# With how many people on the Dope do you have an on-going, real life relationship? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699 "2013-08-31T22:35:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/1 "2013-08-31T22:35:01Z")
For me, one. We met on the board and when she and her husband were moving to my area, I volunteered to watch their dogs during the move. We became great friends and even though I’ve since moved, we keep in touch and visit. My friends thought it was weird that I would watch someone’s dogs that I’ve never met and just couldn’t understand the atmosphere here. And you? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/2 "2013-08-31T23:40:42Z")
Zero. I’ve met one doper IRL, and she is no longer with us. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/3 "2013-08-31T23:47:00Z")
None, so far. There’s a distinct possibility that I may meet one or two Dopers in the near future, though. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![turtlescanfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@turtlescanfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turtlescanfly)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/4 "2013-08-31T23:51:28Z")
None, that I know of. But I continually entertain the fantasy that one or more of the people I interact with on the Dope I do in fact know in real life, I just don’t KNOW that I know them… you know? ---
**Author:** ![Enocavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e480ec/32.png) [@Enocavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enocavy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/5 "2013-08-31T23:59:32Z")
One. I’m married to him. ---
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/6 "2013-09-01T00:06:52Z")
No one. I worked with one briefly back in '99 and had a date with another sometime around '04 but that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/7 "2013-09-01T00:15:55Z")
I’m Facebook friends with one current Doper and one former Doper. That’s as close as I’ve come. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/8 "2013-09-01T00:25:07Z")
Well, I’m married to **Suburban Plankton** , so there’s that. Also the Kiddo has an account, but rarely posts so I don’t know if he counts. I’ve met **not what you’d expect** a couple of times IRL. We ate at her deli when she had it. I’m not sure it counts as a real, on-going relationship, though. I have several Dopers that I communicate regularly with on Facebook. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/9 "2013-09-01T00:28:04Z")
Zero. That pretty much reflects my real-life ongoing relationship history as well. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/10 "2013-09-01T00:42:39Z")
> [@turtlescanfly](#): > > None, that I know of. But I continually entertain the fantasy that one or more of the people I interact with on the Dope I do in fact know in real life, I just don’t KNOW that I know them… you know? I’m the same way. I try to reference the board from time to time to see if the person I am talking to knows what I mean. Sadly, no one has yet. ---
**Author:** ![David\_H\_Singanas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@David\_H\_Singanas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_H_Singanas)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/11 "2013-09-01T01:23:00Z")
These replies show that SDMB does not have a good score for “real life relationships.” The Board certainly provides the opportunity for personal contacts. I have used the utilities but no one has shown any interest in an email exchange. I saw a number of friendships develop in USENET, because over there you join a GROUP rather than a FORUM. The groups are based on subjects that are much more specific. My favorite was “Alt. History.British” and I eventually exchanged email with about 6 members of that group. However these chaps and one gal (the “duchess” of Gothenburg) were in places like England, Sweden, Australia, India, and Canada. One of them was a docent at the Tower of London and another was a Wimbledon Hill Spencer. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/12 "2013-09-01T01:36:48Z")
I’m pretty good friends with illuminatiprimus. We met at a doper fest and have kept in touch ever since, though he lives way to far to visit. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/13 "2013-09-01T01:38:17Z")
None since UnaPerson’s lawyer sent that cease & desist letter. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/14 "2013-09-01T01:41:50Z")
If we don’t count people who haven’t been on the board in a decade, nor people I’ve met at Dopefests but have no other relationship with, then zero. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/15 "2013-09-01T01:42:37Z")
I see \*\*dogbutler \*\*regularly at hockey games. I’m facebook friends and interact regularly through that medium with several additional Dopers that I feel like I would be IRL friends with if we lived in the same area. I feel like I know them better than a lot of people I do know IRL. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/16 "2013-09-01T02:34:28Z")
A few. I’m married to one. **Qadgop** and the lovely Cynthia will drop us a line whenever they are in SoCal and we’ll meet for Mexican. Everybody else is pretty virtual except for Dopefests. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/17 "2013-09-01T03:04:20Z")
I’ve met a lot of other people from this board at various meetings (probably over two hundred) but I don’t know anyone from here outside of that. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/18 "2013-09-01T03:09:19Z")
None. i have met several people from other boards when they visit my area on vacation. Maybe we need to schedule a Caribbean Dopefest? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/19 "2013-09-01T03:09:53Z")
I’ve never met a doper anywhere outside of SDMB. So, I’ll go with none. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699/20 "2013-09-01T03:13:54Z")
Zero, or at least none who will admit it. Met a couple at a half-assed Portland Dopefest. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-how-many-people-on-the-dope-do-you-have-an-on-going-real-life-relationship/667699.md?page=2)