Another Chapter Closed

I logged into my email this morning to see a message from a lady I know:

Just to let you know, in case you are wondering. In Tickle, I deleted the AC and Blog It group. Then I cancelled my account there a week ago.

Just so you know what happened when you don't see the groups anymore. :)

Tickle's a social networking site I used to frequent back when I first moved to Edmonton. I initially got hooked on the site back when it was emode.com and all it really contained was a plethora of free personality tests that I liked to stay up late doing, when I was unemployed.

Then a few months later the name changed to tickle.com, and the site became a social networking/matchmaking site. My honorary big sister, Corina, met her (now very longterm) boyfriend, James, on the site, so I decided to try my hand.

I went perusing through the site and stumbled on a social networking group called Alberta Central, which, as the name implies, is a group for people on Central Alberta to meet and chat.

I was on the site for about a month, meeting lots of chat buddies, but no one that really piqued my interest romantically.

Then one night, a whole bunch of the Alberta Central (AC) people got together on MSN to have a great big group chat, and I don't think I've ever had as much fun chatting as I did that night. I added about 30 new contacts to my MSN list that night.

The next day, I woke up, logged on and was immediately buzzed by one of my new contacts.

We talked for a bit, but I needed to get up and at laundry and other things, so I gave him my number and told him to call if he wanted to continue chatting.

He called about 30 seconds later, and we ended up talking on the phone for hours that morning/afternoon about our lives until that point, interests, just everything. It was one of the most amazing conversations I've ever had on the phone.

He was the father of two young boys, and had them that weekend, and since he had been neglecting them to chat with me, we finally had to say goodbye so he could get back to his duties.

Before he left though, he mentioned that the Alberta Central group was having an actual face to face meet that night at a bowling alley in the Northend of Edmonton, and asked if I was interested.

I had previous obligations, with an old friend who was having some severe personal problems, and was coping with a drug addiction, so I told him I'd pass, but would possibly make the next one.

I went to dinner with my friend, came back feeling nostalgiac for a more innocent time we'd shared, and very depressed about letting go of a friendship that seemed futile.

I logged onto MSN, and immediately was messaged by another contact who told me the guy I'd been talking to earlier was coming to pick me up, and that I needed to be at this meet.

My phone rang, and it was him, demanding my address jokingly.

I fought the idea of leaving my house and being social with people I didn't know, when I was feeling entirely anti-social, but I caved and gave him my address, and went to go get cleaned up.

20 minutes later, my doorbell rang, and there he was, in the flesh. He whisked me away to the meet, where I was made very comfortable, and talked to these people I'd only known by screen names previously. I also got to meet his kids, who immediately told me all about dinosaurs and paleontology (the eldest) and how to build houses with blocks (the youngest).

We left, he dropped me off, gave me a very good kiss goodnight, and we parted ways.

The guy?

He was Wayne.. Dickhead Wayne, who has ranked so much mention in this blog in the past, and I have to admit I feel really upset when I think back to this day. How sweet it was, how much fun we had.

So today when I got this message from the lady who established and created Alberta Central I think back to the wonderful people this group allowed me to meet.

Especially after spending the morning with one guy, Erik, a very dear friend from Calgary who has helped me out more times than I can count with advice, support or, yeah, money. I never would have met my wonderful 'E' had it not been for AC.

I'll find you your wonderful redhead yet, my dear.

Todd.. my beautiful inspiration. I cried all night the day you told me how the cancer made you feel. I started writing a book about you, and then realized it wasn't my story to tell.

The day you told me how wonderful your life had turned out, was one of the happiest of my life. You deserve the best of lives for all you've been through.

Tracy.. my gorgeous little bundle of sunshine. I'll always remember your beautiful Don King hair in Beaverlodge, and how much fun it was to salsa with you and have a little Mexican pour tequila on us. Seeing you again a few weeks ago made me so happy.. it's nice to know I've always got my little Tracy-kins to count on.

Remember.. I only kicked you out of bed because you wouldn't put out.

Allan and Kelli - My former Mill Woods hood rats. You two deserve happiness, bliss and more. I'm so happy to hear you two got engaged, and that one of the AC couples panned out to be as wonderful together as you two are.

Al, you'll always be my Greek God.. how do I thank someone who brings me a cigarette across the city in the dead of night, because I'm stuck at my boyfriend's place in the northend? Cheers to you, both!

There are some people that this group brought into my life that I sometimes wish I'd never known, such as the boy I talked to for all those hours, and the heinous boss I mentioned back in the early days of this blog, but I think for all they put me through, it made me a stronger person.

Shar -- Thank you for creating AC, as much as I wish it had worked out, I know how you struggled to keep it alive in the past year, and how hard it was. Thank you more than you'll ever know.