I wouldn'y know if I've ever met any other escapists IRL, because I've never met anyone through this site, I've run into the LRR cast a few times back when I lived in Victoria, but it's not like I introduced myself as DoomyMcDoom or anything.
Also lacking a passport and being unemployed at the time of the expo kinda prevented me from attending, hopefully I will be able to attend one in the future.
However, although I have several people on my friends list, I would count them more as interesting aquaintances, than friends, because I know very little about them as people, but I find their posts, and conversational style, intriguing, and enjoyable to read and respond to.
That being said, most of the people I have thought it would be interesting to meet in person have been banned.
That said, as far as romance and love are concerned, I've been out of the game awhile now, and although I do enjoy the close companionship one finds in such a relationship, and well, I do quite enjoy sex, and tend to bring great enjoyment to those I have sexxed, I'm not in a financially stable place in my life, and what with other things going on, I just cannot bring myself to think of it as a possibility, doesn't matter where I meet said person, hell at this point in my life I could have a naked woman who fits my physical type specifications so perfectly it's insane, leap into bed with me, and my response would be along the lines of "Hi, you can stay here and keep me warm while I sleep if you want, please don't hog the blanket." followed by me rolling over and going to sleep, if someone asked me out, I would probably friendzone them, I'm in a bit of a slump when it comes to giving a shit enough to want anyone in my life as anything other than a friend.
So, it goes I guess.