*insert standard warning of rambling late-night thoughts*

BlimeyCon is a meetup for the patrons of Blimey Cow and it first started as a pipe dream. We joked about all of us getting together one day to meet IRL since we’d become such good friends over the internet. Then last summer, it actually happened. We organised a meetup and it was amazing!

It felt like coming home to the place you felt most comfortable, filled with your most favourite and close people. We thought it would be quite awkward when we first met face-to-face since we’re all introverted to some degree, but that wasn’t the case. It ended up being a smooth transition because we were already all friends. We already had established relationships over the internet that were meaningful, deep, and unique. It was amazing.

Then came the string of goodbyes. Actually, we didn’t say goodbye, we said “see you later”. Everyone was sad and happy at the same time, and nobody wanted to leave. It was a difficult moment.

This year I wasn’t able to make it for the second meetup, and it’s been quite depressing. So on top of my body going through a Crohn’s flare, a headache that’s come and gone for a month now, establishing myself in a new city, working remotely for Paddlefest, and being unable to sleep properly, I’m all sad and depressed because I didn’t get to go to BlimeyCon.

(I’m not complaining, by the way. I’m writing about what’s on my mind and how I’m feeling.)

And now that this year’s event is over, everyone’s experiencing and talking about the post-meetup blues, which I’m now getting too, even though I didn’t go! It’s depressing.

But I’ll survive. We still get to have fun chatting online and there’ll most definitely be another meetup next summer. Hopefully I’ll be there.

M3