Online, it has ties to the auto industry and hobby. Everything is online, including; car forums, club sights, and event pages. We even use it to do homework on cars prior to purchasing. Yes, the internet is in every inch of our day-to-day lives.

For many of us the social networking evolution is nothing new. Thanks to friends that migrated to Silicon Valley soon after college, I have always had an ear close to the tracks of technology. Then again, just being in California always made for an advantage in the world of online trends.

I remember first getting into MySpace in 2003. It was perfect timing to have a platform to reach out to those I had lost connection with over time. After all, '03 was the year of losing my father and being diagnosed with cancer (over 6yrs. cancer-free now). What better time in my life to reconnect with long lost friends?

By 2005 everyone was on the space-wagon, even my little twin cousins. It was the perfect storm for something better, fresher and cleaner. First introduced to me by a friend's sister in '05, Facebook just felt more mature and refined than MySpace. By 2008, Facebook took over as the social network king.

Twitter came and went quickly for me, I just don't think people need to know my every interaction I do. LinkedIn is another great social site, with professional networking as core focus. It too has been shadowed but has gross potential.

The next big thing I believe will be Meetup.com. It was actually conceived back in 2001 by Scott Heiferman and has some big shareholders. While not as popular as others, it's a great place to meet people and network beyond the keyboard.

With 5 million+ members, soon Meetup will become a household name along the likes of Twitter and Facebook. And with the motto; Do something, Learn Something, Share something, Change something... this site is a motivator!

Whats this have to do with the world of engine-powered interests? Well Meetup.com is for us hobbyist that want to both talk AND do things related to our interests.

For the past few years I have been a member, and organizer of several Meetup groups. It started first with joining SoCal Street Bikers back in 2008. After several months as a member then assistant organizer, I took over the group and enjoyed running it before moving away.

After transferring to Knoxville this year, I joined another local riding group. That too quickly turned into becoming an assistant organizer roll. Seeing a need for a sport bike-specific group, a few friends and I recently started Knox-Rockets. But no worries if riding isn't your thing, you will find nearly every hobby and interest with a group on Meetup. Many utilize the site when moving to a new area, myself case in point.

So give Meetup.com a try. It's a great way to meet people with like interests. And who knows, you might just make some great friends along the way as well!