Monday, July 27, 2009

An Appreciation


I started this blog four and a half years ago.

At the time, there were no blogger gatherings that I was aware of.

I think it was about three years ago that the first local blogger gathering (well, not the first one EVER, but the first one since I had been blogging) was organized by the late Greg Beck and his best friend Michelle. It was held at Harry's in the River Market.

I work downtown, so I was the first to arrive. I had no idea what to expect. How would I recognize these people? Were they already here and I just couldn't spot them? What do I look for? Nerds? Geeks? Intellectuals? Emos? Goths? I had no idea.

A guy with crazy hair walked in and immediately walked up to me, extended his hand and said "I recognize you!" He complimented me on my blog and the comments I had posted on other blogs.

At one point he said something like "Want to guess who I am?"

Fucker! Turns out he was Bill Brownlee from Happy In Bag, There Stands The Glass, Plastic Sax and I'm not sure how many others.

But here's the thing...the picture he has posted on his profile is THIS!



"Oh sure! I recognize you! You're the Alien face-hugger guy!"



WTF, Bill? LOL! That was mean!

As Bill was grinning at me awaiting my response and I was enduring one of my most awkward social moments EVER, Greg and Michelle finally showed up and, as I recall, so did Spyder.

Other bloggers trickled in over the next few hours and a good time was had by all, with Greg holding court in the corner. He was King of the Bloggers and everybody wanted to talk to him.

What I discovered was that people who are intelligent, amusing, entertaining and interesting online are intelligent, amusing, entertaining and interesting in real life.

I think Greg and Michelle organized another meet-up, but I don't recall the location.

A month after that, Greg was dead from a heart attack.

It came as a huge shock. We were all devastated. None more so than Michelle, obviously.

The turnout at his funeral was HUGE, with lots of hot women rocking it in red dresses, just like he wanted.

It would have been very natural for us all to disperse and go our own way.

But Spyder wasn't having any of that.

She took up the mantle and started organizing our monthly get togethers. She has been doing it faithfully for almost three years now.

It's a pretty thankless fucking job! Because I'm here to tell you, we can be a bunch of whiny, prima donna little bitches! "It's too far south! It's in Mordor! Why can't we meet north of the river? They allow smoking! They don't allow smoking! Their dirty martinis aren't dirty enough! Their bathrooms are gross! Wah, wah, wah!"

But she keeps doing it and every month there is a get together. Show up if want, don't if you want. But there is a meeting every fucking month. Everyone is always welcome. Bloggers, tweeters, commenters, lurkers, even anonymous trolls. The meet ups are always publicized well in advance and anyone who shows up will receive a warm welcome. Because that's just how she rolls.

I can't imagine the local blogging community being as cohesive as it is without Spyder.

Spyder and her husband, Kanga, are two of the most generous, caring and giving people I have the honor to know. Whenever anyone needs help, they are the first to show up and the last to leave.

I remember when one of the blogger meets was a volunteer shift at Harvesters organized by Dan Ryan.

Spyder and Kanga were busting a sweaty hump! They were going at it with a passion! I remember commenting on how hard they were working. I forget whether it was Kanga or Spyder who responded by saying "That's how shit gets done!" True story!

So this is just a little bit of appreciation for the woman who has probably done more for local blogging than anyone I know. You have taken the spark generated by Greg and Michelle and turned a bunch of self-absorbed attention whores into a community of caring people who have each other's backs.

Thank you, Spyder. Your efforts are appreciated.

Just thought you should know that, Miss Moneypenny.

7 comments:

Absolutely Feisty said...

Awww... I would have to agree 100%

She is one of the best of the best. She knows I feel that way. =) Good post ..Rus...t... roflmao.

I never thought of it being the thankless job that it is.. but it totally is.

You keep doing these mushy posts ur gonna confuse people.

LUMI! ;)

AF

Xavier Onassis said...

Oh yeah! I also met my best friend in the world, the only other person who has a key to my house, and who is designated in my will as the executor of my estate at a blogger meet up organized by Spyder.

So there's that.

LUMI!

Spyder said...

You bastard! Ya got me all teary eyed! LOL! Thank you! You all are a bunch of whiny cats. I'm the freaking cat herder. And I love the community that we have formed. Lumi!

AF: now that I know you have his house key when can we go over & short sheet XO's bed?

Dan said...

Bravo, XO. Well-deserved praise for a woman I admire greatly.

Unknown said...

This community has become my local family. This community has connected me with people that have made my life and that of my wife way better. I thanks Spyder and give kudos for the work she does. Very well done XO :)

The only regret I have is not meeting Greg beyond online comments...

Thanks Spyder for all that you do, and specially the friendship that you have extended to us, because for that there is no price :)

I Travel for JOOLS said...

Qualifier - I've had 3 glasses of wine.

Ok - I've read this post and I read TKC today, which I do occasionally, and then ended up on Logtar's blog and thought about leaving a comment there but I don't usually post there (no offense to Logtar)...

Anyhow,

Why does nobody have the balls to call TKC for what he is - an arrogant, egotistical, racist and certainly disrespectful blogger who feeds his blog ego by attacking fellow local bloggers?

Without you and Funkhouser, he'd be nothing, not that I'm sticking up for Funkhouser, but he's way out of line.

Well, you didn't do it, I did.

Having another glass of wine.

Dan said...

will not be televised gutted tkc yesterday if you haven't seen...