This place is my favorite place on the nets. I love it here. I've loved it since I started reading here in 2005. I used to listen to The Majority Report, on AAR, and Sam Seder was always talking about "blogs". I'll be honest, I had no idea what a "blog", or an "Atrios" or a "FireDogLake" was. But I listened.
After a few months of listening to AAR, it became pretty obvious that Sam was just about the most informed, up to date host they had, and it seemed to have something to do with these "blogs". I decided maybe I oughta check out Sam's blog, and maybe I should follow some of the links he had up. I wound up at Eschaton, at FDL, Crooks and Liars, and, eventually, Daily Kos. This was the only place that just seemed to fit, although I was way too intimidated to interact here. Mega-Kos and Mega-Armando? Are you kidding? The talent pool here was way too much for me, so I lurked. I recced diaries, and comments, and I devoured so much of what was written here. And, eventually, I mustered up the courage to post a comment. And then another. And so it went.
I never blossomed into much of a diarist, and my comments have never been anything particularly special. And that was fine, because this community is like a big dysfunctional family, and there's always been room for folks like me, right alongside folks that regularly grace the rec list and top comments. For someone who'd felt so alone politically, this place has been a godsend. I have held onto this place like a lifeline, through some of the worst times in my life. And I owe everyone here so much for that.
I'm done, though, at least for now. I hit the end of my rope this weekend, and that was that. Everything I tried to do to make rent, the jobs that were supposed to come through, the help I thought I had, it all fell through. And I've gotta start packing, because I've got until Tuesday at midnight to vacate. The power and my phone are both getting turned off by Friday, anyway. And I'm past caring. I gave it my best shot, and it wasn't good enough, and sometimes, that just happens.
Anyway, I wanted to say thanks. You guys have been great as an extended family, and I'll see you around, from time to time, I'm sure.
Peace, and many blessings.
MT
Update [2009-3-15 15:33:25 by Marcus Tullius]: Thank you for the offers to help, folks. My email is in my profile, and some of you are already contacting me, and gods, I appreciate it. Those of you who are offering monetary help, I really can't thank you enough, but there are kossacks with children, with spouses, with dependents. I'd suggest helping them first, because, well, I hate to say that you get more bang for your buck, but that's what it comes down to. Help those who need it most.
Update [2009-3-16 2:14:35 by Marcus Tullius]: For those of you who have been asking for a PayPal account, I don't have one, but a friend is being kind enough to let me use his. The account is davis_firth(at)hotmail(dot)com Just fix the symbols in the email, and that's that. And for those of you who have already helped me, gods, I can't even begin to thank you enough.