I have, on occasion, met some of the people from this board in real life. The other week I met two in one week: That's unusual. (One of them owes Lisa some pictures.) It's unusual and some times unsetteling to to meet some one youonly knowthrough cyberspace. But I find that once I get to know them they are pleasant enough chaps.In the past I have been a little wary about agreeing to meet up. Because my schedule is often difficult to pin down, but also because I felt that I did not ?need' to be with other male thongers, or really have a want to hang out with them.Over the years my attitude has changed: I now rather enjoy the occasional beach meetings with other thongers from the board.I have been pleasantly surprised by how genuinely nice the people I have met are. They don't live up to the creepy old men in thongs reputation. Even OldPro, who is, as he advertizes, getting long in the tooth, is friendly and definitely not creepy. Some have stuck around and chatted for a bit, or even hung out withmy friends, if friends are withme at the beach. (Lisa said "Send her pictures!")Once in a while, if they are only in town for a day, they have arranged to meet me for Breakfast. Oftenjust stopping in before loading up to go on a cruse ship. Fort Lauderdale is a major embarkation point.More comonlythey intercept me on the beach. It starts something like this: Guy in a thong waves me down and says "Hay, are you JM?" After confirmation and hellos, the chap normally goes on to tell me what his posting name is on the board. (I must admit I normally can't remember them.) Then we chat a while before having to go and get on with the rest of the day.Some times, when out running, I pass a man or women on the beach who looks like they want to stop me but then lose the nerve. Don't be shy. Lot's of people do stop me for one reason or another. Someare acquaintances who stop me to talk about running, or mutual friends. Othertimes it's total strangers. I get a kick out of it when they are women who ask if they canbe in a photo with me. (I have noticed that when groups of collage girls are down during spring break, they will ask, but the rest of the year people just take sneaky shots.)So don't be one of the people taking sneaky shots, or one of the people too embarrassed to talk to the ?almost nude runner dude', just come out and say "Hi", before I run passed and the opportunity passes.P.S. If I am running in a direction that is going away from Las Olas Blvd, there is a very good chance I will be back later. I start and finish near Las Olas.