Pinging

One thing I've found beneficial from writing is how it provides a live connection with the people you write beside. We might not always have something to say for every post, but when I do get to talking to them, having been writing makes it feel like we can just jump right in.

This is not to discount how easy it feels to jump into a conversation with an old friend. It's actually very easy, and it always feels like we are just picking back up where we left off.

But this is exactly what writing helps avoid. And this is what I've enjoyed actually in my long distance relationships.

williamliao

and I talk on the phone every other week. Because we've been writing side by side for over 80 days now, it never feels like we have to catch up. Instead we get to dive right in.

I also suspect that this is why I enjoyed talking with

therealbrandonwilson

via voice that one time even for just a short bit. Not because we'd necessarily jive right away in real life, but just because there was some level of established comfort. 

I've kind of neglected talking to any friends who don't write because I've been more fixated on keeping touch in this manner. Will's letter to his 80 year old self makes me second guess this... maybe it's probably something I'll regret later. But for a short period of time I'm okay trying this new way of keeping in touch.