How I met a blogger

Our very own Cheerio invited me to this poetry group Motzei Shabbos, in the local flower shop. I thought it was very fitting, as poetry and flowers just go together. So I eagerly agreed to come, and even read one of my poems. Little did I know who was going to be in attendance...

So nervous was I to walk in the door, my friend had to drag me in there. (Thanks friend.) Who will be in this illustrious poetry group? Who will I be baring my soul to in there? So I walked in, head held high, trying to look without staring.

I immediately noticed faces I recognized, but these were not people I have ever met. No, not in real life. (Who can call blog sphere real life?) These were people I interacted with online, in the dead of night. Arguing, sparring, agreeing, disagreeing, foolishly saying things I would later regret. And how do you introduce yourself to these people? Just walk up and say, hi I'm Altie, I don't really know you, you don't know me, but we spent hours online commenting, bashing, emailing, chatting? So, it's nice to meet you? Ya, I guess that's how you say it.

Cheerio was so nice, she introduced me to the gang. It was so funny to see the looks on these peoples faces as it registered to them that I was Altie. They kind of sort of know me. Weird. Freaky. E, and TRS, and LE7, and Sarrabon. They all knew each other, and I, fellow blogger, an outsider. But this is something I aim to change. No, it can't stay like that.

We sat down to hear poems be recited. My memory may fail me, so those who were there are welcome to help. There was Sarrabon, who read a poem from her blog. As did TRS. (He read the sappy one he wrote the night before he proposed, which earned him many awwwws from the audience. Yes, awww, it was nice.) A guy Mathew performed twice. He was amazing, animated, lively, caught your attention from the first. A girl who read 2 moving poems, another guy who read 3 beautiful poems, (cheerio help me with names please!) A guy sang a song with a guitar. Another guy read a poem he wrote just then. Really nice.

When it was my turn, I got up there, nervous. Not sure how to introduce it, I kind of mumbled an introduction. Then I started. All were quiet. They listened. I read. It was just like I practiced over and over in the privacy of my room. Suddenly, my nervousness went away. It was just me, reading a poem I had written. And after, when I heard the applause, that was the most rewarding. To hear that they liked it, that it was a success. I smiled. It made me happy.

We mingled, I met some nice people. A new blogger I've only heard of, but never had the pleasure of interacting with, Heshy from Frum Satire. I had fun. It was cool, it was new, it was different. And I'm sorry to say I'm leaving, and I won't be here for the next one. But IY''H I'll be back, and maybe I'll have a better poem to share next time.

Thank you Cheerio for inviting me! It was lots of fun. (Oh, and friend, I don't even remember what I was so nervous about.)

p.s. so now that makes it 9 bloggers I've met in real life. E, TRS, Cheerio, Sarrabon, LE7, Chanalia, Frum Satire, chanie, and C. And counting.