May. 25, 2005 - 21:07 MST

FROM TIME ITSELF

The internet has its privileges and prerogatives some of which I enjoy to the max.

Several years ago I made friends with Jeannie (daisyok) by means of e-mail, or rather should I say that she accepted me as a friend. Over time I have received on the net many of the pictures she takes -- her pictures are fantastic too. On down the line somewhere I found out that she comes to Denver every May to visit her daughter who lives and works here. So next when she came Heather and I had lunch with her, enjoyed it to the max. She and Heather fit together well too.

She is in town and we met to go out to dinner with her and her daughter who is off work this week. We went to Casa Bonita which is a fancy Mexican type place, several stories of somewhat baroque architecture whose internals have to be seen to be believed. There is a pool where young men employees dive in from various elevations on the fake rock, sometimes splashing those nearby. Some skit or other is usually in action. Wall to wall waiters, with little flags on the table to signal one, fancy decorations and many nooks and crannys of interest in the building to visit for enjoyment. We had a great visit and pretty nice meal.

But the fun continued, they came by our house for dessert and more visiting. Heather and Jeannie made plans to go to Red Rocks Ampitheater on Monday. Won't be any concert in the daylight but the scenery is nice. Hope the weather is nice so that we can mill around there.

Jeannie came bearing gifts, a hug to me from my cyber-sister in Texas and a big Hi from a fellow journalist in California.

I don't know how many journalists, diarists, bloggers or whatever have friends they cyber meet and finally see physically face to face. What a grand thing it is to make such connections. I first experienced that when I was a ham radio operator. What a thrill to meet in person some one I pretty well knew and liked just from radio contact. So the consequent friendships made in cyberland did have a precedent, guess that is why it is enjoyed so much by me.

It is essentially impossible for me to travel anymore, barely get to Oregon about once a year and the arrangements to do so are astounding. So when the opportunity to be with a cyber friend from out of town comes up, I am overjoyed. It seems to take me back to schoolboy days when going across town to visit was an event to celebrate. Today it has been just like an escape FROM TIME ITSELF . . . . . . . . .

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