That’s a quote from a Christopher Walken skit on Saturday Night Live. I was going to be a very thorough blogger and embed the video in here so you could watch a clip of it and know what the heck I was talking about. But I can’t find it anywhere. So you either saw that one and you know what I’m talking about… or you didn’t and you’ll just have to get on with your life.
Moving on.
You know when people talk about something fun they’re doing over the summer and then they say, “You should come!” Do you think that counts as an actual invite? Sometimes around here, in the South, people say things like that but they don’t really mean it. For example: “Love the hair! Hope you win!” Yeah, right.
So last year I “met” Ms. Picket on her blog. And while we were getting acquainted over the summer via email she had the nerve to send me a picture of her celebrating the 4th of July on a boat or something. I was all Bitch! And she was all you should come!
Fast forward to now and Ms. Picket has become one of my best friends. We still haven’t met in person. And we still haven’t talked on the phone. At this point only other bloggers and internet stalkers can understand that you can become good friends with someone through nothing but the written words of emails. Billions and billions of emails.
So I’ve cobbled together three of these, “You should come!” semi-invitations up in New England and um, yeah, I’m coming. With my husband. And both of my kids. What? I’m not a vampire – I don’t need an actual sincere invitation to cross the threshold or anything.
I know we’ve been travelling like carnies this year. This is the very. last. trip. No more travelling after this one. Totally done. Well, except for when I go to Blogher in Chicago. Then really, no more trips. That’s the last one. Probably.
Our trip to New England will have three stops. The first stop is at my friend Jules’ house. She’s that person I’ve known most of my life. So we don’t call each other and say, “Hey, can we come for the 4th?” We call and say something more like, “I’m coming and we land at noon. Cool?” And she responds, “Yay!”
And my last stop is at my friend’s sister-in-law’s house. So, um…. that one was a little ballsy of me to take that sweet, “Ya’ll should come!” from her and pretend it was an actual invitation. But I’m a ballsy girl so we’ll see how that plays out. I’ll let you know if I end up at a Motel 6 with the kids.
But the middle part. Well, the middle part is where Ms. Picket and both of our families get to meet IN REAL LIFE. Which should seem more nerve wracking than it is. Right? I mean I’ve basically invited myself and my family to Ms. P’s house and we’ve never even talked on the phone. But for whatever reason it’s not strange. Or weird. It just is.
Darcy (Ms. P’s real name) and I should totally be the poster children for the Blogher Conference this year. The theme is “In Real Life” and all. I haven’t gotten a call from them yet but I’m sure the offer’s in the mail.
So yeah. Fasten your seatbelts. We’re gonna come to y’house.
Woo-to-the-Hoo for REAL LIFE! Also, 'cause there is no better place to be for the 4th then you know where!
My husband is screwing me all up on the scheduling. I'll follow up by email…
I received one of those "Come visit!" pleas from someone I've never met or even so much as talked on the phone with. I wondered if she meant it because well… an invitation to New York City is more than tempting. My heart loooongs for that place – not to mention, I'd love to meet this girl IRL. I suppose if I receive 2 more invitations – I will promptly take her up on them. Afterall, I've invited her down here and truly meant it. Maybe it's mutual?
Ah – the "see you at BlogHer" posts begin… I'll be at the beach, so no IRL drinks for me. I'll just live vicariously through everyone's recaps.
I myself laugh about how I've become such good "friends" with people I've never seen or spoken to. My brother doesn't have a blog but made all of these online friends a few years ago (including his now serious girlfriend whom he HAS seen IRL thank god) – and we were all worried about him and his sad social life on the computer. It seemed so lonely hearts at the time. Luckily, I never actually said anything to him because there would be some serious payback mockery now…
i totally saw that christopher walken skit.
you are so correct about bloggers & how we 'meet' each other. (i only put it in quotes to show how others perceive it.) i've got a few friends out here that i've only emailed, but consider them true friends. and meeting in real life is uber-fun. but i do know what you mean about no one else understanding.
that said, have a blast!!
How exciting! I love when stalking turns into real life, but only as long as no injuries or police records are associated with it. I trust you have neither of those on your agenda
I also love to say 'y'all' far too much, so much so that my boys ask me "Why are you talking all southern or whatever?" then I respond with "Y'all just hush now." That last part may be talking it over the top a bit.
Have a fantastic time!
If you show up and your *inviters* are surprised, they'll stop issuing vague nebulous invites.
You're actually going to your SIL's? I seem to recall some horrendous Thanksgiving post – that was you, wasn't it?! Aren't you a brave soul.
I don't think I've actually left the house since school ended – I'm going to do all my vicarious traveling through you – especially Blogher, since I can't go.
I can't wait to hear how your IRL meeting with Ms. Picket goes! I bet you both have a wonderful time.
WAIT? WHAT?
You were SERIOUS about that?
Are you going to come up to me at BlogHer and be all, "Hey, it's me Carolyn ONLINE BITCH!" and then hug the shit out of me? Cause I like that.
The good ole town will welcome you and yours with open arms! Ain't no better place to be on the 4th of July. Tell your girls to think "ILLUMINATION". Damn straight.
Man, I want to hang out with y'all…
I love meeting in real life. That's the coolest. Congrats.
New Englanders only ask you to come visit if they want you to come visit. We were in Maine once at that one lighthouse, you know the one, and an elderly lady struck up a conversation with my mother, gave her a suggestion of where to eat for dinner, ended up eating dinner there with her 3 old lady friends, and then came over to our table and invited our family to stay the night with them in her old family cottage on the bay. Needless to say, we took them up on the free lodging. I'm pretty sure the place was haunted, but it was definitely memorable.
I'm so happy you and Ms. Picket are meeting! I can't wait to see pics from that little trip. It's gonna be like on "The Color Purple" when Celie finally meets her kids … or something like that.
I heard Picket has some shady friends. Watch out for them, kay?
I think that's AWESOME! I know when I say c'mon over anytime, I mean it. And yet, I never quite believe that others are extending a sincere invitation to me when they utter the same. I'm going to start taking people up on it!