Friday, April 02, 2010

Blog Reality Tour: Nashville

Last Friday evening presented me with the most interesting of decisions. I could either drive to Nashville to hang out with three girls, or I could sit home, watch basketball in my underwear, and slink further away from human interaction. After careful contemplation, I decided to ward off dementia at least for a few more years and go to Nashville.

Through the medium known as electronic mail, I had received word several weeks ago that avid IYROOBTY reader OK Chick, Oklahoma City's foremost blogging runner, was going to be in town for a wedding. And so, after five-plus years of reading each other's blogs, we finally met!

It will go down as one of the great meetings of all-time. Right up there with When Harry met Sally, when Charlie finally met the Angels, and of course the most famous of them all, Act 1: They Meet after the second board of Ms. Pac-Man.

The four of us -- OK Chick, her sister, friend and I -- had dinner downtown at Jack's BBQ and listened to some live music at Tootsie's and Legends. In between dinner and music, we also took in a little taste of Old Nashville with a carriage ride.

The first time our driver (Is that what they're called? Driver?) quipped, "I'm Bill. This is Pete. He's the brains of the operation," it was folksy. When he said it the second time, two minutes later and with no apparent recollection of having already told us, I began to seriously wonder just where this guy was going to take us. (I was also thinking that if I had the Darryls with me, I could have responded with "I'm Larry. This is Darryl...")

But it went off without a hitch -- well, other than the horse being hitched to the carriage. Actually, there was a point near the end of the ride when a foul odor began wafting through the evening air. Apparently, Bill feeds Pete Beefareeno.

It was a fun night. (What a well-crafted line! Never say you don't get exceptional writing here, ladies and gentlemen.) I discovered that I kinda like being called "Bone" in social situations. Not to mention I scored two more Facebook friends from the outing. And really, isn't that what life has come to be all about?

This has also rekindled my interest in an idea I had several years ago, when I wore a younger blogger's clothes. You remember my Blog Reality Tour?

No?

Well, it was an idea conceived by me, circa 2006. The gist of it is that I would tour the country visiting the people on my blogroll. Of course, I had quite a few more readers back then. And I posted much more frequently... (It strikes me here that if one is reminiscing about blogging days of yore, it is entirely possible one may have been blogging far too long.)

Anyway, where was I? Oh right, resurrecting the Blog Reality Tour. While thinking about this the other night, I realized that in all the times I've pondered this idea in my mind I've always just assumed that all bloggers would be perfectly fine with me staying with them overnight. Overjoyed, even. When in reality, that probably would not be the case at all. It's funny though, the little things we assume and how we see ourselves.

Sometimes I think the difference between how I view myself and how others view me is a deep, yawning chasm.

Nah! Surely not.

Until next time, this is your ruggedly athletic but sensitive, capable-of-grand-things-yet-accomplishing-very-little blogger, Bone.

"He says, Bill I believe this is killing me, as a smile ran away from his face. I'm sure that I could be a movie star, if I could get out of this place..."

19 comments:

  1. Tootsies and Legends sounds like my kind of place.

    "When I wore younger bloggers clothes".... you know I'm saving up some of your lines, that one is especially good because it is apropos to many of us - very blogger utilitarian.

    Blog jaunts sound great. Most folks would probably want their Rottweiler or Pit Bull handy.

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  2. ummm yeah about staying here... ya see there's this thing that we'll be going to...yeah, that's the ticket. ;o)

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  3. "It was a fun night." outrageous! Loved this. Absotively loved this.

    We have to become 'friends' on f/b.

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  4. Bone, believe it or not, you were in my dreams last night--it was weird. You were a camp counselor and I was volunteering at the camp because my daughter was attending, but my daughter said I couldn't do that (volunteer at her camps) anymore

    Come on up, there's an extra bed and a few couches and heck, enough tents and sleeping bags in the garage that I could host all my readers...

    Anyway, I'm off to listen to the real Billy Joel, if I can just find the right CD

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  5. I had a great comment but the fact that Sage is dreaming about you trumped whatever I had to say. :-)

    I'm glad you didn't have a 'Uh oh' moment when you first laid eyes on her. The moment of slight disgust/disappointment when meeting someone IRL is quite common, I've found...or maybe that's just with me. Not that I would have it when meeting you, I'm sure. :-)

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  6. And for the record, that didn't happen when I met Sage either. It will probably happen again with Ed Abbey. ;-)

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  7. Cooper - Most folks would probably want their Rottweiler or Pit Bull handy.

    You mean, for me specifically, or bloggers in general? :)

    Tootsies was like a human sardine can. Legends had a bit more room to move.

    Oh, and thanks for saving up some of my lines. I pretty much forget them as soon as they leave my fingertips.

    Renee - Lemme guess. You're speaking at a women's conference that day, right?

    Shelby - Thanks. I may start letting third graders ghost blog for me. I don't think there'd be a noticeable drop-off :)

    Sage - Bone, believe it or not, you were in my dreams last night

    I'm choosing not to believe it :)

    If I ever do visit, I expect nothing less than a canoe ride. Actually, you could host an annual Great Blogger Campout. A jamboree of sorts. Maybe Billy Joel would be the entertainment.

    Murf - Actually, bloggers creep into my dreams quite often, so I found it strangely comforting to know that I'm not the only one.

    Nah, it felt like we'd known each other for years. Which, in a way, I guess we have.

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  8. Did ya'll talk about bloggers? I can't imagine hanging out with another blogging and NOT discussing other bloggers. It just seems impossible to me.

    What's the next stop on the Blog Reality Tour?

    I had thought about doing one of those, only never by that name. But how cool would it be to travel the US and stay with other bloggers for a night before moving on? And live-blogging it, naturally.

    Amazing.

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  9. Wow. It's amazing when internet meets reality. Did you get on well? And did you both find that you came across how you appear online, or were you different?

    The Blog Reality Tour is an excellent idea... and it would make for a great series of blogposts. You'd miss me, mind you, what with me not being in the states and all. But I reckon I'm at least as hermity as you are, so that's probably fitting!

    Funny, I never really considered that you'd have an alternative name to 'Bone'...

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  10. It sounds like a great night.
    You haven't come up with the excuse of the year yet. I've been waiting for months for the creative Bone to strike

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  11. Let me know the next time you dream about me...or Sage. :-)

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  12. TC- We did talk about Bloggers. We talked about you and Renee. Mostly, because you guys are readers we have in common.

    Bone, it was a fun night. Sister #1and I had fun. I hope to make it to Nashville again. Maybe we could hang out longer. Also, Legends was better than Tootsies. Thanks for showing us the nightlife of Nashville.

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  13. Just think, this post was [--------------] this close to being about a night you spent home alone while watching basketball in your underwear.

    The blogging community thanks you that you opted to go to Nashville.

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  14. TC - What's the next stop on the Blog Reality Tour?

    Well, I'm not sure. There are two small issues right now with the blog reality tour. And those are, the money I don't have, and the time off of work I can't get :)

    Yeah, it would be cool. I need a sponsor.

    J Adamthwaite - We got along like old friends. I thought she was pretty much how she is online. I'm not sure what she thought :)

    Yes, I'll have to pick up a few more international readers before I can even think about the Blog World Tour.

    Pia - I know. I think Creative Bone is on strike in 2010.

    Murf - I dunno. Depends on what the dream is :)

    OK Chick - Bone, it was a fun night.

    Those were my exact thoughts! :) Next time we'll have to hit up Gabby's Burgers & Fries. Ha!

    Charlotta-love - The blogging community is welcome. I figured there were already enough posts about that topic within these pages.

    Actonbell - It was a breakthrough. A fun night, plus I still had most of the rest of the weekend to sit around in my underwear.

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  15. Um, we're way overdue for a meeting. You better get up here for a NYC weekend frenzy!

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  16. OKC: Oh man, I think I'm sorry I asked. LOL I refuse to take it one step further to ask what was said. I think I'm better off not knowing :)

    Bone: Those would be the same reasons I haven't done it! Someone, Renee I think, suggested I get a sponsor and write a book about it. Oh if only!

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  17. What scares me most about meeting someone whose blog I read quite often is what to talk about since I feel like I already know them and presumably them me. I always figure there will be lots of long pauses. I guess if you ever stop up here, we can always talk Seinfeld.

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