While it is really fun to exchange blocks, I prefer sew alongs as I prefer to press my seams open and I know that bothers other people -- and it bothers me to press to the side! I know a lot of what I do is because I'm used to it, but I've really tried to embrace pressing to the side and I don't see how y'all do it. Well yeah, I know how to do it... just I'm not happy with the results either in precision or lumpiness or what happens when you sew one white piece to another white piece.
Don't really want to derail this discussion, but basically I feel pressing to the side is simply a left over artifact from hand piecing, and with machine piecing (not to mention plug in irons with heat controls) there is no reason most of the times to press to the side. There are times when even I do it -- but not often!