This is my first time; be gentle with me.
Wherein CSI goes up two letters and transforms into CSK Bentonville.
So this started with a cryptic reply to me in C&J. Then a phone call. I don't much answer my phone. Half the time it's because I can't find it. The other half is because I don't want to talk to whoever is on the other end or they won't tell me who they are (probably because they are one of those I don't want to talk to).
Seems csk had other things he needed to do and yet he needed to get his DIDS diary up too. Yeah, I still think it's a plot but... I do want to help out a friend (now get off my back everyone!).
In fact our little csk seemed so in need he offered to give me access to his account so I could post under his name if I was feeling too queasy. I was excited by that prospect. But the moment I started talking about all the comments I could put up saying what a great kossok CSI Bentonville is, our csk changed his mind a bit on that idea.
So what to do?
Well, it's rerun season. So without further ado come with me into The Villa for some repeats.
From last Friday's West Coast Edition of Rum & Coke Friday Cheers & Jeers:
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CHEERS 2 my 2006 dKos year -- CSI's Greatest Hits
2006 was my first full year here on dKos. And what a year it's been.
If not for me then there'd been a lot less people on New Year's Day waking up in the pool... of vomit.
My dKos birthday was November 19th and I celebrated it well.
Today's MY Birthday! -- Na na naNa nana!
Happy Birthday to me!
Na na naNa nana!
That's right! CSI is no longer a BAY-BEE! I'm officially a dKos Toddler! I can motor around on my own but occasionally it's still nice to have someone hold my hand.
Course if you look at this as dKos being something like dog years then I guess I could be more like just hitting my teen years. Really interested in things like freedom, getting out on my own, hanging with my buds, even um... getting nekkid with certain kosseks... alas, I'm still dKos jailbait.
Speaking of which, if I'd signed up when I first started hanging here regularly I'd have a number in the 40,000s. Why do I keep mentioning that? I finally figured it out the other day. Because my favorite number is 4 that's why. However, once I figured the numbering system and was able to get over having an embarrassingly high one (only 5 digits -- there will be 10 times as many with 6 digits), I grew to love the one I have . Why? Because I have two 2s and 2 is my second favorite number and two twos added together equal 4 and two times two equals 4 too.
Enough with the obsessing. I've also made it through two Carnacki name diaries. Whew! Thousand comments PLUS! But nearly everyone who told their story received mojo from me. Why? Because it's about participation and positively participating is grand.
My name? Glad you asked. Many of you already know having also read the Carnacki name diaries. I was doing research on Wal-Mart (in part for a little movie that came out about this time last year) and google kept coming up with the Daily Kos.
I lurked as you know by my lack of preferred UID# for months before there was a diary on Wal-Mart meat that I felt I simply must comment on which meant signing up.
Let me tell you. I was amazed more people didn't have Wal-Mart centered names. I really thought I was being clever. Yep, that's right... I thought this was JR Monsterfodder's blog.
So my birth on dKos makes me (CSI) a Scorpio. I had wondered why they were everywhere in my life now (at least online) when they never had been before. No offense to the little buggers but if I'd been thinking more clearly (and understood I'd have to wait 24 hours to comment anyway upon signing up) I'd have waited a few days to be a Sagittarius because that's my real life rising sign and they are not just honest but blunt and don't care. I think I could use more of that in my commenting here.
I missed pie completely. My first venture out of JR's was Carnacki's first name diary.
But to make up for it I was near center in the troll wars. Hated every minute of it yet couldn't pull myself away. Still, I'm grateful because like the tempering of a sword, I am much stronger for having made it through.
What have I learned. Community is most important. Really.
If not for Top Comments I might never have learned about "macaca" for instance. It's because Eddie Haskell is so adorable in jotter's that I cared about Claire in Kansas and if not for the food issues covered here (and let me tell you food is high politics) I might never have known there was an organic farmer running.
Who'd of thought it'd all come down to those three?
Oh, and I have met kos in the realiverse. He's a true lefty like me. I know this because I watched him sign my book. We simply are the best (still have some Sadge tendencies).
If not for him I'd probably never have started going to Drinking Liberally. Now I've had a hand in at least three others getting started.
IT'S TOO COOL!
I *♥ this place.
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Sorry Buhdy. I thought about posting this as a diary but I'm just too CS still and then they went and changed up the diary system anyway so now I have yet another excuse... as though maybe I'd had one before having never pressed the "New Diary Entry" link yet. The longest journey begins with the first step... Thanks for letting me hi-jack a portion of your diary. Can't think of a better alternative for me to post this and celebrate with than with you.
*If I had picture posting in place this would be the perfect picture for me today (though not sure how'd I'd vote if it was real).
Oh, and my question?
Who's going to celebrate with me?
My first C&J was Thanksgiving morning with RenaRF subbing which was good because I'd been too damn scared to ever come in and post with such a big star like Bill in Portland Maine. Thank you lulu57 and kestrel for welcoming me below the fold into Moreville (Benton's sibling).
I've made a lot of friends here and lost a friend too. Just like real life I guess. Still this place is the best.
Orangeclouds is my friend here and in real life. We chattered on the phone just today for like two hours and it's only that her battery died (I think) that we're not still on the phone. We survived meeting up in real life and even a tiff with each other. I think we're good. When I finally decided to search on my name here this was the first comment I found. It made my day. Heck, my year even.
I've made it through 3 of Carnacki's name diaries and I've loved every single one especially since it seems I'm the very reason for the last one getting posted (I have proof!). Carnacki, my biggest blogcrush and the one I come closest to worshipping here. I don't live in West Virginia so why did I follow nearly every move by Mike Calligan? Because Carnacki is so very clever and funny and gentle I couldn't help but care. He's one fine human er, bat (hey, I like bats!). Unfortunately it seems somewhere around Hawaii New Year's time I swore safety for him. Damn.
Carnacki is the one who started Top Comments but it was a relative newbie who made it stick through tireless posting. I was there for his first with all of 14 comments (7 being his). What some of you might find a bit hard to believe is that I'm actually pretty shy (or I used to be) and BeninSC welcomed me into his TC domain even before I finally found the courage to post something there. Now it's a part of my world too. I even lost my virginity there. Sigh.
Floja Roja as you all know is just one of the best there is and with her comes the best friend of a friend in lulu57.
What can I possibly say about csk (that I haven't already)? He just gets me. Or not and he just pretends to but it works for me.
Major Danby who posted my favorite comment of all time and my second favorite comment of all time (and there's been thousands of awesome ones since so that's a lofty position). Turns out he's witty almost all the time, and damn smart (which we know) but patient, and comfy.
However, I must mention here that sardonyx ties the Major among my favorite comments with this gem in reply to Ben in Top Comments. I still giggle everytime I think of it.
MissLaura who is just cool and will talk to anyone including me. She judges you on what you say not the content of your UID# or who you hang with.
jotter (the Stats Stud) for day-in and day-out posting informative diaries that fun people drop in on like Eddie Haskell.
Dreaming of Better Days for writing a diary that let me know I'm not the only one who thinks like I do.
gloriana just for being her.
BarbinMD for having a drink with me and not being too judgemental when all I would drink was water (sinus infection people). I'm so glad I got to meet a frontpager (in person) before she became famous... er more famous. She's a great person and we'd all do well to remember that.
And Elise the Matchmaker, who will actually be implimenting my yKos 2007 plan. I adore you!
I raise my glass to more of you, including (but not limited to) Cedwyn (you are the best), texas blue dot, Melody Townsel, cookiebear, kate petersen, CJB, paxpdx, sallycat, sharoney, tvb, dmsilev, plf515, opendna, ambrosius, sardonyx, noweasels, Cronesense, va dare, x, hekebolos (I ♥ SPIDERS /Ÿ\!), nonnie-niner, vcmvo2, PaintyKat, and yes, even khereva who despises me right now. And many, many more.
[The list of which I later added to with this:]
It is a great group of people... and I forgot many of them like Mrs White trash poet, firecrow, deannahawk, begone, emeraldmaiden, farmerchuck, Turkana, The Gryffin, exmearden, patsbard, monkeybiz, possum, Elizabeth D, escapee, SarahLee, Buffalo Girl (Buff Chick), knowthings, Wiscmass, Ellicat, renaissance grrrl, TiaRachel, Sensible Shoes, carolita, advisorjim, righteous babe, and a few others which always amazes me at how many wonderful people there are. Jotter says 32379 interacted (not just viewed) on the site this year. For the most part that is a really good group of people.
But I certainly can't leave out:
My favorite flirt, ek hornbeck. We've had some good times together. Here's to hoping we have many more.
To TinFoilHat an extra special CHEERS to him for getting me a power adapter for my laptop so I can actually move the laptop without losing power! You rock man. I realized after my whiney post about broken bits that we'd interacted before when you posted the lovely necklace your wife made months ago and I suggested she make one to donate to the yKos fundraising auction. I see that you both took me up on that suggestion and I'm thrilled. The necklace is beautiful and I hope it sells for a lot of money.
These are the little ways we affect change people.
We are one powerful bunch.
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Some of My Best Posts
Special mention to JR Monsterfodder to who I would not be here. He asked me on like my second dKos post ever to come write for his blog (something I haven't taken him up on yet) but for which I've written vicariously.
Wal-Mart & Race (probably my best and not one four), Wal-Mart and Red State Mike, Wal-Mart & Organic Milk which is follow by some Wal-Mart & Meat, Wal-Mart & More Meat (and undocumented workers). And finally because I'm running out of time not comments, Wal-Mart and Nazi Shirts that are probably still to this day on their shelves.
Banned Books!
Redlami and Can't Wait Friday (which would have been my first Rum & Coke Friday). This one has my favorite post on Wal-Mart Anti-Gay Right-Wing Protestors and what stupid losers they are.
Here's to dreams that come true! Fortunately not for me.
How many of you have had BiPM Dreams? They are much more common than you think. In fact, I don't think we truly belong on this blog unless we've had one. I didn't have mine until after I read about lulu57's and mine involved battered breakfast (no, not toast or meatloaf).
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Oh and about stinking up rooms? May I suggest bitters. Turns out they work! Who knew? [this was Cheers & Jeers everyone]
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THE BLOWBACK
And what did this C&J Monumental post get me? Why a nomination in that night's TOP COMMENTS!!!
More celebrating with my friends!
Then the next night I went in to drop a little comment in TC and I was listed again. Seems my C&J comment inspired noweasels in her great bit of snark off of jotter's year-end list for that evening's Top Comments.
Which according to sardonyx compelled him with the next night's posting of Top Comments.
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See, here's the thing. This is a community. We feed off of and build from each other and come out with congressional majorities! Wüt Wüt!
Dominos.
The scientific word for it is symbiotic.
But I call it sanity.
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YOUR GREATEST HITS
So tell me (and csk) about your 2006 Greatest Hits. Lets all hear your DIDS from this previous year. What you want your DIDS to be for this year. Or whatever you feel like. We're flexible (or we wish we were more so).
Me, I'm hoping to add to my list of peeps for next year (and please forgive me for those I left out). I'm also going to be looking into getting my phone number changed. Too many people have it now.
Forgive me too for being slow to respond. I have a goofy set-up going for the computer and it isn't nearly as quick as I am. I am reading everyone. Talk amongst yourselves till I can get there. :)