As a typical Facebook user knows, out of our (on average) several hundred "friends," often only a handful are "real" friends regularly seen face-to-face.
Mikel McLaughlin has set out to change that.
The 35-year-old set out in a red Volkswagen Beetle on a journey to spend time with each of his 400-plus Facebook friends ... some for the first time ever.
McLaughlin is documenting the social-media-meets-real-world adventure on his website We're Friends, Right? He posts photos of his friends like this one:
"I recognized that I had many Facebook friends with which I had little-to-no actual relationship. I wanted to change that, or at least see if it was possible to do so."
"I feel that having a closer relationship with a person helps me to be better. It's easy to belittle, berate and dismiss somebody with which you have no relationship."
"But when you spend time at their dinner table, play games with their kids, and hear about their lives, it's a little bit more difficult to be unkind and uncaring toward them."
So far, he has made it through roughly a third of his Facebook list of 400-plus, with only 25 percent being folks he already considered real-life friends.
After each meetup, McLaughlin writes a short summary of the day with his "friend" outside the Web, keeping their names private and using only initials.
Ranging from awkward to adorable, many of these encounters consist of simply sharing a meal and a conversation. McLaughlin says it's been worthwhile:
"Just about every time I meet with a Facebook friend, my interaction with them is my new most memorable visit, at least until I meet up with the next Facebook friend."
McLaughlin has no set timeline for his experiment, explaining that he is more focused on the quality of the visits, not the quantity or speed involved.
Back home in Minnesota for now, he plans to spend time getting together with local Facebook friends before hitting the road once more. We wish him luck.
Life is bigger than Facebook, after all ...
1. Weird-Looking Parrot!
Who chose that bird to put over an American flag pic, honestly? And why?
2. WTH, Time?!?
The time went... backwards? What the heck happened here?!?
3. No Reception
It may be 2014, but that doesn't mean everyone owns a cell phone.
4. A Shocking Fact
THIS JUST IN: Africa is not a country. Story developming...
5. Vegetarian Fail
You're a vegetarian who eats turkey burgers? That seems hard to pull off.
6. Comma vs. Coma
All it takes is one letter to give a word a very different meaning from another word.
7. Exchaning Vowels
Do you, anonymous woman, promise to give this anonymous man an E in exchange for his U?
8. Empire (Building) State of Mind
This is the Statue of Liberty.
9. A Sinking Feeling
Yes, this person believed James Cameron's Titanic was a real-life documentary.
10. RIP, Michael Jordan
He had quite the run, but Michael Jordan has apparently passed away.
11. Non-Penguins
1. You misspelled "penguins." 2. These are not penguins.
12. Trippy!
Whoa, bros. Where is the W in this tennis racket shadow?
13. Coolest. Teacher. Ever.
Mrs. Johanson 2, Larry 0.
14. Capri Sun FTW!
Capri Sun and Mrs. Johanson should totally date.
15. Dead Dawg
Yeah. This is a bit awkward.
16. Aunt or Uncle?
It's always exciting to learn whether one is gonna be an aunt or an uncle.
17. Halloween on October 13?
PHEW! Can you imagine what will happen the year Halloween falls on October 13?
18. Who is Feat?!?
Forget Kanye. Who is this impressive rapper named "Feat.?"
19. Google vs. Facebook
If at first parents don't learn... just humor them.
20. A Lack of Manors
Where have all the good manors gone? Blame the economy.
21. Confused About Hitler
Let's give Holly a break: people have said MUCH worse things about Hitler.
22. BJ Confusion
One type of blow job may be considered a sin. The other is just a type of beauty enhancement.
23. What a Dumb Elevator!
Seriously, what is this elevator thinking?!?
24. A Billion Here, A Billion There...
Give this person a break! Is there really a big difference between 7 and 20 billion?
25. Credit Card Rejection
Maybe this person just has the wrong kind of computer.
26. Was the Titanic Real?
Who knew there was so much confusion on the Internet about the Titanic?
27. A Parent's Revenge
Let's just say we're glad we aren't a member of this family.
28. Burned by the Sun
Just keep digging that hole, Facebook user...
29. Hashtag Confusion
Because all phones created nowadays have the Hashtag sign on them.
30. Marveling at Nature
If you ever doubt the existence of God, just look at... Mount Rushmore?
31. July 3 or 4?
Come on. July 4 only falls on the 3rd when Halloween falls on October 13.
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