Long distance relationships

So, I found this new web-app called Plinky. It's basically a service to help you overcome "bloggers block". Today, the question that it gave me was "What is the longest-distance relationship you have ever maintained?", and I thought that was an interesting question.

Obviously it's asking about romantic relationships. To answer that question is easy: 3,128 miles. But the reason that I thought the question was interesting was because there are so many different kinds of relationships. Theirs romantic relationships, friendships, business partnerships, family members, etc. Also, what does "maintained" mean? The 3k mile relationship failed (of course), but it was maintained for a time. Does that make it "maintained"? What about business relationships? I live in Colorado, but work with people in Florida and Alaska every day. Does that count as a maintained relationship?

The inherent ambiguity in relationships and their maintenance is interesting to me, because it goes a long way to point out to one's-self that the nature of our interactions with other people is entirely dependent on context. When I am working with the folks in FL, I know that they are my friends outside of work (I grew up with them), but business is business. Interaction with those people is different on the clock then off. Does that change the relationship? Of course it does! But that's the point: context is everything.

Have you ever had a friend who asked you to help them move, and you said that you couldn't? I'm willing to bet that you didn't go out for drinks right afterwards... A friend asking for help and you denying it, is awkward, and it changes the context of the relationship a bit. If that friend had been some random person you've never met before, it wouldn't be awkward at all. The context for that relationship (no matter how short of a time it lasts) is very different than the relationships you have with your friends. Context creates the relationship.

So much of what we are about at Propits is helping to clarify the context of relationships between people. Money (IE physical support) changes context. If you help a friend move, and they slide you a $20 from across the table, it would be weird. But that is kind of the point of money. How do you bridge that weirdness with the context of the relationship? Propits is made to help bridge that gap.

If you find some cool content online, that's a relationship. If you want to show them that they are cool (ie, maintain that relationship, even if just for a moment), send them a note to sign up with Propits and do it. Maintain relationships with people who you've never met. This is the information age; why should that be weird? Support the cool things and people around you. Isn't that was interacting with people is supposed to be; a maintaining of relationships?

What's the longest distance relationship you have maintained? Now, I can honestly say that it was 4,881 miles, and I'm still doing it right now. I think that's pretty cool!