A Round of Applause: Joining the RPG Blogger’s Network Story

The story of how I got into the RPG Blogger’s Network is a rather funny one. I actually discovered the network one day through the Musings of the Chatty DM blog. A year ago on my first blog I had written a tongue-in-cheek post about how I despised major cons, especially gencon, because they were just a big event to sell me things I didn’t want and vomit cliffhanger news and hype. I linked to a bunch of sites which I said gave ample, terrible coverage of the event because I “refused” to cover such a thing, one of which being Chatty’s. It seemed to bother him until I explained I was just joking, and that’s how I first met him.

My first blog was also rejected to the network (and some people close to me made a fuss about that), but because even I was getting sick of that place and the fanbase it attracted (aside from the few guys from there that went on to read here, y’all are still awesome), I made a second blog which did get into the network (and which you see now). I also met Dave The Game and Bartoneus through these misunderstandings, stumbles and changes, and I’ve been blogging away happily ever since. I’m rather glad I did, because I think of both of them as great friends of mine now, whom I would not hesitate to come to for help and advice, and whom I would always offer my own help and advice if they ever wanted it, and in my capacity to give.

I even played a short-lived D&D 4e game with Graham, in which he saw my bipolar nature as a DM. But it was fun while it (and my sanity) lasted. I don’t know if I can say I know these people, but I want to say I do. How much do you know someone online, through email, comments, twitter, google talk, IRC, Waves? I’d like to say I do. I’m a 21st century guy, I think of IM as interpersonal communication. I can say on my end that they’re friends, mentors, and just in general, people I enjoy communicating with and that I look up to being like. Being as creative, successful, responsible and well-meaning as they are.

I know it’s sappy and I know it’s a meta-blogging post, but I just wanted to say that to them. This isn’t a post about the network going away (I’m pretty sure it won’t) or about what led up to that. This is a post to thank Dave, Danny, Phil and Graham. To tell them I cared and I care still, and I wanted to thank them for everything they did, including the first time they rejected me and the second time they gave me a chance, because that really changed a lot for me. Whatever you guys go on to do next, if you ever need me, I’ll always be right here writing away, and I’ll be staying tuned. Keep up the good work, wherever.