I have spent a good part of the past two years hanging around the SDMB. It’s time to thank some of the people I met along the way and mention some who have touched my life. If I left you out don’t take it personally. The order is only purposeful for the first few entries. After that it gets random.
Ed Zotti - Without you there’d be no reason for all of this. It was your column and your books that first drew me into this world.
The Chicago Reader - Without The Reader we would be all be wise-ass Cliff Clavens hanging out at neighborhood bars without others of our own kind. Especially Ed.
Eve, Aha, and OpalCat - The only people with whom I was familiar before I started here and whose presence made staying here seem almost respectable. Also Eve for allowing this unabashed fan to become a friend.
The Attractive Redheads - Had there been no thread devoted to you I probably wouldn’t have stuck around. Shayna and Persephone flirted with me and I discovered Scotticher, the nicest person I have ever known. You ladies ruined my life. Thank you.
The Mods - Without you Ed would have had to run the whole thing himself and I think we know how long THAT would have lasted.
Polycarp - Who taught me that it is okay to be a seeker. One of the wisest people I know.
Porcupine and ValerieBlaise ChiDope organizers extraordinaire, who helped me meet SDMB people in real life and pulled away the curtain of unreality surrounding you people, forcing me to relate to you all as actual human beings.
Anthracite and Fierra - Who gave me an online home where I can crash when this virtual tavern gets to be too much.
MikeG, DynoSaur, Joey Hemlock and Sua Sponte - My ChiFest buddies who are kinda like the RL guy friends I keep insisting I don’t have.
Fenris - The kid breaks me up.
GaWd - He pisses me off sometimes, but reminds me that civilized people can learn to put aside their differences in the interest of Getting Along.
The Irish Dopers - How an entire nation is so ably represented by a group as uniformly intelligent, reasonable, and fun says a lot about it. My great grandparents made a mistake leaving Eire. Okay, that was a lie since the mid- to late-19th century was an EXCELLENT time to leave.
The Antipodean Dopers - Much the same can be said about them with the bonus that I can say “Antipodean.” Yes, I say it aloud whenever I type it.
The ChiDopers - You embarass me whenever I’m with you. Then I embarass myself. Thank you for dragging me, kicking and screaming, from my shell.
robinc308, Caught@Work, heresiarch, DPWhite - The people who were pretended they were interested enough in my 5000th post to actually post their suggestions as to how to use it. As they can see, I didn’t pay much attention to their suggestions. 
- However, is is in MPSIMS and I will be honored to flirt with the lovely robinc308 at a more appropriate time, like . . . right . . . now. Your beauty lights the southern skies!
tiggeril - By being my virtual daughter she has taken the pressure off my RL daughters to succeed in directions they haven’t chosen. Whatever they do I can say, “My virtual daughter is an Econ major at the University of Chicago.”
Dagan Nuncamagica - My oldest daughter (who doesn’t post here, wasting HER time at Sugar Quill) who is the only person in my real life who understands us enough that I can talk about you.
techchick68 - When I started here she SO TOTALLY reminded me of someone else I nearly actually ruined my life over that I had to get to know her better. I’m glad I did.
CrankyAsAnOldMan - Because that name is so wrong!
Chique - Because loving me is such an attractive quality!
vix - For teaching me that flirting does not (automatically) make me evil.
G Nome - For making me feel special because I usually understand her (she’s a “her,” right?) and often agree.
Dinsdale and Humble Servant - Because it’s always good to know some lawyers licensed to practice in your state.
I am sure there are many I haven’t gotten to, but Gundy just claimed she’s not photogenic. By signing up with this outfit I swore to fight ignorance in all its forms. I rarely bother, that battle better handled by other, more intelligent and better educated Dopers, but if I know anything it’s Beautiful Women.
