1. Standard memberGrampy Bobby
    Boston Lad
    USA
    Joined
    14 Jul '07
    Moves
    43012
    30 Dec '14 18:55
    Online Global Friends

    This conversation's exclusively focused on reminiscences related to our online social media, public forum and correspondence chess site global friends. Privacy matters. Please observe the protocols of anonymity in all replies. Here are a few of mine:

    1) One childhood friend recently requested an email of the Christmas Story I'd written years ago about our neighborhood adventures and misadventures in a small town near Boston which he shared with his own children, then replied with a few anecdotal incidents of his own. We're planning a few phone calls in January to share our life events in the decades since.

    2) An acquaintance from Croatia and I have been able to communicate by way of in-game messages on another chess site thanks to an English Language Translator. One of his recent poignant replies to a compliment about his chess prowess was: "the same words". Since I've somehow been unable to get the bare bones simplicity of his sparse reply out of my mind.

    3) A world travelled friend whose deep convictions and articulate posts about current issues attract a considerable volume of interest on a social media site forum mailed an unanticipated Christmas Gift from California Santa via Amazon. Wow!

    4) Another online chess site friend called yesterday unexpectedly to reminisce about his Christmas and family and mine.

    5) Losing an online friend due to illness or circumstantial difficulties also happens and it's painful. Though I miss her, William Stafford's memorable line comes to mind: "The bitter habit of the forlorn cause is my addiction". Tomorrow's a new day.

    Few of yours?
  2. Standard memberChessPraxis
    Cowboy From Hell
    American West
    Joined
    19 Apr '10
    Moves
    55013
    30 Dec '14 19:02
    I've "rubbed elbows" as it were with some pretty famous players. Had a few games with some notables as well.
    I modded at a blitz site for about 2 years.
    What amazes me are the friend requests I get at FB. Several well known GMs have sent requests and sometimes they tag me or comment on my posts. Just today I accepted the request from a well known strong FM. I think they must figure I'm some kind of a chess player or problem composer or a serious theorist. We'll know if Suat starts playing my ideas in the Sicilian Def.
  3. Joined
    30 Sep '12
    Moves
    731
    30 Dec '14 23:001 edit
    I get a kick out of a Canadian fellow I have not met in real life. Like me, he is passionate about just a few narrow topics. His topics are mostly different than mine, but it's fun to see someone "out there" with a brain that works kind of like mine.

    (Nearly every holiday get-together a relative of mine by marriage reminds me of how "oddball" I am to have the interests I have.)
  4. Standard memberGrampy Bobby
    Boston Lad
    USA
    Joined
    14 Jul '07
    Moves
    43012
    01 Jan '15 02:48
    "Back, you know, a few generations ago, people didn't have a way to share information and express their opinions efficiently to a lot of people. But now they do. Right now, with social networks and other tools on the Internet, all of these 500 million people have a way to say what they're thinking and have their voice be heard." -Mark Zuckerberg (Founder of Facebook)
Back to Top

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.I Agree