One of my favorite blogs, a daily read for me, is 1000 Awesome Things. You probably know it, because it’s insanely popular and has already spawned three books.
So I was pretty psyched when I got a comment from a reader on Wednesday telling me I had to check out the days’s post. So I did, and, obviously, loved it.
Awesome thing #56 is “Lineup Friends.” Author Neil Pasricha writes, “If you’re stuck in a really long line you probably do what I do and chat with friends while sending one hundred text messages. But at some point you get bored. Batteries die, conversations dry, and you’re twiddling your thumbs when the four-step process to making Lineup Friends suddenly happens.” The process, he says is 1) Complain together, 2) Talk about the things you must have in common (since you’re in the same line), 3)Keep talking until the front of the line (changing conversation topics frequently) and 4) Swap contact info.
I love this post. It’s so true. Just last week I was in line at the Lululemon warehouse sale and saw plenty of people bonding over hour long waits just to get in. Even at my book readings, where people wait in line for signed books (though not for very long!) I’ve met so many women who point to the reader behind them and say “we just became friends in line!”
A college friend once met a woman in line at Best Buy or something. They started chatting, becoming pals (my friend is the queen of making new friends). At the time, my friend was just out of college and the woman was a bit older, maybe in her late 40s. My friend mentioned that she does some babysitting. The woman in line asked if my friend might want to babysit her kids? My friend said sure. (Keep in mind, this is all happening in the checkout line.)
And that’s how my friend ended up at John McEnroe’s house in New York City on a Friday night.
The woman she’d befriended in line was Patti Smyth! Rocker extraordinaire and wife to the legendary tennis pro.
So, moral of the story, you never know who these lineup friends might turn out to be.
This weekend, while you wait in line to buy nachos and beer for the super bowl, checkout the woman behind you. Maybe she’s your new BFF!
Have you ever met a friend in line?
Are you in San Francisco? Don’t care about the Super Bowl? I’ll be reading/signing MWF Seeking BFF at Books, Inc. in Opera Plaza on Sunday at 4 pm. Shasta Nelson of Girlfriend Circles will also be there, hosting a mini speed-friending event afterwards for all who are interested, too. We’d so love to see you there!
MWF Seeking BFF 
I wouldn’t be surprised if more than one person sent you that, but I know that I did as well and it really made my day that you wrote about it!
Something I failed to mention in my note to you is that while I read 1,000 Awesome Things and your blog everyday, I also always save them for last. They’re like the dessert for my reading pleasure! 🙂
Yes, Cassie, it was you who sent that! Thanks! And I am so glad I am your reading “dessert.” That makes my day!
I am good at speaking to people in lines. Just awkward about asking them if they want to swap numbers….well, I WAS like that. Since I started to make a change a year ago I’m getting better. When I heard about your book and started reading your blog it gave me courage to tell people I would like to be friends. When you know others may be wanting to reach out too and may also be to afraid to do so, when I get on well with someone I now wonder if they feel the same so it pushes me to be bold and not wait for them to do so.
Yay! I am in SF. I will be coming to your reading. SO EXCITED! I may even be brave enough to come say hi and throw caution to the wind that you may think I am a stalker! 🙂
Fantastic! You are SO not a stalker, so please please say hi. I’d be thrilled to meet you!
My coolest story comes from a friend I met at the NYS Fair this past year. We both decided to show up early to camp out for the free Jake Owen concert at 8 PM. It was raining all day long, usually in some form a downpour – really raining, no drizzles. We found out at some point that we were from the same place (basically and if we’d known would have and should have carpooled) and are now going to a local concert together in March. I’m so excited about it and was so excited about the crappy weather…because I think had the weather been nice I would have had a book out and been reading or doing something else that would have kept me there, but isolated 🙂
I use to go to a lot of concerts when I was younger & use to meet friends hanging out by the buses to meet the band. We already liked the same band/music, so we had that in common. I’m all for meeting new friends. Now I’m a Mom & I’ve met lots of friends from being in the local Mom group.
Hey Rachel,
Wow, thanks for all the compliments! And… I love your site, too! (Great choice for a theme!) If there’s some blog-crush type version of Lineup Friends, then you’re officially mine.
Awesome high fives from Toronto,
Neil