Official meetup starts at 8pm at Bourbon in Adams Morgan.
Guys,
I had an absolutely fabulous time. I'm sorry I was so late (I rolled in around 10 pm, by the time I finally walked into the bar). It was great meeting all of you and you are all sincerely wonderful, fun, fabulous people. Thanks especially to Meriadoc for letting me park and crash (I blasted out of DC at a ridiculous hour this morning. It strikes me I could have stayed and tried to weasel my way into a day with the Hubskiers but it also strikes me that, god damn, I either have a headache or I am hung over).
I have some photos for you all. And again. Wonderful, wonderful people. Make it out to a Hubski meet up if you can, put me down for sure for NY.
insom meets a fireman
insom is very friendly with street people
I snapchatted u guize
http://i.imgur.com/FYT3ttB.jpg?1
mk eats a piece of pizza larger than his head
More pizza
Anyway I can't say how much of a good time I had. "I went to this stupid Hubski meetup and all I got was a free tote bag...and stickers...and a Hubski shirt (insomniasexx literally gave me the shirt off her back, guys)..and more stickers..."
"A++, would meetup again"
I'm upset that the only picture of me was when I was wearing my silly hat, but otherwise it was a fantastic time. I don't know how the hell she did it, but _refugee_ and I didn't get back until 3 AM, and when I woke up (at 8:30 no less), there was nobody asleep on my couch.
I actually have another picture of you not in your silly hat! It is a snapchat from when we were in the second bar. I will upload it.
Yes, I ghosted hard. I'm paying for my weekend today, I'm afraid. I got about 5 hours sleep that whole day. I'm sorry I didn't fold your blankets. Thanks for letting me crash!
Goddamn those firemen. Mutton Chops! Also, I am happy that I'm such a happy drunk. Enjoy the tshirt and wear it often!
Since we can't be there, my wife and I are taking her new wine glass for a spin at home.
Cheers!
QUESTION FOR Meriadoc and wasoxygen, arguewithatree and _refugee_: Did the face-to-face experience mean anything? Do you feel differently at all now that you've seen the gang in person?
I think everyone else already knew each other, but I'd love to hear from my good hubbuddies ecib, thenewgreen, mk, b_b, and insomniasexx on this question. I think theadvancedapes told me that since he had already skyped with some of you, in person was about the same.
For me, not the same. There's something about the real world that electrifies me! While electronically mediated communication is amazing, you have to keep talking. In real life - well, you can just glow.
What do you all think?
I wrote something long and lovely and I'm afraid I lost it to a dead link.
I shall pass along the gist:
Hubski has been life- and internet-changing for me. I would never have gone out to meet a bunch internet randos, let alone drive to DC for it, before Hubski came into my life and I begrudgingly was won over by the community and spirit of this place. Hubski has changed the way I see interaction on the internet, and connection with real people. (Before, there was this divide, between "internet" and "real" people.)
Last night was wonderful. Nothing beats in person. But what we do on the net and what we do in person are also very different things: I wouldn't trade this website for being able to hang out with you guys every night (no offense!). I love what we do here as well as all you brilliant, lovely, welcoming, cool people.
I would love to hang out with basically anyone on Hubski, those I met and those I haven't. I think it's very different and raucously fun while maintaining the whole questioning, discussion-based side of Hubski and who Hubski is. Having really met you guys changes things for me, I know what you look like and your expressions and it gives me a depth of information I didn't have before. I guess it really means a lot to me to meet you guys in person.
But, even without meeting you in person, I feel very personally connected to many Hubskiers in a way I've never felt before. My Hubski experience is already so much above the experience I normally have online that, in person or not, you're special to me.
Ahhhhhgghhhhh I sound so emotive
i feel this! This is getting my next badge I promise.. you people could be anyone, anywhere. You could be everyone, everywhere. Normally that would make me judge you first, try to understand who you are, whether you're the right type of people for me to spend time with, if that makes sense. On Hubski, I don't. I don't care if you are gay or straight or both or neither. I don't care if you shoot heroin (but dont :D) or hoops on the weekends, I love listening to all of you talk and share and be upset and angry and indifferent and cynical and calm and loving and everything in between. This is a good place.
But seriously guys, New York. Srsly.
Thanks, _refugee_. This is so very nice to hear.
I believe that one of the most important aspects of this place will remain to be a 'je ne sais quoi'. It's something that we can't operate on directly, but we can know what's good or bad for it.
Each meetup has confirmed my feeling that we are doing something worthwhile, and Friday's meetup was no exception.
That was a lot of fun.
I think it's way more fun to meet people in person. I haven't posted much but meeting people IRL really made me want to actually be involved in the community. :)
I was glad you came out. It was really nice meeting you and your friend. Hope to see you more around Hubski and good luck in your studies!
lil, How are you doing? :)
To answer your question, the face to face experience did change some things materially right off the bat.
First of all, it was a pleasure. The convo was fun, stimulating, irreverent, serious, aimless, and pointed. The live experience itself was complimentary to online. I think arguewithatree said it best, -I'd not choose one or the other, but both are enhanced by the other.
- I think theadvancedapes told me that since he had already skyped with some of you, in person was about the same.
thenewgreen kind of smells funny, but other than that it was the same.
Most definitely. I'm scoring a bottle for sure. kleinbl00, My guess is that you would enjoy this bottle. Perhaps you are already familiar?
I've heard it's tasty. Bear in mind: the years when I could buy my own alcohol started in Washington State and British Columbia, both of which did not permit private alcohol sales. Booze in Seattle is purchased from The State (my local was WSLCB #173), which does not sell on Sundays, which does not sell past 8pm, and which carries the state-mandated brands. If you want a special order, you must purchase seven cases in advance.
There was an underground railroad of sorts - if you knew one of these WSLCB proprietors, you could say "hey, Louise - I'm looking for some Marischino." She'd give you a look, then she'd go onto the inventory computer and type furiously. "Bob has some of that down in Aberdeen," she'd say. Janice's mom is out in Gray's Harbor; I could get Bob to transfer a bottle to Janice, then Alan can pick it up on his way to work and transfer it to Larry, who's on the way to work here. I think Janice is heading down to Montesanto next month; that be soon enough?"
…so you didn't whimsically walk into a liquor store and buy stuff. And when you were across state lines (like, WAY across - Oregon has state-run, too), there was only so much booze you could travel with.
Now of course I've got Beverage Warehouse a short bike ride away… but that place is The Rabbit Hole. They've got two warehouse shelves worth of Scotch outside the humidor… and the spendy stuff… man.
I too am at the mercy of what they call an ABC store here in North Carolina. It sucks, and the selection is horrible. So I can understand your past frustrations. However, look what I found:
The official Rye of Hubski. b_b, it's going to be a nice thanksgiving!
Normally the selection here is pretty slim, I was as surprised as anyone. Let me know how your selections fair. Currently having a Bulleit Manhattan I made per my mother-in-laws request. I don't think she knew what she was asking for.... My father-in-law is in for a fun night. :)
Enjoy! I hope I can find some, too, but I'm sure I'll manage to drink too much whiskey even if it's not redemption.
BTW, you have any recommendations on a good brand of vermouth and/or bitters? I know you're a cocktail guy. Thinking about mixing Manhattans (as I really enjoyed drinking them the other day, and what better way to use rye?!), but I don't have any experience whatsoever in the cocktail game.
if there's ever a hubski meetup in ohio, michigan, or upstate NY, lemme know.
blackbootz, Meriadoc, wasoxygen, _refugee_
See you all soon at Bourbon!
These meetups always look like so much fun. Move farther north and east and I'll join in.
But really, have a great night to all involved! (and to everyone else for that matter)
I'll be working near Boston starting in January so really Portland - Boston - NYC.
Or I could try to find the funds to get south for one of those!
We are indeed. We are expecting a baby in Feb/early March so I'm thinking perhaps in January or if after, April. We will see, but it is certainly on the list of things to do.
I don't deserve all these stickers but thanks anyways!!
Way to be hubski braintrust. Nice to see a bigger twitter presence.
ben and steve definitely have their photo faces down.
Anytime, it's much easier to carry than a jar full of soul and thank you again for the stickers. I'm about to adorn my laptop with one. Trying to figure out which one as I'm running out of realestate.