On December 22, 2000 (my wife’s birthday as a matter of fact) I joined the SDMB. The tale of how I got here is not all that interesting; a friend from work turned me on to the main site and it was only a matter of time before I found the boards and started reading. I was a lurker for a few days before I found a thread I wanted to respond to and I jumped in with gusto. Granted, some of the early posts were kinda weak (and some of my current posts are as well, but you can thank varying substances for that and not my inate writing ability), but I feel like I have made a minor impact on a few people’s lives.
I was one of those people who was just striving to find a community online. I grew up in the late 80’s and very early 90’s with dial up BBS’s which had very strong ties to each other as a majority of the ones you visited were local. As a matter of fact, up until the middle of this year I still gathered with some old BBS friends on a weekly basis at a club. Needless to say finding a community was what I was looking for.
Then Olaf (my friend at work) sent me a URL for a Ceicl column about something or other. I don’t recall now. He raved about Cecil, and read his columns everyday. I was intrigued. Within days of reading my first column I was looking over the boards. First at just the ThreadSpotting titles, then working my way through things. The on the 22nd of December I joined this fine group of people.
I joined a community of people that day, a community that in some small way I could share my life. I tried to quit smoking, I wrote about movies, my in-laws family reunion, Dopefests, the death of my beloved grandmother, September 11th, and on and on. These are bits and pieces of my life. The anger, sadness, hate, rage, but also the happiness and joy of the my life over the last year. You all are part of my life in one way or another, as I am a part of yours.
I have made some friends here that will never leave my life, and there are people on the board who may not like me at all. Herein lies the beauty of a community. We are all in it together.
I have avoided having post parties during my time here. The number of posts don’t really mean anything, but being here a year does. So I am using my little slot on MPSIMS to say thanks to a few people (in no particular order).
MsRobyn: Thanks for being my friend during a rough time in my life, you are one of my most valued friends on the boards. I send you much love.
Beatle/Ringo, Irishman, Ayesha, LionSOB, and all the other HouDopers: Thanks for letting me into your parties. We need another HouDope and I promise to stay well this time!
MamaHen: Thanks for expanding my mind in a way that I never thought it would go. You rule.
purplebear: I still owe you a dance, but not on a speaker. 
Sapphire Bullet: I still don’t understand TMBG. [sub]Thanks for letting me sleep on your couch for BatDope.[/sub]
The #sdmb Crew: Thanks for allowing me in, and saying ‘Hi Rob!’ on occasion.
reprise: Is it Wild Orgy Tuesday yet? You’re my favorite Aussie.
The Wrestling Fans: Thanks for letting me write and talk about wrestling in a productive way. I am not a fanboy!
I could go on for hours about the people who have touched my life, I have touched theirs, or those that are just touched. True Pisces, Persephone, Euty, Manhatten, MikeG, Nymysys, hardygrrl, Wicked Blue, Scylla, Crunchy Frog, Esprix, and my beloved Doob.
Thanks everyone for a wonderful year, and raise a toast to many, many more.
Love and kindness to all,
Robert Gregory Gruver, Jr. of the Clan MacLeod
[sub]… and yes, that is my full legal name. A mouthful, but it’s mine.[/sub]
