Having just returned from a joyous day in a full body decon suit and face mask, sweltering in the heat and feeling like a character from the Andromeda Strain, I finally get to sit down and inflict my thought processes upon you all.
Yesterday, the day before my adventures with black mold, was Bastille Day. It was also the day of the ThinkNOLA Geek Dinner over at Casa Guttierez. Unexpected family issues had come up duiring the day, so I had not had time to cook yet. When I arrived it was toting a gumbo pot and jambalaya ingredients and looking harried. A quick survey of the building turned up a working stove a cocktail and we were off.
Boggle (b
g
l) n. - collective noun used to describe a group or gathering of bloggers. Usually accompanied by libation, conversation, and strange paranormal events.
As I cooked and had a few drinks the rogues gallery materialized.
Shecky Darwin aka AdrastosDangerblond,
Sophmom our NOLAblogger adoptee,
Ashley,
Maitri,
Ray,
Oyster,
Editor B.,
Markus,
Karen,
Lisa,
Schroeder, and
Gentilly Girl (in whose honor this post shall be long), bombarded the place with personality and joie de vie.
It was most peculiar having people tell me they liked my stuff. Many are the times I feel I am simply ranting into vacuum. It was an interesting counterpoint to finally attaching faces, voices, and personalities with the words that regularly scroll across my computer screen.
Talking with Lisa was great, she and I have lot in common even if she is a Mac Elitist, I’m jealous she actually saw the Sex Pistols! . Likewise it was great to finally meet Oyster, who lives in my block and is the man whose post here on Humid City crystallised our decision to evacuate (When your own blog tells you to leave you LEAVE). Ray and Adrastos are also in the immediate neighborhood (insert Mr. Bingle Voice singing “It’s a Small World After All.”) Personally I am predicting sarcasm over drinks soon…
Anyway, Alan was a fantastic host and it was good to see him actually meeting these folks as well and filling them in on what we are trying to do with ThinkNOLA. Many hands make light work and hopefully some of the attendees will be interested in getting involved. It was far from sales pitch night though, it was a damn nice little shindig.
The icing on the cake was the arrival of Kalypso, the ten year old blogger who made this videoMichael Homan, a blogger himself and a really nice guy. I think he was a bit taken aback by the love the NOLAbloggers have for his daughter and her film. Its brilliant work, he should be very proud. which you must watch! Go. Do it. I’ll Wait………See? A journalistic prodigy, I cannot wait to see her tackle D.C. in fifteen years or so! Her father
I would love to say something about each of these digital maniacs but I am going on too long as it is. If you are reading this and have not already, I encourage you to visit all of the links in this post. You will find a wild and wooley variety that, taken as a gestalt, will provide you a window into the reasons We Are Not OK and what we are doing to change that. Visit them, leave a comment, stay informed.
We are the voices in the wilderness. We are the warriors of the wasteland. We have carpal tunnel syndrome. welcome to New Orleans, have a nice day!
