"You look better in person than in that photo on your blog."

I promised Dave that I would use that quote as the title of this post. It is one of the first things I said as I settled into my barstool between Dave and PDM this afternoon. I was the last to arrive after some unexpected traffic delays turned a 10-minute drive into 40+ minutes.

After almost, but not quite meeting Kat in real life back in September, I finally met one of my cyber friends in person. Dave and I have been corresponding, first on our blog comments and later via email, for about three years. At some undefinable point along the way, Dave began to seem less like an acquaintance and more like a friend. Given that we live in Atlanta, relatively close on our sprawling metro scale, and even frequent some of the same places, it seemed sort of odd that we'd never met.

So PDM and I met Dave at Zuffy's Place this evening and had a few beers. We had some "ill-gotten" (read: undeserved) gift cards for winning trivia there (mostly because our opponents did not understand math) that we'd been saving for a special occasion. This seemed like a good way to spend them. The three of us talked about all kinds of stuff - from PDM's teaching experiences, to our college years, privacy, technology, real estate, careers, to mutual blog friends and how they all tie together, and even (gasp) politics. I told Dave I thought he was a "liberal libertarian" and he seemed intrigued by that description. Time flew by and we were definitely having fun. I hope it will be less than three years before we do it again.

For Dr. Jenn

I wasn't going to do a catblogging post today, but what the hell? I've had a request. LL, you can blame Jenn for this one.

Two

The blog turns two today.

Once again, I will thank all of you who read and comment here. You are the reason that this is fun. I have enjoyed the friendships that have developed over the past two years (and much earlier for those of you from FMD and SSD).

Two years ago, I was in the summer doldrums and going a little bit crazy trying to study for Part 1 of my board exams. Back then I was posting about stuff like Dilberty things at work, laughably annoying and incompetent people I used with work with, how it never rains here (the big drought was just getting started then, and I had no idea I'd still be bitching about it two years later), and of course books, TV, and movies. Catblogging started very early on, as did LL complaining about the cat pictures. But wait! There's more! Top ten lists, bizarre "research" into odd subjects, and shameless YouTube filler posts. There was also a generous helping of the habits, hazards, and just plain goofiness of ordinary living.

Two years on, I'm in the doldrums of summer, studying for Part 2 of my board exam, still not getting enough rain, and posting about the same old crap as in 2006. You would think that doing something for two years would involve getting better at it, but sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case here. Maybe the third year's the charm?

The Big Honkin' First Blog-O-Versary Post

It has been one year since I started the blog one evening on a whim. I believe there was some alcohol involved. Shocking, no? All of you who not only stop in here on a regular basis, but who take the time to comment, are the reason I am still writing posts a year later. It wouldn't be fun and interesting without you. I mean, come ON! Someone's got to come up with good content, and it usually isn't me. It started with a few people that I knew from the old 'Frell Me Dead' Farscape message board, and through the magic of links and getting to know your commenters, it eventually grew to a damn good set of regulars. So today I am giving a shout out to everyone who has ever contributed a comment here. THANKS!

The cast, in order of appearance:

trinamick
NYPinTA
john
LL
PDM
MW
Terri
Beth
Madre Farbot
shellig
ctheokas
BC
wa11z
Chelle Belle
TheWriteGirl
Mom
Kathleen
Dave
dr sardonicus
Taylor
Hedy
Jim Donahue
Eartha Kitsch
Linds
Jay
MyUtopia
Nat
magnetbabe
Ryan
punkinsmom
Brooklyn Frank
Welfl
Susan
tiff
mr. schprock
Posolxstvo
Paul Champagne
labwench

Thinking Blogger Awards

Beth made my day today by giving Cosmic Cat a 'Thinking Blogger Award'.

Says Beth: This is another blogger who is just witty, but her wit isn't what I love best about her blog. Strangely enough, it's her photographs of cats. I hate to admit it, but I'm not a big cat lover. I'm a dog person and haven't seen any pictures of felines that ever made me stop to study them. Hers do. If she never has a coffee table book of her cat photos, it'll be a crying shame. Even if you don't love cats, check out these amazing photographs of hers. In them, perhaps for the first time, you'll see the personality and soul of her subjects -- her own cats.

Thanks, Beth! In spite of the blog's title (which I came up with while drinking copious amounts of wine one summer evening), I try to limit the cat stuff, because the blog isn't really about cats. I'm not sure what the blog's supposed to be, to be honest. It is part creative outlet, part social activity, and part therapy for the writer. But I do hope that I can write in a way that keeps great people coming around. Even if I have to bribe them with the occasional cat photo.

Before I spread the love, here are the rules:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme, and
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

I only get to pick five, but if you are in my "linky goodness" list and I visit you a lot, then you all deserve the award. Except Stellar, who never posts anything new. But since I have to choose... Here are five blogs that make me think (and sometimes laugh hysterically):

1. Random Squeegee - This was the first blog I started reading that wasn't written by a total stranger. John, or 'generic_screenname' as I knew him back then, linked to his freshly-minted blog from the message board that a lot of us used to frequent back in the good old days several years ago. He is one of the most creative story-tellers on the net (the other would be trinamick, who has already won one of these). My only complaint is that he isn't posting very often, but I can't fault him for having a life...

2. Kat's Musings and Meanderings - Kat was the first blogger I discovered through my friends' links who wasn't part of the old message board crowd. I quickly became hooked, and especially enjoy her thoughts on books and movies. Her personal stories are also highly entertaining.

3. Rather Than Working - Dave is another Atlanta resident who somehow wandered into Cosmic Cat one day and is now a regular commenter. He's got an interesting blog. Insightful posts about current issues are woven in with humor and posts highlighting other very high quality blogs that I probably would never have found on my own. His posts tend to be accompanied by thoughtful comments from his regulars. It definitely qualifies as a 'thinking blog' without being dry and stuffy. Who knew a lawyer could be so likable? ;-)

4. Pole Hill Sanitarium - One of my favorite things about this blog is that I never know what I'm going to find, but it is always something good. Current events and politics are frequent topics, with plenty of supporting links. Then there are the humorous posts, and lots of biographical entries. Great stuff!

5. The Velvet Blog - I'm going to finish up with a blogger who knows how to make people laugh, and sometimes think at the same time. Think Jon Stewart. Pithy, witty posts with plenty of visuals for your amusement. Mix in some vintage 1950s video clips from YouTube, posts about obscure music acts you've probably never heard of but should have, and a regular guest Sock Monkey, and you've got more than enough reason to go get some Velvet every day.

Now... just for Beth: A photo of Zima and me (well, part of me is in the picture).