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’m Lisa. 36 yrs old, wife, mother to 2 fiercely independent young boys, polyamorist, agnostic heathen (Happy Yule, yo!), anarchist, intactivist (his body, his choice), cosleeper, baker, database administrator/data analyst (& freelance copyeditor), & lover of good fantasy. I have a tiny little farm (there’s nothing like fresh eggs & raw milk) & am looking forward to someday soon tearing down my old rundown house so my brilliant husband can rebuild it.

  2. Hi, I’m Karen. Like Wil, I am learning that depression lies. I am very appreciative of Non-judgmental Ninja. I think the world needs more of her. I also love baking, reading, and playing D&D.

  3. I’m Shelly, I’m 28, and I’m a veterinary assistant. Best job I’ve ever had, by far! I have 3 dogs and 4 cats. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on Valentine’s Day of this year, went through 6 awful months of chemo, and am now in remission (and very much enjoying having hair again).

    I’ve been reading your blog, Wil, since I was 17. As a fellow artist, depressed person, and animal lover (and nerd, of course), I’ve greatly enjoyed following your journey and cheering you on. 🙂

  4. Wow, this thing has reminded me of the magic of internet. Comments and people from the other side of the planet. Easy to take for granted. I remember the first time I clicked my way around the web. That slow spinning globe while we waaaited. Thanks for a great initiative Wil.

  5. I’m Leila. I am a systems analyst and have worked at my company for 34+ years. I love football and baseball. I am single, never having been married. I guess I could never make love stay. But I’m really happy on my own. I have lots of people in my life who love me and that’s alright with me. I enjoy reading and I love science fiction & fantasy books and movies. I love listening to Dan Fogelberg (the Fogie in my twitter handle) and Josh Groban. And I enjoy interacting with people who share my passions on facebook & twitter! hi Wil!

  6. I’m Darrell. My wife and I adopted two feral rescue kittens 6 years ago. One is especially shy, and only this year has started finding his own way into my lap — it makes my day every time. I generally treat the Internet as read-only, though I do create Android games as a hobby. I’ll sneak in a plug (!) for one that might interest folks here: “Satis-Factory”. Think Pandemic but rolling dice to generate actions. 😀

  7. Hi, waves…. My name is AnnaMarie and I am a fiber artist. I am also a wife of 25 years, Corgi mom, child free by choice, gamer girl and chronically ill with various and sundry Autoimmune disorders (they come in clusters, just for fun).

    I actually found your blog because of your posts on depression. Your posts on gaming soon followed as favorites as well as I started to read more of your blog.

    I enjoy your writing, from the heart, hearing from someone who struggles yet still takes that step, one in front of the other, to make it from a bad day to a different day.

    I read the blog but other than that I don’t do much social media.

  8. I’m Ryan, 38 husband and father of 2 girls. Enjoying introducing my oldest to the world of tabletop gaming through your videos. Programmer/technical executive. I spend my free time working on open source projects and playing video games.

  9. Hi there, Wil, I’m Lewis. The guy who shoots you a very short email every six months or so just to let you know I’m still alive and wish you well. I don’t have employment. Haven’t had a real job since the Silicon Valley Dot Bombs fell on our house during the ever-so-delicate time frame which contained my Kidney Transplant. (The Wife-person is the donor, but that’s another story that makes girls go ‘aaawwww!’
    We used to have cats, but since that whole employment fiasco, no dice there. I filled seven years of my time writing songs, and in some cases, recording them…to no real end, honestly. The industry is cruel.

    Bottom line, I’m a stay at home husband and am currently doing a thing which I hope will give my my life more meaning than the band ever did.
    (I want to get a group of people together to go visit kids in the hospital dressed as TV, Movie and Comic heroes, (I got a Star Lord thang I’m working on now, but it’s ‘baby steps’, right now…(Had a job but things went south)…Anyway, my hope is to call it something like @Heroes_on_Call

    Hugs to you, the family and the critters from the two of us up here in Vallejo.

  10. Hello Internet! My name’s Dave, I’m 38, and I’m typing from The Future (a.k.a. “Australia”). I’m currently trying to balance a hectic IT job with “playing more games” with getting any sleep. Sleep is well behind on points so I’m looking forward to Thursday night with all haste. I also enjoy reading (mostly fantasy), karaoke, and copy-editing my emails before I send them.

  11. Aaron, 28 years old, married. I’m an Electrical Engineer in the Aerospace industry, and I live in the Los Angeles area. I play board games, roleplaying games, video games, and guitar. You probably would not want to hear me on the latter. I also got into homebrewing, partly from your posts about it and partly due to a couple friends of mine who have been doing it off and on for a while. Homebrew and board games… a great combination!

  12. I’m Iris. I’m a non-nude model on a porn site. My hobbies are reading, gardening, and teaching tricks to my puppy. I live with the man of my dreams, and take every chance possible to help someone else.

    One of the things I love most about my job is the ability to donate my time and money to people and foundations who need it the most. Whether that’s family, animal shelters, or local children in need.

    I love that you and your wife go so far out of your ways to help your shelter. It’s so humbling to see celebrities being “real.” (Shout-out to Anne… she’s absolutely wonderful.) Anyway, thanks for making the internet (and world) a better place, one day at a time.

    1. I know a few people who work on the same site. What’s it like being non-nude there, in terms of how people treat you? I’m fascinated by the entire business. (You can email me if you feel like answering in a less-public way, or ignore this. I’m not the boss of you.)

      1. I started out as a nude model for about a year, then switched. It’s more difficult to get viewers being non-nude, because new people are typically looking for more “action.” Obviously, I still get numerous trolls and idiots saying rude or annoying things every day, but they tend to give up more easily than before.

  13. I began reading your blog a few years ago because I like your style of writing, and I’m grateful for the roll model Wesley provided my son who has kids of his own now. As a fan, I’m proud of the life you’ve made for yourself. Happy Holidays! May

  14. I’m Todd. I live in Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul area). I’m married and we have one daughter who is in elementary school. I work for a local county government as what you could almost call a “digital cartographer” (my actual title is GIS Specialist). I love Surly beer and can’t wait to visit their new brew house/tap room that just opened in Minneapolis.

  15. Hey, Wil! @LisaAdamsWriter here. Wife, mother of five, teacher, and writer (obviously). I’ve just recently been signed as a freelance writer with Green Ronin for their Dragon Age PRG and will be working on the new Faces of Thedas book due out next year. I have you to thank for that. Your DA episodes on TableTop prompted me to buy the game and dive into it. Many thanks!

  16. Hi! I’m Connie, 53 years old, married with 4 “kids” ranging from 30 – 14. I am an adult One Directioner thanks to my daughter and your friend Abby. – LOL. I work as a Controller, managing finance and IT for a couple manufacturing plants. I am known at work as the Excel Guru. Love Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Thrones, GOTG, seen “The Stand” a bajillion times. I started to read your blog after reading your book – “Just a Geek”. (Good stuff by the way. . .) This then started me on Twitter. I love to laugh, especially the off beat stuff. – Miss the Project man!

    I totally get your anxiety and depression issues, as I face(d) them myself. After my diagnosis 20 years ago, understanding my triggers, learning Everything I could, and helping others, helped me to cope and lead a relatively normal life for some years now.

    We are Polar opposites as far as politics, but everyone has a right to an opinion, no matter how wrong – LMAO! Wil, thanks for letting me ramble!

  17. I am a 72 year old widow who was reading science fiction and fantasy since I was a child. Starting with the Oz books and moving on to Heinlein, Asimov, Bradbury, and you know where it goes from there. I saw the first ‘Star Wars’ movie 17 times, my children and husband refused to go with me after the first 7 times. Do remember the first time you saw ‘Star Trek’ on television? I do. And I can probably quote you lines of dialogue.

    I could listen to Jean Luc read the phone book. I was glad to see your character, and the other young people on board the Enterprise.

    I have been reading fan fic, while it was being printed and you had to send money for the bound copies. The first fandom I was in was Sherlock Holmes. And yes I still have those bound copies of everything from Robin Hood to Knight Rider and Star Trek.

    Then came the internet…oh joy, oh joy. Free! Fan Fic! I had one of the last personal computers that IBM made…and haven’t looked back since. Am typing this on my lovely laptop, and have been reading your blog for quite awhile now.

    Am a movie buff, avid reader, and now enjoying retirement. I am somewhat disabled, but not so bad that I can’t get around with my sturdy walker named Margie. Have attended most of the 30, almost 40, years of our local science fiction/gaming con, Archon, and had my picture taken with Scotty and Sulu. Have met Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen, and listened with awe as they spoke. Would love to go to McDonald’s with Arthur Conan Doyle and Isaac Asimov, because good conversation can make fast food a feast.

    So here I am sir, hope I have given you some idea of who I am. Would like to meet you and shake your hand and tell ‘Good work, youngster, wootstock and all’.

    with love, Leila the Elder (and yes that’s what my friends call me, so feel free to do so.)

  18. This is an awesome idea Wil. 🙂

    I’m a 46 year old woman. I grew up on reruns of the original Star Trek (Yes, I had a crush on Kirk as a teenager). I went through college watching ST:TNG. And … well … it just went from there.

    I’ve always been a bit of a nerd/geek – not as hardcore as some, not as laid back as others. In my real life I’m a project manager, a wedding photographer, a cook and foodblogger, a runner, and .. just a person.

    I’ve been a fan of yours since I first discovered wilwheaton.net many years ago and have only grown to be a bigger fan as I’ve learned more about you and Anne as people and professionals.

    Thank you both for everything you do and who you are! You make being a nerd/geek fun! 🙂

  19. Hi, I’m Chris. I’m married and have a daughter – a young toddler. I’m trying to use my real name for social media accounts, but I forgot the reason why. It feels like I made this decision a lifetime ago even though it has only been a matter of months. I was coming out of a depression due to living in an area I hated and due to having a boss who made my work life miserable. Life is much better now. Anyway, I’m a fan of things and stuff, with stuff being games these days. The game days I had over the last year were the brightest lights during that horrid fog.

    Wow, this sounds a lot more down than I intended it to be. Seriously, life is better now.

  20. Hi everyone! I’m Danielle, from the greater Washington DC area. I work at a non-profit that helps senior citizens and as a stagehand. My fiancé and I are the proud “parents” of a 130 lb. rescued German Shepherd. We’re also DragonCon regulars, and fans of sci-fi, fantasy, and gaming.

  21. My name is Michelle. I have a husband who’s a military helicopter pilot and two adorable children – one boy and one girl. We live in Florida at the moment, but are about to move to Virginia. I also have a very fluffy white cat. I’m hoping the move goes smoothly for all of us. I follow Wil because he brings a smile to my face and brews awesome beer 🙂

  22. 49 year old goat herder with 16 goats, a sheep, 5 ducks, 20 chickens, 8 cats and 3 dogs… married 30 years and am glad due to the hard work of Wil and others to be a proud out of the closet Geek 🙂

  23. Hi, I’m Lori. My boyfriend Kyle and I live in Florida but we love traveling to Portland and NYC. I love cats, comic stuff and craft beer and wine. Also, farmers markets and helping animals any way I can! Nice to meet everyone! 🙂

  24. I am married and we have our 1st child who is just over 1 years old. Huge fan of your wife’s twitter and yours.

    Tabletop was instrumental in teaching me which games I liked and what I didn’t. It helped me rock my 2nd year at Gen Con. I love the hobby and am happily addicted.

    I have been brewing beer for a few years and always impressed with your set up.

    I got serious about getting back in shape about 3 years ago and hope to do my orat marathon on 2015. I have mostly done 5ks, Tough Mudder events and a 25k.

    Thanks for all that you do. It is cool seeing people with such a big heart like you and your wife have. I like seeing someone love pets like we love ours. 🙂

  26. What a wonderful post. I am laurie, the adventurous silversmith. I am a code smith by day and silversmith on weekends. I have a cat and my husband is a wonderful man who allows me to call him the shop elf.

  27. I am Carmine Blanche, I am an aspiring writer of Fiction, Fantasy… all in the… er… Erotica genre. I also host a blog on being a guy and enjoying the art of being a gentleman, especially with regards to women.

    That being said and hoping that you have not already deleted the post, I live in Northern Seattle, have a day job, which I hope to ditch if the writing thing eventually takes off, and consider myself to be a easy-going fool.

    BTW… and to a lesser extent… yes, I am a Trekkie and a fan of all things Sci-Fi, as long as they are based on believable science.

    OK… That’s me.

  28. Wil!! I need your autograph for a New Year’s present! I’m born and raised in our Lovely Pasadena and I’d love to thank you for your time by buying you a beer!! I’m happy to meet you at Stone Brewing with a Sharpie!! Check your FB “other” folder for a message with contact information!! Cheers neighbor!!

  29. Wil, what a neat idea!

    So I’m Gina! waves I’m a native of Arizona, but I’ve lived in Virginia and Colorado as part of my “I’m gonna explore places that are not my home state!” I’m a bit of a writer and thanks to the Internets, I was able to actually do ‘professional’ writing for the first time ever.

    Obviously, I’m a fan of yours – loved Stand By Me when I saw it as a kid and I actually didn’t have that big of a problem with…ahem…Ensign Crusher; TNG was my actually first foray into Star Trek and I haven’t looked back. The fact that a good majority of the cast share interests that I enjoy (the technology, the reading, hi-fives to my fellow brass player, and how does one not love Sir Patrick?)

    Oh and I’m a girl who enjoys playing video games, like real video games. WoW owned my soul for a little while (must…resist…going…back) and Steam may as well just take my money cause I’ll buy whatever they have on sale (which is all the time) and the area where Math should be is probably used for useless television knowledge and disturbing facts about murder (I’m a writer! I like mysteries! This is perfectly normal!)

    And…that’s probably about it….for now 😀

  30. My name is Dawn. Single, two cats that I rescued. Opinionated but with big heart. Suffer from depression and anxiety like many people here. Just reconnected with my father after about 30 years of estrangement. I wanted to either turn a page or close the book. However you want to look at it. And it’s going well. Merry Christmas everyone!

  31. I’m Lora, and I’ve been married to my husband for 16 years. We have two awesome daughters, ages 15 and 11. My biggest fear is not being the best possible mom to them, so I’m hypercritical of myself. My youngest once asked Wil about being called a nerd at school, and he gave her some pretty good advice. She’s been a fan of Tabletop for a while, and her love of tabletop gaming has spread throughout our family and circle of friends. We try to have a game night once a week.
    We have 5 chickens, two pugs, one foster pug, and a turtle. I recently quit my job for a financial advisor to go back to school full time and substitute teach. My husband works in IT and is going to school, as well. I once started a roller derby league many years ago, which was fun while it lasted, but my body could only take so much beating. I love to sew, and I volunteer for the wardrobe department for a local professional ballet company.

  32. Hey Wil, I’m 43, divorced, with two fur buddies, and we live in NJ. I just got a kickass raise at work. I bought a new townhouse all on my own this year! I love photography, fooling around with my guitar, watching too much TV, and occasionally riding my bicycle. Happy holidays to you and yours. 🙂

  33. I’m Jody. I’ve got cats, chickens, and a 21-year old daughter.
    Growing up, Wil Wheaton was the closest thing I had to a geek-friend in that little, tiny redneck town.
    It made me more aware of giving options to my kid, and helped me keep an open mind to the things she was interested in. So, although she might not know it, she has a lot to thank you for.

    Such as being able to hold her own in the card shop, and knowing that the Geeks shall inherit the Earth.

  34. I LOVE board games! Very excited to see so many that we play in your videos. Thanks for making them a little more main stream.

  35. My name is Pete. I’m a newscast director in southern Minnesota. I’ve been following Wil since I saw him speak at Dragon Con in 2011. I developed a nerd crush on him that only grew the more I learned about him.

  36. My name is Sara. I love my dog, Lucky, more than just about everything else (don’t tell my husband.) I hear this may change soon though… we’re expecting our first child, a baby girl, in April. We’re going to spend the holiday week arguing about what to name her. But sorry, we’re not going to name her Wil. On second thought, that could be a pretty unique name for a little girl, no? Hmmmm.

  37. I’m in my 30s and from Central Oregon. I own a self-serve frozen yogurt shop and make fancy sugar cookies as a side business. I work 7 days a week all year ’round, so the internet is my lifeline to friends and the world.

    I tend to get pretty obsessed by things that I like… my biggest obsessions are Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter, followed closely by Doctor Who. I also love stories of all kinds, so I read a LOT of books, comics, listen to audiobooks/podcasts, etc., and I love to be creative — I write, I draw, I cook/bake, I like a variety of crafts. I love pop culture and film/TV, so I watch way too many TV shows and movies. I have a brain that stores useless trivia like it’s gold, but refuses to hang onto important stuff.

    I’m owned by a chihuahua who thinks she’s the boss of me (she totally is) and two cats.

  38. Hi, I’m Chris, but I”m not that Chris. I’m married to my college sweetheart, we have two kids in college, and two beagles in the house. I work in web design. I also have two first editions of Dancing Barefoot, as my first order was apparently lost forever and Wil sent me another copy. The original book showed up about 3 months later, in perfect condition.

  39. Bryan. I make video games. Married for 8+ years. No kids… ever. Terrifying creatures. We do have a dog named Jack (Black lab/Pit/Dane).

    Grew up in the same era as Wil, so his books and nostalgia inducing powers have a +3 against me.

    Parents are British, so big fan of proper football (LFC), Doctor Who and Monty Python. Love D&D, Rothfuss, Penny Arcade, beer, whiskey, wine and delicious food.

  40. Hello! I have been reading this blog for a while but first post. My name is Roxanne, i am a housewife in new orleans with a passion for history, culture and religions. I am not sure if all of thay translated into a love of scifi/fantasy or the scifi/fantasy came first.

    My husband works in the funeral services and sidelines as a crafty bastard who can build anything. We have 2 ferrets, many fish (mostly bettas but 1 community tank) and 2 kittens i have been trying to tame with a decent amount of success. Maybe in a few more weeks i will be able to pet them.

    i started following wil after watching The Guild on netflix, from there to tabletop then here and tumblr. I have depression and anxiety as well and reading this blog has helped me work on my own depression and recognise the lies. I also have lupus but am still not quite to terms with that. I love rpgs (white wolf 1.0 for the win!) All sorts of fabric work and make knotwork posters by hand for fun.

    I just wanted to say to Wil and everyone thank you for the community. It is amazing.

  41. Pagan gamer lady. Big fan of you WW Have boyfriend but no kids look younger then I am. We love watching table top and playing the board games you recommend to us. We just moved to the Space Coast Florida area from Baltimore Maryland and it’s a lot different. I have severe depression and anxiety and do not work plus a lot of pain from my spinal injury. I play many board games video games and other games. Watch a lot of science fiction and fantasy stuff. I loved watching your family and Felicia on Table Top and I have watched many of your shows and movies. You should make a Mass Effect movie!! I just had a super happy Yule and wishing you guys a happy holidays too.

    Lora

  43. Hey Wil (and fellow Wil fans)! I’m a 27 yo West Coast Canadian girl, married but no kids, trying to figure out my place in the world and watching and reading and writing far too much science fiction in the meantime. Wil I have a lot of love and respect for you and your work and appreciate the kindness that colours all your social media interactions. Thanks for being awesome!

  44. Hi. My name is Melissa. I’m a 38 year old Canadian full time Mom to two beautiful daughters. I’m a Trekkie, met you at Polaris (formerly Toronto Trek), follow you on Twitter and am not ashamed to say that your posts help keep me up to date on news and of course NHL hockey. Best wishes to you always.

  45. Hi I’m Toni, also known as BuffyGroupie, from Buffalo, New York. I’m 50, married to a wonderful, hard-working man and have a grown, married step daughter. We also have two very spoiled little dogs, one of which is a rescue. I have an amazing work from home job with a really great company that helps independent restaurant owners.

    I’m a lifelong geek who’s been reading fantasy stories since a lovely neighbor lady taught me to read before kindergarten. By middle school my brother-in-law introduced me to super hero comic books and the rest is history.

    I love to read, cook, sew and travel, and watch way more TV that I probably should.

    I’m sure I’m not speaking for only myself, Wil, when I say that you can totally be the boss of us. 🙂

  46. My name is Aldrea, and I feel dumb for not reading your instructions. But this is a lovely response and idea, so here goes:

    I’m in my late 20s, I work in IT security, my first tabletop game was Race for the Galaxy (and I still love it), I love cheesy scifi and fantasy, 8bit art/music/games, and singing. I have a wonderful significant other and while we plan to never have kids, I love animals and will rescue a few pups once we get a house.

    Also, I met Wil at Dragon*Con a few years ago and awkwardly handed him a duct tape portrait of himself (thanks to Rich Stevens for the awesome original) and he shook my hand, called me an artist, tweeted a picture of me, and made my year.

  47. I’m Shannan and I’m a Canadian Librarian currently living and working in Canada though I’ve previously lived and worked in the States.

  48. Good Mornin’,

    I’m Wil (Yes, with one “L” as well). I am married with two kids who exist to grow up to play board games with. 🙂 I live in the Gig-city of Chattanooga, TN where Gigabit Internet is just $70 a month. I work in a startup as a web developer.

  49. This is the first time on your blog and I confess I read your post and thought that sounds pretty lame, but reading through the comments was quite beautiful and oddly inspiring: I feel empathy for 40 people whom I will likely never meet but now know exist.

    I’m Leon and I love life. I have 4 wonderful little children and a beautiful wife of 10 years who I love to bits. I have a degree in Robotics and I’m finishing a Masters in Health Informatics whilst working full time. One of my children is terminally ill and he has lived 5 years longer than the 1 year they said he would. I see every day with him as a gift, in fact since my dad died two years ago I see every day on earth as a gift.

    I am a Mormon and I love my religion. I think it has helped me see the worth of all and stay grounded before I knew I needed it. I respect you most of all for your motto to “not be a dick”. I often hesitate revealing my religion because I imagine people will see me as irrational but being religious I can spot another a mile off. Other faith based belief systems I like to observe include gun control, patriotism, blind political party affiliation and evangelical atheism.

    I love science too and am also strangely hesitant to press post.

  50. I’m Stephanie. I’m married with two young sons (3 years & 9 months), a dog, and a cat. I’m a software developer working at a very small (<50 people) company doing custom software development. When I have spare time again I intend to return to my hobbies of cross stitch, costuming (especially joke costumes), and tabletop gaming (Runequest mostly). I love baking and cooking, but I hate the daily grind of making sure my family has something to eat. Christmas is my favorite holiday and I spend weeks making ornaments for my friends & family, baking cookies, decorating our (now two) trees, sending out Christmas cards, and buying and wrapping gifts. I love Firefly and I'm active in Can't Stop the Serenity. I also love Doctor Who, Castle, pretty much everything Marvel, Game of Thrones, Sherlock, Harry Potter, Star Wars, BSG, Farscape, Babylon 5, and probably a lot more I'm not currently thinking of.

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