The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support Forumsand for my 60,000th post, imma call some people out.
starting w some of the great du'ers i've met in meatspace-
the chicago crew- greatauntoftriplets, wndycty, gato moteado, the mag and wife, downstater davsand, ben burch and katy.
all met back in the day when it was safe to get together. library girl, then known as coralrose, showed up at moody's pub, and ruined the whole thing.
old timers will remember the il-06 races. christine cegelis, warmly embraced by the party in '04 for her hail mary campaign that sent henry hyde into retirement, but unceremoniously dumped in '06 for tammy duckworth. btw, the only former supporter who bothered to call christine was one barack obama.
got to meet will pitt and kevin spidel on that second campaign. btw, for those that remember kevin, he passed away suddenly about a year ago.
then there were all the folks i met at obama's inauguration.
starting w the lads, skinner, earlg, and elad.
too many others to remember, but- lynnesin, admiral lionpresser, california peggy,
who else was there?
i've also had the pleasure along the way to meet others here and there.
met nralieghliberal 9 yrs ago when i drove to nc to pick up a wonderful bully pup. i brag on my friendship w him often, as my little farm still grows tomatoes that he started me out with.
i spent a day w eferrari on a visit to san francisco.
i met fellow mod nyc_skp a couple times.
and of course, my dear cliffordu.
these days i've known a lot of you on fb by your real names for so long i dont remember your handles.
on my to-do-list-
either h2oman finds a boxing match he needs to attend in chicago or i start looking for an excuse to go to new york.
one of these days i'll get to jamaica, and hang at the beach w malaise.
and there's a lady in texas that doesnt post any more that i must meet and hug til she squeaks.
almost 18 yrs here. this place is home.
i hope there will be many more encounters in the future.
maybe we can finally convince the guys to do a du convention.
thank you all for making this place such a great community.
FalloutShelter
(11,750 posts)CONGRATS!
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,781 posts)mopinko
(69,806 posts)marble falls
(56,359 posts)mopinko
(69,806 posts)it was a shocker.
marble falls
(56,359 posts)He seemed a real force of nature. I remember him but not much of what he wrote. I miss Will Pitt, but I just never fit into JPR.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)i never hung at jpr, or any of the other spinoffs.
we chat from time to time. and he reads my writing sometimes.
i kept in touch w kevin on fb too. we had a mutual admiration society going. he had a new lady and seemed quite happy. then, bam.
marble falls
(56,359 posts)Prof. Toru Tanaka
(1,924 posts)wishing you many more happy years here on DU and in life!
samnsara
(17,570 posts)..have watched a lot of dogs go from pup-hood to the Rainbow Bridge. A few of the hoomans as well.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)very stable hood. raised my kids, and watched a bunch of others grow up.
FailureToCommunicate
(13,989 posts)-FTC
davsand
(13,420 posts)It's been a day or two since we joined, DU. I think it's been quite the ride--and it's one I'm glad I got to take with you! I'm not as active on here as I used to be, but it is absolutely friends like you that keep me coming back.
Laura
2naSalit
(86,061 posts)Reading your comments made me realize that I have never met another DUer in person but would like to some day.
I like the idea of a convention of some kind!
mopinko
(69,806 posts)meet ups were still big, there was netroots, there were msnbc cruises at the time.
i think it mostly crashed on east coast v west coast. personally i think chicago is perfect, but i am strongly biased.
a cruise would be fun if it's ever safe again.
LiberalLoner
(9,761 posts)CousinIT
(9,151 posts)So....20 years. Don't think they can combine them.
I remember meeting folks before that handle change - during election night when Obama WON in 2008. It was something I'll remember forever!
Evolve Dammit
(16,632 posts)flying_wahini
(6,529 posts)Was that you? Cant remember who it was now too many years ago.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)one of the few states.
wonder who else was there, tho. i remember quite a few.
Phentex
(16,330 posts)Congratulations!
mopinko
(69,806 posts)one of these days, when the rocking chair gets me, i'll really start writing.
i'm 67 in a few weeks. it aint that far down the road.
trust me, if i ever get published, you'll hear about it.
steve2470
(37,457 posts)mopinko
(69,806 posts)that was a fun day.
biff says hi.
intheflow
(28,407 posts)Pretty sure kpete was there, too. And maybe a DUer who had "Blonde" in her handle. I absolutely don't remember meeting you or California Peggy there, but I suppose it depended on which end of the table you sat at in Raccine's that day. I know another former DUer who didn't survive the Sanders/Clinton year (and so shall not be named) was there.
I've also met a lot of DUers over the years, mostly at antiwar rallies during Dubya's tenure. Blue_In_AK hosted me at her home in Anchorage, and we've been able to see each other several times over the years. I remember meeting
mopinko
(69,806 posts)and yeah, there are a few no longer here that i didnt bring up.
intheflow
(28,407 posts)I need more coffee.
But then, I don't remember seeing you at his inauguration, either, But I don't even remember hearing that DU was going to be there. I'm sure I knew, but went with family and must have decided to hang with them all day. Or maybe I couldn't get to the meetup because of the throngs of people.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)and yeah, that day. oy.
i was staying in alexandria. what a journey. i ended up trudging way north to find a train station that was open. crawled back to the hotel.
panader0
(25,816 posts)I've only met one DUer in person, he was tombstoned twice, but still lurks here often.
I wanted to meet gato moteado when I went to Costa Rica, but it was not to be.
I need to hook up with Kali, who is about 65 miles away. I don't think there are too many
Duers in my area.
There are so many people here that I would love to meet, but travel is a big expense for me.
And at 70, I can't hop the freight trains anymore.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)give a holla. i'd love to buy you a beverage.
gademocrat7
(10,623 posts)👏👏👏
Deep State Witch
(10,350 posts)Congrats on your milestone!
mopinko
(69,806 posts)i've been giving the vulcan salute since the plague started.
admit to the guilty pleasure of chuckling at the people who cant do it.
i have a neighbor who can do it w his right hand but not his left. total trekkie, too. brain glitch.
Deep State Witch
(10,350 posts)In March 2020, right before everything blew up. We had NO outbreaks, because we were all doing the Vulcan Salute to each other!
mopinko
(69,806 posts)i love it.
pandr32
(11,447 posts)Thanks for sharing the sentiment with us. This is a good place--a haven that feels like a family community.
Cheers to your 60,000.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)We folks who cant remember a damn thing really appreciate that!
mopinko
(69,806 posts)my da was a great story teller. i remember shit that makes a good story!
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)mopinko
(69,806 posts)story/joke telling is my fave.
ask my neighbors. i give ted talks on the sidewalk alll the time.
greatauntoftriplets
(175,698 posts)It's been a long time, hasn't it?
mopinko
(69,806 posts)and quite a life.
how you doing?
Hekate
(90,202 posts)for all the good DUers youve met. Live long & prosper, indeed.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)even some of the folks that are not that pleasant here have been fun to meet.
you, tho, should find an excuse to come to chi.
Saoirse9
(3,666 posts)Congratulations!
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I just hit 60K as well yesterday. I couldn't think of anything special that I wanted to post because it kind of snuck up on me.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)under the radar, so i was watching for this one.
congrats to you too, old timer.
lpbk2713
(42,696 posts)It's been over fifty years since I was through Chicago.
Was on my way to/from boot camp.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)air force?
Chicagogrl1
(411 posts)Can i join your chicago crew? Lots of magats out here in the burbs. Love DU to, it does truly feel like home. Kept me & hubby sane during hard times.
BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)And good to see the old-timers still telling the meet-up stories. I have been sorry to see how many DU has lost over the years since I've been around and/or those who haven't posted in a long time.
I know I've always been fascinated with your avatar though, just so you know...
Like someone who is very animated and in constant motion...
EarlG has you and smirkeymonkey noted in his daily "Good Day DU" thread - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181528346
mopinko
(69,806 posts)he's a character. one of those paintings that took on a life of it's own.
when i made buttons, he really became my logo. i handed out free buttons w him and the words- i'm mad as hell, and i'm not going to take it any more. gave away a whole lot of them.
i have a tat of him w the words- you say i'm a bitch like it's a bad thing.
most of my work is downright smarmy. then there's that guy.
BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)That guy says it all though!!!
mopinko
(69,806 posts)he hangs just inside my front door.
he is 4' x 4' irl.
duhneece
(4,105 posts)I love your post, your friendship you.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)get off your butt, woman. run.
Skittles
(152,967 posts)mopinko
(69,806 posts)you're on my list of people i hope to bump into some day.
Skittles
(152,967 posts)WOOT!
The Magistrate
(95,237 posts)I certainly recall the meetings at Moody's, and your jacket of many buttons. The Professor was there, too.
That's a lot of posts. My count got bulked up a lot in the old mod forums. Without that I doubt I'd have any more than you.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)many of the solid friendships forged at the drinks cabinet.
i'd name names, but i'd leave too many out.
thanks for the vid.
trof
(54,255 posts)I've met half a dozen DUers and it's all been good.