Blogging Nostalgia

We looked around the crowd of perhaps 25 DC Bloggers who had come out for the happy hour at Evolve1817. I asked Malnurtured Snay how many he thought would still be writing in 5 years and he said, “5". I agreed with him.

I thought about my first happy hour over 4 years ago. I had entered Eyebar somewhat reluctantly, knowing full well I wouldn’t know even one of those 20- and 30-somethings throwing down the drinks and talking about Blogging. The first face I met was DC Cookie, who quickly introduced me to Kathryn and Rhinestone Cowgirl. I had a long talk with Direct Current about Statcounters. I met Pat, the guy who had started DC Blogs and the gaggle of girls talking to him, whom I later learned included Velvet in Dupont.

I realized that not many of the people I met back then are still writing regularly. I can think of only Kristin, Jamy, and Reya. That’s not entirely true. Jessica (who was anonymously DC Cookie) moved to Stream of Jessica and now writes Sweet Baby Jack, chronicling the life of her new baby boy.

I have mixed feelings about the Blogger happy hours I have attended over the years, never because people weren’t extremely friendly, but rather because I usually have such a hard time hearing to make conversation in a bar. But it usually happens that I take home one new link to add to my list and it’s usually a keeper. Like Media Concepts, whom I met shortly before he moved to LA.

So for the most part the crowd at Evolve was about the same age as those I met at my first happy hour, but almost entirely different people. I was warmly greeted by Lemmonex, a “sponsor” and someone I had met prior to the happy hour. I finally got to meet LiLu and Restaurant Refugee. Unfortunately I just missed Lacochran, but instead got to meet Gilahi, someone who knows her quite well. I met Malnurtured Snay, after reading his snarky comments for years. On the way out I discovered KassyK sitting just outside the fray of Bloggers. She had a big hug for me as we quickly covered the time since we had last met, vowing to get together with Jessica to meet Sweet Baby Jack.

I felt a bit like Cinderella as I suddenly dashed out, almost sprinting to get to my car before I added another hour onto the already hefty parking lot fee.

I wonder if I will be one of the 5 still writing in 5 years. Will you?