Ten years - of thanks. August 13, 2012 6:20 PM   Subscribe

Ten years. Thank you.

I just realized that about a month ago was my "ten year anniversary" of signing up for MeFi.

When I was laid off from my job in '02, MeFi and SomethingAwful kept me sane and laughing and thinking and enjoying life. Through the site I've made many amazing friends, both online and "in real life".

Most of all, in '09 you all came out of the woodworks in droves to help, support, and send love and random trinkets (and PIE) to someone who had suddenly lost the #1 person in his life. I was sad, depressed, lonely, unsure, and frightened.

Even if I didn't know you (yet), there were days when random MeMails from folks saying "hey, I care" gave me that little bit of strength I needed to keep going and not give up. I still get teary-eyed when I look at this - thank you again, Matt, for making things just that much easier on me at that point and time.

I don't want to start rambling or get too sappy.. but I'll boil it down and just say: thank you. Thank you all. You're a large part of the reason I'm still "around" after everything that's happened.

Thank you so much. I love you all.
posted by mrbill to MetaFilter-Related at 6:20 PM (80 comments total) 36 users marked this as a favorite

hello! my 10 years is in a couple weeks!
posted by nadawi at 6:24 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


I can't decide whether I should be proud or disturbed by 12 years mefirama. Proudly disturbed I guess.
posted by peacay at 6:33 PM on August 13, 2012


Oh, YESSSSSS, mrbill!
posted by Sidhedevil at 6:33 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


Hey, 2 weeks to go! Damn.
posted by carter at 6:38 PM on August 13, 2012


Hey, I bet I have been on the mailing lists that you host for close to ten years -- you're no slouch at keeping a community going yourself. Here's to you, Bill!
posted by wenestvedt at 6:40 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


Wow. I can't even remember what I was doing 10 years ago. Aside from fistfuls of E, I mean.
posted by elizardbits at 6:40 PM on August 13, 2012 [6 favorites]


Metafilter prolly would've been better for my liver.
posted by elizardbits at 6:41 PM on August 13, 2012 [3 favorites]


Hey, tomorrow's my tenth, too! Thanks for the reminder, I hadn't thought about it.
posted by vorfeed at 6:45 PM on August 13, 2012


Glad you're with us, and glad the community was there to help. I'm on 8 years myself.
posted by arcticseal at 6:49 PM on August 13, 2012


I'm glad you're here, Mr. Bill. And Metafilter too, of course.
posted by tzikeh at 6:50 PM on August 13, 2012


Heh, my ten-year is in less than a month, and I was just today considering a Metatalk post to thank the community.

Pony request? Could we get some kind of wizened graybeard badge or something?
posted by leotrotsky at 7:06 PM on August 13, 2012


Congratulations (newb).
posted by drezdn at 7:11 PM on August 13, 2012 [2 favorites]


Wow, I'm sorry if this sounds creepy but I still think about you and your wife sometimes. I hope you're doing okay.
posted by bleep at 7:11 PM on August 13, 2012 [3 favorites]


Hey dude. Happy anniversary.
posted by subbes at 7:15 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


{INTERNET HUG}
posted by mintcake! at 7:15 PM on August 13, 2012 [2 favorites]


Aw, mrbill, how lovely! Happy Mefiversary!
posted by cooker girl at 7:16 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


(also, this prompted me to go look at when I joined...five years ago on August 10th! How time flies...)
posted by cooker girl at 7:19 PM on August 13, 2012


Hugs!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:26 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


The thread when you lost your wife is one of the first threads I remember when I came here. The compassion and support I saw there is one of the things that drew me in. Im glad you are still here and hope you're doing well.
posted by SLC Mom at 8:05 PM on August 13, 2012 [3 favorites]


<3
posted by shakespeherian at 8:11 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


Man, 5 days short of 10 myself.
posted by Snyder at 8:15 PM on August 13, 2012


A lovely post, mrbill. Like bleep, you've been in my thoughts.

It's a weird thing, to be a part of an internet community this large for this long. Depending on where you start counting, I've been a part of the community since February of 2001 (when I started reading), September 2002 (when I first signed up) or November 2004 (when I activated the account). Either way, this place has been my one stable home in a decade in which I've moved back and forth across the Atlantic. It's somewhat odd to think of a website as a home, but I do. I tried to quit this year (or "went on vacation" as I told myself and others) but I couldn't bear to leave fully and after a few months I went back to daily reading. Being a MeFite is too large a part of my identity. It's a weird thing, but I like it.
posted by Kattullus at 8:25 PM on August 13, 2012 [5 favorites]


Bill, thanks for the post.... and reminding us why this is such a valuable part of all of our lives.
posted by HuronBob at 8:35 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


Paul: "TEN YEARS, MAN! TEN! Where have you been for ten years?"
Martin: "I freaked out, joined the Army, went into business for myself. I'm a professional killer."
Paul: "Oh, do you have to do post-graduate work for that, or can you jump right in? I'm curious."
Martin: "It's an open market."
Paul: "Open market. That's good. Wow. Ten years, man! Ten years--Ten years! Ten years! Ten! Ten years! Ten years."
Martin: "I freaked out! I joined the army! I worked for the government! I went into business with myself! I'm a professional killer. That's what I did!"
Paul: "Okay. Well, can I join up?"
Martin: "Yes!"
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:36 PM on August 13, 2012 [18 favorites]


Glad you came through that, mrbill!

I guess I just passed year seven. I am itchy, come to think of it.
posted by maxwelton at 8:36 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


TEN YEARS, MAN!

^-- what mr_crash_davis is quoting
posted by axiom at 8:44 PM on August 13, 2012


I guess us twenty-a-dayers are starting to celebrate our ten-year anniversaries around now. Mine was last month and I didn't even realize it.
posted by Johnny Assay at 8:47 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


Wow, thanks for the reminder. Mine's coming up this fall. I think I was subconsciously thinking it had already passed since I found MetaFilter during the Kaycee Nicole affair, but I forgot that it took well over a year for me to be able to sign up.
posted by marsha56 at 8:58 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


mrbill! Happy mefiversary!
posted by rtha at 9:28 PM on August 13, 2012 [2 favorites]


Happy mefiversary!

And yikes - my 11 year mefiversary will be next month!
posted by SisterHavana at 9:42 PM on August 13, 2012


Hugs right back at you.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:30 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


This must be close to the ten-year anniversary of when sign-ups were closed? (I could look it up, but it's more fun to ask here.) I'm pretty sure that I was regularly lurking for at least one year before I got in (during that limited window Matt opened up at the beginning of April 2004). I mean, I was lurking because sign-ups were closed. Seems like they'd been closed for a really long time when he finally opened the floodgates.

Of course there were those in that constant small trickle of people who found their way here even while sign-ups were closed.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 10:37 PM on August 13, 2012


Congratulations, mrbill! It never ceases to amaze me the support and kindness strangers are willing to offer to people they have never met. My troubles have never been on the level of yours, but the level of support I've received from the Metafilter community has been touching and offered at a consistency beyond anything I've ever experienced in "real" life.

This post brought me to realize I've been here 8 years. Which is also cringe-inducing, because I was in my late teens when I joined and you can totally tell from reading my earliest posts and now I kind of want to include a disclaimer about that in my profile.
posted by Anonymous at 11:02 PM on August 13, 2012


*Waves at peacay.* We must have signed up within a few weeks of each other? Blessings upon you mrbill!
posted by Lynsey at 11:34 PM on August 13, 2012 [1 favorite]


*hugs*
*high fives*
posted by rmd1023 at 12:17 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


♥ It will be 11 years for me this Sept 11th.
I lurked for a long time, but watching the 9/11 thread unfold real time
.. was when I realized the power of the internet for global communication and camaraderie during difficult times.

TL, DR: We are not alone. ♥
posted by TangerineGurl at 1:25 AM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]


Very nice.
posted by josher71 at 4:40 AM on August 14, 2012


This was a lovely reminder to check my own date, and it appears I just passed 10 years as well. WOW.
posted by aclevername at 5:22 AM on August 14, 2012


the mefi 10th 'versery' gift is fish, pants or a new treadmill.
posted by clavdivs at 6:53 AM on August 14, 2012


Thanks for this. I've been kinda bummed by the grar-y response that some nice old ladies are getting on the Blue right now, and have had a moment to reflect on my place in MeFi culture, but you post reminds me that on balance, MetaFilter is a great place. I'm super-glad you're on the mend, sir.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:15 AM on August 14, 2012


So what's the official Mefi Anniversary Dinner? Heirloom bean salad?

Yay, Mefiversaries!
posted by smirkette at 7:15 AM on August 14, 2012


Hey, ten years for me on the 5th! Hugs, high fives, or whatever expression of celebration is appropriate for all!
posted by TedW at 7:19 AM on August 14, 2012


Cool stories. The community here really is quite remarkable. Maybe I'll still be around in 2020.

Cake for all.
posted by RolandOfEld at 7:44 AM on August 14, 2012


Mine is on August 27th, which is coincidentally also the anniversary of my last apartment being destroyed in Hurricane Irene. Make of that what you will.
posted by amro at 7:48 AM on August 14, 2012


the mefi 10th 'versery' gift is fish, pants or a new treadmill.

How's the fish going to use the treadmill? Pants have always been optional.
posted by arcticseal at 7:52 AM on August 14, 2012


the mefi 10th 'versery' gift is fish, pants or a new treadmill.

It's not banjos? I thought it was banjos.
posted by cooker girl at 7:58 AM on August 14, 2012


I'm pretty sure it's cameras.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 8:29 AM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]


fistfuls of E

Great movie. Love the score.

I'm a few days away from having ten years worth of words here myself. Ten years! I could've written a book with that kind of time and effort!
posted by octobersurprise at 8:33 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


My tenth just sort of slid by, as I recall. I signed up the day before my birthday so it gets a bit muddled. Longevity, it's crazy!
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:35 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


Happy mefiversary!

14K'ers rule!
posted by languagehat at 8:53 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm pretty sure it's cameras.

I wanted to make a "We have cameras" joke a few days ago on another online forum but then I realized nobody would understand it.
posted by mrbill at 8:58 AM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]


10 Years last week for me. Mostly I only lurk but as a 14K'er it has been the best $5 never spent.

Thanks everyone
posted by devon at 10:07 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


YaaaaaaaaaY! I ♥ ya, big guy!
posted by Eideteker at 10:18 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


We're going to need to plan something epic for the 10 year anniversary of the first day $5 n00bs.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:33 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


It needs to be a 48-hour event, or else us Day-2 $5 n00bs are crashing the party.
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:01 AM on August 14, 2012


It needs to be a 48-hour event, or else us Day-2 $5 n00bs are crashing the party.

This is what Occupy is all about.
posted by arcticseal at 11:33 AM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


My 10th is next week! I love this crazy place.
posted by tristeza at 12:59 PM on August 14, 2012 [1 favorite]


I've been here since early 2005. Mind you I was silenced for almost five of the intervening years. Still, could have been worse. It could have been ALL MY LIFE.

My favourite Mefite is Mayor Curley. I don't know what I can do about this. I must be sick.
posted by Decani at 1:03 PM on August 14, 2012


You are such a lovely man, mrbill. I'm glad I belong to the same outfit you do. Happy Mefi 10th from me, too.
posted by bearwife at 1:37 PM on August 14, 2012 [3 favorites]


well in my friend, mines was a few days ago ......congrats to all the 14kers................wasnt there a daily signup limit or something ?

It would be churlish not to admit mefi has been a pretty great great thing.
posted by sgt.serenity at 2:34 PM on August 14, 2012 [2 favorites]


Class of 14k represent
posted by found missing at 2:34 PM on August 14, 2012


I'm glad you're here, too, mrbill. Keep on keepin' on!

My 10th is in October, yay 16K'ers!
posted by deborah at 3:19 PM on August 14, 2012


Home is said to be teh place where, when you finally get there, they have to let you in. (Unless you've been banhammered or spamcanned of course)

Thank you for reminding us what puts the community in the community blog, mrbill. Take care and best wishes.
posted by infini at 3:41 PM on August 14, 2012


My tenth was August 3rd! This place continues to be excellent, awesome, smart. funny, and amazing. Thanks, all.
posted by sarcasticah at 3:41 PM on August 14, 2012


Really stunned to see it's been almost 8 years for me. I wonder how long this place will last? Maybe the rest of my life? Maybe I'll pass ten years, twenty years, thirty? Maybe we'll see second-generation MeFites, kids who've grown up in MeFite families and have known this place all their lives? The world could do worse.
posted by PercussivePaul at 6:13 PM on August 14, 2012 [3 favorites]


Man, coming up on seven signed up for me (which is also the anniversary of getting taking off the shitty misogynistic team and being put on the awesome tiny doomed team on which I spent the first three months just beating the game as fast as possible while reading AskMe on the other monitor) but it's been... hell, must be ten if I started reading back in tech support like I remember. No, maybe 11 if Jo turned me on to it before I moved, which sounds awfully likely.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 6:34 PM on August 14, 2012


By happy coincidence, today, this very day, is my 10th anniversary on MetaFilter ("The Plastic.com that's OK to like!").

Still miss Oolong.
posted by SPrintF at 6:47 PM on August 14, 2012 [3 favorites]


Now I'm imagining successive metafilter generations for whom "flag it and move on" has acquired a deep ritualistic significance but who no longer know how to keep the site running.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:47 PM on August 14, 2012


I think you just feed it with GRAR on a weekly basis, but deity help you if it goes out of balance with the schmoopy.
posted by arcticseal at 8:17 PM on August 14, 2012


"Could we get some kind of wizened graybeard badge or something?"

Get off my lawn you 5-digit-user-number-whippersnappers! Show some respect for your elders!
posted by litlnemo at 3:34 AM on August 15, 2012 [3 favorites]


I think I'm somewhere around my 10-week anniversary. The sense of community this website has is phenomenal. Stories like yours reinforce my opinion of the sign-up fee being the best $5 I've ever spent; thank you for reminiscing!
posted by Fig at 7:43 AM on August 15, 2012


Fig, your birthday is the day after mine! Welcome.
posted by mrbill at 3:09 PM on August 15, 2012 [1 favorite]


October 12 2012 will be ten years for me. 1400 seems like a huge quantity of comments or favorites but it's only 140 a year or less than one every other day. The one thing I remember about joining is that I was lurking for like a year beforehand; then when I decided I wanted to participate signups were closed; then a couple times I noticed signups temporarily open (as I recall Matt would post a tiny notice) and then by the time I went through with it I was too late; then finally on October 12 I noticed and acted quick and signed up and got through.

There is a chapter in Cialdini's Influence about making your offer have the appearance of a rarity to intensify desire for it. This might possibly be an instance of that in that it seems to me there are a lot of loyal users from that time interval where it might have felt like getting signed up was a fleeting opportunity.
posted by bukvich at 3:27 PM on August 15, 2012


Coming up on my 11th metaversary, and it's all because of you magnificent bastards. I love you guys. :)
posted by dejah420 at 4:11 PM on August 15, 2012 [1 favorite]


The 14kers have been around for 10 years already?

That makes 12 years for me.

OH GOOD LORD, I'M GETTING OLD.
posted by youcancallmeal at 6:35 PM on August 15, 2012 [2 favorites]


"The 14kers have been around for 10 years already?"

Yep, since March 15th through August 11th, 2002. But we'll get through the next thousands' decennial in less than a month; and, too, the thousand after that. It's the 17kers that span two years because of the closing of sign-ups, I see.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 6:44 PM on August 15, 2012


12 for me this past July
posted by bjgeiger at 7:06 PM on August 15, 2012


Wow, 10 years for me next month! Thanks for the reminder!
posted by falameufilho at 10:53 PM on August 15, 2012


Today is my 10 year day (for another hour and twenty minutes here in Hawaii). Congratulations all MeDecaders.

With Apologies to Al Franken
posted by Joey Michaels at 1:40 AM on August 16, 2012


OH GOOD LORD, I'M GETTING OLD.

You are 30. Shut up. :)
posted by amro at 9:53 AM on August 16, 2012 [7 favorites]


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