there absolutely is a stigma and a legit one. I have met a sad amount of people from the internet (over 10

) and it has almost always been a bad experience. other than chef who sredni and I think I had a decent rapport with (considering I was
dying when I met him this is astonishing), a girl I introduced to my friend who he then dated and destroyed

and this girl I knew from a bookclub, they've all been strange. some have honestly been UPSETTING, like this dude Keith I met who was just an awkward motherfucker and all the Ron Pauls. god the one girl who said the Fountainhead changed her life fffffff.
these are weird people. they can also be dangerous people; one of the SA goons at State shot himself in the head about a week before this thing I went to that he was invited to. internet strangers are weird and I definitely advise everyone to bring a friend with them or at least meet in a public place.
also to wax a bit philosophical there's always a small divide I think between real life and internet, no matter how much you like someone. the fact that Chef and I had to participate in a web of lies to convince my mom helped overcome that awkwardness like some weird team building exercise ("so Eric do you know Steve?" "...possssssibly?") but I genuinely think even if I was gregarious as fuck and well lubricated there would be way too many awkward silences at a large GW meet. I could meet people individually (h...hundley) but I mean come on if nothing else the fact that I think I have called almost everyone on this site a piece of garbage is going to occur to someone at some point.
seriously if I was at this meet I'm sure I'd come out and catch Sarevok whispering something to Mamamack then turning guiltily back to Soul Calibur 4.
okay i've waxed jamicus enough!