My First Time...

I've been thinking about my "first time" lately.  I was only 13.  Here's how it went:
  
Teenagers today share one major similarity of when I was a teen... talking on the phone.  I was just telling my grade school aged children about how I used to be able to call (816) 444-1212 to hear the local time and temperature. (Thanks United MO Bank!)  

As much as I was a weather fanatic, (growing up in Kansas, you become one) the best part of that phone number was... it was a PARTY LINE!  You could hear the other callers talking and laughing and connecting with others. Sometimes it was really busy, like right after school and in the evening.  Despite the onslaught of chatter, you'd hear kids shouting out their telephone numbers in hopes someone hears them and calls them back directly!   You had to talk fast and cut right to the meat of your message (like Twitter) because sometimes time (space) was limited.   Other times, you could just hang out for hours chatting it up with now new and current friends. (like Facebook)


*gasp* What were our parents thinking letting us shout out our phone numbers to strangers!?   Ha!


Nonetheless, it was fun.  Really fun!  I remember being in 7th grade and yelling "My friends and I will be at the 2 o'clock session at Coachlight Skating today!  Be there!". 5 People heard my invitation and showed up that afternoon at Coachlight Skating Rink.  Strangers... but it didn't feel that way. We met up for many more afternoons over the next year and our circle of friends grew with us.   All 5 who heard that invitation on that day, I can contact today, for we became quick friends. 
KaPOW! That was officially my first meet up.  
It was also my first experience with successful social networking.  
I think even then, I realized the value of what was happening. 

 When did your FIRST social networking experience happen?