I have been away for awhile my dear Hooked on Tonics. I apologize, my life has been unusually hectic lately. You’d be surprised how time-consuming eating your weight in miniature eclairs can be.
I am very excited to be back not only because I am very attracted to love all of you, but because I have been scheming with everyone’s favorite redhead, Becca from 25toFly. You see, she and I noticed a trend happening in the WordPress community. Bloggers were taking their online friendships, and making them offline friendships.
First, Le Clown and The Ringmistress met Tracy Fulks.
Then Vyvacious met Sweet Mother.
Then Vyvacious met Jill (seriously, Vyv gets around)
Then Harry met Sally.
Everyone blogged how fun it was to have an orgy hang out with their blog-turned-real life friends. I saw photos of eating, drinking, and tomfoolery of the best kind. I wanted to get me a piece of that.
After Vyv and Jill met, one of them posted on Facebook about it, and in the comment thread I casually mentioned that we should have a blogger meetup. I was half serious, but I was also half distracted by the Real Housewives of Miami marathon that was on television.
A shortly while later, I received an e-mail from Becca:
Dear Jen,
You’re smart, like Stephen Hawking smart. You’re also the best blogger WordPress has ever seen. I also think you’re incredibly beautiful, and if I was a man, I’d put a ring on it.
By the way, we should seriously host a blogger meetup.
Your #1 Fan,
Becca
And this is why I’m here. Becca and I want to organize an official blogger meetup (or meetups) so that we can meet our favorite people behind the words we read on the screen.
All we need you to do is answer the following questions in the comment section:
1. Would you be interested in attending a blogger meetup?
2. What is the closest metropolitan area to you?
3. Which areas would you be willing to travel to if we had a meetup in a location other than your own?
That’s it, seriously. I mean, if you want to donate blood, semen or a kidney we’ll gladly take those too, but all that is required is 30 seconds of your time. (Note: If you don’t feel comfortable putting your location in the comments section, e-mail me at sipsofjenandtonic@gmail.com)
Please head on over to Becca’s post and thank her for making my off-handed comment a reality.
Sips of Jen and Tonic 
I’m a Western Canadian blogger, so even going to an Ontario blogger meet up would pose quite a problem. Maybe Skype. I would love to meet fellow bloggers though. Somewhere in the Pacific Northwest would work best for me.
I imagine the world starts crumbling kinda like the movie Inception if you cross the blogging and real worlds. That would still be cool though. I know no London bloggers which is probably just aswell, the idea freaks me out worse than any blind date I’ve been on. My outlook may change if I move to Vancouver, I’m gonna need to find a network pretty quick otherwise I’m just a guy drinking in a bar alone. 🙂
You will still have all your blogging buddies as your network when you move to Vancouver Joe! We will help you make the transition.
Thanks! We are aiming for end August to move now. Sent off my visa application. Fingers crossed!
That made me laugh! Meeting blogging friends is kind of daunting, isn’t it? I think if we push beyond the fear, it’ll end up being the best time ever.
Are you moving to BC?
I hope so, London’s done, I need to move aside and leave it for the kids otherwise I am liable to start knocking people out on the tube for barging into me.
Aiming for end August to move, pending the visa.
I’ll be nearer many good blogging friends so hope to pluck up the courage to meet up. As long as alcohol is involved it shouldn’t be so bad! I think it’s because you have so much respect for others bloggers and their genius, I’d be in awe.
Yes, it’s true! On the flip side, I think everyone feels pressure to maintain the “cool” persona they’ve maintained online. I just keep thinking, “These people are going to expect me to be a fucking one-man comedy show.” Eh, not so much. I spend most of my life looking in the mirror and wondering if I’m lopsided.
Now you have to organise your blog meet up just to obtain validation if you are lopsided in reality or not.
YOU’RE RIGHT!
Western Canada? If we did have a PacNW meetup, we should consider a Seattle meetup. It would be central for those coming from your side, and those coming from mine. I think there are quite a few up here.
I got to meet Honie Briggs – http://theeffstop.com/2013/01/24/shoot-out-in-texas/ We ate ant took photo of each other taking photos. I am in Eureka Springs ArKanSaw – but I travel a lot for my job. I am in Atlanta, Grand Rapids, and Chicago pretty frequently. I hail from Vegas so I head out there as often as possible.
Hey, you are right on top of me!
ArKanSaw?
I am in Louisiana.
Just read the post! So cool you got to meet her. Thanks for letting us know, lots of great spots to pick from.
I actually didn’t know you were from Arkansas, I thought you were from Arizona. Why am I so confused?
It’s funny – a lot of people confuse the postal code of Arkansas and Arizona 🙂 I’m actually from the west so maybe that’s the confusion, I love Arizona.
I’m in…all the way. I sent an e-mail with specifics. Becca saw it. How bout that, first time a ginger won something.
That comment made me laugh! Unfortunately, her gingerness sent your e-mail to my spam box. DAMN YOU BECCA!
Thanks for sending the info!
Doode, I am interested in the possibility.
Sacramento, CA is closest. I might be able to travel to the Bay Area, though.
You’re all kinds of awesome. I am sad that Becca beat me to putting a ring on it. I had big plans.
We have an open relationship. I am now accepting lots of rings.
Cool, I’ll mark you down as a maybe!
But… but… I will blow my /cover!/
If you’re going to blow your cover, you might as well do it with us.
I guess so! 🙂
1 yes!!!!!!!
2 Sydney
3 I’m stuck here. I cry now.
1 yes!!!!!!!
2 Sydney
3 I’m stuck here. I cry now.
I wished I lived in Sydney. We could hang out, and have a meetup. You, me and the dingos.
The dingoes would eat you up and I would watch laughing but other than that it would be so much FUN!
Also, Bec25tofly wants to know if you know whether the doctor has a sexy area?
I know it’s a weird question…
Does the doctor have a sexy area? I’d guess in his pants.
Hang on, I have to go back and tell her. Thank you.
Smart like Hawkings? So we can all teleport to whatever destination on your ingenuity? As I said on Becca’s blog, I’m Canada bound and travel limited. Maybe I could Skype in and continue to hide behind a computer screen.
I wish I could invent teleportation. I have a hard enough time dressing myself. Skyping in would be A-OK with me!
Getting dressed is a WHOLE different set of skills and expectations. I’m sure most nuclear physicists work in their pajamas.
While running on a treadmill?
Sure. Being able to multi-task does not include being able to get dressed.
Jen,
This is a great idea!
I can’t think of anything that would keep me from this. Since I’m in Seattle I suspect Lisa and I will get together with you sometime this summer-yes?
Red
Absolutely! You and I can meet anytime. Definitely when the weather is better. PNW people are so much more amiable when the weather is nice.
Yes–the PDX meet-up!
We’ll have to make a mini-meetup happen!
That would be fun 🙂
I actually have a carnation specifically for wearing as an identifier when I meet bloggers in real life.
Pics or it didn’t happen.
I have a penis straw I sip from. Almost the same thing.
I waas going to do that too!
But apparently someplace called “Chuck E Cheese” thinks that’s “inappropriate”.
As do buildings called “libraries”.
Snobs…
Puritanical America!
a) did you guys all know that vyvy was in a horrible atv accident? cause i just found out. poor thing. i love that girl and hope she recovers soon. b) i would do this, as long as i can scrape together the dough and lord knows, i’m always scraping it together… my top cities would be los angeles, portland, san francisco, or palm springs. i say palm springs because it’s dirt cheap and always warm, if ppl want a vaykay of sorts. c) if you comment here today, jen, i will be forever indebted…http://www.autostraddle.com/hilarious-hostel-get-into-bed-with-queer-comedy-at-podshare-157151/ — want to write for them more, so trying to get my post some good traffic. love, love, LOVE you. and i think this is a great idea. xoxox sm
FUCK. I just saw this. I didn’t get a notification. I’m going to comment there and support your artistic endeavors.
You must attend if we have a meetup. It’s mandatory.
Jen,
Wow, a summit! What a fabulous idea!!! That would be a lot of fun. I like Sara’s comment. Where’s the middle place…Cleveland? Ha ha. I wonder where the middle is. I’m on the west coast and would be willing to travel. Hey, I need a trip!
Uh oh, it’s times like this where my introvertedness shows. A blogger meet-up officially frightens me…
What if we find you some sort of natural sedative or something? 🙂
Slip me a roofie for a blog meet-up. Nice. I’ll never know a thing…
We will video it so you can enjoy the debauchery later when you are conscious and in the comfort of your home. Good?
Haha. Sounds good. I think…
But in all seriousness, if you guys did get together and make a video, it would make for a great vlog!
Absolutely!
It worked for B.A. when he needed to fly.
There is no place that is convenient for everyone, so pick a place and I’ll start saving for airfare/hotel/Becca’s bail.
Good call on the bail. Sounds like a Kickstarter campaign in the making.
Oh it’s on now. That’s a promise.
If you can figure out a rough estimate of what your bail would be, then we can all start planning ahead.
There really is no telling… really.
That really is hard to predict.
I would enjoy that and I am closest to Los Angeles. Great idea Jen.
There are lots of people down in LA. Vyv, Jill, you, Bill, Sweet Mother…Oh, and Rutabaga is also down that way!
Cool! 🙂
I’m on the west coast – I’d love to have a blogger meetup – but I’m socially awkward…could I come but sit behind a computer until the fright wears off?
And welcome back – I missed ya!!
I’m sobbing for Sara’s heart as well.
Sure! Sit behind a computer, wear a disguise, wave at us through your hotel window but never actually come downstairs. Wherever your comfort zone is, stick with that.
I’d want to come downstairs and observe until I find someone to glom on …
You can glom on to me if you don’t mind excessive talking and stains on my shirt from all the food that missed my mouth.
I can deal ~ I am pretty skilled at excessive talking too… We can swap eyebrow stories as well.
You could glom onto me. We could glom.
I’d glom with you
I’m a glommer.
You’re a glommer.
Wouldn’t you like to be a glommer too?
Just buy a bigger laptop and some dark glass– everyone will just think you are a hipster– not socially awkward.
Ha!
ps. the link to Becca’s post is broken like my heart now.
YES.
We don’t travel well at the moment due to brokeness and lapsed passports. But our territory would cover anywhere a tank of gas could get us…
Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa (but Ottawa sucks a bit), Vermont (Canada Jr.) when our passports are good again.
In time, we can expand and cross borders and stuff. If the meetup happens in 2014, we’ll likely have a little more flexibility. Where’s the middle of all of us? Cleveland?
I was just saying above that maybe there needs to be a Canadian edition to this summit/meetup. I would make the trek out. I love Canada. I love you. I love flying. I love maple syrup. It just makes sense.
Oh, and thanks for letting me know about the link. FIXED.
I WOULD DIE IF YOU CAME THIS WAY. By die, I mean live, for the first time.
Maple syrup is pretty amazing.
Vyvy really does get around, that tramp. As I said on Becca’s blog, I’m in. unless I panic and freak out first. My very first real-life blog meeting will be taking place in April, when the fearsome Meizac is coming to stay with me and Mr. Weebles!
What if we all wore masks, like a Venetian-themed party but instead we all look like unicorns or Richard Nixon? I’ll even buy you yours.
I saw that she is coming to see you! That will be VERY exciting. NYC will never be the same.
Glad you are back Jen! Missed you. And anyone is always welcome to come to Ottawa. It’s cold here, but we have beaver tails – the kind made out of flat bread, cinnamon, and sugar. We probably have the kind attached to beavers too but I’ve never seen one.
We have beavers here, and I’ve seen them up close. Their big and mean, like a dog but with a cat’s personality.
Lots of people up in your area. We may have to have a Canadian edition to this summit.
I concur!
I’m right outside of Vegas. VEGAS!
Ok, it’s really not all that. Unless you hang out downtown with all the freaky-deaky peeps. Shit gets real there and you lose all your $ not by gambling, but by trying to help the homeless.
I once saw a man take a dump into a trash can right next to a bus stop when I was in Vegas. He wasn’t homeless, just someone who needed to go poop pretty badly.
When you gotta go, you gotta go.
Jen,
Hugo is very into this, but he has been banned from all forms of public transportation. Maybe facetime for those who cannot travel?
Sure. My Skype/Facetime handle is CaptainMcSexyPants. Dial in, and we’ll make it happen.
Jen,
You know I’m in, I want to get around like Vy. I’m on the east coast, Baltimore is closest, but I’ll travel. This was ranted on before in a comment thread, I think we called it a Blogger Summit, whatever the fuck a summit is but it sounded like something you could write off on your taxes. Put me on the committee if you need help wrangling, I think the idea is cool as fuck.
Tracy
Tracy, if we get enough on board we would LOVE your help. This has potential to be outstanding!
Yes, we would love your help!
And I agree, calling it something else we can write it off is a good idea. You’ve got boobs AND brains. Is there nothing you can’t do?
Jen,
How exciting… Perhaps we could send our kids… You know, as our representatives… For… 9 years?
Le Clown
Le Clown,
Brilliant.
Tracy
I call dibs on Poppy as my side kick.
Would it be okay if I changed TWP’s name? I’ve always wanted a son named Jen and Tonic Jr. It looks like Poppy is covered. No word on if she’ll become 25toFly Jr.
Jen,
By all means!! He asked not too long ago to be referred to a Pixel Boy. But any name you’d give him, I have a feeling he’d be biased…
Le Clown