I actually have two stories I can put in here. For one thing, one of our forum members here (Pezbalubah) e-mailed a little over a year ago cause at the time my location actually listed what town I'm in and he also lived there. Anyway one night we agree to meet for dinner nearby and it turns out not only does Pezbalubah live in the same town as me, but he actually lives in the same apartment complex. We have several other shared interests and since we met have gone to dinner, hung out, met Carroll Spinney, gone to see The Muppet Movie at a drive-through, gone to Great adventure, are about to go see the Henson screening at the Museum of TV & radio together, and are also hard at work on a cable access show together (with help from some friends). It's been a great friendship and I coutn Pez amongst my closest friends. See I had been livign here for close ot a year with my wife and honestly at that time we had been so busy that we never had time to 'meet' people and it wasn't like college or whatever when we always had people around because we met them in classes. but Pezbalubah and all the folks I've met through him have been great and it's a friendship i value quite highly.
ok, story #2. Around this same time, two incidents that seemngly hve nothing to do with each other take place. 1) My wife loses her job and 2) Annika Abel (Muppetquilter) and I agreed to work on the FAQ for the Palisades figures. In doing this, Annika suggested I download AIM so that we could actually tlak with each other instead of e-mailing and takign all this time getting back ot each other. So I do this and Annika and I start talking and one night I end up in a chat with her and Warrick. So naturally Warrick and I start talking regularly (Sideonte, I probably talk to Warrick online more than anyone else!! great guy! and another online friendhsip I'm glad to have made) Anyway, one morning Warrick has me in a chat with Jes Evans (FellowWLover) and of course NOW I'm talking to Jes online. Another frienship made!! Anyway, one night Jes and I are chatting about this and that, and whatnot, and the conversations turns to my wife..."Is she in puppetry too?"..."No she was a music major in college"...."What does she do now?"..."Well she's kinda between jobs."...."Oh, she doesn't teach music by any chance does she?"..."that's what she'd like to do."....."Really?!?! Cause the school I work at is desperatly seeking a new music teacher. She should apply!"....'Well, she never finished her certification"....."I teach at a private school. it doesn't matter. We can help her take care of that."
Needless to say, my wife is now in her second year as a music teacher and is working on getting her certification too. Jes has been a great help to Siobhan (my wife) and I'm so glad that it's happened the way it has. this job is the best thing that could have happened to my wife at that time and while I'm greatly to Jes for actually ebing the on to help get the job, I can't help but acknowledge that MC played and it's members played quite a role in helpign her find it.
So MC has done more for me than anyone could possibly imagine. The online community not only helped me meet someone in my own community, but directed me in IMing the other side of the country, and then the other side of the world, before finally making it back to NJ and getting my wife a job. That really boggles my mind sometimes. I mean the internet, has made the world into a much smaller place than it was before and in a good way. Of course there are the chats and the conversations and the analysis of the latest Muppet appearcne and all that stuff and thats' good too, but when I think of MC, those two stories are the first things that come to mind.
Hope this helps and good luck with your paper.
--Matt