been married for 7 years, and we just had our 2nd baby, another little girl, a couple weeks ago. I’m lucky enough to be able to take an unpaid maternity leave until next school year, so I have some more time to hang out on the Internet lately. 😉

  4. Hey Wil, I’m a Seattle based filmmaker with an incredible wife who is a nurse, and three (soon to be for) wonderful kids. Sending good thoughts to you and yours for a great holiday season, good sir. Cheers!

  5. Hi, Wil! I am a 33-year-old Walt Disney Imagineer, I’ve been married to a wonderful woman for over 8 years now, and we just had our first baby (girl) last May. I’ve been reading this blog since 2001, and I’ve met you in person briefly a couple times. You were always perfectly pleasant.

  6. I’m currently going by Kalany. I’m a graduate student, unmarried, no kids. I’m a statistician and I knit far more than I really should while trying to write a thesis.

  8. I guess the best intro to me is the byline I use on my blog etc. By day I am a mild mannered IT guy from Sydney. By night I am Bastard Sheep: #nopants advocate, agnostic atheist, skeptic, cyclist, amateur/hobbyist photographer, and tabletop gamer.

  10. I love this idea. I’m Cat. I live in Ontario, Canada. I’m married and currently owned by three four-legged fur-kids. I’m a reader, PC gamer and recent convert to tabletop gaming.

  11. Biomedical researcher, professor, mentor… Unabashed nerd. Newer to the tabletop genre of fun, but experiencing new and fun times due to the aptly named YouTube show. A firm believer in the universality of “don’t be a d*ck”. Thanks for making us a part of your interesting life and contributing to a community that gives many of us a wonderful place to experience belonging.

  12. Hi Wil and everyone! I am Cheryl M, and I am an author and lover of geeky things. I watch Geek and Sundry shows religiously and am slowly amassing a collection of Tabletop games. I am married, w/ kids, and do have a regular day job on top of being an author. My book is a fantasy called The Unknown Sun. I have a novella prequel due out in a week as well.

  13. Hi, Wil. I’m a 58-year-old exceedingly happily married woman living large after recently moving to California’s wine country. While we don’t have a large group of friends to play games with, we do have 2 friends we play CAH with. I am just a teensy bit of a game/technology nerd (was a programmer for 15 years); now I’m a yarn and knitting nerd. I like your opinions and your writing and occasional sightings on TBBT. I’ll never understand those who tweet and comment at you (and others) just to insult or slam you. Just knock it off, guys.

  14. Stace here. I’m a writer, musician, and IT geek, as well as a father and husband. I’ve been following WWDN (various versions) since 2001, mostly under the username Lytspeed. I got to meet Wil and Anne at Denver Comic-Con a couple of years ago, which was cool. 🙂

      1. Stace, my picture isn’t showing either, but I think our posts are awaiting moderation. Maybe after they have been declared kosher, they will show our faces?

  15. Neat idea! I’m a 23-year old Dutch guy named Patrick, and I’m a (game) programmer and 3D artist. Currently completely addicted to Pokémon Omega Ruby and the show Suits.

  16. There are actual people behind the screen, after all. It’s good to remember that.

    I’m Russell, a TV journalist in Louisiana and former video game blogger. Love Tabletop, used to watch Leverage, and I play a lot of D&D. Lately I’ve also been playing a lot of Netrunner, even taught my wife to play (and she’s not a CCG fan).

  17. Hi there, I’m Adrienne. I work full time for a university in the Midwest as a fundraiser, but I’m actually located in the Los Angeles area. I also am a full-time grad student, half-way through the program in communicative disorders to that I can become a practicing speech language pathologist. When I’m not buried under work, I crochet and ballroom dance.

  18. Hi, I’m Heath. I live in Australia and work as an environmental manager for a real job and a photographer for a fun-but-doesn’t-pay-the-bills job. I have a 37-year old wife and an 11-year old beagle, who we rescued when he was 7. I’m just about to head off on a 3-week trip to Japan, including a 10-day photography adventure in Hokkaido.

    Also, don’t tell my wife, but she’s getting a rescue greyhound for Christmas. (Man, it’s good to get that out!)

    You can find me on Twitter at @8one3 and @HeathC

  19. i can usually be found pondering/attempting to writing something large, and ending up creating an odd bit of poetry.

    i am married (10 years!) with 2 cats.

    i can be found primarily lurking over at that crazy twitter place, as @amarthis.

  20. Hello everyone!

    My name is Danielle, and I am 27 years old. I manage a convenience store, and I have two cats that I alternate between loving dearly and threatening to toss them outside! (kidding – I love them with all my heart!!)

    I enjoy tabletop games, and I do fun craft things like cross stitch and knitting.

  22. Hi Wil (waves casually),

    I am Laura. I live in GA with my husband, two sons and two rescue kittens. I am a very proud Mom, Whovian, Rocky Horror nut, pop culture junkie and annoying movie quoter. I live a good life and I really appreciate all that I have. Thanks for all you do!

  23. I’m Amelia. I’m a reference librarian from NJ. I’m also a struggling short story writer. Pug mommy. Mini-geek. Part-time Foodie and Jane Austen addict.

  24. Hey, this idea is wonderfull. I am actually from Germany. I love tabeltop games and do not have anyone to play at the moment. But perhaps in the future. I love knitting and I hope to find a full time job next year.

  25. My name is Sylvia, I live near Boston, and I’m married to a man with naturally curly hair. I enjoy following you and Anne and your pets, and I try very VERY hard every day to Not Be A Dick.

  26. I’m Ann. I live in Virginia. I am most proud of being a teacher. I am a passionate political activist. I try to give more than I get.

  27. Let’s see … I’m 38. I have bad anxiety and depression, so I live at home. I write books. I’ve recently become obsessed with Midori Traveler’s Notebooks. I also plan to go to Disneyland for the first time since I was 14 this coming year. I have a feeling I’ll have a way better time now than I did when I was 14.

  28. Hi, I’m Gerald and I’m a middle-aged college instructor from NC. I’m also fairly drama-adverse, so I often avoid internet discussion boards. Have a happy midwinter holiday of your choice, folks!

  29. Hi, I”m Lissa. I”m married with two kids. My 11 year old thinks you are awesome and he is the one who got us watching tabletop and playing tons of games. Thank for the positive influence. Happy Holidays!

  30. I’m Nikki, and I live in the sometimes great of Oklahoma. The great is only when someone hasn’t done something to not make us the laughing stock of the country, which is not often. And I’ve never seen Stand by Me, so there’s that.

  31. I almost went to high school with you, Will, but I forced my parents to let me bus to Glendale (where all my friends from my first year of high school still were). My name is Lori and I live in Seattle. I wrote a book, with my husband, on how to live action role play, and how to do it with our system, and run a troupe called Dreams of Deirdre that puts on LARPS at San Francisco Bay Area game conventions. I am an avid table top and board gamer. A major hat tip to you for introducing us to several games that my in-laws love to play!

  33. I’m Logan. I live in a small town in the middle of nowhere in Missouri. I’m a college student studying computer science, but I really want to be a writer. I like to play tabletop RPGs, especially World of Darkness games.

  34. David. 44. San Francisco. Avid lover of music and started playing hockey when Wayne came to LA. I’m grateful to have two wonderful daughters, ages 25 and 23, who share my love of music and life.

    I am proud to say that I personally know a lot of people I follow on Twitter. To me, Twitter has opened my eyes to others’ thoughts and beliefs. It has also helped to make the world a little smaller in capturing news as it happens without the filter applied by media.

  35. Hi Wil! I’m a ordinary nerd that loves Star Wars/Star Trek and around the same age as you. Single father living in SATX, works in IT and love board games. I also host a weekly podcast about everything nerdy (The Nerd 411) to connect with other people like myself. Its that social interaction with like minded people. Enjoy being a fan of your work. Wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

  36. As I commented on that post, I thought “Somebody is going to spend a day checking these comments.” But what a great idea it generated! (I totally missed the instructions and figured -everybody- was responding ‘just in case’.) But to jump on the social bandwagon, my name is Mark. I was married, have two kids part of the time, and I quit social services to return to school for accounting. I very much like murdering countless hours, like so many kobolds, in the eerie blue glow of the Internet. Which I will do shorty as I read the wall of comments that are undoubtedly coming.

  37. Hi Will,

    I’m a 37 year-old software developer living in Ottawa, ON. I began a battle with fibromyalgia last year and table-top has been a refuge from the pain quite consistently. Long time fan of yours as well. I like games, in any form, so that my imagination and higher-thinking can be engaged in fun as often as possible.

  38. Hi Wil I’m @rawrxiv from Canada, I’d like to say I appreciate your humbleness, honesty & humanity as well your dad jokes and enthusiasm. In a world where the rule is “never read the comments” we need positive voices, thanks!

  39. Hi Wil. I rock Rhode Island. I’m a nerd who likes nascar because sometimes opposites happen. I went to film school but it was a mistake. I build submarines while writing books now. I have a rad 2yo who is upside down on me right now.

    Out of all the things you do, being a positive nerdy dad is the most important and since we’re sharing, I want to high five over that the most.

  40. I’m Marshall. I’m a tabletop game designer, homebrewer, scientist, husband, and father of two.

  41. A very cool idea Wil. I’m Kim from Oregon. I’m a married Mom of 2. I teach grade school Special Education which I absolutely love. I’m also happy to note that both my girls are as geeky and sci-fi loving as their Mom!

  42. Hi Wil, I’m Michelle. I’m 30 something and I’ve been married 17 years. No children unless you count a sweet lab mix and 2 adorable cats. I process nursing applications. My husband works in commercial refrigeration and brews some hella good beer. We play table top games every Thursday with our friends and play DnD on Fridays. We recently played Firefly and really enjoyed it. Hope you’re having a great day.

  43. Hi Wil. My name is Liam and although I don’t work, I am a carer for my disabled partner, which I find to be just as rewarding 🙂 And I’m a geeky nerdfighter who loves tinkering with the inners of computers.
    DFTBA

  45. What a nice idea! I met one of my very closest internet friends via the comments here, so I love this 🙂

    I’m Jessica, and I make nerdy knits and crafts. You’ve possibly seen Wil kindly share my stuff before. I absolutely adhere to the tenet to ‘Get Excited and Make Things’. I live in the Pacific Northwest, and currently work part time doing content coordination for The Frogman. It’s pretty great.

  47. Hi Wil, my name’s Geoff. My wife and I are huge G&S fans, and watch more YouTube than regular TV or even Netflix largely because of your programming. We have a 10 month old son who will be getting a plush D20 for Christmas. We are that level of nerd.

    For work… I’m a space curator at an aviation museum… no, seriously.

  48. I’m David. I live in Tucson now, after a few years in Chile. I work for the National Solar Observatory as a systems administrator, which is awesome. I’m married to a nighttime astronomer who is also awesome.

    We have a cat named Puck. He is brown and loves snuggles and warms and boxes.

  49. I am a 40 something neuroscientist living in Ohio. I am a mother of 2 girls and happily married for 18 years. My daughter recently got into dungeons and dragons after watching tabletop. Now the whole family is playing together and she is DMing at our local game store.

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