Early Social Networking - Story and Photo by Patty Mooney

Prior to the advent of Social Networking online, people would network - gasp!!! - in person.

Because I am a writer, about a dozen years ago I decided to become part of a local writers' group. At 41, I was the "young pup." Over to the left you will see this cadre of wonderful writers who had plenty of life experiences and reams of stories to share.

I am sure that by now some of them have passed on to their next Great Adventure. But when I came across this photo in an old album, I decided that it would be worthy of a blog, if only to say that these weekly meetings meant a lot to me. The operational format was that each week several of us - depending on time - would read our work, and then each writer would comment on it. Can you imagine having two dozen avid writers critique your work right on the spot? And this was a free community workshop. I received invaluable input which has carried me even into the present.

I don't know if the group is still meeting or not; my husband and I moved away from the neighborhood and so it was less convenient to faithfully attend. As we all know, things change, we drift toward other places, life happens.

Writing has always been important to me, no matter how it has ebbed and flowed over the four decades I have been practicing it... And social networking across Cyber Space is an amazing phenomenon. But I think I'm going to see what kind of literary gatherings we have going on in my new neighborhood. Who knows? I may end up being the "young pup" in the group again - and there's nothing wrong with that!