It's kind of funny that I am so shy about revealing my identity on the interwebs, despite the fact that I realize it would take less than 10 min for most people to decipher "who I am". But it scares me. I worry I won't measure up to my virtual identity.
This weekend, I took a big risk (in my opinion) and met not 1, but 2 milspouses I "know" online. I think I haven't been this nervous since I was single and dating. It's weird, because on the one hand, I feel like I know these women, but of course we have never "really" met. LAW and I have interacted almost the entirety my marriage. Natalia I started following one day when I stumbled on her blog from Unlikely Wife's blog roll. I know all about their lives, their families, their passions and interests, their joys and sorrows. I often feel closer to my blogger friends than I do to my "real" friends.
So LAW, Natalia and I met for lunch at the Capitol City Brewery Downtown and had a long lunch. We talked about our lives, our common struggles, our passions, everything really. The conversation flowed quickly and easily as if we had been doing these luncheons for years. Honestly, it was just what I needed. I felt absolutely inspired by these women. I felt like for the first time in a really long time that I wasn't stuck in a state of cognitive dissonance, torn between me the scientist and me the milspouse. If anything, I started to realize that I could leverage my experience into whole new areas, much like each of these women have. I don't have words for how powerful it is to have people tell you that it isn't ridiculous to chase your passions, even if you have to choose a different route to your destination than you might otherwise think.
I came back from lunch feeling pumped, feeling like I could take on the world. One of the faculty members I know said I looked positively contented and you know what, he's mostly right. All of these things were really great for me, because I had no idea that the very next day I would be asked to give a talk in front of the other NSF GK-12 fellows with no real time to prepare. While I was terrified, I also felt like I knew that these women, even if they weren't in the room with me, had my back.
I am really glad I got up my gumption and asked these amazing women to lunch. Turning my "virtual" friends into "real" friends was the best gift I could have gotten for myself in DC.
3 comments:
Yay! And I'm jealous, of course. You met two of my faves.
I really do love the network we all have.
I had the SAME feeling after meeting you guys! I kept telling Mr. F how inspiring you two were and left lunch feeling so motivated, self-assured and powerful.
We all need to meet up more often, I say we start a yearly meet up for MilSpouses "like us." I'd love to say this September in DC, not just because I live here (although it does make it easier for me and LAW...), but because it's the center of all things Military, the heart of our country and it just seems appropriate. Or maybe next Spring? Just a thought...
And it always helps when someone else has a dinosaur fascination like me!
I am totally down for either. Congressional Visits days (April and September) are always a good time because I can say it's business travel.
DC is my favorite city I think, so it wouldn't be hard to twist my arm *wink*. Plus, you're strong enough that you probably could without much effort.
FYI, I didn't link to your blog because you're going private.
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