Ever stop to think about how we form opinions and perceptions about the people on this forum, when we have no idea who and how they really are? The anonymnity of the internet is both a great blessing and a horrific curse. None of us has any idea, really, who people on this forum really are until we meet them in real life. It's amazing to think that we form friendships and bonds with people we don't even really know, when it comes right down to it. We are so quick to judge and condemn, love and support, when we don't even know anyone here, really. Obviously, I direct this not at those who have met people from this forum IRL, but those who have not met anyone from this site face-to-face. I see so many stories about perceptions simply melting when they meet someone face-to-face, and it amazes me every time how we get to know people, when we can't really know them at all just via words and the occasional images. For all I know, MrOni could be a perfectly pleasan individual who simply happens to have a twisted sense of humor. For all anyone here knows, I could be a pyromaniac who compulsively giggles whenever he sees or hears any references to flame and burning. You can't really know anyone until you meet them in real life, yet we make friends and enemies here all of the time.
This is why I can't wait to go to Otakon. Sure, the expos will be great, the contest should be fantastic, but really, I can't wait to meet all of you who will be going face-to-face. I already know that I'll be meeting SecondChild, Flint_the_Dwarf, and MistyCaldwell. There's probably a bunch of others going that I am unaware of (or forgotten that they are going, with my shitty memory. -_-).
However, while I may not really know almost anyone here (the only one I've met in person is dwchang, and that was for maybe ten minutes), I can safely say that there is almost no one here that I do not like. Hell, right at this moment, I can't think of
anyone here that I do not like, based upon what I know. I may get annoyed at some people's antics sometimes (::cough:: temjin ::cough::), but I don't hate them, or even dislike them. Most of the people here, when they are not being rude or incendiary or negative (those that are), I find to be generally pleasant people who ahve some interesting things to say.
Or, to put it more succinctly:
I love you guys!! ::big hug::
Ok, ok, sappiness is over.
