Now I admit that I'm going under

For months, I've been reading about bloggers getting together in person and wondering if I'd ever meet someone whose blog I read (besides my mom, I mean). I've even dreamed about meeting other bloggers.

And tonight, while RW kindly stayed home with Mermaid Girl, I went out to meet these folks, who live across the bridge from me. And these folks, who are in town for the weekend. And this folk and her brave non-blogging husband. And a picture of an absent blogger. And boy, was it fun.

I don't know how well this comes across in the blog, but I am not your basic party girl. I can tell a good story with close friends, and I perform in front of classes of kids all the time, but with adults I don't know...well, I'm pretty shy. And nerdy. So meeting a whole bunch of people in person for the first time-- people who would probably be writing about the event (for readerships substantially larger than mine)-- was a little unnerving. (In fact, I'm kind of self-conscious as I write this, knowing that by now they're probably back at the hotel and are typing their own versions as fast as they can.)

But apparently curiosity trumps shyness, because not only did I meet them all for pizza, I stayed for the karaoke portion of the evening.

Yes, Karaoke. A word to strike fear into the hearts of shy persons everywhere. But not for me, not any longer.

I'll let the others tell you about their own experiences in the hot seat, except to say that seeing them sing was an experience I'll treasure forever. (Who knew that Jay knew all the lyrics to "One Week," otherwise known as "That Barenaked Ladies rap song with the Chinese Chicken in it"?)

But as for me...you know that scene in "Fame" where the sweet shy good girl goes to Rocky Horror for the first time, and her friends pull her up front to do the Time Warp, and before she knows it she's dancing and shaking it and laughing in front of a whole crowd of people? It was like that.

It helped that I had a small drink (I'm a teaspoon drunk). And it helped that I picked a song I love. But it helped even more that I was with the most supportive, most ass-kickingly spirited karaoke companions imaginable. (Baring their souls online on a regular basis might have had something to do with that.)

You guys? And anyone else reading this who comes up this way? I'm up for karaoke again any time.

Let's give 'em something to blog about.

P.S. Looking at this a few days later, I can see that the title is pretty obscure. It was very late when I first posted it, and I meant it to be a reference to this song, which seemed to perfectly capture my feelings about (did I mention it was very late? And that I'd been drinking not too long earlier?) the blogosphere: thinking about it every day, dreaming about it every night...oh, no, and here it is past my bedtime once again. Goodnight!