Re-Connecting

In the past couple days, I've been re-connecting with old friends who I don't see as much as I used to. Not in the real world though. On Twitter and to a lesser extent on Facebook. Susan Mernit talks about being enchanted by the status updates she is getting in her Facebook feed. I get that same experience with my Twitter feed. As more and more of the people I know start using Facebook and Twitter, I am starting to get re-connected to a set of people that I kind of lost contact with.

My friend Wences is a great example. He started Patagon.com and we made a very nice hit together almost a decade ago. He's gone on to sail around the world, have a family, and try to change the world. I've gone back to being a VC.

Somehow we ended up following each other on Twitter and this weekend we ended up talking about sushi in Sao Paulo. We've traded a few emails over the years so you could say we stayed in touch. But not really. Hearing that he's at a nursery or eating sushi in Sao Paulo is just different. It's like you are chatting on the phone or something.

This "status update" thing, powered by social utlities like Twitter, Facebook, Pownce, Jaiku, and most likely a number of other services is a big deal. At least it has been for me.

Comments

[scotty]

This has been the #1 value in Myspace for me. I signed up a long time ago when several bands I wanted to find out about were on there, and never really used it. Over the years, random people have found me on there and re-initiated contact.

In fact, a bunch of folks from my high school just used it to plan a mini high school reunion:

http://www.gjsentinel.com/featr/content/features/entertainment/stories/2007/07/06/7_6_OA7_sam_column.html

[narnia]

Clive Thompson wrote a great piece about twitter/facebook/momentary updates and how they affect your personal relationships. Worth checking out if you haven't already: http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-07/st_thompson

[Giordano]

Since you´re talking about sushi in Sao Paulo, can´t avoid mentioning my favourite Japanese haunt from where I was living there:

http://www.nagayama.com.br/itaim.htm

Nagayama, in Itaim, was great, especially after I befriended one of the sushiman :)

Try it if you happen to be in Sampa!

Also, for great Japanese fusion cuisine:

http://www.jamwarehouse.com.br/

With 4 millions Brazilian-Japanese, it has to be one of the best places outside of Japan for sushi!

Now that I live in Asia good sushi is not hard to find (off to Tokyo in a couple of weeks, and the usual dawn fish market visit will feature :) ), but I have to say that Nagayama still has a special place in my heart

Cheers,
Giordano

[Eric]

Hi Fred,

Are you using Pownce yet? The problem that exists for me, at least on new networks, is the lack of population during the growth period. I recently signed up for Pownce and there is an overall lack of people I know on the network which hinders my usage of it. The concept and execution are great - now I just need an audience to share with. (btw I have an invite if you are interested.)

[Charlie]

Its nice to see the old folks discover the newfangled stuff the kids have been using for a few years... ;)