[batty_alex]

This is true, but it's also nice to have that support circle be folks you can interact with face-to-face. It's so much better. Not that online communities aren't also great.

For some reason, not having someone else look you in the eyes with a similar amount of excitement just isn't the same.

[shandor]

Oh, I was also speaking of "live" socializing instead of online, and agree completely with you. I was just voicing my encouraging experience that even small-to-mid sized cities seem to have a surprising amount of enthusiasts for almost any given interest.